AN0: This Book is going to start with a return to form. These scenes are going to be very short, much like they were in the beginning of The Last Legend.
Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: The Last Legend, Book 2: The Age of Entei
Two months (or so) has passed since Conlan evolved upon returning from Bishamon. News of this incident quickly spread to the other provinces, some finding it more interesting than others.
In the wake of B's assassination and the attacks of The Obsidian Legion, many provinces have seceded participation from the UGM altogether, and now only the Steel, Flying, Electric, and Grass provinces remain active in attempting to keep the international guild afloat.
In the West, the Obsidian Legion has been amassing territory of its own, conquering both the Rock and Ground provinces, and appearing to be surrounding the Fire Province, just waiting for the right time to attack.
Fearing the threat of an attack from both rebelling forces inside the Fire Province and from the Obsidian Legion, Tashia has called the available leaders of the other provinces to a summit meeting to discuss lending aid to the Fire Province, and she has brought both her most loyal knight, Cochrane, as well as Conlan himself, and a couple other Moonbrand members along with her for both leverage and safety.
However, only 3 other provinces, Fairy, Flying, and Dark, have shown up at the summit…
Fire Province: Town of Wildeburn: Wildeburn Keep: Age of Mew(waning): Year 656: The Wildeburn Summit, Part 1
Moonbrand Members Present: Conlan, Rudo, Mandy, Bravero
"Ah, finally, we've arrived!" Rudo sighed with wonder as she, Conlan, Mandy, and Bravero all took in the sight of the nigh ancient Wildeburn Keep.
"This was a very popular tourist destination when I was a child." Tashia smiled as she instinctively went to touch her raiment, remembering her nostalgic childhood, though Cochrane swiftly stopped her.
"Milady, you must remain aware that you are wearing a powerful artifact, and you still don't have the mental fortitude to use its powers carelessly."
"Oh, right!" Tashia quickly brought both her arms down as the six slowly walked into the large keep.
"You're late to your own summit?" A shiny gardevoir asked as she opened the door and shook her head in disappointment. "This does not bode well for the discussions themselves."
"A pleasure as always, Gertrude." Rudo rolled her eyes before nudging Conlan in the side. "Come on, Conlan, let's get seated."
"She might be unpleasant, but she did show up to the summit." Bravero mentioned. "The least you can do is be respectful, especially in the presence of royalty from multiple provinces."
"Oh hey, that's right!" Mandy exclaimed. "And if Team Kirei's leader is here then…*gasp* are we going to get to meet the Fairy Province's Queen and King?!"
"Just the queen!" Comfort, a comfey, piped up as he flew by.
"The king has to stay back at Marvel to command the armies!" Caress, another comfey, announced as she flew in the opposite direction.
"And you must be Tashia." Gertrude noticed Tashia's raiment. She looked like she was in pain for a brief moment, before she knelt down.
"It is an honor to meet royalty of another province, even a lesser one."
"Did she have to backhand that in there like that?" Mandy asked Rudo in a whisper.
"It's good to see some things don't change at least." Conlan laughed to himself as they all entered the keep.
For as old as Wildeburn Keep was, the fort was incredibly well-kept. No dust seemed to be accruing in any corners, and the large table at which most of the pokemon involved in the summit were already gathered were sitting was polished to such an extent that its surface almost could double as a mirror.
"Oh good, the one who called the summit has arrived after all," Concordia smiled sweetly as Tashia took her seat at the head of the table, while Cochrane, Conlan, and the rest of the present Moonbrand members all stood, ready in case of any violent outbreak.
Conlan looked across the room, and noticed that Concordia the clefable, Hadria the hydreigon, and Baron the braviary, had all made an appearance at the summit. Hadria appeared to have brought along Razr the zoroark, Xenon the sceptile, and Kavosa the krookodile of Team Soulwind as guards, and Glimmershine the absol, seemed to also have joined the summit, though he didn't seem terribly interested in what was going on around him. Baron and Concordia however, were both accompanied by obvious royal figures. Near Baron was a very regal looking fearow, with a golden coxcomb in place of the standard red one. If Conlan had to guess, this fearow was likely the ruler of the Flying Province. Along with Baron, this fearow had brought Nezarix and Faden of Team Horizon, as well as another noivern and an aerodactyl that Conlan personally didn't recognize.
