Special Episode 1: Seven Years Ago – Part 2 (Blackening)

“…One week to go,” remarked Kallias, looking out at the wide promenade before him. “It’s busy enough now…This will look like a pittance compared to this day next week.”

This remark was in observation of the Grand Parade, a wide street in Iria that stood as its most prominent street. It led all the way to the gates of Iria Castle, and had been the host of many victory parades and jubilee events throughout the centuries since its construction. And now it was to host another special event: the parade of Tsar Kliment’s silver jubilee that was to be held in a week’s time.

Kallias and Melchior currently watched the toing and froing of knights and volunteers setting up the barricades along the street. They were joined by three others; a Monferno with a distinguishable cape emblazoned with a coat of arms, flanked by a Rillaboom and a Sirfetch’d, both of whom had distinctive insignias pinned to their chests.

“You could not have been more apt, Fernblade Kallias,” the Monferno replied. “I hope it is busy. This is my father’s twenty-fifth year in power, after all. If the crowd was not exploding at the seams, it would be something of a worry. But I do not believe it will come to that.”

“It shall be so, my prince!” the Rillaboom declared in a loud voice, once the Monferno had finished speaking. “But we need not worry about overcrowding either! There will be plenty of room for civilians to watch the parade off to either side of the street.” He gestured to either side of the street, where builders were setting up barriers to mark a clear route for the parade to travel down. “And we will have knights in place to guard against any potential rushes against the barriers.”

“That would be a wise move,” Melchior concurred. “You all seem to have given this much thought, Marshal Trokhym.”

“Thank you very much, Mud Bomber Melchior.”

“All the same…I do hope nothing happens to spoil this,” added the Swampert. “There seems to be so much excitement over the jubilee. …It’d be a shame if one act of sabotage caused it all to come crashing down.”

“…True enough,” the Monferno agreed. “But the knights of Selenia are vigilant. They will protect us and deal with any fugitives that dare to cross our path.”

“Quite so, Your Highness! …Do you think us knights fickle, Mud Bomber Melchior?” scoffed another man with them: a Sirfetch’d with the same insignia as Trokhym. He turned back to the Monferno after his beratement of Melchior. “Worry not, Your Highness. We have accounted for all possibilities. There is no chance in a blue moon that an assassin could perform a lethal attack on His Majesty! Security will be at its highest! Every scenario will be thought over! No stone will be left unturned! Every measure will be put in place to ensure the safety of His Majesty. It is our basic creed in the Knights of Iria. The mercenaries of the Irian Guild can go worry about their own little things while us knights take care of the real issues of our tsardom.”

The words were delivered with a sense of superiority and condescension. Kallias and Melchior couldn’t help but inwardly bristle at the Sirfetch’d’s words. Were this anyone else, the Sceptile would gladly take a leaf out of Rufina’s book and tell them to stuff it.

But these weren’t just any old people they were dealing with. All three of them were high figures within Selenia. To insult any one of them would be to invite severe repercussions upon oneself. Mitrofan had encouraged the rest of the Guild to put aside any sort of beef they had with them, if only for now, and help them with the jubilee’s setup.

The age-old Guild and knight rivalry did come to blows on occasion, with remarks like the Sirfetch’d’s. And Team Marshwood knew that it wouldn’t do to stir the pot right now.

Especially…when they were in the presence of none other than Prince Kasimir Klimentovich Ruslan, the tsesarevich that was to one day become the tsar of Selenia once Tsar Kliment gave up the crown.

And so they backed down.

However…they were luckily saved by the Monferno prince himself.

“Do not act that way to them, Marshal Branislav,” criticised Kasimir. “Team Marshwood have been nothing but helpful to us in these weeks leading up to my father’s silver jubilee. I am well aware of your bitterness towards them. However, at this moment, to stoke the fires risks burning a blaze of hatred towards the knights, and potentially, towards us in House Ruslan. We need not such animosity before an important occasion such as this, especially one in which both the knights of Selenia and the Irian Guild will participate together. Do I make myself clear?”

Despite being at least half the age of the Monferno, Branislav felt the authority radiating from him. In the face of this, he could only back down.

“…My apologies, Your Highness,” he said. “I let my emotions get the better of me. I shall see to it this does not happen over the course of the jubilee.”

“Good.” Kasimir turned to Team Marshwood. “…My humblest apologies for his insubordination, Team Marshwood. I shall see to it that my father knows of this. …I ask for your forgiveness.”

“Your apology is accepted, Your Highness,” Kallias graciously replied, before beginning to back away. “…If you do not mind, Your Highness…we wish to return to the Guild to see if any help needs doing there.”

“Of course. You may go,” the prince permitted. “I must return to the castle myself. Father, Mother and Leonid await me. As well as that, there are matters that need reporting, and a marshal that needs reprimanding.” Casting a stern glare at Branislav, he and the two marshals made their way down the Grand Parade.

“…That boy has power,” remarked Kallias. “We’re lucky Prince Kasimir’s sympathetic to the mercenary cause. There’s only so many of old Branislav’s insults that I can take at any given time.”

“Well…if a slight dig riles him up…that says more about him than us,” Melchior opined. “I know Rufina would be on the same page as me.”

“Hah! If she were there, she would have ripped into him,” Kallias laughed. “…At least Mitrofan’s there to keep her on a short leash when it comes to her jabs. When the knights and mercenaries need to work together right now, we don’t want too much animosity between us.”

“Quite right, Kallias. At least Marshal Yuliya’s a better sort to cooperate with. She’s such a change from Branislav and such a friendly face to us mercenaries that it’s almost like she’s one of us.”

“I can’t deny that. …Speaking of which, there hasn’t been an update from them over last week’s mission, has there?”

“I don’t think so. …We’ll check with Nikita and Mitrofan when we get back to the Guild.”

That was where Team Marshwood was headed. After travelling through many decorated, cleaned and repainted streets, they made it to the outskirts of Iria, and went down the road leading to the Irian Guild. They went inside and headed down the stairs.

When they headed inside, they saw both Mitrofan talking with a Furret, with Nikita and Helena nearby. They all turned their attention to the entrance when Kallias and Melchior came in.

“Perfect timing, you two,” Mitrofan said. “Marshal Yuliya wishes to speak with you.” He gestured to the Furret.

“Ah, Marshal Yuliya. A pleasure to see you again,” Kallias greeted. “Funny. Melchior and I were just talking about you.” He held his hand forward, and the two of them shook a strong and firm shake.

“And a pleasure to see you, Fernblade Kallias,” returned Yuliya. “You too, Mud Bomber Melchior.” She shook with the Swampert as well.

“So what brings you here?” queried the Sceptile. “I can’t imagine it’s anything small, if a marshal has come to report it.”

“Maybe so. I was intended to deliver more information about the parade next week, but this information was to be relayed to the Guild as well, so I decided to take out the two Pidgey with one stone,” Yuliya explained. “…The commander of the knights in Lukomoria wished to relay a message to Team Marshwood regarding your expedition into Limestone Cavern a week ago.”

“Ah, yes. How could we forget?” Kallias said.

“I certainly haven’t,” Helena replied. “You boys have really put me through the ringer trying to figure out what you gave me. …But…it’s not for nothing. …I think.”

“You think?” Melchior pondered.

“Well, given what Marshal Yuliya was talking about to the Guildmaster, I think we might have hit upon something,” the Audino elaborated. “…But I digress. Sorry for interrupting, Marshal – you can tell them your news.”

“…Thank you, Mrs Helena,” the Furret returned. “…There was a mysterious liquid being concocted by the group that was defeated by you and apprehended by the knights of Lukomoria. Like you, they have puzzled over what exactly it is. The hunch to this has been, among them, that it is a poison of some sort.”

“I thought that too,” Helena chimed in.

“…As did I,” added Kallias. “But I thought it best to leave it to the professional to truly confirm it.” He gestured to the Audino.

“Well…they have managed to confirm it for sure,” Yuliya went on. “Thanks to the help of an apothecary couple in Kamengrad, they have confirmation that it is indeed a poison. Toxic elements were detected in the mixture, and we are seeking to confirm what exactly the mixture is composed of.”

“…Yup, like I thought,” Helena added. “I did my own experiment. I poured a small amount of the mixture into one of the plants I have in my office. However, after a few days, the plant began to shrivel and wither. Checking on it last night, I saw that it had well and truly perished to the point that no amount of nourishment could save it.”

“Oh dear…” Melchior replied. “This doesn’t sound good at all.”

“Nope, not at all. …But I also managed to figure out some of those other materials you gave to me,” Helena said. “Come with me to my office. …Oh, and you three as well.” She gestured to Yuliya, Mitrofan and Nikita. “Come along. I’ll tell you all about it there.”

