Geoda Tasks: Desert Skies-Part 2

The desert sun faded fast, and now it was night- the stygian curtains had holes in them, jewels embedded in the gaps that shone through the dark of sunless skies.

Here and there, the blackness -or the lack of colour thereof- were worn through, clusters and rivulets of stars flowing through night sky in glimmering white and palest blue, illuminating the void of night in cobalt and deep indigo. Oratorio looked up, turning her gaze to the above, and beheld the milky way- the path of the stars, wherein only the celestials and the dead would ever tread through. The brilliantly glimmering star-trodden passage filled her eyes, shards of white and blue that burned through her soul; so lovely the sight was, and so moving, that the Absol breathed out a long sigh that ended on a wistful note.

The stars were brilliant in the arid desert night, directly opposing the red-tinted day with its spreading chill. It had been a long while since she could behold the Milky Way this clearly -without the lights of cities misting the light or fog above her head- so she would allow herself this indulgence, and gaze at the stars until they faded in the sunrise.

Sonata was looking after Polari, so her presence would be not required for the moment either. There were some other pokemon out braving the cold weather, presumably for the sight of those brilliant stars. All were of the guilds; none of the nomads or other Geoda natives were outside.

The Absol heaved out a deeper sigh, and raised her horn against the backdrop of starlight- no threads snagged on the polished lapis-and-umbra surface, nor could anything be seen with her eyes despite the bright illumination of the stars. Hathor had been, however, ominous enough- and she did not seem to be of a jesting sort. Oratorio frowned, and thought of the grim Camerupt's words. Death for those out in the night...was it? How terribly foreboding. Just as well she was keeping close to the Cacturne, the yellow light spilling out into the sands not far away from her a direct counterpoint to the freezing night air.

Perhaps... Oratorio discreetly looked around, and found that what scarce number of other pokemon out were very far away from her indeed. Did she still remember the old words? The way they rang out of her throat, spoken out of a jewelled tome?

She did. As the first of the words spilled out of her mouth, Oratorio breathed out and turned her gaze to the invisible dark. "O filii magnanimi..."

"Vade leniter in nocte et calca subigens leviter, quia Custos Inferos vertit oculos ad orbis in hora vacuo-
O filii magnanimi, iter rigidissimus calcatur in hora vacuo."

The words came as easily as they did before, when it was just Sonata and her facing the walls of fog and dungeon entrances at the dead of night- and even further before, when the old priest had opened the ancient tome and she repeated his words in a voice barely heard, one after other in a steady cadence. As she spoke, the Absol thumbed the cross carved in the golden clasps of her cape. The motion was borne out of years of habit and practice- and she would wear the marks thin if she kept up like this.

...sometimes she did sorely feel the need for a rosary.

"Those are some old words." A voice spoke behind her, low and distinctly feminine- Oratorio turned back from the stars, and found herself facing a fully-grown Druddigon. The Absol would have, if faced with such an intimidating stranger, would have stilled her motions- however, this time, she did not- rather, she shifted a bit to her right so that the Druddigon could have a seat on the sands herself. "I did not know that you would know those old words, Ma'am." Oratorio answered, her white pupils catching the reflected starlight in a way that made the Druddigon squint for a moment. Was it her mistake, or did she just see the Absol's eyes glimmering blue?

"Please, none of that! It's Chia, lass." The dragon sat down heavily on the sand, cobalt and fiery red scales glinting dully from the yellow light streaming out of the Cacturne's windows. A thump of a friendly hand on the Absol's back almost dislodged her from where she sat, and Chia chuckled apologetically. "Sorry about that. By the by, I don't rightly know those words but I did hear them at a city we'd stopped at before Andalusst. Heard that they were old- sounded kind of like what you've said just now."

Oratorio nodded in agreement, discreetly straightening down her cape -the fabric had subtle discolouration on it, probably from her unfortunate dive in the Basalt Halls- and considered Chia's words for a moment. "...Of course, Chia. Perhaps what you heard was said to the overtly adventurous folk." She said, and the Druddigon was swift to catch up. "It's a warning then?"

"Of a sorts. It warns of the danger, walking at the empty hour- where a day shifts into another. Fitting, according to what Hathor had told us beforehand." Oratorio added with a minute grimace, Chia wryly smiling at the mention of the dour Camerupt. Her caravan had been there too, after all. Some of the younger ones had been scared already, and had proclaimed to sleep in the wagon for the night. The Druddigon snorted at the thought of the kids all bunched up at the back, very much more uncomfortable than the nice, solid ground. "Tell me about it. I'm sure that Camerupt was laughing inside when she told us that though. Why, most kids do believe everything an old bearded pokemon says! There was this time..."

