They sprang back with a yelp, nearly tumbling off their little island as Cillian Quinn appeared in front of them and Eris Halla. Then, without so much as a word, he pressed his knife against his own hand, making a clean slice across his palm, just as a matching one slowly spread along Locke’s.

Oh god, was this a threat?!

But the Rocket Underboss just carried on, casually explaining terminology to him as though he were answering a student mid-class. And then-



Locke blinked at Merlino like a Deerling in headlights, then said his first ever words to the man:

”Alright! That’s cool!!”

He pulled the book back over his face, reading the last few lines over and over again and trying his very best to just accept the situation for what it was. ”So, uh, it says we need a stone? Or maybe more like an altar?” There had been an altar in the other poem, at least. ”And, um-” He held up the hand the shared the AUGUR scar and the strange, circular markings that signified the Rubedo process. ”This? Maybe?”

---

[attr="class","wizzcred"]❤ wizz

Somehow knowing that only made Locke more nervous. They held the Magical Leaf between their thumb and index, a little dizzy from it all.

”R-Right!” He carefully climbed up behind Matias, amazed that Virizion could hold all of them so easily despite her graceful appearance, reaching out a hand for Birdie-Birdie to make his way squished in between the two.

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[attr="class","wizzcred"]❤ wizz

”Eh? Really? I can’t wait to show Angelo!” Locke smiled gratefully at Alexei Ivanov, carefully tucking the Pokéball away from the others.

luka chêne and Eris Halla both seemed to have disappeared, disappointingly, so he turned to Martín del Mar next. ”Here. I wasn’t sure what to get you that wouldn’t already have, but I figured rich guys always need more bodyguards right?”

Kringle-Kringle seemed to be catching on to what was happening now, squirming in Fran-Fran’s grasp as he tried to wriggle closer to his trainer’s bag and get involved in the gift-giving too. The Indeedee relented, placing the chick on the ground and keeping close as he started digging through the satchel for more presents.

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[attr="class","wizzcred"]❤ wizz

Apparently uninterested in letter-hunting or offkey bell music, Liza-Liza poked around in a small collection of stone and shrubbery off to the side. She sniffed at particularly large bush, only to immediately reel back to rub at her sore and frosty snout, as a Crabominable scuttled out after her with its claws raised aggressively.

The giant crustacean reared back for another Ice Punch, only for Liza-Liza to catch its wooly arm with her Fire Fang. She swung it around, once, twice, three times before sending it flying into the stratosphere.

”Report?” Locke’s head tilted to the side. “I don’t have a Pokédex or anythin’ if that’s what ya mean…” He peered over at the curious app on del Mar’s phone, watching what looked like high-level vocab homework whizz across the screen.

”…Oh. Those are some big words.”

[attr="class","wizzcred"]❤ wizz

Locke stretched their arms out above their head as they left Littleroot. First stop done, and with no major incidents! No life-threatening encounters with legendaries, no getting lost in mysterious locations that weren’t there before, and their Pokémon even managed to behave themselves throughout the entire delivery route!

Or almost the entire route. Looked like one of the Delibird had wandered off after all. Which one was it? He couldn’t tell from this distance. “Ah, sorry!” He shouted to the other person on the road as he picked up his pace to a light jog. ”They’re not causing you any trouble are-Huh? You’re not one of mine…”

The instinctive apology faded into confusion as Locke approached the unfamiliar penguin. “Is this your Delibird?” They asked the stranger.

[attr="class","wizzcred"]❤ wizz

Each song after the first was a little easier than the last, but Locke couldn’t help the relieved sigh when it finally came to end. They didn’t miss Eris Halla’s own growing anxiety either, thoughts drifting to the gift they’d held onto for some time now. They’d planned to give it to her later, but maybe…

Alexei Ivanov’s arrival derailed Locke’s thoughts, however, face lighting up as they cheerily waved the older man over.

”I didn’t think this was your sorta thing either! I’m just here for the free food, really.” And a lack of any other plans for Christmas. “Actually! I have something for all of you guys too! Just lemme-uh…”

Locke shifted Kringle-Kringle into one arm and fished around his bag for a moment, pulling out a Pokéball and summoning an Indeedee, who he passed the Delibird chick to. Then, after a little more rummaging around, he produced another capsule, this time with a little white ribbon tied around it.

“This one’s for you!” He beamed up at the gym leader as he handed him his present.

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[attr="class","wizzcred"]❤ wizz

Soup kitchen…Locke couldn’t help chewing on that for a moment. Either version of events changed his perception of both Angelo and Remiel Calcifet quite a bit. He’d ought to get more of that story later, maybe in exchange for a little more honesty on his part…

”Huh? Oh yeah! Let’s go!” Locke practically vibrated in their seat as they stared out at the expanse of water ahead of them. There was some kind of ruckus in the back, but it was probably just the flock getting excited about the flight too!

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[attr="class","wizzcred"]❤ wizz

Locke just shrugged and teased, ”I figured rich folk only went outside for, like, golf. Or yacht parties.”

The deep toll of the Bronzong’s defeat spurred Rin-Rin into starting her own Uproar, ringing a wild and offbeat melody that echoed throughout the pass and forced her trainer to pry her off their belt to run amok. A wild Kirlia seemed to enjoy the chaotic tune, however, twirling and prancing underneath the Chingling until it was too tired to continue, settling onto a flat bit of ground to clap along instead.

”I get more than enough exercise running for my life all the time, thanks.” A short walk between towns was one thing, but climbing the whole mountain every day for work when he could fly way faster? Exhausting.

”Unown…I’ve definitely seem ‘em around here…” he mused, then lit up with a thought. ”Ah! Hold on, think I’ve got-Here!” Three quick flashes revealed his own small collection of Unown. ”They mostly hang around in groups, yeah? Maybe this’ll attract more?”

[attr="class","wizzcred"]❤ wizz