Ch.50: Returning to the Circus of Enchantment! Team Ravenfield's Terrifying Destiny!

A few more days of walking past for the treasure hunting team, as they closed in on their destination: Spring Wells City. Even from where they were, they could smell the fresh ocean air. Not so surprisingly, Ella was the most ecstatic to be nearing the paradise city. She practically skipped the rest of the way.

She couldn't contain her excited giggles as she bounced near Gwyn. "The city I was destined to live in! A beautiful paradise of leisure and charm!" She gestured forward to the sky. "A classy Espeon like myself feels at home in such luxurious heavens!"

Wes smirked and pulled on her ear to bring her back to reality. "Earth to Cipher!" She smacked his paw away, making him laugh. "Chill, girl. Keep that up and we'll have to leave you here."

Ella stuck her tongue at him, then held her head up. "Forgive me for being wrapped up in the wonders that is Spring Wells."

Griffin rolled his eyes. "A tourist destination that attracts annoying scumbags, the snobby rich, and criminals. What a joy." He sighed. "I don't get all the hype over relaxation. Breaks, I can understand. Leisure? I trained myself to be alert at all times."

Ella smirked at him. "Tough cookies, because I'll personally make sure you get the full experience." She snickered and wrapped her foreleg around Gwyn. "Of course, after we have our girl time!"

Gwyn grinned. "I'm so excited, I could explode!"

Flint chuckled awkwardly. "Heh…with you, that might be literal." Gwyn giggled with a bashful blush.

Tony walked beside Wes with a cool grin. "Eh, that's all well and dandy, but I'm personally looking forward to the beach. Loot to swipe and girls to swoon." He held his chin with a sly grin. "What lady could resist this handsome mug?"

"Should we expect you coming back with slap marks?" Griffin retorted dryly, making the others laugh out loud.

Tony pouted in annoyance, then smirked irritably. "Oh, you are SO asking for an ass whooping, buster!" He cracked his knuckles.

Wes raised his paw. "Okay, settle down, you two. Remember why we're here. Retrieving the key is top priority." He saw Ella glaring at him, to which he rolled his eyes and smiled. "However, since we have to plan ahead, one day of rest wouldn't bite." Ella smiled in satisfaction.

Flint looked ahead. "I'm okay with that. By the way, where is the key being held?"

"Better not be as confusing as where the Key of Fire was," Ella muttered bitterly.

Wes scratched his cheek, chuckling awkwardly. "Right, that little detail. Well, good news is I know exactly where the key is."

Griffin narrowed his eyes. "And the bad news?"

"It's underwater." The team faltered forward in shock while Wes laughed it off. "Hehe…yeah, the key is hidden under Sapphire Sea. We'll have to rent scuba equipment to get down there."

Tony smirked and crossed his arms. "Ha! Looks like I have the tactical advantage for this mission! Getting that key will be a shoo-in for me!"

Ella smirked back. "Don't forget, with every temple we've entered, there's Guardians as well. Good luck trying to fight them if they're in the water."

Tony waved it off with a confident grin. "Please, I can handle a few Water Guardians."

Gwyn smiled. "I have to say, despite this being kind of a dangerous mission, this is kind of fun. Especially with all the new places to visit!"

Wes chuckled. "I guess when you look past the shadows wanting to kill us, it is a pretty fun trip."

"We have very different definitions of the word 'fun,'" Flint stated dryly.

The Umbreon laughed and wrapped his foreleg around his brother. "Oh, you're such a kidder, big bro!"

Ella squinted over the horizon in front of them, then smiled with a giddy giggle. "Yes, yes, yes! I see it! Spring Wells City, here I come!" She raced ahead of them, kicking up a cloud of smoke.

They coughed for a moment, then chased after her. "Ella! Wait for us!" Gwyn called out.

The Espeon stopped herself and gazed over the majestic city set before her eyes. The others stopped beside her and took in the sight as well. A large city bustling with activity by the community and vacationers alike. The city itself was surrounded by a moat of water that connected to the sea. The water flowed throughout the city, allowing for transportation via boat to just about anywhere they wanted.

The majority of buildings had polished white stone with blue tiled roofs, topped with golden accents for extra charm. Small splashes of color were seen here and there from the smaller buildings. One of the taller structures that caught their eye was the bell tower, which rang a beautiful melody over the city.

Ella tapped her paws together with a wide grin. "Dreams are becoming reality!" She grabbed Gwyn by the wrist and stood on her hindlegs in celebration. "Come on, girlfriend! We have some luxury to explore!" She nearly flew off with the Mew, but Griffin stopped her by slashing out a sheet of ice with Absolute Zero that caused her to slip. "Heeey!" she whined.

Griffin sheathed the weapon and placed it back in his personal arsenal. "If we are going to take the day to plan for our fight, it may be best to find a place to stay first before you two go running off."

Ella and Gwyn blinked, then blushed in embarrassment. "Hehe…you have a point," Gwyn said with a chuckle.

Flint chuckled and helped Gwyn up. "Anyone got any recommendations?" Ella raised her paw. "No overly expensive hotels!" Tony then raised his hand. "And no stealing for our bill!" They both slumped over and sighed.

Wes chuckled. "I don't mind a nice hotel, but let's try and go easy on ourselves this time. We already stayed at one fancy hotel. Let's not get carried away."

Ella rolled her eyes. "Oh…very well, I'll set my standards a little lower to satisfy our collective desires." She tapped her chin and grinned. "Well, if that's the case, I know another one we can stay at that's cheaper than the luxury hotels, but still refined enough to live in."

"You're the expert," Tony stated. "Lead the way, El." Ella nodded, then signaled the group to follow her into the city.


After getting themselves checked into a room, the guys sat around in the living room while the girls changed. The ceiling was white while the walls were an ocean colored blue. White furniture with red coverings to protect from accidental staining and a nice kitchen off to the side. The neatest part of the living room was the mini waterfall flowing down their wall behind some glass. The room itself had a beautiful ocean smell to it.

Wes, sitting near the edge of the coffee table, opened their map and zoomed in on Spring Wells City, specifically on Sapphire Sea. He pointed at the middle of the sea, where the blue dot pinpointed. "Like I said earlier, the map says there's a temple under the sea. Not deep enough to succumb to underwater pressure for us land only breathers," he directed towards Tony, "but still pretty deep."

Flint nodded. "And like Ella pointed out, it'll likely be guarded by Water Guardians." He narrowed his eyes. "They'll have the upper hand over us if they can merge with the water. Hopefully the temple itself isn't filled with water."

Griffin held up Absolute Zero. "Well, we have one advantage. With Iestyn's sword, I'll be able to freeze them in place. Water Guardians may be made of water, but they have to retain some form if they wish to fight us head on."

Tony smirked and raised his fist, sending a few sparks through it. "A good electrical charge will do them in."

Flint shook his head. "Tony, while you will have the best maneuverability out of all of us, half your Storm spells will cause us harm in the water."

Wes nodded. "Perhaps stick to using the wind variations."

Tony pouted. "Darn it…" He shrugged and resumed smirking. "Eh, I still got my Light Speed. All that electricity affects me, not anyone else."

Griffin tapped on the map. "There's still the disadvantage of being underwater, even if the temple has air. The mage protecting the Key of Water will not only be able to conjure water, but can pull in the sea to drown us and affect our chances to fight back." He glared. "These mages are protecting those keys with their lives, after all. Mercy may or may not be given to us."

Wes grinned. "Good thing we don't plan on failing!" He rolled the map up. "Now, as far as getting underwater is concerned, we'll have to check out some scuba shops and rent equipment."

"Which means we're having a shopping day!" The girls' bedroom door flew open and Ella strutted out. Out of her normal clothes, she wore a blue tank top and white shorts while sporting a pair of sunglasses on her forehead. She tipped the sunglasses down and posed. "Now you're speaking my language!"

Wes laughed awkwardly and held his paw up. "I…didn't say shopping day, but I guess there's no harm in it."

Ella snickered. "Wasn't giving you a choice, but thanks anyway."

Gwyn stepped out of the room a moment after. She wore a teal sundress with sunflower patterns going along the edge of the skirt. She wore a strawhat with a hibiscus flower attached to it. She twirled around spiritedly and posed as well. "How do I look?"

Tony gave her a thumbs-up. "Looking nice, Green! Nice to see you open up a bit more."

She giggled bashfully. "Thanks…Sparky!" Tony faltered forward with an irritated grin.

Flint rubbed the back of his head with a light blush and a kind smile. "You look really nice in that. Did Ella pick it out for you?"

"Yep!" She looked at the hall mirror and chuckled. "Got to say, kind of nice not to be wearing a sweater all the time."

Ella chuckled behind her paw. "You look darling, Gwyn."

Wes shoved the map back into his bag and slung it over his shoulder. "Well, if everyone's ready, let's get prepping." He pulled out a regular map of the city, which he snagged on their way up to their room, and took the lead out with the others following.


The team stopped by at the scuba rental shop, looking through the lineup of equipment they can use. Wes made some rather odd requests that baffled the clerk, such as asking 'How resilient is the material in terms of combat?' or 'How hard could one headbutt with the helmet before cracking the glass?'. Flint had to take over with picking the equipment out.

Wes shrugged at Griffin. "What? They were legitimate questions."

Griffin pinched between his eyes. "Every day, I find a new reason why you're wanted in so many communities."