As Chia rambled on about old bearded pokemon and how dubious their words could be, Oratorio cast her thoughts to Chia herself. The Druddigon was the head of a tiny merchant caravan Estie belonged to, selling dried goods across continents in forms of dried herbs and spices and grain. Their two carriages, full of herbs from Andalusst, were parked near the guild tents- Geoda, Chia had said, would be a good opportunity to stock on exotic spices and sell their wares. Estie seemed very much in agreement.

"And besides," the Gabite had also said, "It'll be an adventure- and the guilds guarantee that we'd be safe, so Chia decided that we could stick around with you guys." She seemed positively gleeful as those words were relayed- understandable, given that Estie seemed enamoured with the idea of travelling far and wide.

It was also Estie that had invited them to dinner- while they were informed about the barbecue taking place, it was deemed too late for such events today. Tomorrow would be dedicated to barbecue preparation while today's dinner would be in rations, the leaders said, and many accepted this without discontent only because there was a barbecue scheduled tomorrow. Estie had heard the announcement, clicked her tongue with a frown and promptly insisted that she bring Sonata and Polari along for dinner. Unable to politely refuse faced with such outright eagerness, Oratorio had graciously accepted.

It turned out to be a rather good decision in her part. Sonata blended right in, laughing and joking with the other members of the caravan while Polari got to know other pokemon his age -he seemed especially caught up with a Vaporeon named Saffron, the tips of her billowy fins tinted with sunny yellows and faintly saffron-toned oranges. Oratorio had to admit that she was, indeed, quite eye-catching.

There was a Castform and a Chimecho named Linn and Flax, both young enough to instantly lighten up when Oratorio decided to share what old stories she knew, and a large-winged Pidgeot with subdued colouring named Rhys who was slow to warm up to new company, but turned out to be a good debate partner about old stories with multiple meanings. A Magby and Conkeldurr pair served them with large bowls of stew with a friendly grin -Pumpkin and Nott- while Sonata made a Nuzleaf -Lentil- howl with laughter as his Timburr friend -Wally- scoffed at them about the lame puns.

They had a good time, Polari had gotten much head-pettings and attention -he was distinctively uncomfortable with the latter- and a small jar of candied berries that made the young Skerlp instantly feel better about the said attention. Chia was very good at acquiring decent folk, Oratorio felt, given that the small caravan functioned much like a large, harmonious family.

"...By the by, how about you just come join our caravan, Tori?" Oratorio startled, taken aback at those words- A slightly bewildered glance at Chia confirmed that the Druddigon was perfectly serious, not a hint of mirth in her tone where there had been plenty just now.

Taking Oratorio's confused silence as need for elaboration, Chia hastened to add more words on what she had said. "Think about it, would you? Your brother would do well with Lentil and Wally, and Rhys does need a talk-buddy. The Hunters folk seemed kind of shady to me from what I saw in Andalusst, and you two -no, three- are new, you'd said. It'd be easy for you to just quit the business." Oratorio was still silent, eyes facing the sand at her feet, and Chia's expression softened in sympathy.

"I won't ask what you did before the hunters, but think about it?" The older pokemon asked, and there was a perceptiveness and understanding in her eyes that seemed so very vast to the young Absol- Oratorio abruptly found herself in need of chastisement, in thinking the founder of a small caravan as nothing more than that deep inside. Some lessons ran deep indeed- and though Oratorio found that they were in no way righteous in many, many ways, sometimes the trappings of old would sink their hooks in her thought processes and would not let go.

Oratorio looked up to Chia's eyes, the Druddigon patiently waiting- and allowed herself to contemplate what would be if she said yes. They would depart the guilds come arrival to Geoda, and Oratorio would submit her papers and end it nice and clean- getting used to sleeping in wagons and selling products would be not easy, but manageable. Polari would heal, Sonata would have friends, and she would be able to live an average, honest life of a nomadic merchant with them all.

She allowed her thoughts to wonder for a moment more, thinking of blue skies and sunshine over smiling faces, and let those wistful imaginings go with a long sigh.

"...I am deeply honoured that you offer, Chia, but I am afraid that I cannot accept." Should what she had been catch up, she did not wish to hurt these honest, friendly folk with what she had kept hidden. Sonata was the only one who would go with her despite that, and that because he had been with her from the very start of it.

