Special Episode 1: Seven Years Ago – Part 4 (Jubilant Showdown)

The arena was normally off limits to the public. But a lawbreaker like Hinnerk had no regard for such things, and went into the arena. Kallias, intent to chase him down, ignored this too, and chased after the rogue. And a few seconds afterward, Melchior entered the old building, following after his partner.

They soon got to the central arena. There was only one person in there, who was panting slightly from all the running he had to do.

“…Damn you two,” hissed Hinnerk, the Obstagoon. “You’re always finding some way to ruin my day. And it looks like today won’t be any different.”

“Of course it won’t,” Kallias replied. “Justice never rests, even on days like this.”

“Besides…it’s not like we like to leave loose ends,” Melchior added. “Especially when it’s someone who colluded with criminals and told them to kill our friends.”

“Hey, I never said that!” Hinnerk defended. “I only told them you knew what they were doing. I never told them to kill anyone. …Even if I couldn’t stand that ball of hair…”

“That doesn’t matter,” Kallias returned. “You’re a criminal, Hinnerk! All while being a member of a Guild that pledges itself against that very thing!”

“…Are you really with them?” Melchior inquired. “Are you aligned with the people that tried to poison Iria’s wells, as well as try to assassinate Tsar Kliment today?”

“…You really want me locked up, don’t you?” Hinnerk scoffed. “…You know, I never really cared about what they did. Why should I? They paid me good money, far better than anything in the Guild, just to get materials for stuff. Arcean orchids, Nagorian yew, explosive materials…that’s not my business what they do with them. As long as I get paid, I really don’t give a shit.

“But you’re a threat to me earning those sweet tons of cash. And I know something else, too. This lot wants you dead for foiling their plans. And you know what? Since we think enough alike, me and them…I’d be happy to help them.” His teeth bared with aggression.

“…You’ve crossed the Ferax now, Hinnerk.” Kallias’s voice was laced with contempt. “First complicit with murder, and now willing to carry it out. …Deplorable. Your lack of morals is appalling.”

“…Tch,” the Obstagoon spat. “You should’ve been blown up back there. Then I’d never have to hear the shit that comes out of your mouths again.”

“Well, too bad!” Kallias shot back. “We lived to tell the tale. And now you’re going to answer for your crimes!”

“You’re not gonna win, Kallias!” yelled Hinnerk. “I’ve got a lot stronger with evolution. I’ll crush you!”

“Well then. Let’s see if your claws can match your tongue!”

The Sceptile saw no point in delaying combat any further, and so leapt towards Hinnerk, Leaf Blades at the ready. He intended to deal a Ferned Cross Slash to him. However…

Hinnerk suddenly let off a deafening yell, with his arms crossed in an X shape.

“Agh!” Kallias was momentarily distracted by his opponent’s Obstruct, and that provided Hinnerk the perfect opportunity to strike. Dark energy coated his claws, and he lunged with a Night Slash, striking Kallias across his side.

“Kallias!” Melchior cried, and immediately sought retaliation. He threw a Mud Bomb at Hinnerk, and luckily, it struck.

“Curse you!” Hinnerk growled, as he was covered in mud.

“Thanks for the save,” Kallias called to Melchior.

“No problem.” Melchior turned his attention to Hinnerk, who was now giving the duo a glare for the books.

“…Tch. You always have to have each other’s back, don’t you?” he scoffed.

“Of course we do. That’s the basic function of a mercenary team,” Kallias said. “Perhaps you would have learned that if you believed in the way of the mercenary.”

“Fuck that!” yelled Hinnerk. “You guys treated me like crap! I deserved much better than the shit position you all gave me! Bronze Rank, after all the stuff I did! Meanwhile, you have Master Rank! If that’s not nepotism, then I don’t know what is!”

“…So that’s your excuse? …Typical.” Kallias shook his head in disgust. “You put no effort into your work. You were rude to your clients. You were equally as rude to your comrades. You were a nuisance to work with. You never respected your peers in the Guild. At the end of the day, all you cared about was money. No wonder you never climbed the ladder of Ranks far. The fact you even got Bronze Rank was a shock to us all. …Of course someone of your nature would turn to crime. Your collaboration with these outlaws nearly killed a man and turned another into a murderer. These are the same people that planned what is in essence a mass murder. …It cannot be put into words how reprehensible your conduct has been. Don’t for one minute pretend you’re the victim here! You’re a vile aggressor, Hinnerk! And it’s high time we put an end to your trickery!”

With this, he returned to the fighting, with another Ferned Cross Slash at the ready. Hinnerk retaliated with Night Slash, in an attempt to block Kallias’s slashes. However, the Sceptile was too swift for him, and managed to score a deep cut along his side.

“Argh!” Hinnerk winced. “Take this, you bastard!” He attempted to retaliate with another Night Slash, but Kallias blocked the attack and leapt back. This angered the Obstagoon, who ran forward to try and catch up with him.

However, in his haste, he’d forgotten about Melchior.

This became apparent to him when the Swampert, after having hidden underground, suddenly burst out and struck Hinnerk across his torso, knocking him backwards.

“Damn you both! You’re really starting to piss me off!” snarled the Obstagoon, baring his teeth in anger. As he spoke, a steam-like aura began to cloud him, and he gave them a menacing look, daring them to attack.

However, both men knew immediately what this move was.

“Revenge,” Kallias muttered in annoyance. “He wants to use our power against us.”

“We have to find a way around, or wait him out,” Melchior said. “What do we do, Kallias?”

“…Attack him anyway. It’s not a problem if he can’t land a hit,” the Sceptile said, with a joking expression. “Don’t worry, Melchior. I have your back.”

“…I suppose I can manage that,” the Swampert decided, feeling reassured by his partner’s words. He readied a Mud Bomb, and lobbed it at Hinnerk. It hit him square on, drenching him with more mud. But the Obstagoon remained in his stance, his piercing angry glare remaining in place.

He additionally shot out Muddy Water at him. Kallias made sure to dodge out of the way so he wouldn’t be drenched alongside their foe.

Finally, he threw another Mud Bomb. After this attack landed, Hinnerk finally acted.

“Take this!” he yelled at the top of his lungs, lunging for Melchior. The Swampert was about to dodge out of the way, bracing himself for the Obstagoon to land his deadly Revenge attack. But as it turned out…he didn’t have to, because of what his partner threw at Hinnerk while the latter was distracted with unleashing his rage.

