Chapter 29 – Day 12, Part 3: The Charming Prince

Chapter 29 – Day 12, Part 3: The Charming Prince

A couple days prior, on the tenth day…

Lord Filliandile had made a fatal mistake.

His army was massive, well trained for this kind of combat, and considerably disciplined. By all accounts, his army should have the capability to surpass even the toughest of strongholds, surrounded by nothing more than a deep trench and backed by rocky mountains. And yet, his forces failed to get far. The battle for Jouryen was lost.

Why was that? Even when it was plainly obvious that success was guaranteed, why did Lord Filliandile fail?

The answer? Lord Filliandile was weak, and fell in love with a beautiful young Cherrim nearly half his age on the opposite side of the battle. The Feraligatr, concerned that he might harm the young lady, ordered his troops without proper judgment, leading to their swift defeat.

Ricinus giggled to himself, his ribbons pressed against his lips to keep himself quiet. For him, altering these old wartime strategy books to be more interesting was always a sufficient method to make him laugh. Initially, this battle was described as being lopsided in Filliandile’s favor. He was a master strategist, after all. But when was that ever interesting?

With another ribbon, the Sylveon used one of the clay figures of a soldier from the opposite side to knock over an adjacent soldier from Filliandile’s army. The soft clink made by the toy soldier was enough to make Ricinus lose it—giggles soon turned to full-on laughter.

“Pffft- hehehehe- snort! Hahaha!”

The soft, warm light of torches lit in the corner of the Sylveon’s personal quarters danced with a nonexistent wind, casting shadows across the wooden table. Ricinus was hunched over said table, his eyes wet and his ribbons limp, hanging down. He laughed so much that it hurt, and his persistent snorting filled the dimly lit chamber that he called a room.

While perhaps only partially illuminated, it was easy to see that Lord Filliandile’s forces had fallen completely.

“Ah…ah…” Ricinus panted breathlessly. “This must be the first failure in your entire life, hm? Do you think she felt the same, you degenerate? I think this outcome suits you.”

The clay figure of Lord Filliandile did not respond.

He continued to giggle to himself. “Hehehe- snort! You’re such a fool, Filliandile! Why did you not think about the ramifications of your actions? Did you think you could live as you did forever?”

The clay figure of Lord Filliandile did not respond.

Clink! Clink clink clink!

In one swift motion, the figure of the Feraligatr was sent flying to the floor, harsh sounds of a dull material hitting the wooden boards. The blade of the figure’s weapon was chipped off during the fall.

Ricinus breathed in then out, his heart beating irregularly. There was something about these games, and how easy they were to manipulate, that made the Sylveon’s blood pump in excitement. The strategy, the war, the life, the death…it was what he had always dreamed of.

Of course, it wasn’t the real thing. Ricinus wasn’t a handsome prince in the spires of the castle orchestrating a flawless battle plan that would secure him a nation…but the ability to command and conquer at the tips of his ribbons was exhilarating. And that—that was what he wanted.

As the prince, he had power! Legitimacy! Wealth! Complete control!

Yes!

Clink!

Clank!

Clunk!

More and more clay figures were sent flying onto the ground as Ricinus swung his ribbons wildly. He thought, I am the ruler of your destinies! I get to decide who lives and who dies!

The floor was littered with Ricinus’ playthings, some chipped and some remarkably intact. All the while, the Sylveon giggled so much that it caused him physical pain. His voice strained as he dropped to the floor and rolled on his side. Tears streamed down his cheeks within another moment. The Sylveon had a sudden realization that he might choke on his own tongue if he was not careful. The sudden image in his mind of him dying on his chamber’s cold, hard floor was enough to send him into a paranoid panic; trembling wracked his body.

To think this all came from a simple game.

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door.

Knock knock…knock knock…knock!

Ricinus’ head shot up at the abrupt noise, and his incessant giggling quieted to labored chuckles. The trembling did not stop; rather, his body shook for a different reason. He recognized the pattern of the rapping on the door—the specific pauses in between each knock…it was familiar. And unfortunate for the Sylveon, he was not in the best condition to welcome in company.

“C…coming!” Ricinus panted, pushing himself off of the floor. He mentally kicked himself for being so careless. Luck was on his side this time—considering who had knocked, but what if it had been one of his superiors? Not that any of them had ever bothered to come see him in his chambers before…

The hardwood door creaked open well before Ricinus was able to reach it, inciting him to stand in place as he caught his breath. First, a scruffy, white furred snout peeked in through the crack in the door. Then, a voice deeper than the caves they were in spoke with a hint of concern in his voice. “…Riz…everything alright in there?”

Ricinus cleared his throat. “Y-yes, Aven. Please come in.” The fairy type sat on his haunches, fully giving himself the peace of mind to breathe.

The door creaked open until it was completely ajar. A Lycanroc walked in and carefully closed the door behind him, careful not to produce much noise. With his fur unkempt, blackened with soot and other grimy things, Aven’s sunken in eyes fell on the Sylveon.

Unconsciously, Ricinus’ shoulders relaxed at the sight of the bipedal wolf. It never ceases to amaze him how Aven managed to look a couple decades older than he truly was. Just how hard were they working the poor dog?

Aven scanned the rest of the room with his eyes, the same tired look on his ungroomed face. “…What happened in here?” he said. “Did you drop all this?”

Oh good, Ricinus thought, he didn’t assume the worst immediately. That saves me the trouble of having to explain myself again. After that incident with my ribbons, I believe any further embarrassment might kill me.

Ricinus’ gaze fell to the floor as he lightly tapped one of the clay figures in front of him, pushing it aside. “I…might have, yes,” he uttered bashfully. “Clean them up, please.”

With a nod Aven bent down and began picking up clay figures from the floor. “Sure. I can do that.”

A moment’s hesitation followed on Ricinus’ end, but he quickly copied the Lycanroc’s actions. Methodically, and with a distinct excess of care, the Sylveon picked up every figure that Aven missed. He went as far as to pick up the shattered pieces, such as Lord Filliandile’s blade. Though he paid it no mind, a strange warmth rushed to the tip of his ears shortly after. Ricinus hated that sensation almost as much as he hated it when he accidentally stepped on his own ribbons.

Awful. Just awful…

“Did we get ’em all?” Aven wondered, scratching his scalp under his unwieldy hair.

Ricinus sighed. A pile of various clay figures had formed on the table with a series of clinks. “…Yes, I believe that is all of them. Thank you…Aven,” he regarded the wolf with a bashful look over his shoulder.

