ENCAPSULATION — SEGMENT 01

Chapter 10.1

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Encapsulation

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“So…where do we get a voucher…”

 

Vizon looked about the village, walking slowly. Avery kept close to him. He still felt kind of unclean from the swamp water.

 

“… A voucher,” Avery mused quietly, “and maybe a bathhouse or something…”

 

The robe-clad village monk Poke’mon here shied away from greeting either of them. They all whispered to one another as the pair walked between the hay-thatched houses. Off in the distance, Avery could see more trees and, most strikingly, a massive glowing purple dome on the horizon.

 

“Man, this place is kinda weird…” Vizon muttered. “…but let’s just remember what Nivanee taught us in Souljraan.”

 

The Riolu cleared his throat, stepping up onto the porch of one of the houses where a Golduck sat in a chair, pipe in his mouth.

 

“Whatchoo want?” The Golduck asked in a rocky voice. His tone wasn’t annoyed or hostile, just curious.

 

“We’re from the Guild of Arceliaze, here on business for the Conduicy.” Vizon replied. Avery could tell he was doing his best to mimic Nivanee from yesterday. “Who might we talk to about getting a voucher to enter Dovve Fo Uddjo?”

 

The Golduck’s eyes wandered toward the horizon, at the massive glowing purple dome in the distance.

 

“Y’ want in the city of d’ brainy poke’mon, ey?” He responded, huffing a breath of smoke. “Only one poke’mon takes care o’ that. Big Shiftry up on d’ ridge.”

 

He pointed up, guiding Vizon’s gaze to a small patch of raised ground behind them. There, up a short cliff of dirt was a set of houses, porches perched over the edge. Even up there, Poke’mon stared curiously down at the Arceliaze pair.

 

“… Thank you,” Avery said with a little nod. “So at least we know where to get the voucher…!”

 

As Avery looked around, he couldn’t help but notice how…different this place was from both Arceliaze and Souljraan. Souljraan seemed almost like a farming town, but… if someone were to ask me where the income to this town comes from I wouldn’t be able to say. The trees all looked dead – there was this green stuff hanging off of some of the branches that…looked like foliage, but ‘looked’ was a strong word. The houses looked both old and haphazardly built at the same time.

 

‘I know they’re monks, but…is this place really comfortable to live in? I suppose so if they’re all happy here.’

 

Vizon nodded as well, making tracks across the village with Avery in tow, the both of them going up a path to the top of the cliff. The cliff didn’t seem hand-carved, more hand-cultivated, as if natural landslides and erosion had been subtly guided to form a path over one hundred years.

 

The both of them reached the top, finding three large houses. In front of the centermost one, a Shiftry was indeed standing, looking out toward the Shallow Marsh.

 

“Arceliaze Guild?” The shiftry spoke without looking at them. He seemed to be eying the new large body of water that was forming in Shallow Marsh’s new massive hole. “Can I be safe in assumin’ d’ racket n’ noise was you? Hopefully takin’ those Mud Boys wit ’em.”

 

“That was us, yes,” Avery said, looking up at him. “We, uh…arrested the Mud Boys. Twenty of them. Did they do that to everyone trying to get through the Shallow Marsh…?”

 

“Any an’ everyone.” The Shiftry confirmed. “Madness, ain’t it? Few disgruntled, banished monks deciding to take to banditry and gangs than gettin’ closer ta Arceus. If it weren’t fer what going on at th’ River Delta maybe we coulda mounted something t’ shoo away d’ swamp crawlers.”

 

The old Shiftry sighed, shaking his head.

 

“Used to be we’d just ask the Geodude we hired to take care of these issues ‘fore they got too big. But now that he’s gone these issues have festered n’ blossomed into d’ insurmountable issues we face t’day.”

 

Vizon hissed, listening.

 

“Rikzyod…” He muttered. “Maybe we should have brought him if this is his mess he left behind.”