It was a stun seed, and it stopped Hinnerk clean in his tracks.

“Aargh!” he cried out. “A stun seed?! No! No! You pieces of shit!“

“…You played right into our hands,” Kallias said, with a degree of satisfaction. “And now you’ll see just how much your mistake cost you.”

“Yes. Your crimes stop here, Hinnerk,” Melchior said, before he looked over at his partner, opposite him. “It’s time we ended this You ready, Kallias?”

“…I couldn’t be more ready,” the Sceptile returned. “Let’s dance, Melchior!”

And so the two began a special manoeuvre that they reserved for moments like this, when their opponents were cornered like this.

Melchior readied two Mud Bombs in his hands, and threw one of them at Hinnerk. Once that attack landed, Kallias leapt up into the air. Then Melchior threw his other Mud Bomb, and while his opponent was blinded by the mud, Kallias landed in front of him and slashed with his Leaf Blades.

That in itself was a combo that worked for them in defeating enemies. But they weren’t done yet.

Melchior then burrowed underground with Dig. Kallias remained above ground, and slashed at his opponents. This time, though, he cycled through each of his combo attacks: Ferned Cross Slash, Blackthorn Cross Slash, and Belladonna Cross Slash, and cut X’s for days in his attacks on Hinnerk. He finished this combo with a standard Leaf Blade cut, and threw Hinnerk back with that attack.

Then, where the Obstagoon ended up, Melchior suddenly burst out of the ground, intending to make a big leap upwards. He managed to get in an uppercut as he jumped up, and mid air, he conjured a Mud Bomb and threw it downwards at Hinnerk.

That was a foe-ending combo for them. Rain of Mud and Slashes was the name Kallias had given it. They didn’t use it a huge amount, given that it required set-up and for their opponent to be in the right position to carry it out. It was typically carried out in the audience of others, who could see Team Marshwood’s teamwork for themselves.

As for the duo, they loved doing it. Thus, when the time was right, they relished carrying it out. And this time was no less satisfying than the previous occasion.

Especially when their opponent was someone as despicable as Hinnerk, who sold his soul as a mercenary to the criminal underworld.

The Obstagoon had been hit hard by the pair’s attacks, and couldn’t muster any form of counterattack. He lay in the dirt, fur covered in mud, and snarling at Kallias and Melchior, who looked over at him to see if he still had energy left. To their luck, it seemed he had none. Despite him being evolved, he was nowhere near a match for the elite fighters that were Team Marshwood.

“D-Damn you…” he cursed, curling his right fist in anger. “I’m…I’m not done with you…”

“Give it up, Hinnerk,” Kallias reprimanded. “You lost, plain and simple. Now have some honour and admit defeat.”

“…I hate you, you piece of shit,” Hinnerk snapped at Kallias. “And you too, you mudbather…” He directed this at Melchior.

“It’s all part of our job,” the Swampert defended. “You spit in the name of justice, Hinnerk. At least now you’ll get your comeuppance.”

“…Fuck you,” Hinnerk snarled. “You and your stupid fucking sense of justice…”

“Rage at us all you want,” Kallias replied. “But you made the choices you did. You have no one to blame for this but yourself.”

“Yes.” Melchior could only agree with his partner. “Look at Helena and Krim, and Nikita too. They were in the same boat as you – homeless and penniless, with nowhere else to go. Mitrofan gave them all another chance, and they took it to get out of their bad situations. Now they’re all assets to the Guild.”

“You, though?” Kallias’s tone was laced with scorn. “You haven’t changed, Hinnerk. You were a rotten thief when you entered the Guild, and you’re just as rotten now as you were then.” He paused. “…No, pardon me. That’s not right. You’re worse than before.”

“Conspiring with outlaws who planned to poison the city’s drinking waters, and then assassinate Tsar Kliment…which led to Dalibor being put into a coma.” Melchior shook his head in revulsion. “That’s a whole new level of low, Hinnerk. That’s unthinkable.”

“…Since these people have committed treason, no doubt His Majesty will get involved with this,” Kallias mentioned. “I wonder what he’d think about what you’ve been doing, affiliating with these people?”

“…Tch,” spat Hinnerk without a care. “…You know, for two of the most loved people in this gods-damned continent…you don’t exactly cop on quickly, do you?”

“…What are you saying, Hinnerk?” Kallias’s eyes narrowed.

“I told you earlier, you know,” the Obstagoon returned. “You threw their plans all out of whack. That whole assassination was put together in a hurry when you exposed their plan to poison Iria’s wells. And now you’ve foiled even that plan. …No wonder they want you dead. Didn’t you think of that? And with you walking around town as normal…you’ve created a big target on both your heads.”

Team Marshwood would’ve normally let his words go in one ear and out the other. But this particular speech struck a chord of realisation within them.

They didn’t have long to dwell on this before Hinnerk spoke up again.

“Oh, for fuck’s sake, you’re thick…Look at the stands, you blind idiots!”

They listened to him, looking around them. And a feeling of terror rose within them when they saw what was there.

A great horde of Pokémon began to appear in the audience. They came in all different shapes and sizes, and in a great number. At a glance around him, Kallias estimated at least thirty of them at minimum.

“W-What…? But how?” he heard Melchior saying. “We would have noticed them…”

“Must have been invisify orbs or psychic illusions or something like that,” Kallias replied. “…Was this a trap of some sort? Did we play right into their hands?”

“You bet your ass it was!” Hinnerk said, a sadistic smile now on his muzzle. “I knew once you saw me, you’d chase me down like a Braviary to a Buneary. So I brought you right where they want you. And now…you’re in prime position to be cut down by them.”

As he was saying this, the Pokémon in the audience began to leap into the arena. The looks in their eyes spelled their intent quite clearly: they were after Kallias and Melchior.

“Kill Team Marshwood!” a distinguished-looking Tangrowth yelled out. “Don’t let them get away! Those bastards deserve to burn in hell for ruining our plans! For our vengeance and fury! Destroy them!”

“Get ready, Kallias,” Melchior said to his partner, readying a Mud Bomb. “Looks like we’re in for an uphill battle here.”

“Mm.” The Sceptile said nothing else as he conjured his Leaf Blades and leapt at his nearest enemy, a Raticate. It would’ve been a breeze as a one-on-one fight, but he found himself having to contend with the attacks of other Pokémon. And though he was agile, there were only so many attacks he could dodge.

