Ch.29: Rise of the Blood Moon! Survive the Murderous Bounty Hunter's Assault!
Several days of traveling have passed for the traveling band of circus performers. Long treks through stretches of land, then days of pitching up their circus tents and setting up for their next acts. Of course, their intended path has change quite a bit. They planned on traveling throughout all the Earth Zone before heading out to the next zone. It was how they ran their troupe. Spend time in one zone, then head out to the next.
This wasn't the case these past few weeks.
Ava was adamant on following Wes and his merry group of friends, to make sure they remained safe on their journey. Add to the fact she connected the dots to their journey's purpose, adding to her list of worries. Then there was, of course, the fact two of them were the sons of her old friend.
They've recently left Igneous Valley after running some shows for a couple of days. Ava used her free time to contact the Earth Mage, Randolph. He confirmed her suspicions.
"They're heading out to Scorch Grave City as we speak. If you wish to follow them, I'd make haste. Much time has passed since my last meeting with them. They could very much be there by now," Randolph's words echoed in her mind.
The fortune teller sighed. That would prove to be a problem. Even if they tried to catch up at top speed, they still had jobs to do, meaning they had to make regular stops. It would take far too long to reach Scorch Grave from where they were. Still, she led the troupe off its original path for far too long. She had to stay true to her gut and continue as planned.
She glanced outside the windows of her cart. The earthy tones of the Earth Zone were soon replaced with a desolate wasteland of dust, cracked earth, and gray. Lots and lots of gray. They were definitely in the Fire Zone now.
She ceased floating and landed on her feet. She walked over to her door and stepped out, crossing over the small bridge that connected to the other cart. She held her arm up to her face as dust and ash blew in her face. She reached for the door knob and let herself into the other cart.
She shut the door behind her, then was greeted by some of the other performers and her family. The front cart, which they were in, was set up to be a nice living room for everyone to hang out in. Course, not everyone can fit in and typically rest in their own personal carts. She waved. "Good evening, everyone."
Garland raised his hand and waved her over. He was out of his daredevil uniform and wearing blue pajama pants and a tie-dye shirt. "Yo, Ava! Get over here! The boys and I are having a poker match! Care to join?"
The Tranquill in front of him, who was holding his cards in his talons, raised a brow. "Uh, Garland, might want to rethink that offer." He wore a standard bowtie around his neck.
The Durant next to him chuckled. "Nah, let her. Not like it'll make too much of a difference." He wore a purple vest.
Ava hid her hands in her robe sleeves, giving them a sarcastic smirk. "Well, I would enjoy beating you boys in a match, but I need to speak with Vincent. I need to know where were heading next."
"I think he said we're heading to Sulfur City," said a Brionne off to the side. She wore a mage robes, similar to Ava's, only hers had were blue and had bubble patterns. She sat on a bench connected to the walls and was reading a magazine. "Heard we might get some big business there."
"How much business does one expect from the Fire Zone?" Garland joked as he discarded three of his cards and drew three.
"Garland!" the Brionne shouted.
He held his hands up in defense. "Kidding, kidding! Not trying to be offensive, Nebula!"
Nebula huffed, then continued, "Anyway, Sulfur City has promising venues to host the circus. While the city isn't swimming with wealth, the community is friendly…for the most part." She tapped her chin. "There are the occasional street thugs to worry about."
Abby, who was sitting off in the corner, laughed. She was witling a piece of wood with her pocket knife. "Thugs? They'll been in for a surprise if they run into my mom."
Ava waved her compliment off. "Oh sweetie, you know my fighting days are behind me."
The younger Medicham laughed. "Oh please, you can still kick butt!"
"Well…I suppose you're right. Now, if you'll excuse me…" She stepped around them and made her way to the driver's seat.
She hopped over the seat and sat down. Sitting next to her and manning the reins was Vince. He wore a mask over his eyes to protect them from the ash that blew in his face. The many Tauros that pulled the carts were also provided with protective masks.
Ava leaned against him. "How's driving?" she asked.
He groaned. "I tell you, these ash winds are a pain. Even with my mask, I can barely make out the road."
Ava held her sleeve up to her eyes, as some ash blew in her face, too. "Do you want me to drive for a bit?"
"No, I got it. You just relax inside." He reached around his back and grabbed the map. "I suppose the others told you where were heading."
She nodded. "Sulfur City, correct?"
"That's the place." He handed her the map. "It'll take us some time to get there. We'll be passing by a few villages along the way."
Ava unfurled the map and traced her finger across the path, from their current position to Sulfur City. She smiled. "Shouldn't take us more than three days to get there."
"That's the plan." He glanced at her. "Sorry we haven't been able to catch up with those treasure hunters yet."
She shook her head. "It's alright. We'll figure something out." Her eyes studied the map before landing on a certain village that was in their way. "Hey honey, look at this." She showed him the map.
He took a quick glance at it before looking back at the road. "Fuego Village? Yeah, so?"
Ava narrowed her eyes as she stared at the map. Fuego Village. She rarely thought about that village. There wasn't much reason to. But, whenever she did think of it, a certain resident always came to mind. Someone she remembers fondly. Someone…who could help her on their quest.
She grinned. "Vince, Fuego Village is about a day away."
Vince raised a brow. "And?"
"We need to stop there."
"Why? It's just a dusty village."
She shook her head. "No, there's someone there. Someone I haven't seen in a long time." Her face brightened up. "He could help us find them."
"You know someone who can find Wes and his group?"
"Without a doubt in my mind. He used to be a bounty hunter, so he knows how to track people down." She rolled the map up and grabbed his arm. "Oh Vince, please steer us to Fuego Village! Please!" She pouted her lip.
Vince rolled his eyes, then laughed. "You're not a child, Ava." He smiled. "Oh alright, if it'll make you happy, we can stop by Fuego Village."
Ava grinned. "You're amazing, Vince."
"I know." He whipped the reins. "Hey boys, we're changing up our plans! We're moving towards Fuego Village!"
"Roger, boss!" the herd of Tauros replied.
Ava kissed Vince on the cheek. "Thank you."
"Don't mention it." He wrapped the reins around his hand. "So, who is this friend of yours? Do you really think he can help us?"
She nodded. "I know he can." She smiled forward. "You've actually met him before. And if I had to guess, he finally got his medical license."
The winds picked up in the Fire Zone. Having spent weeks on the road towards Scorch Grave, they've had to brave the ashy winds that threatened to hinder their journey. Thankfully, they've pushed through far enough to be a day away from the destined city. With only the city being a day away, they decided a break was in order.
True, the ashy wind wasn't the most desirable weather to be in, but Tony's extensive knowledge on the Fire Zone has allowed them to prepare for every possible contingency. Along their way, they came across a town to by gear. Their list of gear included goggles, masks, and new tents for the windy nights.
They sat on an open plain next to a large boulder. They used the boulder as a small shelter, having dug out an entrance inside. Ella was preparing lunch for everyone with Gwyn's help. Flint was reading a book, leaning against the boulder, and keeping an eye on Wes and Tony.
What were Wes and Tony doing? Training.
