Chapter 13: Feathered Chaos

  Yuki woke up to the smell of toast. Or... No, not toast. Something sweeter. Something warm, buttery, and just barely crisp around the edges. Her brain slowly fought its way out of sleep as her beak twitched in reflex, catching the unmistakable scent of her mother’s berry scones.

  Then she sat bolt upright. "NO!" The shout nearly knocked her off the bed, wings flailing as she scrambled upright in a panic, feathers everywhere. She whipped around, eyes wide. "I overslept!?"

  Downstairs, someone snorted loudly. "You think?"

  Yuki groaned. "Ayraaaa…"

  "Good morning to you too!" her older sister called back.

  Yuki nearly fell down the stairs trying to get to the kitchen in time to salvage whatever was left of breakfast. She skidded around the corner, only to find Ayra already sitting smugly at the table, halfway through a second helping of Mira’s scones.

  Ayra, ever the early riser, shot her a knowing look. "Well well well. Look who finally decided to join the living."

  "I was tired," Yuki muttered, climbing into a chair and giving her sister a narrow-eyed glare. "Some of us were busy yesterday."

  "Busy trying to explain to the guards why you should be allowed to join Auri on the expedition you mean," Ayra said with a smirk.

  "It would only be right to allow me to acompany him," Yuki said with a huff.

  From the stove, Mira’s voice chimed in brightly. "The guards saw that different, I believe."

  "They'll change their minds!"

  Daigo, leaning against the doorframe with his arms crossed, chuckled. "Feathers everywhere, late to breakfast, and already beak-deep in duscussion with the guard. Yep, that's our [Whirlwind] of a Torchic."

  Yuki rolled her eyes but couldn’t help smiling. This was normal. This was home.

  Mira placed a plate of fresh scones in front of her, giving her a light pat on the head as she passed. "Eat first, let yourself get teased later. You missed the morning briefing."

  "What briefing?"

  Mira shrugged, going back to the stove. “Nothing urgent. I just need you to run a small errand today. Elder Ilyra’s waiting on a pouch of dried herbs from Eri, and Eri was too swamped to deliver it herself. She expects you around mid-morning."

  Yuki perked up a little. "So, I’m the delivery bird?"

  Ayra quipped, "With how pidgeybrained you can be at times, definitely."

  "Hey!"

  Mira shot both of them a look, but her smile never faded. "Ayra, be nice. Yuki, don’t let yourself be teased that easily. And both of you, if I hear about another wrestling match on the roof, you’re fixing the tiles yourselves."

  "I didn’t even start that one!" Yuki protested.

  Ayra just smirked. "But you were the one who damaged the roof in the process."

  Yuki made a face and stuffed a whole half scone into her mouth to end the conversation. Mira laughed under her breath and slid a small satchel onto the table. Not hers, hers was bigger than that. "That’s for the delivery. And make sure it actually gets to Elder Ilyra this time, not forgotten in the satchel for three days. Again."

  "That was one time," Yuki said around a mouthful of berry.

  "And that one time made the Elder’s potions go haywire," Daigo reminded her, his tone amused. "I’m still not sure we ever fixed that shelf that floated for a week."

  Yuki blinked. "...So that’s what that was."

  Daigo sighed but ruffled her feathers as he passed. “Go on, Yuki. You've got a mission to fulfill. Try not to bring back anything on fire."

  "No promises!"

  Yuki scarfed down the last of her breakfast, slung the small satchel over her shoulder, and bounded toward the door, wings half-flared and eyes sparkling.

  Ayra raised an eyebrow. "You’re going out like that? So you don't want me to accompany you to your deliveries this time?"

  Yuki paused in the doorway, dramatically puffing out her chest. "Please. I’ve got Auri."

  "That’s what I’m worried about," Ayra muttered. "You two together attract trouble like berries attract Beedrill."

  "Don't let architect Norris hear that," Yuki said with a grin, "Also, us getting the Amber Looplet back to Alain was the only remotely dangerous thing we did!"

