Marlowe

PMD: Explorers of the Unknown

The air that had once crackled with excitement and jubilee now weighed heavily upon her shoulders. Lumi nodded at her brother solemnly, her ears drooping to the ground. Cane sounded so excited, too. How could they prove the adventurers were so great if they came back looking like... well, that? Their little group of Eevee had been quickly gathered up by their very not happy sister, and Sable made sure the lot of them were paying attention to her when she spoke. "Don't tell Dad about what happened. You know how he feels about this kind of stuff," she growled menacingly, moreso towards her and Sora rather than Cane or Storm.

Lumi looked down at the floor as they walked. It'd make sense that they didn't talk about this to their dad. She wasn't old enough to remember her mother that well, but that didn't mean she would rub salt in her father's wound by saying that adventurers had died. She glared up at Sable once the bigger Eevee had turned away. When she was sure that neither Storm or Sable were paying attention, she brushed up against Sora and whispered into his ear.

"What do you think they saw back in Ember Cave?" she asked him. Lumi hadn't a clue on what was in it. She had been wondering ever since the explorer team set off those months ago. Now, she was more confused than ever.

PMD: Explorers of the Unknown

What? How could the most important mission their town sent adventurers out on be a failure? Lumi's ears flattened against her head, her fur puffed up so far that she looked like a pale brown marshmallow more than an Eevee. The adventurers in question hardly seemed like adventurers; they just looked like deflated stuffed animals at most. Her ear swiveled to the side when she heard Cane's voice pipe up behind her. It was best if he didn't see what was going on, right? Should she even be seeing this?

"We set off towards Ember Cave approximately two months ago in search of any explanation regarding the Sage Stones," the Luxray continued. "After arriving there, we were faced with many types of feral Pokemon, as expected, but getting to the Sage Stones themselves was a whole other feat. We spent several weeks scouring the cave and many times we became lost in the labyrinth. As we traveled deeper, the Pokemon there became fiercer and fiercer, much more than we have previously encountered. It was only when we lost three of our members that we decided to turn back."

The Swellow bunched up her feathers. "These Pokemon are very ferocious. They seemed to have been putting their lives on the line to protect the Sage Stones, even though they seemingly bring about negative effects," she said. "Sadly, we were not able to retrieve the bodies of our fallen comrades, but--"

"We ask that everyone in Sunspear stay away from Ember Cave for now. Entering is dangerous, if not lethal," the Luxray growled. His eyes swept across the crowd as he held himself high, though from here Lumi could see that fresh scars, bright under the sun, marred the Pokemon's body. "For now, we recuperate and wait. That is all."

The group of Pokemon trudged through the groups of Pokemon, even when several of them burst forth from the main crowd and ran up to them in search of answers. Lumi stared at the commotion in front of her, her eyes wide with shock and fear. They actually failed the mission... how was that possible? The Tauros under her shifted to the side in order to get her to jump off his back. When she was safely on the ground, the giant Pokemon was one of the first to shuffle towards the smaller roads away from the city square.

She felt Sable's paw swat the tip of her ear. "Let's get going."

"B-but--"

Her normally stoic, dark eyes flared with emotion."No buts, Lumi. You saw what you wanted to see. Now it's time to go home," Sable sounded unusually somber as she got Cane to his feet and began to lead them away.

Lumi frowned and tossed a look at Sora before she ultimately followed after her big sister.

PMD: Explorers of the Unknown

Lumi's smile spread so wide that her face hurt from all of her grinning. Her excitement was practically brimming at the seams. She just wanted to bounce around and all over the place! When were these Pokemon going to show up, anyways? Sitting down next to Sora, she felt her puffed fur brush up against her brother's. To other Pokemon, they probably seemed like uncontrollable puffballs of energy. Who could blame them? It wasn't every day that they got to see a whole adventurer's team return to town after weeks of exploration! Her thoughts were interrupted when a trumpet sounded from one of the rooftops. Lumi glanced up to see that a thick-pelted Raichu had climbed up to one of the ledges and blew into the instrument several times, producing a low, guttural groan that made her belly rumble with the vibrations.

"The explorers are here! Everyone make way and clear the road!" the Raichu announced.