The fivesome walked to the office, led by Helena. When they entered, they saw Raya attending to a patient. Her mother went over to a table upon which the items Melchior and Kallias had given her were located. They weren’t organised neatly, though – an allusion to the Audino’s partially haphazard organisational skills.

“We’ll start with the flowers,” Helena began. “It’s a flower with white petals and golden anthers. They’re quite pretty, I’ll admit. …Too pretty. These are definitely not ordinary flowers you can find in your average florist’s. But more to the point, I doubt even the top-notch nobles could get their hands on this one. It’s a rare flower – a very rare and elusive one. But…not elusive enough for me.” She allowed herself a confident grin at this statement.

“What is it?” Melchior asked.

“…It’s this flower.” Helena pointed to an open page on a nearby botanical encyclopaedia. “A little beauty known as the arcean orchid.”

“Arcean orchid?” Kallias remarked. “…That’s new to me.”

“Well, of course. I did just say it was a rare plant,” reminded Helena. “Rare enough…that it can only be found at high altitudes. They’ve only ever been seen growing in the Empyrean Mountains, these flowers.”

“A rare flower only found in the Empyrean Mountains?” Yuliya pondered. “…Have you figured out anything else about it?”

“It’s a rare flower, so no, not really,” the botanist returned. “The encyclopaedia says it used to be seen as a cure in olden times among the people of the mountains, but…other than that, it’s a bit of an enigma.”

“A miracle cure? …Okay, something’s not right here,” Kallias pointed. “We just found out this substance is toxic. And yet…this plant is supposedly a miracle cure?”

“Not necessarily. I imagine it’s an ancient cure that’s been left behind as we’ve gotten better medicines for ailments,” Helena theorised. “Or perhaps…these other materials have something to do with why the liquid becomes toxic.”

“What are they, Helena?” Kallias queried.

“Well…I’m quite certain that this bark here is off of a Nagorian yew,” Helena gestured. “This tree is a special one – it’s one of the oldest trees in Ardalion. I think the oldest one is estimated to have existed for nearly four thousand years, if I remember correctly. We’re talking about old – long before the Tyrant King’s War of yore.”

“…Hold on a minute.” Mitrofan’s expression turned stern. “If I’m not mistaken…the Nagorian yew is a specially preserved tree, within the estates of the lord of the Nagorian oblast. ” This was a region in northeastern Selenia, bordering Alba and Dresilia – and additionally, where Kamengrad and the Karstlands were located. “If someone’s taking samples from those trees, then they’re liable to punishment. Isn’t that so, Marshal Yuliya?”

“…Yes, quite.” The Furret’s own face had become more serious. “We’ll look into levying new charges against those we apprehended. …What about the other material? The white powder?” She gestured to the small pile on Helena’s desk.

“Oh yes, that. That was a little more tricky,” Helena began. “At the start, I thought it might be some kind of powdery drug. These are illicit people we’re talking about, after all. But I’m quite sure it isn’t. I think…it might just be salt.”

“Salt?” Kallias’ brow furrowed further. “Really?”

“Yes. It certainly has a slight whiff of salt. Therefore, what could it be but salt?” the Audino reasoned. “If we’re going off the theory that this is something deeper, then I would bet that this salt is special in some way. …Unfortunately, I still can’t quite determine why this is.”

“…So it looks like it’s still all up in the air,” Melchior surmised. His tone couldn’t hide his disappointment. “…That’s unfortunate.”

“Yeah…Sorry about that,” apologised Helena. “But I can’t offer anything more than speculation at this point. Unless I were to personally taste them, but…I have a gut feeling that’s not a wise move.”

“No, indeed,” agreed Mitrofan. “I’d rather you stayed healthy, Helena. Consuming this unknown substance would be unwise.”

“Gotcha, Guildmaster.”

“…Even so…we established that this liquid is poisonous. That’s something in my book,” Yuliya tried to encourage. “Supposing that this is something deeper, we in the knights will do all we can to bring this to the light. …We have interrogated the outlaws apprehended in Limestone Cavern, but they have proven to be very tight-lipped. If they are part of an underground movement…then this could spell trouble. And right before the jubilee too…

“But rest assured. I, Marshal Yuliya Gerasimovna Lysagora, will not allow any threats to befall His Majesty in the week of his silver jubilee! Mark my words – any transgressions towards him will be punished heavily! This, I swear, on my honour as a knight of Selenia!” she declared, holding her right paw up in a fist in the typical salute carried out by most Selenian knights.

“…Well said,” praised Kallias. “We in the Guild don’t stand for shady behaviour either. Besides, we discovered this whole business, so we’d be all too happy to be the ones to quash this before it gains ground.”

“We are glad to have your support,” the Furret replied gratefully. “I do apologise for the snide comments Marshal Branislav throws your way. But know that I support you, as does His Majesty and His Royal Highness Prince Kasimir.”

“Thanks for the vote of confidence, Marshal,” Mitrofan returned. “Now then…I should imagine you have more to do in relation to the jubilee. You should return to it before you get chewed out by His Majesty.”

“…Thank you for the reminder, Guildmaster Mitrofan,” Yuliya said, beginning to head for the door. “You in the Guild have been very helpful. I hope we can cooperate further on this matter.” With that, she left.

“…Um…can I ask a question?” Nikita requested, turning all eyes to him. “Where…will you go from here on this?”

“…Nothing to do but look for more clues,” Melchior replied. “Of course, given they’re underground, that will be easier said than done.”

“That hasn’t stopped us before,” Kallias said. “If there’s no clues to be had, then we’ll dig some up! With luck, Krim will have something just like the last mission we went on.”

And so it was decided. The duo headed to the noticeboards, where the Galvantula was sifting through requests. Notably, a little Joltik was with him too, helping to organise the leaflets that would be stuck onto each noticeboard.

“There you go, Sifis! See, I knew you have this in you! Who knows? You might be replacing me in a few years’ time,” chuckled Krim. His attention then diverted to Team Marshwood. “Hey, you two,” he greeted.

“Hello, Krim,” Melchior greeted. “And hello, Sifis.”

“…Hey,” greeted the Joltik, before looking away shyly.

“…Guess the shyness is something we need to work on,” Krim joked. “The struggles of being a dad, eh, Kallias?”

“You said it.” A small, knowing smile crossed the Sceptile’s face at the sight of Sifis’s shyness, being reminded of similarities in his own daughter.

“Anyway…getting back to the topic at hand,” Melchior intervened. “Any odd missions today, Krim?”

“Odd? You mean like that mission you two had last week?” Krim took an aside glance over at the request board. “…I’m afraid there’s nothing like that here now. Mostly the usual, along with some jubilee stuff.”

“Ah…We were hopeful,” mourned the Swampert. “Guess we don’t have an extra leg up this time…”

“Don’t lose heart, Melchior,” Kallias encouraged. “We’ll go into town and help out with the jubilee preparations. …Who knows? Maybe in the meantime, Yuliya and the knights might dig up some more dirt on what we’re chasing.”

“…If you say so, Kallias. Come on, let’s go.”

The duo headed out of the Guild, and onto the road leading to the city. However, on the way, they encountered a familiar set of faces. Two of them, to be exact.

“Oh, hey! Team Marshwood!” Spiridon called out.

“Spiridon! Good to see you!” Kallias returned with equal enthusiasm. “And you too, Dalibor.”

“Likewise,” the Grimmsnarl returned. The two teams were good friends, often going on missions together, or meeting in their downtime for drinks and banter, or whatever activity they wished to do when off-duty. “So…what are you two up to? Anything to do with that mission you two were on last week?”

“No. Clues for that are a bit scarce at the minute,” Melchior informed. “So we’re doing odd jobs in the meantime. Mostly set-up for the jubilee.”

“Okay. …Well…if that’s what you wanna do…” Dalibor sounded disappointed.

“Hm? What’s up, Dalibor?” Kallias queried.

“…I…No. If you have other stuff that needs doing…” He drifted off weakly.

“…If you guys were free, we were thinking of maybe asking if you’d be willing to help decorate the orphanage,” Spiridon elaborated. “The kids would love to see you. But…I understand if you’ve got other stuff going on.”

“Hmm…” Kallias considered the Hawlucha’s offer. “…Well, we aren’t actually doing any missions at the moment. We were going to help with the jubilee’s decorations some more in town, but…we could take them up on them offer, couldn’t we, Melchior?”

“We could,” agreed the Swampert. “It’s been a while since I last saw Cornelia. I wouldn’t mind seeing her.”

“And the children, too,” Kallias added. “I’d like to see their smiling faces again.”

“Wow…Thanks, guys!” Spiridon could not be more pleased at this turnaround.

“…The Team Marshwood charisma strikes again,” Dalibor remarked. “Really, though…I’m grateful. Cornelia could use the help with decorating the place.”

“Then let’s not waste any more time,” Kallias said. “Let’s go there.”