 

“Ah, I’m sorry to hear that…what’s happening at The River Delta…?” Avery asked, deciding to make an offer. “Maybe we could get some help down here, if we bring the issue back to the guild? I don’t want people’s lives being made harder just because of the absence of a formal guard-“

 

“Hm! We had sent for the guild. I was under d’ impressed we’d have a team help us wit d’ River Delta yesterday, a Torchic an’ a Squirtle. And yet here I see a Riolu and a Plusle instead, a day late.” The Shiftry clicked his tongue, smiling mysteriously. “How about that?”

 

The Riolu sighed, the Shiftry answering Avery’s initial question.

 

“As fer what’s going on at River Delta, it’s same as it always is. This brigand or cult o’ Nidos come up from Quayoff have been trying to muscle in on d’ farm lands t’ make it their home for years. Now that nobody’s stopped them, they finally gone and done it.”

 

He stepped around Avery and Vizon both, pointing toward the horizon. From here they could see the river delta, how a flow of water from the marsh flowed and cascaded into smaller rivers, making a grand expanse of fertile land. Avery could barely make out buildings and squares of farming area dotting the rolling hills and riversides.

 

“We don’ know where they keep coming from, their numbers jus’ keep growing. They attract Nidos from all over d’ continent to join their ‘lil commune, right on our land. Bunch of farmers who were out there when the Nidos overran the place an’ ain’t never come back.”

 

He paused, looking back at the pair, the look in his eye making Vizon stand upright at once.

 

“Y’ both want something, don’t you? Only reason Taeriana got a pair of visitors?” The Shiftry asked. A smile crossed his face. “Don’t be shy, now, ’tis d’ way of things. I’d not be so naïve as t’ think a small swamp village of deprived living monks would be a high priority for any organization in d’ guild. So what really brings you t’ Taeriana?”

 

“…There’s a matter of…a lot of importance that concerns all of Arcea,” Avery said. “…The Guildmaster wants to get help from someone into Dove Fo Uddjo. But from what  I know the city is pretty exclusive; they won’t let anyone in without an invitation. We were told to come here to ask for one.”

 

“And right you’d be. We get many an aristocrat comin’ by this quiet lil’ village for vouchers, Either buying or by request of someone high up at Dovve Fo Uddjo.” The Shiftry chuckled. “Strange lot, those psychic Poke’mon, picking a village of monks from Quayoff to doll out their passes while under their protection. I s’pose it’s just another of their riddles, and they do be havin’ a million of them.”

 

The Shiftry paused a moment, smiling wide, leaning in. Vizon cocked an eyebrow, leaning away.

 

“Well…what luck, Arceus blesses us both.” The Shiftry said. “Y’ see, these vouchers tend to go for millions of coins a piece. Even on what the guild pays you I doubt you have that kind of money, yeah?”

 

Vizon gently shook his head, squirming. “Millions…” He muttered in disbelief. “…is Dovve Fo Uddjo really worth that…?”

 

“But…” The Shiftry continued. “Perhaps it turns out we be running a special, 100% discount on as many o’ the things you want to whomever gets rid of the Nidos in the River Delta? Gets us our farmland and family back and you get free passes into Dovve Fo Uddjo. How’s that fer fair trade?”

 

Vizon hummed thoughtfully, looking to Avery, whispering.

 

“Avery…what do you think…? I mean, come on, we handled those Mud Boys…well enough.” Vizon leaned in, looking…excited, almost, for another adventure. Avery was almost amazed Vizon could even feel that way after the harrowing experience they just had already. “If the whole guild and the elites are on high priority tasks by the Conduit we might be the only ones who can come out here…”

 

Avery took a breath, clenching his fists and looking out at the delta. 

 

“…How would someone go about fixing that…? If there’s so many of them out there, then…I mean even if we kick them out, they have to go somewhere, right…? And those farmers that aren’t coming back…”

 

Avery  sighed. It was an unfortunate set of circumstances.

 

“But…even if we did have a choice over it,” the Plusle continued, looking up at Vizon. “I think…this isn’t something we can’t just leave. I don’t know if I feel good about just kicking them out without giving them someplace else to go, but…we can return the Delta to you Taeriana. Or we can give it our best shot..!”

 

“Why…?” Vizon asked, thoughtfully. “You think they’re, like…squatters? Homeless?”

 

The Riolu was quiet only for a moment before turning back to the Shiftry.

