Ch.25: We Never Wished to Bring You Stress! Fight for what You Believe in, Tony!
Night had come and gone for Fuego Village. Team Ravenfield had turned in for the night and will be returning in the late morning to finish off what they began. They told Tony and Morgan that they'll be discussing the upcoming battle meant to take place the next day. With such a powerful relic at stake, they were not taking chances with this.
Since he had no place to go and he didn't want to part from his suffering family, Tony was offered the downstairs couch as his bed, which he gratefully thanked the kind Hypno for. Though, finding any comfort for sleep was tiringly difficult.
The stress he felt for the recovery of his family was already eating away at his soul as it was. Now he had to face the guilt he felt for gambling a dangerous item linked to a powerful artifact that could wipe out the entire region. All those warnings his mother gave her about the dangers of gambling when he was younger and these were the consequences he must face. Betting money so haphazardly was stupid. Betting a reality warping key…that was mind numbingly idiotic.
Somehow he found the will to sleep sometime in the night. He needed all the rest he could get. With the battle coming up soon, he needed to be at peak condition to take out the Anguis Organization. After that, then…well, he wasn't sure what happened next. He had no home and all their possessions got destroyed in the fire. Aside from the bits he still had on hand, he was broke.
The morning sun peeked through the windows and shined down on his closed eyes. He batted at the light source irritably, hoping it would fly away or go bug some other sleeping bum. After five minutes of trying to sleep, he gave up and rolled out of the bed. Literally, he rolled out of bed and fell on the floor with a loud thud, unmoving.
"…ugh…" He pressed his palms on the floor and pushed himself up. He shifted into a sitting position, dusted his hands off, then rubbed his eyes. He glanced out at a clock and saw it was only nine in the morning. He yawned tiredly, then flipped to his feet before performing some morning stretches to wake up his tired limbs.
He heard slow walking upstairs, indicating that Morgan was up as well. After stretching out his arms, Tony made his way upstairs. Once he was in the medical room, he saw the Hypno doctor giving Angel and Cheri medicine to combat their growing sicknesses. He frowned sadly at the sight, then walked over.
Morgan could since the presence of the young thief. "Hand me those berries off to the side, boy."
Tony yawned a reply, then walked over to the two bowls of berries for the sick patients. He grabbed them and handed one off to Morgan, then walked around to feed his sister.
He snagged a bite so he could get a burst of energy to wake himself up, then he gently whispered into Cheri's ear. "You awake, sis?" She moaned tiredly, shifting uncomfortably. "Open your mouth. I have breakfast for you." She opened her mouth slowly. "And before you ask, they're not Bluk berries." She tried to groan, but she was too exhausted to do so.
He placed the berry up to her lips. She sank her teeth into it and bit off a piece. She chewed carefully, then swallowed. "…thank…you…"
Tony rubbed her head. "I'm always here for you, short stack." He narrowed his eyes before asking Morgan, "Wouldn't it be better if the berries were blended so they don't have to waste energy chewing?"
Morgan rubbed his chin. "Their jaws aren't aching too badly, but it may be for the best. Crush them up into a fruit sauce." Tony nodded as he swiped the other bowl and took them downstairs.
He spent three minutes mashing up the berries until they were smooth enough to be slurped up. He had to use his scalchop, which was now stained blue. He sighed, then looked around for a napkin.
The front door opened behind him. Tony turned around and saw Team Ravenfield enter. Wes smiled and gave a small wave. "Sup Tony. How'd you sleep?"
"Crappy…" he muttered, still looking around for a napkin. Wes reached into his bag and handed him a cloth. "Thanks." He took it and wiped down his scalchop. "I was making breakfast for Mom and Cheri."
"Aww, how sweet!" Gwyn praised.
Tony shrugged. "It's just mashed berries, no big deal."
"Someone's not as peppy as he was yesterday," Ella commented with a smirk.
He rolled his eyes. "You wouldn't too if you went through the overload I endured last night. Why don't you just sock me in the gut to add insult to injury? Not like I don't deserve it."
Wes sighed. "Tony, we've decided to let that go. Right, Flint?" he asked his brother, who was looking away from Tony.
The Flareon glanced at his brother momentarily, then mumbled, "Yeah…"
"Yeah, uh…" Tony scratched the back of his head. "Listen, I want to apologize again for doing this, but…" He gritted his teeth. "You have to understand that I was in a tight spot. If I knew you guys got the antidote recipe and I was a little less angry, I may have…" Wes pressed his digit against his lips and shushed him.
"No more of that," he demanded firmly. He pulled away and smiled. "It doesn't matter anymore, because we're going to beat those idiots into next week and free your village from tyranny."
"You really don't have to be doing this. I mean, saving the world seems a lot more important."
Ella shrugged. "Every little bit of goodness helps. Besides, we don't want those guys hunting us down for the key, so our options are limited."
Gwyn grinned brightly and confidently. "But don't you worry, friend! You won't need that antidote once I've worked my magic! You'll have that antidote before you know it!" She headed out the door. "Come on, Flint! Another day of explosions and mishaps await us!"
Flint smiled awkwardly. "I'll, uh…join you in a moment." She nodded, then left for the back.
Wes walked over to the stairs. "We better get started. We have a lot to discuss if we're going to take on those thugs!"
"You really think a predetermined plan is going to help?" Tony asked.
"I know you like to think on the fly." He chuckled, waving his paw. "Heck, I do it ALL the time! However, there's a lot we can't risk from this!" He shrugged. "Besides, it's just a bunch of dirty thugs. Can't be that hard to knock some sense into." He disappeared up the stairs.
Tony looked to Ella, who offered a light shrug. "Trust me, you don't want him making plans while in the middle of a fight." She followed the Umbreon up.
The thief scratched his head with a down look, then he turned to Flint as he was exiting out the door. Tony sighed. "You hate me, don't you?"
His paw was out the door and stopped on the dirt street. He stood in place, contemplating his question. The thief narrowed his eyes and crossed his arms, awaiting a possible yes to be uttered. He expected it considering the friction between them.
Flint clenched his teeth together tightly, struggling to find the right words to say without coming off as abrasive. It has been a whole night for him to cool off, so he was definitely in a better mood than yesterday. Still, he found difficultly in looking at the Dewott without being reminded of the risky situation they've been thrown into. They didn't need more enemies hunting them down.