Melchior could at least weather the enemy’s attacks better. As well as that, his Mud Bombs and especially his Muddy Water attacks could at least damage more enemies within range. And he also had the option of Counter, to deal enemy damage right back to them at a more powerful rate.

All the same, despite the advantages they had and the experience they possessed as fighters, the numbers were not a factor that aided them. There were simply too many enemies to contend with. They had the stamina to endure them, but the attacks kept piling up, even the weak ones.

Items only helped to a certain extent; they couldn’t manage time to reach into the bag, for any time Kallias tried, the enemies would seize the opportunity and gang up on them. They were only so useful in this circumstance.

The seed of doubt over victory began to blossom within Melchior when a Weepinbell launched a Giga Drain and struck him with it, draining energy from him.

“Ack!” he winced, feeling the energy leave him. Damn… He looked around at the outlaws, and although he had felled at least six by this stage, many more still stared him down, and launched attacks at him. A Kabutops slashed at him with X-Scissor, and he managed to use Counter to deal a stronger attack back to the fossil Pokémon. However, he felt the sting of the long cut now on his right arm.

Next to him, Kallias wasn’t faring much better. He optimised a strategy of dodging and slashing, which worked somewhat well in the first while, managing to cut down a few outlaws with it. However, his agility, though admirable, had its limitations, and other Pokémon of a similar speed, like a Swellow that happened to be among the horde, managed to outspeed him and dealt an Aerial Ace to him. He kept going, but even so, victory still was far from guaranteed.

His moment of doubt came when a Crobat lunged at him with a Cross Poison while he was preoccupied while using Blackthorn Cross Slash on a nearby Mismagius. It was an opening capitalised on, and it occurred to Kallias then, as he reeled from the sharp venomous X-shaped cut the four-winged bat had dealt to him, that he and Melchior were not in a good situation.

The Swampert saw this, too. Despair crept up on him as he saw the amount of enemies he still had not yet taken down. Fifteen, at least, and that wasn’t counting the enemies on Kallias’ side.

Off to the side, watching all of this, Hinnerk smirked as he watched Melchior and Kallias with their backs to each other as the outlaws closed in on them.

“Hah!” he snickered delightfully. “Guess even heroes reach their limit eventually!”

“…We’re in trouble,” Melchior breathed. “We’re massively outnumbered. All these enemies…there’s no way we can possibly overwhelm them all.” He tried to keep the panic out of his voice, but the negative thoughts were proving to overpower his optimism in the moment.

…I can’t fall here. The image of Paulina flashed in his mind. I have to make it! For her! That was the greatest thought keeping him going.

“…Or…can we?”

The Swampert blinked. He looked at his partner, and the Sceptile had a glint in his eye that was all too familiar to him.

It meant he had a plan.

“Kallias…surely you’re not serious? Please don’t joke at a time like this…”

“Oh, I’m not joking,” the gecko replied. “We can overcome this. …With the help of a gift Elvira and Zenobia gave me.”

He slashed at a nearby Simisage with a Belladonna Cross Slash. After he did this, he quickly reached into their bag and pulled out the small bag Zenobia had given him that morning.

To think, we’ll be saved because of a stroke of luck like that. …I’ll definitely be thanking Zen and Elvira later.

There were two seeds in the bag. He took them out of the bag and gave one to Melchior. The Swampert’s eyes widened at what he saw.

“An empowerment seed?! …W-With this, we can…!”

“…Let’s show them what we can really do, eh, partner?”

Kallias’s grin caused Melchior to give his partner a confident smile of his own.

“Yes. Let’s show them the power of Mega Evolution!”

Both wasted no time in gulping down the seeds.

And instantly, they felt the effects.

Their bodies began to draw in light, before they were encased in two round crystals. Then those crystals broke apart, with two powerful shockwaves and bursts of light that made all of the Pokémon cover their eyes.

When the light dissipated…quite the sight greeted the outlaws.

Kallias and Melchior stood determined, having changed form. Kallias’s head crests had grown, as had the bulbous seeds along his back. A plate of leaves formed at his chest and shoulders, and sharper leaves grew at his wrists. Perhaps the most noticeable change in him was his tail, which had grown exceptionally and developed a red stinger at the end, with its tip shaped like a conifer.

Melchior, meanwhile, had undergone a huge shift of bulk. His upper body, especially his arms, became incredibly muscular, while his lower body became rather more squat. His gills grew in size too, while his head fins thickened and grew, as did his tailfin.

They had undergone Mega Evolution, a phenomenon that certain Pokémon could access with the aid of an empowerment seed that gave them an immense amount of power. And as it so happened, Sceptile and Swampert were two species that could use the power of Mega Evolution for themselves.

Their auras were dominating, and their changed presence struck fear into the hearts of the outlaws.

“Crap! They’ve Mega Evolved!”

“What do we do?! There’s no way in hell we can take them on!”

“They’re legendary mercenaries on their own! With Mega Evolution on their side…they’re practically invincible!”

“Shut up, the lot of you!” the Tangrowth from before suddenly cried out. “They may have Mega Evolution, but we have the advantage of numbers! We can still overwhelm them!”

“…Oh dear.” Kallias shook his head. “Looks like someone didn’t study tactics well enough. Well, let’s not waste any more time. Let’s see what wins out at the end of the day – you evildoers and your ‘numbers’, or us two with the power of Mega Evolution and justice on our side. Let’s decide that, right here, right now!”

With that declaration made, he leapt straight into combat – or rather sped straight into combat. Mega Evolution gave him a lot more agility, and he was like the blink of an eye as he leapt back into the fray and slashed with his Leaf Blades faster than any Ninjask. His strength was also amplified, and his blades were sharper and cut a lot finer than before. Combined with the agility and strength, his enemies soon realised what the combination of both of these meant. For a lot of them, they had no time at all to react before they were on the receiving end of a flurry of Ferned Cross Slashes from the Sceptile, and in an instant, a number of them were taken down.

Enemies dealing with Melchior fared no better. Mega Evolution had amplified the volume of his Mud Bombs, as well as the force of their collision, and the Pokémon surrounding him were soon drenched from top to bottom in mud. He could then more effectively capitalise on Dig through this, creating a muddy tunnel that ended up causing the ground to experience liquefaction, destabilising the terrain below a number of Pokémon. This turned the ground into a quagmire of sorts, which in turn, made the enemies easy prey for Melchior when he shot out of the ground and slammed his huge arms down on his enemies, taking them down with the sheer power behind them.