Aven was fiddling with one of the figures when he started talking. “Everythin’ alright, Riz? This ain’t the first time this happened-“

“Yes!” Ricinus replied quickly, turning to the wolf. “I thank you for your concern, but I am perfectly fine.” Unconsciously, his eyes gradually trailed up Aven’s form in anticipation for his response. From his strong calves and agile legs, to his burly upper body, before finally resting on his rugged facial features. In particular, he stopped at the Lycanroc’s eyes. Most Lycanroc of Aven’s description had that fanatical glow to their gaze, almost as if the moon itself was shining through their skulls. Aven had this, yes, but Ricinus always took note of how bright they glowed whenever he spoke. Today, his eyes were quite dull. Either Aven was particularly tired, or…

“…Okay,” Aven said. If he noticed Ricinus staring, he didn’t comment on it. “Just wanted to check up on you.”

The Sylveon nodded—and in an attempt to ignore the rush of heat to his ears, he cleared his throat. “Well, yes, that is to be expected of a prince’s servant.”

Aven was already frowning, so he just blinked at Ricinus’ remark instead. “…Hey, I thought you said we wouldn’t say that stuff when we’re alone.”

…He did, didn’t he? Now his cheeks were burning as well. Things had gotten so compulsory for Ricinus that he often forgot to take the mask off. As such, he let his ribbons go limp and accepted the heat that rushed to his ears. “I am sorry…” he muttered, looking down. “It is not…befitting of me to…I’m sorry. Thank you for being here, Aven.”

“It’s no sweat off my back.” The Lycanroc knelt down to better be on Ricinus’ level. Just like how he implied, Aven groaned as he went. Ricinius thought he heard a few pops as well. “A…dumb guy like me doesn’t get how you do that…thing you do.” He made a vague gesture to Ricinus’ whole self. “You don’t have to feel guilty about it. Besides, you’re a lot better than some of the other guys that you hang around with.”

Ricinus frowned at Aven’s comments. He knew what he was talking about…the insults and the jeering. Aven wasn’t dumb. And Ricinus would never harm Aven for any reason…but Ricinus could not deny that he was responsible for it.

But this was what they had to deal with. Those insults and the envy behind them were predetermined—expected. There was quite a lot that Ricinus truly detested about being a pokemon of higher wealth and status, and it was these factors that caused the fairy to doubt his commitment to his goals.

I am a prince. This kingdom I covet will be a sanctuary, its inhabitants joyous and free. I will not run. I will not falter.

And as a prince, I must make sacrifices. I must tell myself this…lest I crumble under the weight of my own responsibilities.

I am a prince. The future of this continent lies in the grasp of my ribbons.

Reminding himself of this had become a common ritual for the Sylveon. And yet, Ricinus could not find the willpower to say any more. Thankfully, he knew it did not matter. Aven understood their struggle quite well.

“…Anyways,” Aven started, “I actually came down here to get you for something.”

Now that got Ricinus’ attention. He had assumed that Aven was just here to visit, not to inform him of something important. The Sylveon’s ears perked up. “What is it?” he said.

Not one to waste words, Aven got right to the point. “Crane wants to see you.”

Ricinus’ ribbons went stiff, and he bit down on his lower lip a bit too hard. “C…Crane, you say? This…is this…?”

Aven nodded slowly. “One of the other guys I work with told me to tell you,” he muttered. “…Not sure what it’s about…but I think you should do what he wants.”

The fairy type nibbled on his lip in thought before gradually coming to the conclusion that sitting there and thinking about it wasn’t the best idea. If Crane wanted to see him, then that meant that there was an opportunity for Ricinus to expand his influence. Crane, of all pokemon, was close to the one at the highest echelon of the revolution, and his call was not to be ignored.

Within moments, Ricinus was by his bedside table gathering his belongings into a small backpack. “We best be quick then,” he breathed as he hurried. “Is there any other pertinent information that I should be aware of?”

Aven shrugged his shoulders and said, “Make a good impression?” The rock type flinched when the backpack was thrust into his arms.

“That was implied,” Ricinus stated, his freckled face angled up at Aven’s. “I will groom myself as we go. No minute must be wasted for an event such as this.” And just like he said he would, the Sylveon was brushing the fur atop his head as he skipped towards the door. “Come, Aven. Our future depends on this meeting.”

That he did not know, but it was best to approach all chances for advancement as the same in the end, he thought.

With the assistance of his ribbons and an additional push with his body, Ricinus entered the hallway outside of his room. The rocky walls stretched far ahead of him, barely illuminated by the warm light of sconced torches. He cast one last look over his shoulder to catch the Lycanroc as he lethargically followed behind, nodded, then began trotting down the hallway, his head held high. The public would soon lay their eyes on the prince in all his glory—a respectable appearance was of the utmost importance.

Here, in the base of The Oriole at Rabuta, life seemed to be progressing as normal. Through the many underground hallways, Ricinus made his way past the common area, where various pokemon mingled and talked about their next excursions; potted moonflowers hung from the ceiling and acted as decorations. He appeared apathetic and indifferent to everything, even as a trio of children no older than fifteen collectively rudely chased each other right in front of him. Aven swatted them away and growled at their carelessness. They were in the presence of royalty, after all—they ought to behave. While they might have not known Ricinus’ name now, they would soon.

Ricinus paid them nor any of the other mercenaries any mind for the remainder of the walk to Crane’s abode. Past the dining area, the communications center, the common and secret exits, and the bathing area. Most respectfully gave him no trouble, though he had not been walking fast enough to evade at least one interruption.

“Yoo-hoo!” a female Servine and her friends called out from the entrance of the bathing area. “Good afternoon, my prince!”

“M-my prince!” a Rockruff stammered as she struggled to squeeze past the legs of the others. “H-hi! Um, uh-!”

“Don’t embarrass us!” an Audino scolded the Rockruff, scowling. As soon as she turned to face Ricinus, her features became unbearably soft. “I hope you have a wonderful day, my prince!”

The fourth member of the group of females, a Meowstic, batted her eyelashes at Ricinus and fanned her tail before saying, “Do you need company, my prince? I’m always open. For you.”

A part of Ricinus deep down wanted to yell at these pokemon to leave him alone. It was bad enough being a Sylveon of his specific…type. But he was a prince, and a prince relished in the attention. So, the Sylveon held his head up even higher, didn’t so much as look in their direction, and kept walking. He was above this—he was.

Though, apparently, he was not above stepping on his own ribbons and falling forward onto his face. Which was exactly what he did as soon as he took his eyes off of what was in front of him.

There was a collective gasp from the four female pokemon. “M-my prince! Are you okay!” one squealed.

“Let me help you!” another offered, rushing towards the downed Sylveon.

“NO!” Ricinus snapped back, his facial features harshly contorted into something less than appealing. “DO NOT TOUCH ME!”

The Rockruff that tried to help him looked absolutely mortified as she slowly backed away. The shock was clearly evident in her eyes.