The Flareon took a deep breath and said, "…I don't…hate you, Tony. You did what you had to do. It's our fault for not properly working this all out before we went to that extreme." He glared. "Still, what you did puts us all at jeopardy. We're not letting Aeternus take that key from us, win or lose. However, in the current state of things, losing means being hunted down by them." He shook his head. "Not like it matters either way."
Tony shook his head. "Look, I get that you don't trust me, but I promise you that I'll win. I don't need help."
"YES you do," Flint pressed against him. "They may be just lowly thugs, but we're not taking risks on the account of your own pride."
He narrowed his eyes. "What I mean is that you should at least let me talk my way through things. I can handle my own battles, but I'm not objecting to the help should things get rough for some reason."
Flint sighed. "That's just it, though. You speak of this Aeternus like he's a madman. If we end up being hunted down by him because of his interest in the keys, he'll likely send more powerful foes to track us down." He glared. "We can't have anyone else knowing about the idol. The madness it would create just knowing of its existence would be catastrophic."
"And I won't let that happen."
"How? Once we're done here, we're back on the road to get the Key of Fire. You'll still be here taking care of your mother and sister." Flint shook his head. "Tony, I appreciate that you're trying to mend your mistakes, but there isn't much you can do other than winning this stupid bet."
Tony crossed his arms. "Well…I…" He looked up the stairs. "…I don't know."
Flint shook his head. "You have a life to take into your own hands. Unless you really want to stay in this village for the rest of your life, with your only purpose being to take care of your family until they can move on with their own lives, you need to look ahead and find a new goal to reach for."
The thief looked down at his feet. "…will they be mad at me?"
"I doubt it. They love you, I know it." He narrowed his eyes. "But that isn't something you should be asking me. They may want to hear it from you and only you. After that, decide what you want to do. Stay here…or make your own journey." Flint exited the building.
Tony groaned, scratching the side of his head. "Make my own journey…why not add some more philosophical nonsense while you're at it? Won't change how confused I am." He grabbed his mother and sister's breakfast and walked upstairs.
He handed out one bowl to Ella, who helped feed his mother, while he went back over to his sister. He rubbed her head. "You awake, short stack?"
She groaned. "…don't talk so loudly…"
"I, uh…wasn't talking…" He stopped himself, then shook his head. "Sorry…" he apologized softly. He took a spoonful of berries and placed it near her mouth. "Eat up."
She complied and slurped the contents off the spoon. He smiled satisfyingly as she swallowed with less discomfort than before. He took another spoonful and fed it to her. They kept at this until the bowl was completely empty of berry mush.
He set the bowl to the side, then rubbed her head. "How are you feeling?"
"B…Better…" Her nose twitched, then she let out a violent sneeze. She reflexively grabbed her chest in pain. "Agh!"
Tony's eyes widened in alert. "Cheri!" He held her comfortingly.
She sniffled with tears dripping out of her eyes. "I-I…I'm fine, big brother…"
The thief bit his lip worriedly. I need that damn antidote soon or else.
Morgan walked over to Cheri's side. "Move over for a moment, Tony." He nodded and stepped back. "Cheri, this is going to feel a little weird, but I need you to keep absolutely still."
"O…Ok…Okay…" She relaxed her body as best as she could.
Morgan hovered his hand over her face. "Inspectio Threads." The tips of his fingers lit up purple, then light string slithered down and wrapped around her body.
He closed his eyes as the light string examined her body for any detailed abnormalities that could be causing her pain. The symptoms seemed to be getting worse. They may not be fatal yet, but the repercussions would be dangerous, even if an antidote was administered.
As the strings examined the young Pikachu, Morgan could hear the weak beating over her heart. The threads picked up on some abnormalities around her lungs. The details relayed back to him and he pictured white spots forming on her lungs. No doubt Angel was developing the same kind of spots on her lungs, too. They must be making it harder for her to breathe, more so than before. Even a simple sneeze sends waves of stress and pain into her.
He dispelled the strings, then rubbed his eyes with his thumb and index finger. "They're getting worse. This might be worse than the Curse of Disease. At least then, death would end the suffering, as grim as it sounds."
Tony clenched his teeth, tightly gripping the bedsheets. "They're suffering…"
"We need to get that antidote into them before it is too late." He glanced at Tony. "You're only hope is that either Aeternus keeps his word or Gwyn fixes up a working batch. Like I said, there isn't much I can do other than suppress the illnesses."
Tony was close to ripping the sheets to shreds as the fury for that mad clown burned deeply in his eyes. His rage only diminished as his sister coughed harshly, then groaned from the strain on her chest. The thief kissed the top of her head. "Big brother will help you. Just hang in there a little longer. Can you do that for me?"
She coughed once more, then looked up at him weakly. "I'll…I'll try…"
He grinned. "You're a brave fighter, Cheri. Few can hold a candle to your willpower."
She smiled feebly. "I'm a tough fighter…just like you?"
He smiled sadly. "Of course you are. You're my sister, squirt. Are you that surprised that you're as tough as me?"
She giggled quietly. "No…"
He chuckled. "Good answer."
Wes smiled brightly at the sweet sight. "You're so sweet to her."
Tony looked away for a moment. "I try to be for her sake." He gave Cheri a hug before stepping away. He sighed. "I promise, I'll help you and Mom get back up on your feet. You have my word."
She smiled up at him. "I know…that's because you're amazing…" Her faces scrunched up as she prepared for another sneeze. Not allowing it to happen a second time, Tony placed his finger under her nose, stopping her from sneezing. She relaxed herself. "Thank you…"
Tony patted her head. "Just try and rest up as much as you can, short stack."
"O…Okay…" She yawned tiredly and closed her eyes. He could see it in her face that she wasn't comfortable, making it harder to fall back asleep. She likely won't sleep up until she passes out on her own.
Tony pulled a chair up and sat by her bedside, watching her and his mother attentively. Wes and Ella glanced at each other, then nodded.
"Tony…" The Dewott looked up at them. "Listen, once we get this mess straightened out…what's your plan after?"