Tony electrified his Razor Shells and slashed at Wes, who jumped away swiftly. He grinned tauntingly as he ran around the Dewott. He was planning to catch him off guard for a surprise strike.
Tony took a defensive stance, smirking under his cloth mask. "Come on, I know you can move faster than that!" He crossed his arms defensively. "Light Speed: Perfect Counter!" A veil electricity surrounded him.
Wes kicked off the ground and threw a kick at the Dewott's electrified body. However, when he made contact, Tony's body immediately spun around and threw both his fists into Wes. He nailed the Umbreon's chest and shoulder blade. The electric veil dispersed, then Tony reared his foot back and struck the Umbreon's side.
Wes tumbled across the ground, but rolled on to his feet and slid to a stop. He cracked his neck and stretched out his legs. "Ha, you're getting a lot better at that!"
Tony smirked. "Thanks. Not an easy spell to practice since it requires a sparring partner." He raised his scalchops. "Now come on! Let's see how you've been practicing! Whip out that new spell of yours!"
Wes chuckled. "Alright, but I'm still trying to get the hang of it." He sat on his haunches and pressed his paws together. His Star Amulet glowed, bringing out his magical aura. "Septem Gladii Virtutis!"
His body glowed in purple light, then extended out in seven directions. The light took on a solid form. The extensions of his aura transformed into seven, double edged, light construct swords. They spun around Wes, blade pointing away, like a protective wheel.
He stood back up and smirked. The swords clashed together intimidatingly before pointing at Tony. "Think you can keep up?"
Tony grinned. He activated and electrified Razor Shell. "Shut up and fight!" His body glowed with static, then he dashed forward.
He swung his blades against Wes'. As Tony pushed against two of the swords, three of them reared back and swung for his sides and head. He pushed back against the other two, then blocked the two aiming for his sides before flipping up and kicking the third blade.
The other two blades spun like fans and flew at Tony. The Dewott ducked under one, then caught the second blade by the hilt. He laughed. "Going to have to try harder than tha-CRAAAAAP!" The blade immediately resumed spinning, with him still gripping tightly.
The blade spun up in the air with Tony still clinging for dear life. Wes smiled deviously, then raised his paw. His digits were pressed together. "…Disperse." He snapped his digits.
The magic swords disappeared, leaving Tony to plummet to the ground face first. He lay there with his limbs sprawled out awkwardly. He remained motionless.
Wes chuckled. "Heh…you okay, Tony?"
"…I'm good…" he wheezed, face still pressed against the ground. "…just…going to lay here for a moment…"
Wes sighed, then gave a small shrug. "Okay, if you say so."
He heard Ella laughing at their campsite. She waved them over. "If you two morons are done, food's ready."
Tony caught his second wind at the mention of food, flipping on to his feet skillfully. "Ooh, I like the sound of that!" He and Wes raced over to claim their meals.
Ella passed them both plates of freshly cooked meat. They took them and gleefully dined on the delicious protein. Ella rolled her eyes, then passed a plate to Flint, who quietly accepted. As the Espeon grabbed her plate, Gwyn pulled off grilled berries from the grill and placed them on her plate to enjoy.
Flint, after taking a couple of bites from his lunch, lowered his book and asked, "So, how's training coming along?"
Wes tore off a chunk of meat and swallowed it before smiling. "Going great!" He patted his foreleg. "I can already feel myself getting stronger!"
Tony chuckled. "My magical abilities are growing sufficiently well. Guess it helps to have a training partner instead of having Cheri throw cans in the air." He slashed a piece of meat and threw it into his mouth. "I say I'm already exceeding my own expectations."
Ella smirked. "Well, that boasting better hold weight, because we're going to need it to beat the next mage."
He swallowed his food, then rested his arm on his knee. "Relax girl…" He smiled coolly. "I got this. Give me five minutes and I'll earn us that second key in a snap."
"Don't get too cocky," Flint warned. "Wes fought one of those mages and the injuries he took weren't to be taken lightly." He narrowed his eyes. "Randolph was a challenging opponent. Not only did he have a vast arsenal of Earth Magic at his disposal, but the dimension we fought in gave him a powerful ally." He closed his book. "The other nine mages will not only be just as, if not more, powerful than Randolph, but we don't know what they have to defend themselves."
Tony sighed. "I get that. I'm not running in blind. I know how to keep on my toes in a fight. I'm mostly an evasive fighter. I feel it's the smarter strategy when coupled with my magic."
Wes held his chin. "Well, since we're going after the Key of Fire, it's a no brainer we'll be dealing with a fire mage." He closed his eyes. "We didn't know what to expect with Randolph, but now we have a clear idea of what we're in store for."
Gwyn bit on one of her cooked berries. "Well, I'm not going to be much help. Plants and fire don't mix…" She glanced to the side. "Naturally speaking, at least."
Wes tapped his digits together. "Well, I have a few ways of dealing with fire magic. Shouldn't be too hard to get around. We just need to plan ahead and those keys will be easy pickings."
"Yeah, that reminds me," Tony brought up. "You said shadows have been chasing you, correct?" They nodded. "I've been with you guys for almost a month now and I haven't seen one shadow. Should I be concerned?"
They looked at each other curiously. It was strange. Last they saw the shadows was back in Marble Stone City. It's been over a month since they last showed their faces. It was rather disconcerting. Almost like they were biding their time for the perfect opportunity to strike.
Ella shrugged. "Eh, maybe. But don't think of it too much." She smirked arrogantly. "Those guys weren't so tough. They hit hard, sure, but they're pushovers once you fight back." She narrowed her eyes. "Though, if we do run into them, be careful with the bigger one. He's their boss."
"And be careful against anyone they happen to possess," Flint added.
Gwyn nodded. "I fought one of those guys and he was pretty tough."
Tony rubbed his chin. "I see." He narrowed his eyes. "The shadows are odd beings."
"I wouldn't call them normal, so odd's definitely a fitting descriptor," Ella said.
The Dewott lay on the ground, hands behind his head. "I'm honestly looking forward to meeting them." He raised his fist. "Well, to give them a good punch, of course."
Wes grinned. "We'll make sure you have your fun with them. Although, maybe it's better that we don't run into them too often. We've been making good progress so far, so we don't want anything hindering our trip."
Tony smiled lazily. "Of course, of course." He sat up and smirked. "So, after lunch, want to continue training?"
Wes laughed. "Like there's no tomorrow!" They fist bumped each other.
Ella chuckled. "Boys…" she muttered under her breath. She looked at Flint, who had a concerned expression he attempted to hide behind his book. The Espeon was sharp enough to know something was bugging him. She had a pretty good idea what the cause is. "Hey, don't act all worried. We can handle the shadows. We did it once and we've only gotten stronger."
The Flareon sighed. "I know, it's just…" He narrowed his eyes. "I can't shake the feeling that they're up to something. They're dead set on killing us and taking back the key. If they're not constantly hunting us down, then something else is taking up their time."
Gwyn giggled. "Oh, you're just being a worrywart, Flinty." She grabbed his cheeks and squished them together. "No one's going to hurt your fluffy face."
