Chapter 11 – Unchivalrous Escapade

The King on the throne twists and thrashes, trying to approach… but the things that bind drags him away.

 

It tries to say something… but its mouth is bound.

 

The beautiful yet cruel crimson strips of fabric. They pull mercilessly. They are bandages, made to heal. But he will bleed out as soon as these bandages are undone. 

 

To maintain his shape… he must remain bound…

 

…but the wounds bound by the bandages rot away little by little; nothing indicates that they are healing. They serve only to hide the hideous wounds, not to heal them…

 

…or are they chains, made to imprison…

 

He will endlessly struggle against the chains to be free. To regain his authority. To speak the words unuttered, bound by the chains.

– Bound King | Limbus Company

---

“We have to go. Now.”

 

“Alan you…” Morgan paused. The Vulpix standing in front of him looked terrible, nearly about as bad as his own condition. Alan was hunched over panting, his robe covered in dust and grime from what had just unfolded above ground. “…What’s going on Alan? Ya look terrible!”

 

“Leave… we need to–”

 

Alan collapsed into a twitching mess on the ground, staring at the Jangmo-o with his unfocused eyes. He pawed the ground in front of him, a pathetic attempt at righting himself.

 

“Ngh…”

 

“Kiddo? What’s wrong?” Morgan asked, the shock and fear in his eyes slowly turned into concern. “What did they do to you…”

 

Freed from his chains, Morgan rushed over to Alan’s side. He laid beside the Vulpix, sliding his body under him so that Alan’s head remained propped up while his paws kept the fox pinned against his pink scales.

 

Alan squirmed in protest, yet the Jangmo-o did not let go. He continued holding the Vulpix down, his other front paw petting him until his breathing slowed.

 

“What’s going on Alan?” Morgan asked. He was careful to keep his tone soft, to not further agitate the distressed Vulpix. 

 

“We can’t stay here… You–” Alan broke away, turning back around to face Morgan. Reaching into his tail he produced the document he grabbed during his escape, creased and partially torn at the edges from a hasty attempt at rolling the parchment up as the chaos unfolded. 

 

“They… T-They want you dead… E-executed… Tonight.”

 

The Jangmo-o returned a blank stare. He chuckled hoarsely as he slumped over onto the slightly damp ground beneath. “Hah. Figured.” he sighed, defeated by his own thoughts.

 

“Figured?! What the hell do you mean figured !?” Alan tugged at Morgan’s pink scales with his mouth, attempting to pull the Jangmo-o back to his feet. “You can’t just sit here and let them kill you! I’m not letting them do that!”

 

Morgan shook Alan off, turning away as he curled into an even tighter ball. “Kiddo… You just don’t get it, do you? I killed someone. Someone important at that…”

 

“So what? They screwed you and your family over! I-It doesn’t matter when they definitely deserved it!”

 

“That’s just how it works, kid.” Morgan sighed as he shuffled back atop his nest. “You kill someone important, and that’s it for you. It’s not fair but… what even ever is fair in this kingdom?”

 

“B-but we can change that, right?!” Alan gripped his head in frustration. His claws inadvertently extended, sending a slight jolt of pain to his skull as they jabbed at his skin. 

 

But he didn’t care. He continued to rack his head, still trying to process Morgan’s response. “You promised me we would get out of here together! What about that?!”

 

“I lied, Alan.” Morgan deadpanned. “You’re young and naive. I didn’t want you to spiral further when we first met, so I lied to you. To give you hope, and to stop you from crying more.”

 

The Jangmo-o continued. “I know my family is out there, maybe. But… I’ve already accepted I’m probably never seeing them again. That’s just how life works, I guess.”

 

Alan was stunned. He had assumed escaping from the royal cabinet’s near-dictatorial grip on his and Edward’s life would be the most difficult part, though it seemed like pulling Morgan out of his despairing state would prove to be an even more monumental task.

 

“But you can’t! I promised Necrozma… I promised you!” Tears welled up in the Vulpix’s golden eyes. “You promised me…”

 

“No Alan I-”

 

“And why did you wait so long, even?” Alan interrupted, his voice both shaky yet assertive. “I-If you accepted you were going to die then why hold on for so long?”

 

“Because of you!” Morgan snapped. “You probably know more than me. Something went wrong up there, then everything down here stopped…”

 

“…”

 

“Heck, we weren’t even fed for a long while.” The pink Jangmo-o shrugged and turned his head back towards the cell walls, hiding away the tears that had begun to form in his eyes. “They were waiting to bring you back so they could go on their merry way of executing prisoners again. I never had a say in any of this, to begin with…”

 

Despite Morgan’s best efforts, tears began to stream down his cheeks, pooling into a damp divot in his nest. He shuddered, pulling his paws up to further obscure his face from Alan.

 

“Just leave me, Alan. Go back. It’s easier just to give up now and deal with whatever you’ve got going on up there than to have to deal with this mess down here…”

 

“I can’t…” Alan replied. “I’m in too deep as well… They would drag me back to that room a-and torture me back into submission.”

 

Alan walked up towards Morgan, rolling the Jangmo-o so that he at least faced Alan. His once-yellow cheeks were flushed red, two streaks of tears joining together around the fluff on the dragon’s chest.

 

“So no, I refuse to back down. I’m getting you out of here.”

 

Morgan’s face scrunched, sadness and melancholy replaced with annoyance and frustration. He swiped at the Vulpix, intentionally missing though still managing to force Alan to back off once more.

