LOCKDOWN — SEGMENT 02

Chapter 30.2

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Lockdown

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With a bit of haste, Jolvia guided Avery into the plaza in front of the office building. There, sat in front of the building, was a massive iron statue of a ship atop crashing waves. Avery caught sight of the plaque as they walked around.

 

OLD VIGILENCE

MAY SHE SAIL THE GRAND EVERMORE

BRAVELY AND BOLDLY

THAT NONE NEED FOLLOW IN HER WAKE

– 5T24 –

 

Jolvia stepped up onto the stairs. Nobody stood at the doors. There were no scented ditto-flushers here.

 

“Mm…I know the Water Pearl is priority one but it’s strange the elites don’t seem to even bother with the high captain…” Jolvia said, stepping up to the wood chevron-patterned door and pushing it open. “I’d have thought the man in charge of the port would be worth giving some protection, given the situation…”

 

Avery straightened his back. He…didn’t have time to mope again.

 

“That’s red flag two,” Avery muttered with a little nod, looking up at Jolvia. “One was that Pinsir. He didn’t say a word, did you notice that…? Like, he was sick, but… It was just grunts and everything.”

 

He sighed.

 

“…I want to talk more about this whole…thing but we promised to keep things fast. Plus, like I said. This feels… Like an almost ‘gotcha’. ‘Boy, you Team Azure types would abandon a Pearl just like that? How unprofessional.'”

 

Jolvia snorted with a small smile.

 

“Honestly, Avery, given the way they act, I think the Elites couldn’t care less about us so long as we’re out of the way.” Jolvia said with a sigh as she stepped into the reception hall.

 

As Jolvia closed the door, the two of them saw a short entryway leading to a reception desk. The inside had colorful murals painted upon the walls, squarish tassels hanging from the ceiling, and a brightly garish chevron pattern upon the carpet.

 

Jolvia stepped in, the carpet extremely plush beneath their feet. The inside was…very quiet, but not unoccupied. A handful of Poke’mon were here, upon benches, dressed in fancy suits alike. There was even a receptionist at the desk, an Audino.

 

Yet none of them tended to their business. Instead, they all looked out the windows, at the passing squads of army patrols and elites as they marched up and down empty stone streets. They whispered to one another in worried and hushed tones.

 

The atmosphere…was tense.

 

Avery sighed, moving up to the desk.

 

“… Excuse me, miss? We’ve been summoned by the High Captain. “

 

The Audino behind the desk, turn to face Avery, looking startled, gasping.

 

“Oh…! An appointment?!” She stammered, staring at the Plusle. After a moment she turned her head down, rummaging through her things, clearly…unprepared.

 

Finally, she extracted a book, cracking it open…and grimaced.

 

“Well…considering every other appointment got canceled…looks like High Captain Olkus is totally free today…!” She laughed, uneasy, taking a pen. “May I get your names?”

 

“Jolvia, Team Azure.” The Nidorina stated.

 

“Avery, Team Azure,” The Plusle said, a little…unnerved. “Why, uh… Was everything cancelled-“

 

He stopped himself, looking out of the windows, and at the suits doing the same thing. Avery sighed a little. It was pretty evident why every appointment was cancelled.

 

“Oh wooow, Team Azure?? Hey, I heard about you guys! Love hearing about all the crazy stuff you get up to!” The Audino said excitedly, scribbling their names into her book. “Gosh, I didn’t know you’d be in town today, how nice! Good to have something nice right now…”

 

Jolvia chuckled at that.

 

“… Oh-!” Avery blinked, surprised. “Well, um… It’s nice to meet you then! Yeah, we’ll be just in and out I think! Thank you…!”

 

It was nice to meet someone who knew about their team…! Avery sometimes just…forgot that people watched them and the things we did. Though…

 

‘The fact that she called the things we did ‘crazy’ does put into perspective how often we’ve had Azure Twists.’

 

The receptionist giggled to herself, jotting down a few last notes.

 

“Alrighty!” The Audino said, motioning to the door on her left with a smile. “Captain’s right up the stairs and through the first door y’see! Oh and do mind his temper, he’s got a medical condition, don’tchaknow, so please don’t agitate him too much…!”

 

Avery gave her a little wave, and nodded to Jolvia. Up the stairs, down the hall. Jolvia followed close behind as they made their way up to the door. The walls were lined with model ships and plaques and old photos showing boats and crews.