Flint held up a wetsuit and examined the size. "Okay, this looks around my size…and these should fit you and Griffin…"

Over at the counter, Tony was getting the oxygen tanks while also flirting with the clerk, who was a Linoone. "So, maybe after your shift is over, would you be interested in joining me on a romantic date for two~?" he asked with a suave grin and charming glint in his eye. "A lovely lady like you deserves a night out with a handsome stud like me~."

The Linoone giggled with a smirk and a small blush. "Hmm, I'd tempted to say yes…"

Tony wiggled his brows. "I can sweeten the deal if that's not enou-AGH!" The Linoone recoiled in surprise as Griffin pulled on his ear and dragged him away.

"Quit acting like an idiot, you weirdo."

"Hey! You're ruining my mojo, Hothead!" He looked back at the clerk and winked. "I'll see you lat-AAH! You're pinching on my ear too hard!"

Wes walked up to the counter and laughed awkwardly. "Hehe…I'll, uh, be paying for those. Sorry about that."

The Linoone waved it off with a smile. "Hehe, no worries. Now, the rental price for the air tanks…"

The guys got their equipment checked out soon after and exited the shop. The girls were in another shop across the street, restocking their food supply for the next few days and for the rest of their trip to come. They sat down outside the shop and had Flint check through everything to make sure they were situated.

"Five wetsuits. Fives masks and goggles. Five oxygen tanks." Flint smiled. "Yep, that's everything." He sighed worriedly. "I just hope they don't get too damaged."

Tony folded his arms behind his head and smirked. "Eh, we can buff out a few scratches. And besides, if worse comes to worst, I can pay off the damages."

Flint deadpanned. "You have the money?"

Tony pinched one of his whiskers and rubbed it with a cheeky grin. "I didn't say it would be my money."

Flint groaned and slumped his head forward. "You're impossible to reason with."

"That's how I roll!"

Wes pulled the Keys of Earth and Fire out, observing them with curious eyes. It felt odd holding these in his paw. It seemed like such a huge hassle at first to acquire, with their major problem at the time being a faulty map. Now, looking at these keys, it felt like nothing can stand in their way.

Sure, they had the shadows tailing them, but they were more than capable of taking them on. It almost made the Shadow King and, to a lesser extent, these supposedly strong Heralds of Darkness seem like minor obstacles to look forward to.

Maybe the Umbreon was getting too cocky. A safe assumption on his part, but it still felt like they were getting closer to their goal. With two keys, soon to be three, in their possession, they were only a few steps closer to completely the ultimate treasure hunt. It almost felt too good to be true. Even a little sad to think it'll all be over soon.

What could possibly top finding the ultimate artifact to ever live?

"You shouldn't be holding those out in the open, bro." Wes flinched, then smiled sheepishly at his brother before stuffing them back in their little sack. Flint smirked lightly. "You have that curious look in your eye. Something on your mind?"

Wes put the bag away, then shrugged. "I don't know, maybe. We only have two keys now, but it feels like we're stepping closer to the idol each day. Soon two keys will become three. Then three will become six. Then six will become ten!" He threw his paws up. "So far from over, yet so close to victory! I'm honestly anxious to keep going!"

"I think the whole store can hear you." Wes flinched again as Ella and Gwyn stepped out of the store. Both carried a shopping bag with them. Ella smirked at the excited Umbreon. "Hey, I get what you mean, though. This is pretty awesome so far."

Griffin scoffed quietly and crossed his arms. "…I will admit, the mages prove to be worthy opponents from what little we've gathered about them. A trained knight harnessing fire magic-"

"-and a museum owner/miner with a living cave as an ally," Flint finished. He sighed. "Don't get too cocky from a few victories, guys. We can't slip up if we're overconfident."

"Says you!" Tony exclaimed, smiling coolly. "My confidence is what drives me to win. You cannot contain my skill!"

Gwyn giggled. "We're only so far into the journey. Maybe try not to get a big head about it."

He rolled his eyes and chuckled. "Can't help it if I'm so awesome."

Wes stood up and placed the equipment into his bag. He patted it shut and smiled. "So, did you girls enjoy your shopping?"

Ella winked. "Totally!" She hooked her foreleg around Gwyn. "I think we might hit the beach later. I need to show this newbie how to play some serious volleyball."

Gwyn scratched her head with a lighthearted grin. "Still not sure about the mechanics, but I'll get it down."

Tony grinned. "Ah, I think I'll take a piece of that action."

Flint raised his brow. "Don't you all think we should be focusing on preparing for the water mage?"

Ella waved it off. "Hey, we didn't prep much for Randolph or Seraphina and everything turned out alright. We got the keys, after all. I say we go with the flow and take it as it is." Flint sighed, unsatisfied with the loose response.

Wes chuckled and waved his paw. "We better start heading back to the hotel. We should grab a quick bite to eat before…" Suddenly, the Umbreon's ears stood erect as a familiar sound entered earshot for him. They twitched steadily, then he turned around and followed the noise with a curious gaze.

The team looked at each other in confusion, until they started to hear the sound Wes was likely hearing as well. It sounded like music, and it felt awfully familiar to Flint and Ella. With their own curiosity rising, they followed Wes to locate the source of this music.

They walked through the streets, passing by the Pokémon walking along, and turned a corner. According to the map they had, there should be a large park around there, which is likely where the music is coming from. Once they stepped in view of the park, Wes' suspicions were proven right.

A large circus tent was propped up in the park, with vendors and stands set up selling food and hosting games. There was a sign stuck into the ground, reading 'Circus of Enchantment.' It took the Eeveelutions of solid observing before reaching the same conclusion.

"Isn't this the…?" Flint started, looking at Wes and Ella.

Wes nodded with a bright grin. "Yeah! I think this is that circus we went to months ago! The one where that fortune teller lady told us where to find Gwyn!"

Tony raised his brow. "A fortune teller directed you to Gwyn?"

"Does she know about the idol?" Griffin asked with a serious glare.

Wes waved it off with a grin. "No, no, of course not. We made sure to keep everything about the idol to ourselves. I highly doubt she knows anything." He rubbed his chin and looked back at the circus. "Kind of odd we'd run into the same circus after so many months."

Gwyn tilted her head. "I've never been to a circus before."

Tony shrugged a bit. "Neither have I. I've heard stories, but nothing that stood out."

Ella smiled. "Well then, perhaps we should have a second go at the circus. Maybe we can meet with the crew again if they have the time. I would love to see how Madame Ava is doing."

Flint raised his brow. "Shouldn't we be focusing on getting ready for tomorrow? We need to save our strength and keep our minds sharp."

Gwyn pouted sadly. "Aww!" She clasped her and looked directly at Flint with big, shimmering eyes. "Please, Flint! I really, really want to go! I've always wanted to see the circus, ever since my mommy told me about it! Pretty, pretty please!" She leaned it close to his face, her red eyes sparklingly adorably.

Flint's face went red like a Tamato berry. Those adorable, begging eyes broke through the thick layers of tenacity he could keep up. Plus…how could he say no to that pleading face? It'd be criminal!

He raised his clenched paw and smiled proudly. "Change of plans! We're going to the circus!"

"Yay!" Gwyn cheered.

The others, however, stared at Flint with amusement. He cracked.

Flint grabbed Gwyn's hand and led her into the park. "Come on, let's get you some popcorn and cotton candy!" Gwyn skipped alongside him while the others, save Griffin, laughed quietly to themselves.


Unbeknownst to Team Ravenfield, as they meandered around the circus, there was a familiar group of figures walking around as well. Members of the Desert Beast Pirates, who were disguised in regular clothes. The members attending the circus were Ray, Rico, Lyra, Ambrosine, and, begrudgingly so, Jeffery. Ray and Rico wore sweat jackets with jeans, Lyra and Ambrosine wore green and red buttoned shirts respectively with white floral patterns and khakis, and Jeffery was stuck wearing a colorful poncho with a sailor boy hat.

The pirates had to restock on fuel and make a few repairs to the ship. They stayed outside city limits for secrecy sakes. Arid ordered Jones and Zerif to get the fuel, but Ray asked if he could go into the city as well. Word spread that the circus was around, so he wanted to check it out. Arid allowed him to go, obviously, with Rico and Lyra tagging along. Rico joined because he wanted to look after Ray while Lyra just wanted to have fun. Ambrosine merely came by the request of Ray since she was new.

Why was Jeffery there? Because he didn't trust these three alone without causing a ruckus.

Ray walked ahead with a bag of popcorn in his paw, munching happily. "Mmm, buttery popcorn. Haven't had this in ages." He threw some into his mouth.

Rico grinned. "Glad you're having fun so far, buddy."

Jeffery deadpanned as he rode atop Lyra's shoulder. "I rarely see the kid acting chipper. It's creeping me out a bit." Lyra rolled her eyes with a light grin and took a bite out of her cotton candy.

Ambrosine walked by their side with, understandably, a rather confused expression. "I'm…confused. Don't you guys just…burn down cities and towns to get what you want? I mean, Spring Wells City is the hotspot for the rich and wealthy."

"And that's what makes it dangerous to invade," Rico added before explaining further, "Villages and some towns are easy pickings because they aren't as big. Because of how big cities are in Mysto, there's extra emphasis put on security. Villages usually have to rely on barriers to keep us out or the elements they've adapted to. The Fire Zone, for instance, has some neat ways to keep us out, like ash storms that completely blind us or put us out of commission. Larger cities, however, are higher game that need to be protected."

