Apples of Discord

Alone. Powerless. Ensnared. Debilitated.

A Gigalith struggled to stand upright, trembling with all his might. His chest crystal had been chipped off, leaving large cracks that left his whole body writhing in agony. He was only spared by his Sturdy ability, clinging to the dying embers of his health.

That did not matter to him. He was trembling at her.

A tall Scizor with curved horns loomed over him like a mountain. Her cold glare shook his core. She was the Pokemon he dreaded as much as natural disasters, the greatest legendaries and the void shadows of Hell, if not more than them.

Smite Metallix.

One Bullet Punch from the leader of Team Renegade was enough to topple his colossal build. All of his teammates were butchered and his badge was confiscated. The only other living souls in the court were Smite’s loyal admirals and peons, awaiting his fate. There was no way for a disadvantaged Rock-type to trump one of the strongest mortals in the world, let alone when backed into a corner.

“Please spare me, Smite!” The Gigalith’s cry echoed across the donna’s court. “I have children! They’ll be devastated by my loss!”

Her scowl only deepened, her eyes glinting with malice. An eerie silence brewed among the Renegade entourage.

“Please, for the love of Arceus, spare me and my loved ones!” If only he had tear ducts, he would have shed a river of tears.

“I will never tolerate mercy,” she replied in an unnerving monotone. The Gigalith’s core shrank further at her deep metallic voice and blood-colored luster.

Smite raised her arm, brandishing one of her pincers. The fresh blood of the Gigalith’s comrades dripped from the open maw, causing him to shudder. The “Bloodstained Steel” was not just an intimidating title.

As the pincer advanced toward his head, the Gigalith muttered a flurry of futile whispers for help. His core pounded like an anvil stuck with a hammer.

“Silence,” Smite hissed with a gravitas that burst across the whole court. “If you dungeoneers parade yourselves as legendaries among mortals, why do you let your guards down in clutch moments?” The pincer’s jaws gripped the Gigalith’s head.

“Avatars of greed.”

SNAP!

Fragments of the Gigalith’s head crumbled out of Smite’s closed pincer. One by one, they rapped against the floor. A sinister applause rang across the court as Smite drew her pincer back, shaking off the leftover splinters. As the headless body knelt into lifelessness, she lowered her head and closed her eyes in satisfaction.

As the applause settled in the morose court, she started to walk back to her throne. Every clang of her tough feet tantalized the audience into silence. Once she was seated, she began to speak again.

“Sauzor the Orbeetle,” she addressed in a steely tone, pointing a pincer to the ladybug. “You are free to use the bodies here in your experiments.”

“Verily, Donna,” Sauzor replied, his eyes glowing with malicious intent. He raised the Gigalith’s body with telekinesis. “What will we do about Subject 112 and the human?” he asked with anger smoldering in his glowing eyes. “When will the early Pidgeotto catch the Caterpie?”

“I have a plan,” Smite responded instantly. Everyone in the court was locked in a trance. “A minion will be chosen to track them down.”

As Smite basked in the afterglow of her latest conquest, anticipation roused among the Renegades, each eager to be chosen for the search of the two runaway experiments. Excited chatter simmered in the court, laying the foundations of a tapestry of evil.

---

“Is this Apple Woods?”

“Of course.” A Lombre pointed to a large forest, a bundle of gigantic trees packed together closer than in a real forest. Surge, Rhyzo and Shade could already see apples suspended from the giant trees. “Try to find Perfect Apples,” the Lombre suggested. “They fetch the best price!”

“Thank you… er…” Surge dragged, before Rhyzo whispered the species name in his ear. “…Lombre.”

As Team Venture sauntered to the creek between the trees, the Lombre pondered over how a Lucario would take so long to register a species.

“From the looks of it,” Surge remarked, beaming at the trees. “Apple Woods would be much safer than Drenched Bluff. Apples and sunshine will be everywhere. Right, Shade?”

The Absol gave a silent look and nodded.

“Why didn’t you remind me to buy a map?” Rhyzo muttered in regret. “We could have avoided pestering others for it.”