Near Concordia was, of course, Gertrude, Caress, and Comfort, all brought in for guard duty, but sitting right next to her at the table was a diancie whose beauty was only matched by the aura of unpleasant superiority that radiated from her. She looked bored, as if she already knew everything that was going to happen, and before Tashia could explain the exact reason she called the summit in the first place, the diancie spoke up.
"The Fairy Province is unable to lend you any aid at this time." She sighed. "May we leave?"
"Deirdre, I understand that you have your own province to look after, but we should at least let Tashia talk." The fearow suggested. "You came all this way after all."
"Don't remind me." Deirdre looked over at Concordia.
"Um…" Tashia looked around to make sure everyone was paying attention. "Well, it's actually just like Deirdre said. The Fire Province really needs help, especially when it comes to defending the capital. Even just a little military power would go a long way! And I'd be willing to pay for it too, the help doesn't have to be for free!"
"It doesn't, does it?" Deirdre rolled her eyes. "Then I suppose we can send aid-"
"Your majesty-" Concordia attempted to intervene.
"Quiet!" Deirdre snapped. "I know what I'm doing!"
Conlan watched, in disbelief, as Concordia obeyed and sat back in her seat.
"As I was saying…" Deirdre continued. "We can send aid, but it can't be in the form of soldiers. We need them for our own problems back on Fable, which, to be honest, we could also use aid for, and while you…" She gestured her hand as though she was trying to think of a way to say 'Fire Province locals' in an offensive way. "...Desert dwellers…" She eventually decided upon "Are not the best with your cosmetic or artistic senses, you are quite apt at combat, and your own soldiers would prove useful in both guarding and reclaiming our territory. In return, for your promised help once your...situation, is taken care of, we will send you aid in the form of these three mercenaries…"
"Ugh, I knew it…" Gertrude sighed while Caress and Comfort seemed to enjoy the news that they would get to travel some more.
"As well as give Moonbrand a special gift, a member, to congratulate their human leader's evolution."
Deirdre turned back to the fearow. "I assume this is enough to qualify as 'aid', Fernando?"
"I was never trying to pressure you to send aid, just to let Tashia speak." Fernando explained as he turned. "As for the Flying Province's part, we'd be happy to lend you support, though our numbers would be small, somewhere from four to five hundred. The rest of our might needs to be focused on maintaining what little remains of the UGM. Our province in particular would suffer heavy economic losses in the event of the guild's complete collapse, and we cannot let that happen."
"Well, I don't think anyone here as any intention of defying the UGM, riiight?" Concordia shot both Rudo and Conlan a sideways glance as she spoke.
"Meh, I don't care one way or the other about this UGM business…" Hadria sighed. "When I resigned from the guild, I made sure all the mercenary bands formed would still have jobs serving me and my government directly. In regards to the plea for aid however, I want to know is…" She crossed her arms as she leaned forward on the table, and her two other heads also leaned forward with the same look of anticipation.
"What's in it for me?"
"Um…" Tashia looked back at Cochrane and the Moonbrand members.
"How about…" Conlan thought aloud "Higher tariffs for imported products from the Dark Province? It would give us a way to repay them, without having to spend any money we don't have right now."
"The problem there is," Bravero interjected. "Most things are made in the Dark Province. If we raise the prices of those for our own people, we'll be plunged deeper into depression than what this civil war will already create."
"Well…" Hadria gave it a thought, noticing that Tashia clearly didn't have much to offer. "How about a more political reward instead? I want Sunmire Strand."
"For our, perhaps less historically inclined…" Concordia smiled at Conlan "Sunmire Strand is what the far northern part of you province is called. Back in the Great Type War, the Fire Province took it from the Ground Province, which was bigger back then."
"Ah." Conlan nodded. "But, I don't understand why you would want that strand of land, Hadria. Isn't the Dark Province on less-than-agreeable terms with the Fighting Province? You have a wall to protect your current border but there's no such-..." Conlan stopped himself, realizing the hydreigon's intentions.