 

 

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“Thank you so much for helping me, you two. I definitely didn’t expect it, but…I’m grateful for the help nonetheless.”

Cornelia had professed this to Team Marshwood after they had come to the Grimmhatt Orphanage. Their visit was met with surprise from her, and massive acclaim from the children. Many crowded around them, and excitedly babbled all sorts of praise, asked all sorts of questions and requested autographs amidst other things. It took some time before they could be coaxed away to allow the duo to carry out whatever needed to be done.

Right now, it was painting a wall, the paint of which had long since chipped away and not been reapplied in the past due to financial issues. But thankfully, good financial tidings had come around in the last while, and with the jubilee, Cornelia now had an opportunity to reapply the paint. Kallias, given his height, was asked to help her paint the higher up sections.. Meanwhile, Melchior was painting a lower section of the wall, and was being helped by three young orphans – a Growlithe, Bulbasaur and a Litleo.

“It’s no problem, Cornelia,” Kallias replied. “We’re mercenaries. We’re always happy to help anyone in need. Especially if they’re the wife of a good friend of mine.”

“Yeah. Besides…I like painting,” Melchior added. “It’s quite therapeutic. A nice difference from beating the skulls off ferals.”

“Oh? I didn’t know this,” Cornelia said. “Do you paint, Melchior?”

“Well, in the sense of this sort of thing; applying paint to walls and giving it a fresh look. …But painting as in artistry?” He pulled a face. “No. I was never good at that.”

“I can attest to that,” murmured Kallias. “But what do I know? I’m no Candido da Nola.”

“Who?” one of the kids, a five-year old Bulbasaur, asked.

“A famous painter from Dresilia, Paige,” Cornelia informed. “Regarded as one of the finest artists in his time some two hundred years ago. You’ll hear about him in your studies in time.”

“…I hate to change the subject,” Melchior interjected. “But…we’re nearly out of paint.” He looked into the paint pot, where indeed, only a small amount remained. It wouldn’t be enough to finish the wall they were painting.

“I could get some more,” a voice said. Looking over, the painters in the room saw Dalibor appear at the doorway. “There are other supplies I have to get, anyway.”

“…If you could, Dali, that would be great. Thank you very much.”

“No problem, honey.” The Grimmsnarl went over to his wife and gave her a kiss on the cheek. “I’ll be back before you know it.”

“Take care,” Cornelia said, waving goodbye to her husband as he went out the front door.

“…Yep. That’s a happy marriage, right there,” Kallias observed.

“Indeed. It was the best decision I ever made, to marry him,” the Hatterene replied, a fond blush appearing on her face. “I have no regrets being with Dali.”

“…Have you ever considered having children of your own?” Melchior asked.

“…It’s a tempting thought. But…I have so many beautiful children already living in this orphanage,” Cornelia reasoned. “They may not be related to me by blood, but…I see them as my children nonetheless. If they don’t have mothers, then I want to fulfil that role as best I can.”

“Aww…Hear that, kids?” Kallias said to the children. “You’ve got a good caretaker in her.”

“Yeah, you’re the best, Mrs Cornelia!” exclaimed the Litleo.

“Thanks for taking care of us!” the Growlithe added.

“We love you!” Paige exclaimed.

“…Thank you, Paige, Rufus, and Leo. I love you all too,” Cornelia returned. “You’re the best children in the world. Don’t ever change…”

 

 

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Dalibor hummed a tune to himself as he returned from the shop that sold paint. He was quite lucky to get it – many others in Iria had the same idea as he and Cornelia did, and therefore, there had been a run on paint. Luckily, the owner had just three more pots left, and the Grimmsnarl managed to purchase them in time.

These should do it, he thought. The orphanage is gonna look great by the time we’re done. He walked down the street, and got ready to go down the street on which the orphanage lay. However…before he could, a sight caught his attention.

It was a black-and-white Linoone. A figure only too recognisable to him, in the Irian Guild – it was Hinnerk. But what struck Dalibor as intriguing was that the raccoon seemed to be going down a back alley with a suspicious-looking bag.

Hmm… Normally, the Grimmsnarl wouldn’t pay much attention to the Linoone. But…a conversation with Spiridon from some days ago came back to him.

“I’m telling you, Dali…I’d bet our status as Platinum Rank that Hinnerk’s up to some shady shit,” the Hawlucha had said. “I mean…he just has that look about him! He’s a lone rider, hates pretty much everyone here, hates endless tirades about justice…I know we don’t have proof, but he’s very suspicious, that Linoone.”

Maybe it wouldn’t hurt to check it out? Dalibor thought to himself. If it’s nothing, it’s nothing. But if it’s something…

His mind had been made up. The gremlin quietly walked over to the alley which Hinnerk had gone down, and sidled next to the walls along it, listening out for the Linoone’s trademark gruff tone.

He didn’t have to wait long. Soon enough, he heard it.

“…This better be good money you’re paying me. It wasn’t easy getting those flowers,” he curtly stated.

“…Of course. Don’t worry at all, Hinnerk; you will be duly compensated for this. You’re a valuable asset to our material gathering.”

That voice was unfamiliar to Dalibor. He knew immediately from the tone, though, that it wasn’t anything good. It sounded slimy and slithery, as though the voice belonged to a snake of some sort.

“…Tch. What are you offering?”

“…How would you feel about 15,000 Poké? Just for this alone. We’ll pay you when you deliver the goods to our intended destination. And possibly more, too.”

Dalibor’s eyes nearly bulged out of his sockets. Fifteen thousand?! That’s absurd! That’s far more than anything the Guild offers! Imagine what you could do with that sort of money… With similar thoughts to this in mind, another thought struck him.

…For that much money, this can’t be clean. This has to be dirty work Hinnerk’s doing.

“…Now you’re speaking my language.” Dalibor could visualise the evil grin on the Linoone’s face. “So where do I gotta deliver this lot?”

“…Take them to Yew Gulch in Nagoria,” informed the other voice. “Once there, you are to leave the flowers and go. Leave the materials at the end of the Dungeon and be gone afterward. If you want your payment, you would do wise to follow these instructions.”

“Don’t worry. I’ll adhere to anything for that kind of money,” Hinnerk assured. “You lot have been paying me tons, a lot more than that blasted guild has ever given me. …Maybe it’s time I move out of that place and become a full-time criminal. With money like this, I’ll have no use for that stupid dump.”

Dalibor bristled at this blatant insult to the Guild.

“I’ll go there right away. …Nice doing work with you. What was your name again?”

“…A daring ask of a crook like me. But you’re a reliable enough source, so I’ll tell you. …I am Mikhail. A pleasure doing criminality with you.”

“Likewise.”

That was all Dalibor needed to hear, as he heard Hinnerk making his way back out onto the alley. He made tracks out the alley himself, back to tell the rest of the gang in the orphanage what he’d seen.

Unbeknownst to him, though…from behind him, a certain Linoone watched.

“…Eavesdropping hairball…”

 

 

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“…Something’s up, Dali. What’s the matter?”

Spiridon, who was cleaning the foyer of the orphanage, noticed Dalibor’s expression when he arrived back. Being his longtime partner, the Hawlucha immediately recognised it as the Grimmsnarl wanting to get the word out about something.

“Yes, something is up. We need Melchior and Kallias,” Dalibor answered. “I’ll go and get them.” He went inside to the kitchen, where Team Marshwood and Cornelia were sitting with cups of tea. All turned their heads to him.

“…You’re back. How did it go?” asked Cornelia.

“I got the paint,” he announced. “But, um…there’s something me and Spiridon have to discuss with you two.” He pointed to Melchior and Kallias. “Something’s come up, and we gotta leave because of it.”

“Aw, really? That’s a pity,” Kallias mourned. “Sorry about that, Cornelia.”

“It’s okay. At least you dropped by and helped out,” the Hatterene assured. “I’m glad for that.”

“No problem. We’d be happy to help again sometime,” Melchior offered. “Now then…what do you want to discuss, Dalibor?”

“Let’s go outside and talk about it,” the Grimmsnarl insisted, and left the room. Kallias and Melchior followed him outside, where Spiridon was waiting for them.

“So, Dali, what’s all this about?” the Hawlucha asked.

“…It’s Hinnerk,” Dalibor revealed. “You know how we all think he does criminal stuff but we’ve never been able to prove it?”

“Of course,” Kallias agreed. “…Wait, are you saying – “

“Yep. …I finally have dirt on the man.” Dalibor shone a victorious grin.

“No way!” Spiridon was ecstatic. “What is it, Dali? What did you find out?”

“Turns out he’s being paid stupid amounts of money to collect rare supplies and drop them off at Mystery Dungeons…just like the mission you had last week, you two,” Dalibor revealed. “I might not have definitive proof, but…we’re on the cusp of finally nailing that man down.”

“Did you get a location?” Kallias asked.