Ricinus stood with Aven’s assistance. Although he was still flustered, Ricinus kept walking as though nothing happened. Do not focus on the shame. You are a prince. YOU WILL NOT FEEL SHAME!

Aven followed behind him silently.

The base of The Oriole was a spacious series of tunnels and caves spiraling up, down, and all around. It took Ricinus a good half hour to walk from one end to the other, made even worse by the fact that he was almost constantly going up. There were so many dead ends and looping tunnels that learning how to traverse it was part of the training for new recruits. Apparently, even during the human times, this location was used for covert operations and spy work. It did not surprise Ricinus that it’s use was essentially identical now. He just wished there was an easier way to traverse it. The bottom of his paws hurt.

Eventually, the duo reached Crane’s designated office. There was nothing particularly noteworthy about the entrance or it’s design. Like Rinicus’ chambers, the door was constructed with heavy wood, and just so happened to have a gem symbol carved into its face. This had not been the first time the fairy type had come to see Crane, hence why he knew the way so clearly. Ricinus hoped that this would also not be the last time. Aside from the main lord himself—who often went by the moniker “The Count”— Crane was the most important leader in this revolution. If Ricinus wanted to expand his influence and accomplish his goals, this Sableye would be his key to success.

By all accounts, he was nervous. While that may have been true, the Sylveon could not take a moment to breathe. There were rabble rousers loitering in the open outside of Crane’s door. Loud, obnoxious teenagers. Children.

One in particular—at the center of the group—was a Magmar by the name of Heron. Ricinus’ face scrunched up at the sight of the fire type. At only 13 years old, the Magmar had managed to earn a bit of a reputation for himself after finishing his first real mission without any issues and being the one to land the final blow on Tapu Koko. Having seen him before his success, Ricinus had nothing to say about him. But like teenagers often do, Heron began to gloat and boast and make himself known to the rest of Oriole once he had something to brag about. Ricinus couldn’t go a single day without hearing some excited whispers about the “young prodigy.”

Bah! All Ricinus saw was an overconfident, snot-nosed, pimply-faced child. Listening to Heron and his “friends” laugh and joke made the Sylveon want to tear his own ears off in annoyance.

The little brat’s mother should have dropped him on his head when she had the chance.

Ricinus barked at top volume, “Come, Aven! Pay these rabble rousers no mind.” He stated it loud enough for Heron and his possy to hear.

They all went quiet, and turned to see who had so rudely interrupted them, only to go pale when they realized who it was. Heron, in comparison, took significantly longer to cease his obnoxious laughter. Only when the hallway grew quiet did he turn and see the prince.

His confidence faltered considerably. “P-prince Ricinus- your highness!” the Magmar squeaked in a frantic, juvenile voice. His voice broke after almost every single word. Ricinus had to press his ears against his head to mitigate the painful ringing.

Ricinus held his head up high, observing the group as they stared in fear. His gaze especially fell on the fire type which, looking at him now, Ricinus could not believe that Heron was handling the situation so well. Unlike the rest of the young pokemon, Heron had an air of fearlessness and disdain about him. His eyes sparkled with something that Ricinus could only describe as “resolve.”

That success had done the teenager well—hence why Ricinus could hardly stand to share the same room with the brat for too long. He could tell that Heron considered himself above the Sylveon to some extent. That made the fur on the back of his neck bristle out of anger.

“Well?” Ricinus said questioningly. “Leave immediately!” He lashed to the side with his ribbons, indicating to further down the hallway. “This is no place for ingrates such as you! Begone!”

And pray that I never see you again. I refuse to associate myself with pokemon such as this.

There was a quiet murmuring, and the group dispersed to leave. Everyone, except for Heron. To Ricinus’ surprise, and complete frustration, Heron refused to move. He even glared Ricinus down and crossed his arms in defiance.

“Yeah, well,” Heron started, flames popping off of his body, “you don’t get to boss me around, you- you fairy! I beat Tapu-“

SMACK!

“How dare you!”

Ricinus had heard enough from this child. Almost as soon as Heron opened his mouth, the Sylveon stomped over and gave the Magmar a good slap across the face with a ribbon. “Don’t talk back to me, peasant!” he hissed. “Know your place!”

Heron stumbled backward, clutching his cheek and falling into the arms of a couple of the young pokemon. Many outright ran, but a few picked up Heron and guided him out of there. They collectively rushed down the hall, shouting at one another to hurry. The last Ricinus saw of them was Heron’s spiteful, hateful gaze and his flaming red face looking back at Ricinus.

The fairy knew those emotions well. Embarrassment, frustration, hate—it was befitting of a prince to be both equally adored and reviled. That was what Ricinus told himself, at least. He was a prince; acting the part mattered more than anything.

Yes, I am a prince. I am a prince. I am a…prince.

A breathless sigh escaped his lips. For a moment, Ricinus’ ears, ribbons, and tail dropped considerably. And now that he was alone…he could feel a presence slowly approaching from behind and a paw resting on his shoulder. Ricinus let it happen, even leaning into the touch.

“…You alright, Riz?” Aven wondered with concern in his voice.

“No,” Ricinus replied honestly. “I am not.”

“You wanna go back? We can just call in sick.”

Ricinus breathed in deep. Then, craned his head around to look at Aven with a frown. “No…no,” he muttered. “I simply lost my temper for a moment there…I refuse to go back now.”

Aven did nothing more than stare.

Slightly perturbed by Aven’s silence, Ricinus pursed his lips. “This opportunity will benefit us, Aven,” Ricinus said in a quiet voice. “I have no reason to- to falter.” What was it about those eyes that made him lose his composure?

…Don’t look at me like that. You know that this is what we have to accept. A prince should know what is right and wrong. I feel no remorse for striking that disrespectful child…

So…stop it, Ricinus thought, almost begging.

“…” Aven shook his head. “I know. It’s just…I can tell you’re stressed.”

Stressed? Incredibly. But showing that to his superiors was not an option. Ricinus forced his ears, tail, and ribbons upright before heading for the door with his chest puffed out. “Do not worry for me, Aven,” he reassured the wolf in a voice that showed his confidence. “I have everything under control.” And when he reached for the door’s handle, Ricinus said one last thing before entering, “Remember: let me do all of the talking.”

---

Knock knock! Knock knock!

“Come in! Please, come in!” called a voice from behind the door. Ricinus did as he was told, heaving from the door’s heavy resistance. It creaked open, and Crane’s abode soon came into view.

The first thing that Ricinus noticed was a chill breeze flowing past his fur and digging right to the bone. Shivers coursed up his spine, though he tried his best to hide his discomfort. Considering how high up they were (‘high’ as in ‘higher up than before’), Ricinus knew he should have expected this. The giant, gaping maw of a hole in the back wall gave the pokemon in the room a view of the sea from above, only partially hidden by the jagged teeth-like protrusions jutting out from the top and bottom. Some claimed that the cliff face was vaguely reminiscent of a certain pokemon and this room was situated at the mouth of this hollowed out stone mega-structure. However, Ricinus never had the chance to see this for himself. Probably because it acted as a sort of one way mirror. He could hear the ocean waves down below regardless.