  "That's literally just wrong," Ayra corrected flatly. "You still haven't told us for what unfathomable reason you've been outside of Newleaf Village when you found Auri the first time.”

  Daigo chuckled in the corner. "Ayra, let her off the hook. She wants to see a bit of the world, that's not the worst thing there is."

  Mira simply shook her head with an amused look. "Just make sure that gets to Elder Ilyra without detouring out of the village today."

  Yuki gave a mock salute, nearly tripping over her own feet as she spun around. "Operation: Delivery Success begins now!"

  "You still have jam in your beak," Ayra called after her.

  "Fuel for the mission!" Yuki chirped, already bounding out the door.

  Warm sunlight spilled over the crater rim as she stepped outside, the wind tousling her feathers and the scent of the morning dew still clinging to the grass. It was going to be a good day! She glanced toward the village square and smiled. Time to find Auri!

  She passed the bakery first. The scent of warm bread and Cheri-berry glaze spilled out into the path, making her stomach growl all over again. The door was propped open, and inside she caught a glimpse of Nala, the Whimsicott baker, humming as she carefully dusted flour across a fresh batch of rolls. Yuki gave a wave as she passed, but didn’t linger. She had deliveries to make, and more importantly, Auri to find!

  Auri hadn't shown up this morning for breakfast. Skipping meals wasn’t all that unusual for him, as she had learned by now. He just liked his peace and sometimes he just needed space to think. In these cases he could easily vanish for an entire day without anyone seeing him. Yuki had learned not to take it personally, though that didn’t stop her from trying to drag him out of it every now and then!

  She adjusted the delivery pouch across her back and skipped down a small stone step onto the cobbled path that led toward the marketplace. Around her, the village was coming alive. A Bibarel and a Lombre were chatting near the well, buckets already full, tails swaying with the rhythm of their voices. A pair of young Wooper splashed each other gleefully at the edge of the stream that fed into the gardens. One of the elder Leafeon was trimming overgrown roots while humming a slow, wordless tune.

  Yuki grinned. Peaceful didn’t mean boring. You just had to know where to look.

  The herb gardens came into view next, with their orderly rows of color-coded tags and tidy soil beds. Vira passed by on patrol, calm, serious as always, though she gave Yuki a subtle nod that she returned with exaggerated flair.

  She spotted Mina crouched near one of the raised garden beds, helping Elder Brenno stack dried leaves into woven pouches. The Rockruff looked up just long enough to wrinkle her nose and stick out her tongue at Yuki before going back to work. Yuki responded in kind, earning a low chuckle from the old but powerful Torterra.

  It was weird, in a way. A good weird. A year or two ago, she would have hated the idea of helping with chores, listening to ethe Elders, waking up early just to carry packets of herbs and scrolls across Newleaf Village. But by now, she had come to the conclusion that it gave her a perfect balance between adventure and normal village life. And since she'd stopped complaining about her tasks, she'd also been given much more leeway on her adventures in general.

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  She paused briefly at the side path that led toward the guards headquarters, where a pair of young adult Pokemon, a Croconile and a Palpitoad, were sweeping the front steps. One looked up and waved, and she waved back without thinking. No sign of Auri, though. That was starting to bug her.

  She puffed out her cheeks and turned back towards the crater wall, toward the low ledge from where one could overlook the entirety of Newleaf Village. If he wasn’t anywhere else, that was where she’d find him. Auri had been quite taken with the spot since she'd shown it to him.

  Sure enough, after crossing the old half-withered tree, she spotted the familiar yellow form sitting quietly atop the stone ledge, his back to her, tail swaying gently with the breeze. She approached slowly, not wanting to break the moment too soon.

  Auri looked relaxed. Not guarded or prepared for a fight for one. It was rare sight, and something in her didn’t want to ruin it. So she sat down beside him, letting the silence stretch for a moment.