“Ah, another memory flub of yours,” Surge teased without dropping his courtesy.

“Don’t joke,” he beefed back before glaring at his new teammate. “Now Shade, here’s your first disaster to predict. Will a certified team capture us today?”

“Wait a minute, you’re unauthorized?” Shade questioned.

“Mewdamn guilds are demanding money for everything. We’re giving them the Wingull!”

“I see…” Shade agreed before she thought about the threat. “I’m sorry, but I can’t predict that scenario. Being arrested for illegal exploration is not a disaster.”

“What the hell?!” Rhyzo’s jaws plunged. “Don’t tell me this is a trap, you-“

“This is not a trap. Every disaster yields significant injury to the body and soul. You are only committing a misdemeanor.”

“Misdemeanor, my hoof! Not a disaster to you, but certainly to me. The name ‘Rhyzo Drillzer’ will be tarnished forever, burning cash and working my ass off like a Raticate on a wheel!”

“Stop arguing,” Surge raised his voice and gestured a paw in front of Rhyzo. “Shade is a newcomer and you should treat her with respect! You know how stressed she was around us last night, don’t you?. Make her comfortable in Team Venture and don’t intimidate her like this!”

“Huh, alright.” Rhyzo crossed his arms. “You stopped me from going on a tangent that would ruin our exploration.”

Shade blinked and rolled her eye. Looks like my decision is right. But how?

---

The customary warp brought them to a small glade. Tall, verdant trees surrounded Team Venture. Shade’s acute scent kicked in, identifying a plethora of fruit aromas which smelled foreign to her. Sunlight flooded the whole room, bathing it in morning brightness. Surge, Rhyzo and Shade raised their heads at the vast blue canopy of the sky.

“Beautiful…” Surge said with a grin across his snout. “If Drenched Bluff is a dingy wet cave, this one is a paradise in comparison.”

“I’ve never been to somewhere greener,” Shade admitted, soaking in the room’s surroundings with her good eye.

“Admire the forest as long as you’d like,” Rhyzo added. “We’re a team starved of the little things in life.”

After their sightseeing, Surge closed his eyes to identify the Auras of ferals. On his west lay a strange signature. It was as green as grass, but had a tubular shape. “Rhyzo, I can sense a peculiar Aura here. It’s green and tube-shaped. What Pokemon could this Aura belong to?”

“Might be some larval bug like Caterpie or Weedle. They’re just pushovers.”

“Then can we go to the room in the west?”

“You forgot the other directions.”

There were only two corridors, in the north and south respectively, and both were empty of signatures. As they traveled through the northern corridor, a pleasant whiff caught Shade’s attention.

“Surge, Rhyzo,” she said in a matter of fact. “According to my nose, an edible item lies beyond this wall. Its scent is similar to lemongrass.”

Surge looked at the green signature he sensed earlier. “You mean the Aura I found? How can a non-living thing emanate it? I bet it’s a sleeping Bug Pokemon.”

“This scent is vastly different from the scents of Bug Pokemon. It is more characteristic of a Grass-type.”

“That’s an intriguing observation. Rhyzo, are there any Grass-types which are small and tubular?”

“No,” he replied, eyeing the passageway in front of him. “Why don’t we get to that scent from here?”

Through the passageway, Team Venture entered the western room. Surge and Rhyzo began to identify the lemongrass scent. They stopped at a corner.

Instead of a Pokemon, there was a paw-sized jelly at their feet, its green color clashing heavily with the brown ground.

“This is a Grass Gummi,” Rhyzo began, grabbing the jelly. “They’re not just tasty; they’re nutritious as hell. A rare combination of healthy and delicious, Landorus inevitably banished them to the dungeons.”

“Who’s Landorus?” Surge asked, looking at the Gummi.

“A Legendary Pokemon, guardian of the fields. He takes care of our agriculture.” He showed the Gummi to Shade. “The nutrition depends on type. Since you’re not weak to or resistant to Grass, I’ll give you this.”

Shade opened her jaws wide and snatched the Gummi with her fangs.