 

And there, at the end, was a set of double doors. An Elite was here, a Krookodile, in a white and red coat that looked a bit more rubbery. He was leaned against the wall, eyebrows furrowed as he watched Avery and Jolvia stepped up.

 

The Elite pushed from the wall, idly pulling out another ditto-flusher capsule to release the putrid stench before quickly putting it away. Then he simply leaned back against the wall, paying the pair little mind.

 

Seemed they did get at least one guy out here. Even if he didn’t seem all that caring about this post in particular.

 

Given the Elite’s silent approval, Avery stepped up and knocked upon the wood door.

 

There was a shout from the other side.

 

“OI. WHO’S THAT AT MY DOOR?!”

 

The Krookodile winced, as did Jolvia.

 

“… Uhm…It’s Team Azure,” Avery said through the door. “I believe you sent us a letter asking us to visit you across the street? If this is a mistake we can go…!”

 

He gave Jolvia a quick look at that, feeling worried at that.

 

“WHAT?!”

 

There was a shuffle from behind the door. Jolvia side-eyed Avery as well, the same worried look on her face, matching his own.

 

“Well BLAST IT, Come in, already!!”

 

Jolvia looked back toward the door, clearly looking a bit…hesitant.

 

“…Can’t refuse a direct order from the captain,” Avery mumbled towards her, reaching up to the doorknob and…

 

… Slowly….

 

… Pushing the door…

 

… open-

 

He peeked inside.

 

 

Through the open door, he saw a simple room with little in the way of decoration. Nothing but carpet, desk, a large window and whatever small furnishings were scattered around the room.

 

For the leader of Yahneri Port, a city as colorful and vibrant as Avery had seen so far…it seemed a little…

 

…drab.

 

The Chesnaught that towered behind the desk, no doubt High Captain Olkus, furrowed his brow.

 

“Don’t just PEEK IN, now, my boy! Get IN here! And close the sodding door! Where in the world you from, Souljraan?” He spat, literally. “Now speak up! Who you say you are again?! Me hearin’s not what it once was…!”

 

That much was certainly clear. Jolvia’s ears were already folded back. Avery gave Jolvia a quick look, and stepped inside, allowing the Nidorina in behind him before he shut the door.

 

Avery didn’t want to shout at the guy. He still hadn’t… Recognized them yet.

 

“My name is Avery of Team Azure.” The Plusle stepped up towards the Chestnaught, having to crane his neck to look the High Captain in the eye. “This is Jolvia, of the same. I was under the impression you wrote us a letter asking for us?”

 

“‘Amy Love, Team Of Your’??? Of your what, boy?!” Olkus shouted. Jolvia huffed, rolling her eyes.

 

The Nidorina patted Avery’s arm, puffing out her chest to show off her glimmering golden badge. Immediately, a look of recognition crossing the Chestnaught’s face.

 

“Guild, are you?? Team Of Your?” The Chestnaught shrugged with a grunt. “Fine, what brings you to Yahneri Port, Amy? What brings you to my door?! Speak up, consarn it! Young ones and your quiet mumbling, can’t stand it!”

 

Avery gave another look to Jolvia. This… Might have be a ploy to waste their time.

 

“One more try and then we’ll excuse ourselves and hurry back,” Avery said, then back to the Chestnaught. “Sir! We are team Azure, sir! We’re here to answer your summons by letter you sent, sir!”

 

“Letter?! Summons?!” Olkus said…his voice quieter. Or as much as the loud old man could be quieter. “Wait…wait wait wait…Azure? Team Azure? That new guild team everyone is buzzing about these days?!”

 

“That’d be us.” Jolvia replied.

 

“What’s all this noise about a letter? I don’t remember sending a letter…but then again, blast it, my memory these days…”

 

Jolvia huffed a breath through her nostrils as the High Captain rambled to himself.

 

“Well, that tears it, I suppose. The high captain wasn’t expecting us.” Jolvia sighed to Avery, shaking her head. She raised her voice to address Olkus, the old Chestnaught looking deep in thoguht. “We’re sorry to have wasted your time, High Captain, sir. We’d best be on our way.”

 

Her voice broke Olkus from his ramble, his gaze returning to the both of them. Just as Jolvia had turned and began to beckon Avery back towards the door, the High Captain spoke up.

 

“Now wait just one moment, there, Skipper!!” Olkus shouted, quickly stepping out from behind the desk. “Look, look…tell me, alright, how ‘in’ with those elite fellows are you?”