Ambrosine held her chin. "Huh…I guess that makes sense. Still, I wasn't expecting you all to act so…normal off the ship." Lyra simply shrugged in response.

Jeffery grumbled. "We're pirates…we shouldn't have to blend in with the public. They need to fear our strength! We are the bandits of the sk-!" Lyra shoved a handful of popcorn into his beak. He swallowed hard and gasped. "Good lord, how much butter did you put in there?!" Lyra silently laughed behind her hand.

Ray watched as the Pokémon entered the circus tent. He pulled on Rico's sleeve. "Hey, come on! I don't want to miss the show!" He ran off ahead.

Rico chased after him. "Hey, slow down, little buddy!"

Ambrosine tilted her head with a bit of a curious look. "Still hard to believe pirates can act like normal Pokémon." She felt Lyra grab her hand and drag her as they followed after the boys. "Okay, okay, I'm coming!"

"Better not be one of those acts where they throw a pie at an audience member!" Jeffery shouted angrily. "I somehow always get roped into those!" Lyra smirked deviously at Ambrosine, who quietly chuckled under her breath.


The Pokémon all gathered into the stands and took their seats. Team Ravenfield managed to score a row with ample amounts of space. Gwyn, who was sitting between Flint and Tony, sat a large tub of popcorn in her lap and threw a piece in her mouth. She shivered in delight. "Mmm! Buttery!" She handed a handful to Flint. "Want some?"

He smiled and graciously accepted her offer. He ate two before looking to Wes, who was on his right. "I wonder if they'll do something different with the show."

Wes shrugged. "Probably. Maybe a new clown routine with those twins." He tapped his head. "I…think their names were Micah and Susan."

Ella smiled. "Hmm, I hope they're doing well. They were such adorable little cuties." She glanced over at Griffin with a cheeky grin. "Enjoying yourself so far?"

Griffin sat with his arms crossed and a firm scowl. "It's too noisy in here…"

Ella laughed and roughly patted his back. "Oh, trust me, it'll get louder!" Griffin groaned and bowed his head in annoyance.

Tony snickered at his misery before taking a sip of his soda. "Chill, weapon head. This is supposed to be a fun time with friends. Stress isn't a good look for you."

"Either you shut up or I'll rearrange the muscles in your face…" Griffin threatened quietly, though Tony didn't take offense to it.

"Yeesh, learn to relax. No point in stressing yourself out." He took another sip of his soda.

Once everyone was seated, the lights dimmed. A spotlight shined down at center stage, where Vince appeared in his ringmaster getup. He bowed to the crowd before shouting, "Good evening, ladies and gentlemen! Welcome to our fabulous mystery circus, the Circus of Enchantment!" The cloud let out an uproar of applause for the Hawlucha.

Vince tipped his hat to them. "Tonight, you will see spectacles of wonder through the mystical arts of our valued performers! Watch as they amaze you with their expertise in magic! I'm sure you all will be stunned by our show!" He spun on his heel and gestured to an opening in the tent, where a spotlight focused on. "Please welcome the first of our wonderful act: Garland the Daredevil!" The crowd clapped in anticipation and waited for the daredevil's arrival.

…fifteen or so seconds passed and nothing happened.

The crowd was dead silent as Vince stood awkwardly, waiting for the Simipour. "Uh…Garland, you there?" The Hawlucha scratched his head. "Confound it, Garland, where are…?" Vince stared down for a moment, then facepalmed. "Oh no, don't tell me…"

Suddenly, much to the crowd's horror, a streak of color burst through the top of the tent and crashed into the ground, just next to Vince. The figure popped up and posed triumphantly to the ground. "Tada!" The crowd burst out in laughter and applauded the daredevil.

Vince chuckled awkwardly and pulled on his collar. "Oh, that's our Garland for you." He faced the water monkey and pounded him on the helmet repeatedly. "What. Did. I. Tell. You?! STICK TO THE SCRIPT!"

Garland stuck his tongue out and flashed the rocker gesture. "Rock on!"

Gwyn kicked her feet as she giggled through her lips. "Hehehe…t-t-that was so s-s-stupid!"

Ella chuckled with a sweatdrop sliding down her head. "He's probably the most insane of the troupe."

Garland hobbled off to the back while Vince calmed himself down. "Well, that was Garland the Daredevil! Very soon, we will get to see more of his insane stunts." He glanced off to the side and muttered, "Emphasis on 'insane.'" He turned back to the crowd. "But, let's not waste time! Let's get to an actual act, shall we? Please welcome Nebula, the Bubble Magician!"

The Brionne slid into view and bowed to the crowd, adding a cute wink. She stood on top of her tail and took a deep breath. She started off by singing a melodic tune that echoed across the tent. The tone sounded angelic, almost inspiring from its intensity.

She spun on her tail five times before clapping her flippers together. Out of nowhere, multicolored bubbles appeared around her. She paused to smirk at the crowd, then continued on with a stronger voice. The bubbles floated upward and formed a ring shape the swirled above her. The bubbles began to split in two repeatedly while retaining their original size. The new bubbles spread out across the tent while continuously multiplying.

The upper half of the tent was filled to the brim with multicolored bubbles, yet they still kept a meter of distance from each other. Nebula posed for the crowd and winked once more. "Standard looking bubbles, no? Well, prepare to be dazzled!" She reached into her cloak and pulled ten throwing knives in each flipper. Light blue magic coated around the knives. "Don't blink." She spun and threw the knives into twenty separate bubbles.

The knives passed through the bubbles with ease, not damaging the structure. However, the knives didn't come out of the same bubbles. The crowd gasped in awe and surprise as blue light streaks shot through random bubbles, shooting into nearby bubbles.

Griffin narrowed his eyes. "Some sort of dimensional spell casted through the bubbles…"

The knives seemed to pick up speed as they passed through the individual bubbles. Nebula spun around on her tail. "Round and round, the little knives go! Where will they end up? Heck if I know!"

Some knives got dangerously close to the crowd, though they were always kept out of reach, even if someone leaned closer or reached out. Nebula chuckled, then reached into her robe again, pulling out another knife. She spun it around skillfully. "Let's let luck decide my fate!" She threw the knife up.

The following sequence was completely madness.

A streaking knife fired out of a bubble and aimed for the knife flying up. A ricochet occurred that caused the thrown knife to bounce towards a bubbled that was pelted away by another flying knife.

The crowd gawked as the recent knife bounced around between the magically charge knives while also changing their directions as well. Nebula clapped her flippers, then spun in place. Two bubbles appeared between her before being sucked into her spin.

All the magically charged knives fired out of the bubbles and aimed right towards her, scaring half the crowd. The knives made impact with their target, but practically vanished without leaving a mark. All twenty magical knives vanished as soon as they nailed Nebula.

She stopped spinning, then spread her flippers out, revealing all twenty knives encased in bubbles shaped around them. They orbited around her as she held up one final bubble in her flipper.

The final knife she threw came spinning downward after its long journey of direction changes before landing inside the bubble, slowing its fall down. This bubble rippled a bit before popping, with Nebula catching the knife as the popped bubbled triggered a chain reaction that exploded every single bubble into sparkles that rained harmlessly across the audience. The encased knives jabbed into the ground after being released.

Nebula did one final twirl and bowed. "And scene." The audience whistled and clapped for the tricky Brionne, who waved proudly to them and blew kisses.

Wes had the biggest grin on his face. "That was so awesome!"

"Yeah!" Gwyn cheered. "How did she do that?!"

Griffin held his chin. "A lot of practice, obviously. She definitely has access to spatial magic. She accelerated the throw of the knives to keep them going in a near endless loop through the bubbles." He narrowed his eyes. "That kind of skill can be used for tricks, but also for killing. She has good control and precision with her magic."

Nebula finished waving to the crowd before collecting her knives and sliding away. Vince retook center stage and clapped. "Another hand for Nebula, ladies and gentlemen! She's a natural!" He gestured to the entrance. "The fun has only just begun! Let's see what other acts our lovely performers have up their sleeve!"

For the next half hour, the audience was subjected to hilarious, fun, jaw dropping acts performed by the talented performers. Ella couldn't stop smiling as she watched Micah and Susan perform their usual clown act. They mixed up their usual routine and had an all-out prank war. The results were messy for them and the crowd.

Far off in the crowd, a certain Chatot perched on a Zangoose's shoulder was sulking in irritation as a cherry pie sat on top of his head. "Flippin'…called it…"

Ambrosine giggled under her breath. "Uh, Jeffery, you have a little something on your-"

"Silence!" Jeffery shouted angrily. Lyra wiped some pie off the parrot's head and licked it off her claw with a satisfied smile.

Ray snickered. "That's a good look for you, Jeff."

"I hate you so much…" He groaned and took off into the air. "I'm gonna go clean up."

After the clown act was over, Vince stepped forward. "Quite the performance from our Wacko Twins! Now, we have a special performance for you all tonight! One of our newest performers will be attempting to cross this tightrope above me…with no assistance from safety nets!" The crowd gasped.

Tony threw his head back and laughed. "Oh man, I feel sorry for the poor sucker! Must be quivering in their boots!"

"Isn't that a little dangerous?" Gwyn asked worriedly.

