Chapter 11

Chip

The trip to Wooloo village would take about a day and a half, that was taking the scenic route which would take the group through Bright Woods. Hathor wanted to see the waterfall that was there while Basil and Kyuubi wanted to see if they could find some new ingredients to work with. Chip wasn't for it, why take a day and a half to get there meaning they would have to sleep overnight in the forest and then finish their trip the next day when they could take the direct path there? Alister was a lot like him as the Minccino complained about their journey from the get-go.

"We're going that way because we have plenty of time to work with," Hathor tells them as they approached the woods. The woods themselves were full of light bugs and fire-type Pokemon who liked to be in the cool woods. Chip wasn't looking forward to it as he didn't want to deal with or see bug Pokemon, but Hathor insisted.

"You know Chip, Hathor is a nice girl and all but...do you think maybe she is a little bossy?" Alister asked Chip as they walked down the path. The road outside of the city was grassy, the air was oddly a lot cleaner, and Chip felt more at ease than when he was in the city itself. He kind of liked it and was happy to hear...nothing. Only the sound of nature could be heard for what seemed like miles. Along the way, they found a few wagons filled with other travelers who were making their way to Highlands City or one of the other areas as their city was the crossroads to the rest of the kingdom. Near the forest, the group stopped to eat lunch and catch their breaths.

"Maybe..." Chip sighs as he didn't think that Hathor would be as bossy as she has been. It was nice that they got on the road though, he couldn't think of too many reasons to stay any longer other than to say good-by to his friends, but he couldn't find them before going. On the way out of the city Chip checked on his mail and saw that he had a letter from his sister Amber, the Eevee a while ago had transferred to Fablereach Academy so she could finish her schooling. She was a magically gifted Eevee and Bangam had wanted her to finish her schooling in a place that could help her harness her talents. He hasn't looked at it just yet and decided now was the perfect time to see what she had to say.

'Dear Little Brother

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How have you been, I hope your graduation was a success, I slightly regret not finishing my schooling at Bangam just so I could be with you guys when you walked but such is life. Fablereach has been a dream come true, the Pokemon here are so gifted and everything tastes so sweet. The school is full of a a lot of fairy type Pokemon and I kind of feel a little out of place here, but I got over it after meeting some new friends here. My powers have grown a lot over time, and I can't wait to show you when I come out to see you some time. I'll be in school for a least another year maybe two since I must catch up to their standards, but everyone is willing to take the time to help be get better. What are you plans for their summer? If you want, we should meet up somewhere and hang out like old times. Oh, I'll bring along Kai as well, you haven't met him yet but he's my boyfriend and he's so sweet and energetic. Oh, I love him so much, he makes me so happy. Don't tell Ribbon that though, I know me and her didn't work out, but I don't hold it against her. I only ask that you don't tell her about Kai since I want to talk to her myself. Honestly, I came to find out I really like boys and she really likes girls and well...that works out for the two of us right?

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Anyway, send me back a letter some time and I'll make sure to set aside some time for you little brother.'

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Love Amber

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"Little brother..." Chip grumbles. "She was only born a few minutes before me!"

"You ok buddy?" Alister asked.

"Just reading the letter from my sister. She always has to be so cheeky." Chip sighs. "Hey Alister, how are things between you and Shawn?"

"Shawn?" Alister asked. The Bulbasaur had been quiet most of the time they were on the road.

"Ya."

"Fine as far as I know, he hasn't been asking any different than I know. Still the cocky saur he's always been. Why you ask?"

"Just curious," Chip says. He feels Inari as her consciousness bubbles to the surface.

~ Are you trying to get yourself involved in something you shouldn't? ~

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'No. I'm just curious.'

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~ Curiosity killed the skitty. ~

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"Alright everyone let's get going," Hathor says.

"Already?" Shawn asked, he has been talking to Kyuubi the entire time. The pair seemed to be having a serious discussion. Chip looks up at the sky and saw that it was getting a little late, not nightfall but they would want to make some tracks before it got too dark.

"We want to get on the other side of the forest before it gets too dark. They say the night sky looks amazing once we're on the other side. I want to see it." Hathor murres happily.

"Plus, I would rather cook dinner sooner rather than later." Basil packs up some of their supplies in her backpack. "Come on let's go."

The entrance to Bright Forest was interesting, there were many glowing mushrooms and odd pathways that took someone deeper into the woods. Chip felt an odd sensation as he walked through the woods, almost as if there was a magical presence here. It reminded him of the Soul Plane.

~ This place...why do I get a feeling I've here before? ~ Inari says.

'Huh? How is that possible?'