“Yes. Yew Gulch, in Nagoria,” the Grimmsnarl divulged. “He’s heading there right now as we speak.”

“Yew Gulch?” Melchior perked up when he heard this. “I know that place…”

“Hm…That’s near where Paulina lives, isn’t it?” Kallias said.

“Yeah…” If Melchior was a canine Pokémon, no doubt his tail would be swishing with happiness. “Let’s go right away. Let’s find a taxi and head there.”

 

 

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Serykholm was a village in the Nagoria oblast. It was located where the uplands began to rise into mountains, and the village itself had tiers of elevation with houses on different heights. At the very top of the village, up a long flight of steps lay a spring where the villagers retrieved their water from. Meanwhile, on the lower strata, food was grown, and pastures of plants soaked up the sun. It was a very rural place – the people were all very closely connected with one another, and rarely, the village saw visitors.

However, it was good news when a certain pair of guests visited them. …Especially to a certain Meganium who lived within that village.

Her eyes widened with ecstatic delight when she saw a Swampert among the four.

“Mel! Mel!” She dashed towards him.

“Paulina!” Melchior said, as the two came together in a loving embrace.

“I missed you, I missed you, I missed you!” the Meganium lovingly said, showering her husband with kisses. Something that was observed with bemusement by the Swampert’s three companions.

“Y-Yes…I missed you too, Paulina,” he returned, returning kisses in return. “I’m sorry I haven’t been around until now. But works for the jubilee have kept us in the Guild rather busy as of late.”

“Oh yes, the jubilee…Wait. It’s not tomorrow, is it?!” Paulina suddenly panicked. “Oh no! I’m not ready!”

“No no, you’re okay, Paulina!” Melchior hurriedly reassured. “It’s not for another week. You can rest easy.”

“Oh, thank goodness…” the Meganium sighed in relief. “…I see you brought more people than just Kallias. Some of your friends…I recognise them from the wedding. What were their names again?”

“I’m Spiridon, and this is Dalibor!” introduced Spiridon. “We make up Team Hair Trigger. And yes, we have met before, Paulina. Good to see you again!”

“You too,” returned Paulina, with a light titter.

“…It’s nice to see you again, Paulina. But…I’m afraid we’re not here for meetups,” Melchior informed. “We’re here because we have a mission in these parts.”

“Oh…really?”

“Yes.” Kallias took over. “Tell me…did you happen to see a black-and-white Linoone travel through these parts?”

“A black-and-white Linoone?” It wasn’t Paulina who said this, but a nearby Lombre. “Aye, I did, just there. Just by the entrance to Yew Gulch. I warned him the place was dangerous, but he told me to piss off!” An angry frown crossed the villager’s face. “What a rude ‘mon he was!”

“Yep, that sounds like Hinnerk, alright,” muttered Dalibor. “When was this?”

“Just there, about ten minutes ‘fore you lot arrived.”

“Then he might still be in there! Come on guys, let’s get him while the going’s good!” Spiridon encouraged.

“Indeed, Spiridon. …We must go, Paulina,” Melchior said. “We might call in on the way back.”

“Okay, Mel. Good luck! Hope you catch him!” the Meganium said with motivation, as her husband and his fellow mercenaries left the village to head to the Mystery Dungeon.

All the same, though, she couldn’t help but worry for them.

Please be safe…Please get back here safe and sound…

 

 

---

 

 

Yew Gulch

1F

 

The four mercenaries made their way into the labyrinth of the Yew Gulch Mystery Dungeon. It was a forest, with trees blocking out most light and making it seem later in the day than it actually was. The terrain was a tad rocky, as most Dungeons in the Nagoria oblast usually were. While it wasn’t quite the same level of rockiness as the Karstlands were, the rest of the oblast was rocky and rural, and very little crop growth took place there. Dense forests and rocky uplands were what defined Nagoria.

“Right…” Kallias looked around him. “Let’s get to looking for Hinnerk, and getting to the end of this place.”

“I don’t think we’ve been here,” Spiridon remarked. “Do you guys know this place?”

“Sure we do,” Melchior replied. “It’s where I first met Paulina, rescuing her from here.”

“And then things snowballed from there, did they?” Dalibor presumed.

“Well…not really. At that time, she was just another person in need of rescuing. That’s what I saw her as then. It took a while and a few more meetings between us before anything romantic began to develop.”

“…Love is interesting, isn’t it?” Spiridon mused, before looking in another direction. “…You’re a lucky bunch, you lot.”

“This again, Spiridon?” Dalibor sounded like he’d heard this speech before. “You need to get yourself back out there if you want a relationship! Yeah, they’ve fallen through before, but you should never give up!”

“…Easy to say that,” mumbled the Hawlucha. “But looking back, I’ve never found The One. The girlfriends I’ve had aren’t wife material; just the sort that want to have a good time. It might be good in the short term, but long term…that’s a lot more tricky. …And as well as that, I have to face up to the fact that I’m not a young man anymore. I’m thirty-five. …Not exactly a spring chick that can make girls swoon.”

“…That’s not a proper reason, Spiridon,” Kallias brushed off. He stopped conversing to take out a Trevenant that was in their way with a Blackthorn Cross Slash. “I’ve known plenty of people your age that have gotten married with little problems. And it’s not as if they’ve lost popularity points just because they happen to be a little older. You definitely still have it in you to find a woman to call your own.”

“…True. But I can only get my heart broken so many times. The last one was especially hard to take, what with her cheating on me and all…It still hurts, thinking about it.”

“…Ah.” The Sceptile didn’t have a response for that. He had known of this incident that happened over a year ago, that Spiridon was torn up over to the point that he didn’t leave the Guild for days on end, and only with a pep talk from Rufina, Mitrofan and Dalibor did he get back to his old self. But the scar remained, nonetheless. “…I am sorry you had to go through that. I can’t say I’ve had that experience, but…it must hurt. If I found out the one I thought loved me all these years was in fact sleeping with another man…that would do a number on my heart as well.”

“Same,” Melchior seconded, and Dalibor also gave his own voice of agreement.

“…Can we not talk about this anymore?” Spiridon requested. “I…don’t want to remember that feeling.”

“Yeah,” Dalibor agreed. “Let’s drop it.”

“Agreed,” Melchior said.

As they made this decision, they happened upon the stairs, and moved on up.

 

Yew Gulch

4F

 

“Hi-yah!” Spiridon yelled out, as he delivered a Flying Press to a Mightyena. The wild Pokémon stood no chance, and fell by the wayside of the two teams.

“…How are you feeling now, Spiridon?” Dalibor asked.

“A lot better. Beating the shit out of ferals is always great for the mood,” the Hawlucha replied. “That’s the best thing Rufina’s ever taught me.”

“True. …Unless you happen across a Monster House,” Kallias mentioned. “Then any form of good mood goes right out the window.”

“Ugh, don’t remind me,” groaned Melchior. “Don’t even ask how we got through the last one we were in. Where was it again? Somewhere in Morskoya, I don’t remember exactly. But it was definitely thanks to your ingenuity that we made it through, Kallias.”

“Come now. I couldn’t have done that without your help,” the Sceptile responded. “After all, it was you who took on four ferals at once while I carved a path to the stairs. That took some guts, alright. Good job you have the bulk to defend against enemies like them. I couldn’t do that.”

“But you’re far more agile, and could dodge the attacks the enemies throw at you,” Melchior returned. “Your quick movements and quick thinking have gotten us out of many scrapes in the past. …I might not even be alive today if not for you.”

“And I you, Melchior,” returned Kallias.

“…Get a room, you two,” Dalibor joked, snickering.

“Yeah,” agreed Spiridon. “…Sheesh. And you wonder why there’s fiction about the two of you.”

This remark immediately sent Team Marshwood into a fluster.

“Oh, for goodness’ sake, Spiridon!” Kallias said. “How many times do I have to say it?! Melchior and I do not see each other in that light!”

“Yeah! I mean, we’re both married, and to women at that!” Melchior refuted. “Kallias even has a daughter! If we were partners in that sense, then why would we have wives?”

“…Polygamy?” Spiridon shrugged. Dalibor laughed out loud at this reply.

“We’re not that kind of people,” Kallias responded, with a tone that suggested he’d been through this before. “Listen, I support those who wish to be romantic with the same sex. I would gladly decry any attempt to clamp down on their rights. But…the simple fact is that I do not see other men in that light. And especially not Melchior. He is a good friend and my partner as a mercenary. Nothing more.”

“Exactly what Kallias said,” Melchior seconded. “…It’s a good thing most people see those rumours as hogwash. I know there are people who would gladly use rumours like those to ruin our image. Some have even tried to.”

“Good thing they never get far,” Kallias continued. “It plainly isn’t true, and people see that. Not to mention…even if I did lie with Melchior, that would mean cheating on my beloved Zenobia. And that, I would never dream of doing.”

