Fearless: Wrath of an Empire

by Bomul

Faced with the threat of a dangerous new Empire, Kiteki, a reclusive Glaceon, joins an elite force to protect the peace and freedom that she had known all her life. But when she uncovers the Empire's plans to unleash an ancient and forgotten power, will she and her team be able to prevent calamity before it's too late? (Rated M for violence, lemons, gore and sexual/mature themes)

13. The Heartless Farewell of a Distant Past

Chapter 13

The Heartless Farewell of a Distant Past

. . . . . . . . . .

23:58, June 4, Unified Year 4734 – Empire of the New Order, Winteroot outskirts, District Fourteen Imperial Winteroot Police Station

. . . . .

For the residents of District Fourteen's Imperial Winteroot, there was nothing about the night that immediately stood out as being out of the ordinary. Like every other night that had fallen before, the only thoughts that were going through the minds of everyone tonight was the need to get enough rest before they endured the long, arduous slog all over again the next day. Most were already asleep. Those that weren't were getting ready to head to bed, their anxious minds already preoccupied with fraught from the idea of starting tomorrow with insufficient rest, and the horrors that would be inflicted upon them should their bodies fail before they meet their daily quota.

But, as far as one Ferdinand Günther was concerned, the day had only just begun.

Chief of the Imperial Winteroot Police Department, Günther was described by many to be the ideal law enforcer; strong, honourable, loyal, and a hardworking subject to the Great Emperor himself. This all culminated in him, quite predictably, being appointed the prestigious position that he now holds within the area. Yet, despite the enviable authority that his role would command, Günther grew to hate his position over the three years that he had worked there.

For much of his younger life, he had dreamed of becoming a member of the police force. He craved the wild danger that came with battling criminals and pursing law and order. But now that he had reached the zenith of his career, he had found his life to be void of all the adrenaline that he had desired, replaced instead with a political tediousness that he absolutely loathed.

Today was no exception, with a large part of his day spent dealing with the necessary paperwork required following an incident at the town plaza which resulted in several miners being buried alive. And though the prospect of a deadly cave-in like the one that occurred today would make most Pokémon shudder, incidents of such manner were such a common occurrence that Günther hardly even blinked upon learning of the six fatalities that resulted from it. Besides, as far as he could tell, all of the workers here were either lowlifes, criminals, or degenerates; deemed unworthy to fit in Imperial society according to guidelines set by the Emperor himself. He couldn't feel an ounce of care or compassion for the deceased workers even if he tried.

But things were different now. He had made his way back up to the police station with the sole intent to check up on the officers there before calling it in for the night, but instead came to find the usually peaceful ambience of the area shattered by the fire that had consumed it. Such an event should have caused him a great deal of concern and worry; no doubt the burning of his police station would cost his reputation dearly. But as his eyes surveyed his fallen subordinates and the two perpetrators that hurried out of the burning house, all that Chief Günther could feel was an adrenaline-fuelled excitement, his body rearing to feel the thrill of combat once again.

And so, with just two minutes left in the day, under the sweltering, orange glow of the burning police station, Chief Günther readied himself for the fierce duel that was brewing; the silence of the night broken by the roar of the flaming inferno. Keeping his steely gaze locked onto the Flareon and Glaceon, he tossed his peaked cap aside, cracking his knuckles as he turned to face the ones responsible for the wild spectacle before him.

"Flareon. Glaceon. You are under arrest for three counts of assault against Imperial police officers and one count of arson." Though he presented himself in a calm and collected manner, Günther's words bellowed with the force of a sledgehammer. "Surrender yourselves now or be subject to lethal force."

Despite the authoritative presence that stood before him, Clay remained steadfast, his expression exuding a professional coolness as he faced the Rhydon in the eye. But, unlike with Curtis or the rest of the officers at the police station, Clay refused to take his new opponent lightly, his body hunkering down as he prepared himself for the imminent battle to come. One look was all he needed to see that the Chief was going to be a much tougher opponent than either the fallen Houndoom or any of the other officers that they had met.

And yet, though his body was ready to fight, he refused to give Chief Günther a reply. He couldn't. Not after the way he had handled his previous encounter with the other police officers. While his intentions to play as a distraction to let Kiteki slip away into her father's old workshop was initially well founded, he had, in the heat of the moment, all but forgotten the key fact that his partner was not the trained agent that he was. And though he did eventually manage to realise just how upsetting the ordeal had been to her following their falling out, he was painfully aware that the damage between them has already been done. And so, with this weighing heavily on his mind, he was more than hesitant to rise up to Günther's challenge on his own.

What he couldn't have foreseen was that it would be Kiteki who would instead give the Rhydon a cold reply, the Glaceon's soft-spoken voice familiarly quiet but unwaveringly resolute.

"Sorry, but that's not going to happen."

"Kit?" Taken by surprise, Clay quickly turned towards her, giving the Glaceon a questioning glance.

But the look in Kiteki's eyes showed that she had no intentions of backing down from the fight. It wasn't rage or anger that flickered behind her sapphire eyes, but sheer, unyielding determination.

"I'm not stopping now. Not when we've gotten this far." She paused, turning to give him a cold, hard stare. "You better not either."

Clay paused, assessing the Glaceon before him as he let her words process in his head. His confidence returning to him as he grew to understand his partner's stance on the situation at hand, the Flareon quickly found the worry and hesitation that had clouded his mind to dissipate from his conscious.

Giving Kiteki an understanding nod, he turned his attention back towards the towering Rhydon. "You heard her. We ain't giving up that easy."

"…I see." Though Chief Günther sighed in reply, his voice carried not a hint of dismay. He shook his head sympathetically before giving the two an eager but refined smile, his grin spreading across his face as he stared down his newfound opponents. "Then may the Creator have mercy on your soul. Horn Drill."

Giving the two Eeveelutions no time to prepare, Chief Günther immediately went for the offensive, charging towards the pair with heavy feet that caused the ground to tremble and quiver, leaving deep footprints embedded in the hard earth. Tucking his head in, his horn began to envelop itself in a haunting white light, shrieking like a jet engine as it began to spin with violent speed.

Seeing the Rhydon barrelling towards them, Kiteki and Clay both responded with an attack of their own, sending out a hasty Ice Shard and Flamethrower respectively. But instead of stopping Günther's relentless assault, the two attacks collided in mid-air, cancelling each other out as the streak of flame and spear of ice disappeared in a cloud of steam.

For a brief moment, the two of them stared at what was left of their counterattack, stunned by their own useless display.

"Shit," muttered Clay, blinking in disbelief. "That didn't work so well."

"For God's sake, Clay. Dodge!"

Shaking herself from her own self-induced confusion, Kiteki pushed the Flareon aside before diving out of the way, leaving only inches to spare as the Rhydon sailed past the both of them, the momentum of his charge causing him to smash into the burning house with the force of a freight train, kicking up embers into the night sky as he did so.

Tucking into a roll as she hit the ground, Kiteki scrambled back onto her paws before turning around, anxious to keep her foe within her line of sight. Finding instead that Günther's attack had practically demolished an entire wall of the burning police station, she frowned, a grim look enveloping her face as she got her first glimpse of the Rhydon's raw, brutal strength.

"Uhh… Thanks, Kit."

Paying no mind to Clay's sheepish show of gratitude, Kiteki helped the Flareon back onto his paws. "This is bad… That's a powerful move."

"Yeah," agreed Clay, his eyes locked on the Rhydon as he dusted himself off. "But he's not fast. I've seen Torkoal move faster than that."

Kiteki nodded, her eyes surveying the pile of rubble that Chief Günther had created following his catastrophic crash into the burning house. Though it was undeniable that her opponent was slow and lacking in finesse when it came to his attacks, the sheer power alone of the Rhydon before her made her shudder in apprehensive suspense.

It certainly didn't help matters knowing that her opponent was capable of using a move like Horn Drill. Devastatingly powerful, it was widely speculated by the residents of District Twelve that the only kind of Pokémon who learned moves of such nature were those that had the full intention to kill; there was no other conceivable reason why anyone would want to have a lethal attack of such singular purpose in their arsenal. Of course, Kiteki herself had, for the longest time, refused to believe that such a move even existed. After all, despite her years of brawling with criminals and outlaws in the frozen north, she had never met anyone who knew how to use such an advanced and purposefully deadly attack. But now, having learned that the move in question wasn't quite the myth that she had always thought it was, Kiteki found herself scrambling as she rushed to find a new combat strategy.

Clay, on the other hand, didn't seem at all fazed by the attack. Keeping his eyes locked on Günther with a calm and professional coolness, he watched as the Rhydon struggled to free himself from the burning rubble that he had entombed himself in. Realizing that the Chief's own recklessness had earned the two of them a brief moment's respite, he quickly turned towards Kiteki, gesturing for her attention.

"Alright, Kit. I know you're not in the mood to work with me, but I'm going to need you to help me if I'm gonna have any chance of taking him down."

While his offer didn't appeal to her, Kiteki wasn't stupid enough to dismiss its necessity given her current situation. Bitterly, she nodded in reply. "Fine. What's your plan?"

Though thrilled by her decision to cooperate, Clay's expression remained as steely as ever. "I need you to stay back here and harass him from a distance. You've got a type advantage against him, but he's got one against you too."

Kiteki sighed in response, shaking her head disapprovingly. "You don't exactly do well with his kind either, you know."

Opening his mouth to counter her point, Clay instead found himself interrupted by the sound of Günther's furious cry. Turing around to see that he had managed to free himself, the pair quickly rolled out of the way again as the Chief of Police charged towards them with another Horn Drill, the overflowing energy of the Rhydon's stampede radiating off his body as he sailed past the two. Quickly adjusting her sights as she landed on her paws, Kiteki fired a quick Ice Shard which connected with the Drill Pokémon, causing him to roar in pain as the icicle embedded itself into his hide.

Clay nodded approvingly at the sight. "Pretty good aim you got there, Kit."

"At least I have something to aim at him with." Seeing that Günther had managed to get his horn stuck in a nearby boulder following his second charge, she turned back towards her partner, a hint of restless concern in her voice. "Your attacks aren't going to work on him."

The Flareon grinned in response, playfully kicking the air behind him. "Don't worry. I've got a fighting type move."

"Clay, that's suicide. He'll kill you if you get close enough."

"Not if he can't catch me first. I'm a damn slight faster than he'll ever be."

"Then let me fight as well." Taking a step closer towards him, Kiteki stared back at the Flareon with grim determination, her voice soft-spoken but fiercely unwavering as she put a paw up to her chest. "I'm not the same helpless Eevee you knew from three years ago."

Clay simply shook his head in reply. "Sorry, Kit. I can't allow that."

"What? Why?"

"I'm sure you're a pretty decent fighter yourself, but I can't risk having you getting up close and personal with someone like him. Not when I've sworn to protect you."

Kiteki rolled her eyes at his answer. "Well, you've been doing a fantastic job on that so far, haven't you?"

"Kit, look, I messed up back there. I know. But this guy… This one's the real deal. I can't afford to take any chances or pull any stunts like I did last time."

Though Kiteki opened her mouth to retort, she stopped, finding herself faltering as she tried to voice her opinions. She had initially, and quite rightfully, assumed that Clay's words were, at best, nothing more than a crude joke. But seeing that the Flareon's characteristically cheeky and suave grin had vanished from his face, Kiteki found her assumptions to quickly lose their footings.

"…I don't even know if I can trust you anymore."

"I know you probably don't think it's true, but I won't be able to live with myself if I let you get hurt by something like this." His voice solemn, Clay reached over towards her, gripping her by her shoulders as he stared intently into her eyes with reassuring seriousness. "Please. Trust me."

Kiteki stared back at him silently, her eyes darting back as she glimpsed the Rhydon freeing himself from his stony tomb. Giving it a quick but careful deliberation, she let out an exhausted, exasperated sigh as she gave him a cold reply. "…One last chance, Clay."

"That's all I could ever ask for." Satisfied and relieved, Clay gave the Glaceon a reassuring smile. "Thanks, Kit."

"…Don't think this means I forgive you for what you did back there."

Nodding firmly upon her warning, the Flareon turned his attention back at the freed Chief of Police. "Hey, Chief. Aren't you getting tired of all that running around?"

Dusting himself off, Günther replied with a deep growl, the corners of his mouth curling up into an ominous grin. "It would do you well to not underestimate me, Flareon. Just you wait until I get you; I'll show you the true might of the Empire's Hammer of Justice."

Clay cocked his head back, the fur on his mane beginning to sway from the energy his body was building up. "Then why don't you give it a try? Retaliate!"

"Rock blast!"

Slamming his feet into the ground, Günther unearthed two boulders, punching them with both fists as he sent them flying towards the Flareon with terrifying speed. In response, Clay leapt up, spinning his body as he squeezed through between the two ballistic rocks, before slamming his body into the Rhydon, smoothly carrying the momentum of his roll into the Chief of Police's chest.

"Nghh…! Thunder punch!"

