PMD-U Eurasia: Cactus Field Part 3

Explorer Task 2: Winning Hearts and Stomachs

-Wesley’s POV-

High noon here in front of Thirsty Cacturne, I faceplanted on top of the info booth the Guild set up in complete boredom. I still couldn’t believe Max just dumped me back here sitting on this little info booth and answer questions. “You can’t handle the desert,” he said… Geez…

To make the matter worse, the sun’s only getting harsher and the heat’s just excruciating out here…

“Are you alright?” Pluck, who sat next to me, concernedly asked.

“I’m fine… I’m just bored…” I turned my head to the Roselia and powerlessly replied. “And it’s so damn hot out here…”

“Here, have a cup of tea here, it’s a special blend.”

I lifted my head and saw a cup of chilled tea in front of me. Further up, it was Max the Zangoose, holding a serving plate with more drinks.

I took a few sip, and felt the heat instantly chilled down.

“Wow! That’s amazing!” I shouted with amazement after gulping down a whole cup.

“Oh wow, it’s really good!” Pluck commented moments later.

“Thanks~” Max smiled.

“What’s inside? It tasted so chilly in there,” I asked.

“Just some local Cactus Tea with some special blend of berries I mixed,” he recalled. “Brought some of the berries from home and figured I should try mix them up for chillin’”

“You don’t mind if I…”

“Sure, sure, have some more!” Max grinned as he served Pluck and I another cup, which we both quickly gulped down.

“Hey Wes! You got a mo—hey, what’s that?”

Dastan approached the booth and asked upon noticing the tea we were enjoying.

“Dastan, you just came at the right time,” Pluck remarked. “This tea Max just made up is just amazing!”

Dastan picked up a cup from the grinning Zangoose and took a taste. “Holy cow, this tastes good!” he exclaimed.

“Thanks~ take another one,” Max replied.

“Maybe later, I’m gonna need some help here,” Dastan shook his head after putting down the cup.

“What’s up?” I asked.

“Well… it’s better if you guys come and take a gender yourself,” Dastan hesitantly said. Pluck and I looked at each other and sweat dropped.

* * * * *

Dastan led the three of us to the site, and from faraway I could already see Neige standing in front of a farmland… or what’s left of it, with a Machoke standing next to them. I think I could understand why Dastan couldn’t explain all this too us back at the saloon.

“Wow,” I exclaimed in awe and attracted the other’s attention. They turned to their back and noticed us.

“Afternoon,” Neige greeted.

“The hell happened to this place?” asked Pluck with a twisted face, looking at the site. “It looked like a frickin’ bomb went off at this place.”

“It’s those God-forsaken bandits,” the Machoke sighed. “Sneaked into my farm last night and blundered all me berries I plant here.”

“That’s awful!” Max commented.

“Blundering me farm is one thing, but they vandalized me farm as well!” he continued. “Messin’ my farm like this… It just got personal… I think I could cry…”

No kidding, I could see his tear falling from his eyes. But I can’t blame him, ‘cause his harm looked totally totaled. Bent trees, thorns everywhere, burnt marks, and the smell, oh, my God, the smell was horrible around here.

“Hey Dastan, have you seen Soulless around—oh Lord, the hell’s that smell!?”

We turned toward the voice and noticed two ‘mons: Akatsuki and Raiken, covering their nose in disgust of the smell coming from the farm. Even Raiken, the Jolteon, had to go bipedal just to free his front paws to cover his nose.

“You guys got here at the best of time,” Dastan laughed. Neige, Max, and I followed.

We explained to them just what happened to this wasteland in front of them.

“We’re just about to help this poor farmer here to tidy up this place,” I said. “You guys got time?”

“Sure,” Akatsuki replied. “Always glad to help.”

“Nah, I'll pass. The smell here is just terrible…” Raiken followed. But then, he noticed Max looking at the farm with concerned face. All of a sudden, he’s face blushed all over.

“…You know what?” Raiken shyly said. “On second thought, I’m gonna help as well.”

“Rai!?” Akatsuki turned to his friend and exclaimed in shock.

I frowned at the sudden change of heart, then I noticed his eyes were focused almost entirely on Max, who started walking around in the farm, oblivious to Rai’s glare. I sweat dropped and forced a laugh.

* * * * *

Two hours later, when we finished our work and returned to the saloon, we noticed a huge group of ‘mon heading toward the great cactus with some familiar faces leading them.

“Dad!” Max exclaimed, seeing Ray coming from afar.

“We are back!” Ray replied.

“Man, that was a tiresome trip,” Ral followed.

As I looked at the group of ‘mons returned to the saloon, I figured something’s fishy here…

“Wait a sec,” I remarked with sudden realization. “Where’s Max?”

“Your partner?” Ral responded. “He dashed into the ravine with Dash and Athena while Ray, Champ, and I escorted these merchants back here.”

“Yeah, he said his old partner is stranded with bandits there and he’s going to save him,” Ray followed.

Get the hell outta here, are you frickin’ joking me?

“…”

“Wes?”

“Ray, you mind to lead me there after a couple minutes?” I impatiently asked.

“Sure, but why?” asked Raymond.

“I’m going to pull several other guys from here and go save his ass,” I replied. “I’m not going to sit around while my hot-headed partner have all the fun out there.”