“Same,” Melchior agreed. “…I never even told Paulina about those rumours. And I think that’s for the best.”

“Quite right, Melchior.” Kallias nodded his head in agreement. “The less that’s said about those rumours, the better.”

“…Right.” Spiridon, seeing the duo’s point, kept his mouth shut in slight guilt at the exchange.

“…And the mopey mood returns,” Dalibor noted.

“I was just trying to make humour…” the Hawlucha mumbled. “I didn’t realise that topic was so sensitive for them…”

“…Well, you heard them. They would never betray their wives like that,” Dalibor explained. “Even in a world where we’re a bit more accepting of same-sex relations, the old rules of faithfulness to married partners still apply. That’s what gets the two of them more than anything about those rumours. Not the ‘being romantic for each other’ side of things…but the ‘cheating on their wives’. That’s the supposed sin here.”

“Oh…” Spiridon looked even more guilty. “…So that’s it, huh? …I think I get it. I was heartbroken when I was cheated on. If Kallias was essentially being accused of cheating, then I get why it’s a sensitive subject for him.” He looked off to the side in shame. “…Then again, maybe I don’t. I’m not married like you and them, Dali.”

“Hush, Spiridon,” the Grimmsnarl encouraged. “You said yourself you wanted to stop talking about your breakup. Don’t change your mind. It’ll only make you miserable if you keep bringing it up.”

“…Right,” the Hawlucha decided, before slapping either side of his face. “Time to get out of this funk and start helping out a bit more. Kallias and Melchior have been doing most of the work.” This was true; the duo had been taking out most of the ferals in the Mystery Dungeon thus far, while he and Dalibor had been holding up the rear.

Eventually, they group came to a bigger room. At the other end of it, they saw the stairs. However, two ferals stood in their way: a Shiftry and a Sawsbuck.

“Hold on, guys,” Spiridon announced before any plans could be announced. “I got this.” Before Kallias or Melchior could say anything, he leapt in front, and dashed for the Shiftry. Then he leapt up into the air, before crashing down on the feral below him.

“Acrobatic Smackdown!” His signature move of Flying Press and Bounce combined was very effective on the Shiftry, and it went down swiftly. It was a similar story with the Sawsbuck, albeit slightly more difficult. But nothing it could do to counterattack deterred Spiridon, and with another Acrobatic Smackdown, it fell down in defeat.

“Well done, Spiridon,” praised Melchior.

“…Hm. Interesting. Where’d this come from, wanting to take them on your own?” Kallias wondered.

“…It’s my way of making up for that comment earlier,” Spiridon replied. “I’m…sorry for bringing it up. I didn’t realise how sensitive it was to you.”

“…It’s fine,” the Sceptile assured. “Just don’t bring it up again, okay?”

“I promise.”

“Good. …Let’s move on.

 

Yew Gulch

8F

 

“Is this the last floor?” Spiridon asked.

“I believe so, yes,” Kallias replied, going over to pick up a nearby blast seed on the ground.

“Still no sign of Hinnerk, though…” remarked Dalibor.

“We’ll see him when we see him,” Melchior said. “Either he’s on this floor or he’s at the end. …Hmmm…”

“Something up, Melchior?” Spiridon asked.

“…I wonder if he knows we’re following him,” pondered the Swampert.

“You think?” The Hawlucha sounded a bit more doubtful. “Nah, I don’t think so. He didn’t spot you when you were listening in on him, did he, Dali?”

“…No,” the Grimmsnarl replied, before adding, “At least, I don’t think so.”

“There, see? We should be okay.”

“…I wouldn’t bet on that,” warned Kallias. “You can never be sure of what sort of plots the likes of Hinnerk might come up with. A mercenary must plan for every contingency, especially when we’re dealing with outlaws. …And especially if this whole thing is a part of this plot that we’re investigating.”

“Oh yeah…I almost forgot about that,” Spiridon replied. “Guess the whole catching Hinnerk part of this excited me more. …But hang on a minute. If Hinnerk’s a part of this whole underground movement thing…then what does that mean?”

“…Not good things, I can say that much,” Kallias said with contempt. He paused in his dialogue to deal with a wild Drampa. A few Ferned Cross Slashes, and it was dealt with. He continued after this. “There’s no misunderstanding in that case, then. Hinnerk truly is an outlaw, just as we’ve been suspecting this whole time. This time, there’s definitive proof behind our accusations.”

“But what reason would he have to involve himself with whatever’s going on here?” Melchior questioned.

“…Money,” Dalibor answered. “That was what the person he was dealing with was using as leverage. …I think that might be all there is to it. He’s just doing this because of the stupid amounts of money he’s being paid.”

“…He was always obsessed over money,” Spiridon mused. “When he was with us on missions, all he cared about was getting his share of Poké.”

“Too true. What a greedy man, unfit to be a mercenary,” Kallias seethed. “I’ll have some words for the Guildmaster when I get back…”

“Let’s just focus on the mission for now,” Melchior told him. “We’ll see what depth of involvement and motivations he has with this lot when we come across him.”

The four kept going throughout the Mystery Dungeon. Annoyingly, though, it seemed to be one of those floors that the stairs always seemed to elude them. Multiple rooms they went through, many ferals they knocked out, and yet still the stairs wouldn’t come.

This wasn’t unusual for either team – both had experienced this at least a few times in their endless delving into Mystery Dungeons. But this time, it made them anxious and antsy. When they were supposed to be catching up to Hinnerk and closing in on him, they couldn’t afford to dawdle in the bowels of the Mystery Dungeon.

This was bad enough. However, they had found a new path they hadn’t gone down. Things seemed to be looking up…until they got to the last room.

“Look!” Spiridon pointed to the room. “The stairs! Finally we can get off this damn floor!” He ran forward into the room.

“Wait, Spiridon! Don’t rush off!” Kallias called, following after him. However, once inside the room, both men suddenly realised what they had gotten into.

So too, did their partners.

Their reactions were all of horror.

“No! Are you kidding me?! At the freaking end?!” Spiridon raged.

“Shit! Right now, of all times!” Kallias cursed.

“Dammit! Which god cursed this to happen?!” Dalibor seethed.

“Why? Why now?” Melchior said in despair.

There was one simple reason why they had these reactions.

Because they had stumbled into the den that all mercenaries dreaded.

“A Monster House!“

Teams Marshwood and Hair Trigger looked around them. Countless Sawsbuck, Mightyena, Shiftry, Hypno and Staraptor appeared in the room, and began to hone in on the four mercenaries.

Kallias quickly fumbled inside the bag and picked out a slumber orb. He threw it to the ground and with a smash, most ferals in the room were sound asleep.

…Well, nearly all of them. Alas…some Pokémon didn’t sleep.

“Wait! Why are they still awake?!” Spiridon panickedly pointed to the five or so Hypno that were unaffected.

“They’re Hypno! They have Insomnia, they don’t fall asleep!” Dalibor reminded.

“Shit! Let’s make a break for it!” yelled the Hawlucha.

“You don’t have to tell me twice!” Kallias shouted. “Come on, Melchior, let’s go!”

All four made a break for the stairs. Team Marshwood made it up the stairs without any problems. However, Team Hair Trigger had a more difficult time. Spiridon, who happened to be at the back, was closed in by one of the Hypno, and it used Psychic on him.

“Argh!” cried the avian. It hurt, given his Fighting-type, and he fell to the ground.

“Spiridon!” Dalibor cried. “Hang on!” His attention turned to the Hypno that had struck. “Take this, you bastard feral!” He lunged forward and dealt a Sucker Punch to the Hypnosis Pokémon. In anger, it tried to retaliate with another Psychic, but Dalibor’s Dark-type nullified the attack.

“Your mistake!” The hairy gremlin struck again with a pink energy surrounding his hair-fist. His use of Spirit Break caused the Hypno to go down.

“Th-Thanks, Dali…” Spiridon weakly thanked.

“You’re welcome. Now let’s get the hell out of dodge!” yelled the Grimmsnarl, picking up Spiridon making a run for the stairs. Luckily, this attempt was successful, and the duo made it out of the Monster House.

 

Yew Gulch

Clearing

 

“Oh, there you are!” Melchior sighed with relief when he saw Dalibor carrying Spiridon. “I’m sorry. We should’ve stayed and helped…”

“Eh, it’s okay. Nothing that couldn’t be overcome,” Dalibor shrugged off.

“…Even so…if you hadn’t escaped from there, I wouldn’t have been able to forgive myself,” Kallias self-reprimanded. “That was poor judgement on our part. When you didn’t come up behind us immediately, we feared the worst…”

“Don’t beat yourself up over it, Kallias,” the Grimmsnarl replied. “Let’s just get Spiridon back into action.” He placed his partner on the ground, and gave him an oran berry. This revitalised the Hawlucha, and he managed to get back on his feet.

