Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Hands of Creation

Chapter 109 - The Light of Hope

Rhys stood at the top of the Thousand Hearts HQ, ready to address them now that he was back at full strength. Countless questions were flitting about, and he had a whole paper of them to answer, as well as notes for each one to guide him. Elder stood next to him, the giant Torkoal surveying the crowd with an anxious hum.

"You don't suppose they will reject your assurances, Rhys?" Elder asked.

As he spoke, a nearby Infernape, slightly transparent, stepped past Rhys to light the nighttime lanterns. Its orange glow flickered against the cool evening darkness. From the top of the stairway, similar lights dotted the wide, wide path that led all the way to the town square. The glowing eyes of nocturnal Pokémon stared back at him, blinking, occasionally looking at one another. Waiting for him to talk. But it wasn't time yet.

"They might, but I have to try." He sighed, running a claw over no line, just the paper itself. The words wouldn't mean anything to him until he started talking. To what was rapidly looking like all of Kilo in his mind. Or all that was left.

No, he couldn't think like that. Even with Waypoints ruined and most supply chains disrupted, there were surely other patches of civilization out there holding their own. Villages and towns and settlements that didn't rely on Kilo Village or its network for everything. They were few and spread far, but they were smart. Pokémon were smart. Especially the ones of this world.

"Where are they?" Rhys muttered, looking to the left.

"They had to wrap up a report from another of their rescues." Elder nodded at the Infernape, who made a wave goodbye before evaporating in a flurry of blue embers. "But if Roh was just here, that means Manny must be nearby."

Rhys wished the Infernape had at least told them. "Right. Mm. I can start without them. Most of this is good news anyway." Relatively speaking. His empty platitudes of hope and perseverance were no longer bluster. Kilo Village had finally stabilized after a moon of uncertainty and decline.

The hospitals were no longer beyond capacity. Injuries were frequent but manageable. Several Pokémon abandoned their old careers and took up a new passion of helping others with all they could. Those with innate healing abilities shined the most.

Of course, the lowered demand was also because so many Pokémon had succumbed to their injuries. Mutants had run rampant, but they, too, were neutralized. And from what Arceus told them, unlike all the other times, they weren't reincarnating. They were gone.

The lives that had been lost due to the world's collapse were impossible to estimate, even now that the initial crisis was over. Communication lines were severed. They had no way of knowing if, for example, Pyrock had been abandoned, killed off, or maintaining themselves in isolation. But for Kilo Village alone, of those who had been rescued or saved, the dents in their populations were a literal decimation. That did not bode well for settlements less equipped.

But he couldn't focus on that. Low morale would only increase casualties. His speech was to show them all that despite the state of the world, they had a path forward.

"Oi, sorry fer that."

A muscular Lucario with fairy wings approached with a firm nod. "Rescued survivors over at Centi River. Lots."

"They're fine?"

"'T's why I took so long."

A Joltik hopped onto Manny's head. "Five people called me a hero! How many times have you been called one, huh?" She raised her body threateningly.

"Enough, enough." Rhys waved them off. "I think it's time I get to announcing. Thank you for coming, Manny, Willow. Please stand here while this happens..."