"Should you ask my brother, his answer will be the same." And Polari, as much as it chafed at her to admit this, would not leave them. The Absol wasn't sure what she should do with him even now.

Chia didn't seem disappointed by her refusal or angry- instead, she seemed wryly resigned in hearing Oratorio's decision. The Absol had seemed to her like a steady sort, and she did figure that the younger pokemon would hardly want to go off with strangers, no matter how nice they were. Though her thoughts that they were of a decent lot- that seemed to be right, too, and that made her feel a bit better. "I figured that you lot'd refuse. That's fine- just be a good friend to Estie while you're here, would you? She's hardly had someone your age to gossip with, the poor dear."

"Of course, Chia."

---

The night was well into the late hour, folks moving to their beds in need of sleep. The fire that had blossomed in reds and yellows in many fire pits had dimmed into orange embers, and pokemon scurried into their beds and tents faced with the fatigue of wagon riding for an entire day.

Chia indeed did not seem disappointed or angered over her rejection of the offer- and after the Druddigon had accompanied her back to the caravan's campsite, there had been an hour or so of merry laughter and conversation and companionship freely offered with well-brewed tea. Polari seemed almost loath to go when the hour had gotten late, and Sonata openly whined in protest.

Oratorio reassured the former about visits at early mornings next day and whacked the latter on his head. And then Chia just had to suggest sleeping over for the night. The reactions were instant, and it took even more reasoning in Oratorio's part to wrestle them into heading to their quarters so that the senior guild members could check on them being there, yes Sonata, that was necessary, the checking over has to be done too, let go of the wagon this instant- No, no you cannot stay there for the night. For God's sake, get down here!

She suspected that Chia, while accepting of the reasons unspoken behind her refusal, still hadn't quite given up on her attempts to assimilate them into her family.

All in all, it was well into the late hour when they managed their way into the Thirsty Cacturne, heading for one of the many bunk beds assigned for Team Medi Lunaris. Sonata was grumbly, Polari was wide awake because of all the sugar and the nap earlier on in the wagons, and Oratorio wanted nothing more than to curl up in her assigned bed and sleep.

The door was just a bit away, and all was quiet- the other pokemon had already finished their preparations for bed and sleep, so it was just the three of them trudging into the hallway, shaking sand off their feet and fins. Nothing that would cause disturbance to their route was forthcoming, and Oratorio desperately hoped that it would stay that way so that she could put her two juvenile teammates into bed and spend the night staring at the stars until she fell asleep.

Just a bit more, the door barely out of reach- and Sonata made a small sound, hand shifting to her mane discreetly. –Um. - his mental voice said through the established connection, and Oratorio felt immense foreboding just by the way how the Kirlia was not wording the situation.

-What is it?-

Sonata’s face was an unfortunate study of a mix of consternation, dismay and a poorly attempted poker face. –Reuben. Hetterich? Heading here. At the back. – When Oratorio stared at him for a mute demand for explanation, the Kirlia shrugged in his way of saying ‘don’t know a thing’.

This was not sufficient for the currently glowering Absol. At all.

All the while, the footsteps –now that they were paying attention- were steadily heading closer, each step positively dripping with the pompous air only a noble drunk upon his status as nobility could exude. Oratorio hastily scooped Polari out of her hood, deposited him into Sonata’s arms, and flipped her hood up just as soon as the footsteps rounded a bend, hiding her face from one Reuben Hetterich who looked mightily pleased indeed to spot them loitering outside.

“Ah, you two.” The Mienshao started off, haughtily brushing off a nonexistent bit of dust off his sleeve. “Hunter’s Guild, correct? I have a task for you lot to do. Pay attention.” The way Reuben looked down his nose at them made it clear that there was no option for polite refusal for the three of them; never mind what they may have been off to, for it surely was not as important as his esteemed self. With a quiet sort of dismay, Oratorio felt the metaphorical door to her sleep slipping far out of her reach as Reuben started to talk.

She did so always hate authority figures- and the way he looked down at Sonata’s somewhat scruffy self was not earning the Mienshao any favors from her either. In short, Reuben was a pompous arse that remained woefully fixated upon the laughable idiocy that was himself- and in length, while Oratorio was uninterested in whatever compensations he may offer from the Great and Noble House of Hetterich, she was not even remotely interested.

The speech was also something she had been terribly sick of, with many, many variations in the wording and patterns. Do my dirty work- and if you are found out, I claim no responsibility. If you manage to be good enough, I just may reward you with something that is seemingly valuable.