Rhyzo jerked his stout arm away. “What’s with that chomp?!” he yelped as Shade’s munching echoed in the room. “You almost bit me!”

Surge put a paw to his snout and giggled. “Aren’t you a foodie, Shade?”

Shade nodded, maintaining her poker face. She swallowed the Gummi and licked her lips.

“Blatant understatement,” remarked Surge. The trio left the room and continued through the northern corridor.

“I used to eat plenty of Gray and Brown Gummis during my time with the Renegades,” Rhyzo recalled as he kept an eye out for ferals. “One of the few non-shitty aspects of my capture.”

“You have a gray and brown Aura,” Surge connected the dots. “It seems the Gummis’ nutrition is derived from Aura. This must be the reason why it depends on the user’s type.”

“Great observation, Surge.”

---

As Team Venture marched up the floors, interrupting ferals were a regular occurrence. Rhyzo kicked away any Caterpie, Weedle or Hoppip lying in their path. However, Shade avoided every feral like the plague regardless of its strength.

Dungeoneers of different species crossed them without any looks of suspicion. There was a Tentacruel plucking fruits with its tentacles, a Dachsbun sniffing out Gummis, a Vibrava digging the trees, an Ambipom with his tail hands stuffed, and a variety of others. The common theme, as Surge deduced, was the foraging of food in a flora-friendly dungeon. These dungeoneers had baskets on their backs filled with fruits.

There were no outlaws to fight or citizens to save, but humble collection still intrigued Surge. It may not have the grandeur of heroism, but stocking items for citizens was a noble pursuit in its own right. It didn’t hurt that he would make many pleasant discoveries on the way like the Grass Gummi; first-hand experience was superior to studying books. Maybe dungeoneering really was more than defense against ferals after all.

On the fourth floor, they approached a row of thick trees. Light red apples hung from the branches. Beside a particular one, a Meganium twirled her vines up and around the apples before dropping them in a basket on her back.

“Who’s that reptilian Pokemon?” Surge whispered to Rhyzo as he gestured to the sauropod, enticed by the clever use of Vine Whips.

“Meganium,” he replied. “A Grass-type dinosaur geared towards defense.”

“Youngsters,” the Meganium uttered at the team, fluttering her amber eyes. Her tone was weary but her voice had a gentle, motherly quality. “What brings you to this ordinary tree?”

Surge, Rhyzo and Shade almost jumped, perplexed by the Meganium’s approach. “Um, we are visiting Apple Woods for the first time,” Surge confessed as he locked his eyes with her time-worn visage. He scanned the plethora of leaves and bark in the environment. “Why is every dungeoneer here collecting food?”

“Ah, we are just Normal Rank teams,” replied the Meganium, giving the masquerading team a warm smile. “I make a living by collecting food and selling it to merchants.”

“Oh, that sounds nice,” Surge appreciated.

“That’s all you do?” Rhyzo countered, narrowing his eyes. “Aren’t dungeoneers supposed to become strong? Everyone here seems to hoard items instead of victories.”

The Meganium laughed, “Immersed in the elite dungeoneers and their media circus, aren’t you?”

“I’ve heard people like you being called rescue teams, adventure squads and other fancy monikers. Why do you stick to something mundane?”

“I just float around in the normal rank. 90% of my missions are food deliveries.”

“Then where are the battles? How do you withstand the litany of bugs in this dungeon?”

“My peers joke about me being stronger than I look. I throw projectiles at ferals from a distance. The immunity to powder moves bestowed by my type helps.”

“How do you manage with just Energy Balls?”

“That’s not what I mean.” With an extra vine, the Meganium opened the bag strapped to her chest and showed a bundle of iron thorns. “I throw sharp objects from a distance. These iron thorns deal Steel-type damage. I don’t need to worry about type disadvantages.”

Rhyzo perked up. “If your peers commented on your strength, you must have a knack for battle!” He gestured to Surge. “How about a bout with my sidekick Surge? He’s a tamed feral who’s still learning the ropes of battling. You’ll be a fountain of experience!”