Staggering from the blow, Günther quickly recovered, swinging his body into a heavy-handed punch. Ascertaining his movements, Clay leapt away, leaving the Chief swinging his fists in the night-time air. Seeing an opening, Kiteki launched a quick volley of Ice Shards, her attack rewarded with the sound of Günther's ferocious roar as two shards connected with the Rhydon's shoulder.

Recovering from the blow, Chief Günther slowly reached behind him, wrenching out all three spears of ice that had lodged into his body, their frosty tips stained with crimson blood. Giving them a dismissive glance, he tossed them aside and glared at the two Eeveelutions, his eyes burning with livid fire.

"The both of you are starting to test my patience."

"That's the plan, smartass. Quick Attack!"

"Thunder Punch!"

Seeing Clay dart towards him with blistering speed, Chief Günther readied another attack, thrusting his fists forward after carefully aiming it with the oncoming Flareon.

"Too slow. Retaliate!"

But, carried by the speed of his Quick Attack, Clay whisked behind him, his body but an orange and cream coloured blur as he easily dodged the Rhydon's attack. Twisting his body into a roundhouse kick, he slammed his hind legs into Günther's back, leaving him exposed as he stumbled forwards from the blow.

"…Gh!"

"Shadow Ball."

Taking her cue, Kiteki released a Shadow Ball that she had been building up for the moment, sending the orb of dark energy hurtling towards the recovering Rhydon. Exploding on contact, the air around them echoed with the ear-splitting sound of shockwaves ripping through the air, its sheer volume matched only by the battle cry of an enraged Chief of Police.

"Wrooaarrah! Rock Blast!"

From within the lingering smoke of Kiteki's Shadow Ball, three shells of earth and stone hurtled out towards the pair. But, blinded by the very cover that concealed him, his attacks strayed wide from their intended targets, the boulders instead smashing into the burning police station with such force that it caused half of the newly built roof to collapse in a flaming heap.

Despite the tremendous sound, Clay paid the burning spectacle no mind, giving Kiteki a nod as he charged into the shadow filled haze. "Nice smokescreen, Kit. Retaliate!"

With Clay charging into the smoke, Kiteki was left blind to what was happening inside. Her curiosity was sated once she heard the loud thwack of a terrific blow, followed by the furious bellowing of the Chief of Police. So powerful was Clay's strike, in fact, that the cover of smoke that Kiteki had created was blown away by the force of his attack, leaving behind the sight of a struggling Chief Günther, kneeling on one knee as he breathed with hard and heavy breaths, blood dripping from the corners of his jaw.

Finally getting up to his feet, Günther cocked his neck, before facing the Flareon before him. "You're not bad, Flareon. I can see why my boys fell to the likes of you."

Clay smiled confidently in reply, taking a moment's respite as he reciprocated the compliment. "I can say the same for you. I'm surprised you're still standing after taking all those blows."

"Oh, please." Günther grinned, drawing his wrists across his jaw to wipe the blood away. "It will take far more than that to do me in."

"You haven't seen nothin' yet. I'm just getting started."

But, despite Clay's eagerness to continue the fight, Chief Günther simply shook his head in reply, his charismatic grin having disappeared in an instant. "I'm sure you are. Unfortunately, I'm afraid to say that I've lost interest in this little farce of ours. It's time I ended this."

Sensing an attack, Clay hunkered down, letting out a low growl as he readied himself. "Big words from someone who can't even touch me."

"Horn Drill."

Charging up his horn as it began to spin with furious speed, Günther began to make his third charge towards him, his horn shrouded in a malicious white light as the Rhydon stampeded towards the Flareon, the ground trembling beneath his heavy feet.

But, despite the impressive display, all that Clay could do was let out a disappointed sigh upon seeing the Chief's stubborn persistence to use such a graceless attack. Having determined in a fraction of a second that the risk his opponent posed was minimal, Clay's body instinctively relaxed, casually readying himself to jump out of harm's way. As far as he could tell, the Chief's threats of a quick finish seemed to be little more than hot air.

"Look, Capt', that's not going to work on me-"

"Thunder Punch."

To both Kiteki and Clay's surprise, Günther abruptly halted his charge midway, contorting his body with surprising speed and flexibility for a Pokémon of his size as he spun his body, bringing an electrically charged fist down onto Clay's head.

"What the-?"

Caught off guard, Clay managed to only make out a short mutter before Günther's clawed fist connected, striking him with a wicked punch to the cheek. A curiously surprised look on his face, Clay could only grunt as the Rhydon's Thunder Punch smashed the Flareon face-first into the ground, busting his lip open as the impact sent thick clouds of dust up into the air, the excess electricity causing the air to crackle with energy. Clay howled in muffled agony, a hundred volts coursing through his body as electricity arced from between the ends of his fur.

Witnessing the scene unfurl before her, Kiteki immediately sprang into action, launching a quick volley of Ice Shards at the Rhydon as she darted towards him, trying to draw his attention away from the downed Flareon. Landing two hits out of three, Kiteki watched as Günther staggered from the blow, the frosty energy causing his hide to freeze around the embedded icicles as the Chief of Police slowly turned towards her.

"…Wait your turn, pest. Thunder Punch."

Pulling out the bloodied spears before crushing them in his claws, Günther lunged at the quickly approaching Glaceon, his fists drawn back and ready to strike. Kiteki, in reply, smoothly dodged the attack, her fur inches away from the Rhydon's electrified punch, before quickly putting distance between him and herself as she used a Quick Attack to retreat.

Though she had managed to snare the Chief's attention, Kiteki could tell that, given by the way the Rhydon kept making glances back at the downed Flareon, she wouldn't be able to distract him for long. With a hint of urgency in her voice, she called out to her partner.

"Move, Clay. I can't draw him away forever."

But Clay refused to budge. His face contorting from over-exertion as he tried desperately to get back up, Clay let out a frustrated grunt as his electrified body refused to comply.

"Shit… I'm paralyzed…!"

Upon hearing Clay's words, Günther smiled victoriously, turning to face the Flareon with a stern and sympathetic look on his face. "I warned you to not underestimate me, Flareon. You disappoint me."

Clay bared his fangs in a show of defiance, coughing up blood before replying with a strained voice. "You're a sly bastard, Günther."

"Oh, please." But Günther simply laughed, replying to Clay's venomous remarks with a dignified chuckle. "Everyone knows that it's poor taste to show your cards before the game begins."

His body still producing sparks from his paralysis, Clay could do little more than curse under his breath. Quite frankly, he knew that he should have seen something like this coming, especially from the Chief of Police himself. But having seen the poor combat capabilities of Curtis and the other officers, as well as the Chief's single-mindedly heavy fighting style, he had managed to convince himself that his opponent wasn't quite the threat that he had originally determined him to be. It wasn't until too late that he found it all to be part of the Chief's cunning ploy, and the realization of it made him, for once, despise his own arrogant carelessness.

Kiteki, on the other hand, free of the condition that possessed her partner, hissed at the Rhydon, making her disdain for him clearly evident.

"I thought the police were honourable Pokémon. You're a disgrace."

"As they say, all's fair in love and war, my dear Glaceon."

But her remarks made little impact, earning her little more than a passing remark and a dignified bow in reply. Turning his full attention back towards the paralyzed Flareon, Günther gave a short prayer before charging up his attack, taking a leisurely amount of time to ready his finishing blow.

"It's time to meet your maker, Flareon. Horn Drill."

Staring down at Clay with steely eyes, Günther began to draw in energy, his horn glowing an all-too-familiar white as it started to spin again, its shrill whine filling the air like sirens heralding an unavoidable demise. It was inevitable that, in just a few moments time, he would permanently have one less criminal to take down and destroy.

Or at least he would, if this Glaceon would just stop bothering him for a second.

He hated to admit it, but despite her weak and diminutive stature, her Ice Shards hurt. A lot. So much so that it was throwing his focus all over the place. And with his own health and stamina quickly deteriorating, it didn't take long for the Rhydon's patience to finally snap.

"You're getting in the way, Glaceon!"

Seeing a third volley of frozen spears hurtling towards him, Günther quickly reached up, grabbing the two shards in mid-air before shattering them in his claws, covering himself in a cloud of fine, crystalline dust. By the time it had settled, he had readied a devastating attack, a furious glare in his eyes as he stared down the Glaceon.

"Rock Blast!"

Whether it was a matter of coincidence, or because the sight before him had triggered it, Clay couldn't tell. But what he did know was that, in that exact moment, he had finally managed to briefly free himself from his electric prison. Adrenaline pumping through his veins, he watched in desperation as the Chief launch a deadly volley of earth and rock at his partner. Without giving it a second thought, in the spur of the moment, the Flareon jumped back onto his paws, before making a hasty lunge for the Rhydon.

"You keep your fuckin' eyes on me, asshole!"

"I already am."

But to Clay's alarmed surprise, the Flareon found Günther's eyes to have suddenly locked onto him, greeting his charge as if having known it was coming beforehand. Letting his claws ignite, the Rhydon transitioned between his two attacks in a single fluid motion as he sent his fist, encased in a streak of blazing flame, straight into the reckless Flareon.

"Fire Punch."

His fist striking the Flareon's ribs, Kiteki could only stand and stare as Clay was sent hurtling towards the burning police station, the distinct smell of charred fur filling the air as the battered Flareon disappeared into the flaming house with a cataclysmic crash. Her eyes glued to the scene, Kiteki held her breath as she silently begged to see him emerge from the rubble. But with each moment that passed her by, the Glaceon found herself filling with a sense of dread, her partner not so much as making a sound, let alone recover from the devastating blow he had just received.

As Günther dusted off his claws, Kiteki watched with apprehensive urgency, kneading the dirt beneath her with jittery paws as the Chief slowly began to make his way towards the burning wreck. Seeing him crack his knuckles as he readied himself to finish off her stricken partner, Kiteki raked her mind as she desperately tried to come up with something… Anything to stop the bloodthirsty Rhydon.

'Dammit… I've still got my Ice Shard and Shadow Ball with me, but they're only going to slow him down for a few minutes at best… I could try hitting him up close with my Quick Attack, but seeing how he dealt with Clay, the last thing I want to do is get close to him, to say nothing of how ineffective it would be against someone like him. Nothing I've done so far works, which means that all I've got left to try is…'

The only solution she could come up with filled her to the brim with a sense of loathing dread.

'…For God's sake, Clay. You've really given me no other choice now… I'm going to make you pay for this. The both of you.'

Regaining her posture, Kiteki gulped, her throat coarse and dry, before calling out towards the lumbering Rhydon as her eyes took aim at her target.

"Günther!"

"Ah, you're still here. Good." The Chief, still making his leisurely way towards the burning wreck of the Winteroot police station, turned his head as he gave her a glance, not at all concerned by her presence. "Come watch, Glaceon. Witness the death of your comrade. You'll get a glimpse of your own demise."

"Attract!"

Feigning attraction, Kiteki gave the unsuspecting Rhydon an adorable wink as she let loose a delicate, heart-shaped ball of glowing pink energy. Though the coquettish façade she briefly put up to make her attack more effective was not very pronounced, its stark contrast to her usually cold and unfeeling demeanour was, to most that lay witness to it, more than enough to make anyone falter.

Though in hindsight, her opponent was so unsuspecting of the attack that Kiteki needn't have gone through the trouble of doing so. Had he been paying closer attention, the Chief of Police would have seen the orb of energy sailing towards him, fluttering with the dainty elegance of a dancing Beautifly. But instead, caught having let his guard down, Günther could barely react as the attack made contact with him, having just enough time to get a glimpse of the orb of energy phasing into his body.

For a second, Günther stood there, feeling nothing from the direct attack he had just received.

Then, all at once, his claws shot up, clutching his chest as his heart began to throb violently.

To his surprise, Günther didn't feel any pain. As a matter of fact, the Glaceon's attack didn't hurt in the slightest. But, caught off guard by the powerful sensations that began to course through his veins, Günther found himself staggering onto his knees, briefly finding his body at the mercy of the strange and novel sensations that had possessed him.

Though it would only be a moment before it would pass. His pounding heart quickly settling down, the Rhydon slowly got back up, turning to face Kiteki with a conceited look in his eyes.

"…That's cute, Glaceon. But you should know that such cheap tricks will not-…"

And then he stopped.

His eyes glued to the Glaceon before him, Günther found himself momentarily stunned, his mouth hanging as he froze mid-sentence. In the back of his slowly unravelling mind, he knew exactly what had just happened, and what it was doing to him. And yet, as Kiteki's attack began to burrow its roots into his mind, Günther found himself helpless to resist its bewitching allure.

The Glaceon's lithe frame. Her delicate and fragile appearance. The cold yet innocent look in her eyes. Though they were all features that Günther had typically cared so little for, he suddenly found them to be all so… Irresistible.

His mind grasping onto the remnants of his fleeting sanity, the Chief of Police faced his opponent.

"Ho, ho… You're a crafty one, aren't you?"

Seeing her attack taking effect, Kiteki dropped her pretence of attraction, returning to her frosty, stony self. "I hope you like it. It took me years to perfect that."