He clasped his hands together and rested them on his lap. "I'm not sure yet…I just don't feel right with them like this. I feel like I need to do something to make up for the harm I've brought upon them."
Ella shook her head. "On and on with the melodrama…" She glared lightly at the thief. "Look, say what you will, but one thing is for certain: you need to tell them the truth about how you feel."
Tony flinched. "I can't do that. If I do, they'll feel like they've been a burden on me."
"As cruel as you make it out to be, they are a burden. They're a burden because you love them so much that you've made them into this great weight you feel you need to hold up, straining yourself for days on end." Ella shrugged. "You need to accept fact and just admit how you feel. After that, you need to make a decision. Not just based on your own feelings, but theirs as well."
"Decide what, though? What is there left for me to do? I have no other goals other than making their lives great."
Wes smiled brightly. "So just make a goal for yourself. It isn't that hard."
"But what? What could I possibly do?"
Ella narrowed her eyes with a smirk. "The better question is…what do you want to do with the rest of your life?" Tony looked away, pondering. "Let's get something across: you're a thief who will gladly swindle anyone's prized possessions for your own benefits. You have the makings of an international thief already. Vigilante doesn't seem like a bad gig for you, either. Beating up bad guys and, hey, you could make a profit off of that." She tapped her chin. "Bounty hunter also seems like a suitable job for you, although you would have to kill people if the bounty gives the option or just says so."
Tony held his head. "All of your options make me look like a maniac…"
Wes shrugged. "That's life outside of the villages, towns, and cities. A lot of professions in this world aren't the honest kind. I have to steal stuff to find priceless artifacts. Pirates pillage innocents to get what they want. Bandits hunt down travelers and steal their goods. Hitmen…well, they take pride in killing their target."
The thief slouched forward in his seat. "So my life is essentially the life of a criminal."
"We prefer…anti-hero, in a way," Ella admitted. "Unless you're a typical pirate, then criminal suits you just fine."
Wes smiled. "The point is that the world outside of your village is no different than everything you've dealt with. Just more variety in the types of scum you have to come across."
"Scum and dishonest folk like us take a bit more pride in social order, though. Really, it's just dependent on your response in the long run."
Wes laughed. "Talk to any of my close friends and they'll tell you I'm one of the nicest guy around. Talk to any of the people I robbed and they'll hand you payment to hunt me down."
Tony raised a brow. "All of you are like this?"
Ella scratched her head. "Well, mostly Wes and me. Flint and Gwyn are the more honest folk of our group." She smirked. "Though, Gwyn does have mischievous side that I simply adore."
Tony leaned back in his seat and crossed his arms. "It all sounds like paradise, but…" He looked at his mother and sister. "…even if I decide to leave this village, I don't want to leave them behind heartbroken."
Wes smiled sadly. "Sometimes the hardest thing for a parent to do is watch their children grow up. When I first started out on my treasure hunting job, Flint told me she worried about me getting home safely. Of course, I did make it back alright, save for the numerous injuries I obtained. She didn't scold me for following my dreams, but rather saw it as me finding my own self. She got used to it after a while, but she still worries about my safety, equally the same with Flint." He chuckled. "She's probably missing us right now."
Ella smirked. "Ah yes, where would your dear mother me without her usual snuggles from her baby boy~?"
Wes glared at her. "Oh shut up."
She tapped her chin. "I remember a few years back that she showed me photos of you in a cute sailor outfit."
Wes wanted to be more demanding, but he didn't want to raise his voice any louder than allowed. He raised his head and looked away from her. "You're just jealous that I looked AMAZING in that cute sailor outfit."
Ella grinned. "Well, you're not wrong."
He snickered to himself, then smiled at Tony. "You get my point…your mother and Cheri would be heartbroken to see you go, but…"
"It'd be worse if they thought they were the reason you couldn't explore who you are. As Wes said, it's a parent's dream to watch their child grow into who they were meant to be."
Tony looked down at his feet in thought, twiddling his fingers. "I see…" He narrowed his eyes. "So…I should just…tell them?"
"I'd do it soon if I were you. May not be the most appropriate time given their current status, but you need to get this off your chest as quickly as you can."
Tony looked at his family as they tried their best to rest through their discomfort. Their pain caused him pain. Their happiness caused him discomfort. It was a sad truth, one he hated to admit. Telling them now would be hard to do, dare he say impossible.
But he didn't want to live with the guilt should the worse happen.
"Hit the deck!"
Gwyn tackled Flint to the ground as the potion exploded over their heads. Another batch failed and destroyed. The green Mew was going to run out of ingredients soon…and equipment!
They poked their heads over the table, then groaned in annoyance. "Seriously?!" Gwyn shouted. "Why did I have to get stuck working on the most stubborn potion in existence?!" She slammed her hands on the table. "I will get this down, even if it kills me!"
Flint pulled himself to his feet. "Perhaps not that far…" He sighed. "If we don't get this finished, that fight will be inevitable. And I'm not one to be trusting the word of an apparently crazy psychopath."
Gwyn scratched her head. "True." She rubbed her face in annoyance. "But man, this potion is stubborn."
"Are we doing anything wrong?"
"Other than getting the timing wrong, not much. There is, however, a glaring issue to look at." She held up her notes. "Once the potion goes into a critical state, where it's at its most volatile form, you need to add a piece of gold into the mix so it'll stabilize out." She closed the book with an annoyed expression. "I checked the gold bits we had to see if those would work, but…"
Flint looked away with a sigh. "Yeah, uh…gold bits aren't made of ACTUAL gold." He then mumbled, "That would be a nightmare, to be frank."
She groaned. "I need an actual piece of gold, not imitation gold. That stuff isn't easy to come by, especially out here." She crossed her arms, then looked up. "Doesn't Wes have gold on him?"
Flint shook his head. "He sold a lot of golden items for money on our journey. He doesn't have any gold nuggets either."
"I only need a small piece, so that's a problem." She slid her hands into her pockets. "I'm just going to have to see if the potion allows substitutes."
"But didn't you say the potion with be highly volatile at that point?"
She grinned with a hint of crazy in her eyes. "I'm honestly looking forward to that part."