The room was quite sparse aside from the hole. A long, rectangular table depicting a map of Enigma on its face was situated towards the center of the chamber, and a few chairs were lazily placed at its ends. A bouquet of moonflowers had been placed in a glass vase on the corner of the table, tying the room together. No torches due to the already blindingly bright sunlight peeking in from the outside world. On the other side of the room was a cloth curtain segmenting this room from the next: Crane’s personal space, presumably. Ricinus was not sure if Crane actually slept or not. It would not surprise him if he didn’t.

And of course there was Crane himself, standing next to the table with his arms behind his back. Ricinus was about to approach when he noticed the unassuming Clefairy next to the Sableye, looking quite distressed. That was strange; he had never seen this fairy pokemon before…

Ricinus licked his lips and tasted salt. This meeting needed to go perfectly. A single distraction would not ruin this for him.

After clearing his throat, Ricinus strutted closer with his tail raised high. “Lord Crane,” he announced. “It is wonderful to see you. I trust that the efforts of our revolution are going well?” Steel yourself, Ricinus. You have done this before. Aven is right behind you too…

Crane turned his attention away from the Clefairy to his right and flashed a grin at the Sylveon, his gem stones glimmering with acknowledgment. “Ricinus!” he said, his arms raised out to his sides. There was a humorous, almost jolly tone to the Sableye’s mischievous voice. “My prince! Hehehe! A joy to see you…! And yes! Progress has been…adequate.”

“Adequate?” Ricinus stopped. He raised an eyebrow at the response. “What more needs to be done? Perhaps I can assist you.” He shot one questioning look at the wolf awkwardly standing behind him before saying with a smug grin, “I can be quite formidable when it comes to combat.”

Crane’s claws were behind his back again when he chortled, “My prince! I know, I know all too well your capabilities as both a duelist and a tactician. That is—yes, that is the reason why I called you here: the next step must be taken. Lar-” he snickered, “-The Count commands it.”

“I see.” On the surface, Ricinus was calm—diligent. On the inside, however, he was chasing his own tail. Yes yes yes YES! All of that effort has finally paid off! I truly am a prince destined for greatness! And this will be the next step! “What needs to be done?” he calmly asked.

With one claw, Crane waved off Ricinus’ question. With the other, he scratched off stray bits of gravel from the skin on his chest, causing it to clatter to the stony ground. Ricinus forced himself not to wince at the sight. The Sableye was always a bit…revolting in his own ways, but no matter.

“The details will be given to you soon,” Crane said. “For now, I would like you to meet our newest commander. Lord Canary.” The ghost type motioned to the Clefairy next to him.

“…” The Clefairy was silent, they’re eyes wide and full of fear. They twiddled their paws and mumbled faint words under their breath.

“Lord…Canary?” Ricinus muttered slowly. He was confused, and thrown off-guard. This…meek little Clefairy was to become one of the most powerful pokemon in the Oriole? But that made no sense! The commanders had to demand respect! They were to be feared! This…Canary…would not scare the smallest child.

And yet, Ricinus pushed those concerns to the back of his mind. Perhaps lord Crane’s judgment was not the greatest, but Ricinus would rather accept this strange decision than lose this opportunity. He stood up straight and addressed the Clefairy directly. “Well, Lord Canary, I trust that you will be a dutiful leader in our company.”

“…” The Clefairy remained silent. His fear only seemed to be growing every passing second, what with the tears beginning to form in the corner of his eyes. Sheepishly, Lord Canary hid behind Crane’s form.

The sight of his newest superior seemingly acting afraid of the Sylveon was enough to confuse Ricinus even more, and he could barely maintain his composure. “U-uh…Lord Canary?”

Lord Crane did not acknowledge Lord Canary’s timidness. He continued his briefing as if nothing was wrong. “Quite the exciting one, isn’t he?” the Sableye wondered, grinning facetiously. “You will be referring to him for important future matters after this excursion. Speaking of…” With a claw outstretched, Crane beckoned Ricinus to come closer.

Ricinus did as he was asked, albeit with less confidence than before. Something felt…off about the way Lord Crane and this…Clefairy were acting. Nevertheless, Ricinus would not be perturbed. Fighting the urge to search for reassurance in Aven’s stalwart gaze, the fairy type spoke clearly. “Was there an important matter we must discuss, Lord Crane?”

“Yes, indeed,” Crane said with a sly hiss to his voice.

And then someone else growled in Ricinus’ ear. “Yessss, indeed…“

Ricinus gasped, his ribbons flailing wildly. “WHAT! WHO!” But when he spun around, the only other pokemon there was Aven, looking surprised, as if he was not aware of what had shocked Ricinus so badly.

The fairy breathed heavily through clenched teeth. He knew that something was wrong! But what- who? Who else was here? No one behind, no one above, no one…next to…Crane…?

Where…where was-

“Ahahaha! That’s a jumpy one, Crane!”

There! Emerging from behind the curtain…?

It was a Zoroark, that much was obvious. The well-pampered gray fox-like pokemon sauntered into the room like he had just arrived with refreshments for the party. Pure, unadulterated superiority emanated from his stature, features, and demeanor. Had Ricinus not been at his wit’s end after being startled, he might have even noticed some of himself in the dark type.

A shame that the Zoroark could not say the same.

“‘Royalty’ is such a funny word,” the Zoroark remarked, grabbing a chair, sitting down, and propping his legs up on the table. “Don’t you think so, ribbons? How do you keep a straight face?”

“W-who…?” Ricinus’ calm attitude had been shattered. His eyes shot from where the Clefairy used to be and where the Zoroark was now. He hadn’t even noticed that his previously groomed fur was all frazzled and his ears were flicking obnoxiously against his head. Unconsciously, he slowly began to walk back, only stopping when he bumped into Aven. When he did, he nearly screamed.

The Zoroark laughed. “I guess you don’t?”

Is this…a nightmare?

“Ricinus!” Crane called, knocking the prince out of his stupor. “I would like you to meet Lord Canary…in the flesh.” There was a distinct glint in the Sableye’s gem eyes as he motioned towards…the Zoroark. He was restraining himself from laughing.

The Zoroark…or Lord Canary, nodded at Ricinus, barely hiding the mockery behind his admittedly charming smile. “And you must be Prince Ricinus,” he said. “A genuine, living royal. I never thought I’d see the day.”