Despite her unwillingness to use it, Kiteki had to admit that she had a profound sense of faith in her Attract. Gone were the days when it would always induce an uncontrollable, libido-fuelled hysteria in her unfortunate target. Rather, having now spent years to properly learn it, Kiteki had reached a degree of mastery with the move that she could produce a level of lust that ranged from mere interest to uninhibited sexual desire, and all with a miraculous level of accuracy and precision to boot.

Of course, that didn't mean she was particularly fond of using that move. As a matter of fact, she utterly loathed the unwanted attention it brought to her. But be that as it may, she couldn't deny that, regardless of her opinions on it, the attack was an undeniably useful tool for her to have in her arsenal.

Günther, on the other hand, knowing nothing of her level of proficiency with the attack, slowly began to approach the Glaceon with slow, confident steps, oblivious to the fact that his ability to maintain his cool air of dignity was not, as he thought, a result of his own mental fortitude.

"Oh, I do like it. I've felt this pull a hundred times before, but never quite like this."

It took but a moment for Kiteki to realise that there could only be one kind of location that could allow the Rhydon to garner such a wealth of exposure to it. After all, attacks in the likes of Attract had little functional value in the real world; few would ever consider learning something that served, at a glance, such a singular and niche purpose. Realizing this, Kiteki rolled her eyes in disgust of her opponent. "Most Pokémon don't openly boast that kind of thing, Günther. You must be awfully fond of those kinds of places."

Günther chuckled, not the slightest bit offended by her accusations. "Oh, please. I doubt you're a stranger to those sorts of establishments yourself. You must have plenty of experience to be able to use that move so well."

Kiteki groaned. It was a common misconception, after all, that all Pokémon that knew how to use Attract had worked as a prostitute of some sort at some point, especially given its notorious prevalence in the adult industry. It was one of the many reasons why she abhorred having to use that move.

But, of course, despite the attack's stigma, Kiteki had no such exposure to speak of. On the contrary, she was, to all intents and purposes, a bona fide virgin.

"Not as much as you think I do."

Günther, appearing genuinely surprised by her reply, paused for a brief moment, his stunned daze slowly giving way to genuine interest as he reassessed the Glaceon before him.

"Is that so? Well then, Glaceon. Let me make you an offer."

Now it was Kiteki's turn to be surprised. Raising an eye upon the Rhydon's unusual proposal, Kiteki stared back at the Chief. "An offer?"

"I'll give you one last chance to surrender yourself." Straightening his posture, he stared down the Glaceon before him, his body void of any hostile intentions. "Accept, and I shall have all charges against you dropped."

"And you really expect me to believe that?"

"But of course. I give you my word as Winteroot's Chief of Police. I shall personally see to it that it happens."

By now, Kiteki too had eased her hostility, choosing instead to face the Rhydon with healthy apprehension. Standing her ground, Kiteki stared back at the Chief of Police, her eyes scanning her opponent intently as she tried to decipher his true intentions. "…Don't play me for a fool, Günther. I know you're smarter than to offer me all that without getting anything in return. What's really in it for you?"

"As sharp as you are lovely to behold. You truly are a lady of the finest calibre."

"Answer the question, Günther."

"Please, Glaceon. There is no need for such hostilities." Paying no mind to Kiteki's curt reply, Günther glanced back towards the flaming remains of the old Winteroot Police Station, before returning his gaze to the Glaceon before him, flashing her a charming smile as he did so. "All I ask for is that you allow me the pleasure of treating you to a wonderful night. Once we have dealt with that Flareon, I would like nothing more than to offer you some excellent food and wine."

Her eyes glued to the Rhydon, Kiteki tilted her head, a heavy frown forming on her brow as confusion clouded her mind.

"That… That's it?"

"Of course."

Kiteki's frown deepened, growing increasingly confused by the situation she herself had created. As far as she could tell, it made no sense for the Rhydon to be so restrained, even considering the fact that the spell she had put him under was mild at best.

'Being able to maintain his composure to such a degree while snared by my Attract… Not to mention being the Chief of Police… He might be Imperial, but maybe… Maybe he really is as honourable as he says he is.'

But she wouldn't see things that way for long. Just as she began to lose herself in her own thoughts, Kiteki found her state of confusion to shatter, the Rhydon's true intentions becoming clear as he continued to speak.

"Although… I would be elated should you be willing to go further than that."

Kiteki sighed, shaking her head in dismay not just at the Chief of Police, but at her own naïve stupidity as well.

"…I knew it. You're an animal, Günther. I can't believe I nearly thought otherwise."

Günther chuckled, finding her disgusted reaction to be endearing than off-putting. Having been around plenty of women in his time, he could tell in an instant that the Glaceon before him was the slightest bit flustered; her straightened, trembling tail and her perked up ears giving away the feelings within her that her stony face refused to show.

"Perhaps."

And then he paused. The smile vanishing from his face in an instant, he pressed the Glaceon with genuine seriousness

"But tell me, Glaceon. Is it really worse than what the Flareon has put you through?"

Taken aback by the unusual question, Kiteki responded with a lengthy silence, unable to help but blink in confusion. "…What do you mean?"

With the passing of the Rhydon's sly grin, the air of lust that had been emanating from him faded from the air, his unsuspecting question causing the Glaceon to falter on the spot. All at once, the two of them dropped their aggression as they stared at each other, the genuine sincerity in Günther's steely stare causing Kiteki to find herself frozen in place, glued to the very ground she stood on.

"Feign ignorance if you must; it is clear to see that you know exactly what I am referring to." But Günther didn't pay it any mind. Taking a firm but careful step towards her, he answered, the confidence behind his words almost palpable as he spoke. "One look at you and it is clear to see that the Flareon has wronged you."

Kiteki stood in place, shocked by the accuracy of Günther's remarks. Gripped with a sudden sense of dread, she began to frantically search for a way to prove him wrong, desperate to dissuade him, to derail his current train of thought.

She couldn't find anything.

"…You can't… You can't prove that."

Though she countered him, her words lacked conviction, her voice faltering as she muttered in hesitant denial. In an instant, Günther knew that he had hit his mark. It was time to finish her off.

"Proof? No, dear. You don't understand. I have no need for proof. The way you talk to him. The way you respond to him. The way you look at him. It's as clear as day to see that he has betrayed your expectations; betrayed your trust."

He paused, taking in the sight of the Glaceon trembling before him. With each word he said, her defences eroded away, chipping away at her like a cannon blasting away a castle wall. An anxious frown clouding her face as her mind began to spiral with uncertainty, Günther stared, seeing her faith crumble from behind her sapphire eyes.

He smiled. The tragic sight before him was a truly gorgeous spectacle.

"No, I don't need proof. Because you are proof enough."

For the first time since he had laid eyes on her, Kiteki's cold exterior began to crack.

Though not because the revelation was a surprise. No, she had begun to harbour those exact feelings soon after arriving in Winteroot and was already painfully aware of them. By now, after everything that had happened, it had gotten to the point that the mere sight of Clay would invoke a pang of loathing she never knew she could have for her childhood friend. This much was more than clear enough for her.

But to have it confirmed by someone else was a different matter all on its own.

She had managed until now to push her feelings aside by telling herself that they were merely the result of her being over-emotional for the given situation. It was, after all, easier to just ignore them and cast them aside, especially given her task at hand.

But now that her feelings were supported by the weight of someone else's opinion, they had grown an undeniable degree of merit. No longer could she lead herself to believe that her mounting frustration was a matter of her own ego and emotions. Especially so when those around her could decipher them as effortlessly as the Chief of Police had.

Left with no option but to face her harsh, undeniable truth, Kiteki hung her head, distraught by how easily she had been figured out. Seeing that she had nothing to say, Günther continued to pry her.

"Answer me honestly, Glaceon. Is my offer truly worse than the prospect of staying with someone like him?"

An uneasy stillness descended upon the two, a heavy weight hanging in the air as Kiteki struggled with the realisation, fighting with herself as she weighed the Chief's proposition.

Finally breaking the silence, Kiteki gave her reply, her voice trembling from the conclusion she had reached.

"…No. It's not."

Günther smiled. It was now plain to see.

"You're a smart lady, my Glaceon. Surely, you must see the value of my proposition."

So undeniably, unequivocally obvious to see.

"…You're right. I do."

He had won.

"Excellen-"

"…But I'll have to decline."

Günther blinked.

"…Pardon?"

Kiteki repeated herself, her voice slow and steady.

"I have to decline, Chief Günther."

The Rhydon's jaw dropped open, unable to believe what he had just heard. He was so confident, so sure that he had managed to sway the Fresh Snow Pokémon before him. After all, the logic behind his argument was perfectly sound. It made too much sense for anyone who heard it to ignore. The last thing he was expecting was for Kiteki to reply the way she did.

Taken aback, Günther spluttered out loud, the unexpectedness of her reply causing his chivalrous demeanour to momentarily fall apart.

"O-Outrageous! Even after all that, you refuse me?"

Kiteki turned to face away, a conflicted look on her face as if she was still double guessing herself. Even she could tell that her answer didn't make much rational sense.

"I… I'm afraid so."

At this, Günther let out a deep and heavy sigh, regaining his poise and dignity as he calmed himself down. Disappointed, he pressed her in earnest.

"A shame. Truly a great shame. I would have loved to take a fine lady like you home. May I ask why?"

"Because it's going to take a hell of a lot more than that to sway her."

The voice that responded wasn't from the Glaceon before him.

"Flareon?!"

Caught completely by surprise, Günther spun around, making a frantic attempt to respond to the approaching threat.

"Retaliate."

But by then it was already too late. With only enough time to catch a glimpse of the Flareon hurtling towards him at a blistering speed, the Rhydon found himself utterly defenceless as Clay slammed into the side of his chest, his body engulfed in a brilliant white light as a wild and furious fire burned in his eyes.

The unmistakable snap of a crushed ribcage echoed through the air as the two made contact, the Chief of Police's eyes growing wide open in agonizing shock as blood surged up his throat, spraying out into the cool night air in a fine, red mist.

"Ngh…!"

Falling onto his knees, Günther glared at the Flareon with shocked confusion, unable to comprehend what had just happened. He opened his mouth, ready to roar, to demand answers. But instead, clutching his side, the great Rhydon fell to the ground, collapsing onto his back with a shattering crash.

Satisfied now that the Chief was immobilized, Clay dusted himself off, his body noticeably bruised all over, flashing the Glaceon a triumphant smile.

"Nice distraction, Kit. For a second, I thought you really were gonna turn your back on me."

Kiteki stared back at Clay, sharing none of his festive attitude. With a short pause, she gave him a cold reply.

"…You have no idea."

Clay chuckled, taking her remark in good faith.

"You, uhh, you're joking, right?"

But he found himself greeted instead by an unnervingly enigmatic smile. The sight from his childhood friend sent shivers down the Flareon's spine.

"Was I?"

Realizing the seriousness of her statement, Clay quickly backed away, his pride slipping away as he let out a nervous and apologetic chuckle. Desperate to ease the awkward and tense atmosphere he had unknowingly created, he scrambled to change the subject.

"Hah, hah… Hey, uhh, where'd you learn a move like that, anyways?"

"Mum."

"Mum?" Clay tilted his head at her curt reply. "I never knew you had a mum."

"I do now."

Opening his mouth to pry further, he instead found himself interrupted as the Chief of Police stirred on the ground, his breathing hard and haggard as he propped himself up against a nearby stone, his body too injured to stand. Staring at the two Eeveelutions as blood dripped from his jaw, he spoke up, his voice a quiet growl as he demanded answers.

"Ghhn…! How…? Flareon… How…? How are you still standing…?"

"Flash Fire. You took me by surprise with that Fire Punch, but you should know better than to use a move as ineffective as that on me."

"I see. Well played, Flareon. I see that I have more to learn."

Satisfied, Günther gave Clay an approving nod. Despite the searing pain that coursed through his veins, he couldn't help but feel an inexplicable sense of satisfaction. It had been so long since he had fought in earnest like he had today, and even in defeat he couldn't deny that he had, for the first time in years, felt truly alive again.

Of course, that didn't mean that he was about to let it interfere with his job. As long as he had breath in his body, he would still have work to do.

"But know this." His eyes returning to the Flareon, Günther let out a deep chuckle. "Even if you take me down, your fate has already been sealed. The whole town will be after you; I can guarantee that."

Clay scowled at the Rhydon's threats.

"Bullshit. They'll never know it was me."

But it would only be a moment before Clay would realise how true those words were. Reaching behind him, Günther slowly pulled out a handheld radio comms device, his claws firmly pressed against the push-to-talk button.

He grinned. He had accomplished his part.

"They do now."

Kiteki, seeing the radio, immediately launched an Ice Shard, piercing the device as she destroyed it in a single blow. But as the contraption lay smoking and sizzling within his claw, Günther simply smiled in reply, tossing the broken device away as his giant body slumped onto the ground. There wasn't an ounce of malice or anger in his face as he spoke, not a hint of hate or resentment in his eyes. His voice calm and serene, he spoke to the Glaceon with the warmth of a distant lover.

"Not to worry, my dear Glaceon. They do not know of your involvement in this yet. It's the least I can do for a lady."