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~ Pokemon souls Chip never truly dies, we're reborn. ~

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'What really?'

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~ They spoke about it in class remember. Even then though being your Omen I have a connection to the Distortion Realm; you know being a being that lives in between the two realms. Don't be surprised if there is a Mystery Dungeon here. ~

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'What?!'

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~ Yes, there is a magical presence here which means that there might be a dungeon nearby...if we're not already in it. It's a weak one but even in a weak one there is refraction Pokemon so be on your guard. If something comes up tag me in. ~

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Chip felt like the magic presence was becoming stronger the deeper they walked into the woods. It was as Inari said the area didn't seem like there was anything too much to worry about, but he couldn't get over the feeling that there was more here than what the eyes could see. He wasn't alone as Hathor and Kyuubi looked a little more on guard.

"You guys alright?" Chip asked.

"Yes." Kyuubi responds. The foxes look up and see that night was starting to fall. Chip didn't understand where the time had gone, how was it night already? They had only been here for maybe 15 or 20 minutes there was no way that it was already nighttime. A mist became coming over the group as they walked down the pathway, the mushrooms became brighter, glowing in various colors. A sweet odor fell upon them...

"Be careful everyone." Shawn says. "That's sweet scent."

~ Let me take over. ~

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'No way, we don't even know what is happening.' Chip says to Inari. 'All we see is a mist, the air is sweet and...what?'

Chip hears something moving towards them, it sounded like footsteps. A moment later the group is approached by a group of Nuzleafs the odd-looking grass Pokemon block their path forward. They were shadowy looking, their skin dark, and their eyes glowing yellow. Chip notices Shawn takes a defensive stance.

"Keep your guard up guys."

"Huh why?" Alister asked. Chip notices the ring on Alister's tail glow for a moment, the Minccino's expression goes from one of confusion to one of aggression. "You know...better safe than sorry."

"What got into him?" Chip feels Inari's presence pushing against his, the Zorua had a hard time keep focus as his other half was pushing to take over.

~ Let me protect us. ~

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"Leave outsiders..." One of the Nuzleaf's say.

"We're just passing though, we'll be out of your home before-- "Basil is cut off as one of the Pokemon throw several leaves at her. The Quilava burns the leaves before they reach her. "Oh hell no." She gets on all four and sends a stream of fire back at the leaf Pokemon who dodge, the group split up and comes at the crew from all directions. Chip finds himself dodging a few leaves before breaking off to face off against one of the Nuzleaf's who had drew him to another area of the road they were on. Chip hears his friends behind him telling him to not go too far away but he was confident he could take care of himself. The Nuzleaf's throws a few more leaves at him as he reached their battlefield.

"Leave this place intruder."

"Intruder?" Chip smirks. "I don't see your name on the sigh at the front of the forest." Chip dashes at his opponent firing a few dark spheres at the Nuzleaf's who smacked them away before throwing a punch at Chip who slides under the Pokemon. He headbutts his opponent knocking him onto his back. The Nuzleaf quickly got up and threw an uppercut knocking Chip off his paws and onto the ground where he quickly gets back up. This opponent was fast.

~ Your too predictable. Mix it up. ~

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'I've got this.'

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"Be gone!" The Nuzleaf channels a ball of energy and throws it at Chip, the Zorua is hit by it knocking him back onto a stump.

"Oh that...hurts..." Chip slowly gets up. He notices his friends were still in the middle of their fight. He turns back to his opponent who throws another sphere at him...

~ WE'RE NOT LOSING THIS! ~

Inari

Inari couldn't stand to watch her other half struggle anymore and finally with one good mental shove pushes Chip out of consciousness. The Omen took over their body and in just time as she was able to counter the Energy Ball with a Shadow Ball, the pair of attacks hit one another exploding, and the resulting burst of energy knocked dust everywhere. Inari walks through the dust cloud, her fur had turned gray while her purple had become darker. The Zorua's eyes flashed silver as she was done playing around, Chip had waited far too long for her to handle this. She could still feel her other half, he hasn't pushed completely away, just out of the driver's seat.

~ Warning next time. ~ Chip whines

"Where won't be the next time if you don't listen to me," Inari says out load. The forest looked different than before; the mushrooms were glowing various different colors changing from time to time. The sky had aura flowing in it while the mist that had been around them before was thicker. It was just as she feared, they were stuck in the middle of a mystery dungeon. Inari knew that she hadn't been dreaming it, this place had the same scent and feel of the Soul Realm. This Nuzleaf...he was a refraction Pokemon.

"You attacked me and friends first, all we wanted to do was past through." Inari says. "Refraction Pokemon get out of my way."