 

“Hm…?” Jolvia hummed, turning her head to glance at the High Captain.

 

“I mean are you associating with them? Working for them? More specifically…answering directly to them?”

 

Jolvia looked a little lost, something rare to see in her. She turned her head, looking to Avery.

 

Avery, however, was already backing up to the door.

 

‘This is a ploy, and Vizon and Rikzyod are in danger. We can’t waste much more time…’

 

“We were brought here by them, sir!” Avery said loudly, already slowly backing up to the door. “I don’t want to take up more of your time, sir, but! Yes, we were sent by the conduit to assist the elites!”

 

“Augh, blast! Double blast and triple blast!!” The High Captain said, flailing his arms in frustration. He paced around the room, footsteps thumping on the carpet.

 

Jolvia watched the display, dumbfounded, backing up towards the door with Avery. The Chestnaught looked over, sharp eyes looking right at the Plusle and catching his approach towards the exit.

 

“Hold, now, drop anchor right there, boy!” Olkus shouted, thumping over quickly and slamming a long arm on the door to keep it shut. “What’s got you trying to weasel out of a poor old man’s office when he’s in need of help! Huh! Some guild these days!”

 

Jolvia grunted, backing off from the door.

 

“Sir!” Avery squeaked, looking up at him. “We were guarding an artifact, and got a letter claiming it was you personally wanting to meet us! I don’t think this letter was real, and so my friends may be in danger-!”

 

“Huh! What, at that ol’ Museum?!” The Chestnaught spat, shaking his head. “No place in Yahneri port could be safer!!”

 

“It’s under heavy guard but it still has a dangerous artifact.” Jolvia retorted. “No doubt as we speak it’s under the hungry eyes of the Thieves Guild as they plan their move to rob the place!”

 

Olkus ROARED in reply, the aggravation of being talked back to evident.

 

“Nothing at that Museum but trinkets and baubles! Nobody’s stealing anything from there!!”

 

Avery flinched from the outburst, fighting the urge to cling to Jolvia. The Nidorina did a double take, dumbfounded for the second time that day. She glanced at Avery briefly before her eyes looked back to Olkus.

 

Avery was about to tell Jolvia to go to the Museum and back the others up as he talked with the captain, but-

 

‘It’s real, Vizon. Being the woman to manage a few of his loan accounts I think I’d know his signature.

 

Did she lie…?’

 

“…We’re meant to be on guard duty, sir, and don’t have a lot of time. What’s your request?”

 

“‘Don’t have a lot of time’ he says! Always in a ruddy-fuddy rush…!” The Chestnaught grumbled, reaching down and locking the door, pressing his ear up to the wood surface. Jolvia watched him, curious.

 

“Alright. Sit, boy. And miss.” Olkus said at last, pushing from the door and gesturing to a pair of chairs by the wall. Jolvia grunted.

 

“Sir, you do realize we came here by a forged missive? In your signature?” Jolvia said. “And that it managed to fool even me?”

 

“So? Who might you be?”

 

“Your One Truth Bank loan auditor?” Jolvia clarified. “Don’t change the subject-“

 

“Forgery, you say?” Olkus rumbled, taking a blue sheet of paper from a stack and waving it in front of Jolvia.

 

A look of horror and amazement crossed Jolvia’s face.

 

In his hand was a blank sheet of paper…pre-signed. The signatures were baked onto the pages.

 

“All my letter paper has my signature, young miss! Don’t presume I’d let my signature get forged!”

 

He said it like it was a ‘gotcha’. Instead, it only made Jolvia bluster.

 

“By Arceus why on earth would you ever do that???” Jolvia said, her voice more gobsmacked that Avery had ever heard it before. “That’s…High Captain, for a man in your kind of position that is astonishingly reckless and-“

 

“Blah blah blah!” The High Captain, waved his hand dismissively. “I don’t have to explain how I run my office to you!! Now are you going to hear me out or what?? Or are we going to talk about ‘forgeries’ and ‘security risks’ all day like a bunch of tea house gossipers!?“

 

It was unclear what kind of tea house gossipers spoke of forgeries and security risks. But it was clear that the High Captain was…perhaps not playing with a full deck. Jolvia looked back at Avery in disbelief, but at last pulled one of the chairs over as sat in it.