 

“Alright…we’ll do it! Team Azure always does their best!” Vizon cheered.

 

Not quite as professional as Nivanee, but surely the earnestness was encouraging. The Shiftry’s face hardly shifted, that same neutral smile on his face.

 

“We do appreciate it. Those farmlands are important t’ us, they be d’ only source of food an’ health we have in Taeriana. Th’ food stores are sure t’ run dry soon…”

 

Vizon nodded, though Avery caught a glimpse of beads of sweat forming on his forehead. It was certainly a lot of pressure.

 

“Now then, a care package. What little we can offer to d’ guild to help…”

 

The Shifty produced a small bag with some items inside, full of oran and pecha berries

 

“Poison’s common here in d’ swamps an’ rivers. An’ it can be frightening, whittling down a Poke’mon’s ’til they’re nothing.” Shiftry lifted two more Pecha berries to the both of them. “Take these now, t’ recover from y’affliction, and don’t be stingy with Pecha berries. Be y’ sick, then cure yourself.”

 

Vizon nodded, eating one of the pecha berries and handing the other to Avery.

 

“Well…is there anything else?” Avery asked, swallowing.

 

“Nothin’ but the deed.” Shiftry responded, stepping aside. “I’ll say now, on behalf of every starving man and woman here in Taeriana, thank you. We hope to get news of y’success very soon.”

 

Vizon nodded quietly, not having much a response to that. The pressure still weighed heavy on him, it seemed. This wasn’t just adventure, Poke’mon’s livelihoods were at stake. The pair were all that stood between this humble village and famine. Avery was starting to feel the pressure as well, bit by bit.

 

“Well…” Vizon muttered to Avery and to himself. “…what’s another band of hooligans? It’s not our first. Just some hooligans.”

 

Avery nodded, smiling and trying to match Vizon’s outlook, the confidence.

 

“…Yeah. And…even if we fail today…we’ll be back tomorrow, to try again. And…we’ll keep on trying until the Delta’s given back to the people of Taeriana.” Avery said, even puffing his chest a little to drive home the confidence.

 

It seemed to brighten Vizon up at once.

 

“And,” Avery added, “as a bonus mission, maybe we could try and find a place for the Nidos to live instead! So they don’t have to encroach on these guys’ farmland, either.”

 

“Yeah, like a jail cell…” Vizon muttered, though it seemed more just to himself, as though he were trying to psyche himself up with aloof one-liners.

 

He sighed, trudging forward quietly, moving back down the cliff trail, weaving between the crude and simple building and back into the Foliage. It was thinner here, obviously culled and cultivated for easier travel down south to the River Delta. To the east, that mysterious opaque glowing purple dome, Dove Fo Uddjo, loomed, taunting the both of them. Vizon said nothing, but he didn’t need to.

 

It was, at this point, his personal mission to not fail the guild and to get them in that city.

 

He broke his gave from the dome, focusing ahead. Between the trees, he could see it: A few structures rising from flat and fertile riverbed land.

 

Far south, dark clouds loomed beyond the border in Quayoff, a haze of rainfall in the distance. There were quiet rumbles of distant thunder. They were very close to the border by this point.

 

Soon, they both found a pathway, taking it as it led them closer to the farmlands, wood fences greeting them, until…

 

 

Water flowed in rivulets between islands of land. Pine trees rustled their nettles in damp, cool air as it blew across.

 

The path was flanked by wood fencing, set up by the Taeriana villagers, no doubt. Vizon looked to the side, seeing the path moving toward some brush, placed seemingly for decoration.

 

“C’mon Avery. How hard can this be? We’ve taken on 20 or even more swamp Poke’mon, how many Hooligans can this possibly be?”

 

“…Viz,” The Plusle said, looking up at him with a wince. “You can’t say that, you’re going to jinx it-!”

 

Avery looked ahead at the delta, taking a deep breath.

 

“More seriously though…they’ve had a lot of time to settle in here. We don’t know how long exactly they’ve been having this problem, but it’s at least been since Rik left the guard, and he’d been working with the Onyx Brothers for a while now.” Avery shook his head, glancing back at Vizon. “I don’t know if it’s wise to underestimate these guys the way we underestimated the Mud Boys.”