Flint shrugged unsurely. "I mean, crazier stunts have been performed on a tightrope, so this isn't that bad."

Vince gestured up to the tightrope. "Please give a hand for the amazing, fearless Little Stormbolt!"

A spotlight shined on a small Pikachu standing on the starting platform. The groove in their tail indicated they were female. She wore white clown makeup with yellow thunderbolts where her red cheeks were. She wore a colorful and baggy suit that was half yellow with storm clouds and half black with lightning bolts. She wore a top hat that had a cloud emblem on the front. She waved cheerfully to the crowd before pulling out an umbrella and taking her first step across the tightrope. She wobbled a bit at first, but slowly got the hang of it.

Wes tilted his head. He was pretty good at reading body language, whether it be fighting or observation. "Looks like this is her first time attempting this height."

Tony swirled his drink around. "Well, that's to be expected from newbies." He sipped his drink.

Ella squinted at the Pikachu. "Odd, she seems fairly young…older than the twins, but still young."

"Didn't Madame Ava say they had a policy against letting runaways join the circus?" Flint asked. "Is this one of the performers' kid?"

Gwyn ate her popcorn silently, then gazed down for a split second before noticing something near the backstage entrance of the tent. She raised her brow. "Hey Tony…that Raichu over there. She kind of looks like your mom."

"Huh?" Tony squinted a bit and saw a Raichu nervously watching the Pikachu walk across the tightrope. His brow raised questionably. "What…? Are my eyes playing tricks on me?" He looked around quickly, then pulled a pair of binoculars wrapped around a Midnight Lycanroc's neck.

"AGH! HEY!" the wolf wheezed angrily.

Tony ignored his cries and zoomed in on the Raichu. After studying her face for a solid ten seconds, he pulled back in shock. "Shit, that is my mom! Why is she here with a circus?! She's supposed to be back in the village!" He glared. "I knew she had a joking habit, but this is ridiculous!"

Gwyn tapped her chin. "I thought Morgan was taking care of her and Cheri."

"That old fool owes me an explanation too-!" Tony froze up. His face paled drastically. "W-W-Wait…i-if that's my mother, t-t-then w-w-who is she looking at…?" He quickly aimed the binoculars at the performing Pikachu, then his jaw immediately dropped after. His hand clenched and crushed his drink cup, splashing the remainder of its contents over him.

Ella glanced between him and the Pikachu, then smirked deviously. "Oh ho, this just got good!"

Gwyn stood up in her seat with surprise. "Wait, you mean that's Cheri?!"

"Who's Cheri?" Griffin asked.

Wes pointed at Tony while keeping his surprised eyes on said Pikachu. "His little sister."

Tony dropped the binoculars, but remained frozen in place as he shivered in absolute horror. "M-M-M-My s-s-s-sister is walking across a t-t-tightrope…a tightrope with no s-s-safety net…"

Ella snickered evilly and leaned towards his ear. "How deliciously ironic. I distinctly remember you stating a situation exactly like this wouldn't faze you." She could see his brow furrow aggressively, making her laugh. "How do you feel-?"

"CHERI FIORENZA SAPIENTI! WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING UP THERE?!" the Dewott shouted at the top of his lungs in anger and sheer panic for his sister's safety.

Cheri stopped walking for a moment, spooked by the sudden calling of her full name, and looked down at the crowd. Her eyes easily spotted the fuming Dewott jumping furiously. Despite the obvious anger he was expressing, the Pikachu gasped in delight and waved to her brother. "Tony! Oh my gosh, oh my gosh, oh my gosh!"

"GET DOWN FROM THERE AT ONCE BEFORE YOU BREAK YOUR DAMN NECK!" Tony continued roaring, scaring the Pokémon around him into shifting seats. The Dewott's fur erupted in a blue glow as electricity poured off. "GET DOWN OR I'M PULLING YOU DOWN MYSELF!"

Cheri waved to the Dewott. "I'll see you when I get down, big brother!" She continued walking along the tightrope.

Tony furiously pulled on his whiskers and stomped wildly. "THE OTHER WAY, CHERI! THE OTHER WAY!"

His teammates, even Griffin, were fearfully stunned by his overprotective nature. He really does love his sister.

Tony stood on the back of the seat in front of him and crouched. "That stupid little Pikachu! When I get my hands on you, you're in BIG TROUBLE!" Using Light Speed, he sprang into action. However, a binding force wrapped around his leg and ended Light Speed as quickly as it activated before being thrown back into his seat. "OW! What?!"

"Normally you keep a level head, my boy." The team blinked in bewilderment, then turned to the man who suddenly appeared in the seat next to Griffin. "Analytical in your judgment and never underestimating the strength of your opponent. And yet, all that confidence is thrown out when your family is involved. You may need to learn to keep that temper of yours under control."

"Pops/Morgan?!" Tony and Team Ravenfield, minus Griffin, shouted in disbelief.

Griffin rubbed his temples and groaned. "Someone needs to catch me up on this later…"

Morgan leaned back into his seat with his arms crossed and one leg crossed over the other. He smiled calmly. "Nice to see you all are well. And this must be your newest teammate. Charmed to meet you." Griffin gave an awkward wave.

Tony leaped over Ella and Griffin and landed in front of Morgan, grabbing him by the collar before shaking him. "Pops! Why are you here?! And more importantly, why is my sister walking on a tightrope?!"

"Because she asked to be a part of the show," Morgan answered with a simple grin.

"She's eight! She could get hurt!" Tony shouted. Ella psychically lifted him and plopped him back in his seat.

"Ignoring that, why are you and Tony's family here?" Ella asked. "Shouldn't you be back in Fuego Village?"

Morgan closed his eyes, hands in his pockets. "We have much to talk about, children." Their eyes widened in the sudden change of tone. He sounded dreadfully serious all of a sudden. "Trust me when I say this…you all don't know the forces you're up against."

Team Ravenfield looked at each other with confusion and slight worry, unsure what the Hypno was going on about. However, it was obvious they were going to be in for one hell of an afternoon.

Unbeknownst to them, however, Jeffery happened to be flying over the audience after hearing the deranged shouts of Tony. The parrot squawked in disbelief. "Ravenfield?" He narrowed his eyes. "His party has gotten bigger. What are they doing here?" He gritted his teeth and flew back down to his allies.

Rico sipped on some soda when he saw Jeffery return. He immediately noticed his serious expression. "Geez, are you still upset about the pie?"

Jeffery scowled at him, then said, "Ravenfield is here with his team."

Ray's eyes widened. "They are?"

Jeffery nodded, then glanced to the side. "I got a good look at them. They were talking to a Hypno. They didn't look happy with what he was saying." He glared. "I think we need to do some investigating."

Ambrosine narrowed her eyes. "My first time seeing this Ravenfield you speak of so much…"

Rico crossed his arms and turned back to the circus performance. "I suggest we look into this after the show. They don't sound like they're in a hurry." The pirates nodded in agreement, then returned to watching the show with hardened expressions.


Once the show ended, Morgan led Team Ravenfield to the back where the trailers were parked out. Tony was fuming silently as he marched alongside the Hypno. Wes looked up at Morgan in confusion. "Why are you taking us back here?"

"To speak with an old friend of mine." They stopped in front of a trailer, the one Ella recognized as Ava's. "Here we are."

"Good!" Tony marched to the door and grabbed the handle. "You're in big trouble, young lady!" Before he could open the door, it flew open itself, knocking him back a bit.

"Tony!" A yellow blur tackled him and sent him tumbling across the ground, leading Tony to land on his back while his little sister snuggled him affectionately. "It's really you! I missed you so much!"

Tony grinned happily, putting aside his previous grievances, and hugged the adorable Pikachu. "Oh Cheri, I missed you, too! Have you been a good girl for Mom and Morgan?"

She pulled back and nodded sharply. "Uh huh! Mr. Morgan said I've been a great worker!" She crossed her arms and smirked proudly. "Even better than you!"

Tony gave her a playful noogie, smirking back. "Yeah right!" Cheri wiggled around and laughed aloud. He ruffled her head a bit and smiled normally. "Well, I'm glad you're doing okay. Now, I only have one thing to ask…" He glared angrily and shook the Pikachu frantically. "WHY WERE YOU DOING SUCH A DANGEROUS STUNT?!"

Cheri grabbed his wrists and pulled his hands off. "Tonnnny!" she whined. "Stop being such a doofus! I was perfectly fine!" She raised and shook her hands. "It's all an act. The illusion of danger~!" She grinned. "Plus, I've been practicing this whole time!"

"It's true, sweetheart." Tony and Cheri looked up and saw their mother stepping out. "She's quite the little acrobat."

Tony smiled. "Mom!" He put Cheri down and ran up to the Raichu before embracing her lovingly. "Hi Mom! You have no idea how much I missed you!"

Angel smirked. "Your outburst earlier gave a pretty clear picture." The Dewott blushed in embarrassment. She laughed and hugged him back. "Oh, I missed you, too, sweetie!"

Flint crossed his forelegs. "Why are you guys with the Circus of Enchantment, anyway?"

Angel pulled away from Tony and explained, "Morgan actually invited us along for the ride, feeling the fresher air would be better for us."

"You are looking healthier," Tony commented.

Griffin glanced at Morgan. "And…you said you're here because of a friend?"

