PMD - Cost of time

The Fragrant Woods

Wave survived, though not without lasting damage. His eye had been completely lost, and parts of his brain received minor damage. It was said that he would need months, maybe a year to recover, as well as adjust to the missing of his eye. However, the team was also told that the Fragrant Woods were home to a flower with healing abilities that would assist in and speed up the healing process.

"Is that weird flower very deep in here?" Cole asked.

"It's called the farcos flower, and yes, it's near the core of the dungeon," Blastoise answered.

"Of fucking course it is. Why does everything we need have to be so hard to get to?" he sighed, "well, at least this place is a lot more pleasant to be in. I actually quite like it here."

"I have to agree," said Scarlet, "the flora here is beautiful. And the fragrance is very sweet and pleasant."

"The smell is very strong though. It might be nice, but there can also be too much of a good thing," Tierra said.

"You think so? You normally like the smell of flowers."

"I do, as I said, it's just a bit overwhelming."

"Then how come that Cole doesn't have a problem? Isn't his nose much more sensitive?"

Cole stood up straight. "I'm not sensitive, you are!"

Tyke stared at him. "That's not what she… yeah, you're totally not sensitive."

"Yep, not me, I'm a strong boy- ah, fuck shit damnit!" Cole stumbled back as something hit him in the chest. "Who did that?"

Tyke looked at the small leaves falling to the ground. "I too would like to know who forgot the razor part of razor leaf." His gaze shifted to the sewaddle in front of them. "And it looks like I found the answer."

Cole immediately shot it with a flame burst, the explosion sending the small pokemon flying away.

"That was a little extreme."

"No it wasn't." Cole immediately marched forward.

The team kept going through the colorful forest. Surprisingly, many of the usually aggressive wild pokémon were minding their own business, enamored by the smell of the flowers. Of course there were some aggressive ones still, but they were usually taken care of similarly to the chikorita.

"Looks like even the wild pokémon are in love with the flowers. Seems like you're the only one who doesn't like it," Tyke told Tierra.

She responded without looking at him, "Keep your teasing directed at Cole."

Cole looked at her with an open mouth refusing to let out any words.

Tyke turned his attention to Blastoise. "What about you, what does this smell like to you?"

"... Nostalgic."

"You've been here before?"

"I don't remember much, but this smell brings back the few memories I have hidden in my mind."

Tyke looked at him intently. "What do you remember?"

"I was here with a pikachu," his expression turned to a bittersweet smile, "It must have been several hundred years ago at least, because I'm pretty sure I was still a wartortle at the time."

"Do you remember anything else? About the dungeon, or the pikachu?"

"No… only their smile." His bittersweet expression turned to one of… devastation. Centuries of repressed, forgotten grief were coming back up, grief for someone he didn't even know anymore, and all he could do was force his smile back on his face and hope he'd forget again. That seemed to be something he was good at afterall.