 

“Underestimate? No no, but I can’t be pessimistic. Neither of us can!” Vizon looked back towards the brush they approached. “If we start thinking it’s insurmountable and impossible then it WILL be to us! We can’t give up.”

 

Vizon put a hand on the bush leaves.

 

“That…seems like something Nivanee woukd say…!”

 

Vizon smiled, throwing aside the bush, the full of the river delta coming into view.

 

“Now c’mon Avery! Let’s go get….those…N-nido…”

 

The words slowly died in his mouth as he saw…

 

 

On the horizon he saw towering structures, imposing towers, all framing the shadow of a what looked like a massive castle or fortress. The swath of towering buildings was surrounded by a high fence, the only entrance flanked by two terrifying looking watchtowers. The watchtowers shone spotlights down on the outside, sweeping the area.

 

And here Team Azure stood at the back of a long, long line of Nidorans, Nidorinas and Nidorinos, all queued for the secured, imposing gate.

 

Here were the hoodlums.

 

“…Arceus…” Vizon breathed in horror.

 

“…Ah.” Avery swallowed.

 

The line move forward by one.

 

“Yeah, uh… I don’t… Know if we can brute force this one-” Avery said, his eyes taking in the…sheer amount of Nidos here.

 

‘How…how in the hell are we supposed to uproot this?! They’ve…this isn’t a weed, this is a tree! They’ve absolutely put down roots here…!’

 

Vizon fiddled with his hands, slowly shrinking back, shaking. Ahead, there was a clear divide between what buildings had been build by Taeriana and which were crudely thrown together with thin and rickety wood. Swaying towers loomed over a seemingly half finished security checkpoint.

 

The Nidorina in the back looked behind herself, cocking an eyebrow, making Vizon jump as they were noticed. She had on what seemed a pair of crude spectacles and a satchel full of papers hugged to her chest.

 

“What kinda Nidos are you supposed to be?”

 

“Oh, uh…!” Avery looked up at Vizon for some sort of guidance, then back to her. “We’re…not Nidos, just…what’s…what is all this? This looks like a whole…whole operation going on…what are those towers?”

 

“Whaaat?!” The Nidorina shifted around nervously. “What’re you doing here, then? This is supposed to be Nido-only territory…!”

 

“Uhm…” Vizon’s bravado was vanished. “This…this isn’t…”

 

The Nidorina ignored him, turning to Avery.

 

“It’s the Nido Kingom, a safe and luxurious place for any Nidorans, Nidorinas, the whole lot to come by and have fun! At least that’s what the brochure I got in the mail said.”

 

The Nidorina took a sheet of paper from her satchel, presenting it to the pair.

 

 

---

KUM “TOO” NIDO KINGD-

OM

 

Very fun! Nidos only!

 

Not a secret empire bent on conquest*

---

 

Avery scratched his head, looking down at the flyer.

 

“… That, uh…” He looked up at the shoddy towers, then at the flyer. “…they cut off the word ‘kingdom’…? Uh…that’s some odd…fine print too. You said you got this in the mail? What’s your name? Where are you from originally?”

 

“Me? Oh, yes, Jolvia, loan manager at One Truth Bank in Arceliaze.” The Nidorina put her hand out for him to shake, which he did. “Or, well, I was. Now I’ll be a loans manager in the Nido Kingdom! Maybe now I’ll get a little respect, surrounded by my peers, doing work in a kingdom just for me-“

 

The line ahead of her began moving. She jumped, running after them, Vizon following after her with Avery in tow.

 

“All my friends quit their jobs to come here! No other Pokémon to bug us, just us Nidos!”

 

Avery frowned a little.

 

“Are… Are Nidos particularly discriminated against..?” Avery asked, glancing at Vizon who only shrugged.

 

“Oh please, I had a high ranking position in a major bank and still only affording table scraps in the X-Eye district.” This Nidorina’s voice was…nasally, but also fairly loud, no doubt a bunch of others could eavesdrop on the conversation easily. She pushed up her glasses. “It’s always poison types. I bet I only got as far as I did because of my looks…”

 

Vizon coughed. Jolvia took no notice and continued.