 

“You don’t get it, do you?” He growled. “Just look at yourself! You can’t fight them all off like this! I don’t matter in the grand scheme of things anyways…”

 

Alan shook his head furiously in disagreement. “I can’t… I need you…”

 

The Jangmo-o only glared back disapprovingly. “Do you need me, or is it Neco-what’s-his-name-ma that truly wants me? Come on kid, even I can tell you’re being disingenuous”

 

“N-No! It’s not like that that! I-I mean Necrozma does want me to rescue you but I…” 

 

Alan hesitated for a moment to recollect himself. His cheeks flushed red like Morgan’s cheeks. “I want you as well, Morgan.”

 

The pink dragon was enchanted, Alan’s words freezing him in place. His cheeks flushed an even deeper red as he felt the Vulpix’s warm fluff brush up against his scales. 

 

“I might be desperate… No… I-I definitely am. But you’re the only person who actually listened to me…” Alan admitted, ignoring the Jangmo-o’s flustered sputters. “I have no one else to stick to right now. Please, Morgan… Please get up… Let’s get out of here together… I need you. ”

 

Morgan remained silent, gently clicking his claws and ruminating over Alan’s begging. The cell fell back into a tense silence, broken only by the occasional sniffle coming from the Vulpix, who had prostrated himself at the Jangmo-o’s feet as he begged. There didn’t seem to be any guards approaching the cell, yet Morgan could still sense the urgency in the air. 

 

He had to be decisive. A rash, impulse decision had landed him in this cell, and an equally reckless one was going to be his ticket out of there.

 

“Alright… If you believe I’m that worth it…” Morgan relented. He held Alan by his chin, slowly pulling it higher and closer so that their eyes locked.

 

“Then I’ll promise you this. We’re in this together now. You give your all for me, and I’ll give my all for you.”

 

Alan only managed a soft nod before the Jangmo-o collapsed atop his body, crushing the Vulpix under his deep embrace. As much as Alan wanted to break away, the warmth kept him immobilized. Surely , he thought to himself, we can spend just a little more time in here, right?

---

The rattling of chains and hurried footsteps filled the air as the pair dashed down the long, narrow hallways of the Royal Dungeons. Alan, still donning his robe and crown, led the way for his newfound companion. Morgan followed close behind, tightly holding onto a chain hastily tied to one of the Vulpix’s tails with his jaw to ensure they wouldn’t lose one another.

 

Their surroundings were unnaturally quiet. Though the low hum of suffering should have echoed all around, their surroundings were entirely silent. Aside from the Vulpix and Jangmo-o, it seemed as if no other soul was present in the dungeons. 

 

That’s good for us, then. Alan thought as he turned another corner. Maybe Celeste is still gathering guards… hopefully we can slip out before we meet them…

 

Alan’s hopes were dashed as they rounded the corner, however. The light seeping in from the outside blinded the pair of escapees, though through his blurred vision, they still managed to spot a trio of guards blocking their path.

 

A spear whistled through the air, barely grazing the Vulpix’s ear as it stabbed into the wall behind him, causing him to skid to a halt. Morgan followed suit, still holding on tightly to the chain in his jaw. 

 

Alan felt the blood dripping from his ear run cold as his eyes adjusted to the light. A Dewott, the same Dewott that he had snuck past those many days ago. Beneath the thin armor, the otter was covered in fresh bandages, presumably from having been subjected to Celeste’s training regiment recently.

 

The otter was flanked by a Drizzile and Torracat, both also sporting bandages under their armor. The Drizzile seemed to be missing their spear, having launched it at the Vulpix moments ago. The two Pokemon behind the Dewott eyed the two escapees with unease, though the Dewott’s expression remained stoic.

 

“A-Apologies, Your Highness! Madame Celeste ordered us to–”

 

“Quit it with the apologies already! Don’t you remember what Celeste told us? That… thing. That’s not our king anymore! Just fire away! I’ll deal with the consequences later!” The Dewott scolded the Drizzile. 

 

The trio straightened their stances, though the Dewott especially seemed to be struggling. He winced at the slightest twitch of his muscles, having assumedly taken the hardest beating out of the three under the Sceptile’s ‘care’.

 

“Go for Edward! The prisoner we can re-capture later!” 

 

Another spear grazed past Alan, this time from the Torracat. He had remained silent the whole time, slipping from Alan’s focus entirely. Another fireball followed, landing just short of the Vulpix’s toes. 

 

“Gah! Wait!” Alan pleaded. “You don’t have to fight us! Just let us leave, a-and we won’t be a bother to you anymore!”

 

“Apologies, Your Highness. Celeste’s orders trump all.” 

 

The Dewott dropped his other spear, readying a large net beside him instead. With another signal from their leader the Drizzile and Torracat inched forward, trembling as they unslung their backup weapons as well, pointing them at the Jangmo-o’s neck.

 

“But it doesn’t have to!” Alan shouted, pausing the guard’s advance. “Look at yourselves! She’s abusing you all ! Why would you ever want to work under her?”

 

“Before her, I was nothing. Without her, I am no one. Madame Celeste gave me purpose.” The Dewott tightened his grip on the net. “These bandages are the marks of my servitude, for I owe everything to her.”

 

“So you’re sayin’…” Morgan interjected. “She bought ya. She gives you a bed and armor, and you give her a body to essentially kick around? Wouldn’t be too fond of that deal if I were you, kiddo.”

 

“Shut up! You slum fucks don’t get it, do you?” The otter’s face was red with rage. He raised his arms, stringing the net up over his head. “None of you good-for-nothing, freeloading scum ever had any goals in life to begin with!”

 

“I used to be like you… Scrounging around in the mud and trash, ripping into any pile of garbage I could just so I could lie around another day longer…”

 

“So what? Not like you sleazy royals ever wanted to help us anyway!” Morgan retorted.