“Thanks a bunch back there, Dali!” he said gratefully. “I thought I might have been a goner!”

“No problem,” Dalibor returned. “Just looking out for my partner, as any merc should.”

“…I’m glad to have you as my partner,” the Hawlucha said. “Seriously, Dali, I…don’t know if I would have come this far as a merc if not for your help. It was great reaching Platinum Rank back in the spring. To think Dad said being a merc wouldn’t come to anything…” A satisfied smirk crossed his face. “…I’d like to see what he thinks now. Maybe I should send him a big fat cheque one day.”

“Hah! That’s a thought,” laughed Dalibor. “And I’m grateful for you too, man. I’m surprised I was even unsure about you back in the day. Well, there’s none of that now. I’d probably say you were the best choice of partner I could’ve had back then.”

“…A happy accident, eh?” Spiridon smiled. “…Hm, you know what? Let’s save the praise for later, once we corner Hinnerk and put him behind bars.”

“Yeah. Time for him to get what’s coming to him!” Dalibor said with vigour. Both men led the way further into the clearing that was at the end of the Mystery Dungeon, with Spiridon being the first into the area.

And immediately, Kallias and Melchior were hit with a sense of déjà vu.

“That scent again,” Kallias noted. “You smell that, guys?”

“…Yep,” Dalibor confirmed, sniffing the air. “…Geez, what is that?”

“…Nothing good, that’s for sure.” Spiridon’s nose wrinkled at the smell. “What is that?”

“That mysterious liquid being brewed,” Melchior informed. “Just like last time. So we were right. And Hinnerk’s involved in all of this…”

“Well then…” Kallias cracked his knuckles. “Let’s see if we can get some answers this time.”

They walked closer to where the scent was getting stronger. Soon, they happened across a familiar sight.

A group of Pokémon, approximately five of them, were gathered around a cauldron, mixing a strange brew.

“…Just like last time,” muttered the Sceptile. “…Hey! You all! Stop right there!”

All of the Pokémon looked up, and immediately fell into a defensive position when they saw the four mercenaries approach.

“Ya wanna deal with us, ya overgrown Treecko?” scoffed a Wigglytuff.

“Well, ya messed with the wrong folks!” shouted a Simisear.

“You’re not gonna take us down!” called a Vileplume. “Camula’s lot might’ve been beaten by you, but we sure as hell won’t lose against the likes of you!”

“Oh yeah? There’s more against you now,” Spiridon fired back. “It’ll be an even quicker battle with Team Hair Trigger backing them up!”

“Who?” a Butterfree snickered. “Sorry, but you’re nobodies. We know Team Marshwood, but I sure as hell haven’t heard of you. And I’d be perfectly happy to never hear of you again!”

“Quite right. The less mercenaries that interfere with our plans, the better!” a Perrserker growled. “Even if you are the legendary Team Marshwood, that doesn’t mean we’ll let you walk all over us!” He seemed to be the leader of the group, and they seemed to look to him for leadership as he stepped out from behind the cauldron. “Time to rip you to shreds!” His dagger-like claws were bared, and he ran towards Spiridon, the nearest mercenary to him.

Reacting quickly, the avian leapt backwards as the steel cat threw a swipe at him, and adopted his own battle stance, as did his comrades.

“Fine, you want to throw down?” Spiridon cracked his knuckles. “I’d be all too happy to punch your lights out! Come on, everyone! Let’s get them!”

With that, he launched himself into the fray. He leapt up high and slammed down on the Perrserker with a Flying Press, before backflipping back to his original position.

“…Not a bad first throw,” he admitted. “But I, the great Perdido, don’t go down so easily!” He launched an Iron Head at the Wrestling Pokémon, knocking him back some distance.

“Urgh…” Spiridon recomposed himself, and took a quick moment to see how his fellow mercenaries were getting on.

Each was locked into their own battle. Dalibor was facing off against the Wigglytuff, Melchior against the Vileplume, and Kallias against both the Simisear and the Butterfree. He couldn’t help but notice something about each battle.

The enemies all have a type advantage, except for me. Spiridon couldn’t help but worry about this. Another thought, though, came to him that brought reassurance. But not like that’s stopped us before! Energised by this, he charged again at Perdido.

Over to the Hawlucha’s left, Dalibor was faring somewhat okay, despite the type disadvantage against the Wigglytuff, a fact she was all too willing to boast about.

“Yer not gonna win against me, ya ball of hair,” she taunted. “‘Specially when I can stall ya ’til ’em Miltank go home!”

“Oh really?” Dalibor returned, before returning to a strategy he was well familiar with. “…Hey, you clearly have the advantage. Could you…maybe think about letting me go? Please?” He tried to sound pleading.

“…Hmm…maybe I can, if yer willin’ to do stuff for me.” The Wigglytuff looked him over. “Yer quite a looker, ya know. I wouldn’t mind someone with muscles like yers…” She turned to her comrades. “Ya lot! This one ain’t gonna fight no more! He – !”

She was then struck across her midsection.

“…False Surrender.” Dalibor’s grin betrayed his satisfaction at getting that attack off. “Sorry, lady. I’m a married man, with plenty of kids to look after. Besides, I don’t play ball with criminals. So it’s a hard pass from me.”

“Grrr…Ya tricked me!” the Wigglytuff raged angrily. “I’ll pay ya back!” She got ready to use Play Rough on her adversary. But before she could…

Dalibor struck her once again.

“Sucker Punch,” he taunted. “Take that, girl.”

“Oh, yer gonna pay for that!” she growled, getting ready to pay him back.

Meanwhile, Team Marshwood had decided to fight as a pair against the three adversaries that faced up against them. This approach was one they found to be the most optimal, for they could cover each other’s weaknesses in the case of type disadvantage, which happened to be the case here. That being said, Kallias had fared well against the Simisear, and one Mud Bomb from Melchior saw to the fire monkey’s defeat. That left the Butterfree and the Vileplume.

“Oh, this target’s an easy one. With me, Lumi?” she said. “Let’s pelt that Swampert with what’ll hurt him most!”

“Agreed!” Lumi the Vileplume prepared to use Petal Blizzard, and the Butterfree readied a Giga Drain. They were to combine their attacks, and no doubt, if they had both connected, the Water/Ground-type Melchior would suffer quite a blow indeed, even for him.

Luckily, Kallias’s quick thinking thought otherwise. The Sceptile dug through the bag and threw a petrify orb at the two Pokémon, freezing them in place. But not just them – Dalibor and Spiridon’s opponents also fell under the effects of the orb.

“Thanks, Kallias!” Spiridon called. “…At least now we have space to take out our items.” He went to Dalibor, who had their team’s bag, and rooted through it. “A violent seed, a vile seed, and a blast seed…Boy, so many seeds,” he remarked. “How’d that happen? …But anyway. This’ll do me.”

He ate the violent seed, and felt the boost in strength from it. Then he threw the vile seed at Perdido. Before the Perrserker could react, the blast seed came right after.

“Argh!” the cat cried out in pain. “You! You’ll pay for that, you featherhead!” Enraged, he went in again for the kill. He lunged with Fury Swipes, and slashed at the Hawlucha, intent to rip him apart. Some of the swipes struck him, making the avian hiss at the pain.

“…Right, you’re beginning to get on my nerves,” Spiridon spat, clutching the bleeding wound on his arm. He noticed his adversary was showing signs of weariness. “Time to finish you off!” He leapt up into the air, hovered for a few seconds, before slamming down on the Perrserker.

“Acrobatic Smackdown!”

The combined effects of the violent seed on Spiridon and the vile seed on Perdido, coupled with the latter’s recent damage from the blast seed, made the Hawlucha’s attack all the more devastating. The steel cat fell onto his back.

“Grraaagh…You masked rat…!” he snarled.

“That’s what you get for messing with Team Hair Trigger and calling us nobodies,” Spiridon returned, kicking him in the face for good measure. “…Now then. Let’s clean the rest of this up.”

Looking over at his comrades, it seemed like not much needed cleaning up. Kallias and Melchior had finished dealing with the Butterfree and the Vileplume, and it was only Dalibor who was still engaged in the duel with the Wigglytuff. Spiridon happened to catch Kallias’ eye, and both smiled and nodded with the same thought.

Let’s help him out.

Thus, they intervened together, and with a Poison Jab from Spiridon and a Belladonna Cross Slash from Kallias saw to the Wigglytuff’s defeat.

“…Thanks, guys,” Dalibor said, panting slightly. “She was a Stockpile user. That’s why I was a bit slower than the rest of you.”

“Ah.” Spiridon nodded in understanding. “But then we’re always happy to help. ‘Specially me, Dali! That’s what partners are for!”

“You said it, Spiridon.” The Grimmsnarl fist-bumped his partner.