So many thoughts and emotions rushed through the Sylveon’s mind right then. However, much like the rapidly growing heat at the tip of his ears, Ricinus fought to restrain his anxiety. Aven’s strong paw rested on one of Ricinus’ shoulders in an attempt to alleviate some of his worries, but the prince shrugged it off and batted Aven’s paw away with his ribbons. No! Not in front of them! I refuse to be embarrassed like this!

“Ahem!” Ricinus cleared his throat. “Lord Crane, what is the meaning of this?” He attempted to maintain his pride by standing tall, but both of the commanders could still see the bright red blush on his cheeks.

Crane chuckled. “What ever could you mean, prince Ricinus? I simply wanted to introduce you to your newest superior. Does that not please you?”

…They are making fun of me. Me! How…how dare they! This…this is an outrage!

“That would be a real shame now wouldn’t it be, Crane?” Canary asked with sarcasm dripping off his tongue. “I would hate to be on the bad side of someone so important.” He sneered at Ricinus, “Tell me, my prince, do you have a favorite wine? Could you provide us with an invitation to one of your fancy balls?”

…I hate this mon. So much.

The Sylveon so desperately wanted to scream. Not even to react as a prince would. Ricinus knew that the professional thing to do would be to remain calm and keep his temper in check…but he wanted to let it out so bad. Even Aven, someone who could keep it in better than Ricinus, audibly scraped his claws against the floor. “Lord Crane,” Ricinus started, seething, “did you truly invite me here just to-“

Knock knock knock.

He didn’t get to finish. Because soon after, a few knocks came from the door. The fairy typed locked up.

“Ah, our final guest has arrived,” Crane said. “Prince Ricinus, could your servant please let them in so we can get this meeting started.” That was the first time either Crane or Canary acknowledged Aven’s existence during the meeting.

It infuriated Ricinus that Crane would order Aven around like that as though he answered to him. No. Aven answered to Ricinus, and not as any servant would.

They wouldn’t understand. They have NO RIGHT speaking to him like that!

“Another one?” Canary perked up. “Crane, you didn’t tell me we were having this big of a party! We should invite some more royals!”

“All will be made clear in time. Ricinus! If you would please!”

…Right. He almost forgot that he was supposed to be making a decent impression. Ricinus turned his head back over his shoulder and locked eyes with his “servant.” Aven, at this point in time, was less than amused. The scowl on his face spoke volumes. That said, there was no argument to be made when Ricinus gave him a nod to do as Crane said. They could air their grievances in private later, when they were alone. “Aven! The door!”

The door was pulled open by the bipedal wolf without much issue. The final guest swaggered into the chamber from the shadows not much unlike Canary from before.

Wow, were they tall! So tall that Ricinus had to lift his head upward to get a view of their face. The long, gangly limbs of the Inteleon became quite apparent as they strutted into the light of the chamber. A dark blue face and magenta purple fins told Ricinus off the bat that this lizard wasn’t like any Inteleon that he had ever seen before. They were one of those “shinies” he had heard about, rare enough to be given the title of something akin to a valuable bauble.

Ricinus had always wondered how common shinies really were, mostly because he had only encountered maybe two or three during his lifetime. This water type was the fourth. Combined with the look they were giving him, it was enough to make Ricinus shrink back, intimidated.

Now, Ricinus was in a room full of pokemon that demanded his respect. Things were turning on their head so fast…

The Inteleon then spoke in a grand, feminine sounding voice. She sounded quite mature yet lax. “Fashionably late, hold your applause,” she announced in an odd, flippant accent, quickly becoming the center of attention. “I didn’t miss too much, did I?”

“Ricinus!” Crane loudly said. “I would like you to meet the final member of our mission for tonight.” He gestured towards the Inteleon. “Shasta. She is considerably experienced in the art of combat, and is significantly proficient at range.”

“You oversell me, Monsieur,” Shasta chuckled, placing a hand under her chin. “I am simply here to fill the void with my ‘proficient’ skills at combat…and conversation. You have need of someone to keep things going smoothly.”

Canary pointed a finger at the water type, that mocking smirk of his still apparent. “Hey! I’ll have you know that I’m very good at maintaining the flow of a discussion. It’s what I’m made for. You know?”

Ricinus could feel the heat rushing back to his cheeks when he witnessed a wink from Canary and a light giggle from the Inteleon.

What…who are you these pokemon? What is happening? Why are they acting so…provocative! Lord Crane never allowed anything like this before!

Ricinus was losing his cool incredibly quickly. Nevertheless, he had to show this new arrival that he was the royalty he claimed he was. Manners came first. Steadying his quivering ribbons, Ricinus approached Shasta and gave her a contemptuous smile, keeping a reasonable distance. Even still, he wasn’t about to allow this pokemon to have one up on him. “Ah…yes, Ms. Shasta,” he recited. “I am Prince Ricinus—you might have heard of me. I can’t say the same about you, unfortunately. What are your qualifications, if you have any?”

Shasta looked down at the Sylveon with her eyes half closed and her arms crossed. And in a voice that was much too suggestive for this particular conversation, she said, “Mmm, cute. Tell me, Monsieur Ricinus, do all of the women you speak to fall for that charm of yours?”

“I-I beg your pardon?” Ricinus was taken aback by the sudden question, and flinched accordingly. “I…no, I…” There was no proper way for the prince to respond to that in his mind. No preparation he had taken was enough to handle all of this overwhelming…debauchery exhibited by these two- no, three! Crane was enjoying this! Ricinus could see it! “What makes you think you can say that to me, you scoundrel?” he asked angrily.

“Oh, my apologies,” Shasta chuckled. “You’re a prince, are you not? I often hear of you from my associates.” She looked him up and down, lazily tapping at her chin with a finger. Her smile grew with every passing second. “Looking at you now…I can see how some of the more idiote pokemon here might find you appealing. But I can already tell, you’re merely a spoiled child– a brat.”

That’s it! Ricinus thought, lowering himself into a stance and snarling. They invited me here just to laugh at me! All of them! A pinkish sort of aura began to form around Ricinus’ body, and his fur sparkled brilliantly. “BRAT? I’LL SHOW YOU BRAT!” His mind filled with images of his great kingdom—a dazzling series of towers and parapets grander than any other on this putrid rock of an earth. Eyes locked on those of the Inteleon, who was tilting her head curiously but lacking any fear, the Sylveon blocked out all voices—all distractions—and focused solely on showing these charlatans what-

“…Ri- my prince.”

Ricinus blinked, his anger momentarily flaring. “WHAT?” he growled at the Lycanroc staring down at him. When did Aven get there? And why was his paw on Ricinus’ shoulder? Doesn’t he know that-

“…You lost your temper…my prince,” Aven muttered quietly, his brows furrowed in visible unease.