 

“But no more ramshackle x-eye brick apartment for this girl, nu-uh. Now I’m going to have my own house and-“

 

The line moved again, Jolvia pausing to scuttle over and catch up. Closer and closer they came towards that ominous gate.

 

“-and my own land and luxurious food and-“

 

“Um…” Avery cut in, looking worried. “Do…you know whether this kingdom has a bank? Or a ruler? Or…a…form of Government at all…?”

 

“Er, does it have a bank?” Jolvia replied, thinking hard, biting her lip. “Well…If not I’ll make one! But I mean, it surely has a government considering it’s a kingdom! You can’t just call something a ‘kingdom’ if it’s really just a gaggle of morons falling for a scam, that’s probably illegal!”

 

“Look, I’m sorry…” Avery began. “It sounds really rough what you had back in Arceliaze. I just… I dunno, isn’t it… They, uh… Misspelled ‘come’, didn’t they? On the flyer?”

 

‘Odd that my Arceus Eyes directly translates misspellings too.’

 

“And… Yeah, scams are generally pretty illegal. So… So is stealing land-” Avery frowned in thought. How was he going to tackle this? “I just, uh, I’m not going to claim I’m a history buff, but… Don’t you need royal blood to have a kingdom? And historical precedence? I…I’ve never heard of a kingdom south of Taeriana before. Not on any maps or… Official documentation I’ve seen.”

 

“Stealing land is perfectly legal if you call it ‘repossession’!” Jolvia replied happily. The line moved again, the looming towers getting closer. “But I dunno…maybe the kingdom is new? And what of bloodlines? Name me ONE thing passed down by blood in Arcea-“

 

“The Arceliaze guildmaster title.” Vizon replied.

 

“-Name me TWO things-“

 

“The Conduicy.”

 

“-NAME ME THREEE THINGS PASSED BY-“

 

“Look, hang on…are we going to be allowed in?” Vizon asked, looking at the towers as their searchlights scanned the area. Jolvia eyed the gate then the both of them.

 

“Oh…no they’d never let you in…Nidos only, it says so on the flyer!” she looked over her shoulder then leaned close. “Why? You need inside?”

 

“… The truth is,” Avery said with a sigh, “This land was stolen from the Taeriana farmers a few weeks or a month ago. Taeriana’s really starting to suffer from being choked out of their farmland, and…”

 

Avery paused, looking ahead and the long, long line of Nidos queued up to enter the ‘Kingdom’.

 

“…I don’t want to turn all these Nidos looking for a better life away, but there’s got to be a better way to do that than actively participating in a Ponzi scheme-slash-land speculation thing, right…?”

 

“Whaaaat? But that can’t be!” Jolvia said aloud. “This is all perfectly legal and a-okay!!!”

 

She looked around, making sure anyone listening heard that. Confirming nobody was staring she leaned in, hissing harsly, her nasally voice deepening.

 

“You trying to get killed? Are you seeing this? Don’t say that kind of thing too loud.” She snapped quietly, looking over her shoulder. “I’m auditing this place, I know it’s illegal, we needed a scope of how bad it is.”

 

“…. oh-” Avery stiffened, Vizon biting his lip and keeping his own mouth shut. Jolvia reached in her satchel, pulling out two iron spikes, shoving them in the pair’s hands.

 

“Here. Tie these to your head and be cool.” She quietly commanded. “These country bumpkims aren’t the brightest nidos, and I could use the guild backing me up.”

 

Avery looked at the spikes, blinking.

 

‘Is… is this going to actually work?’

 

‘… Well. In for a penny.’

 

Avery and Vizon took the spikes, and quickly tied them to the tops of their heads. Jolvia nodded at the both of them, straightening up.

 

“Oh GOSH I can’t WAIT to get inside and have all kinds of fun!”

 

Vizon and Avery silently nodded, trying to be as casual as possible as they followed the line right up to the gates. The towers loomed threateningly, the spotlights right on the three of them.

 

Vizon tensed, sweating.

 

Then the spotlights moved on. Nothing unusual spotted.

 

Both he and Jolvia let out a sigh of relief as they all approached the checkpoint.