"Gwyn, personal space!" he shouted with a bright red face.
Gwyn pulled back and giggled again. "Hey, if the shadows are planning anything, we can take it." She booped his nose. "In the meantime, our main focus is that key. We are not going to think about being in danger until something happens. Understand?"
Flint pushed her finger away, then held his face. "I mean…I guess so…" He felt the Mew's tail snake around him, then lightly flick against his side. He snorted a chuckle, slapping his paws over his mouth. "G-Gwyn, cut that out!"
She beamed brightly. "Nope!" She wiggled her tail under his forelegs and tickled him.
Flint laughed and fell over on his back. "Young l-l-lady, I-I-I said s-stop!" he demanded through his laughter.
Ella held her paw up to her mouth and chuckled. "We could all use a little time to relax. Maybe we can chill for a day when we arrive in Scorch Grave."
Tony nodded. "Good idea. I've heard they have some nice places to relax at…" He rubbed his hands together, his eyes lighting up with greed. "Not to mention the thousands of pockets to steal from."
Ella raised a brow. "Seriously?"
He shrugged with a cheeky grin. "Old habit. Can't help myself."
Wes grinned. "I'm with you there, pal!"
Ella held her paw up to her head and sighed. "Am I the only normal one of the group?" She peered into the distance with her wandering eyes, then spotted something down the road. "Huh? What's that?"
Everyone diverted their attention to the road. They could see a red aura far away from them. Flint shrugged. "Must be another traveler."
Gwyn clasped her hands together, beaming. "Ooh! Maybe they should join us for lunch!"
"Gwyn, we're not inviting a total stranger to eat our food," he retorted.
She bowed her head with a light whimper. "I wanted to be nice…"
Tony narrowed his eyes, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "I don't know, something about that traveler doesn't sit well with me. It's hard to see, but his aura looks pretty potent."
Wes raised a brow. "Huh, he's right. The aura's pretty thick. Don't normally see that from a passive aura." He grinned. "Maybe he's a strong fighter! Gwyn, change of plans, we're inviting him to lunch!"
"YAY!" she cheered.
Flint rolled his eyes. "Wes, must I remind you that you shouldn't-"
"Uh, guys?" Ella spoke up nervously. "I-I just realized something. I was the first one to spot his aura." Her teeth chattered. "I-I can't see magic aura."
This caught the four magic users' attention, their face reflecting a similar face of anxious realization.
"H-H-How is that possible?" Gwyn asked.
Flint held his chin. "W-Well, she shouldn't be able to see a natural magic aura. If she can see it, that means…"
Tony narrowed his eyes. "That traveler is manifesting it into a physical form. He's letting it leak out of his body."
"Why would anyone do that?" Wes asked.
Gwyn gulped. "More importantly…where did he go?"
They turned back to the road. The mystery man and his aura were no longer seen. The group reacted, taking defensive stances, and pressing their backs against each other. Their eyes quickly darted around their shelter and the plains for the wandering man.
Tony gripped his scalchops. "If he was releasing his aura on purpose, that must mean he's prepping himself to battle." He narrowed his eyes. "I don't think there's anyone else but us out here."
"If that's the case, why is there someone looking for us?" Flint asked. His legs quivered, almost giving out from his weight.
Ella glanced at Tony accusingly. "Well, the last few towns we passed through might give some indication…"
He glared at her. "Oh, so you think this is somehow my fault?! Wes has a larger bounty on his head than me!"
"It's true," the Umbreon mumbled.
"Guys, I don't think this is the best time to argue," Gwyn whimpered, gripping her whip tightly. "Just keep sensing for his magic aura. We can't let him get the drop on us."
Wes closed his eyes and concentrated on the surrounding area. Okay, okay, this guy's magic aura is freakin' strong, so it shouldn't be that hard to detect him. He narrowed his closed eyes. Though, Flint's right, why is someone looking for us? More importantly, why would anyone give themselves away by releasing their own aura? This guy is either cocky or…
Wes felt a strong presence. Everyone, even Ella, could feel the strong pressure that surrounded them. It was suffocating. It felt nearly impossible to breathe. Whatever was after them, they weren't weak.
Wes narrowed in on the aura to pinpoint their exact location. He found something. An aura…behind him…extending outward towards him. The Umbreon felt time tick slowly for him, as his eyes daringly glanced through his peripherals for only a small peek. What he saw was a cloak of blood red aura. Within the aura was a long dagger thrusting towards his neck. Wes couldn't move, think, or react fast enough to register it.
The dagger came close to killing him on the spot have it not been for the blur of green that flew against the dagger and knocked it out of the killer's hand.
The group turned around and saw the wanderer dropping in between them. They couldn't make him out with the red aura masking his appearance. But the ominous silhouetted physique increased the intimidation factor. This man was out to kill. They jumped away in shock, distancing themselves away from this killer.
Gwyn's whip was fast enough to knock the bounty hunter's dagger away before it struck down her friend, but the bounty hunter clearly wasn't pleased with that. In retaliation, he spun on his heel and landed a well-executed kick into her abdomen. She gasped in pain before flying into the large boulder, clouded in dust.
"Gwyn!" Flint called out. He tried to run to her, but the bounty hunter pulled out three other daggers. Two wielded in a reverse grip and the other in, what the Flareon assumed, between his teeth. He shrieked as the bounty hunter swung at him. Flint kicked away with barely enough time. The slash nicked his sweater vest.
He rolled backwards, then attempted to scramble to his feet. The bounty hunter leaped into the air and pointed the daggers downward for the killing blow. However, Tony appeared over Flint in a flash of light and blocked the daggers.
Tony bared his teeth as he pushed against the blades. "So, you think you're some sort of tough guy, eh? Well shithead, do I have news for you!" He pushed the blades back and reared his hand back. "Ventusphere!" He slammed the swirling orb into the hunter's gut and sent his sailing across the land. "Ha, take that!"
Much to his dismay, though, the bounty hunter dug his feet into the ground and pushed against the Ventusphere. He increased the power of his magic cloak and dispelled the Ventusphere entirely.
Tony stepped back. "What?!" The bounty hunter leaned forward, then went into a sprint towards him. Tony clenched his teeth, then raised his hands. "Dragon Thunder-!" The bounty hunter flickered out of sight, confusing Tony. "Wait, wha-?!" His instincts flared immediately. He spun on his heel and blocked a dagger stab with his scalchop. The force did knock him off his feet.
The bounty hunter spun the dagger in his hand and stepped towards Tony, until he swung around and sliced a chunk of earth tossed at him.
Ella's eyes exploded with psychic energy as she ripped the earth apart and flung earthy projectiles at their assaulter. The hunter narrowed his eyes, then dashed at her. He swerved around the earth, then lunged at her.
Ella kicked off the ground and flew upward. She stuck her tongue out at him. "Can't get me now!"
The hunter reclaimed the one dagger laying on the ground, then held all the daggers in his right hand. A red vortex opened up and pulled the daggers inside. Immediately after, it expelled another weapon. It was a glaive with a red pole and a silver blade. He spun it around, then aimed it at her.
