Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Quenched Torch

Chapter 63: No Way Forward, No Way Back

"Mloo."

"Sha, sha," I muttered back as milk squirted from the udders in my paws, the feral Miltank they were attached to just snorting lazily as she watched me. There was hardly a single thought between those ears; maybe she was onto something.

The family had elected to go into town to buy daffodil seeds, so it was the least we could do to take care of some of the work for them. I was fine with that, I just didn't think about being able to understand the cows. Sure, it was mostly just murmurs of relief, but it was still weirdly uncomfortable.

I did my best to not look over to Rye and Bert as they worked, since I could well tell the blowup I'd had last night was still fresh on their minds. Up to this point, all I'd gotten were quiet, awkward looks of pity and frustration; not a single word had been uttered between us the entire morning. And of course, Mr. Xatu stood just next to me with his own bucket. He kept glancing to me as though expecting something; I didn't know what, but I didn't want to indulge him...

"Kid," Bert's voice cut through the barn. Not angry by any means, but it still carried weight.

"...yeah?" I winced.

"You know we've got to talk about last night eventually. I'm not mad, just. Might as well be now," the Wartortle called.

I clenched my teeth, my eyes locked on the milk streaming into the bucket. I could feel Bert's gaze burning into me like the sun, and from the sound of it both him and Rye had stopped milking to wait on me. I slowly stopped, hesitating before turning to face them.

"I jusht... had a wough fyew days," I said.

"That's no excuse to cuss at Rye, is it?" Bert frowned.

"No," I shook my head. "Am sahry. Rehly am."

"W-well, it's not just last night. You've been acting... well, off. Even before we left Proper..." Rye frowned. "So... i-if there's something wrong, please tell us. We're here for you."

I was quiet for a moment.

"...is the cayfes," I relented. "Dahno wha ta feel, wha ta doh, and..."

"And now you are being followed by those same Pokémon," Mr. Xatu said, not turning away from his work.

"...yeah," I sighed.

"Well, wh-why didn't you tell us?" Rye asked. "You know I'm always here to talk, right? W-we saw the same things over there, and..."

"Is there more to this going on?" Bert asked.

"...Nah," I shook my head, noting Bert's unconvinced look. "Rehly."

It wasn't a lie, as far as I was concerned. Of course I wouldn't go along with that whole Phoenix crazy talk. I just... had a lot to think on, was all. I'd just have to talk with Arcanine.

...then again, he probably didn't have any experience with whatever I'd been through. But then that only left...

Bert watched me a moment before sighing, relaxing a bit. "Just do me a favor and don't do anything dumb at the very least, alright? I'd miss ya if you quit showing to training," he said.

"Y-yessir, awight," I nodded. As the three of us returned to work in silence once again, I couldn't help but glance at Mr. Xatu out of the corner of my eye. The bird simply gave me a brief look— pity? Doubt? I wasn't sure, and I did not like it. He didn't voice it, leaving me with my only company being the Miltank I was milking.

"Mloo," she mooed.

"Yeh, you too," I muttered as I got back to it.