Kiteki, having now returned to her usual expressionless self, gave only a single nod in reply. "…Thanks."

The lull in atmosphere was short lived, their gentle exchange broken as a sudden and earsplittingly sharp sound filled the sky. Quickly turning to the source of the noise, Kiteki and Clay watched as the entirety of Winteroot lit up, the searchlights mounted on the surrounding walls coming to life as they bathed the town with rays of heavy, obtrusive light. The sound of sirens echoing through the buildings and streets, the town itself wailed like a frightened beast, its aura of lonely tranquillity all but vanishing in an instant.

Running out of time, Clay turned to Kiteki, his voice grim and bitter.

"Kit, we need to go."

"I know."

He paused, taking a hurried glance at the half conscious Rhydon behind them.

"…It's going to be a problem if we leave him alive."

"I… I know."

He turned, readying himself for the execution. But to his surprise, Kiteki stopped him, putting her paw on his.

"…I'll do it."

Though he was taken by surprise by her sudden and unusual willingness, Clay nonetheless obliged. Taking a step back, he gave her a firm, reassuring nod.

"Alright."

Kiteki nodded back in reply, taking up position in front of the fallen Rhydon.

"I'm sorry."

Günther smiled knowingly in reply.

"Do not be. I understand."

With the blessings of the Chief, Kiteki took in a deep breath, closing her eyes as she began to exhale slowly. Her breath cold and frosty, a deathly chill began to creep through the air, a terrifying shiver crawling through Clay and Günther's spine as she rapidly brought the surrounding air down to a bitterly numb temperature. In a matter of seconds, the moisture in the atmosphere froze and solidified, filling the air with the brilliant lustre of fresh, powdery snow. Unable to resist the beauty that surrounded them, Clay and Günther watched, entranced by the spectacle before them, the Glaceon appearing to glow and sparkle as the fine snow shimmered about her like a flurry of diamonds.

But the beauty was short lived. With a cold glare of her eyes, the delicate particles of snow began to clump together, the elegantly mysterious display transforming into an array of countless frozen spears, their numerous, deadly tips all pointed at the downed Rhydon before her. From the beauty that was her masterfully crafted flurry, she had created a firing squad of hard, unfeeling ice.

Finishing her preparations, Kiteki finally faced the Chief of Police, her eyes glowing with a blue, spectral flame. Her voice tainted with sympathy for her victim, she whispered her last farewells.

"Goodnight, Captain Günther."

Günther nodded solemnly. Resigning to his fate, he gently laid his head down on the ground.

"Farewell, young lady."

With one last look, she let loose.

"…Ice shard."

There was a sickening sound of meat being sliced.

…And it was over.

. . . . . . . . . .

00:41, June 5, Unified Year 4734 – District Fourteen, Downtown Winteroot

. . . . .

This isn't how I imagined my return to Winteroot to go.

Although, to be fair, I was never quite certain of how exactly that would go. And how could I, when the scars of the Frontier Massacre still remain fresh in my memory? Such memories aren't so eager to fade, and I fear that, perhaps, they never will.

But that isn't to say that I had no such fantasies of the sort. No, my three years trapped in District Twelve were haunted with dreams of my hometown and how I pictured my return to be like. Of these, many were based off of my memories and recollections of my childhood; what I could remember from a young and innocent time.

I remember the warm and inviting smell of Mrs. Potts' bakery. How I longed to taste the warm, succulent rolls that were perfected within her fiery ovens.

I remember the old workshop that dad spent hours of his time in, the careful symphony of orchestrated chaos that he would always keep that room in, and how its maddening energy would seep into the rest of our house.

And, last but not least, I remember the view. That spectacular view from the long, winding road that lead down from my house to the quiet town below. The view of the idyllic serenity that was so quintessential of Winteroot, intertwined with the breath-taking sight of the night sky above.

Even as a child, when I had so despised the slow and relaxed atmosphere of my hometown, I would oftentimes find my eyes wandering up on a clear summer's night to gaze upon the magnificent spectacle of the glowing infinite abyss, enthralled by the way the stars would dance and shimmer in the midnight sky. And on a night like tonight, if I were to just stop and take a look, I'm sure that the sky above would be just as beautiful as it had always been.

But that's a little hard to do that when I'm running for my life.

The whole town has lit up, the quiet of night shattered as sirens fill the air with their merciless screech. The searchlights that once lay dormant on the town's border walls have now come to life, their cruel glare flooding the town with an unnatural, harsh light. But, despite the wail of sirens and the thunderous rumble of heavy feet pounding the ground ringing within my ears, the only thing that's staying on my mind is to make sure that I keep up with Clay. Sprinting through the shadows just a tail's length apart from my escort, I ran with singular purpose, slipping through the numerous back alleys that were littered across town.

If my body wasn't gripped by the sense of urgent panic, I would no doubt have found myself startled by just how fast I was moving. Maybe it's because of all the running about I had done in the snow for the last few years, but I feel unbelievably light and agile on my paws.

So light, in fact, that I'm honestly having no problem at all keeping up with Clay.

This would have been practically impossible just a few years ago, but somehow, I'm managing to effortlessly match his speed. He's running, no, sprinting, just a few steps ahead of me, at what appears to be his maximum pace. And yet, despite that, I'm barely breaking a sweat from keeping up with him.

Or maybe it's all because of the adrenaline that's pumping through my veins. Maybe it's just because of all the alarm bells ringing in my head right now. Whatever it is, it's a novel feeling to know that I'm capable of outrunning someone as physically fit and capable as he is.

"Damn, Kit. I still can't believe you did that." As we're both barrelling through the town streets with reckless speed, Clay calls out to me, his voice breaking the monotony of my frantic pawsteps and my pounding heart. Regardless of his reason for breaking our silence, his input does little to ease the tension in the air. "Using your abilities as a Glaceon to power up your attacks? I've never seen anything like that before."

I'm surprised he picked up on that. It's not necessarily a skill or attack, but the inherent ability that my kind possess to create flurries of snow works surprisingly well when synergised with ice-based attacks.

"I came up with it last year." Unable to find the true meaning behind his words, I replied with the first response that I could find. "It's pretty powerful, I think."

Clay glances back at me, chuckling under his breath despite the look of breathless shock and bewilderment he's giving. "Pretty powerful? You kiddin'? Kit, you slaughtered him!"

It takes me a moment to realise, but now that I think about it, I do suppose that the finishing attack I used was rather… Shall we say, unorthodox? After all, such fighting methods aren't typically taught by training establishments. No, my Frankenstein-like attack was really nothing more than a product of my own creativity, fuelled by a desperate need for survival. It makes sense that most Pokémon would have never seen anything quite like it before.

Our run was interrupted as the both of us were alerted to the unmistakable sound of a quickly approaching helicopter. Slowing to a halt, Clay gingerly peered around the corner, his ears perking up as he zeroed in on its droning rotors.

"Shit."

But instead of giving the craft a closer look, he abruptly retreats back into the shadows of the alleyway, pushing me against the wall as he does so. Startled, I opened my mouth to cry out, but no words escaped as he rendered me silent, placing his paw up against my mouth as he kept his steely gaze fixed on the craft up ahead. Within seconds, a violent gust came upon us, the both of us watching with stifled breaths as the craft, flanked by an escort of two Staravias, hungrily scanned the street ahead, the beam of its searchlight filling the empty road with a harsh and clinical light.

"Dammit, they aren't supposed to be here already…"

I could only stare at Clay with wide open eyes in response to his remark. Were this any other time, I'm sure I would have found the prospect of being pinned against a wall to be a most rousing experience. Certainly, the feeling of Clay's breaths against my neck is a novel one. But right now, all that my mind could focus on was the threat of being caught, the black Imperial craft buzzing just above us like a bloodthirsty Beedrill.

Not until it had passed us by did we finally permit ourselves to ease up, our haggard and relieved breaths drowned out by the incessant thrum of the quickly departing craft. Releasing me from the wall, we watched apprehensively as the craft sailed away from our view.

"Alright, coast is clear…" Finally allowing himself to breathe easy as the tension of the unexpected encounter slowly left his body, Clay mutters to me, a realization having dawned on him. "…Actually, y'know Kit, if you had something like that with you, why didn't you start off with it?"

I looked at him and blinked, my mind slow to reply after the scare I had just received.

"…What?"

"That Ice Shard, Kit."

I frowned, trying to come up with an adequate response. Suddenly remembering the words of Chief Günther himself, I repeated them with a deadpan look, thinking it to be a decent idea to try and ease the mood following that tense ordeal.

"Everyone knows that it's poor taste to show your cards befor-"

But Clay cuts me off with an exasperated groan before I can finish my sentence. "Gee, Kit, you're ruthless, bringing that back up again. Cut me some slack, will you? I'm being serious." From the looks of it, he doesn't seem to appreciate the joke nearly as much as I do.

Though, that being said, if he's wanting for a serious answer, then I'm more than happy to oblige.

"Fine. It takes forever to charge, it's useless at anything other than point blank range, it's exhausting to perform, and-"

"Okay, okay, I get it."

Clay cuts me off again, a hint of urgency in his voice. I'd comment on just how unreasonable he's being, but I do suppose that our current situation is overwhelming even for a professional like him. Even I'm feeling absolutely drained from everything that has happened over the past few hours. In all likelihood, I'll probably sleep for days on end as soon as I get out of here… If I get out of here.

Now well clear of the Imperial chopper's sights, Clay took a quick glance up and down the street before making his dash towards the other side. Following suit, I sprinted after him, slipping into another dark alleyway as we continued to make our hastened escape.

"You still managed to finish him off with it." Clay continues, making small talk with me as we ran. I can't help but notice that he's hardly out of breath, his calm and controlled breathing all but masking the sheer amount of running that we had done so far. It's quite the stark contrast to how he used to be when we were younger. "You've learned some deadly stuff while you were up north."

I shook my head in response, thinking it necessary to correct him. "He's not dead. I made sure to keep him alive."

I'll be honest, I didn't think twice about sparing Chief Günther when I blasted him with that volley of Ice Shard. After all, it's what I've always done when I fought back in the north. Frankly, it seemed to be just about the only thing that was right to do, as opposed to brutally slaughtering them with my own paws.

Unfortunately for me, Clay doesn't seem to see the humanity in my actions like I did.

"What? See, that's just messed up. Honestly Kit, killing him outright would'a been a damn slight more merciful than what you did to him."

I do admit, I may have gotten slightly overboard back then. Even so, I did manage to avoid hitting his vital organs.

"At least he's not coming after us."

"No, but the whole town is."

I nodded, fully aware of the current situation at hand. Given what Chief Günther had done with his comms device before I had destroyed it, it was only natural that the entire town would be on high alert.

Although, I'm sure I'd be forgiven for not expecting the empire to go so far as to send every soldier and law enforcer stationed at Winteroot after us.

Up ahead of us, a handful of Pokémon wander into our alleyway. As the four of them looked about, their anxious faces gave way to open eyed shock as they spot Clay and I rushing towards them at breakneck speed.

Or, rather, they only manage to spot Clay. Maybe it's because of Clay's brighter colours, or perhaps it's because they couldn't see me through the murky darkness of the alleyway. But whatever reason it may be, it appears that they have yet to notice my presence. Building off from a given opportunity, I slipped in behind Clay, intent on maintaining my own element of surprise. I suppose that, at times like this, it does help to have a rather small stature.

A Sentret, presumably the leader of their little party, finally manages to tear himself from his surprised stupor. Rearing up on his tail, he frantically points at Clay, shouting from the top of his voice as he did so.

"There he is! Get him!"

The other three, snapping back to reality upon the cries of their leader, take up combat positions as they get ready to intercept us. To the untrained and inexperienced, the spectacle would have looked startlingly formidable.

Except, the truth is, even I can tell that they're anything but.

You see, the problem with sending everything against us is that not every able-bodied combatant is a competent fighter. Even at a glance, I can see their legs trembling beneath them, their lack of experience showing as cold sweat drips from their brow.

One look is all that Clay and I need to see that the members of this search party are nothing more than cannon fodder.

Clay groans, maintaining his pace as he charges towards them. "Goddammit. Flamethrower!"

With barely any effort, Clay lets loose a jet of billowing fire from his mouth, the tendril-like flames engulfing the Sentret in a matter of seconds.

"Ugg! Arrrghh!"

Despite the lazy execution, the Sentret screamed, his body writhing in agony as he drowned within the blaze. With one final howl of pain, he slumps to the ground, his eyes rolling up into the back of his skull as his body lay blackened and burnt on the streets.

"Wesson! No! Fuck, he got Wesson!"

Despite having gone pale from witnessing the fall of their comrade, the other three spring into action, splitting apart as they move to surround Clay.

"Take him down! Be careful, he's strong!"

Taking the reins of leadership as he charged from the centremost position, a Skorupi cried out to his flanking teammates, snapping his claws menacingly as he led their advance towards Clay. I have to say, I must commend him for his bravery. Not everyone is capable of effectively taking control of a sudden situation like he has.