Ella narrowed her eyes. "Wait, what are you-?"
The glaive suddenly extended in length, traveling upwards directly for her head. She shrieked, then pulled herself back as the glaive cut a few hairs from her face. However, that wasn't the end as the hunter swung the long polearm and slammed the pole against her with surprising force. She slammed into the ground.
Wes looked at the polearm as it reverted to its regular length. "Whoa…" His eyes sparkled. "Ella, do you know what that is?!"
Ella pulled herself out of the ground, rubbing her head. "Got a pretty good look at it…" She observed it, with some difficulty because of the ash storm, then gasped in delight. "Oh my gosh! That's the Infinity Breaker! The glaive that can extend for miles!"
"The what can do what?!" Flint shouted. The hunter aimed the glaive at the Flareon and extended it towards him. He yelped, then held out his paws. "Blockade Reflector!" The crystal shield blocked the incoming attack.
Wes dashed at the hunter and kicked him across the face, while saying, "I can't believe it! I never thought I'd see this weapon in person! It's so awesome!"
Gwyn pulled herself out of the boulder, rubbing her head. "As fascinating as that sounds, he's trying to kill us with it…"
"Don't worry, I can handle-!" He swung his leg at him, but the bounty hunter caught him by the ankle. Wes gulped. "Oh crud."
The bounty hunter spun the weapon, then aimed it for his head. "…I shall claim your bounty." His voice was distorted.
Wes raised his paws and tried to plead for his life. "Uh, let's be reasonable here. There are plenty of other worthy bounties than my measly ones. You strapped for cash or something?"
The bounty hunter narrowed his eyes. "I have no time for your pathetic prattling." He prepared to extend the glaive and skewer the Umbreon's face, until Gwyn's whip wrapped around his wrist and redirected the blade away once it did.
Gwyn retracted her whip, then threw two seeds down. "Accelerated Growth!" She slammed her hand down and conjured two carnivorous plants. They bared their teeth with hunger. "Take him out!" They stretched out, widening their jaws.
The bounty hunter threw Wes to the side and stared down the plants. "Child's play." He traded out the Infinity Breaker for a different weapon. A sword in a brown sheathe wrapped in chains. The hilt had a feather attached at the end. He gripped the hilt and waited for the plants to get closer.
The moment he unsheathed the sword, everything was a blur. It almost looked like he didn't move, yet silvery images of his body could be seen slashing the carnivorous plants. The plants froze up as the blade slashed them. He sheathed the sword, ending the series of quick movements. The plants were frozen in place with their jaws hanging open, before bursting into ribbons of plant matter.
"NO!" Gwyn cried, holding her head. "My babies!"
Ella gasped. "Wes, that's the Quicksilver!"
Wes squealed. "You mean the blade that quickens the user's movements when unsheathed?! That's awesome!" He then blinked in confusion. "Wait, this guy has the Infinity Breaker AND the Quicksilver?"
Tony pushed himself up, glaring over his shoulder. "I take it that's an issue?"
"Y-Yeah…both those weapons were owned by different wielders. Why does he have access to them?" Wes' eyes widened worriedly, then he stepped back. "Guys, if he has those two weapons, he might have others up his sleeves."
The hunter glared over his shoulder. "You won't get the chance to see them." He sprinted at Wes and gripped the hilt. The Umbreon yelped and jumped backwards, but the hunter was already in range. He pulled the blade out, coating himself in the silver light, and swung for his neck.
A pair of electrified blades blocked his swing. The bounty hunter glared at Tony, whose body glowed with electricity. Everything around them had slowed to a crawl. He smirked. "Fancy blade you got there, but no one's quicker than me." He pushed back, then kicked the bounty hunter away. He aimed his scalchops, shouting, "Now tell me who you are!"
The hunter's eyes narrowed. "I don't associate myself with criminals."
"Coming from the guy who tried to assassinate us. You clearly aren't an assassin, at least any kind I've seen. So, I guess you're one of those scummy bounty hunters looking for a quick profit." He narrowed his eyes. "Might as well turn around and hit the road. Whatever bounty you have against him won't be yours to take."
The hunter held his sword in a reverse grip. "The bounty isn't for him." He lunged at Tony. "It's for all five of you!" He swung the blade, nearly slitting Tony's neck.
He flipped away in time, but he lost time on his Light Speed. That allowed the bounty hunter to strike his hilt against the Dewott's throat. Tony tried to block it, but the ash storm they were in blinded him for a moment. He stumbled across the ground and coughed harshly.
Wes slid against the ground and gasped. "Tony!"
The bounty hunter sheathed his sword and sent it away in his personal vortex. "I've never failed to claim my bounty. You five will be dead."
"All five of us?" Wes questioned.
Tony, while holding his throat, sat up. "He's…after all of us…for some reason."
"Why us, specifically?!" Gwyn cried. "We didn't do anything wrong!"
"Silence," the bounty hunter ordered. "I don't care for reasons. All I want is you five dead." He glanced to the side, then jumped away from a supercharged Flamethrower.
Flint blew smoke from his nostrils and growled. "We're not going down without a fight!"
The bounty hunter shook his head. "Stop acting brave. Your fates are sealed." His vortex opened, then another weapon pushed out.
Wes narrowed his eyes. He has access to personal storage magic. He must have a whole armory of weapons at his disposal.
He gripped the hilt and pulled the sword out, then aimed it at the group. It was his signature black sword. "I'll strike you all down with a single stroke."
Ella and Gwyn ran at him from behind. "Not happening, buster!"
They lunged at him, but he spun around them and struck them across the backs with a hard swing. They cried out in pain and slid across the ground.
"Ella! Gwyn!" Wes, Flint, and Tony cried. They ran over to the girl's and checked their backs. Red stains could be seen through their clothes.
"Crap, crap, crap!" Wes helped Ella up. "Are you okay?!"
She flinched. "It hurts a lot…but I should be fine."
Gwyn whimpered in pain. "It really, really hurts!"
Flint held her close. "You're going to be okay. Do you have anything that can heal you?"
She sniffled. "I-I have some potions that'll h-heal us…"
Tony stepped forward and held up his scalchop. "Flint, you take care of the girls. Wes and I got this chump."
Wes gently set Ella down, then ran to Tony's side. He activated his Star Amulet, turning his fur purple. "Let's go!" They dashed forward at the bounty hunter.
The hunter narrowed his eyes. He dashed at them before swinging his sword. Tony blocked the strike, then Wes leaped over his head and fired off magically charged Shadow Balls. They knocked the bounty hunter back, allowing Tony to attack next. "Lightning Shot: Lotus Bullets!" He fired off rapid fire shots.
The beams kicked up a cloud of dust from their impacts. Tony grinned in triumph, but frowned as the dust blew away from the hunter's aura pressure.
Wes blinked, then growled. "Mystic Burst!" His body erupted in magic, then he dashed at him. "I don't know who placed a bounty on us, but I'm not letting you kill my friends! Warp Pad!" He sprung off the magic circle and flew at him with his leg raised.