"Oh, it looks like you managed to figure it out." Hadria laughed. "A round of applause for the human. Fine then, I admit it, it's for an invasion."
Fire Province: Blaze Desert(30F Mystery Dungeon) Entrance: Age of Mew(waning): Year 656: Crustle's Caravan, Part 1
Moonbrand Members Present: Magdalene, Gina, Bennett, Verden
Mission Details: "Help escort a caravan of goods through Blaze Desert. My usual guards defaulted on me due to the war in the Fire Province!"
Sender: Cassius, (Crustle)
Mission Type: Escort/Bodyguard
Mission Reward: "10,000 poke for each cart that makes it through the desert without losing cargo, and another 5,000 poke and an ancient map(hopefully valuable) for services rendered, assuming I am to make it through the desert alive as well."
"You four!" A crustle waiting impatiently by the arcanine statue signaling the entrance to Blaze Desert chirped as he scuttled up to them. "You're Moonbrand, correct?"
"Yeah, that's us." Verden nodded. "Are you Cassius?"
"Yes, yes I am." Cassius's nervous demeanor would not go away.
"N-now, I am to understand that we...have multiple carts to guard?" Magdalene asked almost as nervously as Cassius seemed.
"Magdalene, you alright?" Bennett asked, in a rare moment of serious concern."
"F-fine…" She quickly brought her scarf down over her neck.
"Uh, in any case," Cassius responded to the question "yes, there are 5 carts in total to guard. 4 of them will be carrying important goods, and the last of them is my own cart. It's my, I suppose you could call it a mobile home. If, Arceus forbid, you can only save one cart, please make it that one. I have very sentimental items stored in there, you see."
"Alright, seems simple enough." Gina nodded.
"I Can't believe you're normal guards defaulted on you because of a war." Bennett shared his opinion on the matter. "It's not like The Known World was at all peaceful before, you know?"
"Well…" Cassius looked around nervously again. "I suppose they might just have heard stories of the military accomplishments of the Fire Province in the past."
"Alright, so how are we going to split the job up?" Gina asked. "Assuming Cassius will be hiding in his cart, that's five carts and four of us."
"I'll take point!" Bennett volunteered. "Point!" He pointed into the desert.
"Then, I guess I'll stay in the middle." Gina suggested. "I can cover the widest range with Ice Shard and Blizzard if I do that, and we could make an ice road to travel on if the terrain gets to rough."
"Then Magdalene and I will take the rear." Verden suggested. "No offense Magdalene, but you seem a little out of it, and I'd like to at least have another Moonbrand near you, just in case."
"Anything is fine, but please, let's go!" Cassius seemed incredibly eager to just be done with this entire mission already.
"Worst fuckin' employer ever." Gina sighed under her breath as they slowly moved into the Blaze Desert, unaware that they were being watched by a menacing, and grinning, heliolisk.
Fire Province: Upper Ember Wilds(15F Mystery Dungeon): 7F: Age of Mew(waning): Year 656: Espionage in Emberguard, Part 1
Moonbrand Members Present: Charlie, Aaron, Semora, Terune
"We'll rest here for the night." Charlie decided. "We're far enough from Sapien Triage territory that we should be safe from any kidnapping events."
"I thought that the fire Sapien Triage was taken care of already?" Aaron rose a brow. "I could have sworn that both Conlan and Rudo took down-"
"A clan leader, but not a tribe leader." Charlie corrected them. "It wasn't like when Semora eliminated the entire water Sapien Triage tribe a few months ago."
"I thought I told you to not talk about it." Semora glared.
"It's been two months already." Aaron sighed. "And this team has seen death multiple times before. The sooner you learn to move on from it the better."
"You're one to talk, visiting someone not even on your team in a hospital."
"We s-shouldn't fight." Terune mumbled under his breath.
"We really shouldn't." Semora agreed. "I'll be fine if this mission is simple espionage, but the rest of you lack any proper training, which is why we need to meet up with Inkeri at the rendezvous point as quickly as possible."