 

“Scum! The lot of you! When you stuck your heads into the ground, I chose to rise instead! I chose to work , to better myself! Celeste picked me and my colleagues out of the dump because she saw the strength in us! You had nothing, and you will never have anything! You are worthless!”

 

“Enough! Your pretentious ass ain’t worth shit either! It took seven of your useless asses to take me down!” Morgan ridiculed, waving his tail in the air mockingly. “Wanna prove you don’t belong with me down here? Come at me then!”

 

A new voice entered the fray. One that struck fear and dread deep into everyone in the vicinity, freezing them all in their tracks. Slow clapping accompanied, with disappointment and anger overflowing from her voice. Alan’s heart dropped once he recognized who the voice belonged to.

 

Oh no… Alan shuddered. A tall, shadowy figure blotted out the rest of the sunlight emanating from the exit, plunging the dungeon entrance back into a temporary darkness. 

 

“Playtime’s over, Edward~”

 

A stone claymore struck the ground beside Alan, sending shockwaves rippling throughout. Alan retreated back to Morgan’s side as a Sceptile stepped into the center of the cavern.

“It’s time to come home, sweetie~” Celeste’s eyes were bloodshot, the nerves lining her head crests seemingly ready to burst out at any point. A creepy smile snaked across her face, fangs bared underneath her scarred beak. “Who will run the kingdom if not you, Edward?”

 

Alan and Morgan both stepped forward, facing down the crazed Sceptile. The Jangmo-o cowered, ears flattened against his scales. The Vulpix similarly trembled, though only for a moment. His golden eyes lit up as a flame of rage and adrenaline wiped away the last of his fear. He stood his ground, glaring back angrily at Celeste.

 

“And why don’t you run it yourself, Celeste?” Alan shot back. “This past week, you haven’t even let me do anything! No wonder Edward hates his role as king so much! He’s just a puny slave to your schemes!”

 

“Edward… Oh, Edward! How could you!” The Sceptile gasped teasingly, seemingly yet to take the situation seriously. 

 

“ Will you stop calling me Edward already?” Alan hissed. A few shards of ice angrily launched out of his mouth towards Celeste. “How many times do I need to tell you? Your king is gone! Not like his input ever mattered anyway…”

 

Celeste froze, clarity returning to her mind for just a moment as she processed the Vulpix’s words. Alan’s ice shard struck her left shoulder, leaving but a tiny scratch on the Sceptile’s scaly body.

 

“But… E-Edward…”

 

“Edward this, Edward that! He’s not coming back to solve the problems you caused!”

 

The Sceptile remained silent. Her hands trembled, barely able to hold onto her weapon. The smile once plastered across her face had all but melted away, leaving only a deep frown in its stead.

 

“All you do is prance around with your little posse of guards or whatever, leaving everyone else to clean up your mess!” 

 

“How could you… Edward… Everything I did was for you…”

 

“For me? What in the hell have you done for me?” Alan refused to let up. He was red with anger, barely able to catch a breath as he continued laying into the Sceptile.

 

“You kidnapped me, dragged me into the dungeons just to perform your wack-ass magic on me! You spit on me, called me a feral, starved me, then threw me in prison! You see me as your king right? Is this how you treat your kings around here?”

 

The Sceptile didn’t reply. She remained knelt over clutching her own head crests, allowing her claws to dig deep into her scales, blood staining the fluff on her jacket a dirty crimson.

 

“Be consistent damn it!! One day you’re dragging me around and treating me like crap, and the next you’re almost revering me like a god!”

 

Celeste jerked her head back up, staring directly into the Vulpix’s eyes. Her eyes were bloodshot, glistening in the dim light of the exit. 

 

“I just… wanted you back… Edward…” She whispered. Between her weak raspy breaths she began to slowly crawl towards the fox, while the rest of the guards took the opportunity to retreat back and outside the dungeon. 

 

I can’t get a solid read on her… Alan mused. Celeste slowly inched closer, yet the Vulpix stood firm. She’s convinced I’m still Edward, yet she still basically treats me like an animal half the time… Is this what Edward also went through?

 

Alan glanced back at Morgan, who looked as disgusted and confused as he was. He stood a short distance away, prepared to pounce or bolt away at a moment’s notice. 

 

His vision jerked back as two leafy claws ran up his cheeks, grasping the sides of his head as they forced it back towards the Sceptile, who sat mere inches away from his face. A cold sweat ran down his forehead as Celeste gently clawed the sides of Alan’s face. 

 

Is she… playing with me…? No, she’s…!

 

“Eugh! Creep!” He staggered away, retreating back to relative safety behind the pink Jangmo-o. He wiped away the lizard’s drool that had dripped behind his ears. “What is wrong with you! Why can’t you leave me alone! Edward never told me that you attempted to eat him!”

 

“So he lives! Your Highness!” Celeste shouted, scrambling back onto her feet in a panic. “Break free! Overpower the imposter! Please! I beg you!”

 

“He’s not coming back! Argh! How many times do I have to tell you! He doesn’t want to anymore! ”

 

“Lies! Misinformation! Y-You dirty… parasite! You cannot speak for His Majesty! Demon! Leave him be!” 

 

The Sceptile was rapidly losing it. That, at the very least, was clear to everyone who remained in the dungeon. Her pupils constricted, the creepy grin returning as she stood herself back up to tower over the pair once more.

 

“Daemon! Hear it from me now! I shall be the one to purge you from His Majesty’s mind! You have caused nothing but pain and suffering to our lord! Begone, you disgusting freak!”