“…Team camaraderie is one of the greatest sensations, isn’t it?” Kallias mused, gazing at the duo. Then, looking over at the struggling Perdido, his expression became more serious.

“Right,” he said in an authoritative voice that snapped Spiridon and Dalibor out of their moment. “Time to get to the bottom of this.” He marched over to the Perrserker’s side. “Perdido, was it? What is your business here?”

“…I’ll never tell,” Perdido said in defiance. “Mercenary scum…You’re from the Irian Guild, aren’t you?”

“That we are,” Kallias replied, a hint of menace to his voice. “And you’re not the only bust we’ve had over whatever’s going on here.” He gestured to the cauldron of enigmatic liquid. “We had a similar one in Limestone Cavern, south of here near Lukomoria.”

“…So it was you who got Camula.” Perdido growled angrily at this realisation.

“Quite right. Now tell us! What nefarious plot is going on here?” Kallias interrogated. “What do you plan to do with that liquid? Sorry, pardon me – that poison?”

“…” The Perrserker kept silent, but the look of realisation on his face told it all.

“…So it is poison, then,” Kallias established. “I will ask until you give an answer. What is your reason for making up a concoction like that, of rare materials? Some of which are forbidden to be extracted by the order of His Majesty?”

“…Wouldn’t you love to know?” Perdido responded. “…They say you’re a clever one, Fernblade. You too, Mud Bomber. I give you the slightest clue, and you’ll have the whole thing unravelled. I’m not an idiot. This trap is staying shut.”

“…Mmm…” Kallias took a breath, trying not to let the cat’s persistence get to him. He looked over at his partner, who had gone to investigate the materials beside the cauldron. “Melchior, what have you found?”

“Mostly the same as before,” the Swampert reported back. “Strange materials – that flower, the bark, and the salt – they’re all here, once again. Except…” He looked again, at a folded up pieces of parchment. “There’s paper here.”

“What does it say?”

Melchior unfolded it.

“It’s…a map of some sort,” he said. “I think it’s a town?” He showed it to the other three. It seemed to depict a settlement with many streets zigzagging the settlement. Along with it were a number of marks at various places on the map.

“…Hang on a minute,” Dalibor said. “I know this layout…”

“…For good reason,” Kallias observed. “This is a map of Iria.”

“But what would a map of Iria be doing all the way out here?” Spiridon wondered.

“…More questions for our adversary, then.” Kallias turned back to the Perrserker. “Why do you have a map of Iria, when we’re located far away from there? What do the marks on this map mean?”

“I’m not telling a damn thing,” Perdido evaded.

“…What are you planning? Tell us!” The Sceptile was beginning to get annoyed at the cat’s obstinance.

“…Or what?” taunted Perdido. “What are you prissy mercenaries going to do? You can’t kill me. Your Guild’s oath forbids it! Some stupid system that is! Even the knights don’t follow that kind of rule! Outright no killing? All bark, no bite, that’s all you mercs are! Without the help of knights to do your works of justice for you, you’re like a horde of declawed Glameow!” He laughed hysterically at this.

“Hey!” Spiridon blasted. “You dare mock the Guild?! No one talks shit about the Guild and gets away with it!”

“You got cotton in your ears, birdbrain? I just said it, didn’t I? Killing me goes against that farce of an oath you have.” Perdido laughed again. “A far cry from Gamaliel’s savagery, that’s for sure! You’re pathetic, the lot of you!”

Spiridon saw red at this remark. He said no words, but walked forward, and then slugged the cat right across the nose.

“Aaaaargh!” he yowled, feeling the full force of the Hawlucha’s blow.

“Yeah, you feel that?” snarled Spiridon. “That’s a pathetic punch, huh? Huh?! A weakling couldn’t do something like that, could they?! How about I try again?!” He readied another punch.

“Uh, Spiridon?” Dalibor said, rather unnerved by his partner’s rage. “M-Maybe you could back off a bit? Just a little?”

“We still need answers, Spiridon,” Melchior added. “We can’t get them from him if he’s unconscious.”

“…Fine.” The Hawlucha, hearing the pleas of his comrades, lowered his arm. The tone of his voice, however, suggested he was far from happy about not laying into Perdido. “Still…no one talks crap about the Guild like he did…”

“I see your point. But you can’t let your emotions get the better of you,” Kallias said to him. “Otherwise, you may end up doing something you’ll regret for the rest of your days.”

“…” Spiridon said nothing. But the look on his face told him that he understood the Sceptile’s words.

“Hah…idiots,” Perdido remarked. “You should’ve just ignored what was going on here.”

“…Piece of shit,” growled Spiridon. “Don’t make me go back on my promise!”

“…Not like it matters.” A victorious grin suddenly crossed the Perrserker’s face. “You’re going to die anyway, the lot of you. Meddling in our affairs, and trying to salt the earth in which we will sprout…you won’t succeed! We’ll be the ones to escort you straight to Yveltal’s embrace!”

“‘We?'” Dalibor couldn’t help but note his usage of the word. Upon uttering it, a realisation struck him, especially as he looked at the woods around him.

“Guys…I think we might be cornered.”

“Cornered?!” Melchior cried out, looking around the clearing. And soon he could see it for himself.

Multiple figures were present in the shadows of the woods. Their exact forms were hard to make out. But there were many of them, and many pairs of eyes gazed at them.

“…Damnation,” Kallias muttered. “How’d they know? They had to have known beforehand we would be here to organise an ambush like this…”

“The messenger tipped us off!” Perdido answered, grinning with superiority. “Guess you’re shitty spies as well to boot!”

“He saw me? Crap…” Dalibor flinched when he heard this. “Sorry, guys…”

“…Nothing we can do about that now.” Kallias observed. “We need to get out of this situation.”

However, before they could act toward this end, movement could be seen within the trees.

“They’re going to attack!” Melchior said. “Watch out, everyone!”

Melchior’s warning proved true. Multiple black clouds of smoke flew towards them, and the area was soon caked in a black fog.

“Smokescreen!” coughed Kallias. “Be careful! They’re going to use this opportunity to strike!”

This was certainly true. But a saying then ran itself through Kallias’ head, and the Sceptile recalled a previous lesson he had learned from a time when he and Melchior were in Alba.

‘Even the most experienced warrior can’t defend against what he doesn’t see coming.’

He gritted his teeth as he got on the defensive, fearing what was to come.

And soon, something did happen, amidst the smokescreen.

A scream of pain was heard from nearby. Kallias and Melchior froze with terror at that scream, knowing who it was from.

“Dali!“

And Spiridon’s horrified cry only confirmed it.

Team Marshwood ran in the direction of the cry. They saw the avian looking down at the fallen form of Dalibor, the former with a face of despair.

“He’s wounded!” Melchior pointed to where a small pool of blood was beginning to form around the Grimmsnarl’s head. “And in the head, no less!”

“The head?! Oh, that’s not good,” Kallias reacted. “He needs medical attention immediately! Spiridon, we need to get out of here, now!”

“…But…” The Hawlucha’s expression then turned to one of blazing fury. “…They need to pay for this!”

“Now’s not the time, Spiridon!” Kallias shouted. “Getting out of here’s our top priority!” As he said this, he narrowly dodged what appeared to be a Flame Burst, and felt one of its embers pierce him, causing him to hiss in pain. “We can’t stay here! We’ll be killed! Just like…” He didn’t finish his sentence.

“Don’t you dare say that!” But Spiridon knew what he would’ve said next had he not stopped himself. “Now where’s that damn Perrserker?!” He dashed to just by the cauldron. There, the Smokescreen faded slightly, and he could see a bit clearer there. Right around that area…he found who he was looking for, and lunged for them.

“Gah!” Perdido cried. “Get off me, you feather – ” He didn’t get to finish his sentence before he was slugged across the face again.

And again.

And again.

“You bastard!” Spiridon screamed in rage, continuing to punch the Perrserker across the face in sheer fury. “You did this to Dali! You and these fucking outlaws with whatever the fuck’s going on here! You will pay! You will pay!“

At that point, his gaze happened upon the cauldron of the mysterious liquid.

An intriguing thought came to mind, and in his enraged state, he was all too happy to carry it out.

“Let’s give you a taste of your own medicine!” Spiridon declared before lifting Perdido and bringing him towards the cauldron.

“No! Don’t, you birdbrain! Stop!” yelled Perdido.

“Shut the fuck up!” Spiridon yelled back at him, before plunging his head into the liquid. The Perrserker squirmed like mad trying to escape, but the Hawlucha’s grip was as firm as could be.

“Spiridon! What are you doing?!” Kallias’s voice came closer, and looking over, Spiridon could see the Sceptile running up to him. “Stop! We need to get out of here, now!” Behind him, Melchior came running up, carrying the unresponding Dalibor on his back.