The hunter spun his sword, then held the side up defensively. Wes kicked against the blade, pushing the bounty hunter back a bit. That's when the Umbreon noticed something odd as he pressed against the blade. His Mystic Burst cloak was traveling into the black metal, which made it glow purple.
The blade was absorbing his magic.
Wes jumped off as soon as he realized. He looked up in shock. "Okay, I've never seen THAT sword before!"
The hunter narrowed his eyes. "Then let me give you a piece of advice." The purple glow in the sword vanished. "Hit me as much as you want with your magic. No matter what, they'll just be absorbed and nullified within my weapon." His own magical aura traveled down his arm and absorbed into the blade. "This sword can store magic for a brief window of time. The user chooses to either nullify or release it."
The magical cloak that surrounded him absorbed into the metal, revealing his Grovyle appearance. His eyes flashed red, then he aimed the sword at Wes. "I don't use my opponent's magic as a weapon. Mine is plenty of firepower."
Wes stepped back. "Wait…you look familiar…"
Flint dug through Gwyn's bag, looking for her potions. "Is that a good or bad thing?!" he shouted.
Tony narrowed his eyes, then gasped. "Oh shit! I know who that is!"
"Huh?!" Wes expressed.
"Wes, get away from him! He's the Blood Moon Rogue!"
"The Blood Moon-?!"
The murderous bounty hunter narrowed his eyes darkly. He reared the sword back, then shouted, "Exosus Release!" The aura around his blade fired off into an erratic beam of blood red light.
"Wes, get out of there!" Tony shouted.
Wes stood frozen in place. His eyes were wide in horror. The beam was filled with an uncomfortable loathing that was repulsive. The vile aura that surrounded the bounty hunter was strong.
Wes came to his senses in time, but he wasn't fast enough to escape the beam's grasp. In one shot, Wes was engulfed in the magical beam and suffered a searing wave of agony. He screamed at the top of his lungs as it scorched his skin without inflicting burn wounds. Somehow it felt worse than actual flames.
Wes shot through the lone boulder and tumbled across the ground before coming to a stop. His body steamed with heat. Everything tingled uncomfortably. He wasn't sure if they were burns or something else. Whatever it was, it hurt like hell.
Flint and Tony looked at their fallen friend in shock, then glared at the Blood Moon Rogue. He swung his sword around, then lay it over his shoulder. He narrowed his eyes. "You're wasting my time. I'm not going to stop until you five are dead."
"We never committed any crimes!" Tony insisted angrily.
"The bounty on your heads says otherwise."
Flint growled, then saw Ella pushing herself up, despite being wounded. "Heh…I'm not sure how many bounties you've claimed, Mr. Psycho, but ours will remain untaken for the rest of our times."
"Ella, get down! You're injured!"
She sneered. "I can take this chump."
"Not with an injury like that!" He continued digging through Gwyn's bag frantically. "Just hang in there while I-!"
He shrieked and pushed Gwyn down as the bounty hunter's blade swung over his head. He's fast! Flint rolled away with Gwyn in his forelegs. He fired off Flamethrower, but the bounty hunter used his blade to block the flames. They didn't absorb into the blade like their magic.
The Grovyle narrowed his eyes. "You're only delaying the inevitable."
Wes pushed himself up, panting. I need a moment to get a read on this guy, but these open plains can provide us with any cover. We can't beat him like this.
The Grovyle dashed at Flint and swung his blade down. Tony interfered with his strike once again. He pushed hard against the blade. "Didn't we say you aren't killing us?!"
The hunter glared. "You are pushing my patience." His aura kicked up again. Tony coughed from the pressure. The aura felt loathing in nature. "Low class warriors like you…are nothing compared to me!" His aura traveled into the sword. He raised it once more, then brought it down on Tony.
The Dewott attempted to block it, but the massive pool of magic rained down on him. He screamed as his body burned from its destructive force. The ground shattered part. His feet sank in.
The Blood Moon Rogue pulled back on his sword. Tony wobbled in place. His arms went limp, dropping his scalchops. The bounty hunter gripped him by the head and forced him to look into his eyes. "You're pathetic. Believing you can fight on equal terms with a training warrior like me."
Tony scowled tiredly, then spat in his face. "Cut the crap, shithead…"
The Grovyle wiped his face clean, then glared. "No respect. No honor." He raised his sword. "You aren't worthy of life."
Mystic Beam came flying down the plains and nailed directly into the bounty hunter's back. He released Tony's head, letting his body limp forward, then turned towards Wes. He was standing tall and panting. His legs shook a bit, but he kept a firm stance.
He bared his teeth into a smile. "Heh…that wasn't so bad…"
The bounty glared angrily. "You're more stubborn than I thought." He dashed at Wes, powering up his sword.
Wes narrowed his eyes, then inhaled. "Aquos Mist!" He exhaled the thick mist, obscuring his presence.
The Grovyle ran through the mist and looked around. "Do you believe this mist will save you?" He traded out his black sword for a large sword. And by larger, it was a thirty-foot blade with a large, gray hilt. It looked like a sword used by a giant.
He, with great effort, swung the sword in the mist and managed to hit Wes out of it. The Umbreon flew into the air, then peered down as the mist parted. "The Cekvar's Might?! Are you serious?!"
The sword, despite its massive size, didn't look like it was hindering the bounty hunter's movements, even if he had to put a lot of his effort into swinging it. This was notable by him jumping into the air and swinging the blade down.
Wes used a Warp Pad to jump out of the way. He bounced off several Warp Pads in the air before kicking the Grovyle in the back. He tried to swing his sword at the Umbreon, but he couldn't work up the necessary momentum to swing it as he fell. The weapon wasn't made for aerial fights.
He landed on the ground before trading the sword out for his black sword. He poured his energy into the blade and aimed it at Wes. "Exosus Release!" He fired the destructive energy towards him.
Wes, once again, used a Warp Pad to evade it. He ricocheted downward, then aimed his foot for his head. The bounty hunter dodged, then slammed his elbow into the Umbreon's back. Wes recovered quickly and performed a lunging headbutt into his abdomen. The bounty hunter sneered, then delivered a rising uppercut into his chin.
Wes tumbled back, but got to his feet again. "Mystic Burst!" He wrapped himself in magic before charging into battle again.
Flint finally pulled out a healing potion. "Got it!"
Gwyn was trying to keep her eyes open. "G-Good…that should…stop the bleeding…"
He pulled the cork off and fed her half the potion. He gestured Ella over before feeding the concoction to her, too.
Ella gagged. "Ugh, tastes like cough syrup!"
"Sorry…" Gwyn mumbled. She rubbed her eye. "It'll stop the bleeding, but we will need to patch the wounds ourselves."
"But we can't if this maniac is chasing us," Flint reminded.
Gwyn tried to get to her feet. "Then we'll have to push him back."
Flint tried to make her sit back down. "Gwyn, neither you nor Ella are in any condition to fight!"
"No offense, Flint, but Wes isn't fairing any better than us," Ella retorted.
Wes got knocked back by a powerful magic slash from the bounty hunter. His body could feel the same searing pain as before. What kind of magic is that?! He dug his claws into the ground and stopped himself. He didn't get much time to recover, though. The Grovyle punch him across the face, then fired a point blank Exosus Release.