After a pause, the Meganium shook her head and said, “No battles. In a dimension where ferals prowl everywhere, you can’t gamble on your health during a mission.”

Thank goodness. Surge breathed an imaginary sigh of relief while Rhyzo frowned. Meanwhile, Shade’s eye bounced back and forth between the conversing parties, accompanied by the gentle rustles of leaves.

“Meganium, which dungeons have you been to apart from Apple Woods?” Surge asked.

“Oran Forest and Serenity River. That’s all.”

“That’s all?!” Rhyzo said in disbelief. “Only two dungeons? Are you a newbie too?”

“No, I’ve been exploring for 37 years.”

“Won’t you be bored trudging through the same three dungeons over and over again?”

“This is not just a job. It’s a livelihood and a passion.” She caressed an apple with a vine. “I’m content with the smiles I put on grocers’ faces. Leave the continent-spanning sojourns to Teams Evolution, Dynamite and their closest competitors.”

“It’s nice to learn about such a motivation,” Surge addressed with a smile of his own. “Thank you for educating us about the dungeon community, and good luck with your apple collection!” He waved a paw at the Meganium as Team Venture began to resume their exploration.

“Before you depart, I have some advice that can help you,” the Meganium said, raising a vine. “Every single task, even the smallest ones, is guaranteed to paint a smile on at least somebody. Even losses can have silver linings.” She made a final smile. “Cherish each moment, Team Venture. May your explorations be safe and sound!”

As the trio separated from the Meganium, Surge replayed her gentle words in his head, while Rhyzo was struck speechless, dumbfounded by the proliferation of mundane dungeon collection. They still had an objective to check, reach the top of the dungeon and collect Perfect Apples, and they rightly immersed themselves in this objective.

---

How many floors did Team Venture cross? Driven into a false sense of security by the weak ferals, they had climbed four more floors than they expected to. At that point, the ferals had become strong enough to hold their own. Surge, Rhyzo and Shade were drained of energy, trudging along with aching feet and rumbling stomachs.

To their fortune, there were many apple trees around to rest under. It was only a question of which tree to claim. Rhyzo looked around in search of a shade broad enough to accommodate three Pokemon.

He identified the desired tree and Team Venture lodged themselves under its glossy leaves, stretching their limbs and catching their breath after five or so forced battles.

“Rhyzo, it’s surprising to see you calm today,” Surge beamed with his back against the wall. “You chose opponents wisely. There were no victories that felt pointless.”

“For now,” the Rhydon replied with grit. “We don’t know how many more floors we have left. Sooner or later, we’ll bump into some strong-ass ferals and all hell will break loose.”

“That’s just a possibility.” Surge laid a paw on his shoulder. “Think about the little successes we made on the way. We met many dungeoneers, never got outed as an unauthorized team and scaled eight floors unscathed. Shade was right about the lack of danger after all.”

Speaking of Shade, she was atop the tree with her claws hooked into the bark, trying to reach an apple with her horn. She bobbed her head in haphazard directions, limited by the concealing eyepatch on her left eye. Attempting to get closer to an apple dangling from a nearby branch, she clambered a little higher, but her claws suddenly slipped out of the bark.

A thud and a wail of pain ensued. Surge sprang and rushed to the fallen Absol sprawled on the ground. “Are you okay?!” he cried. “Where does it hurt?”

“My back…” mumbled Shade, flopping on her spine. “I fell on my back…”

“Original One!” he gasped as he helped Shade to her paws. “You could have lost your ability to walk!”

Shade’s pulse soared and she limped to the tree.

“Don’t strain yourself, Shade!” Surge followed her. “I’ll help you. Don’t be scared.”

Surge took Shade to the tree and let her lie on the ground next to Rhyzo. “Would you like a backrub to relieve the pain?” he asked.

“No!” she refused, shaking her head vigorously. “I don’t like being touched.”

“More power to your decision. Just lie there and calm down. If the back pain still lingers, let us know.”