Unfortunately for him, Clay's gotten close enough that I can now safely launch a surprise attack. Sliding out from Clay's slipstream, I set my eyes dead on the Buizel to the right.

"What the- a Glaceon?"

"Quick attack."

In the blink of an eye I was upon her, my body but a spectre-like blur. Catching a glimpse of her startled and confused stare, I tucked into a forward roll, smashing my tail atop her head and slamming her chin into the ground.

"Nghh…!"

With hardly enough time to react, the Buizel managed only to let out a defeated grunt before passing out on the floor, her consciousness snuffed out in an instant.

Seeing this, the Skorupi skidded to a halt, his attention turned towards me as he stared with desperate anger burning in his eyes.

"Fuck! Andrea! You bitch, I'll-"

"Shadow Ball."

But I never gave him a chance to retaliate. Landing cleanly onto my four paws, I immediately transitioned into my next attack, taking stance as I unleashed an orb of pure dark energy. The Skorupi, seeing my Shadow Ball hurtling towards him, leaped to his side, making an attempt to dive out of the way. But his inexperience leading him astray, his body moved a fraction too slow, the orb exploding in a cloud of thick, purple smoke as it made contact with his feet.

"Ueegh… Wrraaaaaghhh!"

Screaming in frosty pain as sinister energy consumed him from within the smoke, the Skorupi's unconscious body dropped onto the floor, rolling across the alleyway before coming to an unceremonious halt. I feel slightly sorry for him, given his admirable performance. But as things are right now, I can't afford to offer him any more sympathy than that.

Having dealt with my half, I turned to face Clay, managing to catch a glimpse of him finishing off the last member of the search party, a Seedot, with similar ease. Watching the Acorn Pokémon's charred husk fall to the floor, he turns towards me, giving me a solemn nod before resuming his run down the alleyway. Without a word, I promptly followed suit.

"Good work, Kit."

Despite his words of encouragement, I let out a sigh in response. "I can't keep doing this; I'm running low. This is the twentieth takedown I've made so far."

Even facing weak opponents is physically taxing if there's enough of them. The concept of a one-Pokémon-army may seem impressive and viable through the grainy film of a cinema theatre, but the truth is that such a tactic is almost certainly a recipe for disaster. After all, there was only so much that one could do on their own. Only a fool would argue that such a strategy was sane, let alone viable.

Clay grimaced upon my words. Going by how stingy he's been with his attacks during our most recent skirmishes, it looks like he's starting to run out of power for them as well; the flair in his attacks that he had so proudly displayed earlier in the night having been completely replaced with brutal efficiency. "Just bear with me a little longer. There's gotta be a way out of here, I'm sure of it."

I nod. At a time like this, what else could I do but to follow his lead? I'm a stranger wandering through an unfamiliar town that's masquerading as one that I remember from long ago. Though the streets look familiar, the fact is that I'm utterly lost. There's nothing else for me to do but to have faith in my escort.

But such faith is easily shattered, especially when I had little to offer in the first place.

As we run through the darkness, Clay starts to slow down, the muffled rumble of a bustling crowd growing clearer as we approached a distant light at the end of the alley. Stopping just shy of the light, we peered out from the shadows, laying eyes upon the great expanse of the town plaza. The once serene and peaceful open space now appeared intimidatingly vast, the plaza filled to the brim with Imperial soldiers of all shapes and sizes, all frantically scurrying about as they coordinated the town-wide search. The sound of their furious footsteps and their impatient shouts echoing through the open air made my stomach churn, the hectic sight before me making my head spin with nauseous unease.

I turned to Clay, giving him a cold and disapproving stare. In his attempt to bring us both to safety, he had led me straight to the heart of the enemy. "Was this your master plan?"

Clay's frown deepened upon my question, a grim look spreading across his face. His body tenses noticeably at the sight before us, the shape of his toned, muscular form bristling from beneath his fur. From the looks of it, even he wasn't expecting the plaza to be as busy as it is. "Honestly? Yeah. I thought if we were quick enough, we could just brute force our way through the main gate."

Turning my gaze back to the scene before us, I surveyed the main entrance located on the other side of the bustling plaza. The massive iron gate that we had come through just hours ago was now sealed shut, blocking our line of sight from the dusty trail that led to our escape. Not that it would have mattered, because the sheer number of Pokémon guarding the entrance would no doubt stop us before we got anywhere close to the gate itself. Even at a glance, it was clear to see that trying to force our way through all that was nothing short of suicidal.

I sighed at the hopeless idiocy of Clay's plan. "And you thought this would work because…?"

"Hey, I've done it before." He simply shrugs in reply, his eyes glued to the gate as well. "Worked last time."

His simple-minded answer forces a disappointed glare from me. "You're unbelievable… You haven't gotten any smarter, have you?"

"I'm still smart enough to get hired by the Bureau, y'know."

"That's what astounds me."

"All right then, Little Miss Stratospheric IQ." Finally pulling his eyes away, Clay retreated deeper into the alleyway shadows, pulling me back with him. "Why don't you share some of your bright ideas, then?"

I sat down on the floor, my eyes still scanning the plaza ahead as I tried to formulate a plan. I hate to admit it, but now that I think about it, Clay's idea could have worked had we been a little faster to arrive. Were this place still unsuspecting of the damage we had dealt, it could have been possible for us to sneak out of the town without drawing much, if any, attention to ourselves. But Chief Günther's early warning had all but destroyed the possibility of that ever happening, and the countless encounters we've had with all those search parties certainly didn't help matters either. No, this mad dash to the main gate was futile from the moment it had begun, and we're now left with the aftermath of having realised that too late.

With things as they are now, I can only come up with two options left for us to try: either scale the wall and climb over it or dig underneath it and tunnel our way out of town. But giving either of those options any degree of thought revealed just how absurd and hopeless those plans were. Even if I ignored just how desperate and utterly preposterous those plans were, the fact was that neither of us have the body to perform them in the first place, at least not to the extent that we would need to make a proper escape. I might as well just suggest that the both of us grow a pair of wings and fly out of here; it wouldn't be any less feasible than the other two plans I had managed to come up with.

Fortunately for me, it's at this point that I suddenly remember something that Tori had told me prior to this mission.

"Don't we have a… What do you call them?"

Clay blinks, slowly catching on to what I'm trying to recall.

"…What, an Operator?"

I nod. We're finally on the same wavelength.

"Yeah. Ask them."

Clay groans, evidently not too thrilled by the idea. But with little other choice given our current circumstances, he capitulates, his ego taking visible damage as he accepts my proposal to ask for help. "Urgh… Alright, you win. Might as well now that we're out of options. Let's see if Command has any ideas."

Dropping his bag, Clay pulled out our earpieces, quickly attaching it to his ear before helping me with my own. I recall hearing from our briefing that the comms devices we were supplied with weren't discrete enough to permit continuous usage of them. It seemed absurd, since not equipping them meant that we had no way of communicating with the rest of the Bureau, but now that I'm seeing them on Clay's ear, I can see why. We would have no doubt been identified as spies the moment we entered Winteroot had we had these on our ears.

"…It's huge." I can't help but remark.

Clay smirks. "I didn't know you cared so much about size."

It takes me a moment to realise what he means, but as soon as I do, a terrible blush rises from my cheeks. I can feel my whole face burning as Clay chuckles at me.

"C-Clay! T-That's not true! No, wait, that's not what I meant by that!"

Despite my wild stammering and stuttering, Clay simply laughs in reply, placing his paw over my mouth again to render me silent.

"I know, I know. I'm just kidding." Taking his paw away once I had settled down, he smiles, a nostalgic grin spreading across his face. "It's good to see that side of you again, Kit."

I groaned, calming down as I caught myself in my own outburst. I suspected as much, but having grown older hasn't changed my feelings with regards to him playing me like that. Even so, this is the first time that the tension between us has eased up, regardless of how slight. Even Clay seems to have gotten into a better mood, the frustrations of having to call his headquarters having vanished from his expression. It's because of this that I'm willing to overlook his poor humour and let it slide.

"Agent Clay to Operator."

With a clear, albeit hushed voice, Clay called out into his earpiece, placing his paw against the device as he did so. In a matter of seconds, a reply came back, the audio fuzzy and full of noise. Even so, muffled as it may be, the gentle and elegant voice that responded to Clay's call sounded distinctly familiar.

"Operator here. What's going on, Clay? It sounds dreadful over there!"

"Hey, Maya." With two words, Clay all but confirms my suspicions; it's the same Espeon that supervised Hackett and Tori's mission from a few days earlier. "So, hey. Tell me, you want me to break the good news or bad news first?"

Maya's sigh rings through the earpiece. Judging by her reaction, this isn't the first time Clay's mission has gone awry. "Oh dear. What have you done this time, Clay?"

"Hey, hey. C'mon, you say that like I always get into shit like this."

Maya giggles in reply. I hadn't noticed it before, but her voice has a surprisingly heavy Galarian accent. Even through the static of our terrible connection, she sounds exquisitely sophisticated. "Well, your record is certainly more colourful than the average agent. Why don't you start me off easy and tell me the good news first?"

"Good news? Sure. Kit's managed to get the data. We've got everything with us."

Our earpieces ring with the cheer of the Espeon on the other end. There's something about the way she speaks that has a startling ability to put my mind at ease. It's quite comforting, actually. "Oh, fantastic! Well done to the both of you!"

"Bad news is that we've been compromised. The whole town's lit up like it's Christmas."

With Clay's last transmission, the ambience of the conversation shifts gears entirely, the sound of Maya's celebrations replaced completely and abruptly by the sound of furious, frenzied typing.

"I suppose I should have expected as much, given by the terrible racket I'm hearing. Understood. Can you make it back to bravo point?"

Clay paused, taking another glance out into the bustling plaza before giving his bitter reply.

"I wish. I wouldn't be asking for your help if it were that easy."

"How bad is the situation, dear?"

"They've found me out. They're after me, but going by what they're calling me, they haven't figured out who I really am yet. The D.I should still have time to wipe or alter my records on the Imperial databanks, but I'd rather they do that sooner rather than later. Y'know, don't want them knowing more than they already do and all that."

I don't really understand what Clay's referring to, but it seems that Maya has no problems understanding his request. With the sound of furiously quick typing echoing through our comms devices, Maya gave us a reply with professional speed and swiftness.

"…Understood, dear. The D.I's been notified, I'm sure they'll get to it with time to spare. What about Kiteki? Has she been compromised as well?"

"Not yet. They don't know that Kit's in on this as well, but if they spot her with me, she's gonna get wound up in all this as well."

Judging by the sound of things, Maya's begun typing again at a blazing pace. "Understood. Clay, remember that your objective is to protect her under any cost. If she's spotted, do whatever you can to distance her from you. Be extreme if you must."

Clay gives me an apologetic glance before making his slow reply.

"…Gotcha."

I stared back at him coolly. If I'm appearing more annoyed than usual, it's because I meant to.

"Protect at any cost, hm?"

My escort could only chuckle nervously in reply. He opens his mouth as if to say something to me, but he's cut off by an unknowing Maya, who continues on with her assessment of our situation.

"Of course, we'd want to avoid a situation like that happening in the first place. Wouldn't we, Clay?"

Clay hesitates, before returning his attention back to our Operator. I can't blame him. Now really isn't the time to argue over this; I can talk with him once we make it out of here in one piece. "You, uhh… You're right. We need a way out, and fast. They've got search craft buzzing the area; I don't think we'll be able to stay hidden for much longer."

"Search craft? In Fiore?" Despite her calm and collected reply, there's noticeable confusion in Maya's voice. The fact that she's shocked by the new information drains me of my confidence; I doubt it's a good sign when your supervisor is completely taken aback by a new revelation.

"Yeah. Must have moved them over when the D.I weren't looking." Clay glanced up, seeing the streak of a searchlight scan the rooftops right above us. We waited in utter silence, holding our breaths, choosing only to speak once the threat had passed us by. "Look, we're not going to be able to get back to the sub. You have any ideas on how to get out of here?"

There was a lengthy silence that followed Clay's question.

"…I might have just the thing, actually. I'll see what I can do."

I most definitely wasn't expecting that answer.

From the looks of it, Clay wasn't either.

"And that would be?"

"Fufufu… You'll see~" But all we got in reply was a cryptic giggle. Without giving us much of a clue, Maya continued on with her enigmatic plan. "For now, turn on your location tracker."

Clay promptly rummaged through his pack, pulling out our data tablet before hurriedly navigating through the device's options. With a tap of its screen, he returned his attention back to his earpiece.

"It's on. What now?"

"Now? Let's see here… I'm going to have to ask you both to head to the town plaza."

My jaw drops open upon hearing the Espeon's orders. In a fit, I spoke up, having all but forgotten my lack of desire to talk to strangers in the face of the preposterous plan.

"No, no, no. That's just asking us to get caught."

Clay grins wryly. "Nice of you to finally join the conversation, Kit."

I ignored him, holding my earpiece to make sure that my voice was properly picked up by the device. "The plaza's packed, we won't last ten seconds once we get in there! You'd understand if you could see it for yourself!"