"That would be me." Everyone turned and saw Ava walking out with Micah and Susan next her, with their make-up cleaned off. She bowed to the Eeveelutions. "A pleasure to see you all again."

They smiled at her. "Hey, Madame Ava!"

"Man, it's been a long time since we've saw you," Ella stated. The twins ran over to her and gave her a warm hug. "D'aww! Nice to see you, too, you little goofs!"

"We missed you, Ella!" they cheered happily.

Gwyn's eyes sparkled at them. "AWW! They're so precious!" She picked them up and snuggled them. "You two are just the cutest little clowns I've seen!"

Micah blinked, then looked at Ella. "Who is she?"

Ella smiled. "That's Gwyn, sweetie. Trust me, she's a real sweetheart."

Susan snuggled against Gwyn and smiled. "She's so soft!" Micah and Susan hugged the Mew back, which made her jitter with joy.

Wes gestured to the other half of their team. "Well, let's not be strangers. Gwyn, Tony, and Griffin, this is Madame Ava, the woman who helped us find a potion maker for our map. Madame Ava, this is Gwyn Belladonna, Tony Sapienti, and Griffin Everfall."

Ava bowed to them. "Very nice to meet you all."

Tony held his hips and smirked. "Back at you."

Gwyn smiled brightly. "I really loved your show! That was my first circus experience ever!"

Griffin crossed his arms and looked the way, only offering a small grunt of acknowledgement.

Wes pointed between Ava and Morgan with a confused look. "So…wait, do you two know each other, then?"

Morgan nodded. "Yes, Wes, Ava and I are old friends from back in the day. We've recently met up with each other and have been on the road for quite some time."

Ava nodded. "And our second meeting with each other is no coincidence, in case you were wondering." She narrowed her eyes. "Actually, we came here specifically to meet with you."

"Huh?" the team sounded in confusion.

"And it would seem, through good fortune, all six of you are here."

Ella raised her brow. "What does…that mean? What's going on?"

Morgan stepped beside Ava and faced them. "Kids, we came here to discuss your activities regarding the Idol of Origin."

The team froze up and nervously looked at Ava. "Uh…M-Morgan…not something we should be saying out loud in front of other c-company…" Flint warned.

Ava raised her hand. "Do not feel alarmed. I'm aware of the idol's existence. We both are. Even before our paths have crossed." Team Ravenfield's jaws dropped. "I've been aware of your activities ever since we met. Since then, I've been tracking you all down to help you." She looked at Morgan. "It's only fortunate that Morgan provided the details necessary to meet sooner than expected."

Griffin narrowed his eyes. "What are you talking about?"

Morgan pushed the trailer door open. "Step inside, all of you. Trust us, all will be explained." He narrowed his eyes. "Just don't blame me for what you're about to hear."

Team Ravenfield was rightfully hesitant to comply to their demands. Morgan was unwillingly brought into their secret, but they weren't aware he had prior knowledge on the matter. But Ava…a fortune teller the Eeveelutions only met once and she turns out to have a part in all of this, too? Can anyone blame the team for being skeptical about going along with this?

Ava closed her eyes and sighed. "I can't guarantee good fortune after this, but you all deserve the truth, whether you like it or not."

Wes looked to his team for agreement. "Well…should we?"

Flint narrowed his eyes suspiciously at Ava and Morgan. He didn't believe they had malintent up their sleeves, but it still felt unnerving. He sighed and looked at his brother. "We should hear them out."

Ella nodded. "Yeah…whatever they have to say, it might be best to get advice on it."

Gwyn hugged herself worriedly. "I'm a little nervous."

Tony's eyes drooped seriously. "I have a bad feeling about this. There's definitely a catch…"

Griffin clenched his teeth for a moment, then relaxed his jaw. "Standing around and debating about it won't get us anywhere."

Tony scoffed and closed his eyes. "Something I can agree on with you."

They looked at each other anxiously, but nodded in agreement. Wes faced Morgan and Ava and nodded to them. "Okay…we'll hear you out."

Ava closed her eyes and sighed. "I'm…truly sorry." She stepped out of the way and let the team enter in first. She saw Cheri tapped her fingers together nervously. "Something wrong, little one?"

Cheri narrowed her eyes worriedly. "Will they be okay?"

Morgan smiled weakly. "If you have any faith in the burning will of your brother and his friends, they'll be fine."

Ava smiled kindly. "Why don't you hang out with Abby and Carrie? I'm sure they'd love to hear how your first performance went."

Cheri still felt concerned for her brother and his friends. She may be eight, but she knew by how these two spoke that they were going to drop a bombshell of news on them. She sighed shakily and weakly smiled back. "O-Okay."

Angel took her hand, as well as the hand of the twins. "Come on, you three, let's go."

Micah and Susan waved to the trailer. "Bye, Ella!" The Espeon stuck her head out the door and waved to them with a bright smile before ducking back in.

Morgan and Ava looked at each other with solemn looks, then closed the trailer door behind them. Once the back lot of the circus was clear, the small group of pirates snuck into view. Thanks to Lyra's silencing spells, they were able to run in undetected without being heard by the other performers.

Ray looked rather perplexed. "Did anyone else hear that right? Something about the Idol of Origin?"

Rico scratched his head. "Yeah, I think so."

Ambrosine tilted her head. "I'm not familiar with that."

Jeffery, who stood behind them, was biting his talons nervously. Crap! The captain wanted to keep that secret until the time was right! J-Just stay calm, Jeffery! This might be a good thing! We can get a bit more info for the captain and he'll surely be pleased! The Chatot smiled proudly. Yes! That's right! He'll be so overjoyed by our discovery, he'll give me a promotion!

Jeffery turned around and coughed into his wing. "Well, why don't we sneak over and see for ourselves?"

Ambrosine shook her head. "Not a good idea. Those older Pokémon have stronger auras. They might not be paying attention now, but they'll detect us if we stay here for too long."

Damn, she's right. Jeffery groaned in annoyance, then smirked. "Fortunately, I pride myself on getting information completely undetected. You four, wait for me out front. I shall see what this business is about."

Ray deadpanned. "At least you're good for something."

Jeffery bit his tongue, refraining from blowing his lid off. He took a deep breath, then flew up while the rest of them snuck back to the front of the circus.


The team, Morgan, and Ava sat around a round table. Ava was setting up candles around a crystal ball while Morgan leaned back in his seat, drinking out of his flask. While Team Ravenfield waited for this meeting to begin, Faye was handing out drinks they requested as a show of hospitality.

"Here you go," she said as she handed drinks out individually. They all gave a quick 'thanks' after receiving them. Faye slid over to Griffin and handed him Yache berry juice. "There you are, sir."

Griffin took the drink and swirled it around with a hardened look. "…thanks."

Faye blinked, then smirked lightly. "Someone's a little moody." He growled through his teeth. "Okay, okay, I'm not going to tease you." She waved to Ava. "I'll see you later, Ava!" She slid out of the trailer, shutting the door behind her.

Wes smiled and sipped his orange juice. "She was nice."

"Faye's a hard worker," Ava mentioned. "One of the best." She finished setting the candles up. She lit one match and lighted up all seven. She blew the match out and tossed it away. She sat down and clapped her hands, dimming the lights. "Now…we can begin."

Now sitting in darkness, illuminated by candlelight, Team Ravenfield could finally get on with their questions. Wes narrowed his eyes. "Perhaps we should start with the obvious question: what's your involvement with the Idol of Origin?"

"Are you aware of and/or working with the mages who protect it?" Flint added.

Morgan capped his flask and leaned forward. "Both fine questions to start with." He pointed lazily at Flint. "Starting with yours…yes, we're aware of the mages. That's sort of how we've been able to track your progress. But we don't work for them. At least…not with the stuff they're involved in. We're simply taking the active role of…guides."

Tony crossed his arms. "So, how did you know about the Idol of Origin, then?"

Ava narrowed her eyes. "Well, it wasn't a secret we were born into. Actually, we may have been around your ages when we learned about it." She shrugged. "We were just normal, everyday Pokémon doing what they do. Not part of some big conspiracy that involved the fate of the world. That was all nonsense to us."

Morgan closed his eyes. "Turns out…we got that life anyway, and all because our blabbermouth of a friend couldn't keep his mouth shut."

Gwyn raised her brow. "Who?"

Ava sighed. "This is the part where some of you will need to keep an open mind. You see, Morgan and I were part of a team of our own. Six of us, fighters without a cause. Our members…some of you have heard of."

Morgan glared. "Excluding us, there was Willow Shadestar. Proud swordswoman. Natural born talent. A true hero in her own right."

"We met her on our travels and bonded well," Ava added. "Oh, she acted all fierce and tough, but she can be a real softie when she wanted to."

"We haven't seen her in the last five years ever since…things happened." Morgan narrowed his eyes somberly.

Ella frowned sympathetically. "I…take it some hardship fell upon you all."

Ava sighed and leaned back. "I was in contact with Randolph after you've battled him. He explained quite a bit to you." She narrowed her eyes. "He mentioned someone named Alex Ghostwind."

Wes nodded. "Y-Yeah. Something about him unleashing the Shadow King."

"Well…Alex was one of our other teammates," Morgan explained. "He and Willow…kind of had a thing for each other. The…incident left her a little shaken." Morgan clenched his fist tightly. "Alex was a close friend of mine. We often quarreled and butted heads, but I'd be damned if I didn't consider him a true friend."