Wes crashed into the boulder, then fell off. He panted heavily. I can't fight him like this. He coughed and flinched. What's worse, the ash is making it harder to fight at our best. We can't fight like this forever.
He rolled away from a blade strike, then spun on his back to kick the Grovyle across the cheek. "Infernius!" He fired the fireball into his face.
The bounty hunter rolled back and patted the flames off. He bared his teeth angrily. "You all are pissing me off."
Wes took a stance, then gasped as illusionary clones of himself appeared around him. He looked towards his brother, who was taking a meditative positon with his eyes closed. He grinned. "Thanks bro!" Wes charged at the hunter with the illusions following.
The bounty hunter slashed at any clones that got close, but they each dissipated in nothingness. The many Umbreon ran around him in different directions and angles.
"Lumios Storm!" Light arrows blasted the bounty hunter from behind. He turned around and aimed his sword. "Infernius!" A white fireball hit him in the back again. He faced the direction furiously, only to get kicked in the back of the neck.
The hunter staggered forward, then growled. His eyes glowed red. "You're only making it harder to take me down!" He raised his sword and stabbed it into the ground. He shouted furiously and poured his energy through the sword to the ground.
The ground cracked as the energy spread out through the earth. Wes and the illusions looked down and saw they were standing in a red circle. The bounty hunter raised his fist and slammed it down on the hilt, triggering the land to erupt in blood red magic. The illusions dispelled and Wes screamed in agony.
The eruption lasted only a moment, but it did a huge number on Wes. He wobbled around, dizzy and weakened.
The bounty hunter step forward, but got shot in the back by, what he assumed, needles. He growled at the green Mew, who had her hand raised. She clenched her teeth and fired a second wave of needles from her gloved hand. The hunter quickly traded out his sword for Quicksilver and slashed down all the needles with pinpoint precision. The needles shattered to dust.
Gwyn gasped. "We can't stop him…"
Flint bit his lip. If I had better control over my summoning magic, I could bring out that Guardian from before. I can't do much like this.
Tony, after getting a moment's rest, pulled his legs out of the ground and landed on his hands. "Ugh…that was painful." He glared at the Grovyle as he walked towards the others. "Hey jackass!" He raised his hand. "Lightning Shot!" He fired the thin electric beam.
The hunter traded out for Infinity Breaker and extended it, cutting through Lightning Shot down the middle and nearly impaling Tony. He jumped out of the way, but got slashed in the side.
"AAGH!" He gripped his side, clenching his teeth as it bled onto his hands.
"Tony!" Flint shouted. He saw the bounty hunter continue towards him and the girls.
Gwyn stood her ground and held her whip. "Stay back! I can still fight you!"
Ella pushed herself forward. "Same…"
Flint shook his head frantically. "N-NO! You can't!"
The bounty glowered. "I don't care. I'll admit, you lot have survived longer than I intended, but none of you are fit enough to last much longer. You can't escape me."
Wes glared at the bounty hunter, then deactivated his Star Amulet. "If that's the case…" He reached under his shirt and pulled out the Vortex Amulet. "Everyone, we're retreating!" He held the amulet up and concentrated. The warped metal became vapor like and sucked Wes into the void.
Tony narrowed his eyes in confusion, then gasped as he, too, was sucked into a vortex that opened up in space. Flint and the girls embraced each other as they were brought into it. Their gear that was still hiding out in the shelter got dragged in with them.
The bounty hunter dashed towards the vortex that was sucking in their stuff, but he couldn't reach it in time. It closed before he could do anything.
The Grovyle narrowed his eyes, baring his teeth into a vicious snarl. "Retreating like cowards, huh?"
Back in Quartz Plain Village, Johnathan Geno was sitting on his couch, reading through a book. In fact, there was many books stacked on his coffee table. Not much has changed since his original mission. He has been researching everything he could on the shadows, whether it be historical documents, references, research papers; anything useful to lead him to a conclusive answer.
His eyes were droopy and tired. Dark circles were present under his eyes. He had to cancel classes for the day after nearly falling asleep this morning. He almost dumped a pot of coffee on his face. The burning would have woken him up more, but he was not taking drastic measures to stay awake.
The research shouldn't be bothering him so much, but he had to uncover the truth. Anything he could dig up that will aid Team Ravenfield in their search. But no matter how many books he searched through, nothing advanced his research. It was either the same historical information or random facts about the Tribe of Shadows.
His eyes drooped, dangerously close to passing out. He quickly grabbed his coffee and gulped it down. The caffeine had long since stopped working for him. His body will soon shut down on its own and force him to sleep. These restless nights should be a sign he needed to take a break, but he couldn't with these burning questions still inside his mind.
He jumped up from his reading when a knock sounded on his front door. He groaned, then pinched between his eyes. "Not now…" A second series of knocks followed. He dropped his book on the floor carelessly and lumbered to the front door.
He unlocked the door and swung it open. He was greeting by the smiling sand croc, Hal. "Ahoy, matey! Came by to check on ye and-BLIMEY!" he shouted in shock after registering the state of the Scrafty. "Good lord, mate! Ye look like ye've been dancing with Death!"
Jonathan rolled his eyes, then proceeded to rub the crud out of them. "I'm fine, Hal. I've just been having trouble catching up with sleep."
Hal narrowed his eye. "Have ye been putting off sleep to research the shadows?"
"I'd say you read me like an open book, but I'm close to exceeding my tolerance for them." He yawned. "Still not much."
"Maybe that's a sign, matey." He gripped him by the shoulders and pushed him back inside. "Ye need rest, and plenty of it. A seadog like me knows what that'll do to ye psyche. Spent several nights sailing the skies without a wink of sleep. Next thing I know, I'm passed out in a bar. I wasn't even drinking when that happened."
Jonathan pinched between his eyes. "Hal, I understand your concern, but I'm fine. I need to find out more on the shadows. Something about them is worrying me."
"How so?"
"For one thing, we don't know anything about them other than basic abilities and their hatred towards Pokémon. We don't even know what the shadows are." He pulled himself away from Hal and walked over to the stack of books. He grabbed a random one and flipped the pages for Hal to see. "I've read through all these books. No scholar has given a definite connection to their origin."
Hal shrugged. "So? Plenty of lost civilizations have the same thing going for them. The shadows aren't the only ones with a murky origin."
"That's the problem, though. If we don't know who they or where they came from, that means we have no idea of knowing how dangerous they are." He closed the book. "They knew about the Idol of Origin, way before us Pokémon did. How could they know, but not us?" He pressed his fingers against his temple. "What other secrets do they have? How powerful are they? Are we on the brink of another fifty-year war?!"
Hal raised his hands. "Calm down, mate. The sleep deprivation is getting to ye."
Jonathan clenched his fist and shouted, "How can you be so calm about this? We sent three college students, a young Mew we didn't know about, a hitman, and who knows how many other Pokémon involved in this mess out into the Mysto Region while there's murderous shadows chasing down for the exact same reason!"