"That infernape's running this place like she might as well be Reshiram herself." Aaron lamented."Heck, even the new queen is looking to her for what to do."
"Well, can you blame her?" Charlie reasoned. "Queen Tashia doesn't come from any noble family, she's the daughter of two Geotherm Plant workers. She has next to no political experience, and you know that if Inkeri didn't think this was more important, she'd be the one providing guard duty at the summit meeting."
"It would be unwise to distrust someone who has yet to do anything to deserve it." Semora chided. "Inkeri has yet to make a decision detrimental to the province, and has on many occasions already, only simply given the queen advice. I can guarantee you that the Fire Province is not the only one whose ruler has advisors."
"I suppose" Aaron sighed "but still, I think that-"
"I hear pokemon coming this way…" Terune announced as he shuddered.
The four Moonbrand members turned to see a nidoqueen, an excadrill, and a tyrantrum all rush towards them.
"Come on, come on, come on!" The tyrantrum announced as the trio began to run right passed the Moonbrand members.
"Hey, wait, why are you running?" Aaron asked after them.
"Man, we thought we'd try and expand our territory by taking over one of the outer towns, with less guards, but we didn't expect whatever the hell that thing was to be waiting there for us! You better skidaddle too, kids, before you're eaten alive by that monster!"
"Well, there's only one actual child among us." Semora looked at Terune. "But in either case, that sounds like something dangerous."
"It certainly does." Aaron nodded. "And we'd be ignoring our duties as mercenaries if we didn't at least check out what it was."
"We'd be ignoring our duties as mercenaries if we failed to listen to our boss's orders." Charlie rebutted. "And Inkeri wants us to meet up with her at the rendezvous point in the opposite direction."
"Well, clearly we can't stay here anymore at least." Semora said as she began to pack up the campsite she had finally laid down. "And if there is something heading in this direction, we will eventually see it when we are at Emberguard, and thus have more help readily available in terms of numbers and powerful pokemon. And if we're lucky, it may turn out that whatever those clear as day bandits were referring to as a monster is actually something or someone friendly towards us."
"Fine." Aaron sighed. "In that case, I suppose we can head onwards…"
"Actually…" A voice announced as the nidoqueen, excadrill, and tyrantrum from earlier returned, this time with clear malicious intent. The excadrill was the one speaking.
"We've decided to kill you four and offer you up to that thing. That way, it won't be able to follow us back to our own hideout!"
"Oh, you've got to be kidding me." Charlie groaned as the four of them all took fighting stances. "Two months without a mission and now this? Why can't I get a straight job for once that doesn't involve some outside force fucking things up?"
AN1: I said it would be short, didn't I? In any case, for those wondering about both OCs and rampant death, OCs are still welcome, and rampant death is still a thing. There also isn't a grace period this time, so Semora's, Aaron's, Charlie's, and Terune's creators, you'll wanna PM me about how your OCs will handle the incoming fight.
AN2: If you're an author with OCs present in any of the other missions this 'arc' feel free to PM about things you'd like your OCs to do as well (even if it's as simple as certain characters they want to talk to, or questions they want to ask)
AN3: I said OCs were still welcome, but the form is going to be different. Here it is:
3 Main Rules
1: No Humans Turned Pokemon
2: No Mary Sue/Gary Stu Pokemon
3: No Gods, No Province Rulers, and No Ultra Beasts
4: Know that your OC can, and quite possibly will, die.
Age of Entei OC Form:
OC Name, Sex, Species:
OC Home Province (Where they are from):
OC Role(Teammate Hopeful, Other Team Member, Minor Villain, Commoner, Etc.):
OC Profession(Are they unemployed like Terune, are they a veteran like Concordia, an assassin like Semora, etc.?):
OC Moveset:
Move 1(From Natural Movepool):
Move 2(From Natural Movepool):
Move 3(From Natural Movepool):
Move 4(From Natural Movepool):
Alt Move 1(Can be TM or Egg Move):
Alt Move 2(Can be TM or Egg Move):
OC Personality:
OC Background:
Anything Else Doobop Should Know:
That's all for now! Thanks for reading ^.^!