  Eventually, Auri glanced her way. "You found me."

  "I was the one who showed you this spot in the first place," she said, bumping her wing lightly against him. Yuki tilted her head, watching him a moment longer. "You okay?"

  He nodded. "Just thinking."

  "About?"

  He hesitated. "Just how fast everything’s changing."

  Yuki leaned back on her wings, gazing up toward the crater rim. "Yeah. I get that."

  "I didn’t actually expect to win yesterday. I was quite sure that Ayra would wipe the ground with me," he admitted with a smile.

  "Well, in the end you did!" she replied. "And you deserved to, seeing how great you fought!"

  She leaned forward again, rummaged in her pouch, and pulled out a small paper-wrapped bundle. "By the way, Mira sent you something."

  He blinked. "Your mom?"

  "Yeah. She said if you skip breakfast again she’s coming to your house personally to scold you."

  "…I’ll eat it."

  "Good," she said, handing it over. "Because I’m pretty sure she’s serious. Take better care of your health and nutrition, will you."

  They sat in companionable silence for a while longer as Auri slowly unwrapped the still-warm berry bun with a little powdered sugar on top and took a bite.

  "...You're not just here to bring me food, aren't you?" Auri asked after he finished eating.

  "Yeah, we're supposed to pick up some stuff from Eri and bring it to Elder Ilyra. And with we, I mean I'm supposed to do it, but I thought it would be too boring alone. So you're coming with me!"

  Ari only nodded and stood up. "Well then, let's go. I don't want to get scolded for being to late."

  By the time they reached Eri’s shop, the morning was mostly already over. Yuki pushed the curtain aside and stepped into the workshop first. "Eriii, we’re here!"

  The warm scent of dyed thread and pressed petals greeted them immediately. Sunlight filtered through jars stacked on the windowsill, lighting the room with jewel-toned colors. Eri, as always, didn’t look up right away.

  The Leavanny sat cross-legged in the back corner, hunched over her latest creation, needles flashing like tiny silver sparks between her claws. She was threading two rows of fine embroidery together with such focus that even Yuki hesitated to interrupt again. Auri, standing behind her, cleared his throat quietly.

  Eri’s antennae twitched. "You’re late," she said without looking up.

  Yuki scoffed. "We're not! I was told midmorning. It’s still morning!"

  "It’s nearly midday. But it doesn't matter too much I suppose. your delivery is on the bench. Try not to drop it,” Eri replied, still not turning.

  Yuki trotted over to the low bench near the front, where a small pile of herbs lay, neatly tied together with leaf-twine. The sharp, sweet scent of dried herbs hit her nose immediately, mint, puffroot, and something she didn’t recognize.

  "What’s in here again?" she asked as she pushed the contents of the satchel into her own.

  "Two packs of focusmint, a wrapped vial of extract, and ground twilight petals. Not the healing herbs you have experience with, right? Tat's because these herbs are not for healing but explicitly for spiritual purposes," Eri replied.

  Auri raised a brow. "Twilight petals? I've never heard of them." Yuki was surprised he had ever heard of any of these herbs before.

  "I'm not surprised. They're rare, growing only next to the stronger Dungeons,” Eri said. “They're used for grounding or something like that. Elder Ilyra’s been experimenting with it in dreamscapes."

  Yuki sniffed the bag again and sneezed. "Smells like someone tried to bottle moonlight and got carried away."

  "Accurate."

  "Alright, we’ll get it there in one piece." She put the herbs into her satchel before strapping it over her back carefully. "Thanks Eri!"

  Eri gave a little wave with one scissor-claw. "Have fun you two and quick feet!"

  "Sure!" Yuki called, already backing out of the shop with a grin, while Auri followed behind her.

  Outside she took a deep breath and turned toward the winding path that led uphill to Elder Ilyra’s place. Auri followed without a word at first, but Yuki caught the glance he gave the satchel.

  "I’m not going to drop or loose it," she said, sticking her tongue out at him. "Or anything else that could damage the herbs."