"Yes, I'm fully aware of that, Kiteki." But the reply I get is as confident as ever, with not a hint of hesitation or doubt in her voice. "I'm not asking you to fight them, dear. All I ask is that, once the both of you get there, you… How should I put it…? I need you both to act your part."

"Act our part?"

"That's right, dear. To… Go with the flow, if you will. I promise that everything will work out."

I shake my head, despite knowing that there was no way for Maya to see it. I had thought that the plan Clay had come up with was idiotic at best, but this was utter suicide. There was no way, not a chance in the world, that I could accept such a preposterous plan when I'm confronted by the sight before me.

But before I could voice my opinions, Clay speaks up.

"…Sure thing, Maya."

I stopped, staring at him in disbelief. The look he gives me back all but proves that he's not sure with the plan either, but he's nevertheless chosen on behalf of the both of us to go through with it anyhow. I can feel my stomach churning. This is beyond idiotic. This is lunacy. This is tantamount to clinical madness.

"Can you give us any more information than that?" Clay continues despite the look I'm giving him, his voice dry as he fished for more information. "That's not a lot for us to work off of."

"Of course. Make sure that you both stay within the plaza unless you're absolutely certain you can make an escape. My plan can't help you once you leave the plaza, so once you make it out, it's up to you to get back to the sub on your own."

Clay paused, trying to discern the true intentions of Maya's absurd plan.

"…Got it. Anything else?"

"Expect assistance to arrive in six hundred seconds."

Clay and I paused to take a look at the mangled clocktower up ahead. It's grotesque form indicated a time of twelve minutes to one.

"…That's still not a lot of info, y'know."

I nod in agreement of Clay's remark. It's beyond troubling that we're being given such little information for what we're about to do.

"I'm afraid I can't say more than that without risking the plan." But Maya simply responds coolly, a mature and professional confidence in her reply. "It's beneficial that Kiteki knows as little as possible."

I blinked.

'What does that even mean?'

"…Alright then." But Clay seems to have gotten her message, even if his understanding is vague at best. He takes one more look out into the plaza before making his final response. "We'll establish contact once we make it out."

"Wonderful. Stay fearless, Operative Clay. Operator out."

"Stay fearless. Out."

And just like that, we had agreed to this suicidal plan. Hearing our connection with the Bureau headquarters cut out, Clay pulled his earpiece out, motioning for me to do the same. When my body refused to comply, he sighed, reaching over as he removed the comms device from my ear, before tossing the both of them into his pack.

"Well, you heard her," he said flatly. "Let's get a move on."

Finally tearing myself from my shock, I shook my head in frantic disbelief. "Clay, this is ridiculous. We're going to get arrested the moment we step out."

"I know." He nods, a wry smile creeping across his face. "I've got a feeling that that's what Maya wants us to do."

I shook my head. I can feel my body growing weak, my mind going faint.

"This… This is a terrible plan."

"Let's be honest, Kit. It was all a terrible plan, right from the start."

"You're saying that as if you're proud of it."

"Hey, at least we're not dead."

"Not yet."

Clay sighs, securing his pack onto his back. His body language tells me that he's ready to go. I'm honestly quite envious of how well he's handling our assigned task.

"Look, Kit, it was your idea to contact our Operator."

"Yes, but I wouldn't have if I knew the plan she'd come up with was this absurd."

"C'mon, I'm sure everything will work out just fine!"

I stare at him, appalled. Maybe it isn't envy that I'm feeling, but pity for his idiocy. I'm pretty sure that his nonchalant act was just an attempt to calm me down, but there's still a part of me that believes him to be clinically ill for uttering such ludicrous words from his mouth.

"Seriously? You're insane if you think I can trust you with this."

"If you can't put your faith on me, then put it on Maya." He groans, noticeably frustrated and desperate from his lack of success in persuading me. Even so, I can tell that the things he's saying are far from lies; he isn't making things up just to convince me with empty words. "She's never failed her assigned team before."

I sighed. It really isn't my intention to be as difficult as I'm being, but it's not so easy to comply when faced with something like this. "…Easier said than done."

"Please, Kit!" Out of options, Clay pleads with me. I don't think I've ever seen him look so desperate as he does now. "Just this once, please. You can blame me all you want if things go wrong."

I stomped the ground with my paws, my own frustrations finally getting to me. I hate this plan, and had I the option to choose, I would have picked any other option in a heartbeat. But as things are now, I don't have the liberty to choose. It's a stupid plan, but that doesn't change the fact that it's our only plan. And, though I hate to admit it, standing around here doing nothing isn't much better. If we're going to get caught either way, we might as well get caught trying to make our escape.

I bit my lip, supressing the urge to shout. Though my head is screaming at me to not do it, I don't have a choice. I don't have the time.

"…I swear to God, Clay. I'll haunt you for the rest of your life if I end up dead."

Clay smiles, his grin both apologetic and relieved in light of my resigned grumbling. It seems that the madness of what he's asking of me isn't lost on him.

"…Thanks Kit. Thanks so much."

I groan. I'm still not entirely on board with this plan, but now that I've given my word, I can't bring myself to back down.

An apprehensive sigh slipping from my tongue, I nervously glanced out into the open plaza. The excessive amounts of mining that had taken place had turned it into an unfamiliar land, but with the glare of searchlights and the bustle of foreign soldiers, the once familiar landscape seemed utterly alien. Just staring out at it is filling me with an unwavering sense of dread.

"So, what do we do when we get there? Bust in and say hello?"

I grumbled out a sarcastic question, expecting him to take it in as a joke. After all, in my mind, it seemed so preposterous a plan that it felt silly to even give it a moment of consideration.

"…Hey, that's not a bad plan."

I blinked, taken aback. For a second, I wonder if I had heard him properly, if at all.

"Clay, I'm being serious."

"So am I."

I stare at him, dumbfounded. From the gleam in his eye, I can tell that he's concocting something ridiculous in that wild mind of his. If the years I've spent with him has taught me anything, it's that any crazy idea that Clay stirs up is never a good one. The nerves in my body are screaming at me to abort…

…But maybe a little crazy is just what we need.

"…I've got an idea. You'll pick up on it quick enough; just follow my lead."

Taking my paw in his, he starts to pull me out into the open, his grip firm and tight. I just about manage to supress the urge to cry out as we began to move, biting my lip as I forced myself not to resist his pull. Even so, my body feels heavy, a tremendous weight pushing down on me as we reached closer and closer to the open air.

I don't like this. It's all progressing a little too fast, and the sheer lack of instruction for what I'm about to do isn't helping matters at all. Even as we step out into the light, I can feel my legs going weak from stage fright, the eyes of Imperial soldiers staring at us giving me the Butterfrees like something crazy.

But I can't postpone the inevitable any longer. I don't have a choice.

"There he is!"

From the crowd ahead, someone finally shouts out what everyone's already realised. There's a thousand pair of eyes staring straight at us, the motives behind their relentless gazes both plainly obvious yet disconcertingly ambiguous.

"Shit, he's got someone with him!"

Then those eyes turn to me. It's enough to make me freeze up. Even I can't help but start trembling on the spot.

Thankfully for me, Clay stops alongside me. Giving me a quick glance, he violently takes me into a headlock grapple, wrapping his front two paws around my neck as he pulls me to his side. In my jittery state of panic, I'm helpless to resist, crying out in startled alarm at his sudden act.

"Stay the fuck back! Take one step closer and I swear I'll burn this fuckin' Glaceon alive!"

As Clay bellowed, shouting out to the crowd up ahead, I manage to ease my nerves just enough to assess the situation. Though acting has never been my forte, I conjured up a line from the pieces that had been scattered for me to pick up.

"…P-Please, help…! Oh God, please, someone help, I don't want to die…!"

I admit, I don't think that my delivery was convincing at all. Nor, for that matter, was it particularly loud or clear, but it appears that those closest to us from the crowd has heard what I've said. Given the state I'm in, I'm inclined to believe that that's about the most I could reasonably wish for.

Even Clay seems satisfied. Despite his hard glare, he whispers to me under his breath.

"Hey, you're not half bad at this, Kit."

"Shut up and keep acting!" I hissed back at him, trying my hardest to maintain the desperate look on my face as I whispered in reply.

But our hushed conversation came to an abrupt end. A tremendous voice, deafeningly loud and authoritative, rings through the air, interrupting not just the two of us, but everyone that was in the plaza. Turning my attention to the source, I can just about spot an Exploud, presumably a military officer of some sort, demanding for our attention as he calls to us from atop the town's border wall. Surprisingly though, despite the events that were playing out before him, his question wasn't directed at Clay.

It was directed at me.

"Glaceon. State your identity."

Shaking myself from the shock of being addressed to, I raked my brain, trying to remember what Clay and I had arrived here as. But as I opened my mouth to speak, I manage to catch myself, finally realizing the true intentions behind the Exploud's question.

In an ideal, no, ordinary situation, it would be only natural for the nation's powers to serve in the interests of its government, and in turn, its citizens. This shouldn't be any different for the Empire, who's Emperor has a vested interest in his subject's wellbeing and safety.

But Winteroot seems to be an exception.

Perhaps it's because of the sight of open mining sites littered around me, but I'm suddenly reminded of the miners that were buried alive right before my eyes, and how nobody bothered to lift a paw for those that were suffocating beneath the cold, dark dirt. I'm reminded of the dreary, lifeless eyes of the Pokémon that made the listless trek up the beaten path to the walled town. I'm reminded of the attitude the police officers here have to the locals that live here.

"We don't accept peasants. Go back to the excavation site like you were ordered."

No, these soldiers before me have no interest in protecting the citizens of this town, and the Exploud far above me is no exception. His interest doesn't lie in trying to figure out who I am, but in trying to figure out if I'm expendable. Behind that thin veneer of a question, what he's really meaning to ask is "Can I kill you without suffering repercussions?"

With this understanding, I treaded carefully with my words, fighting to find the answer that wouldn't get me, or Clay, killed in an instant.

"I… I'm C-Chief Günther's niece… P-Please, help… He, the F-Flareon… H-He attacked uncle Günther, and… and…"

I stammered, stumbling over my words, making them up as I spoke. The fact that it was risky to relate myself to the Chief in such a way wasn't entirely lost upon me. After all, it would be all too easy to get figured out if I established a connection as clear as I had. But no other options presented themselves to me, and I didn't have the time to fish for another one.

It doesn't help matters that speaking to a crowd has never been my strong suit, especially when it's improvised. Even as those words leave my mouth, I can't help but wonder if I had said them at all. I certainly can't hear them, though it's impossible for me to tell if it's because my voice has gotten so quiet, or if it's because my mind has simply blocked it out entirely.

Fortunately for me, stage fright is, at a glance, indistinguishable from unadulterated terror. Though my acting skills are undeniably terrible, it seems to be convincing the Imperial army, and more importantly, that Exploud, in all the right ways. As he contemplates to himself from up above, I can make out the hushed murmuring from the army before us, the soldiers turning to one another as they discussed quietly amongst themselves.

"Did Günther have a niece?"

"I didn't know she was visiting."

"I do recall him talking about an ice type a few days ago… Was it a Glaceon?"

"I don't wanna risk it… Just in case."

"Same."

If I wasn't so terrified, I'm sure that I would have let out a sly grin. It doesn't matter how terrible the excuse is if the one hearing it ends up believing it. After all, I only need this façade to last until help arrives. I could care less about what they end up thinking after I'm gone and out of sight.

"Flareon. Don't be rash. Let her go, she has nothing to do with this."

The Exploud finally begins to speak again, his voice bellowing from up above. By the looks of it, he's fallen for it as well. It wasn't my intent on doing so in the first place, but I've unintentionally given ourselves a surprising amount of leverage over the events that are about to take place. As long as they continue to believe that I'm someone as important as I had claimed to be, the power in negotiating was completely in our paws.

"Heh… Well, look what we've got here? Turns out it was a good idea to drag you all the way here with me after all." Clay's manages to pick up on the opportune situation as well. I have to admit, but he's disturbingly good at keeping up that act of his. "Alright then, you fuckers. If you want this sorry bitch back alive, then you're going to start doing as I say."

Even from the distance he's at, I can see the Exploud's face darken into a fierce scowl. Gesturing for his peers and fellow officers to come to his side, he grumbled about, the group having a silent conversation between each other. After a minute of deliberation, he finally turns back around, letting out an audibly deep and heavy sigh before speaking up again.

"All right then, Flareon. We're all ears. What do you want?"

Clay grinned wryly. He had the upper hand, and he knew it. It was now all a matter of how far he could push his luck.

"I want out. Out of this fucking town. And you're going to let me unless you want this girl's head burnt to a fucking crisp."

Upon hearing Clay's demands, the officers glanced about at each other, their faces heavy with anxious stress. It's plain to see that they hated the idea of capitulating to the Flareon, but none of them seemed particularly fond of facing the repercussions of being responsible for the death of the Chief's niece, either. With the passing of another tense moment, the Exploud grudgingly called out his order, having picked the less damning of the two options presented to him.

"Alright. Troops, stand back."