Now the fairy was just confused. The pink aura faded from his body, slowly giving Ricinus the calm to realize what he had just done. Lips slightly parted, Ricinus saw Crane, standing there and staring with his arms behind his back. The gemstones he had for eyes gleamed constantly. Ricinus saw Shasta, her arms crossed and an eyebrow raised. He could feel the intense judgment behind her gaze. And then there was Canary. The air about him had almost completely changed. Unlike before where he was relaxed, the Zoroark was now on guard. Ricinus could see Canary leaned forward in his chair with his claws at the ready, glaring directly at him. The air around him seemed to waver.

…Oh. Out of shame, Ricinus lowered his head and let his ears and ribbons go limp. It was at that moment that the Sylveon realized that despite his efforts, he could not have hoped to impress Crane. This blunder would only serve to paint the prince in a worse light.

And it was all those joker’s faults. Ricinus vowed to prove that he was better and more well-mannered than they were. He would be the proposed “royal” they could never even hope to be.

“…I apologize for my outburst,” uttered Ricinus. “That was…unprofessional of me.” The words tasted like bile as they left his mouth. Had Aven not stepped away at that moment, Ricinus might have collapsed from the sheer amount of heat building in his cheeks.

Crane laughed, “Ehehehe! Ricinus! Worry not! That is the kind of tension I was hoping for!”

“Ooh, tension!” The sounds of Shasta’s lizard-like feet slapping against the stone floor filled the chamber. She approached the table and lazily leaned against it, crossing one leg over the other. “Monsieur Crane, did you form this group for the sole purpose of instigating arguments? Is that really a good basis for a strong dynamic?”

Form this group? Ricinus thought, his ears perking up. What is she talking about? Ricinus had just then realized that he still had no idea why they were here in the first place.

“Ah, that is awfully close minded of you, Shasta!” the Sableye remarked. “Opposites attract, do they not?”

A frown appeared on Shasta’s face when she glanced over at Ricinus after that statement. “I would certainly hope not,” Shasta groaned.

Ricinus winced from the sudden change in attitude.

“Alright, Crane, get on with it!” Canary growled. “Tell them what’s going on! I haven’t got all day!”

As much as he hated to admit it, Ricinus agreed with Canary. “Yes, my lord, might I ask why you invited us here?” He stopped himself from fidgeting in place, instead making himself appear as regal as possible by sitting up straight on his haunches.

“Patience!” Crane hissed, holding up both of his claws. “I plead that you all practice patience! Come, all of you! I have something to show you!”

Since Canary and Shasta were already positioned on the table’s left and right, Ricinus and Aven drew nearer to the others, silently taking their place on the opposite side as Crane. Ricinus had to jump onto a nearby chair to get a good view. The party of five surrounded the map, and glanced at the many markers, important landmarks, and notes.

Of these were the castle, right in the center of the map, highlighted and circled with bright red paint. Ricinus’ eyes narrowed at it’s size, lingering on the drawn-on structure for a few moments. That was his target. If everything went according to plan, he would be there and at the very top in a month’s time.

But that was for later. His eyes eventually found something more significant: an unremarkable spot crossed off with a red circle and a red X. Nearby, just a few spots upward, was the home base of The Oriole at Raputa. Where they were right now, in other words.

There was more, obviously. The mountains to the north, the shores and grassy plains to the east, and the rocky, almost desert-like canyons to the south. Enigma was a diverse place, though Ricinus had not seen much of it in his life. Travel was not an interest of his. However, he soon became curious when he noticed another spot circled on the east side of the map, Ricinus’ left. Something embedded in the cover of trees. What was the significance of that?

Coincidentally, Crane was just starting to explain. “I’m sure you have all heard of the excitement within these walls the past couple of weeks,” Crane started, his claws tapping on the wood of the table. “We, The Oriole, have finally begun to take steps to ensure that Kebia Castle falls into new claws.”

“And it’s about damn time too,” Canary commented in a leveled tone. He tapped the table with a claw tip to accentuate the seriousness of his statement. “I’m ready to put the old hag down.”

“Aren’t we all?” Shasta said, smiling slyly.

Shasta saying that seemed to peeve the Zoroark all of a sudden. He pointed at her and snarled. “Hey! Locals get first dibs! No way in Distortion am I letting some foreigner get the final blow!”

She waved him off. “I was not even implying such a thing, you nitwit. Do not make assumptions.”

“Silence!” Crane boomed. “Let me finish!”

The others went silent. Ricinus waited patiently.

“Now as I was saying…” the Sableye, a slight glint in his eyes. “We’ve already made an impact in one juncture.” Crane reached over the table’s surface and tapped the red X and circle near Rabuta. “A small success, but one to be proud of.

Ricinus tilted his head at the action, then swiftly made a connection. He heard of this before. “The Magmar?” the Sylveon asked Crane. “That was his accomplishment, wasn’t it?”

Crane grinned and pointed a finger at Ricinus. “Hehehe! Yes! The teen got us the first of what we’re looking for!” His grin grew wider. “A gem. From a certain Tapu Koko.”

A frown unconsciously appeared on Ricinus’ face after hearing that. To think that little brat was already one step ahead of him!

“A gem?” Shasta wondered. “I can appreciate jewelry as well, Monsieur Crane, but I don’t understand! How will this win us the castle?” There was still a bit of that strange tone in her voice, though it was obvious she was genuinely confused.

It was Ricinus’ turn to berate the Inteleon, even if he could understand where she was coming from. “Watch your tongue!” he barked. “Don’t question your superiors!”

Shasta, obviously not taking Ricinus’ outburst very seriously, placed her hands on her cheeks and acted all surprised. “Such hostility! Can a woman not question things here?”

“Stand down, Prince Ricinus,” Crane said. “No need for that~”

Ricinus obliged, albeit not without pouting a bit. He did not like to be corrected.

“Go ahead and tell them what’s so special about the gem, Crane,” Canary interjected, leaning back in his chair. “I wanna see their faces when you do.”

Ricinus purposely avoided the Zoroark’s gaze. He knew that wicked fox was smiling, he just knew it.

Crane licked the sharp edges of his teeth before continuing. “Of course! This gem is one of four. We, The Oriole, must collect them all. The Count’s orders. The reason why is not important, but I can assure you that we will have control of Kebia castle swiftly after all four have been attained.”

I see, Ricinus thought. That…did not necessarily answer the question, but I suppose it is unimportant that I am aware of The Count’s true intentions. After all, I want what he wants, just the same. All of us in The Oriole do…well, perhaps some just want to see the Gardevoir on the throne dead. I can empathize with the sentiment, but my goals are much broader than that-

“…And that spot on the far side with the circle is where the next one is, right?”

Ricinus froze, his face pale. That voice…that was…Aven. Wait-

“I’m sorry,” Crane hissed, baring his teeth in annoyance, “did I give you permission to speak, Lycanroc?”