 

“Ugh! Why are you being so damn difficult! ” Alan hissed. He knew his words were probably no longer reaching Celeste, yet that didn’t matter. His words only served to remind himself anyway. “You can’t see it, can you? All of this! Edward leaving you! The kingdom going to shit! Me taking his place! It’s your fault, Celeste!”

 

“My fault?” Her concentration snapped back onto the Vulpix. The last of her sense of self melted away, replaced instead by the original crazed, bloodthirsty lizard Alan expected her to be. “Horseshit! The fault lies with you, Edward! All of it!”

 

“Kiddo! Watch out!”

 

Before Alan could reply, he felt his vision lurch sideways as Morgan pushed him aside. Celeste suddenly appeared in front of Morgan as both her leafy claws collapsed onto the dragon’s scales, rebounding off them with a powerful clang. More attacks rained down as the Sceptile continued to hack and slash at the Jangmo-o’s body. 

 

Alan’s vision quickly returned as he instinctively recoiled back, an ice shard growing in his mouth as he prepared an attack in retaliation.

 

“Umph!” Morgan grimaced at the flurry of blows landing on him, yet he managed to stand firm as he kept himself between Celeste and Alan.

 

“Leave him alone, ya crazy bitch!” he screamed over the commotion, scales still raised as he continued to shield Alan from Celeste’s attacks. “He’s not your little plaything! Why don’t ya screw off and go find another king yourself, huh?”

 

“Shut up, trash! I should have killed you when I had the chance! You don’t know anything! Your kind doesn’t belong here! You don’t belong anywhere!” 

 

A shard of ice whizzed through the air, striking Celeste square in the Jaw. She halted for a moment, though it was more than ample opportunity for her to retaliate. The Jangmo-o’s scales glowed a vibrant red as he refocused his pain onto a single, powerful beam. 

 

The Sceptile backed away as she coalesced a mass of vines in front of her, blocking the majority of the beam. She unfurled her vines, ripping off those that had been burned by the attack.

 

“Useless, useless, useless!”

 

The Sceptile’s malicious smile widened as she brandished her claymore, ripping off her jacket in the process. A cloud began to form on the ceiling of the cavern, tiny droplets of ice raining across the room. 

 

“It’s truly a shame, Edward~” The Sceptile taunted mockingly. Her pupils darted about, insanity fully taking ahold of the Sceptile. “We’ve trained together for generations, and this is all it amounts to?”

 

Celeste laughed to herself maniacally as she swatted away the hail raining upon her. Her image blurred once more as she zipped across the battlefield, her claymore dragging along beside her before connecting directly with Morgan. The Jangmo-o was sent flying, crashing into the rocky wall beside the Vulpix. 

 

A pained grunt was all Alan could hear from the dragon as he collapsed under the pile of rubble that had formed atop him.

 

“Morgan!” Alan screamed. He snapped back to face Celeste, shooting more ice shards in her direction.

 

“Absolutely garbage!” Celeste mocked, skillfully blocking each ice shard with her blade. “What’s the matter? Can’t kill someone who actually knows how to fight?”

 

The Sceptile was unrelenting in her approach and sprinted towards the two once more. Sparks formed as she arced her weapon across the ground once more. Alan barely managed to turn away as the claymore struck his gut, sending him flying across the room into the opposite wall as well. 

 

“Gah…” Alan squeaked. His robe had absorbed most of the impact, yet he still felt the pain of what should’ve been multiple broken ribs.

 

“It’s alright, Edward~” Celeste licked her bloodshot eyes as she loomed over an unmoving Alan. “I can fix you, Edward. We can start over… reset you… we can try again. We can make this work. Again. Hehe~”

 

Celeste grabbed the fallen Vulpix by his neck, raising him so that their eyes met. Her grip was much rougher this time, while Alan struggled much less, his entire body still reeling from the hit. 

 

“Celeste- I… Please…”

 

“Mmm~” The Sceptile’s grin merely deepened in response. “ Good… That’s it… There’s no need to struggle, Edward… It’ll be over soon enough~”

 

Alan was too tired to fight back, too injured to struggle, too much in fear to even return Celeste’s stare. I’m too weak… He lamented as the leafy claws around his neck dug further into his flesh. Edward… Necrozma… I’ll do anything… Please…

 

He began to drift away, vision darkening as he continued to choke. A silent whimper, his last cry for help, remained unheard as the Sceptile merely carried on with glee.

 

“Get your clammy ass hands off him!”

 

Morgan slammed into Celeste, his entire body glowing a hot red in an outrage as he pivoted, landing on her arms. He desperately tried to free the Vulpix, smashing his head scale into her claws with as much force as he could muster. 

 

“Let! Go! You! Piece! Of! Shit!” Morgan repeated between each head smash. Sheer determination fueled him. Even as the outrage wore off he continued. 

 

Even as his eyes crossed and confusion took hold of him he carried on. Even as blood seeped and dribbled down his forehead, or as his own words slurred, he kept at it. 

 

He couldn’t accept it. His savior, choking to death at the hands of the same Pokemon that had ruined his life. 

 

“Let go! LET HIM GO!” 

 

The Jangmo-o attempted once more at bashing his head into Celeste’s arms, though in his confusion his head scale instead met between her eyes. Celeste dropped the near-unconscious Vulpix as she recoiled in pain, flinging him off to the side as her crazed glare instead landed upon Morgan, still stumbling around in his panicked confusion. 

 

“Hah… serves ya right… ya crazy… bitch…” 

 

Alan despaired. Through his blurry vision he could see the pink dragon collapse, blabbering nonsense to himself as the confusion sapped at his will to fight. 