Hal shrugged. "I used to be a pirate, remember? I'm kind of used to this weird stuff." He knocked on his prosthetic arm. "If anything bad happens, I have faith in luck." He shrugged. "I have faith in Wes and his friends. They did just fine before."
"Hal, you don't know how far the shadows can go once they start a war with someone. What if those kids get themselves hurt or worse?"
The former pirate smirked. "Ye underestimate them. If someone kicks them down, they'll be sure to come back up with a vengeance." He crossed his arms. "As for the shadows and where they came from, that's no longer yer concern. Ye won't be much help if ye're fighting sleep."
Jonathan held his face. "I'm sorry, it's just…" He clenched his fingers up. "Something about all of this is making me unedge, I just don't know why. I shouldn't be this paranoid over the shadows, but I am. I feel…scared."
Hal patted his back. "There, there, everything will be alright." He bent down and scooped up the books on the table. "Now then, I'm ordering ye to march up to yer room and get a good…day's rest. Ye've been working too hard. Ye can continue working once ye've recharged."
The professor shook his head. "I…you may be right." He held his head. "I'll try to get some sleep. Maybe staying up is stressing me out. Y-Yeah, I just need sleep, that's it."
"That's the spirit!" He shoved him off. "Go to bed, ye landlubber! I'll check back on ye later."
Jonathan smiled tiredly. "Thanks Hal." The pirate nodded, then left the house. The professor turned around and walked down the hallway. "I just need to sleep, I just need to sleep, I just need to…"
He stopped halfway towards his room. He had a hall mirror that he passed by whenever he went to it. He could have sworn he saw a dark figure when he passed by. He stepped back and looked at the mirror. It was still him.
He looked around the dark hallway, then quickened his pace to his room. "Just need to sleep, just need to sleep…"
Griffin walked in circles, waiting for the treasure hunters to show themselves. He didn't say much, patiently waiting for them to get the surprise jump on him. It has only been ten minutes by his count.
That looked like the Vortex Amulet. If that's the case, they could be in that collapsed dimension for a while. He discarded his sword back to his personal storage. He pulled out the wanted poster and looked it over once more. This bounty isn't something I can pass up, but this is the first time someone managed to escape. He narrowed his eyes. They're stronger than I thought.
He rolled up the poster and stuffed it in his jacket. He felt something hum in his jacket. He pulled out his mobile crystal ball. He narrowed his eyes. "Holly, no doubt." He tapped the top and let the image come up. "What do you want?"
The Lurantis narrowed her eyes. "Hello to you too, Mr. Grumpy. Just so you know, Mack and I are heading in your direction. I don't think we're too far away from your location."
"I see…" He narrowed his eyes, looking around once more.
"What's up?"
"My bounty escaped."
This caught Holly off guard. "You…lost a bounty? Seriously? No dead bodies or anything?" He shook his head. "Yeesh, you're off your game today."
"Shut up. Look, just meet up with me soon and we can talk. I need a little time to recuperate before I hunt them down again."
"Fine, whatever. See you later, Griff." She ended the call.
Griffin stuffed the crystal ball in his jacket, then said aloud, "Hide in that amulet all you like. You'll have to come out eventually. And when you do, I'll be there to finish the job." He glared at the space around him. "So, don't think you've won. I'll be back." He dashed off, back onto the streets.
A hole in space was staring down at him as he left. A ruby eye peered through before the hole closed.
Wes sighed in relief. "Oh, thank goodness! I thought he'd never leave!" He flinched. "Ow…"
He had his jacket and shirt off as Flint patched him up. Tony sat next to them with bandages wrapped around his waist. He clutched the side a bit as it still stung. Flint said, "Well, that's good. I don't think we could handle another minute with him."
"We? You didn't do much," Tony said.
"I was providing cover and protecting Gwyn and Ella!" he retorted. "Don't act like I was doing nothing!"
He shrugged. "Whatever." He looked over his shoulder. "Hey girls, the creep's gone."
"Tony! Eyes facing away!" Ella shouted. Ella and Gwyn were helping each other patch up their wounds.
His face lit up and turned away. "R-Right, sorry!"
Gwyn had already done Ella, so the Espeon was just finishing up applying medicine to Gwyn's wound and wrapping the bandages around her chest and back. The Espeon then said, "That guy…was really strong."
"Tell me about it," Wes said. "His magic power was…immense. And that vile aura he was expelling was too much."
Tony rubbed his chin. "I feel like I've heard of something like that. Vile aura with a loathing feel."
Flint glanced at him. "You said he's the Blood Moon Rogue, right? Mind filling us in on that?"
Tony shrugged. "I don't know much about him. All I know is that he's some powerful bounty hunter who takes on any bounty he gets his hands on. The higher the bounty, the tougher the opponent. From the rumors I've heard, he always accepts a bounty that involves killing the crook. He never takes on the ones that require the criminal to be alive."
"So, he is a crazy murderer," Ella said as she tightened Gwyn's bandage.
The Mew replied, "I don't think crazy is the right word. He seemed rather intelligent."
"Well, he must be dangerous if he had access to those weapons," Wes said.
"Yeah, what was that about?" Flint asked.
Ella dusted her paws. "Those weapons belonged to other warriors over the years. At least, they used to." She narrowed her eyes. "From what I've heard, the warriors who owned those weapons were killed."
Flint's eyes widened. "What?"
"The Infinity Breaker belonged to Edik the Sentinel, who was murdered in a surprise attack in a church."
Wes continued, "Cekvar's Might belonged to…well, Cekvar the Unbreakable. The guy who killed him…proved he wasn't unbreakable."
Gwyn slipped her sweater on and patted it out. "Okay, you guys can turn around now." They spun around and faced the girls.
"Feeling better?" Flint asked.
She smiled with a tiny blush. "For the most part." She frowned. "So, those weapons he had belonged to fallen warriors?"
"All but that black sword," Wes admitted. "Never seen it before. It could be his."
Ella shook her head. "If he has those weapons, that means he came across those warriors at one point in his life." She narrowed her eyes. "If this guy truly has a streak for killing people, then it's likely he has been killing proud warriors, too. There's no way guys like that had bounties on their heads! They were considered legendary heroes!"
Tony crossed his arms. "Making him an experienced fighter himself." He bared his teeth. "I swear, next time I run into that shithead, I'm giving him a piece of my mind."
"Let's be rational about this," Flint said. "We need time to recover. We can't go charging into battle, especially since he came close to offing all of us."
"Flint, that guy's dangerous. He could be a warrior killer for all we know. How else would he have those weapons? He didn't just pick them up by accident!" Ella shouted. "We need to report him before he harms innocent lives!"
"I get it, I get it, but we need to remember another issue. If we fight him again, we won't be at our best to fight the Fire Mage. Our best hope is to avoid him at all costs. We can't afford anymore injuries like this."
She sighed. "I guess." She looked at her back. "Ugh, that's going to be a pain to deal with."
Wes pulled out his map. "Scorch Grave isn't too far away. Let's lay low in the Vortex Amulet for a while and recover our strength before we continue. After that, we need to prepare for our fight with the Fire Mage." He narrowed his eyes. "And for the Blood Moon Rogue."