 

Avery, meanwhile, was letting out a deep sigh of relief.

 

‘…Okay. So she had thought-‘

 

“J… Jolvia,” Avery whispered, moving closer to her. “…What are the risks if we cut our losses and run? I… I’m terrified to think of what’s happening back at the museum-“

 

Jolvia put a hand on Avery’s shoulder, calming his panicked rambling.

 

“I’m hardly worried.” Jolvia whispered back. “We left Vizon and Rikzyod. They’d be perfectly capable of handling anything that happened…and besides…”

 

She glanced over at the High Captain as he meandered around the room, eventually getting to his seat.

 

“They’re probably safe anyway. I have a feeling I know what this circus of a man is about to tell us…I think you called it on the Water Pearl…”

 

“What in blazes are you two secret-Salvas whispering about over there?! You’re like schoolchildren, the both of you!”

 

The Chestnaught dropped into his chair, looking as though he were trying to calm himself down. The large old Poke’mon took heaving breaths, a hand on his forehead as he reached down and extracted a bottle of clear liquid – pure totter extract. He poured himself a glass of it, straight.

 

“Care for a glass, Team Azure?”

 

Jolvia shook her head.

 

“Pah, fine.” The High Captain grumbled, lifting his glass to the sky and chugging. He dropped the cup back down  to the desk, staring at the both of them in uncomfortable silence for a moment.

 

“Tch…” Jolvia quietly scoffed to herself, just loud enough for Avery to hear. “Wonder how much that bottle cost…”

 

After another moment of silence, Avery and Jolvia slowly made their way back in front of the High Captain’s desk, sitting back down in their chairs. They both stared at the Chestnaught who only stared back, brow furrowed, deep in thought…until he finally spoke, as thought breaking himself from a stupor.

 

“Right…now then, dear boy…I’ve heard from my secretary about you, this ‘Team Azure’ what goes out and goes on wild adventures, aye?”

 

Avery nodded slowly. Jolvia folded her arms.

 

“And, I’m sure, you’d have quite the appreciation for discretion for these kinds of ‘off-the-books’ requests, as it were, yes? Hmmm??” The Chestnaught pressed. “I feel I’m owed that much. On my mother’s grave, this elite business has been an utter nightmare.”

 

“…Right, but-” Avery looked at Jolvia with worry.

 

‘What is going on here??’

 

“…I, uh…I understand, sir,” Avery said, raising his voice so the Chestnaught would hear. Ironic, considering there was an elite right outside the door. This guy didn’t seem like he was capable of being discreet with his own vocal chords. “What is it you want to talk about?”

 

“Well…” The High Captain sighed, leaning back in his chair with his hands folded over his stomach. “It all starts about, oh, say…30 or so years ago…”

 

Jolvia sighed through her nose.

 

“I had an outfit of respected sailors plunder an old treasure trove.” The Chestnaught said. “Yahneri Cave, bet you’ve heard of it, on a peninsula far south east of port. Across turbulent waters and sharp crags and high sandbars lied a chamber of riches left behind by Quayoffi pirates of old. So I, of course, had it stripped of every last Doubloon.”

 

The High Captain hummed, drumming his fingers on the bottle.

 

“Well, I got most of it. Well…more just a bit of it to pay some old debts. Blasted crew couldn’t get much of what was there. Half the ruddy-.”

 

“Yes, yes, and that’s how you got the Water Pearl.” Jolvia tried to speed along the story, which only earned her a glare from Olkus.

 

“Hmph! Well, things were fine, after that. My debts paid and I now had a pretty little Water Pearl for the tourists to ogle at.” The Chestnaught grinned, eyes sparkling. “That Water Bauble, I tells you, brought in plenty o’ visitors which certainly made the merchants happy. And when they’re happy, huh! So am I-!”

 

“Get on with it.”

 

“Gah, with the impatience! I won’t!” The High Captain spat, pouring another glass of straight totter.

 

Jolvia sneered as Olkus seemed to deliberately take his time drinking his glass before continuing.

 

“Now then!” The Chestnaught angrily rumbled. “All was well until a ship…I think ‘Revalu’ was sunk violently, all hands on deck sent to Yveltal’s arms. Then, ah…Western Wind went next. We had crew from that ship washing on the shore for days, a terrible sight.”

 

Avery and Jolvia glanced at one another worriedly at that. Olkus continued talking as he poured another glass.