It was an awesome power the two possessed in that moment. And it felt amazing for both of them to possess it. It was just like standard evolution, only with a greater sense of euphoria in its wake.

Team Marshwood were certainly feeling it as they fought.

“I haven’t felt such a high for ages!” Kallias exclaimed. As he slashed again at a nearby Houndoom with Ferned Cross Slash, he began to laugh at the ecstatic feeling of the Mega Evolution high. “Ahahaha! Ha ha ha ha! This is wonderful!”

“Yeah…can’t deny it’s amazing.” Melchior smiled, letting the exhilarating feeling wash over him. It’s something else, being Mega Evolved. This power and energy…I truly feel like I can do anything.

But still…one key downside to Mega Evolution weighed on his mind. “This won’t last forever. We need to make short work of these outlaws,” he warned.

“Of course,” Kallias acknowledged, still grinning with exhilaration. “Let’s use this power and win the day!”

And so they set to work cleaning out the many enemies that lay before them. The outlaws wished to use their numbers advantage to gang up on the mercenaries and make a dent in them. But while some did land hits on them, the adrenaline pulsing through Kallias and Melchior meant that they shrugged off any blows dealt to them, and punished the attackers with a devastating Cross Slash from Kallias, or an especially muddy Mud Bomb from Melchior. Attacking from long range wasn’t a viable option either – Kallias typically intercepted any projectiles with a speedy dice of his Leaf Blades, or simply dodged out of the way with his considerable speed, and Melchior often hid underground and used the muddy quagmire he’d created to make getaways.

Team Marshwood didn’t use Mega Evolution too often; empowerment seeds were hard to come by, after all. And even then, they agreed that if they did have the means to use Mega Evolution, it would only be in extremis, against something they could not win without its aid. A situation like now, where they were heavily outnumbered and were struggling without it.

But now that they had its power, they managed to turn the tide, and soon, the horde of outlaws were on the back foot. The Tangrowth who had previously asserted the advantage through numbers was now seeing this strategy crumble to pieces as more of his men fell to the sheer force of the duo.

Damn it…damn it all to hell…

Before long, Kallias and Melchior turned their attention to him.

“So you’re the leader of this bunch, are you?” Kallias interrogated. “Tell us. What exactly were you planning today? Were you behind the attack on Tsar Kliment? Did you plan to poison Iria’s wells?”

“…I do whatever divine will tells me to,” the Tangrowth replied vaguely. “The streets are full of filth in this city, and it is necessary, in the eventual utopia to come, to rid such scum from the world. They gather for such pomp and ceremony, only for the worship of this false leader! He does not deserve that honour and glory! That tsar is a sham! A spreader of deceit! Ridding this world of him as well as his people will bring our plans one step closer to fruition!”

“…What?” Melchior was baffled, as well as angry. “Why would you want to carry this out? If you succeeded, you would plunge Selenia into chaos and cause death on a massive scale not seen since the Famine two hundred years ago!”

“It is all for the ultimate plan,” the Tangrowth continued. “But you two stand in the way of that plan. You are an abscess upon this world, staining it with your corrupting ways! Upon His name, you will be vanquished and sent to the flames!”

“…’Staining it with our corrupting ways? Look who’s talking,” Kallias riposted. “We won’t give in to your intimidation! We won’t allow to go through with your ‘ultimate plan’, whatever the hell it is!”

“Ultimate plan?” Melchior frowned at the Tangrowth. “What is your ultimate plan? What do you hope to achieve by killing the tsar and his people?”

“…That, you will find out in time.” The Grass-type unfurled his vines, ready for combat. “But enough talk. I, Batraz, will be the one to send you to the afterlife!”

He launched a series of vines at Team Marshwood. Instantly, Melchior grimaced. Power Whip…I need to avoid that. He got ready to use Dig to escape them, but he didn’t need to do that; Kallias leapt in and slashed them to pieces.

Melchior won’t fare too well against him. I have to be the main offensive force here, he decided. But it looks like he hides behind his vines, this one. Just as that one had been cut away, more of his vines were making their way towards them. It would be slash and burn…except we have no fire. …Slashing away it is, then.

Kallias’s Leaf Blades cut away at the relentless vine onslaught. Eventually, he reached Batraz, and unleashed a Belladonna Cross Slash onto the bundle of vines.

“Agh!” cried Batraz, watching the cut vines fall away. “…No worries. I’m not fazed by you! Poisonous Tendrils!” He launched another set of vines; however, this set were notably different, being a shade of violet. They slammed against Kallias, and he was thrown back.

“…Urrrrgh,” he groaned. He looked at his wound, and saw the purplish bruise left there by the attack. Then he felt his head begin to swim slightly. Crap…Poison? That must have been a Sludge Bomb combined with his Power Whip.

He reached into the bag to take out a pecha berry. However, as he took out the item, ready to eat it, the vines suddenly grabbed the berry from him.

“No, you don’t!” Batraz called, squeezing the vines and causing the berry to burst into juice. “And while I’m at it…” Another horde of vines lunged forward.

“No!” Kallias called out, reaching for his bag. However, he felt the poison eat at him, and flinched in pain. The distraction from this allowed the Tangrowth to bring it closer to him and make it unusable for him.

“So that’s your strategy,” Melchior remarked, gazing at the bag ensnared in vines. “Using your vines for absolutely everything, and not just moves…”

“Of course! And now that Fernblade Kallias has been poisoned, the clock ticks. All I have to do is stall you out!” the Tangrowth answered. In his next move, he launched vines into the ground. Energy was drawn through them, and he began to heal off the blow Kallias had dealt to him.

But the Ingrain did more than that; it drained the excess water from the liquefacted ground that had been caused by Melchior’s frequent usage of Dig. Thus, the Swampert’s earlier strategy of destabilising the ground to make the enemy lose their balance wouldn’t be a viable strategy here.

“So he intends to play a stalling game,” Kallias said. “…That’s not good for us.”

“No. The Mega Evolution is going to run out any minute now,” Melchior said. Though they still had its power, it would make the battle all the harder if they lost it. “We need to end this quickly.”

“Hmm…” Kallias pondered, slashing away at any vines that came close to them. “…I’ve an idea. Melchior, use Dig. Looking at his current position now…I think you can figure it out from there.”

“…Yes, I can,” Melchior said, feeling a little better about matters. He punched a hole into the ground, making it muddy, before diving in.

