“Wait up!” Ziggs yelled as he ran down the street, trying to catch up to Sparks. Unfortunately he had learned the hard way that it wasn’t easy to stay near Sparks in an open area. The dunsparce was fast for his size, and faster still for his type.
When Ziggs finally caught up, it was only because Sparks had stopped in front of a candy shop. “We’re supposed to be looking for your grandma, not candy.” Ziggs told him. “How would you even pay for it?”
Sparks turned his head to look at Ziggs, and revealed that he had a small bag in his mouth. “When did you-?” Ziggs was cut off as Sparks zipped into the candy shop leaving him to follow.
“Can I help you?” The mare behind the counter asked.
“Apple!” Sparks said to her.
“What kind? I’ve got apple lollipops, apple candies, caramel apples, candy apples…”
“Candy!” He cheered when she mentioned it. The mare grabbed one of the candy coated apples from a tray and started to give it to him. “No, two!” She gave a small smile before getting a second.
The mare wrapped them in plastic and placed them in a bag. “That will be six bits please.” Sparks opened his bag and gave the bits to the mare. She hoofed over the bag to him, and he took one of the apples out.
“Sparks! You can have an apple later! We should go!” Ziggs said as he shifted on his paws.
Instead of listening to Ziggs, Sparks unwrapped an apple, and put the entire thing in his mouth, leaving the stick poking out. There was a loud crunch, followed by a few softer ones. Sparks gave a large gulp, and spit out the stick. Both the mare and Ziggs looked at him in amazement.
“Take another… free of charge.” The mare told him. “That’s got to be the quickest I’ve ever seen someone eat one of those, and I don’t think anypony else will be able to beat that.”
Ziggs just continued to stare at Sparks with his mouth agape at his new friend. Before he could recover, Sparks had already zoomed out out the shop with both his bag of bits and bag of apples. Ziggs only finally went after Sparks when the mare started to nudge him out the door. “Wha? Oh! Thanks!”
On his first glance, Ziggs couldn’t tell where his friend had gone. But after looking again, he figured it out by the shocked looks of ponies down one street. Eventually, he found Sparks at a small park area on top of a jungle gym.
“Sparks! What are you doing?! We’ll never find Miss Lea at this rate!”
“Looking!” Sparks gave a small whine back.
“Playing isn’t looking!”
“Breon!!!” Sparks yelled before quickly climbing down the jungle gym and running off again.
“Sparks!” Ziggs half yelled, half sighed. “Can you please wait up?!”
This time, Ziggs found Sparks talking to an umbreon on the streets.
“Sorry little guy. I’m not who you’re looking for. You’re not the first ‘mon to mistake me for somemon else.”
Ziggs went over to Sparks. “Sorry ma’am! I hope he didn’t bother you. We’ll leave now.”
“It’s fine, but do either of you know if there’s a place to find berries?”
“There’s a place near the center of town owned by a pony named Bluegrass. She might have some. Other than that, I’m not fully sure.” Ziggs answered her.
“C’mon!” Sparks gave a small whine. “More search!”
“Fine, let’s go. Bye Miss!” and then the two pokemon had set off again.
Kya stared at Caddi. Caddi stared back at Kya. Ben and Midnight watched the two of them. Finally, Kya blinked. “Gah! Do you ever have to blink with those eyes?”
“Wait, we were having a starting contest?” Caddi asked. “I thought we were just looking at each other.” The three others smacked their faces.
“But anywho… you’re called a changeling, and he’s a thestral, right?”
“That’s right.” Midnight answered for Caddi.
“And then I know Ben is a hitmon- AHH!” Kya screamed before hiding under Caddi, peering through one of the holes in her leg at Midnight.
“What? What did I do?” asked Midnight, just as confused as the others.
“Swoo…” Came a voice from right behind him.
The thestral turned his head to see Silver Wing flying in the air just behind him. “You’re scared of Silver?” Caddi asked Kya, trying to get her to come out.
Kya just nodded and slowly increased the distance between herself and Silver.
“Angela did say Kya was having trouble around psychic types and even unicorns now.” Midnight said. “Silver, could you maybe go check on something else, like maybe help search for Lea?”
Silver gave a quick nod and flew off.
“You’re as nervous around psychics as your mom was around the other police officers when I first met her.” Ben noticed.
“You’re a police officer?” Kya asked.
“I’m more of a volunteer, but yeah, I am.”
“But you still like my mommy.”
Ben was sort of taken aback by her comment. “Was I wrong?”Kya asked. “I mean, I thought you did.”
“No, you’re right. I just didn’t realise I was being that obvious.”