“…” Aven did not respond, nor did Ricinus. The Sylveon could feel his blood run cold.

Aven! He silently pleaded. I told you not to speak! Everyone’s eyes were on him next.

Crane faced the fairy and reprimanded him. “Prince Ricinus, keep your lapdog in check! If he cannot control his tongue, then I will dispose of him myself!”

…Do not falter, Ricinus. Do not show more weakness than you already have. You are a prince. You are above this. It will not matter in the end. JUST DO IT!

Swallowing his pride, Ricinus bowed his head. “I apologize for my servant’s rudeness, Lord Crane,” he muttered. Then, he sternly said over his shoulder, “Aven, behave!”

Aven did not talk back. “…Yes, my prince.” The Lycanroc made himself smaller behind Ricinus.

“The dog raised a good question, though,” Shasta stated, gazing down at the spot Aven previously pointed to. “Is this where you expect us to go? The other side of the continent?”

“That’s where you’re going,” Canary smirked, all smug. “I’m not going down there. That’s like a two day trip! I have things to do!”

Crane nodded at that. “Indeed. That is why I will ask the two of you…or the three of you if the prince decides to bring his pet—to meet back here in two hours. We will be traveling to the eastern beaches of Enigma through covert methods.”

So…this is it. This is the opportunity I have been given. Acquiring this…gem will be my top priority. If it is what The Count demands, then I will not disappoint. I refuse to. I will show them all that Prince Ricinus is well deserving of the title.

Failure is not an option.

“I understand, Lord Crane,” Ricinus stated. “Does that mean you will be coming with us?”

“Ricinus! Of course I am!” And that toothy grin of his returned to Crane’s face. “Lord Canary will be taking over while I’m gone.”

“Lord Canary-“

Just as Ricinus was about to ask more about the current state of affairs, he looked over at the Zoroark.

Only to find that he was no longer there.

He blinked, but before Ricinus could properly contemplate what had even happened, Shasta spoke up.

“Oh wonderful. I will have to bring a good book.” She turned to Ricinus. “You are a part of high society, aren’t you child? Have you any suggestions?”

Ricinus was too stunned to answer properly. “Umm…”

“Try ‘Return To Two,'” Crane answered, already making his way to the curtain on the other side of the room. “One of my favorites.”

“Ugh,” Shasta groaned. “Do not suggest such rubbish. The twist was terrible.”

“What? That the Hydreigon was dead the whole time? Nah. That was my favorite part.” Crane disappeared behind the curtain, leaving Shasta, Ricinus, and Aven alone.

Shasta sighed. “I cannot believe the pokemon I work with have such terrible taste.”

Shaking off the troubled thoughts of where Lord Canary might have gone, Ricinus glanced up at the Inteleon as she walked past. “Well, I trust that you will be able to find this place again in two hours, Ms. Shasta?”

“Yes, it is no trouble,” Shasta replied, strutting past. “Try not to trip over yourself along the way, my prince.” Her narrowed eyes lingered on Ricinus for a moment, filling him with frustration and embarrassment all over again. Though after another moment, Shasta slinked through the barely open door.

And now there were two, as far as they knew.

The pressure of being surrounded by judgemental eyes was sapped from the prince almost as soon as Shasta left the room, finally allowing him the chance to properly breathe. He took a few steps, stumbled, then promptly fell into Aven’s waiting arms. His lips were unbearably dry. “Aven…” he whispered, “did I…I didn’t…fail…did I?”

The wolf’s deep, soothing voice filled Ricinus’ ears. “…Nah…you did okay. More my fault for nearly screwing things up.”

Do not blame yourself, Aven, Ricinus so desperately wanted to say. They will never know your kindness…the touch of your gentle yet firm paws. Only I can say such a thing.

Ricinus met Aven’s gaze—a source of comfort for the unstable Sylveon. “We…we must prepare,” Ricinus muttered. “My saddle bags…I left them in my chambers.”

“I’ll need a few things too. Like those seeds you told me to get, and that scarf of yours.”

“Right. The scarf.” Ricinus had almost forgotten about the scarf. Given to him as a gift by a commoner that wished to see Ricinus in power at the castle, the scarf had the unique effect of making Ricinus feel more durable. It also matched his fur color, so he enjoyed wearing it when he went out to town. He would have to go back to pick it up alongside some necessary provisions and helpful equipment.

Ricinus could already tell that he would need as much of an advantage as he could possibly squeeze out of his available toolset. As mentioned before, failure was not an option.

Still a little drained, Ricinus nodded to himself. “We should go. I do not want us to be late.”

Aven acknowledged the need to rush and nodded back. “Yeah. You want me to carry ya some of the way?”

Normally, he would say no to such an offer. However…

“…Yes,” Ricinus quickly said. “But only when no one can see us…please.” Perhaps he said that too desperately, but the Sylveon was not in the right mindset to be the illustrious prince Ricinus at the moment. It was not like any other pokemon would ever know…

“Gotcha,” Aven replied before lifting Ricinus into his arms, bridal style.

Ricinus allowed himself to relax and rest his head against Aven’s chest. The Lycanroc’s slow and steady heartbeat calmed him considerably.

---

Back to the present, on the twelfth day…

Having been born on the west end of the continent, within the city limits of Rabuta, Ricinus had rarely ever traveled far from his home. He found his purpose there, no thanks to his father, and lived out his early life in relative comfort.

Through sheer luck and happenstance, this led to Ricinus joining the Oriole.

Rabuta was one of the biggest cities on Enigma—it’s competitors being Kebia, Micle, and another city named Lansat. The main attraction of the city was the arena, a giant, circular dome situated at Rabuta’s center. As such, Rabuta was a desirable location for the continent’s strongest fighters.

Nearly every day, Ricinus would stop by the arena to see who had won the latest brawl—a daily routine that eventually led to the young eeveelution learning about the secret organization beneath the arena’s floor. Oriole was not affiliated with the arena and it’s sponsors at any point, but there was a secret exit for the Oriole that allowed for an inconspicuous escape if needed. It led all the way from their hideout further towards the shore back to the center of the city. Ricinus would later learn that Rabuta’s leaders and the Oriole were on the same page; thus, the arena masters turned a blind eye.

Years later, he would be using this same secret exit for the sake of his personal and professional goals. Much can change after enough time, Ricinus reminded himself. Perhaps he would accomplish what he set out to do since his childhood with even more time. He was cautiously optimistic, if a bit nervous that he might fail.

The trip to the eastern end of Enigma started once the party of four left Rabuta, and it took them around two days to complete. Ricinus had never gone so far in such a short period of time. The various prepaid carriage rides they had to take were often made with the caveat that it would not be the comfiest rides, nor would they get to see the world outside as they traveled. It irritated Ricinus to miss out on something so new and exciting, but he got his wish soon enough in the form of a relatively normal carriage ride halfway through the journey.