Meanwhile, above ground, Kallias slashed his way through the vines once again. He found his Ferned Cross Slashes tended to cut these ones sharper, so he utilised that move as he fought to get closer to Batraz and his bag.

“You won’t change anything, Fernblade Kallias,” taunted the Tangrowth. “You will lose, and I will win!”

“Really now? …I’d check underneath if I were you,” advised the Sceptile.

“Mud Bomber Melchior can’t do a thing. He’ll be dead with one Power Whip! Even with his Mega Evolution, he can’t possibly – “

At that moment, he felt movements on the ends of the vines that he had rooted into the earth to heal with Ingrain.

“Th-That Mud Bomber! He – “

The next moment, he felt tugs on the vines, before a force like nothing he’d felt before yanked the vines and him downwards.

“Gaaaah!” he yelled out in shock. In surprise, he released the hold on a number of his vines, which included the ones that held Team Marshwood’s bag.

“And now your strategy’s been uprooted, quite literally!” Kallias declared. “Good job, Melchior! Now let’s finish this!”

“Gladly!” Melchior said, as he surfaced and punched Batraz with one of his massive arms.

“Ack! You – ” The Tangrowth was thrown backwards from the force of the Swampert’s punch. “Mud Bomber Melchior! I’ll kill you!”

He threw forward another bunch of vines in a Power Whip, and aimed to hit Melchior as hard as he could. The Swampert found himself unable to dodge in time, and faced the full force of the onslaught of vines.

“Melchior!” Kallias cried out in worry for his partner. Grass-type moves were the ultimate bane of his partner. And a move like Power Whip would be deadly against him, especially against an enemy like Batraz. He had put them through the ringer, even when they were supercharged with Mega Evolution.

Time seemed to stand still for a minute after Melchior took the attack. Then a voice broke the silence.

“Counter!”

One that brought relief to Kallias and horror to Batraz at the incoming attack from the Swampert.

The Power Whip had dealt an especially huge blow to Melchior. But he hung on, and dealt that damage right back to the Tangrowth, with interest. Batraz stood no chance, and was flung across the arena to one of the far walls. Quickly, Team Marshwood caught up to him.

He was reeling from the devastating counterattack. He could only barely manage to crane his head to look up at Team Marshwood, who were both staring him down, ready to stop him if he dared move.

“…C-Curse you,” he hissed. “Team Marshwood…may you be cursed until the end of your days! I may have been defeated today…but you will never win the greater victory. Once He returns…He will make you suffer an eternity of the worst torture hell has to offer. Mark my words…we will make you pay for the way you humiliated us today and these past two weeks!”

“…’He’?” Melchior noted. “Who are you talking about? Who’s ‘He’?”

“…You don’t know. But you will know. You will know…when that day arrives…when He returns…”

As it seemed, Batraz was on the verge of unconsciousness, and fell off it once he had said this.

And just as soon as that happened, Kallias and Melchior felt their forms shift. Mega Evolution had run its course, and within a few seconds, they had reverted back to their original forms.

Once they did, both fell to their knees in exhaustion.

“Ow. Ow, that hurt,” Melchior groaned in pain. “That Power Whip…ow, ow, ow…I’m gonna feel that tomorrow…”

“This poison’s getting to me,” Kallias panted, feeling more laboured by the second now that his adrenaline was wearing off and the poison he was afflicted by began to resurge within him. “L-Let’s patch ourselves up first and foremost…”

“Agreed…”

Kallias took out a heal seed and oran berry and ate them both. He then handed the bag to Melchior, who took out a sitrus berry. Once the two of them had regained their energy, they took a moment to take in all that had just happened.

“…That Power Whip’s going to leave a mark,” he said, looking down at his arms. “Paulina’s not gonna be happy…”

“…She would worry anyway,” Kallias said. “She’d worry about you even if you only got a paper cut.”

“That’s Paulina, alright,” Melchior murmured. His gaze turned to his back, and he was greeted by quite a sight.

All the unconscious Pokémon they had taken down lay in front of them, in the ground of the arena. As well as that, the effects of Melchior’s liquefaction were still evident by the muddy, waterlogged ground that remained in the area.

“Wow…We really did all that, huh?” the Swampert remarked, slightly stunned they had managed to take down so many outlaws in the one fight. “How many did we take down?”

“…Forty-seven,” Kallias counted.

“Forty-seven?” Melchior was surprised by that number. “That’s…That’s a lot.”

“Indeed. But that’s the power of Mega Evolution for you. It really is something else, isn’t it?”

“Yeah. It is…”

He looked over at the unconscious forms. Something nagged him at that moment. Something ate at him, telling him the mission wasn’t over.

Are we forgetting something?

Then he realised with horror what it was. Or…who it was.

A certain Obstagoon was missing from the area.

“Hinnerk!” he cried out. He scanned the arena, but found no sign of the conniving raccoon. “Damn…He must have taken advantage of the commotion and gotten away!”

“No! We’re not letting him get away, after all of this!” Kallias yelled. “He can’t have gotten far! Come on!”

“…Alright,” Melchior acknowledged, although a part of him just wanted to rest after the trial they had been put through. After today, he felt like he had run a marathon.

Team Marshwood dashed out of the arena. Thankfully, they didn’t have to run far, only to the outside of the arena.

That was where Hinnerk was, being held by his neck in a vice grip by Mitrofan. Flanking him was Nikita, as well as Yuliya and a squadron of knights.

“And just where do you think you’re going?” Mitrofan demanded.

“L-Let me go, you heap of rust!” Hinnerk hissed, his breathing constricted by the grip the Aggron had on him.

“Not in a million years.” Mitrofan was nothing short of furious. “I will not allow you to slip away after the way you’ve dragged the Guild’s name through the mud with your actions. Do I need to remind you of your crimes these past two weeks? That isn’t even counting your shady behaviour and all the possible offences you could’ve committed before all of this started happening!”

“Oh, there he is,” Kallias breathed. “Thank goodness for that. I feared he’d gotten away again.”

“…Upon my authority as Guildmaster, I won’t allow that to happen,” Mitrofan said, acknowledging the entrance of Team Marshwood onto the scene.

“Team Marshwood…I’m glad you’re okay,” Yuliya said with relief. “Lieutenant Rafail told us everything about what happened down by the canal. …What happened in the arena?”

