Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Hands of Creation

Chapter 69 - Cosmic

Demitri and Mispy were the first that Anam saw; the pair lounged near Rhys' home, neighbors to Anam.

"Hmm?" Mispy lazily turned her head. Demitri, somewhere inside her vines, wiggled until his head poked out.

"Oh, Anam. Are you doing alright? That whole blessing thing didn't take out too much of you, did it?" The Haxorus was missing his axes. They were lying nearby; he must have taken them off so he didn't cut Mispy while they relaxed together.

"I'm okay," Anam lied, smiling. "Where's everyone else?"

Mispy shrugged, resting her head near Demitri again. "Where?"

Demitri tilted his head back, using a few vines as pillows. "Uh, last we remember, ADAM's making Hyper Beam traps near the entrance in case Eon or someone else shows up. Willow's keeping him company and trying to figure out a way to make some of her shrink mist a trap, too. It's kinda similar to when Owen puts his Fire Traps in the ground. I guess you could dig through them, but not if they don't expect any of this! Right? Pretty cool, right?"

"It is!"

They're sick of you. They want you to go. You're bothering them.

"Thanks! I think I'll go and see how they're doing next."

Mispy and Demitri waved politely. Demitri sank back down and leaned his head against a twirl of Mispy, looking up at her chin. She leaned forward, nuzzling him, while they mumbled to each other.

Anam glanced at Valle next, but decided that he would only irritate him with his constant movement. The Shiftry statue was where he always was, and while he was tempted to chat with him, he didn't really know how to talk to a statue. He continued down the caves until he spotted Jerry's abode.

Why bother? He blames you for every wrong in his life.

Anam frowned, continuing past the building. But then he stopped, squeezing his fist tight. No, he said. I... I still want to try.

He is perhaps even worse than all the others. You won't convince him.

Maybe I will! Y-you just have to help me! Okay?

Anam turned around and stepped into Jerry's home, knocking on the side. "Mister Jerry?" His soft knuckles made little plaps against the wall.

"Yeah, what?"

The Aerodactyl was perched on a small nest made of leaves from a spare bed that he borrowed from Rhys' hoard some time ago. Since their attempt at getting a bed from Kilo Village hadn't worked out as planned, Jerry just had to deal with a leafy nest.

He doesn't like his bed.

"Um, are you feeling okay?" Anam asked. "I'm sorry you couldn't get a good bed. Maybe after this is over, I can get you a better one?"

He hates that you're trying to help him. He doesn't want your pity.

"Why do you care?" Jerry asked, looking away.

He wished he could just disappear. He is plagued with thoughts to tear away that scarf that keeps him alive.

"I care because you're my friend!" This earned an incredulous look from Jerry, followed by an eyeroll. Anam persisted, "I can see that there's a lot of good in you."

He thinks you're a fool.

"Um, can I come inside?" Anam asked.

Jerry stared for a while, narrowing his eyes. His eyes trailed to the glimmering Provisionary Badge in the corner of the room; it looked like it had been tossed there.