Surge drove his paw spikes into the bark and used them as anchors to ascend the tree. He plucked each apple from the branches and tossed it below. Rhyzo, throwing himself into an impromptu game of catch, grabbed every fruit within reach and stuffed his large mouth. Despite her sore back, Shade joined in the frenzy, using her claws and jaws to seize the remaining apples.

After he was done, Surge carefully descended the trunk and settled next to Rhyzo at the base of the tree, clutching an apple in his paw. He brought the apple to his snout and gorged on its fresh, juicy aroma.

Just then, a faint buzz began to trickle in Team Venture’s ears.

“Bees?” Surge whispered.

“You mean Combee?” Rhyzo replied with a bitten apple in his hand. “Ignore them.”

“The sound is coming from this way,” Shade added, raising a paw to the east. “I can even smell honey.”

“We can sweeten our lunch with that.” Surge got up. “Rhyzo, would you like to explore this sound with me?”

“Why wouldn’t I when there’s honey to slurp?” Rhyzo said, throwing the apple away and rising onto his hooves to accompany Surge to their immediate east. Shade, nursing her back pain, kept an alert eye on her teammates.

Ahead of Surge and Rhyzo, a huge hive, a dense curtain of honeycombs, hung from the branches of a large tree. Swarms of Combee gyrated around the hive, their drones deafening in the air.

“That’s a whopper of Combee,” Surge said, sniffing the strong scent of honey. “I don’t think we can collect the honey without disturbing them.”

Rhyzo grinned at the hive, bearing his large fangs. “Screw that,” he said confidently with his horn making a little spin. “Let’s bring the whole swarm down!”

Surge’s eyes bulged at his declaration. He furrowed his face markings and warned, “Don’t tell me this is going to be another battle! The Combee are just going about their own lives. You promised you wouldn’t battle any ferals that don’t bother us, didn’t you?”

“Just look at the thing,” rebuked the Rhydon with fire crackling in his crimson eyes. “The sheer numbers will offset their pitiful strength. This will be good practice to take on the Renegades! Those hateasses always attack in droves.”

“Don’t fight them, Rhyzo!” Shade cried from afar. “The Combee swarm is capable of overwhelming you. You might faint under all the stings! Not to mention there must be a Vespiquen in there…”

“Look, Shade just predicted a disaster,” Surge supported. “Now that you know your undesirable outcome, turn back and join us to the next floor!”

Rhyzo turned his head around. “A disaster, you fathom?” he declared with a grin. “I’ll turn it into an epic victory!”

“It’s a disaster, for the Original One’s sake!” Surge flailed his arms. “Fate can’t be changed. Will you please understand us and spare yourself of humiliation?”

“Those flimsy bugs will lose their puny wings to my Rock moves. They don’t even have stingers!” Rhyzo manifested a stone in his hand. “And if they did, they’ll only bump against my tough hide. Trust me, I’ll leave the whole hive for you two to feast on.” He turned around and stormed off.

Argh, why can’t this Rhydon listen? bemoaned Surge, putting a paw to his forehead.

Shade could do nothing but blink at the marching Rhydon. I can’t believe he actually ignored my warning… To be fair, this is just common sense, and some turn their tails on it…

Juggling a stone, Rhyzo stood firm below the giant hive and gave a cocky stare at the swirling Combee. “Hey, Combee queendom!” he boasted, aiming the stone. “Mobilize your armies because something’s going to shatter your fragile honeycombs! Rock Throw!” With a mighty swing of his arm, he tossed the stone, which smashed into the hive like a cannonball through glass.

Out of the hole, seething masses of Combee billowed, their drones raised by several octaves. An undeterred Rhyzo summoned a salvo of stones above his horns, ready to bury the swarm under a Rock Slide.

The Combee beat their wings and generated little tornadoes from them. The barrage of Gusts deflected the Rock Slide, creating a tumultuous wave of hurtling rocks. Rhyzo, caught off guard, was battered by his own projectiles.

As the rocks crumbled off his rugged hide, he directed a glowing horn at the charging swarm. His Horn Attack punched a hole in the mob, felling any Combee that made contact with it.

