Wardens Eternal

Chapter Twenty-One: Interventions

Glacia hadn't dare show her face since the last visit, instead having some of the guards deliver her insults for her. Scarlett really didn't care anyway, ignoring the repetitive and uninspired remarks. It didn't take long for the guards to realize she had managed to pick the lock to her cell after she dragged a few guards in to teach them a lesson.

Unfortunately, the lock on her collar proved to be far more difficult, the internal mechanisms too small and precise to manipulate with just her claw. It could only be opened by the key, the key her mother had.

To make things worse, Mimikyu, Lycanroc, Polywrath, Dewpider, and Magmortar, the pokemon that had ambushed the warden outside of Treasure Town were back. Mimikyu wasted no time resuming her duties as Lady Winter's chief jailer and interrogator, once she ditched her dirty costume for a clean one that was.

Quillian was right, with Mimikyu back in position, the dartix couldn't get into the dungeon anymore. No more edible food or news from outside the dungeon's walls. If there was to be a silver lining with Mimikyu's return, it meant that Martian was only three days behind. It was almost over. . .

Wardens Eternal

Pain.

The first thing he identified was the pain throughout his body, but in his line of work, it was a welcome sign. It meant that he was still alive.

Martian groaned as he regained both feeling and control of his body, converting the pain to a still uncomfortable, but manageable aching soreness. The lion instinctively rolled onto his stomach as his eyes adjusted to the light, the first clear thing to enter his vision was his bandaged leg.

The fight! The former human didn't know for sure what happened after he collapsed, or if the bandits survived their own injuries. Until he knew otherwise, the fight was still on, and he would fight it with everything he had. A fresh surge of adrenaline dulled the pain and renewed his strength as he forcefully pushed himself off the ground with a fierce growl, ready to continue the fight.

The first hostile didn't take long to present itself, the darkness obscured the details, but it was twice as big as the former human and holding an aggressive posture. To the Warden, that was enough to confirm a threat, and the luxio wasn't going to wait for it to attack first.

Martian charged head-on with Metal Claw and bared teeth, trying to quickly close the distance. The hostile managed to sidestep and deflect the attack with ease, only to find out too late that the electric type had predicted that action and readied an Iron Tail to smash into his face as the Warden leaped past him.

The attacker stumbled for a moment before steadying himself, standing on his knuckles before lifting one shaggy brown arm up to inspect his now blooded nose. The sight of the crimson liquid angered him, causing him to quickly pound his chest and charge the luxio. The former human readied himself as the hostile's fist came down in a slashing motion, he might not be able to block it with his shield, but he could use that momentum to his advantage. Using his shoulder as a pivot point, Martian grabbed the attacking limb and pulled downwards, effectively throwing the much larger pokemon over his shoulder and into a wall.

In retaliation, the pokemon grabbed Martian by the leg and threw him through the straw mat covering the doorway and into the street outside. The warden tumbled and rolled a few times before managing to find traction and stay standing, roaring in defiance.

Question was, in defiance of what? Out in the daylight, the Warden was finally able to see things for what they were far better than in the confines of whatever he woke up in. All the pokemon nearby seemed to be terrified of him and running for safety. As the realization set in, his opponent, a large slaking, finally exited the house.

"Your fight's over Kid, welcome to Respite Basin."

Wardens Eternal

"Sorry about attacking you earlier." Martian apologized once things began to settle down.

"Yeah well, I don't blame you. Judging by how the boys found you, you had to have been fighting like the void with those bandits." The Slaking shrugged, "Pups said you were a good fighter, had to admit I was curious just how good you were." The normal type paused to check if his nose was still bleeding before smirking, "They were not wrong."

"Pups?" The Luxio pressed.

"Ah, the Poochyena Brothers," Skaking clarified, "An exploration team that comes into town every now and again."

"Oh I remember them," Martian admitted, "They were some of the reinforcements back on Mt. Bristle after we engaged Drowzee, and crossed paths with them a couple of times in Treasure Town."

"Well, you definitely have their respect from one team to another. Enough that when they found you by the road two of them stayed behind to guard you, make sure a bandit didn't come back to finish you off while one ran here and got me." Skaking explained, "I carried you back here and put you in that vacant house for your recovery once the healer got done cleaning you up. You were definitely a mess."

"How long was I out?" The Warden asked, as grateful as he was for everything, there was still the mission.

"Two weeks," The elder reluctantly admitted, "You got someplace you need to be Son?"

Martian growled at the delay before answering, "The Southern Gulf, my partner was abducted and taken there. I'm getting her back."

"I know that tone, so I'm not going to try and stop you." Skaking sighed, "The safest route there is another three weeks travel on foot, one and a half if you catch a caravan train. The quickest way would be through the Mossy Swamps, but the pokemon down there are not the most receptive to travelers. That will cut it down to anywhere between three or seven days, depending on how nasty the path is."

"Thanks, I'd pay for everything you did for me but I'm short on coin, didn't need the weight." The warden apologized, "I need to get moving."

"Eh, consider it a favor from a retired adventurer to an active one." Skaking shrugged, "Before you go there is something else I want to give you, some of my old stuff. Not much use to me anymore, but you could definitely use them if you're going to go through the swamp."