Gwyn clenched the rim of her hat worriedly. "Then…why did he release the Shadow King?"

Ava rested her arms on the table. "We're not even sure where he found it. That bit of information is classified for us. However, I highly doubt he did it with the intention of spreading eternal darkness. It was probably done by accident. Even so, Alex was gone for months before returning to Willow. Only…it wasn't him anymore." The team's eyes narrowed sorrowfully, understanding what had happened. "I…don't want to remember that day. Too many horrible things happened before then. We were all shaken by his return."

Morgan growled at himself. "And I couldn't muster the strength to fight him…"

Ava sighed. "We went through a lot beforehand. After everything that happened, we haven't seen Alex ever since. With him gone, we've lost three teammates."

Tony's eyes widened. "You mean…?"

Morgan nodded. "Two of our friends died. One due to circumstance we weren't aware of…the other to save Alex." Morgan sighed sadly and looked at Gwyn, Flint, and Wes with apologetic eyes, which confused them. "We should probably get this out of the way. We had our reasons for tracking you all down, because half of you have a connection to our deceased teammates.

"Gwyn…we knew your mother."

Gwyn's eyes widened in shock. Her lips quivered in disbelief as she leaned forward. Ava and Morgan frowned when they saw the tears welling up in her eyes. "M-My…mom…"

Ava nodded. "When Wes and his friends came to me, I pointed them towards you. Or rather, your mother. What was left of her." She narrowed her eyes sadly. "Your mother was…an amazing woman, Gwyn. To be honest, we weren't aware you existed. It…came as a shock."

Gwyn was in a state of disbelief as she leaned back in her seat with wide eyes, trying to process this sudden news. "My mom…"

Morgan took a sip from his flask and continued, "We met Clara in our travels. She was an odd woman, that's for sure, but she had a fiery passion for her experiments." He shook his head. "The woman was dangerous on the battlefield, too. That nifty potion sprayer of hers was one hell of a weapon."

That furthered Gwyn's shock. "Her potion sprayer…" The device in question was the same thing she used when fixing the map. She always wondered why her mother had such an odd device on hand. She used it as a weapon. "I never realized she was a fighter…"

"She was no fighter like the rest of us, but she provided good support when needed. Plus, she was quite the trickster if you ticked her off." Morgan chuckled. "Oh, the trouble that woman caused."

Wes narrowed his eyes. "You guys actually knew Gwyn's mother…"

"She's not the only family we've known." Ava looked at Wes and Flint. "That's where you two come in. Everything that triggered my suspicious of you boys rang with that one word: Ravenfield."

"Our surname?" Flint asked.

She nodded. "Boys, that name holds a lot of weight for Morgan and me. We wore that name proudly as we followed our leader into battle. You're not the only ones who called themselves Team Ravenfield."

Wes' eyes widened in shock. "Don't tell me…"

Morgan nodded. "Our team leader was your father, Garret Ravenfield."

"Our father?!" Wes and Flint shouted in shock.

"Seriously?!" Ella shouted as well.

Tony stared off to the side with a deadpan stare. With how today's going, this doesn't surprise me.

Wes sat back in his seat and held his head. "O-Our father…h-h-he was involved with the Idol of Origin?! He knew about its secrets?!"

Morgan raised his brow. "Well, who do you think the blabbermouth was?"

Wes and Flint stared petrified with blank expressions. Their father…was the reason this little secret slipped out from a highly sophisticated group of mages. So many questions raced through their minds in that one moment.

Ella facepalmed and sighed. "I can see where Wes gets his mannerisms from now…"

Griffin, keeping up his usual stoicism, folded his hands together and narrowed his eyes. "How could such a delicate secret possibly wind up in the paws of a commoner? That seems like a poor move on the mages' fault."

"It would be," Ava agreed, "if he were a commoner. No, Garret found out the secret by complete accident, on account of his unhealthy snoopy habit." She looked at Wes and Flint, who calmed themselves down. "Wes, Flint, I'm sure you know your father was incredibly gifted in magic. He specialized in Spatial magic as well as tried to perfect all known Mystic spells. At least, the ones he knew about."

"Mystic Beam and Mystic Burst," Wes named off.

"Exactly. Well, when your father graduated from high school, he was given a recommendation to meet with a master to train under. Master Cielo, the strongest of the ten mages that protect the keys."

Wes and Flint's eyes widened. "Seriously?"

"Yes. Master Cielo is a powerful mage who saw great potential in your father. We kept in regular contact while he was away, with Alex taking up the role of leader for the time." Ava narrowed her eyes. "For a time, we thought everything would carry on as normal. We'd go back to hunting for treasure or taking out bandit groups, just without Garret."

Morgan rolled his eyes. "Seemed like it at the time, until two years later when we got a rather unexpected call from Garret. He wanted us to meet him at Cielo's hidden temple. When we did, he spilt the beans about the idol. He wanted us to keep it a secret between us, but that old mage was all too wise for Garret's curiosity. He got himself into some big trouble for revealing that secret."

"Garret wasn't the most mature at the time, though that day did help him grow out of that mindset," Ava stated. "After Garret's slip up, we begged Cielo to let Garret keep his apprenticeship, ensuring that we'll never speak of this to anyone else."

"It took some time, but we won over Cielo's trust." Morgan sighed. "So, there we were, a group of traveling heroes knowing a world breaking secret. We were let in on everything, for the most part." He glanced off to the side for a moment, muttering something under his breath, then continued, "As long as that idol stayed between us and the mages, no harm could come from it."

Ava narrowed her eyes sadly. "Except…it's never that simple." She sighed. "Some time after Garret completed his apprenticeship, we went on a few more missions until…Garret popped the question to your mother."

"Our mom?" Flint questioned.

Wes held his head and groaned. "Sweet Mew, how much of our family do you know?!"

Ava smirked for a moment. "I doubt she fully remembers us. It was a long time, after all." Ava smiled sweetly. "Your mother was a sweet and rather fiery woman. She came along with us every so often just to see what our life on the road was like. She and Garret were so sweet together. They even went on a double date once when Alex and Willow were having some difficulty getting their relationship started."

"We haven't seen your mother in years, though she didn't know anything about the idol," Morgan brought up.

Wes rubbed the back of his head. "Well, she kind of does now," he mumbled.

"When Garret proposed, that was our time to split apart," Morgan continued. "Clara went back to Marble Stone City to pursue her career. I went into medical school to get my degree. Alex hung around with Willow at her dojo. Ava…well, you know what she has been doing." Ava rolled her eyes with an amused grin. "Garret…well, he was back home raising a family."

Flint rubbed his head. "Man…I knew our dad had an excitingly life, but I never realized it ran this deep."

"For a while," Ava said, "everything felt normal. Alex and Willow did solo missions, I had my circus with Vince, and everyone pursued their careers." She closed her eyes and gripped the table tightly. "That is…until the first bit of tragedy fell upon us."

Morgan clenched his teeth angrily. "…I think you know what we're talking about, Gwyn."

Gwyn's eyes widened, then they narrowed sadly. "Oh…" She looked down and sniffled a bit.

Morgan sighed and pinched between his eyes. "I swear, when I find the witch who did that to her, I'm going to…" He took a deep breath and kept himself calm. "…Clara's death was a huge upset for us. We…tried to visit her, but we were always so busy with our lives. All we could do was write letters to each other."

Ava looked away sadly. "I feel ashamed not seeing her again…I can't imagine the stress you must have gone through, Gwyn."

Gwyn rubbed her arm and frowned miserably. "It was…really hard to deal with. Mom wanted to teach me everything I needed to know to live on my own and…she had one of her friends train me to use my magic…"

Ava raised her brow. "What…friend are you talking about?"

"Someone named…" Gwyn blinked through her tears, then looked at Wes and Flint with a surprised expression. "Her friend…Garret."

Flint's eyes widened in disbelief. "You're…You're kidding…"

She shook her head, just as stunned. "N-No, I'm not…"

Wes held his chin and thought over the possibility. When he really thought about it, their father was away a lot within the timeframe of Clara's sickness. He was gone more often than usual. Marble Stone City isn't that far away from Quartz Plain Village, so the distance was within his reach.

"I…I can't believe this…" Flint leaned back in his chair and held his head. "To think, for that long, we didn't even know you, yet…that close to knowing…"

Ella smirked to the side. Kind of like it was destiny for you two to meet. She giggled at the thought, then returned to the conversation with a serious tone. "So, Clara's death hit you guys hard, right?"

Morgan nodded. "It did…" He tried to keep himself from letting tears slip out. He sighed shakily, then stared at them seriously. "Alex took it pretty hard, too. He…always wanted to be a hero. Someone who could save the lives of others and always come out on top. Though…tragedy always came out in the end. Clara's death took a pretty big chunk out of his confidence."

"We tried to move on from Clara's passing," Ava admitted. "Eventually, we all decided to get away from our lives and spend one night together as friends. For a very special occasion." Ava smiled. "Alex had proposed to Willow."

Ella smiled. "Really?"

"It was a sweet night for all of us. We celebrated, mourned, paid our respects, that sort of thing. It was just supposed to be a fun night." Morgan then glared off to the side and grumbled, "Though, with all the drinking we did, Alex and Willow might have had a little too much fun when it was time to go to sleep…"

That comment made nearly the whole table blush at the implication. Gwyn, however, tilted her head in confusion. "What? Were they playing a game?"