  "I didn’t say anything."

  "You were thinking it."

  "...Maybe."

  She gave him a dramatic look of offense. "Rude."

  He chuckled softly. "It wouldn't be the first time."

  "Last time doesn't count. The rope was frayed."

  "There is no proof for that claim," he pointed out.

  "Still doesn’t count."

  Together they climbed the winding slope that curved toward the northwestern rim of the village, where the cliffs curved higher and the moss grew thick and damp on the shaded side of the trees.

  Soon after, they finally reached Elder Ilyra’s dwelling, half-grown from living stone and half-built with carefully layered alchemical tiles. Strange lights flickered sometimes behind the slatted windows. One could always tell it was her place by the scent: herbs and ink and slow-burning dreamroot.

  Yuki adjusted her grip on the satchel, suddenly a bit more careful now. "I forgot how far it is up this slope."

  "It's not that far up," Auri said.

  "…Do you think she’ll tell us what she’s using the petals for?"

  Auri tilted his head slightly. "I doubt it. But Eri said something about dreamscapes, didn't she?"

  "Elder Ilyra's always so mysterious," Yuki murmured. "And kinda spooky. But in a 'probably-knows-the-secrets-of-the-entire-world' kind of way."

  "I tend towards believing she actually does."

  "I know! That’s why it’s so spooky! And still by far the weirdest place in the village," she said, then knocked gently on the door.

  It opened, not by a paw or claw, but by a pulse of soft violet light, and a gentle voice from within called out. "Enter, if your minds are clear."

  Yuki glanced at Auri. "...Any idea what she means by that?"

  He shrugged. "No clue." Then he stepped trough the doorwa and into the swirling mystery that was Elder Ilyra’s home, with Yuki following directly after him.

  Yuki had been inside Elder Ilyra’s home only a handful of times and every time, it felt like she was stepping out of the world entirely. The air inside shimmered faintly, laced with the gentle weight of type wnergy, both psychic-type and poison-type. Glass bulbs filled with drifting mist hovered near the ceiling, shedding pale lavender light. Low tables were scattered with scrolls, mortar bowls, and small stones inscribed with curling runes. A half-circle of cushions waited at the center, stitched with spiral patterns that seemed to move if you stared too long.

  Elder Ilyra herself was already waiting. The mutated Slowking sat with eerie stillness in the far alcove, her long cloak of dried reeds and moth-silk trailing around her. A slow curl of violet mist drifted from the shell-like crown fused to her head. Her eyes, unreadable as ever, fixed first on Yuki, then on Auri.

  "You brought the herbs," she said.

  Yuki nodded quickly, padding forward with the satchel. "Right here, just like Eri packed them! Completely undamaged, I promise!"

  Elder Ilyra didn’t reach for the herbs. Instead, she tilted her head slightly. "And what energy did the twilight petals carry when you held them?"

  Yuki froze, then blinked. The uestion had caught her completely off-guard, she had no idea after all! "Um… strong?” she tried. "Also weird. A little bit like starlight. Sort of sad, but in a pretty way?"

  The Elder’s lips curled into the faintest, most unexpected smile. "An honest answer," she said softly. "You see more than you think, little Torchic."

  Yuki’s feathers fluffed, both at the praise and the slight chill that always ran down her back when Elder Ilyra gave her her full attention.

  Auri stepped forward then, silent as ever, took the satchel from her and emptied it at the edge of one of the ritual circles.

  Elder Ilyra’s gaze shifted to him, and her expression didn’t soften. "I heard what you’ve begun to recall," she said, voice still quiet but somehow pressing deeper. "The way you fight. The way you move. That is a most unexpected outcome."

  Auri didn’t flinch. "I've had that from the very beginning. It's a crutch, nothing else. Only instincts and muscle memory, there's no councious aspect to it whatsoever. I prefer to battle knowing what I do."