Tony punched his palm. "Don't worry, I won't let that guy trip me up a second time."
Gwyn raised her fists. "Yeah! I'll be ready to fight back, too!"
Ella shrugged with a smirk. "Eh, I'll leave that junk to you four. I think it'd be better if I sit on the sidelines."
"Good call." Wes rubbed his eyes. "Let's get a little sleep to recover. Flint, would you mind waking us up in a couple hours?"
He shook his head. "Not at all. You four get some sleep."
Wes grinned. "You're the best, bro!" Wes collapsed onto his side and snored.
Tony folded his arms behind his head and lay down. Ella curled up, then closed her eyes. Gwyn let out a cute yawn before falling on her side. She hugged her supply bag.
Flint smiled at them, then glared at into the distance of the endless void. A warrior killer? He held his chin. He said there was a bounty on us. But how? Those only get issued by the police if a criminal is at large. They wouldn't make a bounty for all five of us. Who issued it?
He looked down worriedly. He's killed other warriors in the past. If he's that dangerous…then we might be in big trouble. He gulped worriedly. Please, oh please, don't run into him ever again.
"Here you go. Have a great day," Morgan said as the last customer picked up their medicine. Closing hours were among him. He could finally wind down and head home for the night.
He gripped his shoulder and rotated his arm to loosen his joints. He heard the front bell ring and the scampering of little feet. He looked over the counter and saw Cheri, smiling brightly. "Hi Mr. Morgan!"
He smiled, walked around the counter, and patted her head. "Hello, sweetheart. Did you get those orders delivered?"
She grinned. "Yep, yep, yep!"
He smiled. "Good work. We'll be closing up in a minute, so how about you get a broom and dustpan and sweep the floor?" He poked her nose. "I'm feeling a little generous tonight. Get done quickly and I'll take you by the market for some Bluk berries."
She squealed in excitement, then swept vigorously. "Sweeping away, sir!" She glided the broom across the floor.
He chuckled. "Don't hurt yourself." He grabbed his clipboard and turned his attention to the storage room. "Now, let me see here…" His ears perked up at the sound of the front bell ringing.
Cheri noticed this, too, before saying, "Excuse me, ma'am!" she spoke up with her hand raised. "Mr. Morgan is going to close up soon! Please come back tomorrow!"
The Hypno heard the woman chuckle. "Oh my, I wasn't aware he was hiring children."
"I'm eight-years old! I'm a very hard worker! I've been working for Mr. Morgan for almost a month!"
"My, my, you must be a good employee."
"The very best!" she proudly stated.
"Well sweetie, I don't mean to cause trouble. I'm only here to speak with an old friend, nothing more." Morgan raised a brow. Old friend?
"You mean Mr. Morgan?" the Pikachu questioned, seeing as he was the only other person here. "If you're looking for him, he's in the storage room."
"Thank you, dearie. Morgan, can you hear me?"
Morgan set his clipboard on a shelf. "Yes, I can hear you." He pressed his fingers together, then pulled them apart with magic string attached. "Who wants to know?" he asked cautiously.
"My, you are acting very hostile towards an old friend. It's been, what, five years?"
"Five years…?" Morgan narrowed his eyes. "Wait a minute." He dispelled the string and walked out to the front. "Who are-?" His eyes widened. "No way…"
Standing at the counter, presenting him with a big, friendly grin, was Ava. She leaned against the counter. "Took you long enough. You sure know how to keep a lady waiting."
Morgan blinked in disbelief. He rubbed his eyes to make sure what he was seeing wasn't a mere illusion. He stepped around the counter and examined the Medicham in awe. "I…Ava? Is that really you?"
She grinned. "Yep, it's me."
The Hypno was utterly stunned. "I…I…" He grinned. "Ava!" He grabbed her by the shoulders and pulled her into a hug. "Hahaha! I can't believe this!"
Ava laughed and hugged back. "How are you doing, you drunk bas-?"
"Not in front of the kid," he warned.
"Bas…Bass player?" she awkwardly corrected. Morgan laughed at her poor attempt of correcting herself. "Oh hush up." She smiled again and patted his back, giving him a strong squeeze. "Morgan, it's been too long."
"Too long indeed." He pulled away, still smiling wide. "How are you? How's the circus business going? How are the kids?"
She counted off her fingers. "Doing fine. Circus is going well. The kids are great. I actually had a son last year, so that makes three mouths to feed."
"A son, too?" Morgan laughed. "Boy, you have your hands full. How's Vince?"
She giggled. "Oh, just as lovable and caring as ever." She smiled. "Enough about me. How are you?" She looked around. "I see you opened up a pharmacy here."
Morgan smiled. "Well, I followed through on Clara's advice, just like I said. I'm a certified medical doctor and surgeon."
She grinned. "That's wonderful! I'm so proud of you!"
Cheri looked at the two adults in confusion. "Are you two friends?"
Morgan smiled down at her, then crouched down. "Cheri, this is Ava, an old friend of mine. Ava, this is Cheri Sapienti, my delivery girl."
"She looks young," Ava said.
"She is, but she's a dedicated worker," he said, ruffling the little Pikachu's fur.
Cheri giggled, then puffed out her chest. "It's true! Best employee he's ever had!"
"Don't get too full of yourself, sweetheart," Morgan warned playfully. He stood up and slid his hands into his pockets. "Her mother's sick and their house got destroyed about a month ago. I've been letting them stay with me and letting Cheri fill in for her brother while he's gone."
"How kind of you," Ava said. She crossed her arms. "I'm glad to see we're both doing well."
"Hehe, well…" He reached into his back pocket and pulled out his flask. He took a quick sip before asking, "So, why are you all the way out here? Come to run a show in the village?"
Ava narrowed her eyes. "No…I'm actually here for a different reason." She dropped her arms to her sides and asked, "Have you seen the Origin Tablet?"
He knew what she was talking about. She was referring to the golden decagon. He narrowed his eyes. "Yeah, I have." He put his flask away. "Then I guess you know the shadows are planning their revenge?"
She nodded. "This is most troublesome."
Cheri looked at them in confusion. "What are you talking about?"
Morgan looked down at the Pikachu, then sighed. "Ava, perhaps this conversation is best left for the morning. I have to close up and I need to take her home." He shrugged. "Your wagon's nearby, correct? I'll stop by in the morning so we can discuss this in private."
Ava nodded. "Fair enough. We have much to discuss."
Morgan nodded back. "I'm sure we do." He patted Cheri's head. "You run home. I'll pick up dinner for the three of us."
She looked at Ava worriedly, then back at Morgan. "Will you be okay?"
He smiled. "I'll be fine, sweetie. You have nothing to worry about."
"…okay." She handed him the broom, then scampered out the door.
"Cute kid," Ava brought up.
"I don't want to scare her with anything." He looked at the Medicham. "If we're talking about Cielo's prophecy, then there's quite a few things I need to bring up with you."
"We both have things to say." Ava narrowed her eyes. "The question is…how will we proceed in making sure the shadows do not destroy our world?"