“Long story short, we were led into a trap where those who were behind what’s been happening in the past two weeks tried to kill us,” Kallias explained. “Hinnerk was the bait for it. But we managed to overcome whatever they threw at us.”

“There are a number of those outlaws passed out in the arena,” Melchior added. “You should probably round them up, Yuliya. There were forty-seven of them in there. They were being led by a Tangrowth, whose name…I can’t quite remember. Batreaux? Something like that.”

“Understood. We shall get straight on that.” Yuliya then turned to her knights. “We need more knights for this. Matvey, request backup from the nearest barracks. Tytus, make sure there is adequate space in the cells for these outlaws. By the looks of it, the gaolers are going to be quite busy in the coming days.”

“Yes, ma’am!” obliged the aforementioned soldiers, before going off to carry out their respective orders.

“Take this scum with you while you’re at it,” Mitrofan said, not bothering to hide his ire. “Behind bars is where he belongs, and where he should have been all this time.”

“…My. So you’ve finally come around on Hinnerk, have you?” Kallias said. “The mask is off this time with him. …Granted, not that it was ever on in the first place.”

“…I made a mistake with him,” Mitrofan admitted with regret. “He was the sort that I hoped would be reformed if shown a different path. I had just recruited Helena and Krim when they were homeless, and I brought in Nikita not long afterwards. Given the assets they have proven to be since, I had hoped Hinnerk would prove to be the same.” He took this opportunity to glare at the Obstagoon. “…Alas, my generosity to you didn’t culminate into anything, you ungrateful rat!”

“I worked my ass off for you, and what did I get in return? Bronze Rank! Meanwhile, look at them!” Hinnerk pointed angrily at Team Marshwood. “All the way at the top at Ace Rank, all because you love favouritism! They – ” He was cut off when Mitrofan gripped his neck tighter.

“Don’t even think about comparing yourself to them,” Mitrofan cut in icily. “Kallias and Melchior have been nothing short of exceptional. They are Ace Rank and the pride of the Irian Guild, because they worked for it. From the day they first entered the Guild, they showed an eagerness to work regardless of whatever task was thrust their way. They worked themselves to the bone in their constant will to aid their clients with whatever task they needed. They’ve done this for fifteen years now. They understand the heart of what it means to a mercenary of the Irian Guild. And for that, they deserve the honours they’ve reaped.

“You, though? You’re nothing. You only sought out money, and were rude to nearly every client you met. Many teams you worked described you as a nuisance to work with. Was it any wonder you only received Bronze Rank? Even that was too generous, in retrospect!

“…And to think I had hopes for you at one point.” Mitrofan shook his head in disappointment and betrayed fury. “But you did not do as Helena, Krim and Nikita did. You took my kindness and spat it back in my face! You did nefarious dealings and aligned with wreckers who desired to throw this country into chaos! You’re a disgrace! A stain on the Guild’s reputation! You deserve nothing but the worst punishment His Majesty has to offer!”

With that, he dropped him unceremoniously to the ground. The Obstagoon gasped for air, but in that moment, two knights went to apprehend him.

“…You conspired with attempted assassins that plotted the death of His Majesty and his people,” Yuliya sternly reprimanded. “You are under arrest for being an accomplice to treason.”

“Accomplice to treason?!” Hinnerk snarled. “Damn you! You can’t do this to me!”

“I should think that one of the highest ranking marshals in this country would know what charge she was levying,” Kallias riposted. “At least you finally get your just deserts.”

“Shut up!” The Obstagoon glared daggers into Team Marshwood. “You did this to me! Damn you, Team Marshwood! Damn you! I hope you’re miserable for the rest of your gods-damned lives!”

“Take him away,” Yuliya ordered. “We don’t need to hear the insults of this enemy to our tsardom.”

“Of course, ma’am,” one of the knights replied, and he and his partner carted Hinnerk away, who was still cursing Team Marshwood and yelling obscenities.

“…Good riddance,” was all Kallias could say to the scene before him.

“I’m sorry you’ve had to put up with him for so long,” Mitrofan apologised. “I gave him too many chances. I did see the signs, but I was reluctant to send him back to the streets. I despise the sight of homelessness, and I didn’t want to add one more down-and-out to their ranks, especially one who I’d tried to rehabilitate.”

“…What’s done is done, Mitt. The least we can do is move on from that mistake,” Kallias said. “Next time, just think twice about who you take into the Guild.”

“…I understand. I’ll be more careful in future.” Mitrofan then turned to the arena, where Yuliya and her knights were heading into you. “Excuse me! Yuliya!” he called out to her.

“What is it, Guildmaster Mitrofan?” she asked, turning around to him.

“I would like to see this scene for myself. Maybe also help with the arrest of these men,” the Aggron elaborated. “…Please. It’s my way of making up for having one of my own men plot against His Majesty.”

“…Very well,” Yuliya permitted. “You can come.”

“Thank you.” Mitrofan turned back to Team Marshwood. “We have matters here covered. You two should return to your families and inform them of what happened here today. And Rufina as well.”

“…I suppose we can do that,” Kallias replied. “Zenobia and Elvira will be worrying about me, no doubt.”

“Same with Paulina,” Melchior added. “If everything’s alright here…then we can retreat for now.”

“Be careful,” Mitrofan warned. “Those outlaws may still be around. Keep a watchful eye, just in case.”

“Understood,” Kallias acknowledged. “…We’ll see you later, Mitrofan.”

“See you around.” And with that, the Aggron headed with Nikita and Yuliya into the arena.

“…Ahhh.” The Sceptile let out a long sigh. “Boy…do we have quite the story to tell our loved ones.”

“You can say that again,” Melchior commented. “Not gonna lie…I think I’ll sleep for a week after what we went through today.”

“Yes. Today was definitely a victory,” Kallias replied. Then he frowned, reconsidering his words. “Hmm…actually, maybe not entirely. It’s a little bittersweet, in fact.”

“…What do you mean?”

“Two main things, really. First was Team Hair Trigger. Those outlaws drove Spiridon to murder and put Dalibor in a coma. We might have defeated them today, but that scar remains. Two good friends of ours, put out of commission.

“And then there’s the second part. Our opponents…we’re still no closer to figuring out just who they are.”

“…Mmm…That is true. We don’t even have a name for these people.” Melchior thought back to the opponents they had faced in the last two weeks. The way they were boiling a mysterious liquid in a cauldron, the way that Toxicroak spoke about a ‘rise from the ashes’, the way the Tangrowth talked about an ‘ultimate plan’, the way how they could organise numbers against them… “They’re definitely an underground organisation of some sort. And they’re planning something. They had an ‘ultimate plan’.”