Flint deadpanned at the crazy Mew. "Dear Arceus, you're nuts…"
She giggled. "Aww, you're so sweet~!" She tapped her chin. "I suppose it wouldn't hurt to use a gold bit, just to see if the gold like properties it's made of can act as a valuable substitute. Though, this isn't like baking, so I'm taking some gambles here."
Flint glared at the pharmacy. "We've been taking a lot of gambles recently…"
"Ooh right, that reminds me." She turned to face him. "Have you and Tony…settled things?"
He shrugged hesitantly. "I mean, I don't hate nor blame him for what he did, but he unintentionally made a bigger mess than needed."
Gwyn shrugged indifferently. "I really don't see what he did as totally wrong. A bit rude, but…I probably would have done the same have I been in his shoes." She shook a vial that was in her hand, inspecting it.
"Gwyn, I know you wouldn't do something like that by complete accident."
"Yeah, I would." She set the vial she had down. "You saw how I was living before I met you guys. I could barely take care of myself." She turned to ground some leaves up. "Doing something like that wouldn't be surprising for me, especially if I was in a position to save my mother." She tapped her chin. "Actually, what Tony did wasn't too different from what my mother did. A reckless decision to save another's life."
"Your experience was vastly different than this. We're talking about the gambling of an idol here, not the life of one soul."
"His actions may look stupid on your end, but it's a matter of perspective." She dumped the grounded leaves into the beaker. "He had no one to teach him these kinds of lessons other than his sick mother. So really, it's a matter of poor timing on all of us."
Flint sighed. "You're way too forgiving."
"Practice what you preach, Flint," she reminded as she dripped blue liquid into the beaker. "Give others the benefit of the doubt. Tony's a nice guy, no matter what he did." She smirked. "The old me should be the one acting like a paranoid lunatic, not you."
Flint blushed with narrowed eyes. "I'm not paranoid, I'm just-"
"-naturally cautious about my surroundings, blah, blah, blah," she mocked, moving her fingers up and down like a mouth. She giggled at his peeved expression. "Flint, you're sounding more and more like how I behaved." She smiled sweetly. "Come on, tell me what's bugging you. You said you've had run ins with thieves before, so…"
Flint looked down at his paws with a hesitant expression. He wasn't in the mood to give a longwinded speech about his discomfort in the Fire Zone. What happened back then wasn't an issue for the present. He moved on and learned from his mistakes. He didn't want to be bothered with it again.
Though, the pleadingly cute stare of the Mew before him was a deal breaker. He was beginning to think she spent too much time around Ella because she was picking up a few of her manipulation tactics.
Flint sighed, then spoke, "My dream in life is to discover the vast history kept secret for eons in the Mysto region. I want to become an archeologist so I can learn the secrets of the old era." He smiled brightly. "The reason why I looked up to my father was because, despite his job focusing on treasure hunting, he taught me the beauty of the old world." He laughed. "If you saw me back then, you'd know that I burst into excitement whenever he brought home rare artifacts from old cultures. The other kids at my school thought I was weird for getting excited over dusty old buildings and remains, but…I just couldn't help it.
"So, when Wes decided to become a treasure hunter after our father passed, I traveled with him so I can explore the world for myself, uncovering old mysteries and discovery the secrets of this beautiful region. The origins of magic and the strange phenomenon it had on our land. I want to uncover every last drop of info I can and discover the vast secrets deep inside the lands.
"So, one day, we were wandering Carmina City to find a sacred jewel Wes wanted to steal. I wanted to be against it, but…aside from the guys we were stealing from being a black market ring, that jewel was special. According to the leads we got from Hal, that jewel used to belong to an ancient civilization, possibly a civilization that discovered and first used magic. The nomads that helped us win the Grand Imperium War likely were traced back to that exact civilization. It was against my better judgment, but I wanted to uncover that civilization's secrets. Where was their homeland? How did they discover magic? How far back has magic dated before it became rooted into our history? I had to know."
Gwyn raised a brow. "How would a jewel even lead you to something like that?"
"Tracking spells would be hard to use, given that there are theories that this civilization lived in a different plane of reality, but the finer details of uncovering its own history could have led us to something greater." He smiled brightly. "To avoid boring details, we got the jewel and attempted to leave the city before we got caught."
He sighed, then smiled exasperatedly. "Surprise, surprise, Wes ended up getting distracted when we passed by a pawn shop and he wanted to check out the amulets and trinkets they were selling. So, he gave me the jewel because…well, I may have been…geeking out the whole time. He thought I would like to hold onto it and examine it for myself."
Gwyn smiled. "Aww, that was nice of…him?" Her eyes widened as she saw his jaw clench up with fury.
"If only I wasn't so stupid back then…if I knew what was going to happen that day, I would have never let Wes give it to me."
"Flint?" Gwyn mumbled out in concern.
Smoke blew out of his nostrils. "I've told you that I'm not fighter. Imagine my luck when, out of the many people wandering the streets, I was the lucky victim to be mugged by a group of street urchins. They were part of the black market we robbed. I didn't think they knew we were there because I used my illusion spells to sneak Wes in. They found out and tracked me down at that exact moment." He growled. "And I wasn't just mugged. I was kicked, beaten, stabbed-!"
"You got stabbed?!" she cried out in horror.
"I tried to fight back and they got me in the foreleg." He rubbed his left foreleg at the memory. "They almost took everything from me, but Wes came running out and knocked most of them out. One of them fled before Wes could get payback." He clenched his teeth. "That one guy, though…out of all the guys Wes took out, he missed the one who ruined our big discovery." He shook his head. "It was a case of bad luck that left a painful memory on the face of the Fire Zone for me. Every time I hear the Fire Zone mentioned, it brought back memories I wished would die."
"Flint…" Gwyn stepped forward a bit.
He sighed. "Maybe I was complicating myself. A single artifact from a destroyed civilization and I thought I alone could find the hidden land using it. Yet I had to be sure." He shook his head. "That jewel was likely pawned off for booze or drugs. It's probably in a completely different region."
Gwyn patted the Flareon's back. "I'm sorry that happened to you."