"Be gone..." The Nuzleaf throws another energy ball at Inari but it was her turn to smack it away as she quickly sends it flying back at the Nuzleaf, her paw stung through from the stunt. She watches the Nuzleaf catch it throw it back at her this time the Zorua dodges it and returns fire with a Shadow Ball. The Nuzleaf gets hit by it though Inari wasn't done as she closes the distance between them and delivers a fatal blow to the Nuzleaf slicing against his chest taking it out. The Pokémon falls onto his knees holding his chest.

~ Inari...~

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'This Pokemon is not real, he is nothing more than a magical being created from the mist. They normally can be found in areas full of magical essence, they function as guardians of the area protecting its magical source from those who would do them harm.' Inari watches as the Nuzleaf fades away turning into a multicolor mist before vanishing altogether. Inari closes her eyes. 'When it comes to refraction Pokemon do not be afraid to finish them off, for they will have no problems doing the same to you. Come we must go assist the others if needed.'

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Inari heads over to where the remaining fights were taking place, though by the time she did not need to step in as the others had won their fight. Hathor's fur had turned black as Bellona had taken over for her. The Fennekin was covered in dust as her fight had been a violet one while the other was looking just as dirty. Inari touches their nose with Bellona easing the Fennekin's rage.

"You'll be ok."

"Inari?" Bellona asked, her eyes flashing orange. "You really are a friend."

"Of course!" Inari grumbles, she felt a little of Chip coming out. "I don't appreciate you attacking me back in the city. But all is well that ends well." Bellona was a violent Omen; she loved to battle and became more powerful the longer the fight went on. Inari was glad that she was on her side. The rest of the group came together as Shawn was dusting himself off while Alister was calming himself down. Inari felt something odd about him, she got a sense that there was something else within him though...it didn't feel anything like her or Bellona. No what was within him acted like an Omen but...it wasn't one. She would need to keep an eye on him.

"That was weird." Kyuubi says though he didn't seem to be speaking as if he didn't know what was happening. Inari always had a feeling that the fox knows more than he ever lets on.

"I remember reading about Pokemon like these. Puppets. Refractions of a Pokemon's soul that are found on the other side." Shawn speaks the saur takes a deep breath. Inari could feel a familiar presence from him as if he was a little more like her than she first thought. Not all Shadow Pokémon have an Omen that completely takes them over like her and Bellona, instead some assisted their other half in other ways. Even Basil had a familiar presence about her though her Omen if she had one was a lot more passive than her. She'll need to get to know their companions a bit better during their journey together.

"Corrupted versions of us." Basil says her voice was oddly very soothing. "My mother would tell me stories about them at night before I went to sleep. She told me about corrupted version of us who manifest in places like these. She told me those stories to keep me away from places tainted with Mist."

"Its best we be careful from here on out." Inari says as she takes the lead. "Hopefully the exit is not too far from here, but we should be careful in case there are any more coming for us."

"Right." Everyone agrees and together they pushed forward.

The group continue walking for a while before they are stopped by a fork in the road. Inari could feel that one path the mist became stronger while on another one it became weaker. Shawn steps forward and points to the path where it became weaker.

"You guys feel that it becomes weaker this way. The exit must be that way."

"But what if there is treasure on the other path?" Alister asked. "Surely we are strong enough to hunt for it."

"That's not why we came here." Bellona says. "We're not treasure hunters."

"What if it's a plate or a shard?" Alister asked. Inari couldn't help but feel that he had motives other than the thrill of adventure. "We came this far...why not see it through."

"Because we don't know what's deeper in this forest." Shawn says. "The last thing we need to do is put ourselves in a situation where we can't get out of easily."

"Shawn's right." Basil says. "Alister, I love you but we're not going to do something stupid and not be ready for it. "We're taking the path out."

"We can come back another day." Kyuubi says. "For now, let's get out of here."

Inari felt like eyes were on her as she had taken the lead on guiding the group out of the woods, everyone seemed to be trying to figure her out. Chip normally wouldn't do such things but then again it wasn't in control right now. Besides whom said her other half didn't have it in him to step up...she was what was within him.

"You know I'm surprised you guys are so calm about this." Alister says as he picks up the pace the Minccino seemed to want to walk besides Inari. "Shadowy like Pokemon with glowing yellow eyes, creepy forest that is connected to the distortion world. Shouldn't we all be kind of freaking out?"

"Could say the same for you odd one." Inari answers.

"Odd?"

"Sorry...sometimes I like to make a pet name for something that has caught my interest." Inari says, her eyes narrowed as she looks at Alister. "This is more or less a do or die moment."