  "No, I disagree," the Elder said. "It is memory. Memory you're simply unable to understand. But maybe that will change one day."

  Yuki glanced between them. "How are you so sure of that?"

  Elder Ilyra didn’t answer. Instead, she gestured with one slow paw toward the cushions. "Sit. Both of you."

  They obeyed, Yuki still watching her cautiously. She couldn’t tell if they were in trouble, or about to be told a story, or both.

  "I will be using the petals in a ritual tonight," Elder Ilyra said. "To guide a dreaming mind through scattered echoes. But they are not the only ones who drift between selves."

  A long pause. Her eyes, ancient and heavy, settled on Auri again. "I expected you to remember some things after we've helped you out. Not nearly everything, but at least some small glances. Instead, the seal on your mind seems to have strengthened. That shouldn't have happened and I do not know why it did. But I know that greater powers than me are at play here."

  Auri met her gaze without blinking. "I’m well aware of that," he said. "It doesn't matter to me. At least for now."

  Elder Ilyra nodded slowly. "That is wise. Rushing to lift the seal would be even more dangerous now. Tread with caution."

  Yuki frowned a little. Obviously, Elder Ilyra was talking about the seal Miu had placed on Auri. She had definitely detected it. Somehow. "So… you’re saying it's not possible anymore for Auri to remember his past again?"

  "I say," Elder Ilyra said, her voice growing thinner, dreamlike, "that remembering is not always the same as healing. And the first will take far longer than the second. Years, at the very least. But for now you have done well. Both of you. The herbs are intact. I thank you for your assistance."

  She stood, slow and fluid, and turned to carry the herbs toward the back room, a small chamber filled with incense braziers and reflective stones. Before disappearing through the veil of mist, she added, "Take the side path down the hill. There is a clear view of the clouds this time of day. You may wish to sit there for a while." And then she was gone, like she’d never been there at all.

  Yuki let out a slow breath, eyes wide. "Well," she whispered, "that wasn’t ominous at all. But she clearly knows that Miu has put a seal on your memories."

  Auri tilted his head toward her. "As I said, right now it doesn't matter, does it? We already knew all of that. The only new information was that this seal Miu placed will not hold indefinitely. It will degrade with time. That's something, I guess."

  "Yeah, you're right." Yuki sighed, nudging him lightly. "C’mon. She told us to go sit somewhere and watch clouds. Who are we to disobey an Elder?"

  They stood again, paws and talons quiet against the rune-stone floor. The air outside was cooler now, a gentle breeze tugging at the new scarves around their necks as they made their way toward the overlook. And while neither of them said it aloud, both were grateful for the silence and the view that followed.

  Important characters in the chapter:

  Pikachu (Auri) – Level 13

  Ability: Lightning Rod

  Battle Nature: Lonely

  Stats:

  TE Pool (Health/AP): 62

  Attack: 41

  Ranged Attack: 36

  Defense: 43

  Speed: 48

  Total: 230 (Strength Level: Kid)

  Moves:

  Close Combat Moves: [Nuzzle], [Tail Whip], [Quick Attack], [Brick Break], [Thunder Wave], [Feint]

  Ranged Combat Moves: [Thunder Shock], [Electro Ball], [Swift], [Thunder Bolt]

  Utility Moves: [Nasty Plot], [Charm], [Double Team], [Growl], [Agility], [Dig]

  Torchic (Yuki) – Level 15

  Ability: Speed Boost

  Battle Nature: Hasty

  Stats:

  TE Pool (Health/AP): 69

  Attack: 37

  Ranged Attack: 40

  Defense: 44

  Speed: 35

  Total: 225 (Strength Level: Kid)

  Moves:

  Close Combat Moves: [Scratch], [Quick Attack], [Feint], [Fire Spin], [Flame Charge], [Aerial Ace], [Counter], [Slash]

  Ranged Combat Moves: [Ember], [Sand Attack]

  Utility Moves: [Growl], [Detect], [Dig]