He shook his head. "It's fine. It's nothing against Tony. I just…" He closed his eyes. "I don't want to lose another important artifact again. I treasure this region's history, myth or past." He glared fiercely. "I swear, not only will I protect the remaining keys and idol with my life, but I'll also continue my goal of uncovering the secret history of Mysto and uncover the origins of magic. That experience, as painful a memory it was, taught me one thing…I'm never going to quit on my dream to become an archeologist!"
The green Mew smiled at him. "And I'll be with you every step of the way!"
He blinked in surprise. "Really?"
She grinned cheekily. "I got nothing else better to do. My only dream is to become a Potion Master like my mom. I can do that on the road helping you dig up bones and dust!"
He gaped in awe, then smiled. "Thanks Gwyn."
She laughed. "Give me a hug, you fluffy bookworm!" She lifted him onto his hind legs and hugged him tightly. He blushed in surprise, then smiled as he hugged back.
"You're an amazing friend, Gwyn."
"Aww, stop it~!" She dropped him and clenched her fists. "Now come on, Flinty! We got a potion to finish! I expect total focus on its completion!"
He saluted. "Yes ma'am!" They got back to work, hastily, yet meticulously working on the potion.
They weren't aware of the two thugs that were spying on them from across the street, though. Two thugs that worked for the Anguis Organization. They wore trench coats and fedoras to hide their identities, though wearing a trench coat and fedora in public and staring at the same spot for several minutes does draw suspicion.
One of the thugs glared. "I see…they must be working on the antidote for Lord Aeternus' drug. I thought he said he had the only antidote. Where did they acquire it?" He heard his partner sniffling. "The hell is with you?!"
He wiped tears from his eyes. "I'm sorry, it's just…I feel so sorry for that Flareon! What kind of scumbags tears a man's dreams apart by mugging him?!"
The first thug grabbed him by the collar and slapped him repeatedly. "Dumbass! We're thugs! WE mug people!"
"We do?" He tapped his chin, then smiled. "Oh yeah, we do!"
The competent thug face-palmed. "Ugh…we need to inform Lord Aeternus about this. If they have a working antidote, they'll be less leverage against Sapienti."
The ignorant thug nodded. "Right!" They stealthily ran back to their HQ.
Angel shifted around in her sleepy state, groaning as she saw the light of the sun hitting her in the face. "Ugh…too earlier to put up with this…I just want to sleep in until next 'SUNday'." She laughed to herself quietly.
Cheri shivered in her drowsy state. Too groggy…too sleepy…too many terrible puns…
Angel tried to push herself up, seeing that she wouldn't be able to get decent sleep for a while, but her tired limbs gave out on her when her back was barely an inch over the bed. She loosely hung her arms over the edge of the bed. "I should be used to this by now, but this is far, far worse…"
Her ears twitched as a set of footsteps came close to her. She turned her head and saw her son setting down a bowl of berries for her. He saw that she was awake and smiled. "Afternoon, Mom."
"That late, eh?" She rubbed her eyes. "I seem to be losing track of time. And just about everything I eat." She laughed again, then groaned.
Tony rolled his eyes as he pulled her blanket back over her. "You shouldn't be talking so much."
She sighed. "My voice is rather 'grating' to listen to. It can 'shred' silence to pieces." She chuckled.
Cheri groaned. "I'm dying…of irritation…"
Tony shook his head with a smirk. "I'm serious, Mom."
She smiled weakly. "I'll stop with the puns, but I really want to talk. I'm dying of boredom up here." She lifted her hand and cupped Tony's cheek in it. "You've been a big help to Cheri and me. I couldn't have asked for a better son."
He smiled and gripped her hand. "Hey…I said I'd always be here for you guys, didn't I?"
"And we appreciate all you've done. Right Cheri?"
She nodded, turning her body over to face them. "Yeah…you're an awesome big brother."
Tony's smiled dipped a bit. "I'm…not that great."
Angel chuckled. "Don't be so modest. It takes a lot of dedication to raise a family." She smirked. "Shows how much of a pain you were to deal with when you were still a baby."
The thief deadpanned. "Gee, thanks."
Angel smiled sweetly. "But I loved every moment I spent raising you to be this fine, proper young man you're growing into. Any girl would be lucky to have a man like you around."
Tony looked away. "Seriously, I don't deserve all this praise."
"But we love you, Tony. We can't help it. You've done so much to take care of us in our darkest hour. Don't you feel a little pride for your actions?"
She noticed that he was gripping her hand firmly. She took another look at his face and saw in darkened in mood. Her eyes lowered worriedly, especially when he dropped her hand and stepped back.
"…I want to be happy for what I've been doing…and I do, but…" He lowered his head. "You don't know what I've been going through to get this far…"
"Tony…" Cheri mumbled with concerned eyes.
He sighed, leaning against the stair banister. "I…I'm happy to have taken care of you two for as long as I have. Your happiness was of upmost importance to me in my mission to get us back on our feet. I did everything I could." He looked to his mother. "Taking care of you in your weakened state." He looked to Cheri. "Working up the extra money to buy you a new toy." He smiled sadly, looking down at his feet. "I did everything I could to make this family happy."
He frowned. "Everyone…but me."
His mother and sister blinked in confusion. Angel shifted her body up so she could look at him in a somewhat seated position. "What?"
Tony closed his eyes, folding his arms behind his back. "I don't care that I had to steal to survive. It's survival of the cleverest. That's how I get things done." He sighed, then said, "But stealing from strangers means no personal connections can be made. I don't feel guilty. I don't feel ashamed." He shook his head. "I don't need to put on an act to get things done. Yet…I have to push through troubling times to get a job done, even if it means putting aside my own feelings."
"Sweetie…what are you talking about?" Angel asked worriedly.
Tony clenched his teeth. "I…I'm happy to have taken care of you two for so long. It should bring me the most joy in the world, appreciation for helping you two either in sickness or in growth." He frowned. "But does satisfaction make up for the stress I've had to deal with?"
"Big brother?" Cheri mumbled.
"I'm going to be honest with you two…a part of me, a small part of me deep, deep down inside, hates having to take care of you. Not out of malice or disgust aimed at you two, but rather the stress I've accumulated all this time." He opened his eyes, narrowing them with shame. "Either things go good or bad. It alternates a lot."