 

“Clear…” Avery heard the guard at the gate wave ahead a Nidoran.

 

Jolvia stepped forward, facing the Nidorino in the booth.

 

“I’ll need to see your papers.”

 

Jolvia nodded, handing the pamphlet to the guard as well as three cards.

 

“This is an invitation that includes a plus two.” The guard hissed. A few other armored guard Nidos looked and stared, but Jolvia didn’t flinch.

 

She did, however, grab Avery and Vizon’s hands.

 

“Of course. I’m here with my siblings, Avery and Vizon.” She said, presenting them both. Vizon’s fake horn was somewhat lopsided. Avery glanced briefly at the Nidorina.

 

‘…wait, did we even tell her our…?’

 

His thought was broken by the voice of the guard.

 

“Eugh…ugly Nidos…” the guard muttered, the other armored Nidos snickering. “Are you three combat-ready? The Nido army is performing random conscription and your name came up.”

 

“Me? Oh no, I’m just a bank teller, and my siblings both have incurable cases.” Jolvia said with a sympathetic look on her face. “Why just look at their deformed, misshapen bodies.”

 

The guard cringed, looking at Avery and Vizon.

 

“Eugh, fine, just get ’em out of here.” The guard spat, shoving the papers back into Jolvia’s hands. “Clear.”

 

‘…rude.’

 

The gates opened, Jolvia waving the pair to follow as the gate closed behind them, giving them access to the Nido kingdom. Avery gave Vizon a quick look, and…just like that, they were inside. He slowed down, keeping a hold on Jolvia’s hand until she let go, and took in this…’kingdom’. Avery’s heart was almost doing palpitations, but he knew he couldn’t afford to be scared here.

 

Jolvia sighed, looking about the kingdom, Nidos passing to and fro between buildings.

 

Though it was hardly casual gaits. Everyone was rushed and hurried by the cold stare of guards men.

 

“ANNOUNCEMENT TO ALL BROTHERS AND SISTERS OF THE NEW NIDO REPUBLIC.” A booming voice rolled between the buildings, a herald amplified. “INACTION IS COMPLIANCE, COMPLIANCE TO CONSPIRACY IS TREASON. REPORT ALL ILLEGAL COUNTERBEHAVIOR COMPLICIT WITH GROUP ‘ANTIDOTES’ TO A GUARDSMEN IMMEDIATELY. GLORY TO THE NIDOS.”

 

Vizon shook his head, huddled close to Avery. Even inside the walls, guard towers stood rickety above, shining spotlights on the streets. The streets were crude, paths of dumped gravel snaking between farmhouses, grain stores and other farming buildings now turned to shoddy housing.

 

“ALL NEW CITIZENS, REPORT TO DRAFT REGISTRATION AND COLLECT YOUR CITIZEN’S IDENTIFICATION. A TRUE CITIZEN ALWAYS COMPLIES WITH THE AUDIT.”

 

“We should’ve had someone down here a long time ago…” Jolvia muttered.

 

“Avery, what’re we going to do?” Vizon stammered, staring wide eyed at everything surrounding him. “This is insane…! I don’t…even know where to start…”

 

“Hey, keep calm,” Avery said, patting Vizon’s paw. “We can’t afford to act…aberrant. We already look aberrant.”

 

In truth, Avery’s own heart was threatening to beat out of his chest. He was terrified of being noticed. But he had to keep pressing on.

 

“I guess it’d be a little ambitious to start at the top…” Avery sighed. “How long have they had to do this…?”

 

“The nuts and bolts of the idea started and festered in north Quayoff.” Jolvia explained, her voice measured even as she pantomimed the awkward gait of an unassuming pencil pusher. “Of course, Quayoff actually keeps track of and breaks up criminal groups like that, whereas in Arcean villages, like Taeriana, regularly fall through the bureaucratic cracks. They could have been setting this up for years. Thank goodness for their makeshift farms and food stores, but it’s been too long since someone checked up on this place…”

 

Vizon took Avery’s hand, following Jolvia as she moved towards a splintered wood fence.