“The first time I heard about you, you had just come back for going crazy trying to find Mommy in such a way that it’s either a really strong crush, or you want revenge on her. I just can’t see the other one happening.” Kya explained seriously before cheerily saying. “But what do I know?”
Ben put his face in his hands. “Ugh! Is that what it sounded like? *sigh* After Lea had been overwhelmed by seeing the officers at the station, I kind of helped her out and she made me promise that I’d help keep your whole family safe. When I heard Ire had tried to strangle your mom, I felt like it was partially my fault. I had just promised to keep her and her family safe, and I was already failing. After that, I slowly started to spend more time with her. I started to notice just how much she cares for everyone she knows. She puts them first, but often forgets just how important she is to others and doesn’t always give herself the same care. I sometimes do that myself, and so it just feels like sometimes we fit together. Do you know what I mean?”
“Maaaaaybe?” Kya responded.
“I know that it tastes like pineapples.” Caddi said. “Other than that, it’s love, complicated stuff.”
“Love tastes like pineapples?” Midnight asked.
“His does. Yours tastes like pudding. Blueberry pudding.”
Ben leaned slightly closer to Kya. “Hey kid, make sure that if your mom and I do end up together, it doesn’t get this weird.” Kya nodded.
“Can we stop talking about love over there? I can hear you perfectly and it doesn’t help my broken heart!” Quarry yelled from his chair.
“It’s your fault for loving that criminal!” Ben yelled back.
“At least some of us judge others after they learn about them first!” Quarry retorted.
“Whatever, I’m done here.” Ben said, leaving the room.
“I don’t think he likes him.” Kya said.
“Who? Ben doesn’t like Quarry, or Quarry doesn’t like Ben?” Caddi asked.
Kya replied just by saying, “Yes.”
After Ben had left to go meet with Copper Star, Citrus had come in the building on a break with some good news and a new friend. When she had been out looking for Lea, she had come across one of the pokemon that had been with Quarry, Ire and Grumpig.
“Sooo…” Caddi started. “You want to help in return for berries?”
“Yes! I love to make little fruit salads with them and I heard there were some here.” Explained Cacturne. “I know I did the opposite of help before, but I can help now.”
“But we already have Quarry with us. What more info could you give us?”
“He wasn’t around all the time when Ire and Grumpig discussed plans. I can remember a few meetings he wasn’t there for but were important. I also remember that Grumpig suddenly booted him out of the mind link when we found your friend.”
“And what would that have to do with anything?” Caddi asked.
“Usually when that happens, Grumpig proceeds to make sure whoever it was can’t say what happened.”
“And how does she do that?”
“I don’t know! I haven’t had it happen to me before.”
“Fine! What can you tell us about Lea?”
“Well…” Cacturne looked around, as if Grumpig or Ire would jump out any second. “I remember hearing Grumpig mention that there was this very old pony punishment for some of the worst criminals that was banned long long ago, but she thought she would be able to recreate it.”
“Wait?! Seriously?!” Caddi yelled. “What the hay was it?!”
“The only way it was mentioned, is that it was a called ‘a punishment worse than death.’ and from what I got from context and stuff, the punishment doesn’t kill, but lasts forever unless you find a way to fix it.”
“I think I remember hearing of that once.” Midnight spoke up. “By the way, nice interrogating Kiw- I mean Caddi.”
“Thanks Midnight. Now… before I give you the berries, Anything else you want to add?”
“Yes!” Cacturne exclaimed. “Two things actually. Lea escaped when no one was paying attention and Ire isn’t working with Grumpig anymore.”
Caddi gave Cacturne a few berries before she started to discuss with Midnight about what they had just learned. “Why do you think Ire stopped working with Grumpig.”
“She might have realised what Grumpig was doing to Quarry. Or just that the job was done and she didn’t need Grumpig anymore.”
“Can’t be the second though.” Caddi reasoned.
“Why not?” Midnight asked.
“Well Lea got away, and they didn’t split up until after that happened. Why wouldn’t they stay together to catch her again.”
“Hmmm…”
Before Midnight could respond, Citrus actually spoke up. “It could be that Grumpig was just there for helping Ire get revenge on Lea, and once it was done, she left.”
“That’s true.” Midnight agreed. “But if that was so, why agree to the job in the first place.”
“I saw how twisted and broken her mind was. She didn’t need a reason, she was crazy!”
“Can I add one last bit of information?” Cacturne asked as he slowly peeled his berries.
“What would that be?” Midnight asked in return.
“While I don’t know if Grumpig is doing the same, I know for sure Ire is looking for your friend. And seeing as how she knows what she did to Lea, She has a better chance of finding her.”
With that statement, Midnight and Caddi looked each other in the eyes, both thinking the same thing. If there was any chance of finding Lea first, they were going to need Bright Ire.