Raihan sighed as he scratched his head, casting his eyes to the tapestries. "It's my job as the Hammerlocke leader to guard this stuff from the public eye. I got the job from the guy who was leader before me. Shit's annoying." he said, shaking his head.

"The Darkest Day refers to when the Dynamax Phenomenon first arrived in Galar. Something landed in the region, and it spread the energy through the whole region. However, it became a problem, because the Dynamaxed Pokemon, including whatever the huge thing that covered the sky was, were hostile." he began, making a face.

"And the common belief is that the ancestor of the royal family garbed himself in legendary armor and slew the beast or whatever and restored peace and sunlight to the region. But we know that's bullshit. You see, there was a small family that lived around Turrfield." he began.

"And they were farmers, not too different from Milo. Stocky, hearty folk said to have hair so bright gold that it appeared white. They were tending to their livestock one day, and it's said that they actually had a pair of dogs." he said, and Dagda narrowed his eyes.

Was he referring to the two dogs from the statues? The ones donning weapons? "They were weird little things that were some kind of unique species unto themselves, not like anything else ever seen. And the two brothers actually teamed up with their pups when shit hit the fan, and funny enough, they discovered a cave during their estranged traveling." he said.

"There's a reason that those statues were behind the mural. Because the legends I'm told to keep secret say that they found these odd, blessed weapons. The legends are long forgotten, but it's said that the older brother, a slightly flamboyant guy with the older pup, a female, was given a sword." he said.

"This sword was given to him, supposedly by the way, by Xerneas the Shining Horn. With the female pup's ability to absorb metallic particles from the surrounding area, it's said that pup transformed into the legendary Pokemon known to a few as Zacian, the Intrepid Sword."

Dagda narrowed his eye. He felt like he'd heard that name somewhere before. It was almost like the kind of thing you hear in passing and don't think means much. He shook his head, focusing on Raihan's tale.

"And the younger brother, a foul tempered younger guy with the younger pup, a male, was given a shield, supposedly by The Musketeers, Terrakion, Cobalion and Virizion. This pup also had the ability to absorb metallic particles, and fused itself with the shield. It became the legendary Pokemon known as Zamazenta, the Dauntless Shield." he explained, and Dagda blinked.

Why did that sound even more familiar? He wondered if he'd ever seen these Pokemon, even in passing or in some book somewhere. "What did they look like?" he asked, and Raihan shrugged. "According to my predecessor, they looked like big wolves. Zacian is said to be a more blueish color, like a cyan. Zamazenta is said to be more red, or pinkish. Kind of like a magenta or something." he said, and Dagda blinked.

A large, reddish wolf Pokemon? He had most certainly seen that creature before. It was the large, terrifying wolf he'd seen on his first day in Slumbering Weald. The creature that rolled the Wooloo to him. The Wooloo with Danzig's egg in it's wool.

"It's said that the four of them worked together and vanquished the Darkest Day, whatever it was, and restored order to the region and it's power, leading to the creation of the Power Spots that we so generously use now." he explained, and Dagda narrowed his eye.

"What happened to the brothers?" he asked, and Raihan sighed as he looked to the tapestries. "It's said that they became rulers for a short while until their deaths. The older brother, Zacian's partner, became known in Ancient Galarian as 'Oberon', meaning 'The Fairy King', and Zacian was called 'The Fairy King's Sword', the strongest weapon in Galar." he explained.

"He has no known descendants, but it is possible he could have a long lost family member somewhere. I was heading to Johto in a day or so to specifically look up more on it, since one of my friends gathers records of famous ancients and their family trees." he explained. Dagda looked to the much taller trainer. "What about the younger brother?" he asked.

"The younger brother became known as the 'Fighting King', and Zamazenta was 'The Fighting King's Shield'. We Hammerlocke gym leaders know that he has no descendants, since the current Galarian royal family killed him before he could have any." he said.

Dagda was surprised to hear that to say the least. They blatantly killed a legendary hero? For what end? "Killed him?" he asked, and Raihan nodded, a slightly sad look in his eyes. "You see, we're also taught in secret the truth of the royal family's ascension. It was all a coup, a rival farmer that killed The Fighting King and banished The Fairy King. They felt no need to kill him since it was said that he preferred the company of men. Bad idea to me." he said, and Dagda narrowed his lone lavender eye.

"Meaning if we can find and prove that the Fairy King had any descendants, there'd be someone with a legitimate claim to the Galarian throne, useless as that position seems to be." he said, and Raihan nodded. "I'll let you know what I find in Johto, since we're pals." he said, and Dagda winked, his left eye not able to blink.

"We are?" he asked, and Raihan made a face of feigned hurt. "We've been hanging out and everything, Bro! Come on." he said, and Dagda chuckled, finding his playful attitude rather funny. "Why be so friendly to me? I'm sure that you can tell I'm not really human." he said, and Raihan shrugged.

"I don't got nothin' against Halflings. I've met a few abroad, y'know. Halfling Photographers and such. There's nothing wrong wit em, so I'm struggling to see why this region acts the way it does towards them. Plus, if I help you out, and you become a big deal and give Halflings equality, I can make a killing doing photoshoots with Halflings. Everyone will pay attention to Ol' Raihan." he said, a beaming white smile on his face.