“An ultimate plan, eh?” Kallias pondered. “Hmm…there’s still much we don’t know. There are things at play here that we don’t understand.”

“Yeah…” Melchior said.

“…Melchior?”

“Yes, Kallias?”

“…I don’t think that’s the last we’re going to see of them,” the Sceptile opined. “I have an inkling they won’t take this loss lying down. They spoke of a grand plan. …Somehow, I don’t think they’re going to simply disappear into the background. …Or if they do, they’ll be plotting nefariously to further their aims, whatever they are.”

“You think so?” A worried look crossed Melchior’s face.

“It’s just my opinion, of course. But we should look out for them in the future. They might well return with devastating plans just like today. …We should be vigilant should they return.”

“…Yes. We should.”

Before anything else could be said, a noisy growl reverberated throughout the air. Melchior looked at his partner, and saw that the noise had come from Kallias’s stomach.

“…Well, before we do any of that, we should get some food into us,” the Sceptile said, somewhat sheepishly. “I’m starving. Haven’t had a good meal since this morning.”

“…Me neither,” Melchior seconded, realising how hungry he was as well. “…There might be street food we can get somewhere. That is, if they haven’t shut down in panic.”

“Hopefully not. We can eat and share our story with the ladies and kids,” Kallias suggested. “…Now let’s find them, first and foremost. I recall them saying they would be around Tsarina Svetlana Square…”

The two members of Team Marshwood started off, to reunite with their wives, and child in Kallias’s case. But while they walked to their destination, Melchior couldn’t help but think about his partner’s warning.

We might see them again? …Hmm…I hope not. But we can’t discount that possibility.

---

Seven years later…

“And so in the coming days after that, we received personal thanks from House Ruslan for saving their lives,” Melchior was saying. “Word got out about what we’d prevented, and gratitude was given to us wherever we went. It got to the point where we had to do our missions in the early morning to avoid the crowds. …Of course, we tried to get back to business as usual, Kallias and I. But Mitrofan wasn’t having any of it. Given what we’d done for Selenia and the very status of the mercenary within it, coupled with the fact that we thwarted plans to mass murder the people in Iria and assassinate all of House Ruslan…Mitrofan believed we were worthy of the highest honour that a mercenary could get. That…was Grandmaster Rank.”

“Oh yeah…Elvira did say something about that,” Arian recalled. “Very few mercenaries ever got that far.”

“That’s true. In Selenia, it’s only been given to one other group of mercenaries. They were Team Hope, the founders of the Irian Guild,” Melchior elaborated. “Notably, Tsar Kliment approved of the notion, as did the rest of House Ruslan. We turned down some of the offerings he made to us – land and titles – as we felt that wasn’t our thing, being involved with nobility. But Grandmaster Rank was a mercenary’s honour. We agreed that the honour of Grandmaster Rank was one we could accept.”

“I heard from Dad that Mitrofan practically begged you to accept it and not be humble anymore,” Elvira said, with a light giggle.

“Did he now? …Begged is a bit of a strong word. But he definitely urged us,” Melchior replied. “And…at the ceremony, we received that honour, and many attended it, to see us join Grandmaster Rank. It was a truly special occasion. It remains one of the greatest days I’ve ever had.” A slight smile crossed his face as he closed his eyes, trying to remember and possibly recapture the glory of that day in his mind.

“Perhaps…the last great day I ever had,” he murmured. It wasn’t quiet enough, though, that Team Elpis couldn’t hear it.

Arian sensed sadness in what he just said. Immediately, he couldn’t help but be curious.

“…The last great day? Melchior, what do you mean?”

“…” The Swampert didn’t seem willing to answer him at first. It was like the question hadn’t gone through to him. However, notably, any trace of a smile had gone from his face. And within him, Arian detected a notable twinge of pain.

Elvira, while not having the emotion sensing capabilities of her partner, saw Melchior’s expression, and turned to her partner.

“Leave it, Arian,” she politely requested. “I think Melchior’s recalled enough for one day.”

“…Oh, right,” Arian mumbled, with slight regret once he gauged the mood in the room. Evidently, inquiring into what Melchior said was out of bounds for now. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to be nosy…”

“…It’s alright, Arian,” Melchior replied. “But Elvira’s right. It was quite a story, what happened seven years ago. …There is a story about what happened afterward. But if I told you today, it would be going off topic from why seven years ago was such an important event. I think, honestly…there’s a connection between back then and what happened today. I have a strong hunch that that underground organisation who devised the plots are still around today.”

“Hmm…maybe.” A thought then came to Arian. “Hey, Melchior? Those people you mentioned…do you think they’re the reason Mitrofan’s suddenly done a 180 and became a tyrant? Do you think that maybe they’re controlling him from behind the scenes?”

“…I’ve considered that,” the guildmaster said. “I don’t know if that’s the case. But…it’s a possibility I’m willing to consider. And given what we know – or what we don’t know – about Rufina and his children…it’s definitely possible.” He then looked wistfully off to the side, and mumbled something that Arian’s sharp hearing managed to pick up on.

“Especially given what happened to Paulina…”

Paulina? His wife? It then occurred to Arian that he hadn’t seen hide nor hair of the Swampert’s wife. He opened his mouth to ask, but shut it, remembering what Elvira had told him a minute ago. No, Arian. You’ve asked enough for one day.

“…We’ve been here for quite a while,” Melchior said, as he rose from his chair. “We should check on how the Guild’s doing. Hopefully, Axel and Natalie will be back with the ladder so that we can continue doing our missions.”

“Alright. Thanks for telling me all that, Melchior,” Arian thanked, as he did the same, along with Elvira. “You answered a lot of my questions.”

“It was no trouble,” Melchior returned. “…Before you go, Arian.”

“Yes?”

“…Maybe one day I’ll tell you what happened after Kallias and I reached Grandmaster Rank,” the guildmaster lightly relented. “…But I’d rather not tell it today.”

“…That’s fine. You don’t have to tell it if you don’t want to,” the Riolu assured. “…It’s okay, Melchior. I don’t mind.”

“…Thank you for understanding,” Melchior replied.

“No problem.” And with that, Arian departed, leaving Melchior on his own.