There was a wave of silent confusion that washed across the plaza. Though their military training managed to just about prevent them from squawking out in surprise, they nevertheless gave one another anxious and confused glances, wondering to themselves if they had heard right.

"Stand. Back."

The Exploud repeats himself, raising his already shockingly loud voice. Sensing the officer's anger start to boil, the sea of bodies promptly backed away, their movement swift as if having suddenly remembered that they were an organised force. His anger was understandable; no officer would permit their army to display such undisciplined behaviour.

Taking his cue, Clay slowly began to move into the plaza, holding me close to him as he did so. The Imperial soldiers followed suit, encircling us as we made our way deeper into the heart of the army. Nevertheless, they maintained their distance from us, taking a step back with each step forward we took.

"Good. Just like that." Clay barred his fangs at the Pokémon before us, his fur bristling as he intimidated the soldiers around us. "Not an inch closer."

The atmosphere around us was tense; a relentless standoff that had no violence but plenty of malicious intent, no climax yet no calming respite either. Just about the only face that wasn't grimacing in this show of unadulterated aggression was mine, a bystander in this war of dominance played with only the gleam in one's eye. And yet, as I suffocated under the weight of the air above me, it wasn't the sharp glares of Pokémon flying in our direction that made me grow ever more anxious.

I glanced up at the clock, the sound of its bells ringing in the hectic night sky, its mangled figure woken up early by the chaos of this particular night.

It was one in the morning.

"Clay, they're two minutes late." Frantic, yet desperate not to draw the attention of the Imperials around us, I quietly whispered into Clay's ear.

Clay whispers back, still wearing his ferocious scowl on his face. "I know."

"But-"

"It'll be alright." Despite his act, he manages to spare me a quick glance. Even the cold and hard glare he's giving off is comforting when it's directed at me. "Don't worry."

Hesitantly, I nod, my movements only slight so that no one other than Clay would notice it. Regardless of Clay's faith in our supposed rescue, the fact of the matter was that, until it arrived, there was nothing we could do but to keep up our act. Breaking the covers we had established for ourselves now would be catastrophic; a true one way ticket to getting caught. And if they then decide that we were guilty of being spies, which we most comfortably are, then I can only imagine the sort of grizzly outcome that awaited us. Spies were infamous for receiving the cruelest punishments upon getting caught, after all.

The best that I can do now is to keep up my act. No, it's the only thing that I can do now. And though our options are limited, as ideas go, this one isn't as bleak and hopeless as it first seemed. After all, didn't Maya say that the sub we came in on was still waiting for us at the coast? It's entirely possible that, with the events playing out the way they are, we might not even need the help that Maya had planned in store for us… Whatever it was. The only real roadblock we have left now is the giant iron gate up ahead, and as things are progressing right now, it would only be a matter of time before that too moves out of our way.

Of course, it would definitely be more work for us to try and get all the way there. No doubt it would be a lot more comfortable and convenient if someone would just, say, swoop in and whisk us away from where we were right now. But even so, I can't deny that, for the first time since I had come here, I can now finally see the light at the end of the tunnel. The plan we have certainly isn't perfect, but for the first time in a long time, I feel like my face would finally comply if I asked it to smile.

Unfortunately, it's here that my temporary change in attitude comes to a swift and abrupt end.

Right before me, right before my very eyes, was a dreadfully familiar face, their eyes staring back at me in horrified shock. I'm sure that, were I to look at myself through a mirror right now, I would be staring back with an expression no different to hers.

Just by a glance, it was easy to see that the owner of those eyes in front of me had meticulously prepared herself for the night. Her body had a tremendous sheen to it, her hide sparkling as if having been painstakingly cared for, just for this very moment. She had even gone so far as to decorate herself, adorning her ear with a single yellow lily for the sake of the supposed date that was never to be.

Except none of those were what made her stand out. Despite the great lengths she had gone through to make herself presentable, the only thing that Clay and I could pick up on was her terrible state, her eyes puffy and swollen red from hours of crying.

I can't believe my luck. Out of everyone we could have run into, it just had to be this Nidorina.

"…Shit."

As Clay broke the silence with a swear, a state of frenzied chaos descended upon us all at once.

"She's in with him!" The shock and sorrow rapidly morphing into seething rage, Adelaide screamed out to the plaza, pointing straight at us with frantic and furious desperation. "The Glaceon! She's with the Flareon! She's a fraud!"

Our façade having been broken in an instant, the Exploud bellowed with a cataclysmic roar.

"You sly motherf-… Get them! Get them both!"

The response was swift. In a flash, the breathing room that the Imperial Army had left for us vanished in an instant, a claustrophobic sea of bodies swarming towards us in a blink of an eye. Despite our desperate struggle to fend them off, it was only a matter of time before the inevitable happened.

"Fuck off, you- nghh…! Hey, get your claws off of me!"

Having been separated from my side, I can only hear Clay's voice calling out from within the mass of bodies. As trained as he may be, even he would find it impossible to fend off a group this large.

"Cuff that asshole. His whore as well."

Someone grabs me from behind, twisting my forelegs forcefully as they cuffed my front two paws together beneath me.

"Oww."

But voicing out my discomfort does nothing to ease their actions. Grabbing me by my hind legs, someone drags me away, tossing me out into a little clearing the Imperials had created in the middle of the plaza. I never manage to see who it was that had treated me so poorly; the only thing I can register as I tumble to the ground is the sight of Clay being tossed next to me in a similar fashion, a seething Nidorina trudging towards us as we regained our bearings.

"I can't believe you did this to me, Clay. I trusted you!"

Clay looked up from the ground, greeted with the face of a Nidorina simultaneously at the verge of breaking down in tears and exploding in a fit of anger. Despite the display, and the defenceless position he was rendered into, Clay replied with a sly, almost smug smile.

"No hard feelings, Adelaide. It was all part of the plan."

If Clay had more to say, then he never got the chance to say it. Bringing her claw up into the air, the Nidorina slapped him across the face, tears welling up in her eyes as she stared at him with dismay.

And then she turns to me.

"…And you."

If there was any hint of hurt or sadness left within her, they had all but disappeared the moment her eyes turned to me, leaving behind nothing but a pure and violent rage to simmer in the back of her mind. Slowly beginning to make her way towards me, she stared me down, a hateful fire flickering behind her crimson eyes.

"This is all your fault. None of this would have happened if you weren't with him."

I stare at her, dumbfounded by her accusations. I was already well acquainted with the fact that she held me in contempt; something she had made little effort to conceal from the moment we had first met at the security checkpoint by the border wall. But even so, regardless of how I looked at it, I just simply couldn't fathom how she had managed to convince herself that what she had just said was in any way true.

"…That doesn't make-"

Intending to ask her to clarify, I opened my mouth, but I instead found myself silenced before I could finish. Jumping up before me, Adelaide cut me off with a Double Kick, her feet striking me twice across the cheek in rapid succession.

Her attack was awfully clumsy. As a matter of fact, I've seen five-year-olds with better hand and feet coordination that she has. But, even so, even an attack like that can be painful when one has no physical means to defend themselves with, especially when it has a type advantage over me like hers did. As her blows connect, my head begins to spin wildly out of control; my mind swirling and my ears ringing from the concussion. Through the blunt and numbing pain, I can just about make out the searing sting of the cut on my cheek opening up again, the pain verified as I catch a brief and fuzzy glimpse of drops of crimson dripping to the dusty ground.

I feel faint. Clumsy as it may be, had I not braced myself for the hit, I'm sure that the critical blow would have knocked me out in an instant.

"…I hope you rot in prison."

I think Adelaide is speaking to me, but I can't really tell. I'm so discombobulated from the hit that I'm struggling to keep my focus on anything around me. It's all just a terrible blur.

Through the muddled haze, someone walks up towards me, their purple feet hard and heavy. It's only after he begins talking that I realise those feet belong to the Exploud that was standing atop the wall just moments earlier. The booming delivery of his words does nothing to ease the terrible maelstrom stirring in my head.

He glances down at us with a look of thinly veiled disgust. "By the Emperor's order, you are under arrest."

As he speaks, a black craft, a helicopter of some make, slowly descends down into the opening, kicking up a flurry of wind and dust as it does so. Amazingly, despite the deafening howl of the flying vehicle's engines and the vortex of wind it was creating, the officer's voice was as clear as day; a true testament of an Exploud's ability to make an ungodly racket.

"Make peace with yourself, for your sins will be judged by the Emperor's hand."

Touching down onto the ground, the craft opened its hatch to reveal a single Imperial soldier waiting to take us away. With my vision as blurry as it is, combined with the poor lighting that was illuminating the craft in front of me, it was impossible to figure out who or what the soldier was. Just about the only thing I can make out is the Imperial crest on the side of the craft, the Emperor's coat of arms painted with proud and vivid colours on its side.

Not that I had much time to take in the sight of the vehicle before me, because no sooner did its hatch open did someone come up from behind us, ready to throw us into the awaiting craft.

"Get in, punk."

My vision slowly returning to me, my eyes just about manage to pick up a Primeape, his steps full of swagger as he made his way over towards Clay, still lying prone in the dust. Hoisted back up onto his paws, Clay lets out a casual and relaxed chuckle, his body completely void of the hostility he had displayed just moments ago.

"Well, you got me. Your win."

"Shut your fucking mouth and get the fuck in."

Having hurriedly pushed Clay onto the chopper, the Primeape then promptly made a beeline for me. Without warning, he reached over, grabbing both my ears with clenched fists before giving them a terribly rough yank.

"Ngh…!"

But my cries fell on deaf ears. If anything, the Primeape seemed to revel in my suffering, a sadistic grin spreading across his lips as he continued to drag me through the coarse dirt. I'm sure that, had he pulled any harder, my ears would have torn off.

Curiously enough, Clay must have taken issue with the way I was being treated. Raising his voice, he called out to the Primeape, a hint of anger flaring up in his voice.

"Hey, hey, careful with the lady!"

"Silence. The bitch deserves it."

Of course, his outcry does nothing to stop all of this. With things as they are right now, we have no power to negotiate whatsoever. It's a miracle that they haven't chosen to execute us on the spot.

Having taken his time pulling me across the dirt, the Primeape finally brings me to the side of the imperial craft, my mouth full of rocks and debris. With hardly any effort, he tosses me unceremoniously onto the helicopter like a sack of garbage, leaving my clotted and dishevelled body for all to see; my fur caked with dirt and dust from the pathetic and humiliating display.

I feel miserable. I can feel the eyes of the soldiers around me; a feeling that makes my stomach churn like no other. I want to shrink away, to disappear into the evening air. Yet my body refuses to comply. Gripped by an almighty fear and dazed confusion, my body refused to move an inch, no matter how much I begged.

I think I'm going to be sick.

Nevertheless, my suffering goes unnoticed. Even the Primeape, though standing right besides me, fails to pick up on my nausea. Instead, done with his work, he grabs the hatch handle, ready to slam the door shut and send us on our way. But just as he's about to do so, he pauses, taking a moment to look at both me and Clay one more time, before finally calling for the attention of the sole soldier that was in the craft.

"Hey, you need a hand dealing with these two?"

Seeing that the other soldier did not reply immediately, I glanced over at him. It's only now that I notice that he's a Vaporeon.

"No, I'm fine."

The Vaporeon replied calmly, his voice soothing and clear. From the corner of my eye, I notice Clay's ears twitch upon hearing the Vaporeon speak.

Not that I gave it much thought, because my focus is placed solely on our captors' conversation.

"Fuck it, I'm coming with you."

Despite the Vaporeon's refusal for assistance, the Primeape barges in, kicking me aside as he boards the craft, slamming the door shut behind him. The Vaporeon, looking none too pleased about the Primeape, nevertheless capitulates, letting out a sigh as he gave a nonchalant shrug.

"…Suit yourself."

Making his way over towards the cockpit, the Vaporeon gestured for the pilot to take off. Within seconds, I can feel the craft lurch up into the air, its metal fuselage buzzing as it made its spirited departure from the town.

By now, my mind has finally recovered from the blow to my head, my train of thought returning to me as the clouded confusion slowly cleared up. But, while it was certainly refreshing to be able to think straight, I can't seem to find any comfort in my renewed ability to think.

Instead, my body starts to tremble.

Having been knocked into a state of half-consciousness, my brain was left in a state of blissful ignorance, unaware and unreceptive of the events that had just taken place. But now that the fog in my head had cleared up, I've started to realise what had just happened.

I've been caught.

And if that much is true, then I need no explanation as to what awaits me at the end of this flight.

I'm going to die.

"Oh… Oh God…"

The realization washing over me like a flood, I mumbled out in distress, staring at the floor with terrified shock coursing through my veins. But my eyes can't seem to focus on anything at all. Shuddering in their sockets, my eyes begin to fail me, my vision starting to blur again as my body seized up in fright. I can feel my energy rapidly draining from me, my will being sucked away.

My body feels heavy. Even the steel cufflinks around my forelegs feel unbearable, like an anchor pinning me to the floor, chaining me to my fate. I can feel my breathing go shallow and the blood drain from my face, my mind frantically processing the fact that my end was drawing near.