Angel narrowed her eyes in concern. "Stress…? Tony, are you saying you've been feeling…uncomfortable with everything you've done?"
He gripped his arm tightly. "Money's tight, so I took the high road and made some necessary sacrifices on your behalf." He frowned. "We had a food shortage once and…one of us had to go without food for a couple of days."
They gasped in shock. "What?!" Cheri shouted hoarsely.
"Tony! Did you starve yourself when we were low on food?!" Angel shouted in horror.
He clenched his teeth. "Starved myself, worked extra jobs to make more money, limited my own time so I couldn't get a moment's rest…I did a lot of things at the cost of my happiness."
"Why would you that?" Cheri asked as her eyes watered. Angel stared at Tony as her mood darkened.
"Because I love you two. I didn't want you worrying about me, so I kept this all to myself." He sighed. "You were getting ill, Mom. And Cheri…I want you to stay a kid for as long as you can. I was the only in our family who could take care of you two. I devoted my time to keeping the both of you healthy and happy."
Angel glared. "By hurting yourself?"
"I wouldn't put it like that, but…I suppose I have been."
"I can't believe you didn't tell me this! I'm your mother! I don't care how far you had to go for all of this, but what you're doing is not only stupid, but bad for your health!" she scolded. "I might've been the sick one, but I don't want you working yourself to the bone until Death comes knocking at your door!"
Tony sighed. "But I had no choice. You two are the world to me and it would devastate me should anything happen to the both of you. I did this out of love."
"Oh, don't give me that crap!" His eyes widened as his mother raised her voice at him. He saw she was struggling to do so with how sore her throat was, but the fury in her eyes motivated her to continue. "You and I both know why you're really doing this!"
He flinched. "You…do?"
"You-!" She interrupted herself as a series of violent coughs forced their way out of her throat. She clutched her chest in pain, but she suppressed it as she looked back at her son, this time with a sad, caring gaze. "Tony…I know a part of you did this because you love Cheri and me. It makes me happy to hear such devotion coming from you." She narrowed her eyes in concern. "But if you truly had no other choice, why didn't you come to Morgan for help?"
"I did go to him for help. He helped me get the medicine you needed."
"I mean…help you take some of the burden off your shoulders?" She frowned. "You're a smart boy, Tony. I'd believe that you were bright enough to go to a trusted physician like Morgan to help us at such a delicate point of time for us." She closed her eyes. "Unless, of course, this was to prove a point…to let out your frustration towards another…" She sighed. "Good grief, the hatred you feel for your father is unbearable sometimes…"
Tony lowered his eyelids, staring down at the floor. He shifted his feet uncomfortably. "I can see which side of the family I got my sharp wit from…"
Angel sighed, rubbing her face. "Tony…I can't be mad at you for hating your father. I know I say he's a great man, but…I can see where you're coming from." She looked at him worriedly. "Still, putting us before yourself is not okay. I know I've taught you not to be selfish, but…being completely selfless is just as stupid." She shook her head. "I swear, you're just as stubborn as your father. Once he had his mind set on something, nothing in the world could stop him."
Tony glared at the ground. "So, I'm just like him? A stubborn old fool?"
His mother shook her head. "Stubborn? Yes. A fool? Not even close." She smiled. "You've done something that shows me that I've done my job as a mother: raise you right. Granted, a little too well, but it shows that you're on your way to becoming your own person." She then grumbled, "Your father still had a lot to learn in that department."
"What do you mean?" Tony asked curiously.
"Your father was a skilled wizard and warrior. I've told you before how he defended entire cities from rogue wizards and pirates. In battle, he was remarkable. Flawless in his pursuit." She bit her lip. "Taking care of a child, though? Well, let me put it to you like this. You've done a better job of taking care of Cheri when she was a baby compared to how well he took care of you."
Tony raised a brow. "Seriously?"
"Back when you were still a baby, he tried his best in earnest. Unfortunately, he was extremely inept at anything that doesn't involve his scalchop blade and an opponent." She groaned. "Don't get me started on how he wasted a month's supply of diapers when he was changing you." She rubbed the back of her head. "It was rather fortunate that his line of work as a bodyguard paid well, lest we would wouldn't have lived on for as long as we did before coming out here.
"So, I had to play homemaker and raise you while he worked. I took care of everything around the house. I tried to teach him how to cook once and…well, again, let's just say I'm glad I married a Samurott who could put out fires." She smiled at Tony. "You have your father's stubbornness and inherited his magical potential…but you certainly didn't inherit his ineptness. I made sure of that so you could live on your own. I didn't want you to be like your father, especially one that leaves us to fend for ourselves."
Tony narrowed his eyes. "If that's the case…why don't you hate him?"
She smiled sadly. "Despite everything that has happened and him abandoning this family, I can't really say I despise him as a person." She chuckled. "He acts all cold and serious, but believe me, that was not the case around me." She coughed a couple times, gripping her chest, then continued, "He was…awkward when it came to be social. I tell you, the dates we had were some of the best moments of my life, watching him try to get out of his introverted shell and speak romantically." She chuckled. "That's actually why I love making puns so much. To make light of a bad situation, I calm him down by telling him one of my masterfully told quips." She grinned. "Became a habit after a while."
Cheri groaned. "Now I'm beginning to hate Dad…"
"Oh hush up, you." She smiled up at the ceiling. "But when he battled, he put his heart into it. After witnessing all his blunders and failures trying to act normal, it was nice to know that he wasn't completely clumsy." She chuckled. "You got the best of both worlds. My wit and skills and his magic and battle skills."
Tony looked off to the side. "I see…"
Angel smiled sadly. "Sweetheart, look at me." He glanced at her slightly. "I understand that you were mad at him for abandoning us and that you had an obligation to take care of us. But please understand, what you're doing is far worse than anything he could have done. Unlike you, when he messed up, he had someone to get him back up." She frowned. "You were doing everything on your own. He had no home skills, but he had me for help. You have all our skills, but you don't give yourself time to rest. There's a balance to be made when handling these types of things. You can't just expect everything will go right, especially on your own."