 

“Look down there….” She said, pointing down. Below, past the gate and deep in a dug-out space, a hoard of Nidos stood in neat rows and columns in massive blocks. Organized. A proper army.

 

And at the front…stood a Nidoking

 

“…Shit-” Avery whispered. “Shit, this is…this is huge.”

 

He squeezed Vizon’s hand. Avery was really starting to feel it now.

 

They were in over their heads.

 

“Soldiers~!!” The Nidoking at the front of his army spoke, his voice pompous and royal, almost a sing-song tone. Jolvia leaned against the fence, watching with a serious look on her face. “The Queen and I are quite pleased, mhmhm, QUITE pleased with the grand force we’ve amassed here to make our glorious kingdom even more ‘safe’!”

 

There was a murmur among the soldiers. Jolvia’s eyes squinted.

 

“But now~!” The Nidoking continued. “We look to make our kingdom even lovelier! From humble beginnings in Quayoff we’ve now taken this River Delta as our capital! And the kingdom shall from henceforth only expand. Take more land, resources and Poke’mon for the grand cause of the Nidos~!”

 

Avery looked and could see them: non-Nido Poke’mon, yokes and chains on their bodies, fanning the Nidoking with giant palm branches.

 

The Taeriana villagers…! Made into slaves.

 

“And there! At the center of this grand Nido empire shall be me!” The Nidoking raised a fist, bellowing. “YOUR NEW EMPEROR OF ALL TULAAN! FROM ARCEA TO ILLAMINAMO AND EVEN QUAYOFF! ALL OF IT, TO THE NIDOS~!”

 

The soldiers in the back stomped, the rest of the army leaping into applause.

 

“Look…close.” Jolvia whispered, nodding her head toward the army.

 

Though they cheered, it seemed…desperate…scared. The murmuring continued amid the faux applause.

 

“I suppose this has crossed a line for everyone…” She mused, Vizon looking at her.

 

“…what’s that supposed to mean? This…they’re all bad guys aren’t they?”

 

Jolvia snorted, as if told a bad joke.

 

“An army of victims, spearheaded by two villains. That Nidoking and his Nidoqueen wife, only known as ‘Emperor’ and ‘Empress’.”

 

“I, uh…don’t think it’s as binary as good guys and bad guys, Viz,” Avery concurred, whispering. Vizon frowned at that. “This is…this is a serious operation. There’s…there’s slavery going on here. Intimidation.”

 

‘If we get caught-‘

 

Avery shook away the thought. It wasn’t the time for that.

 

“…If we’re going to take this down, I don’t think we can blitz it. Even bringing the whole guild down on them could…go badly.” Avery furrowed his brow. “…I don’t know how we’re going to dismantle this, but…we can’t just leave this alone. Even with the shoddy flyers, I don’t think underestimating these guys is a good idea.”

 

“And you’d be right.” Jolvia spoke. Vizon looked up at her as she stared down at the rows of army Nidos, the mass marching in organized lines down out of the gathering site. Behind them, soldiers marched up and down the gravel pathways in patrols.

 

The look on Jolvia’s face…she didn’t look like some pencil pusher. She looked in Avery’s direction, smiling mysteriously as a contingent of soldiers passed.

 

“Thankfully, the work may yet be mostly already done.” She said. She reached into her satchel, shakily taking a pipe out and lighting it, puffing. It was clear her nerves were wracked, yet she hid it relatively well. “Look around. Citizens scared. Soldiers marching up and down the street. Is this the image of a healthy, sustainable republic to you? This much security means they’re paranoid of something, deeply, and paradise is starting to crumble.”

 

She let out a cloud of smoke in a deep sigh, perking her ears.

 

“And if you listen close, you may just hear your opportunity…”

 

“CITIZEN REMINDER.” The voice bellowed across the street, making even guards jump. “REPORT ALL SUSPICIOUS BEHAVIOR AND POSSIBLE COMPLICITY OR COLLABORATION WITH GROUP ‘ANTIDOTES’. FAILURE WILL RESULT IN ASSUMED CONSPIRACY WITH ANTIDOTES, PUNISHABLE WITH FULLEST EXTEND OF OUR EMPEROR’S WRARH.”