A small cluster of Pokemon appeared at the end of the road. The ones around her shifted anxiously-- even the Tauros got up onto its hooves, looming over her like a big fuzzy rock. Lumi stood on her toes, trying to peer around the large beast. Great. Now she couldn't see at all! A loud huff escaped her as she flattened her ears against her head. She wasn't about to be scammed out of a great view. Sucking in a deep breath, she leaped into the air and landed almost neatly on the Tauros' back. Luckily for her, the Pokemon didn't seem that bothered by her perch. Lumi's eyes went wide as the group made their way into the city center. There was that pretty Swellow! And was that a Luxray?! She was so excited that she hardly noticed the quiet that had fallen across the crowd or the dried up wounds that marked their bodies.

"What's happened?" the Tauros below her rumbled with concern.

Sable, who had appeared rather uninterested in the parade, now sat solemnly and quietly, staring in the direction of the entourage. She bundled Cane close to her.

The adventurers stopped in the middle of the town center, their eyes downcast. That was when Lumi realized that something was completely and definitely wrong.

"Weren't there more than a dozen explorers? Now there's like seven at most..."

"Where's everyone else?"

"They look exhausted."

Questions flowed through the air like a malevolent storm as the Luxray stepped forward, his crimson and golden eyes narrowing as he turned his head to the crowd. "The Ember Cave expedition," he rumbled, "was a complete failure."

PMD: Explorers of the Unknown

This was nice. Even though Sable was being a bit grouchy and Storm wasn't saying a thing, it felt great to be together. There was a sense of unity between their little squad that Lumi wasn't sure it could be found among all families. She knew she was lucky for her brothers and father. They never spent a day hungry, and there was enough love and adventure to go around. The pale-furred Eevee nodded when Sora said that they should get something for their dad before they went home. A gift chock full of sweets would be great for him; if she remembered, the Leafeon loved sugary things. Which made sense, because he was a Grass-type. Weren't they among the types of Pokemon that loved sugar?

She blinked when Cane dashed off, saying that they should get a good spot. Lumi's grin became more energetic when Sora darted off after him, which made her do the same. "Hey! Wait up!" Sable called out behind them in surprise.

Lumi didn't listen. She ran after her two brothers, careful enough to weave herself through places where the hustle-and-bustle became thicker. She was excited, but not too excited to spur an accident or make someone trip. Within a few moments and nearly empty lungs, she arrived at the town square. Already, Pokemon of all shapes and sizes were gathering in a circle, leaving the path open for the adventurers to move through. There was a sweet smell in the air, and she didn't know whether it was the newly blooming flowers or the cones of cotton candy. Having been somewhat distracted, she shook her head and turned to look for Cane and Sora. Where she had come to a spot was a good place to watch the parade. Not many large Pokemon had gathered there, save for a Tauros who had been laying on the ground next to a chattering group of Pidgey. When she caught a flash of Cane and Sora's pelts, she raised a paw and waved.

"Heyyyyy! Over here, this is a good spot!" she called out to them.

PMD: Explorers of the Unknown

Storm was coming too? Lumi felt her ears curve downwards at the realization. Sable and Storm were older brothers, but not the cool type of ones. They were more of the grumpy, bossy ones rather than anything else. Holding back the temptation to roll her eyes, she bounded off of her chair and walked to the door. "Let's go, let's go!" she chimed as she bounced on her paws, her fur beginning to puff out with sheer excitement.

"Alright, alright, don't get your tail in a knot," Sable mumbled as she padded to the door after them.

Toffee waved to them with a paw. "Have fun, you guys!"

"We'll try to."

The warm midday breeze immediately brushed through her fur as Sable opened the wooden door. Sable walked them down the dirt path down their little lawn, which had begun to bloom with fresh spring flowers. The rocky mountains around them arched high into the air and provided them some protection from the harsh sun above. Lumi smiled as she followed her big brother and sister down a small path that led away from their homely wooden cabin and down a small slope that led to town. Sunspear was more than a nice town, she had thought more than once during her brief time on this world, mostly because she hadn't seen any other towns in the world as of yet. In reality, Sunspear was nothing special; it was a simple village on the cliff side with small stone buildings. Luckily enough for the townspeople, the cliffs had also provided ample protection from the brunt of the winter weather, especially the blizzard that passed through about two months ago. Lumi had thought that their whole place was going to end up buried in the snow!