 

No… It can’t end like this… I– There has to be another way…

 

Alan tried to cry out, yet his entire body fought back. His vision was dimming again. He dipped in and out of consciousness as he watched Morgan slowly drift off as well. 

 

Edward… Someone… Necrozma… Please! Anything! It can’t end like this!  

 

The Sceptile approached once more. Her smile had vanished, leaving only an angry yet confused glare. She kicked Morgan’s body aside, turning away to play with the dragon’s unmoving body as she slowly flicked him around with her feet, giggling silently to herself as she ignored the Vulpix in her madness.

 

“Hm…”

 

What…? Alan mentally stammered. Who was– Necrozma?

 

Black crystals enveloped the corner of Alan’s vision as an apparition of Necrozma appeared in front, looming over Alan as he eyed the downed Vulpix with his pitying eyes. 

 

“Necrozma… I–” Alan tried calling out, his voice hoarse and much too quiet for anyone else to hear. “Help me… Please. Morgan… h-he’s going to–”

 

The Snowy fox broke into a coughing fit as he begged. He could barely make out the crystalline hallucination shaking his head, dismayed at Alan’s own incompetence.

 

“Disappointing. I expected more after your training, human. Though… I suppose some assistance would also prove beneficial to me.”

 

Necrozma’s claws grasped around a tiny extrusion growing off his chest, breaking off a small chunk of jet-black crystal and tossing it towards Alan. The crystal glowed as it sailed through the air, landing on the Vulpix as a ball of light before dissipating across the Vulpix’s body.

 

“We will discuss how this debt shall be repaid later, little Alan.”

 

Alan’s vision cleared as the hallucinatory figure disappeared in a flash. He felt feverish, uncomfortably so. The heat was near unbearable, Alan writhing about violently as he felt strength return into his muscles. 

 

The heat dissipated as rapidly as it came, though the side effects remained. Alan felt reinvigorated, wounds closed and bruises healed, enough so to stand back up to face down the manic Sceptile once more. He glowed an effulgent yellow, illuminating the darkened cavern walls with his radiance enough for Celeste to take notice.

 

She snapped around, leg placed atop Morgan and pinning him to the ground. Her eyes sparkled, a river of tears streaming down her cheeks.

 

“Edward…? Is it t-truly you? M-my liege! His Majesty, h-he has returned!”

 

Alan rolled his eyes. He was fed up with this insane Sceptile mistaking him for the king she allegedly revered oh so much again and again. 

 

“Stop it.” Alan said blankly. “I’m still who I was twenty seconds ago, Celeste. You’re just plain delusional.”

 

“Haha! Your sense of humor remains well, I see!” Celeste ignored Alan as she laughed to herself, the Sceptile falling further into insanity. “Let us return quickly, Your Highness. We may even make it back in time for dinner if we run~”

 

“Celeste.” Alan’s expression darkened as he watched the Sceptile continue beating the Jangmo-o. His hailstorm began to slowly form once more as he neared his limit. “Look at me for a moment.”

 

“Yes, sire?”

 

“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” He growled, pointing at Morgan’s unmoving body. 

 

“Edward… I–”

 

“No more! Stay off of Morgan, for fucks sake!” Alan screamed. The hail intensified, winds speeding up while each individual hailstone grew to the size of an Oran berry. “I’m going to say this one last time , okay?”

 

“Edward is dead , Celeste! He hates this kingdom, and he hates you !” Alan glowed brighter, his surroundings cooling rapidly. “I’m leaving this stupid place and I’m taking Morgan with me! Whether you like it or not, you crazy bitch!”

 

A radiant beam of gold and ice ripped through the air, directly toward Celeste. It tore through layers and layers of the Sceptile’s protective vines as she staggered backward, only barely able to defend against the first beam of ice.

 

Alan’s pupils disappeared into his eyes’ golden glow as he fired another stronger, colder ice beam. Celeste defended with her arms, her leafy scales shattering under the raw power of the attack.

 

“Uraaagh!”

 

She recoiled in shock. Her arms were frozen together, a thick coating of solid ice froze her torso into the guarding stance she had taken in shielding herself against the ice beam. 

 

“Sit.”

 

A flurry of snow and ice rained down upon the battlefield The already frozen Sceptile lay unable to escape the crushing weight of the pure snow piled atop her. As the field cleared and the snow melted away the results of the battle became apparent. She cocked her head and glared at the victorious Vulpix standing in front of her, the crushing weight of the ice keeping her body immobilized.

 

“I’m sorry, Celeste. But I can’t keep this up anymore. This is for the good of everyone.” Alan calmly remarked, brushing the last bits of hail and snow off of his robe and fur. “Just… stay here for a while. Please. ”

 

“Edward…? Edward! Let me go! Edward! Fight back! I know you’re still there! Help me! Please!” Celeste cried. “Guards! Guards! Stop them! Anyone! ”

 

Alan tuned out the sound of her desperate crying, instead rushing over to Morgan’s aid. He rummaged through his robe, procuring the crushed remains of a reviver seed and Oran berry. It more closely resembled a pile of mush with bits of seed sticking out, but it would get the job done. He shoved half of the mixture into the Jangmo-o’s mouth, before lathering the other half over Morgan’s head and body.

 

Morgan’s eyes flitted open in an instant. He squirmed a little as the numerous wounds on his head and belly rapidly closed up. 

 

“Urgh…”

 

“Morgan!” Alan exclaimed, squeezing the dragon into a tight hug in relief.

 

“Urk! Still sore!”  

 

“Ah! Sorry!” Alan quickly backed away, allowing Morgan to stand on his own. The Jangmo-o smiled, ears fluttering gratefully in response.