 

“We thought it was pirates at first until The Grand Gale docked, most of the crew missing, and its captain spun a yarn about sailing near the Pennisula…and about a fell and evil storm and wind, tossing their ship and nearly capsizing it.”

 

Olkus spat, chugging his glass again, an angry look in his eye.

 

“It was that treasure, that bloody, ruddy treasure! It cursed the sea ’round that Pennisula, I tells you!! Cursed it to run red with the blood of sailormen should it ever be disturbed!!”

 

The man’s ravings were rather disconcerting. Jolvia’s face was neutral as she maintained a poker face as the old High Captain rambled on.

 

“So what does I do? I says, I come up with a clever plan: I gather up every last coin, gem and brooch that was taken from that pile, jack up taxes just to trade the coin with every businessman and bank. Then I’s hire out a secret expedition, bunch of sailors from some port in Quayoff or such, doesn’t matter, to put all the Treasure that’d been taken right back.”

 

“Including…”

 

The High Captain nodded.

 

“The Water Pearl, aye.”

 

Avery squirmed at that.

 

‘No…All of this trouble. Were the Elites putting us in front of a fake that they too, were fooled by?’

 

Avery quickly turned to Jolvia.

 

‘If nobody knows…Xamao’s map could be wrong, too…or worse…maybe it had the truth all along and he knew before anyone else.”

 

Jolvia…looked at Avery…and gravely nodded. The silent acknowledgement of what they both knew was passed between them both.

 

“…so…” Avery frowned. “…do…do the elites know? Does anyone know?”

 

“Nay, nobody but I, some dead contractors, and now you two.” The High Captain said. “Of course I’d have told the elites all this, quite happily, in fact, if it’d keep them out my fecking port but…”

 

He grumbled, pouring another glass, hand shaking so much he spilled more than he got in the cup.

 

“They simply all showed up yesterday at the crack of dawn, took over the town, asserted their authority, started patrols, making demands, undermining me, threatening my job if I so much as thought about boycotting the port in retaliation. Nobody said a word to me the whole while as they completely worked over my city!” The High Captain, blustered angrily. “And only NOW, after they’ve blown Arceus knows how many millions upon millions of coin on all this guff for a replica of the Water Pearl, do I learn, through the grapevine, mind you, what it is they’re after.”

 

He sniffed, leaning forward angrily.

 

“And make no mistake, if I tell them now? That’s my rank stripped and a trip to the dungeon for gross waste of military resources that I didn’t even ask for!”

 

Jolvia grunted, a deep sigh escaping her as she pinched between her eyes in utter aggravation as she listened to this. She leaned over, voice low.

 

“Arceus…I can’t believe this…” Jolvia growled under her breath so only Avery would hear. “Despite coordination, watchtowers, blockades, patrols, everything…despite that…it’s all still incompetently bungled…”

 

The High Captain didn’t hear a word, only taking a swig, looking down at Avery.

 

“So! That all said…I just need someone…someone capable…like yerselfs…to go get the Water Pearl.” The High Captain slurred. “All…sneaky like.”

 

“And…what of the curse you fear so much?” Jolvia asked, her voice raised again. “Won’t the seas be cursed again if we take the pearl, as you seem convinced will happen?”

 

“That, my good woman, is a ‘then’ problem, but I’m in the midst of a ‘now’ problem!!”

 

“I mean…If it’s cursed, if it’s really cursed… Wouldn’t that mean that it’d be the Conduit that gets the worst of it?” Avery asked.

 

“Hah! If it curses the Conduit then ruddy well let it for all I care! Sending her Elite spooks to scamper around my port like they own the place, scaring my citizens, blockading MY bay!” The High Captain skipped the glass and just took a swig straight from the bottle. “It’s a disgrace! Disgrace, I say!!”

 

Avery grumbled a bit, watching the high captain noisy chug. The Plusle did his best to keep the conversation on-topic.

 

“…In any case…yeah. We can’t let Xamao get the Water Pearl too. That’s two out of three.” Avery sneered, rubbing his head in frustration. “Really makes me wonder what the hell these elites are doing…”

 

The Plusle shook his head and looked back to the Captain. There was a chance they were being led up the garden path like this. Avery still wasn’t entirely clear on if the Chestnaught had sent the letter or not. But…If this was true, then they were in deep trouble.

 

Avery shook his head, leaning forward again with a bit of a wobble now. His ears were ringing from all the loud shouting.