Underneath Lumi's paws, the rough rocky paths soon became smooth, cool cobblestone. Her perked ears could already hear the hub-bub of the town and smell the yummy treats that came from the stalls. There were all types of Pokemon on the street-- some were probably heading to work, while others were probably as excited as she was about the adventurers coming back. Her tail waved behind her like a flag in a storm. "Everyone looks so happy!" she commented as they passed by a pasty stall being run by a yappy Rhydon conversing with a Seviper.

"It's cause the weather's nice," Sable answered. "Winter was horrible. I can't wait to be old enough and be able to move somewhere warm."

PMD: Explorers of the Unknown

More visions of grandeur flooded Lumi's mind as she imagined the adventurers. A Swellow with big wings? A giant Tyranitar or an awesome Garchomp! Or maybe, just maybe, there would be some just like them, like what Cane said. An Eevee, or maybe even a Flareon, or Vaporeon... it'd be absolutely amazing, like a dream come true. The only evolved Eevee she had seen was her father, since their mother hadn't been of their evolution line in the first place. Her heart hurt for their mother, who had died when most of them were so young. Even now, when she tried to remember, her face was just so foggy...

"The walk to the city square should take about thirty minutes, so you better finish up your breakfast quick," their father said once he made sure everyone was eating. His brown eyes sparkled with something that Lumi didn't quite recognize. "Please, be careful out there. Stay close to Sable, alright?"

Lumi nodded, stuffing another piece of the omelette into her mouth. Her father's cooking wasn't anything great, but it was tasty enough to get the siblings to eat most of their food. Toffee picked at her food as if she was uninterested in it, though, while Fawn filled most of her belly with the warm loaves of bread their dad had left out for them. Only a few minutes passed before the Leafeon in question turned towards the clock on the wall and blinked in surprise.

"I need to get going! Sable, remember what I told you!" he told her, which only prompted an exasperated look from the long-earred Eevee. He rushed about the table in a haphazard frenzy, nuzzling each of them before he darted out the door and left them on their own.

Lumi turned to the rest of her brothers and sisters, perking up her ears. "Is everyone almost done? We're going to be late if we don't hurry!" She fidgeted in her chair as she giggled. At this point, she wasn't even hungry anymore.

"I've been done," retorted Sable as she pushed her plate away. The most elegant of her siblings cast a dull half-glance at the reddish Eevee not too far from where she sat. "How about you, Toffee?"

Toffee let out a nervous chuckle, lifting her paw to scratch her nose. "I'm done, but I think I'm gonna stay and clean up this mess. I don't think Fawn wants to go, either..."

"I wanna stay home and draw!" Fawn yapped loudly as she fluffed out her already very fluffy mane.

Sable's ear twitched as an annoyed light shone in her eye, but she turned to Storm without saying anything to her sisters. "How about you, Storm? You coming?"

Lumi frowned. Why couldn't Toffee just clean all of this up when they got back home? And Fawn had the whole day to draw. She hoped that Storm and Cane would come, at the very least.

PMD: Explorers of the Unknown

Slowly but surely, her brothers left their room and wandered down to the kitchen table. Lumi wagged her tail back at Sora and Cane. Were they as excited as her? Didn't they want to see the adventurers too? She could imagine it now, a parade of them marching down to the town's center, where they would all be celebrated like the heroes they were! They were gone for months... everyone just had to miss them! "It's gonna be amazing! What do you think they found? Oh, oh, what kinda Pokemon do you think they're like?" she chattered on and on, her neck fluff seemingly poofing up the longer she went on.

Their father said nothing as he approached the table while balancing platters on his vines. Carefully, he served each of them their own plates, revealing their full breakfast course-- omelettes chock full of creamy cheese and the slices of meat and dotted with herbs from their garden. "Hmm... I'd like to think they're normal Pokemon, just like you and I," he hummed, quite pensive. "Please be careful. I don't want you getting into trouble out there..." he turned to Sable, who was already carefully picking apart her omelette. "Sable, won't you go with them?"