Tony patted Gwyn's back and said, "Something like that, Green. We'll…explain some other time."

Morgan shook the thought off and waved his hands. "Okay, okay, not the point. After that, we thought things would get better from there. However…there were some lingering thoughts that came up during that hangout, regarding the idol." Morgan glared. "That idol…brought a lot of misfortune whenever the possibilities were examined. We wonder if something that powerful could reverse the worst, such as death by curses."

Ava closed her eyes. "I wanted to believe we could use the idol to make all our mistakes disappear, but we all agreed that it was too risky. We didn't know how'd we react to unlimited power at our fingertips. We just…chose to stay strong and accept fate.

"But for Alex…fate had gone too far."

Morgan held his flask up. "Alex grew up in a secluded village in the Snow Zone. Wonderful family, good friends back home. He told us how much his family loved Willow and how she'd make a great addition to the Ghostwind family." Morgan clenched his teeth. "He was so happy…so happy that nothing could kill his mood…but fate decided to kill it itself."

Ava crossed her arms, staring down solemnly. "Alex's village was completely wiped out by bandits. No survivors left standing. When Alex got the news, he was devastated. He was at a high point in his life and everything went to hell for him. He wasn't there to save his loved ones."

Team Ravenfield narrowed their eyes sadly. "Oh man…" Tony muttered. He gripped his arm and glanced off to the side, briefly thinking about his mother and Cheri.

Griffin clenched his teeth angrily. He could sympathize with such a loss. He knew that pain all too well. "The monsters that run amuck in this world without a moral grounding of their actions…" His spiteful aura acted up in response.

Morgan glared. "That…was Alex's breaking point. He called Garret and asked him to tell him where he could find the Idol of Origin. He wanted all the keys so he could reverse the damages that befell him. Garret kept his word and refused to let him use the idol, hoping to get it across that it was too risky.

"Alex, however, was too angry to see reason. He and Garret fought, but Garret ended up winning. Alex needed time to himself, to do some soul searching. He left us for six months, never to be seen again. And…well, you know what happened next."

Wes narrowed his eyes. "What happened after Alex…or rather, the Shadow King attacked?"

Ava's eyes darkened. "He wanted to make a deal with Garret. 'Bring me the Keys of Origin and you can have your friend back. Don't…and I'll kill everyone you love.' It wasn't something Garret could decline, but…Garret was smarter than that."

Morgan closed his eyes. "We feared the worst would come. Garret refused to let us come with him. He couldn't take the keys with him, but he brought the only means of locating them. We…don't know what happened during the confrontation, but…we know for a fact Garret died protecting the keys."

Wes and Flint's eyes widened. "He…what?" Flint breathed in shock.

"But…our dad died in an avalanche!" Wes argued, then looked down doubtfully. "D…Did he?"

Morgan narrowed his eyes. "As hard as it is to believe, the Shadow King and your father fought. We don't know who won the battle, but Garret died as a result of his injuries and the cold."

Wes stared down in disbelief, then gripped the rim of his dad's hat. Something about that day…always felt weird to him. His dad gave him his prized hat, something he cherished like a family heirloom. That day he left…he was extra emotional. He couldn't stop hugging him, Flint, or their mother as he kept going on and on how he'll miss them. Why? They knew he would be back. He always came back.

They believed that…but he knew what would likely happen.

Wes looked at his brother, who shared the same expression of grief and stun. These shadows…were the reason their father was gone. Everything that happened to them was a result of the Shadow King's meddling and slow climb back to power. His shadows, his heralds, his return…

Wes and Flint looked down gloomily. "I…I can't believe this," Flint muttered aloud.

Wes clenched his teeth irately. "Shadow King…"

Ava patted Wes' paw to calm him down. "We all were angry about what happened. You're not the only one." She looked around the table. "That's…basically our history involving the idol."

Tony crossed his arms, still a bit disturbed from the conversation. "Okay…so, you guys are in on this whole ordeal with the idol and stuff. If that's the case, why don't you get the idol yourself if you have all the keys?"

"Because we can't," Morgan stated, confusing the table. "Those keys cannot be given to anyone else. They have to be earned through worthiness."

"But why can't the mages use them and use the idol themselves?" Gwyn argued. "I'm sure that'd give them the upper hand."

"What's this have to do with us, anyway?" Ell asked suddenly. "We're just an amateur group of treasure hunters. Why can't the mages handle it?"

"Because they'd all die."

Team Ravenfield was taken back by Morgan's answer. The serious, cold glare he gave them told them this wasn't some matter that could be resolved with such simplicity.

Ava closed her eyes and rested her chin in her hands. "Kids…do you believe in destiny?"

That was an odd transition into this new topic. "What…do you mean?" Tony asked.

Morgan sipped from his flask and slammed it down. "The reason we can't get involve is because we run the risk of making everything worse. You see, when the Shadow King returned, Master Cielo foresaw a prophecy that would restore balance to our world and end the reign of the shadows."

"A prophecy I rediscovered when I came in contact of you three," Ava added, facing the Eeveelutions. "The prophecy that six warriors will rise up and wage war against the Shadow King and his army."

"Six warriors?" Ella repeated.

"This prophecy came to me because of you three. Meaning…" She glared at all of Team Ravenfield. "The six of you are very much the six warriors who have to battle the Shadow King."

"Say WHAT?!" they shouted out in alarm.

"Us?! Fight the Shadow King?!" Flint yelled. "That's insane!"

"We're just looking for the idol so they can't get to it!" Wes argued. "Why would we need to fight him?"

"Because it's inevitable," Morgan stated. "A powerful enemy has been awakened. If he were to find you all, he will come after you and take the idol for himself. Securing the keys and making sure the idol is out of his reach forever is a step in the right direction, but the Shadow King is relentless. This isn't something you can avoid."

Tony glared. "Hey, hey, hey! Who says we're the ones who have to fight the Shadow King? You said it had to be six warriors! Why us?"

Ava closed her eyes. "You all fit the parameters of the prophecy. Simple as that. It could have been anyone, yet here you all are, working together to find the idol." She opened her eyes into a sympathetic stare. "Fate itself is guiding you six into becoming the heroes of Mysto, to end the reign of the shadows for good."

The team relaxed themselves a bit, but were still unnerved by this prophecy. Griffin spoke up, "Is there more to this prophecy?"

Ava held her hands out. "Take my hands and I will show you the prophecy in its whole form." Team Ravenfield looked at each other, then nodded. Wes grabbed Ava's left hand, then it went around the table with Flint, Gwyn, Tony, Ella, and Griffin. Griffin reached out for Morgan's hand, but he scooted away from the circle. "Morgan, is something wrong?"

"Pops, aren't you joining the circle?" Tony asked.

Morgan held his hand up and declined. "No offense, but I know how this fortune teller stuff works. I…rather not have Ava or any of you poking around inside my head." He laughed uncomfortably. "T-Trust me on this…"

Ava didn't want to bother arguing and took Griffin's hand. She closed her eyes and focused on the crystal ball on the table. "Now everyone, close your eyes and let your minds wander."

Team Ravenfield did as requested and let the mystical forces guide them. The magical pressure intensified around the table, making the flames flicker wildly. They glowed teal like Ava's aura, then expanded outward to engulf the group in its flames. The team clenched their teeth as they felt the flames harmlessly past over them. Morgan watched with a stern glare.

Team Ravenfield felt themselves become weightless all of a sudden, as if they were in the vacuum of space. Their eyes shot open, then they gasped as they were suspended in an empty void. They drifted along, unable to swim around in the space. They then took another look at each other and noticed they were all glowing via their respective magical auras. Ella, who didn't have one, glowed teal.

"Freaky…" Ella commented. "We look like astral projections."

"Where are we?" Gwyn asked aloud.

"A realm beyond time and space. A realm existing only by my powers alone." Ava's voice projected around the void. "In here, all shall be brought to light."

A bright flash washed over the team, then half the space projected a screen that showed an apocalyptic wasteland with shadows destroying everything in sight. Standing above them all on a high throne was a humanoid figure with piercing red eyes. Shadowy wisps surrounded his body as he raised his fist, commanding the shadows to take out the survivors.

"What you see here is part of the prophecy. The shadows will bring unspeakable terror to the land of Mysto, and soon the entire planet. Their numbers grow by the hour. The shadows' power overwhelms the Pokémon. Even the mages are no match for their might. All hope would be lost…until now."

Another flash appeared over the screen, then shoved six humanoid figures marching into battle against the shadows. "Six warriors will band together." Ten keys swirled around them. "They will seek the power to reach the Idol of Origin." They raised their weapons and aimed them at the Shadow King. "And they will confront the Shadow King for one last stand."

The six symbols of the six warriors floated off the screen and circled around the perplexed team. "These symbols represent each warrior, highlighting their destiny and their strengths." The wolf face glowed white and streak back into the screen.

"The Beast. Cruel, heartless, ruthless in the heat of battle. They are the embodiment of ferocity and uncontainable power." The humanoid on screen took on an animalistic stance and growled, pouncing and shredding through opponents. "They fight at their strongest, never allowing the enemy to get the drop on them. They will never stop fighting until the enemy is slaughtered. Despite their fury, they possess a gentle soul locked deep inside of them." The humanoid sat in a meditative state, a state of calm, then showed them defending a helpless group in danger. "Through time and nurture, this kinder spirit will give meaning and show the Beast what they are fighting for." The owl flew into the screen next.