Tony closed his eyes. He felt tears brimming at his eyes. "I'm…I'm sorry…I just didn't want to let you two down…"
Angel smiled warmly. "Sweetheart, I would never be disappointed in you. That's growth. Learning from mistakes." She patted the bed. "Come here." He silently walked over and sat on the bed. She placed her hands over his. "Tony, you went out of your way to be a better man than your father and you succeeded. But in doing so, you removed a part of your pokemanity that's important for any Pokémon: your childhood." She poked his nose with her tail. "I want to see you grow up, but not too fast. You may be legally an adult now, but I don't want you forgetting that inner child of yours. I know you. What you have is a sense for adventure.
"I want you to grow up, get married, have kids, have grandkids; all that wonderful life stuff." She placed her hands on his shoulders. "But I want you to remember who you are. I don't want you growing up too fast. This family has survived for so long with our wit. We can continue on, but not without the right help. Your father couldn't survive in a household without me. We couldn't survive without you. And you won't survive without friends by your side."
"Mom…" Tony muttered.
"She's right, big brother." He looked at Cheri, who looked to him wearily. "I don't want you…to be sad…because of us. That makes me sad…"
"Cheri…"
Angel turned his head back to her. "You've done so much for us. But you've earned the right to be a little selfish." She smiled sweetly. "So please, as your last act of selflessness, I want you to get rid of those horrible thugs and get that antidote." She smirked. "I've been sick for too long. I much rather be weary than miserable."
Cheri nodded. "It hurts…a lot…" Her eyes watered. "I don't like it…"
Tony's lip quivered. "Sis…"
Angel smiled. "After that, I want you to be selfish and do one thing for us: leave this village and make your own journey. Do what you believe in. Don't let us hold you back. It only holds us back because we care about you, too."
Tony looked down at his lap as the tears began to roll. He sniffled, wiped his face, and smirked. "I'm an idiot…" He looked at her. "I shouldn't have let my pride get in the way…"
She wrapped her arms around him. "There's nothing wrong with a little pride, sweetie." She smirked. "Though, you were acting pretty stupid…"
He hugged her back. "Shut up…" he said with a teasing grin.
"Aww…" Cheri groaned, feeling left out of the hugging.
Tony grinned widely. "Oh, get over here, short stack!" He flipped off the bed, lifted her into his arms, and brought her over to their mother to join in for a group hug.
The sudden rise out of her bed made her stomach churn, turning her face green. "Ugh…not so fast…" She smiled and hugged her brother back. "I love you, big brother…"
"I love you too, Cheri…" He smiled lovingly. "You're…going to throw up, aren't you?"
"Please put me down…"
He did as ask and set her back on her bed, allowing her to lean over the other side of her bed and hang her head over the bucket beside her.
Tony slid his hands into his pockets and looked at his mother. "So…I should take my own path, eh?"
Angel nodded. "Whichever direction you want."
He glanced at the stairs, then smiled to himself. "I…have some ideas. But first things first…" He smirked proudly. "I have some jerks to beat up!"
His mother chuckled. "Show them what happens when you cross our family."
He saluted. "Can do!" He ran to the stairs and flipped over the banister. Once he landed on the stairs, he saw Morgan leaning against the railing with one hand in his pocket and the other holding his flask of alcohol up to his mouth. "Hey Pops!" He narrowed his eyes. "Did you…hear all of that?"
He lowered his flask and smiled. "These walls tell many tales, boy."
He smiled. "Please take care of them. One way or the other, that antidote will be ours."
"I don't doubt you." He sipped on his flask, then wiped his mouth. He capped his flask and put it in his back pocket. "You still got a few hours to prepare for your battle. Use the time wisely." He walked up to check on Angel and Cheri.
Tony nodded, then dashed downstairs, where Wes and Ella were sitting on a couch, planning out strategies for the Anguis Organization. "Okay, so in the event we get an open shot for the antidote, we'll rush them from all angles," Wes said as he pointed at the diagram laid out between them.
Ella raised a brow. "And if they can fly?"
"I said ALL angles, didn't I?"
"You expect one of us to be flying?"
He grinned. "And digging underground."
Ella shook her head. "Seems a little much for a rush."
"Hey, complexity and unpredictability are the two main ingredients to any good fight!"
"Yes…there's also skill, technique, intelligence, keen observation, strategy, awareness of surroundings-"
"MY two main ingredients for battle!" he interrupted. Ella giggled, raising her paw up to her mouth.
Tony smiled, then walked up to them. "So, where do I fit into all of this?"
They looked up at him in mild surprise. "Oh, Tony. We were just getting things sorted out. Although Ella and I seem to be having differences when it comes to properly executing a plan."
Ella shrugged. "Sorry Wester, but I'm way too mellow to follow your absurdity."
"I'm not that crazy!"
Tony smirked. "If I may interject…" He grabbed the diagram and held it up. "I actually have my own suggestions for this matter."
Ella raised a brow with a smirk. "I thought you lost your confidence."
"Minor setback." He pointed at himself. "An amazing guy like me can never be kept down by mere failure!"
Ella glanced at Wes with a smirk. He chuckled in response before asking, "Alright Tony, since you're the reason we're stuck in this mess, what do you propose we do?"
Tony cracked his knuckles. "Well, as far as they know, they have strength in numbers. I figured I rough them up a bit before we go in for the final push."
Wes smirked. "A crafty sneak attack, eh?"
Tony chuckled. "I never said I wasn't allowed to bring help." He clenched his fist. "I'm going to give that mad clown a piece of my mind…"
"Just don't do anything crazy. We need to work as a team."
He nodded. "Don't worry, I'm not taking any chances with this one." He smirked. "I can't afford to lose."
The sun dipped down into the horizon. The sky went dark and the barren lands surrounding the village blew with cold wind that picked up clouds of nearby ash drifting along. A whole day of planning come and gone, both sides were ready to take their stand.
The entirety of the Fuego Village's branch of the Anguis Organization were standing on the empty plains, with their weapons held tightly and ready to fire. Sitting on a stand in front of them was the spatial mirror, revealing Aeternus as he relaxed in his chair, sipping on some red wine while wearing his devilish grin.
They narrowed their eyes on their challenger as he exited out of the village and walked over to them. He had his hands in his pockets and smirked confidently with an air of calm around him. It was that same cocky grin of his that made most of the thugs growl in irritation. They trained their weapons on him, but Aeternus raised his hand, silently ordering them to not engage in combat just yet.