“No!” Spiridon was defiant. “Not until this piece of shit gets what he deserves!” He pulled Perdido’s head out of the liquid, before dunking it back in again.

“Revenge means nothing compared to saving Dalibor’s life!” Melchior replied. “What will killing him solve?!”

“Quite right! What did I say about doing something you might regret?” Kallias reminded. “And here you are, throwing away what I just said to you!”

“…” Spiridon didn’t reply immediately. And before he could, a Flash Cannon struck him right in the side.

“Argh!” he cried, nearly losing his grip on Perdido but managing to keep it.

“Right, that’s it. I’m getting us out of here, whether you like it or not!” Kallias took the escape orb he was wielding in his hand, and slammed it down, transporting him, Melchior, Dalibor, Spiridon and Perdido out of the Dungeon.

 

 

---

 

 

The group reappeared outside of Yew Gulch. However, there was no time to take a breather, for an emergency was at hand.

“We need to get Dalibor to the village,” Kallias said, breathing in and out over what had just happened. “He needs aid, as quickly as possible.”

“Right. I’ll carry him,” Melchior replied, still holding the unresponsive Grimmsnarl. “…He’s still alive. Just about. But we need to move fast.”

“Then let’s go. …Spiridon?” Kallias turned to the avian.

“…Yes, of course.” The Hawlucha, having seen his partner’s state, seemed to understood the gravity of the situation. “…But let me deal with this scumbag first.” He went over to the dazed Perdido, and karate chopped the back of his neck, rendering him unconscious.

“…” Kallias stared at Spiridon with disapproval. “I won’t discuss this with you now. We have more pressing issues at hand.”

“Right,” murmured Spiridon. “Let’s just get Dali to the village.”

“I’ll run ahead and tell them what’s what,” Kallias volunteered, before sprinting off in the direction of the village. Melchior and Spiridon followed, though lagged behind due to their respective loads.

When they finally did arrive back at Serykholm, villagers were prepared with a stretcher to take Dalibor in. The Grimmsnarl was put in it and marched off to the village medic’s hut.

“Mel!” a voice called, and looking over, Melchior saw his wife run up to him, Kallias following behind her. Her face was full of worry, as well as relief at her husband being alright.

“Paulina,” he said. “…Sorry for all of this. But it’s an emergency.”

“I know. Kallias told me as much,” the Meganium responded. “…Mel…what happened out there?”

“…It’s a long story,” Melchior sighed. “Let’s go somewhere and talk about it.”

 

 

---

 

 

“…Oh, how terrifying…” Paulina replied. “I’m so sorry about what happened to Dalibor. But…at least the rest of you are safe. That’s…something, at least.”

“True. That might not have been the case if we’d stayed for longer,” Melchior mused. “To think, we walked into a trap…”

“…That Perrserker said that Hinnerk informed them of our approach,” Kallias noted. “…Curious, though. Hinnerk wasn’t anywhere to be seen.”

“His job was as a messenger,” Melchior recalled. “He probably just left his materials with those people in there and left.”

“So he’s still at large, then…” Kallias curled his fist in slight anger at this fact. “Complicit with attempted murder…Damn him! To think he got the better of us…”

“Did you inform the knights of this?”

“Yes. A bigger entourage is coming from Kamengrad to investigate this.”

“…Good.”

Silence reigned for a short bit, while Team Marshwood sipped some herbal tea that Paulina had made for them. It helped to calm their nerves in the wake of what had just happened. Since adrenaline was driving them when they were in the gulch, it was only now coming to them just what a hairy situation they were in.

At least they were safe for now in Serykholm. The village’s guards vowed to defend against any potential invaders, and the unconscious Perdido had been tied up in the lead guard’s house, ready to be handed over to the Kamengrad knights when they showed up.

This was something their companion was also beginning to understand. Spiridon, who had been in absolute rage back in the Dungeon, had gone noticeably quiet. Kallias looked over at him, and caught his eye.

“…Spiridon,” he began.

“…” The Hawlucha said nothing. But the expression of resignation on his face displayed his feelings of guilt in the aftermath of all that had happened.

“…Do you have anything to say, Spiridon?” Kallias pressed.

“…” Spiridon gave a long sigh, and uttered his response.

“…I’m sorry.”

“…At least you do regret it,” Kallias replied. The avian’s apology did sound genuine, based on the look on his face. “…I do hope you realise the extent to which you acted out of line in there. Of how at a time when your partner was in mortal peril, you sought out revenge instead. …Barely even a short-term solution. I know from experience from dealing with outlaws that had murdered before. To see a good friend of mine potentially go down that path…it makes me shudder. Do you believe that’s what Dalibor would’ve wanted, Spiridon?”

Spiridon flinched at the reminder of the Grimmsnarl, who at the present moment was being treated by the village’s medic. “…N-No. That’s not what he would’ve wanted…”

“…I’ll have to raise this matter with Mitrofan when we get back to Iria,” Kallias sternly told him. “It’s the desertion of Dalibor in his time of need. That, more than anything, is the height of your misdeeds. Forget about the revenge – the attempt to poison that Perrserker. Leaving Dalibor – that is the cardinal sin here.”

“I know,” Spiridon moped. “I messed up big time…and I’m sorry…” He sounded close to tears.

Seeing that the conversation was shifting back to Dalibor, Melchior turned to Paulina.

“How is Dalibor right now?” he asked.

“…Papa’s been with him for some time now,” the Meganium answered. As it so happened, the village’s medic was her father. “I can’t say for sure how Dalibor is. I can only hope Papa can do something about his condition…”

Unfortunately, her tone didn’t invite confidence. It was, after all, a serious wound to the head, and those had the potential to have serious consequences for those that suffered them. And there wasn’t anything the three mercenaries could do to help. All they could do was hope and pray for the best.

Quite some time passed – indeed, night had fallen by the time Paulina’s father, a Parasect, approached the group from a side room where he was treating Dalibor.

“Tymon,” Melchior said to him. “How is he?”

“…” Tymon took a breath. “…I have news, and unfortunately, most of it is not good.”

Everyone’s heart sank at this news.

“…How is he, Doc? Please, don’t play around with words. Just…give it to us straight,” Spiridon begged. “Is Dali gonna be okay or not?”

“…I can’t truly say for sure,” Tymon answered. “I can at least give you the good news. Your friend is alive.”

“Oh thank goodness.” Spiridon breathed a sigh of relief.

“However!” The sharpness of the Parasect’s next words quickly cast this feeling of relief aside. “Given the state of his injury, he may as well be.”

“What? What do you mean, ‘he may as well be’?!” Spiridon asked.

“…Come with me,” Tymon demanded, gesturing with his claw. The other four followed him to his medical room.

They saw Dalibor, laying on one of the two beds in the room. Spiridon and Team Marshwood flinched at the sight of their teammate. His lower body was unharmed, but it was the head that drew their attention. Dalibor, from his forehead upward, had been completely bandaged. Meanwhile, the Grimmsnarl’s eyes were closed, not at all reacting to their entrance.

Though they heard Tymon’s words that he was alive, they had a collective sinking feeling at what the Parasect doctor was going to say.

“Your friend, Dalibor, has a pulse. Therefore, he is alive. However, on the other hand, he has been completely unresponsive to any sort of physical and verbal stimuli,” elaborated Tymon. “He is unresponsive to light. He is completely unaware that we are here. Hence, why I said he may as well be dead. That was a serious injury he sustained. Serious enough…to put him into a coma.”

“A coma?!” Spiridon reacted with horror. “No…please no…”

“I cannot say how long it will last, his comatose state,” Tymon continued. “It could last for days. On the other hand, it could take months…maybe even years. …But I am afraid we do not have the means to treat him here in Serykholm, should this last a longer period of time. He would be better off being treated by the doctors in Iria. Their superior medical knowledge and better access to care would make Iria a more suitable place to treat him.”

“Yes…that would be for the best,” Kallias said.

“…Thanks for your help, Tymon,” Melchior said to him.

“…It’s my job, Melchior,” the doctor replied. “I only wish I could do more. …Leave him to me. I’ll watch over him until you’re ready to bring him back to Iria.”

“Right. We’ll leave for now.” Team Marshwood got ready to leave the room. However…they noticed that Spiridon hadn’t moved from his spot.

“…A coma…” He plainly hadn’t been paying attention to his fellow mercenaries in leaving the room. “No…No, no, this can’t be happening…How am I gonna tell Cornelia? How am I gonna tell the kids about this…?”

Spiridon’s despair was palpable, and Kallias and Melchior could only feel sympathy for the Hawlucha. What happened to Dalibor was horrible for the man himself. But for his good friends, his family, those he looked after, and his fellow Guild members…the effects of the attack on the Grimmsnarl would be felt far beyond his partner and two fellow mercenaries.

All of the mercenaries left the room with heavy hearts, not looking forward to their return to Iria with the bad news they had.