"You don't say." Alister says as he steps just ahead of Inari. "Whatever you say...Chip."

Inari couldn't tell if Alister was coming at her a certain way. Part of her wanted to get into him and figure him out a bit but she felt something within her tugging for her to not get started.

~ Its not worth it. ~

'Easy for you to say.'

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~ What are you the anger I keep bottled up inside me? Act up and I'm taking my body back. ~

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... Inari growls, she didn't like Chip bossing her around like this. She has waited all their life to be able to experience the world and here he was talking about bottling her back up. She fought off that refraction Pokemon not him. He'd piss himself before doing something like that. Forget Alister maybe the real villain here was her other half, her...weaker half...

"Look everyone!" Basil yells while pointing towards the exit. The mist was weakening with each step that passed and it was only a matter of time before they saw the light of day. The group had done it they crossed through the woods and made it to the other side. Looking up the moon was already out as they found their freedom. It took longer than they hoped but they were safe for now.

Once out the group regrouped as they began a campfire and end up roosting light food over the fire for the night. Hathor returned to being herself while everyone else seemed to be relaxing, the only one who hadn't returned to her true self was Inari who dreaded the idea of going back. She wanted just one night to sit under the stars and experience being around others.

As much as she tried to avoid it she knew the question would come up sooner or later by her other half.

~ Ready to switch? ~Chip asked, the Zorua mentally appeared next to her as Inari and the others sat around the fire telling stories. She sulks as it was time to confess how she truly felt.

'Not really.'

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~ I know how feel-- ~

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'No, you don't...you're not suck in our Soul Scape all the time.' Inari just wanted to have this one night, she felt...happy. This so nice just sitting here under the stars. The moon was full night, the stars...it was everything they had heard about, there was more than a Pokemon could possibly could in a single lifetime. She wanted this moment to last forever...'

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~ Inari they're my friends... ~

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A strange feeling bubbled up inside of her, a feeling of...sadness. She touches her eye...it was wet.

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"Chip are you ok?" It was Hathor the Fennekin asked while biting into a piece of cook meet. "You're starting to cry."

A few nearby looks at Inari who tries to hide her face. "Sorry guys, the meat a little hotter than expected." She felt bad since the entire time they were talking the Zorua hadn't spoken much, she didn't know what to say to them. Despite Chip and Inari sharing memories she honestly didn't know how to convey them in a conversation.

~ I can help you; you know. ~ Chip says to her. ~ I can help you learn to be more social able and...how about in turn you help me to be a better fighter. ~

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'You want to make a deal? With me?'

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~ We can talk about it later but...can I please spend this time with my friends. This is our first night out together not being in the city and I want too-- ~

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'Chip...' Inari closes her eyes and a moment later she was back in the Soul Scape. The Soul Scape reflected the world around them, they were at the edge of a forest, the night sky was brimming with starlight, the aura crossing it just like before. The grass seemly glowing reflecting the star light from up above. She stood side by side with Chip, the pair were mirror images of the other. Looking at the forest she saw the distortion, that wasn't a reflection of the natural world but instead was the very realm they had just crossed though. She saw Chip staring at the forest, the male Zorua seemed a little afraid that something might come out to get them.

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"Don't worry we're safe here." Inari assures him. "This is the realm between, the distortion world holds little influence here."

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"Oh..." Chip and Inari look at each other. "Inari I-- "The female Zorua puts a paw on her other half's mouth.

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"Thank you Chip for letting me enjoy time with your friends. I wanted to tell you that before sending you back to them." The fox smiles as she thinks about the others, she oddly enough understood why Chip cherished them. "I didn't speak much but-- "It was Chip who puts his paw on her mouth this time.

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"Not so fun is it." The male fox giggles. "They're your friends too Inari. "Look I'm still new to this whole Shadow Pokemon business. I spent my entire life running from it but the more I experience the world the more I realize that I need to accept who I am. I couldn't even figure out your name without help from our friends. You are apart of me and well...I need to nurture you and help you grow and through doing that I'll continue to grow too." Inari could feel Chip's strength.

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"Big words coming from you." She murres. "Fine it's a deal Chip, I'll help you become stronger and in turn..."

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"I'll help you to experience life." Chip holds out a paw.

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"What are you doing?" Inari asked, she didn't remember ever seeing Chip do this.

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"We touch paws to seal our deal."

"Interesting..." Inari touches paws with Chip and a moment later the male fox vanished going back to reality. Inari smiles as she looks up at the stars, even from here she could feel the warmth of her friend's hearts from here. "I guess I have much to still learn myself." She looks at the forest, she could feel the dark presence that was found within. Silent for now but silence doesn't last forever.

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