Tony stopped about ten meters away from them. He lowered his head for a moment, then chuckled lowly as he slowly raised it. His eyes were narrowed and his lips were giving him a wry, arrogant smirk. He pulled his right hand out of his pocket and rubbed his fingers together, sparking up some electricity.
He snapped his fingers, discharging the electricity, then said, "I have to say, Aeternus, I'm impressed. Must take some real authority to convince these idiots to fight me. Look at them, they're already wide eyed and aimed to kill me." He bowed mockingly. "You can command an army, but can't do much for their timidity."
Aeternus closed his eyes and chuckled. "My numbers are far superior than your lonesome self." He aimed his finger like a gun. "A few lucky rounds loaded into you would be more than enough. Though, the aim is to defeat, not kill. You're worth my troubles, boy."
Tony crossed his arms. "I am quite the worthy prize." His eyes sharped into a glare. "However, I'm afraid you won't get your worthy prize. I'm walking out of this battle WITH that antidote in my hand." He stomped his foot forward. "Along with kicking all your henchmen out of my village!"
Aeternus dipped his finger in his wine. "Don't get cocky, boy. I still out number you."
The thief smirked. "Just give me ten seconds and I'll knock them all out."
Aeternus chuckled. "My apologies…I seem to have miscounted."
Tony blinked. "Eh?"
The Mr. Mime raised a finger. "It seems one of my minions failed to show up. Boys, call him over. We don't want him missing out on the fun."
Dusclops nodded. "You got it, boss."
Tony looked around cautiously. The plains are completely empty, save us. He narrowed his eyes at the plains behind him. And them.
Unknown to the Anguis Organization, Wes, Flint, and Ella were hiding in plain sight, thanks to some illusionary work from Flint's illusion spell. Gwyn stayed behind to continue work on the antidote. It went from a mission to a stubborn challenge for her now. Failure to complete the potion would besmirch her name as a potion maker.
Wes narrowed his eyes. "So that's Count Aeternus," he whispered.
Ella raised a brow. "Yeesh, the dude really is a creep. He looks like a hobgoblin."
Flint narrowed his eyes. "I think he said one of their members is missing. What do you suppose that means?"
Wes snickered. "Probably turned tail and got the heck away from this village."
Dusclops raised a horn shaped like an Omanyte's shell. As he polished it, Aeternus said, "It's not too late to call it quits and pledge your undying loyalty to me, boy." He held up the antidote. "I have the one and only antidote that'll save your mother and sister."
Tony glared. "You might as well send it over now. I told you, I don't intend to lose."
"And I don't intend to either, even if it means I have to bend the rules a bit," he replied with a sinister smirk.
The thief's eyes widened. "What?"
Aeternus rubbed his fingers together. "You really should have made your demands clearer when we started this bet. I intend to have leverage on you, even now."
Tony clenched his fists. "What did you do?!"
"Other than spy on you and your friends trying to make an antidote of your own." He smirked. "Seems they're getting closer to making a working antidote. I can't let that happen now, can I? Plus…well, who's going to protect your dear family while they're in states of weakness?"
Tony growled. "You dirty little…! You dare not honor the rules of our bet?! I said ALL your members have to be here!"
Aeternus chuckled. "Yes, but…I don't think bounty hunters qualify as my minions. Just hired help."
Flint's eyes widened. "Gwyn's in trouble."
"We can't just leave Tony to fight by himself!" Wes argued against. "Besides, Gwyn's tough, she can handle herself."
"Wes, Flint has a point," Ella counterargued. "We need to make sure those bounty hunters aren't a danger. Besides, Tony said he can handle these guys. How much trouble can he get himself into?"
Tony stepped forward angrily. "You are SO dead!" He got into a fighting stance. "I'm putting an end to this and saving my family!"
Aeternus smirked. "Let's just hope you can heal fast." He looked at Dusclops. "Summon him."
Dusclops held the shell up and blew into it, echoing a loud horn sound across the land. Tony narrowed his eyes in confusion, then paled as a loud, monstrous roar responded back from behind, sounding from the village. He, plus the cloaked Team Ravenfield, turned in shock as a small dark dot jumped out of the village and disappeared into the sky.
"What…?" Tony questioned as he stepped back.
Aeternus rested his cheek on his fist. "I hope you don't mind, but one of my minions seemed to have been on the verge of death. Multiple wounds, a severed hand…dear me, the poor fellow was completely useless in his previous state. I hate seeing wasted potential." He grinned. "So I killed him…and had him reborn into a greater being."
Tony looked around vigilantly for the mysterious figure when a thunderous crashing came from behind him, rocking the earth and knocking him off his feet. He rolled forward and turned on his heel, resting himself on one knee. He glared up, then gasped. "T-T-That…That Pinsir…!"
The Eeveelutions felt their jaws drop as they gazed upon the horrifying creature. "Oh crap…" Wes muttered.
Tony stood up and backed away as the creature rose to its feet. No longer the same Pinsir as before, it stood as a massive giant, with the thief barely the height of his legs. His exoskeleton was discarded and replaced with a thick, jagged, crystalline shell that refracted moonlight. His right arm, the one that was originally a stump, had transform into a massive set of razor sharp claws made up of dripping black slime. His head pincer looked relatively normal, only with the spike curved, larger, and more prone for stabbing.
The monster bent forward a bit and glared down at Tony with his red, soulless eyes. His mouth oozed black slime and reeked of hot garbage. He inhaled deeply and roared right in Tony's face. The force of the roar knocked him back a couple meters, nearly knocking him to the ground.
Tony glared with sharp panting. "What…the HELL?!"
Aeternus laughed evilly. "We were both aloud prep time, dear boy. It was only fair that I beef up one of my minions. No longer is he a Pinsir…or alive for that matter. He is now a soulless killing machine with the absolute desire of obeying his master and destroying all that oppose me."
Tony held his arms up defensively. This…might be a problem.
Aeternus grinned sinisterly, licking his lips. "You better hope you're prepared to fight. You either give me that key and your loyalty…or I won't be able to stop my monster from turning your body into a lovely puddle of delicious red nectar."