 

“So… Celeste. She been dealt with?” Morgan asked. “And thanks again, by the way. For saving me.”

 

Alan merely gestured at the frozen Sceptile with a prideful grin as he cheerfully giggled. Morgan let out a sigh of relief of his own, before slowly making his way toward the now unblocked exit.

 

“Heh. Serves her right. Crazy bitch deserved worse if anything.” Morgan chuckled. “Let’s get outta here, Alan.”

---

 

The pair fled the scene, leaving the wailing Sceptile behind. Alan’s glow dissipated shortly after their battle, allowing the two to slip quietly into the darkness that now enshrouded the castle grounds.

 

Alan could barely make out anything in the dim light of the new moon, relying only on the slight shine of the Everstone implanted into Morgan’s tail as he led the way. Occasionally they swerved off the pathway, hiding in between some bushes as the bright torchlight from the multitude of royal guards searching for them crossed their path. 

 

In the distance Alan spotted a huge congregation of guards. They camped atop a bridge, the only bridge crossing the huge moat that isolated the castle from the rest of the world. 

 

“Defensive ramparts, lookout towers, and like… over twenty guards.” Morgan whispered as he watched the group of Pokemon from atop a nearby hill. He shook his head in annoyance. “We’re not getting through that. Ever.”

 

“S-so what then? I don’t think theres another way out. ” Alan replied. “We could swim across, but I don’t know if I can swim that far…”

 

Morgan rubbed his head scale, contemplating. “Well I sure can’t, so that’s off the table. Let’s get a bit closer though, I don’t wanna have that crazy lizard sneak up and ambush us from the trees.”

 

“Let’s head down there then.” Alan said, pointing towards a small ledge jutting off the edge of the cliff. A tiny rocky ledge connected it to the base of the bridge, hidden away from the torchlight of the guards stationed directly above.

 

The duo skittered towards the ledge, making sure to say just out of range of the illuminating torchlight. Alan was afraid the guards would notice them as they approached, with him now out in the open with no bushes to dive into for safety. However the guards seemed tired and distracted, the stress and overwork Celeste subjected them to being the most likely the cause. They didn’t seem to stir from their near trance-like state, even as the Vulpix and Jangmo-o appeared within their sight.

 

This is all wrong… Alan lamented. He kept glancing back at the guards milling about above him as they worked towards the base of the bridge. They don’t even want to do this… I hate this. I hate it all so much…

 

With some effort the pair managed to scramble atop the stone base of the bridge. As they rested Morgan tugged on the Vulpix’s tail, grabbing his attention.

 

“I’ve figured it out.” The Jangmo-o said, grinning slightly. “We can still cross the bridge, just beneath it instead. The catwalk’s usually inaccessible, so they never cared to fortify it as well.”

“B-but what then? We don’t have anywhere to go, r-right?” Alan stressed, raising his voice slightly yet still being mindful of the Pokemon above. “I-I don’t even know what’s out there…”

 

Alan put his paws up, watching as they trembled in his anxiety. “Sorry… I-I know I shouldn’t be acting like this. But…” He trailed off, moving his paws up to hold his head. 

 

“I’m scared! Nothing makes sense! I-I don’t know what to–”

 

Morgan interrupted the Vulpix, pulling Alan into a tight hug with one paw while petting his back with the other. They stayed in each others embrace for just a moment, the dragon breaking off as soon as Alan’s breathing slowed.

 

“Better?”

 

“Y-yeah… Sorry…” Alan apologized, wiping his eyes. He’s so good at calming me down… I hate that I’m acting like this in front of him though…

 

“Good to hear, kiddo.” Morgan smiled. “I know a place in the city we can hide at tonight. We’ll figure out the rest there, okay?”

 

Morgan petted Alan one last time for good measure and climbed onto the arched catwalk above. Alan scrambled to follow, using the slight shimmer of the moonlit moat below to help him navigate the otherwise pitch-black shadows casted by the bridge above them.

 

Alan’s entire body trembled slightly as they moved further up the narrow catwalk. That’s weird… I don’t remember being scared of heights… Alan shuddered. He steeled his nerves, focusing his vision away from the steep heights around him and instead of Morgan’s pink tail, swishing about nonchalantly as they crossed.

 

Suddenly, the Jangmo-o froze. He tensed his body, scales raising as he lowered himself so that Alan could see what was in front. A Kirlia, staring despondently at the flickering lights of the city that surrounded the moat, blocked the narrow pathway. She seemed unaware of Alan and Morgan’s presence, kicking her hanging legs around mindlessly.

 

“Shit.” Morgan mumbled under his breath, barely loud enough for only Alan to hear. “It’s too dark, I didn’t notice her before we started crossing…”

 

“What do we do?” Alan asked. 

 

“The bridge is only wide enough for one Pokemon at most… No way we’re getting around her.” Morgan replied, frustration growing in his hushed tone. 

 

“I-I don’t want to fight her though… I don’t want anyone else to get hurt tonight, both them and us.”

 

“Me neither, kiddo.” Morgan said. With a troubled and contemplating look in his eyes.

 

This was troubling. He remembered the Kirlia. Although she didn’t do anything to him physically she was still present in both of the rituals, meaning she must be somewhat close with Celeste and the rest of the royal cabinet. It’s best if we could just get her to leave somehow… Besides, if she spotted us she would totally–

 

“Eep! Y-You!” That didn’t matter now. They were spotted. “I– Your Highness! You can’t–”

 

Alan instinctively lowered himself, ready to pounce. His mouth glowed a light blue as an ice shard grew in his mouth. Morgan held him back, signaling him to relax. “Don’t worry kiddo, I got this.” 