Clay, on the other hand, doesn't seem the slightest bit worried about the fact that we had failed to escape. On the contrary, I don't think I've ever seen him as relaxed as he is right now.

"It's alright, Kit. It's over. We're going to be fine."

He calls out to me, calm as a cucumber. Apart from the fact that he's raised his voice to be heard over the incessant drone of the helicopter's engines, nothing about the way he spoke appeared desperate nor urgent. No, his voice is as calm and relaxed as he's ever been, his body slouched against the cabin wall as if he had not a care in the world.

"Fine? Are… Are you out of your mind?" I cry out, appalled by his attitude. For a second, I wonder if he's resigned himself to his inevitable execution. "I… I never should have agreed to your stupid plan…"

"Shut your fuckin' mouth." But our conversation was short lived, the Primeape rendering the both of us quiet as he smacked Clay on the back of his head. "One more word and I swear I'll tear your throat out. The both of you."

He paused, glaring at me with cold, dead eyes as he stood above the downed Flareon. Watching Clay grunt in pain, I nervously drew my eyes back down to the ground, unable to stop my body from trembling. The cold and stoic front that I had spent years putting up had seemingly all but vanished in an instant.

Satisfied with silencing us, the Primeape finally settled down, taking his seat next to the Vaporeon, who had spent the whole time silently staring out the cockpit window.

"Man, you wouldn't believe the fuckin' racket these two caused."

"I know. I heard it on the comms."

Despite the Vaporeon's cold reply, the Primeape continued, his voice gleefully shrill.

"Lemme tell you, it's the death sentence for these two, no doubt. What I wanna know is how they're gonna be executed. Hanged? Beheaded? Oh, hey, you think there's a chance the Emperor will bring back death by boiling for these two?"

"I'm not sure."

"Fuckin' hell. Some fun you are."

It takes him a while, but the Primeape finally gave up on the conversation, though it seems that his silence was more a result of his own boredom than because he had picked up on the Vaporeon's lack of enthusiasm.

Amid this terrible display of social polarity, I notice Clay from the corner of my eyes, his body silently trembling as tears welled up in his eyes. For a moment, I worry if his injuries have finally caught up to him. After all, given the duel he had with the Chief, I wouldn't be at all surprised if he's broken a rib or two. No doubt the rush of adrenaline coursing through our veins as we made our hasty escape had masked his suffering until now. But my worries were misplaced, realising just seconds later that he was instead trying desperately not to laugh out loud at the awkward exchange between our two captors.

I stare at him. I just can't understand how he's able to be so calm and casual about what's happening to us. As a matter of fact, I seem to be the only one here that's taking any of this seriously.

Silently, I hailed for Clay's attention, giving him a hard and confused stare once he had his eyes on me. He must have realised what I was meaning to ask, because he responds by gesturing towards the Vaporeon with a simple nod.

"Take a good look, Kit. You'll get it soon enough."

I turned around, my eyes staring down the Bubble Jet Pokémon as Clay had instructed. But no matter how much I pried, I just couldn't find anything about him that would warrant Clay's jovial attitude. For all I could tell, he was just another Vaporeon, albeit one wearing a standard issue Imperial combat helmet.

'…Thanks, Clay. You could have told me more than that. I mean, it's not like there's something on his face or anything. You're just laughing at him as if he's some old friend of yours-'

I stopped. Before I even knew it, my ears had perked up as well.

"Hey, numbskull. You're going the wrong way."

The Primeape abruptly breaks the silence, standing up from his seat as he made his way towards the pilot. Leaning over the controls, he pointed at the overhead compass, tapping it aggressively as if to make a point. It's now that I realise that the craft was heading due south, the opposite direction to the Imperial capital.

"I know, mate."

The pilot, a Combusken, replies coolly. Like the Vaporeon, there's something about him that makes him seem oddly familiar, from those aviator sunglasses to that distinctly thick accent of his.

"Then turn this shit around! We gotta get back to our fatherland, man!"

Regardless, the Primeape isn't impressed. Even in the darkness of night, I can see the whites of his eyes turning red from boiling blood, the helicopter's instrumentation lights illuminating the quickly building rage that his species is so infamous for.

But the Combusken doesn't seem at all bothered by it.

"…Not quite."

"Whaddaya mean-"

Before he could finish, the Vaporeon swooped in behind him, swiping his tail across the Primeape's feet. In an instant, he had fallen to the floor with a thud, staring up at the ceiling with uninhibited confusion.

"Argh, fuck! Hey, what're you-"

"Double Edge."

Cutting the Primeape off, the Vaporeon slammed himself down onto the toppled Primeape in a single, fluid motion, tucking his head in as he directed his blow to the Primeape's throat. The whole craft shuddered from the force of the impact, the helicopter swaying in the air as a fine red mist sprayed from the Primeape's open mouth. His body going into shock, he squirmed and convulsed on the ground, reaching desperately for his throat as he began to suffocate from the blow.

This wasn't a fight. This was an assassination.

"Clay!"

"You got it."

Upon the Vaporeon's orders, Clay sprang into action. Despite still having his forelegs bound, he nonetheless manages to throw himself to the door, kicking the hatch open with his hind legs. Taking his cue, the Vaporeon dragged the thrashing Primeape to the side, his mouth starting to foam up as he frantically tried to come to grips with the quickly shifting situation.

But the wild struggle came to a swift and abrupt end. Without a word or even a second glance, the Vaporeon coldly kicked him off the craft, a look of unfeeling professionalism about him as he made his execution. The soldier never got a chance to come to grips with what had happened, his unspoken questions replaced with a blood-curdling scream as he fell from the craft and into the pitch-black forest.

Shuffling over towards the edge, I peered down into the inky darkness. Though the scene was devoid of light, I could make out the mangled silhouette of the Primeape's body skewered to the tops of the trees below.

I shuddered.

"I'm sorry you had to see that, Kiteki." The Vaporeon, seeing me by the door, gently pulls me back in, closing the door shut behind him. Wiping the spattering of blood off from his face, the cold and murderous aura he had possessed just seconds ago vanishes in an instant. "I hope you don't think poorly of me for doing so."

I'm dumbfounded.

I knew they seemed familiar, but I can't believe it's taken me this long to figure out who these Pokémon really are.

"…Lee? O' Four?"

The pilot, tossing his Imperial helmet off, turned back around, flashing me a cool smile as he threw a pair of hearing protection headphones at Clay. I have to admit, but the sight of his aviators is startlingly reassuring, even if it is ludicrous for him to wear them in the dead of night.

"That was a close one, eh mate?"

Clay brushes himself off before adjusting his newly acquired headset, his forelegs having been freed by Lee.

"Eh, I'd like to think that I had it under control."

"Flashy as always, Clay." Making his way over to me, Lee sighs, helping me put on a headset of my own before unshackling me from my cuffs. He's alarmingly fast at lockpicking, a feat even more astonishing once I realised that his attention was still placed on the Flareon behind him. "You're gonna get yourself killed one day."

"I'm sure I can talk my way out of it if the Grim Reaper himself came for me."

Clay grins, giving Lee a friendly nudge despite the disapproving look that he was getting from him. It makes sense now as to why Clay had been so calm once we had boarded the craft. So much so that it actually makes me feel rather silly for being so unperceptive.

Even so, there's still a lingering confusion within me. With everything having progressed so abruptly, I'm struggling to take it all in.

"O-Four, how did you manage to get an Imperial craft?"

"Oh, this beaut?" O' Four calls back to me from the cockpit, having returned his focus back to the task of flying the craft. I have to say, but it's considerably easier to hear him with this headset on, now that the invasive sound of the craft's engines were no longer ringing in my ears. "The Bureau's got three, all of 'em captured. One's being disassembled by the D.R, the other two are puttin' in the hard yakka on stuff like this. She ain't no Ravenhawk, but she ain't half bad either, eh?"

I tilt my head upon his response. It's not a bad answer, but I still had questions.

"…And you know how to fly this because…?"

"I guess it just comes to me naturally, like all flying types."

"But… You're not a flying type."

O' Four chuckles from his seat. "Don't question it, mate. Relax."

"Don't really care how you got it as long as it's getting us out of there." Clay grins, joining in our chat as he took up the Combusken's offer, his body slouching into his seat. By now, he had strapped himself in, readying himself for the slow night ahead. "Thanks for the save, O' Four. It's good to see you again."

O' Four grinned wryly, adjusting his bearings as he plotted a course on the craft's navigation system. "You owe me a cold one when we get back, Clay. And I ain't talkin' about that piss-in-a-mug they call beer at the cafeteria."

The both of them laughed, their friendly banter making even Lee crack a gentle and cheerful grin. There's a relaxed atmosphere that had taken over, one that was starkly different from what Clay and I were going through just minutes earlier. But this change is more than welcome. I can feel my body growing stiff and sore all over now that I'm here, which can only really mean one thing: we're safe enough now for my body to finally relax itself. With a sigh, I slowly sank into my seat, my legs giving way from underneath me. I guess that entire ordeal had left me more shaken than I had let myself to believe.

Not being the type to indulge in such celebrations, I instead reached over to my bag, pulling out the portable drive as I gave it a close look, being careful not to drop it. Relieved as I may be that the mission had finally drawn to a close, I still can't help but find it ridiculous how we had gone through so much trouble just for the sake of this tiny device. At a glance, it all seemed like so much effort for something so miniscule and inconsequential.

But a second thought reminds me of the mission briefing we had received prior to this entire event. Given what we had been told by the Bureau, I'm sure that there's something critically important here that was worth warranting all of this excessive risk. And if that was true, then I could only begin to speculate the sheer scope of things that were contained within it.

My grip on the little device tightens. 'Just what exactly were you doing behind my back, dad? What were you so desperate to hide from me?'

No… Perhaps hiding isn't quite right. After all, from the looks of things, dad must have intended for me to find it sooner or later. Why else would he have set the computer's password to something so specific? If this isn't all just a massive coincidence, then what else is in store for me? Part of me can't help but wonder if this is only the start of greater things to come.

I closed my eyes and let out a heavy sigh. From the inky void behind my eyelids, I spot a ghostly figure, giggling to herself in the distance.

Mum. It's only been a few days, and yet it already feels like it's been forever since I last saw her. And yet, even if what I'm seeing is just a figment of my imagination, the sight of her greeting me with open arms is enough to put me at ease. I can almost feel her warm embrace.

"You've made me the happiest Froslass in the world for the three years you've been here, dear. It's time you went on and did the same for everyone else."

Is this what you meant, mum? Is this what I was destined to do?

It seems like such a big task. Big enough that it makes me terrified at just the prospect of having to tackle it. Such a decision would have been impossible for me to make on my own; I don't have the strength nor willpower to take on such a grand endeavour, to go through this chaos day in and day out. Were it up to me alone, I would have never even considered a future quite like this.

But mum's never been wrong. She may have been coy and a little deceitful, but mum's always been wise; wiser than I'll ever be. I may still be too naïve to understand her reasoning, but if she truly believed that I was capable of being more than what I can imagine for myself, then I have no reason in the world to think otherwise. If mum believed in me, then I should too.

Thanks, mum. Thanks, dad.

You've given me strength.

"O' Four."

Hearing me speak up, the Combusken turns to look at me.

"What's up, Kiteki? Not feeling too good? This ride ain't got sick bags if you need them, but there is a bucket in the back if you need it."

I shook my head.

"Take us home."

O' Four practically jumps from his seat, his aviators sliding down his beak upon the shock of my request. For the first time since I had met him, I manage to catch a glimpse of his unobscured face, his eyes radiant like the setting sun as they stared back at me in horror.

"What, Winteroot? No way we can go back there after the two of you lit that place up like you did-"

"No, not Winteroot."

Lee gave me a curious glance, taking his helmet off as he settled into his seat.

"Kiteki, forgive me for asking, but isn't Winteroot your home?"

Replying with a heavy-hearted sigh, I turned my gaze out to the window. In the far-off distance, I can just about make out the blazing glow of Winteroot's searchlights, the town still in a state of uproar even after our departure. But the sparkling shimmer of the town was anything but welcoming, utterly void of the familiar, homely feel that I so fondly remembered.

No, this feels like being punched in the gut. Instead of greeting me with a warm and nostalgic glow, Winteroot had booted me to the curb and slammed the door in my face, sending me off with a heartless farewell. As it is now, I can hardly recognise the town that I had grown up in.

I don't belong there. None of us do. Not Clay, nor I, nor anyone else that formerly called it home. Not anymore, at least. So long as the Imps maintain their clawed grasp on the town, Winteroot will never greet us with open arms again. Not for Clay, and not for me.

If I am to relive those peaceful and serene days, to see my hometown as it had been in its tranquil past, then I need to fight for it with teeth and claw. Not until it is cleansed of its parasitic disease will Winteroot ever return to its distant former self.

The only way for that to happen is for the Federation to emerge victorious.

'…And I've just been given the perfect opportunity to help make it a reality.'

Having made up my mind, I turned to face the Vaporeon, solemnly shaking my head as an emboldened fire burned within my eyes.

"…Not anymore."