 

“And you’re absolutely sure that the Pearl in the museum is a fake?” Avery pressed.

 

“Of ‘course I’m sure it’s a fake! I contracted the trip myself in secret to put the pearl back! The crew even came back!” The Chestnaught huffed. “Well, most of them…well ONE of them, dying shortly thereafter. Ruddy thing of a curse, this blasted pearl! Glad we got rid of it, but…”

 

he High Captain shrugged a little, winded.

 

“We wanted to keep the pearl so…” Olkus hummed. “You understand…we wanted to keep the visitors coming to see it so-“

 

“You made a fake one and passed it off as real, to everyone.” Jolvia said, narrowing her eyes. Her disgust was clear. “…including Olistia.”

 

Avery, too, felt a little of that same disgust at how…casual the High Captain was about the fact others had died on his behalf.

 

“…but Xamao’s map might know,” Avery said, trying to keep his voice measured. “…I don’t think we have much of a choice. If we’re going to do this we’re going to need to do it soon.”

 

Avery looked to Jolvia.

 

“You think we can pull it off in the four hour window Clockwork gave us?”

 

Jolvia side-eyed Avery, biting her lip in thought.

 

“Why…! There you go, rushing again!!” Olkus shouted, pounding a hand on the desk. “Coming and going-! But, then again, yes, with all haste!!!”

 

“Hold, High Captain…” Jolvia said, suspicion in her voice. “The Yahneri cave…how far is it?”

 

The High Captain stared at her…making a motion as though he were shrugging dismissively.

 

“Well!” He blustered, throwing his hands in the air. “Just a few nautical miles south east of port, Miss Backtalk.”

 

“How many is a few?”

 

“Er…80?”

 

“Captain, that’s a ten hour trip on even the fastest ship.” Jolvia said. “And wasn’t the way there so fraught with danger that only a few could even sail??”

 

“Well-!!”

 

“And that’s not even mentioning the blockade in place. Nor the elites patrolling the wharf.”

 

Avery slumped back in the chair as Jolvia spoke.

 

“There’s no way we could get there without the Elites noticing something is up.” Avery said, feeling more and more hopeless. “We have a four- maybe three hour window now to get in, get this, and get out if you don’t want anyone finding out about this, Captain.”

 

Avery rubbed the side of his head.

 

“If we’re going to do this we need to do it quickly. Is there any way to get to that cave and back in less time?”

 

“Psychic energy is probably being suppressed to prevent teleports, not that we know any psychic types.” Jolvia said, shaking her head.

 

The high captain, visibly stressed, began to bluster more and more.

 

“What’s all this? Rules rules and more rules! Whatever happened to the youth of old?!” Olkus ranted. “The days when young ones did as they would, sail where they wished! Where they tangled with and fought authority every step of the way! Now it’s all towing the line! Now it’s all ‘please don’t huuurrt me, Mr.Elite’!!”

 

He took a swig of his drink, swaying. Jolvia rolled her eyes.

 

“By all means, I suppose! Stay put! I suppose those Thivery Guild characters can just have the pearl if it means not upsetting the elites.”

 

Jolvia glanced at Avery, a look of aggravation on her face.

 

“Could this guy be any more out of touch…?” Jolvia muttered to the Plusle. “He’s acting like the elites are some hokey first-name-basis village guards…”

 

Avery frowned.

 

“…Sir, you said yourself you didn’t want them to find out this whole fiasco because they’d blame you,” the Plusle pointed out. “If you want we can tell them where the actual Pearl is and they’d probably move their operation there. And then they’d blame you for moving it without telling them, most likely. If that’s what you want, it’d definitely be the easier option for us.”

 

Avery leaned back in the chair, raking a hand through his hair.

 

“If the Elites notice we’re gone from our post, they might come looking for us. If you want to keep this on the downlow like you said, we need to act fast.“

 

“I told you what I know!” Olkus pounded his fist into the desk. “The Pearl’s at Yahneri cave, consarn it! They’d jail me! Keelhaul me! My staff, too, just to prove a point!”

 

“And you can’t go yourself.” Jolvia added with a shrug. “Between the blockade and the elite outside your door, you-“

 

“The what outside my door?!” Olkus roared, standing up. He stomped around the desk, towards the door. “I told those blithering, sorry skulkers I didn’t WANT them carousing my office!!”

 

The Chestnaught flung the door open, looking outside, furious.