Dagda found this man to be very, very unusual. He was motivated purely by a desire for attention, and it wasn't out of insecurity, either. He simply wanted people to bear witness to him. Dagda respected this man, greatly.

For the sole sake of attention, he decided to disobey the Chairman, refuse his bribes, tell Dagda the truth of the region's ancient history, and willingly aid him further should he need it. Dagda wished the region had more people like Raihan. It would make his job so much simpler.

With the sun setting on the horizon, the duo decided to rest in a public park, a quiet thing surrounded by flowers and well trimmed foliage, Dagda smiling at how nice it looked. Pleasant places like this were rather refreshing to him, as he could almost feel the energy of the greenery. "You said that we'd continue the conversation in private." Bede said, and Dagda glanced to him, nodding.

"What else do you want me to say? I already explained to you that I'm a fickle guy." he said, and Bede frowned. "Why even show up at the mural?" he asked, and Dagda shrugged. "I heard a commotion. It just so happened to be the commotion I wanted to hear." he said, and Bede sighed at how calm Dagda was at all times. Dagda was rarely angry or sad, and Bede was almost jealous.

"Why me? If you're fickle like you say, what lead you to being so specifically fickle that you did what you did at the mural?" he asked, and Dagda tilted his head. He was wondering what the disconnect was. His intentions and desires were rather clear and plain, and yet, his fluffy haired friend didn't seem to understand.

"You are almost criminally dense, you know that?" he said, and his friend found that statement rather odd. Dagda sighed, scratching his dense black hair before looking to his friend.

"See, a demonic monster in formal military gear once told me a story about a man with six wings and two mates, a male and female to contrast each other, and his own ying yang like being and balance. I heard that story, and thought 'gee whiz, that sounds just swell', and realized I wouldn't mind that." he explained, praying his friend was following him.

"Now, if you know that I'm fickle, all you need to do is put the pieces of the puzzle together. Firstly, I enjoy your company. Second, I desired greatly to get you away from a monster like Rose, and Third, and most blatantly obvious, Halfling Law considers US Belphegor's parents. Didn't you think Heinreich approaching you was a little weird?" he asked, and Bede blinked.

He remembered it clearly. The monstrous dragon man that seemed to be so incredibly deranged and twisted that those around him were uncomfortable. He had mentioned something to him about studying something. And then he was told about some kind of Pokemon magick. He blinked.

He looked to Dagda, who was absentmindedly twitching his face, as if trying to close his unresponsive, blind eye. "Are you… sure? Rose will try to kill you." he said, and Dagda rose a brow. "Will he now? That's unfortunate." he said, and Bede frowned, shifting his body to face Dagda.

"This isn't a joke! After what he's done to the Halflings, the Pokemon he doesn't approve of, what he's done to me..." he trailed off, and Dagda felt himself frown. He lifted Bede's chin to look at him, his cloudy, blinded eye seeming to be a darker color than normal.

"Listen to me closely, and very, very carefully. I am not going to let the wicked run through this land unpunished. Blood will fall from the heavens, angels with praise the swings of my blade and the Gods will applaud the screams of all of my victims." he said, and Bede felt himself mesmerized.

Because, despite how grandiose and theatric those words were, he knew they weren't posturing. In his lavender eye, Bede could see that he believed everything he said. "Look into my eye. I am the judge, and the executioner." he said, and Bede could feel the almost fleshlike hairs of Dagda's move along his jawline.

"What Rose has done to you is not forgivable. For touching, for damaging, for defiling something of MINE…. I will kill him with this very hand."

Heinreich rolled his neck, feeling a chill run down his spine. He loved that sensation. He could tell that his Dark Messiah had just given another mesmerizing, awe inspiring declaration. He looked to the costumes he was commissioned to craft, and he could feel himself shed a tear.

For these were his greatest works. These garbs, made of his finest, and freshest materials, were meant to be worn by the divine. And, if only as an act, that was what they'd be given. A chance to adorn the flesh of the beautiful, to accentuate the features of the divine. He loved the mere thought of it, looking to the one he was working on at this moment.

It was meant to be much more sensual, but he could tell that he had to reign himself in. The purpose of this costume was to elicit a greater, more primal feeling of attraction. It was meant to accentuate the body of it's wearer just enough to trigger those primal instincts within all that witness it. He so loved crafting garbs such as this. Especially with such fresh, and exquisite materials.

For you see, certain materials allowed for different vibes, and to elicit a different perspective from the one bearing witness. For this costume, he had to search very far and wide within the Galar region to find the material. And when he found it, he spent the day with it. He needed to acquaint himself with his materials before he began crafting. It was the thing that set him apart from Yukio, and other costume designers.

He loved to wine and dine his materials, learn their likes and dislikes, listen to their tales of how they came to be so perfect for the costume he was crafting. It was his favorite pastime. He glanced to the small rack he had with him in his abode, to the finished costumes.

Young Zara's costume, made from fine silks and his own scales. Young Kai's costume, made from a depressing husk. Young Renji's costume, made from abrasive material that he had to spend quite the fortune on. Young Belphegor's costume, made from a soft, easy to find and obtain material.

And lastly was his current piece, beautiful young Bede's costume. Heinreich ran his hand along the material, remembering his last conversation with it. They spoke of the beauty of the Gym Challengers. Adorable children filled with that special kind of innocence. The conversation made it all the sweeter when Heinreich harvested it.