What he saw filled the Sylveon’s mind with wonder. Distant mountains, trees of new shapes and sizes, differing climates, beautiful, autumn colors…

And the castle.

Oh how he wanted it so badly. His self-restraint kept him from leaping out of the carriage and rushing right to it, fully abandoning his mission. Deep down, Ricinus knew that his time would some day come, but even the noblest of princes get a little restless from time-to-time.

Once the journey was complete, Ricinus, Aven, and Shasta followed Crane to the cave where the gem in question was located. For some reason that made no sense to the prince, they had to walk the final stretch to the beach, through a forest of towering trees. It had something to do with beastly savages in the branches and horrid monstrosities lying dormant in the dirt. The carriage driver’s manic rambling sounded like nothing but superstitious nonsense, and sure enough, Crane reassured Ricinus that it was just a rumor constructed by Anemone to keep pokemon away from this little alcove on the continent.

Anemone…That name tasted like bile on his tongue. It surprised Ricinus to learn that the wicked queen had a fleck of influence even here, where only nature resided. That sort of power…complete control…she does not deserve it.

It was midday when the Sylveon started to feel the sand between his toes. The sun was still high in the sky, but it was merely a few hours from setting. A large cliff overlooked the beach, reminding Ricinus of home. At its base, jagged rocks protruded through the gentle, calming waves. Ricinus winced at just how sharp those rock protrusions looked.

I pity the poor soul that decides to jump from that cliff… Ricinus thought.

At the very end of the beach, in an alcove obfuscated by overgrown foliage, was the entrance to a certain Niniku Cave, as Crane called it. A “Mystery” Dungeon.

Ricinus was unperturbed.

“Have you ever been inside a Mystery Dungeon, Prince Ricinus?” Crane asked, continuing to lead.

“On several occasions, yes,” Ricinus replied. “Most of which were near Rabuta. Do not worry, Lord Crane. They have never caused me any issues.”

The pompous Sylveon walked with his head held high and his tail held even higher. He never quite understood what made these dungeons so mysterious, but that mattered not to him. This was going to be a perfect opportunity to show off his expertise.

Aven followed right behind Ricinus, his footsteps heavy against the sand. He hadn’t said a word since they exited the carriage.

The Sableye’s eyes glinted gloriously in the light of the midday sun. “Excellent! Ms. Shasta, what do you say?”

“That I have perhaps explored twice as many dungeons as both of you combined?” She scoffed. “Monsieur Crane, you could not have picked a better candidate for this mission.”

The Inteleon insisted on tailing the group far behind, and had to talk a bit louder than usual so that her voice wasn’t drowned out by the sounds of the waves. Earlier, she claimed that she “prefers to keep a distance” and that “you will probably forget I am even here.” Ricinus did not, in fact, forget. Not even if he wanted to. And oh, did he want to forget.

“Ehehehe!” Crane laughed. “I never once had a doubt about you two!” He pointed a finger at Aven. “Ricinus! Make sure to keep your servant on a short leash!”

Ricinus huffed. “Hmph! My lord, these reminders of yours are unnecessary. I can control him perfectly fine, and I can assure you that he will be a valuable asset during this excursion.” Having to explain that over and over again was beginning to become annoying for the fairy. He was tired of Crane continuously demeaning Aven when the Lycanroc had hardly spoken a word during the last couple of days. Ricinus was even more tired of having to entertain those demeaning statements of his.

“Yes, yes, I understand. I simply wanted to make sure…ah, here we are!” Stopping in front of the cave entrance, Crane turned to grin at the three as they caught up. “We know very little about Niniku Cave. Do not be deceived by the unremarkable entrance; the gem lies here.”

“And what of the Tapu?” Shasta asked, her hands on her hips. “I heard about the last mission with the Magmar. They say he fought one of the guardians of this continent. Will we see one here? Which one?”

Oh right. Ricinus knew about the Tapus as well, he almost forgot. Supposedly, the four deities protect the four corners of the landmass of Enigma. Nobody had actually seen them in the flesh before Koko was found. But then The Oriole goes out of their way to seek out a treasure, and one of the Tapus just happened to be there.

The Sylveon’s ribbons began to tingle at the thought. Yes, he was quite strong when it came to battle, but even he had to admit that the prospect of fighting a legendary pokemon was daunting. A legendary pokemon that served to keep them safe, no less.

Gesturing to the cave entrance, Crane explained, “Like I said, I know very little. If we are lucky, we won’t have to get our claws dirty. But keep your guard up. This place is not what it seems.”

Again, Ricinus saw nothing out of the ordinary when he glanced into the darkness ahead of him. He rarely ever did when it came to dungeons such as this. “I understand, Lord Crane,” Ricinus stated. “Aven and I will hold our own.” He cast a disgruntled glance back at the Inteleon. “I cannot say the same about the other one.”

“Hoohoohoo!” Shasta giggled mockingly. “You will know soon, brat. Keep your head forward so I don’t have to look at you.”

Ricinus rolled his eyes, but did what she said.

“Save the banter for when we get back,” Crane said, scratching his chin. “We’ll have plenty of time for that later. Now, hold on to me! Let us begin!” With a grin, the Sableye outstretched a claw towards Ricinus.

Ricinus knew what he was trying to do. Mystery dungeons had a tendency to cause parties to get lost when they aren’t physically connected in some way. Most of the reason had to do with the fact that the entrances were not physical gateways to other locations but rather portals to somewhere unreachable through normal means. It was one of the few aspects of these locations that Ricinus found to be strange, and a little annoying. He almost regretted spending time researching them for a time.

Nonetheless, Ricinus extended a ribbon towards Crane and wrapped it around his wrist. He had to keep himself from shivering at the gravely, sticky texture of the partial ghost’s skin. Ugh, he did not want to know where those claws of his had been. The thought made Ricinus nauseous.

Ignoring the discomfort for now, Ricinus turned his head around, briefly glancing at the Lycanroc behind him. Aven’s eyes were dull, just as they had been a couple days prior, and he occasionally shot a cautious look at the cave entrance. However, there was also a certain warmth to them that made Ricinus relax his shoulders. Ricinus had not noticed how tense he was up to this point. Seeing Aven there gave Ricinus the drive to continue, even with their future being so uncertain.

Ricinus extended a second ribbon behind him. Aven grabbed on and held it gently, yet firmly. He would not let go until they were safe inside.

Shasta might have grabbed onto Aven after that, though Ricinus did not see it happen. Crane did, though. “Yes, prepare yourselves…” Lord Crane uttered. Another moment passed before Crane pushed aside some of the foliage and walked into the darkness. Ricinus and the others followed.

There was a faint itching sensation in the back of Ricinus’ mind, though it quickly dissipated once the darkness receded.

---