Empty promises and disdainful words. The smallest reminder, and she was sickened of it all over again.

“…hurry and get to work. I dearly need some entertainment.” Reuben had finished speaking. Sonata had his hand tightly bunched up in Oratorio’s manes, and now he smiled a dumb-looking smile to the Mienshao, deliberately disarming. “Eh…whas’sat, sir? Sorry, Y’see, we’re all tired an’ all, an’ m’ hard up on big words, I am.” He slurred out, running a hand on his hair and scratching it with obnoxiously loud sounds.

A dumbly apologetic grin was firmly on his face, and Reuben’s vindictive expression turned to disgust in an instant. “Guh, they’re drastically lowering the standards for Hunter recruits recently! Disgraceful. Absolutely disgraceful.” He muttered, twisting his snout in a frown with all the disdain he could muster. To Sonata, he said aloud- “Never mind, boy. Go get your sleep if you’re so tired to be incapable of understating your superior’s orders- I shall get some more competent individuals for me to recruit.”

“’Y ‘ave a g’ nigh’, sir!” Sonata said after him as the Mienshao went, checking Oratorio hard in her shoulder with his calf as he removed his noble self from the presence of dumb yokels. A moment passed, and two- as Reuben’s footsteps echoed across the Cacturne’s corridors and were gone, Sonata let the dumb expression fall from his face, straightening up his posture and his face as fast as waterfall fell.

“Man, that was unpleasant. Never thought I’d have t’ use the ‘dumbass’ face again.” He muttered, shaking out his mussed hair into order- Polari, who had been staying quiet as a Ratatta up until now, turned to Oratorio with wide eyes and tentative words. “…Um, are you- alright? To-Miss Tori?”

Sonata grimaced, and ran his hand across the Absol’s mane in soothing motions. “…C’mon, Tori. Th’ guy ain’t even worth getting’ pissed off over.” And what Polari just had called Oratorio registered to the Kirlia properly, Sonata blinking in bemused surprise. “Wait a sec, didja call Tori ‘Miss’ Jus’ now…?”

Oratorio, however, heard neither of them as she continued to seethe at the already gone figure of one Reuben Hetterich very quietly. Polari took one look at her hooded expression and meeped very quietly, curling up into Sonata’s arms- the Kirlia, already feeling the pressure on his set of horns, gulped minutely and turned his eyes to the Absol.

“Uh…” He trailed off, unable to continue after seeing the expression on the Absol’s face- Oratorio did indeed hate authority figures, and it showed quite a bit. The freezing glare she was shooting to where Hetterch had disappeared to seemed as if it would cause blizzards in the dusty desert. Sonata considered this, and very slowly removed his hand from Oratorio’s mane. “Sonata.” Oratorio called, quiet in her subzero expression- both Kirlia and Skerlp jumped from where they stood, apprehension written plain on the latter’s face. Wow she was looking really scary right now. Polari just hoped that this didn’t end in blood or something equally disadvantageous and gory.

The Kirlia, meanwhile, did seem apprehensive in following Polair’s example- but beneath that thin veneer, a look of resigned calm was there. “…Y’ know, I figure that you'd want to wreck th' guy, but y'know we can’t do jack shit to th’ ass, right?”

The Absol’s eye twitched in response.

“Well, if someone deserves it, I would say that what one deserves must be given.” A voice interjected in the tense silence, blithely unconcerned about the Absol whose rage seemed like an inferno- Robin strode out of the shadows, detaching his body from the gloom of the late hour and calmly switching himself from papery shadows of 2D to a solid 3D as he walked to the trio. The Banette’s customary grin seemed larger than it had been before. “Team Medi Lunaris.” He said, coupled with a wicked grin on his mouth- “What would you say to reminding him that the Hunters are not his to command?”

If it was possible, Sonata seemed even more resigned to the possibility of Oratorio doing ‘jack shit’ to Reuben. “Tori, C’mon-” The Kirlia attempted to say, knowing that hey, they were supposed to not tangle with that guy, since they were supposed to stay low-key! But Oratorio held up a paw mid-speech. “Well, it is the Hunter Executive’s command. We cannot possibly refuse.”

There was an absolutely bone-chilling grin on her face that rivaled Robin’s. Sonata grimaced and heaved out a sigh. “…An’ I’m supposed t’ be the crazy one.” He muttered into the night air as Robin and Oratorio started talking, striding off to who knows where and leaving Sonata to follow.

Oh this was going to go so terribly.

To be continued…