 

He turned back and stared at the Kirlia. Her eyes glowed a deep purple as a tiny misshapen shadow ball formed in her hands. She remained in her stance, too much in fear to attack yet unwilling to back away.

 

“Look, missy.” Morgan spoke with a neutral tone, sealing away his contempt he felt for the royals. “Let’s be real here, no one wants to fight.”

 

The Jangmo-o sat down, putting his paws up above his head. “So, how about we don’t? You let us go, and we won’t say a thing about you if we get captured later on. Win-win, right?”

 

“No… I-I– No!” The Kirlia shook her head profusely, firing the shadow ball in her palms at Morgan. The attack bounced off Morgan harmlessly, earning her a quiet snicker from the dragon.

 

“Celeste…” Kirlia continued. “S-She would–”

 

“How would she know?” Alan interrupted, peeking his head out from behind Morgan. “She’s frozen under a mountain of ice right now, blabbering nonsense to no one listening.”

“Your M-Majesty! I–”

 

“Lorenzo wouldn’t care, Melissa is still off crying her eyes out somewhere.” Alan listed off as many members of the royal cabinet as he could remember. “Sharron is still half-dead in the infirmary, and your buddy Astar probably went off hiding already. You can make up anything, and you’ll fit right in.”

 

“So please, just let us be. You and I don’t say a thing, and no one will know.”

 

Kirlia stood in silence for a moment, contemplating. “P-Promise?”

 

“Promise.” Alan replied softly.

 

She nodded her head, vanishing in a bright flash of purple as she teleported away, clearing the way for the two escapees to cross. Both Pokemon breathed a deep sigh of relief as they wordlessly continued on their path, quietly disappearing into the glistening lights of Krux city.

 

Even after escaping the pair kept their pace quick, only occasionally stopping to allow the much younger Vulpix to rest. Morgan led them through the city, adeptly slipping between alleyways and crisscrossing through the tall, well-constructed townhouses and villas. 

 

The surrounding buildings changed quickly, as Morgan led the pair through narrower and narrower streets. The opulent marble villas soon became brick and stone buildings, while the heavily decorated street lamps were replaced by buildingside torchlight.

 

Morgan’s pace gradually quickened as he became more familiar with his surroundings, as the rigid stone buildings soon gave way to an expansive slum. Tiny, densely packed settlements of rusty sheet metal and thick cloth, colors faded by time and weather, lined both sides of the narrow alleyways that snaked around almost at random. No light pierced into the grimy pothole-ridden streets, forcing the Jangmo-o into navigating the chaotic web of pathways with only his memory and intuition.

“S-slow down!” Alan squeaked between his fatigued panting. 

 

“Hang on a bit, kiddo!” Morgan replied with an excited pep to his tone. “We’re nearly there!”

 

Before long the pair arrived at what Alan could only describe as a ruin. The metal roofing was nearly entirely rusted off, while the walls had collapsed in on itself, leaving sharp bits of stone and metal scattered over the dusty ground. 

 

“Morgan. A-Are you sure this is the right place?” Alan asked, looking around wearily.

 

The Jangmo-o ignored Alan’s questioning, jumping into the middle of a pile of rubble to the side, flipping over metal as he dug around. Before too long, Morgan popped his head back out, pointing towards the newly exposed hole under the rubble. 

 

“Ya didn’t think I’d make you sleep out here , did you?” Morgan laughed heartily. 

 

“The building on top is just a front. A disguise, almost.” He explained as he descended into the hole, signaling the Vulpix to follow. “It’s how my family and I kept ourselves safe from thieves and whatever else.”

 

Morgan’s tail drooped slightly upon the mention of his family. He sighed, the rest of his body disappearing into the pitch-black dwelling underneath.

 

Even with his tiny stature, the hole was still a relatively tight fit for the fox. A piece of sheet metal snagged the end of his robe as he entered, turning it into a makeshift door as it slammed shut behind him, blotting out the rest of the already dim moonlight from illuminating the room. Alan panicked, scrambling around and tripping over what he assumed to be Morgan’s body. 

 

“Ah, right. I forgot you can’t see in the dark.” Morgan sighed. He rummaged through something in the darkness, before handing it to the Vulpix. Alan tapped the small object with his paws, attempting to identify it exclusively by feel.

 

Morgan turned around, carefully placing his tail on Alan’s paws. “It’s a match, and that’s my tail. Ya know how to at least use a match, right?”

 

“Y-Yeah, I do.” Alan replied, fumbling around in the darkness as he carefully handled the match.

 

“Just strike the stone on my tail, it’s pretty good for that, heh.”

 

It took a few attempts, coupled with a few silent curses from the Vulpix, but eventually he was able to light the match. Alan still couldn’t see much, barely enough for him to pass the match on to Morgan. He took care of the rest, throwing the tiny flame into a wood-filled crevice beside him. The makeshift fireplace illuminated the room,and Alan was able to relax as his vision returned.

 

The hideout was crude at best, devoid of any furniture save for a massive bed of straw in the middle and a half-shattered mirror to his left. The rough earthen walls and claustrophobically low ceiling were all covered in a layer of dust, the settlement seemingly left untouched for a decently long time. Morgan, however, didn’t seem to mind one bit as he threw himself onto the bed, curling up as his ears flitted in elation.

 

“Sorry… It’s a bit dirty, but it should get the job done for the night…” said Morgan. He patted the straw beside him, a plume of dust swirling around with each movement. 

 

“There’s only one bed. We used to pile up and sleep atop one another to keep ourselves warm in the winter. My family… I mean.” Morgan paused, reminiscing for just a split second. “You don’t mind sleeping on the same bed as me, right?” 