Sable's long ears flattened. "Why me?" she whined.

"You're the oldest," their father pointed out, "and, quite frankly, the one I trust the most with taking care of your little brothers and sisters. I'd go along with them, but I need to be at work by sunhigh."

Lumi caught sight of Sable rolling her eyes, but her eldest sister said nothing. Sable had been as prissy as she was for as long as Lumi could remember, but she supposed it was just because she was the oldest and grumpiest. She turned back to Sora. "I heard one of them was a Swellow. An actual, fully evolved Swellow! I wonder how big their wings are!"

PMD: Explorers of the Unknown

In the middle of Lumi's nest, her form laid twisted, her head deep between her front legs as her back legs splayed out behind her, with their pads facing the ceiling. The morning sun's rays shone through the window in her room, casting its light into her pale brown fur and warming her sleeping body. The rays steadily spilled upwards until they reached her face, and that was when they disturbed her from whatever dream that she was having. A light groan left her maw as she raised her paw towards her muzzle and rubbed her citrine eyes as if she was going to be able to massage the sun away. Flopping completely onto her back, she stretched out her sore body as she stared up at the ceiling above. After a moment, she rolled over onto her side and looked out into the rest of the bedroom. The bedroom wasn't a giant one, but its walls were painted a pretty night blue and dotted with yellow and white dots that looked like stars. There were three other nests other than her own, and each of them were filled by the sleeping forms of her sisters.

"Sable, Toffee, Fawn," she yawned out as she padded over to the Eevee that bore a reddish-brown coat, noticing that her face was buried into her tail. "It's morning, it's time to wake up..."

The reddish-hued Eevee let out a little whimper and peered up at her with dark chocolate eyes. "Too early..."

"It's almost sunhigh, Toffee! Dad's gonna head to work soon, and we're gonna miss breakfast!" Lumi complained. Arceus, she was one of the younger sisters of their family, but sometimes she felt like she was older than Toffee and Sable combined. "And the adventurers are coming back to Sunspear today! We can't miss them!"

She could almost imagine Toffee rolling her eyes behind her tail fluff. For a moment, she thought that Toffee wasn't going to get up from bed, but the larger Eevee finally lifted herself up onto her paws and stretched out her back. Lumi smiled and wagged her tail before she turned towards Sable's and Fawn's nests, seeing that her other big sister and little sister had gotten up and were blinking the dreariness from their eyes. Finally, everyone was up and out of bed. That meant she could finally head downstairs for breakfast~!

Lumi trotted out of their bedroom and onto the small balcony that looked out onto the main room of the first floor. The wooden floors below glistened with the sunlight that shone through the windows, and the smell of cleaning product reached her nose. Her ears pricked up at the sound of a pan clattering against a stove top reached her ears, and her eyes turned towards the source of the sound. Their father stood at in the cozy corner kitchen, his pale fur soaking in the sunlight as vine sprouted from the leafy green tuft of fur at his chest. The vines worked carefully, cutting up a pinkish, cylindrical piece of mock meat that was seasoned with herbs. She watched carefully as he placed the round pieces onto the searing pain, the hiss of smoke following soon after as it rose into the air.

"Morning, Dad," Lumi greeted, walking down the small set of stairs that led to the first floor.

The Leafeon didn't turn to her, instead choosing to concentrate on cracking open eggs and pouring them into a bowl. "Morning, Lumi, dear. Are your sisters awake?"

"We sure are," Sable's grumpy voice sounded not far from behind her.

Fawn, her younger sister, brushed up against Lumi's fur. "Smells yummy!"

"Yeah, what are you making?"

"A surprise," their father finally turned to face them with a tender smile, his leafy ears twitching slightly. "Go get yourselves settled down at the table. Your brothers should be up soon."

The four sisters did as they were told. Lumi hauled herself onto one of the wooden chairs that framed a long, oaken table. There were loaves of bread already on the table, complete with rich butter and a glass of fresh orange juice. It wasn't often that they got to have such a nice breakfast; most of the time, their father left prepared food for them before heading out to work. Either way, Lumi was happy about the sunny, warm morning and the smell of roasting imitation meat and egg and onions. She couldn't wait to tuck into whatever her dad was making.