 

He looked left.

 

Then right.

 

“What elite???”

 

Avery put a hand to his forehead.

 

“…The Elite that was probably listening in to your top-of-the-lungs yelling and heard that we’re currently guarding a fake and has probably ran off to tell the rest of them,” Avery groaned, rubbing at his temples.

 

Avery briefly entertained the idea that the Elite was a mole, but if that was true…that’d mean Xamao didn’t yet know where the real Pearl is. Why else would he bother with the Elites at this point?

 

“The fact that he’s gone…probably isn’t good.” Avery grumbled.

 

The High Captain went redder than ever! He whipped his head back toward Avery with wild eyes.

 

“Blast, blast, blast!!!” the Chestnaught bellowed, stomping around his office. “Problems! Problems! Problems! When will it end?! I get uninvited guests storming my office and all it does is invite more trouble! More trouble!!”

 

“High Captain, we-“

 

“Out!!”

 

Jolvia huffed.

 

“But if you just-“

 

“ARE YOU DEAFER THAN I, LASS? I SAID OOOOUUUUT!!!”

 

The roar practically knocked both of them over in their chairs! Jolvia squinted, leaning back.

 

“He’s saying we should leave and we should leave-” Avery quickly got up from the chair, covering his ears and scrambling away. “I think we have even less time than we originally thought-!”

 

Avery was quickly heading for the door, giving Jolvia a quick glance. Jolvia nodded in response, quickly running after Avery as the high captain continued to rant and rave! Shaking the walls with his shouting!

 

“OUT! BLASTED WASTES! RUDDY HORRID BRINGERS O’ MISFORTUNE! WHY I SHOULD-! WERE I A BIT YOUNGER-! IF I-“

 

“Do have a good day, Captain.” Jolvia said, her hand on the door handle.

 

What the Chestnaught shouted in response was a barrage of angry insults and swears at such ferocity and speed that Avery, an outsider to Arcea, could never hope to understand or comprehend.

 

All the same, Jolvia politely closed the door, the Captain’s voice thrumming from behind.

 

“Well, that’s that.” Jolvia sighed, looking around as they both continued down the stairs and back out. The receptionist rushed up the stairs past the pair, no doubt to sooth the still shouting Captain’s nerves.

 

With a heaving sigh, Jolvia eyed the street outside as they exited, looking at Avery.

 

“I know you found that suspicious, Avery.” Jolvia said knowingly, a small smirk on her face. “Penny for your thoughts?’

 

“…I’ll give you them for free,” Avery said, massaging his temples. “…I mean honestly you probably already knew, but…The Pinsir, the Krookodile…probably even that Mandibuzz. Double agents. No idea how they got through everyone’s super-strict protocols…”

 

“For all the bluster, marching, measures and wasted coin?” Jolvia smirked, shaking her head. “This operation is full of holes. Swiss cheese for any saboteur worth their salt. I’d certainly know.”

 

Avery looked back at the High Captain’s building.

 

“…So…Xamao’s map isn’t magic then? It doesn’t…just, update to the current location of the Pearls? Because if it did then why would he even bother with sending spies here…?”

 

Jolvia nodded again at that statement.

 

“Not magic, no. Just paper and parchment. And sounds like the cartographer assumed the Musuem decoy was the genuine article, just like everyone else did.” Jolvia explained. “Likely Xamao suspected it was fake and decided to have an entire farce to get the Old Captain to talk where someone could hear.”

 

“Where someone could hear?” The Plusle rolled his eyes. “I’d be surprised if all of Yahneri Port didn’t know by now.”

 

Cracking his knuckles, Avery looked up at her.

 

“We can’t waste any time, then. If they’re on their way, we need to hurry, too. I just…y’know. I hope you meant what you said to me about doing everything you can to help us get the Water Pearl for that stalemate, Jolvia.”

 

Jolvia smiled encouragingly but said nothing. Avery looked back to the Museum.

 

“For now, let’s…y’know. Let’s break Vizon and Rikzyod out of ‘boredom prison’ and get on with the Azure Twist.”

 

Jolvia patted Avery on the back, urging Avery on.

 

“It’s a race, then. Both sides know where to go. Let’s hurry!”

 

Avery quickly picked up the pace, racing towards the museum, rushing to meet Vizon and Rikzyod.

 

Boy would they be happy to hear the news…

 

Chapter 30.2

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Lockdown

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