[BOARDING PASSES] The Collection: [BREEZY MEADOWS #1] "When the clock strikes Midnight."

Neo stalks through the dark meadow. It’s late at night, nearly Midnight. The sky is dark, full of clouds just vaguely visible due to the light shining off the moon. Glorp is on their shoulder, holding on tightly. On their head sits a small lantern, sticking to their skin and held in place as the pokemon stalk through the grasses. There are very few trees, and the ones that are there are few and far between. There’s a fair collection of wildflowers as well, but most if not all of them are closed up for the night. Neo has a wonderbag slipped over their shoulders. Inside is a large picnic blanket, some rope, and a few apples, perfect for Tart's plan.

 

“So, we’re having a picnic...?” Ace hesitantly questions, bounding just behind the taller through the meadow.

 

“Not quite.” Is what Neo replies, scouting the horizons for somewhere to set the picnic blanket down. They come up with nothing good, continuing to walk forward. “What do you know about Mystery dungeons?” The taller inquires

 

“Um…” Ace hesitates. “They’re like pockets of infinite space. You think you know where you’re going but you usually don't. They’re comparable to mazes–Except it changes every single day, the landmarks shifting around slightly to disorient and confuse pokemon. Depending on the area there’s… stairs. Stairs and floors.  Oh! It’s also really easy to get lost in them.” She rambles on, spewing out information like a well-oiled machine.

 

“Okay, what else?” Neo inquires, not paying the most attention, still trying to find the perfect spot for the picnic blanket.

 

“There’s pokemon in here that are crazy, and attack anything they see. They’re dangerous, so that’s why it’s not recommended for pokemon to enter mystery dungeons alone.” Ace responds.

 

“Correct. The reason we’re here is because we were assigned to capture one of these ‘Crazed Pokemon’," Neo says nonchalantly, as if it's nothing to be worried about. "In order to do that, we need bait.” Neo bluntly states, finally finding a good spot to lay the picnic blanket down. They quickly take it out of their back, spreading it out on the grass. Following that statement is a long silence.

 

Following that silence, Ace whisper-yells “Wait, are we the bait?! That’s absurd!”

 

“We are the bait, yes,” Neo pauses, smoothing out the blanket. ”The only reason we’re the bait is because we’re the fastest out of us all. See that tree over there?” They point out at a tree about one mile in the distance, barely visible in the darkness.

 

“Yeah? What about it?” Ace questions, a puzzled look on their face.

 

“The rest of the team is waiting there to help us capture whatever beast shows up. The only thing we have to do is run over there.”

 

“Oh– that makes sense. Wait, what about Glorp? Aren’t they one of the slowest? Or Trickle! I’m sure Trickle is faster than me, so why isn’t he here?” Ace inquires, sitting down on the picnic blanket.

 

“I’m the highest level out of us all, so I'm here to make sure neither of you get hurt!” Glorp cheerfully answers, sliding up to sit directly on Neo’s shoulder. "After all, being the bait is a dangerous job!" Neo then takes out 3 apples, handing one to both Glorp and Ace, keeping one for themself.

 

“You’re free to eat it now, or save it for later,” They state. ”To answer your second question though, Trickle isn’t with us because he’s a part of the ‘capture’ part of the plan. They needed him over there. That and when I asked Tart that question he said that ‘Having less mons to chase is better for capturing the beast’, or something.” Neo says with a sigh, taking a bite of their apple.

 

“That..sounds kind of dumb?” Ace says monotonously. Neo starts coughing, their bite of apple getting stuck in their throat. They quickly swallow it, and start cackling, laughing like a madman. Ace joins in, as does Glorp, and pretty soon the entire trio is laughing.

 

“I-I’m sorry! Th—” Neo sputters between laughter.”The way you said that, it–” is the last thing Neo said before being interrupted. A loud roar is heard across the meadow, scaring the three directly out of their laughter. Ace gets up, looking at the direction the roar came from. Nearby, only 10 feet away, stands a Midnight Lycanroc. It's fur is matted, covered in dirt and muck. It's standing in a fighting position, growling at the trio. It let's out a loud snarl, lunging at the three.

 

Lycanroc used Tackle!

...But it missed!

 

The Lycanroc ends up tackling the tree instead, hitting it's head, dazing itself. "T..rai...tors..." It manages to get croak out. It's voice is unnaturally deep and hoarse, as if it hadn't drank water in some time. It shakes it's head, quickly rising back to it's paws.

 

“RUN!” Glorp shouts. “Lure it to the tree!” Ace quickly obeys, dashing off in the direction of the other tree. She runs through large patches of wildflowers, trampling many of them in her attempt to escaping the quickly gaining Lycanroc

 

Oh no Oh no Oh no Oh no– Is all she can think, quickly darting to run in a zigzag pattern instead, allowing her to dodge the incoming attacks from the Lycanroc.

 

Lycanroc used Crunch!

 

Ace quickly jumps out of the way, narrowly missing the attack. She looks behind her, watching the Lycanroc rise back to its feet as she quickly darts off. Why did I sign up for this?!?

 

Neo jumps out of seemingly nowhere, running up to Ace, Glorp secure on their shoulder. “I’m gonna do something, but you have to trust me, alright?”

“I trust you!” Ace blurts out. “Just do whatever you need to do quickly–!!” Neo quickly scoops up Ace, and before Ace can further object…

 

Neo used Fling!

 

“AHH–!” Ace screams, now soaring through the air. She quickly snaps herself out of shock, glancing back down to see the Lycanroc still following her. She quickly unfolds her wings, using them to glide through the air, getting closer to the Lycanroc, successfully luring it towards the tree. Just have to make it to the tree…

 

Once the tree is only a few feet away, ace lands, quickly darting across the meadow. She see’s Tart, quickly running past him and the tree, skidding to a stop.

 

Once the Lycanroc was close enough Tart, Bliss, and Trickle began to attack it. Shadow floats over to Ace, watching the fight with them from a distance. They're both staring in awe, looking at the extremely powerful and rough battle before them.

 

Trickle used Water gun! It’s super effective!

 

Tart used Vine Whip! It’s super effective!

 

Bliss used Wrap!

 

Slowly but surely, the Lycanroc’s health was chipped at, until it fainted, leaving it’s body unconscious. Ace quickly breathes a sigh of relief Oh thank Arceus that that’s over! Is what she thinks, walking up to the now unconscious Lycanroc. Neo quickly runs up to it, tying up it’s unconscious body with the rope, and Bliss using wrap once more to wrap it in some vines, ensuring it could do no harm if it woke up.

 

“Well,” Tart declares. “That settles that dilemma then.”

 

“Wait,” Neo says with a pause. “How are we gonna carry it back to the drop-off point?”

 

“Uh…” Tart pauses. “I have no clue. I guess we just drag it?”

 

“I could carry it.” Shadow chimes in. “I’m able to use psychic abilities to pick things up, you guys can’t.”

 

“Alright then, that works.” Tart nods, seemingly in agreement. “Let’s get back to the drop off point. This was more tiring than I would like to admit.” Tart says with a yawn, calmly walking back towards the drop-off point.

 

“Thank Arceus that’s over… I hated that.” Bliss mumbles, joining Tart in his walk back. Quickly, Shadow picks up the Lycanroc, joining them. Neo and Trickle stand at the sides of the Lycanroc, quickly walking ahead.

 

“Hey, come on slowpoke! We don’t have all night!” Trickle calls back in a teasing manner, smiling wide.

 

“I’m coming, I’m coming!” Ace retorts, quickly bounding after the group with a smile on her face. Great Arceus., what in the world did I get myself into?