 

Alan broke out of his frozen stupor. “N-No! Not at all!” he stammered, curling up beside the dragon on the bed. “I-I hope I’m not taking up too much space…”

 

“Nawwwh… You’re… good night….” Morgan’s words slurred, eyelids drooping as he let out another yawn. By the time Alan turned to face the dragon he had already drifted off to sleep, leaving the Vulpix alone with his thoughts once more.

 

He’s out cold already… Alan thought. Maybe Necrozma knew I would need him to escape, maybe he planned everything from the start… 

 

“Hey Necrozma. I know you’re listening.” Alan whispered. “We’ve escaped, that’s what you wanted from me, right? I’ll get my memories back like you promised, right?”

 

No response. Worth a shot…

 

He stared at the half-shattered mirror, his reflection blurry from the accumulated dust. His fur was coated in a thin layer of dirt and grime, browning his fur considerably. A few sticks and clumps of mud stuck out of his fluff like a sore thumb, Alan grunted in annoyance as he worked to pull out as much as he could. Somewhere during his escape he had lost his crown, though he had no intention of returning to the castle to find it anytime soon.

 

A wave of fatigue flowed over Alan, his head falling onto the soft straw below. He ignored the grime in his fur as he shifted around and turned to face a fast asleep Morgan, drooling a puddle beneath as he rested.

 

“Good night, Morgan.” Alan yawned. “And thank you… for everything…”

 

---

“Hmm…”

 

Necrozma’s presence flooded Alan’s mind before his mind could even adjust to his surroundings. The Vulpix tensed as he felt his own body materialize on his illusory mental throne. 

 

Before he could settle down he felt a tug, his body grasped by psychic energy as he was lifted off the ground, floating toward the crystalline dragon seated on a similarly shaped throne across the table. 

 

Necrozma hummed curiously, rotating the Vulpix around with his psychic powers. “Intriguing…” 

 

“A-Ah! W-What are you doing?” Alan cried out, struggling in the air as Necrozma inspected him thoroughly.

 

“My powers… They are slowly returning… ” Necrozma seemed relieved, almost. He floated the Vulpix closer so that they met at eye level. “ My strength grows as my influence spreads. It seems your display of my power left a deep impression on those who witnessed it.”

 

The dragon’s multicolored eyes brightened, the purple glow of his psychic powers trapping Alan dissipating as he released his control over the fox, dropping him onto an outstretched claw. 

 

“I am now able to partially manipulate your mental realm. ” Necrozma said, a crown materializing in his other claw. It seemed much more solid than other objects summoned in the past, lacking the illusory glimmer that coated everything else in the fog-filled expanse. He even seemed much stabler himself, his illusory body no longer glitching in and out of existence every few moments. “ In our past encounters, only your perception of this realm could affect your surroundings. Now, however, I hold the ability to control parts of it myself.”

 

“Haven’t you been doing that this whole time?” Alan questioned. “The throne, the table, all those statues… Wasn’t that all you?”

 

“Through illusions, yes. It was relatively simple tricking your mind into believing it was real, truth be told. ” Necrozma admitted. He lowered Alan back onto his throne, placing the newly formed crown atop his head. Alan had entirely forgotten he lost his crown in the first place. “ Do not fret, my dear Alan. There is no point in me abusing my newfound strength. However, this revelation displays my lack of knowledge of this realm…”

 

He paused, digging his claws into the fog to his side.  

 

“…even after all this time in banishment.” Necrozma added bitterly as he rummaged around in the mist. Eventually, he pulled away from the fog, revealing a single dull rock in his grasp.

 

“Banishment?” Alan asked. He knew it was a risky ordeal to continue peppering Necrozma with questions, though this time it felt like he was owed at least some of the basic details.

 

“Cause and effect. Action and reaction. Mistake and punishment. I was once a part of both realms, the physical and the mental. Now I am part of none, aside from yours.”

 

Alan’s ears nervously twitched as he eyed Necrozma. He opened his mouth, yet said nothing as he struggled to find a suitable reply.

 

“My influence, wiped away. My powers, stripped. It was an extreme punishment, yet still a just one. ” Necrozma continued. “ You will find out more in due time, that is an inevitability. For now, however, the terms of our agreement remain the same. Assist me in my escape, and you shall be rewarded grandly.”

 

Necrozma tossed the gone pebble in his hands, the stone landing in front of Alan. The Vulpix poked at it curiously, wisps of golden light emanating from tiny symbols imprinted onto the surface of the rock. 

 

“Ah r-right… Thanks, Necrozma.”

 

“Your servitude has been… admissible. Your contributions are valued.” 

 

Servitude… Heh. Alan chuckled internally. That’s the closest to a thanks I’m gonna get from him…

 

The gone pebble in his paws reacted, blinding Alan as it shattered into dust. The runes once present on the tiny rock were now imprinted onto Alan instead, covering the Vulpix’s snow-white coat in bright, golden runes. 

 

A rush of wind blew around Alan as his vision returned. Necrozma’s form had disappeared, leaving the fox alone as the mist closed in around him. 

 

“Stay with that Jangmo-o. We will discuss your next assignment at a later date.” Necrozma’s disembodied voice rang out from the void, as his presence melted away completely. 

 

The gray fog whirled violently around Alan as the throne he sat on folded upon itself, plunging Alan into the familiar yet bleak nothingness below. Alan shut his eyes, the raging storm above quietening down as his senses dulled. He drifted off as his illusory body dissolved into the surrounding void, returning his mind to the peaceful quiet of the abyss once more.

 

ARC 1 – INTRODUCTIONS || END