"The Wise. Sharp, perceptive, always thinking. Not necessarily the smartest, but rather the one who sees the world in their own way." The humanoid on screen was presented with wide eyes, observing several scenes as they walked along the screen. "Starting out with little knowledge, they build their way up to become a refined thinker who matches wits with the most logical of thinkers." The humanoid pounded their head in frustration, as a brick wall stood in its way. "While still prone to emotions, they will learn to overcome these feelings and channel that emotion into strength. They will fail time and time again, but they will always learn and adapt." The humanoid stepped around the brick wall upon realizing there was another way around it. "The Wise is never to be underestimated, whether they be a scholar or a trickster." The rose flew in next.

"The Rose of Death. Considered the opposite of the Beast, they are sweet, kind, and curious to all that is present." A humanoid was shown skipping across the screen and waving to other humanoids with an optimistic smile. "They care highly about the world and wish to protect it. The Rose of Death is the most unassuming of the six warriors." The humanoid suddenly rubbed their hands together while their eyes shaped into a glare beaming with red light. "A rose with hidden thorns, the Rose of Death can be dangerous when pushed over the edge. All kindness is suppressed and replaced only with an unquenchable malice. All that keeps the warrior from losing their way is the bond between their friends." The humanoid wrapped their arms around the other five humanoids. "The Rose of Death is a companion that never wavers for the sake of their friends." The shield flew in next.

"The Protector. An unquestionable desire courses through them whenever the innocent are put at risk. Regardless of their own safety, the Protector will put themselves in harm's way for the sake of another." A rock nearly crushes a humanoid, but one with a shield slid under and stopped the rock from crushing both. "Strong in spirit and loyalty, this desire is nearly automatic when lives are on the line. Running head first into danger without thinking." The humanoid ran in front of an ally and took a near fatal shot, protecting their friend from harm. "This mentality leads the Protector to making rash decisions without thinking them through. Even though they hold their own life securely, the life of another means too much for them." Two humanoids held the injured humanoid to their feet. "The Protector's only desire is to protect the lives of those they love, even if it costs their own life." The star flew in next.

"The Reborn. They charge head first against the enemy with a burning desire, perhaps a chance for victory or out of revenge for another. Regardless, the Reborn ignores all else…and is killed on the spot." A humanoid got close to the personification of the Shadow King, but was decapitated in a swift strike. "The Reborn is thought to be dead. However, the heavens above grant mercy onto the fallen warrior." The ghost of the humanoid was met by the image of Arceus. "Through divine intervention, the Reborn is brought back into the mortal realm, far stronger than before. With their second chance at life, they will risk everything to defeat their killer." The humanoid landed behind the Shadow King and raised a sword burning with energy. "The Reborn, a fallen warrior brought back from death to exact revenge and to save the world." Finally, the sword was the last symbol.

"And finally, the Hero. Strong, brave, and admirable in their deeds. And yet, they don't consider themselves a true hero until the breaking point of battle." One humanoid knelt down in front of their fallen comrades with a depressed demeanor. "When all other warriors have fallen, and no one is left to turn the tides of battle, the Hero will take a stand against the enemy. Having nothing else to lose, they will start an uprising that inspires strength in others." The humanoid raised their sword at the Shadow King, soon with a whole army of humanoids rising up with weaponry as well. "The Hero's actions are deemed foolish by the enemy, yet the Hero will prove they aren't to be taken lightly." Both forces clashed against each other. "The Hero, the one who stands up in the face of danger."

With the explanation of the warriors over, Team Ravenfield were left in a state of awe, concern, and fear. These six warriors…each represented one of them. The fates itself had decided they were the ones who needed to vanquish the shadows. This…This is beyond what they expected.

The universe itself was counting on them to end the suffering.

Ava appeared from the void, wrapped in her own energy as well. She gave them a solemn looked. "This must be a lot to take in."

"That…That's us in the prophecy?" Wes breathed in disbelief.

"But…who's who?" Gwyn asked.

Ava closed her eyes. "In time, the answer will become clear to all of you. A moment of time where you become greater than the sum of your parts."

"That's seriously the whole prophecy?" Griffin asked with concern.

"There are other players within the prophecy that influence how everything plays out. If any of you are good at deciphering images, I may lend you my completed sheet so you can figure out what they may represent." Ava clapped her hands.

A blinding light enveloped all of the void. Team Ravenfield clenched their eyes shut as gravity returned to them almost immediately. Their eyes flew open and they gasped out in shock, then saw they were back in the trailer. The flames died down and returned to normal.

Ava clapped and the lights switched on. "You all play a bigger part in this journey than you realized. And this journey can only be completed through growth of strength and growth of your character." She narrowed her eyes seriously. "This is not child's play. This is real life, and it'll come after you to see you to your demise."

Team Ravenfield looked at each other with doubtful eyes. They personally did this out of goodwill. Could they really handle this much pressure being thrown on them?

Morgan stood up and folded his arms behind his back. "Regardless, you six still have work to do. Calder is the name of the water mage that will challenge you. I suggest prepping yourself for your battle with him."

"Yeah…" they mumbled faintly.

Ava opened the door. "You're free to stick around at your own leisure. My door's always open if you need questions answered."

"Actually…Madame Ava." She faced Wes as he weakly held his paw up. He looked almost scared to be asking this question. "It's…about some of those roles you mentioned, specifically the Reborn. I-I know not to take this kind of stuff too seriously, but…I have to know. We have to know."

His friends could feel the tension in his tone, straining to get the words out. Morgan and Ava stared at him straight-faced, listening with open ears as the Umbreon looked at his feet apprehensively. He gulped audibly, then looked them in the eyes.

"Are one of us…destined to die?"

Like a loaded gun, the question fired with tremendous impact. The air became tense around them while the rest of Team Ravenfield felt their blood freeze to ice. Wes' paws trembled, barely able to support the burden weighing down on him. He tried to keep eye contact with the two veteran fighters.

They saw the regret and fear from asking that question. It was written all over his eyes. Morgan and Ava looked at each other blankly. Was there any point in sugarcoating the dangers that lay ahead? After all, like any war, casualties were certain. But to say one was destined to die…

Ava crouched down to Wes and held his shoulders. "Wes…in my vision, I foresaw someone laying in a pool of their own blood. There's…no any other way to describe what that means." She sighed apologetically. "The Reborn…is destined to die. One of you is. Even with the chance of a second life, risks are still in play. And, if the gods don't see you are worthy of a second chance…" Ava shook her head. "All of you are at risk, for either role. Any one of you could die trying to stop the Shadow King."

Ella bit her lip nervously. She wrapped her tail around herself as she looked away from them. Tony rubbed his arm with an uncomfortable chill running up his spine. Gwyn hugged herself and sat on the ground, trying to keep herself from crying. Flint stood by her side and rubbed her back, but still felt concern over their possible fates. Griffin gritted his teeth, muttering 'Dammit' under his breath. His fingers curled into a fist.

Wes looked down with anxiety, then clenched his eyes shut. "I…I didn't realize…it'd be this serious…"

Ava patted his back. "I foresaw death, but perhaps it doesn't have to be one of you." Ava stood up. "Perhaps tomorrow, in your battle with Calder, you can decide whether or not these risks are worth the end goal. You all chose to take this path. Now it's time to decide if you're willing to see it to the end."

Wes looked over his shoulder, taking note of everyone's worry. He sighed shakily and said, "We…may need a day to wrap this around our heads."

Morgan nodded in agreement. "Take your time."

One by one, Team Ravenfield exited out of the trailer. Gwyn hung close to Flint and said, "I want to go back to the room…"

He bowed his head in agreement. "Same here."

Tony, the usual optimist, turned away from them and headed off deeper into the back lot. "I'm going to spend some time with my family. I need to clear my head."

"See you back in the room, right?" Ella called out. He flashed a confirmative wave before continuing his way, head hung low. Ella sighed and faced forward. "Well, my mood's shot…"

Griffin closed his eyes. He didn't say or add anything to the somber air. He kept quiet as he mulled over his thoughts. As if I didn't have enough troubles in my head.

As Team Ravenfield went on their way, Morgan and Ava hung back by the door with the Medicham looking considerably guilty. "Oh Morgan…" She held her face and breathed out unevenly. A tear dripped down her cheek. "Do you…think we went too far? They're so young…"

Morgan turned his back to the door and walked back to the table. He snatched his flask up and uncapped it. "I don't like it either…but this might help them." He looked over his shoulder. "The strain of a burden needs to be tested before the real challenges. They aren't ready to take on the likes of Cielo or even Benedict. But, if they can conquer the tests of fate, they might become hardened warriors." He sipped his flask.

Ava still didn't like what they did. "What if they can't find the courage to take on these risks? Self-sacrifice is asking for a lot out of someone. How can we be sure they'll handle the challenge?"

"That's…what Calder's for." Morgan capped his flask. "Those six need to understand what it means to be a hero. If they can accept that the fate of the world rests on their shoulders…" He smirked and faced Ava with a bolstering look of confidence.

"If the fate of the world doesn't faze them…then there might be some hope left in the world. All we need to do now is wait and see how they respond to the call of duty."