However, unidirectional attacks were not the answer.

With their drones reaching a crescendo, the swarm surrounded Rhyzo like a clenched fist and latched onto his hide with Bug Bites. The Rhydon screamed in a mix of pain and frustration over the betrayal of the type chart.

Why am I being thrashed by a Mewdamn Bug and Flying type?!

An Aura Sphere came surging from the west. It crashed into the ball of Combee, scattering the insectoid Pokemon away.

Surge stood at the other side with a focused gaze, having just launched the Aura Sphere. You won’t get anywhere close to Shade! To be honest, Rhyzo deserved it…

As he charged Aura in his paws, he winced at the overkill of bite marks all over Rhyzo’s unconscious body. The relentless Combee set their sights upon Surge and arrowed at him.

“Look out!” Shade alerted from the branches of the tree Team Venture just rested under, her face and body shrouded by leaves.

Surge released the Aura Sphere at the Combee, but their double resistance allowed them to soak the attack like a sponge. Bewildered by their surprising resilience, he drew a Metal Claw when a deep, menacing drone made him raise his head.

A dreadful Vespiquen emerged from the hive, chomping her sharp mandibles. She fluttered in a twisted figure-of-eight pattern, pinpointing a stunned Surge to her loyal underlings. The Combee arranged themselves into a floating mass resembling a school of Wishiwashi and surged in the direction of her Attack Order.

Surge swiped his Metal Claw at the face of the mass and managed to bring down a handful of Combee. Enraged by the fall of their comrades, the mass began to engulf Surge just as they did with Rhyzo. Surge could only cringe as a hundred Bug Bites were about to pull out his fur from all directions.

This is why violence never works.

In only a couple of seconds, Surge’s vision faded to black.

---

The earthy scent of a peanut made Surge’s nose wiggle. In the depths of his obscured, decluttered vision, he was wavered by a pleasant smell. It was reminiscent of his first-ever memory at the beach.

Surge slowly raised his eyelids. In front of his eyes was a Delphox with concern etched across her red eyes.

“Are you okay, Lucario?” the Delphox said.

Surge blinked and looked around. He spotted Rhyzo and Shade beside him, as well as an entourage of different species behind the Delphox clad in uniforms and gear. “What happened?” he asked in puzzlement.

“We were just shuffling around this floor when your Absol buddy brought us here,” said a giddy Riolu among the entourage. “And we found you and Rhydon unconscious and covered in bites!”

“I gave Tiny Reviver Seeds to each of you,” the Delphox explained. “Would you like to have some Sitrus Berries to heal the bite marks?”

Surge raised his arm and flinched at his messed-up fur and the tiny injuries scattered around it. “Of course!” he duly agreed to the Delphox. “Shade, what did the Combee do?”

“They annihilated you!” she cried. “Their sheer number overpowered your double resistance.”

“How did you keep yourself unscathed?” Rhyzo asked Shade, dusting off the areas of his skin where the bite marks used to be.

“I stayed inside a tree until the Combee dispersed. Then I climbed down and found this group of Pinkerton Guild students.”

That guild with the 50,000 gold admission fee? Screw them. I can’t imagine how much shit they’ll throw at those kids’ financial stability.

As Surge relished a Sitrus Berry, the Delphox introduced the entourage, waving her wooden wand. “My name is Adelaide Hex. I teach exploration and I’m guiding Class 3-D through a mission to collect Perfect Apples. It would be a wonderful opportunity for them to interact with seasoned dungeoneers like you.”

Us? Seasoned? Surge was amused by the teacher’s respect. “Um, we’re actually newcomers,” he clarified. “This is our first visit to Apple Woods.”

“No problem, Lucario,” reassured a Vigoroth student. “It’d be helpful to know what the beginnings of a career look like!”

Team Venture began to accompany the entourage into the depths of the eighth floor. Surge turned to the Riolu and said, “You look like me. Are you a baby Lucario?”

Surge’s question triggered a cacophony of laughs, making his ears droop. “I’m a Riolu, for your kind information!” the ‘baby Lucario’ answered, holding back her giggles.