 

Jolvia grinned, puffing her pipe.

 

“…Antidotes,” Avery whispered. “Group ‘Antidotes’…T-this kingdom’s progressed so much it has freedom fighters-?”

 

“The pipeline from cult to oppressive regime with rebellion is a short one if the leaders are ambitious with no competency to back it up. Takes no time at all, really.” Jolvua rolled the pipe in her mouth. Avery hissed under his breath.

 

“How did the guild not notice this sooner…?” Avery asked, shaking his head at the scope of it all. “W-we weren’t even…”

 

‘We weren’t sent down here for this. This is a sidequest.‘

 

“…Alright, so…these guys. If they’re trying to avoid notice, they’re not going to be out on the main thoroughfare with a big colorful banner.”

 

“You’re right, conspirators only make their movement known to trusted parties.” Jolvia looked back at Avery, looking him up and down.

 

She leaned in, a flat, unreadable expression on her face, as though her crimson eyes were drinking in every minute detail of Avery’s expression and body language.

 

“You mention the guild…Team Azure, right?” Jolvia asked. “Fresh face at the guild…only just starting to make waves. Hard to tell what kind of team you even are…would you be a trusted party, you think?”

 

“…dunno,” Avery said, looking up at the iron spike clumsily attached to his head. “What about you? Loan manager for the One Truth Bank…”

 

‘She wasn’t a loan manager.’

 

“Though I guess the fact that we’re here and we aren’t Nidos would probably tell the…you-know-whos something.”

 

Jolvia smiled. Totally unreadable. Professional.

 

“I’m already expected to arrive by a party of interest. So I’d say I’m trusted. And, by extension, you might also be trusted.” She puffed her pipe. Vizon stared at her suspiciously. “You seem like good kids, I’d be willing to work with you…if your previous work is anything to go by, you’d be of big help in this issue with the Nido Kingdom.”

 

“We’ve only been in the guild for…what, a few days? Most publications don’t even know we joined, let alone our track record” Vizon blurted, fed up with the mysterious talk. “Who are you really? Is your name even Jolvia?’

 

“Is your name even Vizon?” Jolvia countered, raising her eyebrows with a smile. “Is our little ghost here even named ‘Avery’? We’re only who we tell others we are.”

 

“You’re dodging the question.”

 

“Indeed I am. I’ve told you already that I’m simply a loan manager here to perform an audit with my collections team.”

 

“And are inciting rebellions part of normal audit work?”

 

Jolvia snickered, twirling the pipe in her hand.

 

“How many loan audits have you performed, kid? Do you mean to give me pointers?”

 

Vizon didn’t reply. Jolvia simply put the pipe back in her mouth, making her way across the street.

 

“Come then, I’d be willing to gamble on the well-meaning. This way, please.”

 

Avery and VIzon lagged behind, the Plusle leaning over to his partner.

 

“… So she’s obviously not who she says she is,” Avery whispered to Vizon. “But…her goals align with ours for now. So even if we…don’t know who she is… I think it’s worth it to go along with her.”

 

“Are you sure? What if she’s on the bad guy’s side?” Vizon retorted. “Like, she could be double crossing us right now to those Nidos…I’m not even sure on these Antidotes I just…”

 

Vizon let out a shaky sigh, staring up at the massive watch towers.

 

“…I’m scared, Avery.”

 

“…Me too.” Avery looked up at him. “…But…we’re in the deep end. It’s…”

 

Deep breaths. In. Out.

 

“It’s sink or swim…you know?”

 

“That…doesn’t make me feel better…”

 

Vizon was shaking a little…then he took Avery’s hand.

 

“Can you lead…?” Vizon asked.

 

‘…Big ask for the amnesiac.’

 

Avery nodded.

 

“Let’s follow Jolvia for now. We’ll…we’ll see what we can do. We…”

 

Deeeeep breaths.

 

“We’re Team Azure, remember?”

 

Vizon took a deep breath, tightly squeezing Avery’s hand.

 

“We never give up.” He spoke, as firmly as he could.

 

With that, they both followed Jolvia, the Nidorina waiting for them down the street.

 

Chapter 10.1

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Encapsulation

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