The normal type walked over to an old chest nearby before blowing some of the dust off and lifting the lid, revealing several small glass like orbs and baked clay balls.

"Help yourself kid, got some Luminous orbs, a few Fresh and Phase ones, and a bunch of different pots. Just be careful that you don't break them or breathe any of the spores in, supposed to get the other guy to breathe 'em in."

"I'll put them to good use," Martian promised as he began selecting new additions to his arsenal, examining each orb and pot before placing them in the appropriate pocket on his vest before nodding his thanks once again to his host and exiting the house. A brief look at the map and the roads and he was on his way again stopping only briefly to replace his Oran Berries with new ones and top off his waterskin. . .

Wardens Eternal

The children's terrified screams kept Scarlett from sleeping, but with the chain around her neck, she wasn't sure she could do anything about it. Mimikyu took absolute joy in using her powers to terrify the children without actually touching them, toying with the kids through shadows and illusions. Scarlett couldn't take it anymore, stood up and opened the cell door before walking out as far as the chain let her.

"That's enough you sick ragdoll!" Scarlett roared her challenge down the hall, and soon the children's screaming stopped followed by a short pause.

The darkness began to swirl and twist, several tentacle-like appendages began to snake out stopping just short of reaching the fox. Mimikyu's distorted voice darkly chuckled.

"Oh? And what do you think you can do about it, sweetheart? Better get back in your cage before you wet yourself, dear, that would be so unbecoming of you."

"Come and make me, unless you're afraid you might wet yourself too." Scarlett retorted. Truth be told the young vixen was more than a little nervous, but she couldn't let these kids down. She had to be brave.

"Guards put this fool back in her cell. This is beneath me." The jailer sighed, signaling two yungoos to take care of the annoyance. When the two approached, one was knocked out by a single blow to the face, the second got his head stuck in the bars, unable to pull himself free.

"I'm not a fool, I'm a Warden." Scarlett corrected, enjoying the feeling that just saying those words gave her. Nervousness was gone. The fox could feel as everyone (well, everyone except for the two down weasels that was.) focused their attention on her. Before she looked to others for inspiration and strength, now others looked to her.

". . . Very well then," the ghost type finally responded, before the tentacles shot out to surround the vulpix. "As you WISH!"

The moment the shadowy limbs completely enveloped her, Scarlett release a small tornado of flames, destroying the appendages with ease. The fire's light was just enough to pick out Mimikyu's costume against the shadow limbs. Flamethrower hit it directly, illuminating the entire dungeon in a hot orange glow. The children were simply in awe.

Scarlett finally stopped her flamethrower, and couldn't help but smirk as the yellow costume continued to combust, the cloth and wooden tail continuing to crackle and burn. It took a moment for the ghost type to realize it's situation, scrambling to discard the flammable disguise and retreat back into the darkness. A few seconds and the once impressive costume was reduced to cinders.

"I'M GOING TO KILL YOU!" Mimikyu shrieked in pure rage if there was one thing the ghost/fairy type loved more then traumatizing kids without actually hurting them, it was its beloved collection of realistic disguises. Damaging one was practically begging to be killed in a truly horrifying fashion. To destroy one, even those that lived in the void had reason to be afraid of its fury.

The entire dungeon was consumed by darkness, the furious torturer preparing to unleash its absolute fury in a single, all-consuming, blow.

"Except you can't!" Scarlett called out, and the ghost's omnipresent form hesitated, stopping for a moment.

"You need me alive because my mother needs me alive." Scarlett reasoned, "If she just wanted me dead you would have killed me back in Treasure Town, instead she allowed you to divert people and resources to bring me back alive, and in good condition. So if you are okay with interfering with Mother's plans for the sake of a rag, come and get me."

The all-consuming presence remained silent for at least a few minutes, contemplating its options as well as their consequences. It was unbearable, but the fire vixen was right. If Mimikyu actually hurt Scarlett, Lady Winter would kill it for interfering with her plans. There was nothing it could do to the fox and live to tell the tale.

The furious jailor unleashed the loudest and most terrifying screech possible before abandoning the dungeon and slipping up the stairs to the exit. Another screech followed after the ghost opened the door, both barking orders and agonizing at the feeling of sunlight against its unshielded body. The costumes were just as much to protect Mimikyu from the sun as much as it was a disguise.

Four or five yungoos came in to restore order to the dungeon, rushing down the stairs as a group. They were confident, they didn't know about what would happen if they hurt her, they outnumbered her, and she was still chained to the floor of her cell. They thought it was going to be easy.

They thought wrong.

The chain around her neck, the one thing that really limited her abilities, ironically served to help her in the fight, allowing her to trip, closeline, and tangle up the goons. Soon three of the weasels retreated up the stairs, leaving two of their comrades, as well as the previous two guards, unconscious and unable to fend for themselves.

Scarlett found it a lot easier to sleep, listening to all the children excitedly whisper and giggle at what they had just witnessed. These kids were no longer afraid, no longer scared, all because a Warden intervened. . .