“He’s a tamed feral, kids,” Rhyzo explained nonchalantly. “He’s still unaware of, like, 90% of the Pokedex.”

“At least you’re half-right,” a Jigglypuff commented. “Riolu is classified as a baby Pokemon and is the pre-evolution of Lucario.”

“You’re like Dynamo!” added an enthusiastic Wingull. “He started life as a feral Torchic wandering around in Dark Crater. Then a run-in with some dungeoneers made him gain sapience and he was put into foster care. And look where he’s taken Team Dynamite today! You can become just as cool as him!”

“Why not Hado?” the Riolu suggested, putting her paws on her waist. “Lucario, you’re the same species as him! He’s the gold standard of dungeoneering!”

“That title belongs to Dynamo!” retorted the Wingull. “He doesn’t need Aura tricks to unlock a dungeon’s mysteries!”

“No tiffs, please!” A Drampa teacher defused their argument. He turned to Team Venture. “Teams Evolution and Dynamite are alumni of our guild. The top two teams in the world are testaments to our prestige.” He started to ramble about the Pinkerton Guild’s legacy and achievements.

Stop shilling your corrupt practices, Rhyzo thought, twitching his ears. Even if you bore the two strongest teams in the world! Their families must be millionaires.

“Absol, that eyepatch looks great on you,” a Scyther student complimented. “You remind me of a pirate! Where did you get it?”

Shade held her breath and her heartbeat rose. “W-w-won’t tell,” she stammered, rearing her head away. “I-it’s personal.”

Once they approached the wooden stairway, the entourage stopped.

“Team Venture,” Adelaide addressed, pulling an Escape Orb out of her bag. “I regret to say this, but we must warp out of here and return to Treasure City.”

Groans of disappointment rumbled among the students.

“Why, Delphox?” Rhyzo lambasted. “Don’t rob us of our Perfect Apple fortunes!”

“A Hydrapple is guarding the Perfect Oak. Many unsuspecting dungeoneers have been caught off guard by this formidable Pokemon. The Pinkerton Guild cannot risk putting its students in a life-threatening situation.”

“Don’t we have strength in numbers?”

“Hydrapple has seven heads which attack from all directions. I’m sorry, but this would overcome our numbers.”

“Come on, you’re the world’s best guild. Won’t powerful enemies like this Hydrapple be the sort of obstacles only you can overcome? You’re not worth a steep fee otherwise.” Won’t pass up a battle with a badass hydra!

“Rhydon, the guardian has managed to knock out whole teams of five in the past.” the Drampa argued. “What elevates our position is our expertise in distinguishing excellent and risky decisions. We have foreseen a catastrophe and you all must turn back.”

“They are right,” Surge considered, putting a paw on Rhyzo’s shoulder. “After the Combee debacle, you can’t charge headlong into any more risks.”

Rhyzo turned to Shade, expecting her disaster sense to click. “You smell any failure, Shade?”

“Yes.” The Absol nodded and gave a blunt reply. “Please heed my prediction this time.”

Damn, Rhyzo thought as he reluctantly accepted the Escape Orb from Adelaide. The orb’s sheen reflected his sullen face. Another fortune thrown into the trash…

At last, today’s mission is over, Surge resigned, taking a deep breath. It was nice to find Gummis, feast on the fruits and interact with other dungeoneers, but our goal to collect Perfect Apples collapsed. Then again, the Pinkerton faculty’s expertise cannot be wavered.

Rhyzo gave a hateful look at the pulsating light inside the Escape Orb. He flung it at the ground as if it were a Renegade grunt. A resounding shatter erupted, and a gleaming circular portal of light grew into existence. Team Venture and the Pinkerton Guild mobilized themselves and began to walk into the portal, leaving the greenery of Apple Woods for good.

As Team Venture prepared to separate from the guild entourage, their thoughts settled on the potential of the pearl from Drenched Bluff. How many golds was it worth? Will it be as valuable as a small house? In the aftermath of a truncated exploration, all they wanted was a windfall.