The Swampert had intended to follow after the fledgling team. But he found himself lost within his own thoughts. All that he had told was bringing back memories from that time. Specifically, the people by his side back then.

Kallias…the partner he once had. Mitrofan…the guildmaster he answered to, and one of his closest friends. And Paulina…the wife who he loved with all of his heart.

Two were gone, and one had become his most major enemy.

His heart sank at this fact, almost painfully. He gripped his desk, and began to hyperventilate.

No, no, no…why, why, why? Why must Fate be so cruel? Why? Why?!

Several images flashed through his mind, and voices echoed through his head.

“…I’m sorry to have to give this to you, Mud Bomber Melchior,” a Tropius mailmon apologised as he gave Melchior a black envelope.

“We’re not friends or even allies anymore,” Mitrofan growled with contempt as he sat upon the tsar’s throne. “If you won’t side with me…then you’re my enemy. It’s as simple as that.”

“AAAAAAAAAAAH!” Kallias screamed as he fell off the collapsed rope bridge and into the rushing depths of the River Agrios below.

His breathing grew faster, and all the while, he became more and more panicked. It’s your fault, it’s your fault, it’s your fault. That thought kept dancing around in his head. On every occasion, he could’ve been there for them, or done better to save them from their respective fates.

But he couldn’t. A coward he was growing up, and a coward he would remain.

A coward didn’t deserve Grandmaster Rank. A coward doesn’t deserve to be Guildmaster of the Irian Guild. And no one respects a coward.

No one respects a coward.

No one respects a coward.

No one respects a coward.

Spiralling deeper into the pit of despair, Melchior only felt those negative thoughts grip him more and more.

But then he was reminded of a previous occasion when this happened, while Galen was with him in a training session.

“Deep breaths, Guildmaster. When your mind’s in a fluster, bringing peace to it is absolutely vital. Deep breathing helps immensely with that.”

The Medicham’s advice was sound, and Melchior found it always helped to calm him down when he got like this. He took slow, deep breaths…and gradually, he felt the chaotic dark thoughts of before begin to recede.

…Good thing I have people like Galen to look out for me, he inwardly thanked. And…Arian, too. The Riolu’s earlier words came back to him, assuring him he didn’t have to relive that time again, in the aftermath of seven years ago.

They look out for me. And as their Guildmaster, I need to look out for them, too. The Irian Guild is in my hands now. I need to live up to the legacy of what came before. For the mercenaries and Guild members in my stead…I must be a leader worth looking up to. With or without Kallias, Mitrofan or Paulina. I have to be strong…

At that moment, the door knocked, snapping the Swampert from his thoughts.

“Guildmaster?” Terran’s voice came from behind the door. “Are you there?”

“I am. Sorry about that. Got distracted by something,” Melchior apologised. “I’ll be outside now.”

And for Terran’s sake, too…I can’t let his faith in me be misplaced, he thought, as he headed to the door.

---

Meanwhile…

On the other side of Selenia, in a private room in Iria Castle, someone else was in a similar state of reminiscence.

Mitrofan was in his bedroom, alone. Nikita was outside the room, keeping a watch for intruders as he always did. Normally, the two of them would have been elsewhere in the castle, observing reports from his marshals and knights.

However, Mitrofan remained melancholic after his own reminiscence about Rufina a few days before, and wished to retreat from the eye of the knights for a while. Nikita trailed him, as he usually did, to make sure the Aggron was alright.

Once in the room, he found himself in thought about seven years ago, a time when Rufina and his children were still with him. However, upon remembering that time, his thoughts drifted to them.

An angry snarl crossed his face, and immediately, he made a request to Nikita: to bring him a certain item.

An item from that time.

“My…Team Marshwood certainly made a scene here,” Yuliya remarked, slightly stunned at all of the fallen outlaws. Her troop of knights began to cuff them to be carted off.

“…If I had to guess, they tapped into Mega Evolution to fell these opponents,” Mitrofan presumed. “Zenobia told me she gave them empowerment seeds to use if they were in a tough spot. …I can’t say I blame them for using them. They might be experienced, but they’re not invincible.”

“Even still…I’m amazed they defeated this many foes, just the two of them,” the marshal went on, as she, Mitrofan and Nikita surveyed the outlaw group. “Even a sizable troop would have trouble subduing this lot.”

“…It’s a testament to who they are,” Mitrofan said. “They are truly special. Undoubtedly the best mercenaries in the Irian Guild. I am honoured to have them. And today, they did exceptional work in preventing disaster from befalling our leader and our people.”

“…What should we do for them? Honours? A victory parade?”

“…Knowing them, they’ll just go back to business as usual. But…I want to reward them. I’ll come up with something. Don’t you worry about that.”

“…Goodness. Look there.” Yuliya’s gaze fell upon the unconscious Batraz. “That outlaw received quite the pummeling.”

“Definitely.” From where they stood, the mess of vines that Tangrowth were looked even more unkempt from the tussle he’d had with Team Marshwood.

What they could also see was two knights struggling to tie the Pokémon up to be carried away to the nearest holding set of holding cells, where all of the other outlaws were headed, too.

“I’ll go and help them,” Yuliya decided, before heading off in that direction. Mitrofan was going to follow her, before an object on the ground caught his attention. He bent down to investigate it.

It was a small, golden insignia of some sort. It had two triangular-shaped ends at either side of it, with a shape almost like a crescent moon in the centre where a gap existed within the crescent. It also had two pointed ends jutting downwards at either curve of the crescent.

“What is it, Guildmaster?” Nikita asked.

“…It’s an emblem, by the looks of it,” Mitrofan observed, tilting the object in his hand. “It belonged to the Tangrowth over there, if I had to guess, based on how near it is to him.”

“Do you think it belongs to these outlaws?” the Cubone wondered.

“It has to be. And with it…we may have a clue as to who these people are.” Mitrofan put in his satchel, before lowering his voice to a whisper. “But not a word about it to anyone, Nikita. We may have the key to the truth in our grasp.”

“…Okay, Guildmaster,” Nikita promised.

And now he held that object in his hand.

Alas, it wasn’t quite the key to the truth that he had hoped. But…based on later events, he could form a strong guess as to who those outlaws were that tried to poison Iria’s wells and kill any who drank from them. And when that failed, the attempted assassination of Tsar Kliment. And when that plot was foiled…

Mitrofan gripped the emblem in rage.

“Damn them! Damn those deranged cultists! They made it personal…and they will pay for it.”