It was a crisp autumn morning in the Verde Kingdom. The streets of the kingdom capital were littered with the scattered autumn leaves of the Forbidden Forest, carried over by the winds. It was closing in on Winter with the turn of the year approaching a month away. With the end of the Wisdom Moon upon them, making way for the Winter Moon, the people of Verde had a lot to reflect on.
There was no direct word spoken of it, but there was an underlying unrest in the people's souls. Seven months have passed since the disappearance of Princess Penworth, and her loss was felt throughout the capital. The spirited young girl who only knew the capital as her home became a missing part of the citizens' daily lives. Though she never left beyond the walls, she knew her home well in their quaint, opulent capital.
The initial fuss of her disappearance has since died down, but it still remains a hot topic in closed off groups with occasional chatter found in the streets.
What is to come in time without a royal heir to the kingdom? How will the future of the Verde Kingdom cope as hope dripped more from their hearts?
Leaves crunched on the dirt road through the Forbidden Forest. A lone figure walked the quiet path, hobbling with a wooden staff. They carried a small knapsack over their shoulder, light in appearance. They gently swished their blue tail under the red cloak covering their body.
The figure lifted their head and smiled through their hood as the kingdom gate stared back at them.
"I've finally arrived," an aged voiced echoed from within the hood, belonging to a middle-aged woman. "The Verde Kingdom."
Roscoe spent many lonely days in his personal study, the only place that allowed him to retreat into his thoughts. Aside from the brief interruption by his ever loyal Noivern advisor, Ortwin, it was only him and his study. Just him, staring at his bookshelves filled with books he admittedly never read.
Roscoe didn't take to himself as an alcoholic as he had a royal image to uphold, especially for the sake of his kingdom during trying times. However, when the silence of his mind wasn't enough to quell his pain, it was a necessary alternative. He'd sit there, drunk out of his mind, in total silence while staring heatedly at his bookshelves.
He sank into his chair, holding his glass by the rim and mumbling under his breath. Seven months, and nothing. Seven months, and nothing on the situation with his daughter, his heir. By now, it has gone beyond a simple ransom. She has been gone for an unnaturally long time for it to be a mere ransom. He was starting to believe she was sold off to slavery, maybe even killed. Roscoe hated the Foresters, but were they truly so dastardly to do such horrible things?
He set the glass on his desk, leaned forward in his chair, and covered his face. "What the hell am I going to now?" He was alerted to a knock at the door. He groaned and turned his chair away from it. "Go away!"
The door creaked open, and Ortwin hobbled his way in. "Your Majesty, we—" He stopped and stared at the absurd number of bottles littered over the king's desk. "Have…you been drinking brandy? In the dark?"
"Want one?" Roscoe groaned, sinking into his chair.
"Uh, no." Ortwin hobbled to Roscoe's side. "Your Majesty, I hate seeing you like this. You're withering yourself away. When was the last time you bathed?"
"I have just been thinking," Roscoe grumbled. "How else am I going to maintain this kingdom without an heir?"
Ortwin sighed. "That's no excuse to be doing this to yourself. My king, you can barely stay awake. Just look at yourself. You're hardly dressed befitting a king. Imagine if the knights saw you like this."
"Meh." Roscoe reached around his chair for another brandy bottle, but Ortwin slapped his hands away. "Ow…"
"Forgive my forwardness, Your Majesty, but…get out of that seat this instant!" Ortwin bent down and tried to pick Roscoe up under the arms, but the wyvern received a horrible creak through his spine, forcing him onto his knee. "Oh, that one hurts…"
Roscoe blinked his eyes and regained some clarity before standing up and helping his advisor back to his feet. "Ease yourself, my friend." Roscoe sighed. "You should have retired ages ago."
Ortwin shook his head weakly. "I will continue my duty as the royal advisor even to my last breath, my king. Do not worry about me." He balanced himself against his cane and straightened up, giving a few firm whacks to his back. "Phew. I am fine."
Roscoe closed his eyes and sighed. "I…apologize you have to see me like this, Ortwin." He folded his arms behind his waist and paced around his study. "I have been beside myself trying to salvage the kingdom's future. Melissa's unfortunate disappearance has led to some unfortunate truths. Without a proper heir, we will not be able to maintain power as rulers of Verde. No doubt by now, word would have spread to the far reaches of Virdis that the kingdom is without an heir."
Ortwin massage the knot in his back before asking, "What are you suggesting?"
Roscoe stared solemnly at the floor. "The original plan was to merge Verde and Senbo together. The power of two royal families together. But now, I may have to take drastic measures and…give up the crown entirely."
Ortwin's eyes widened. "My king!"
"Absurd, yes, but what else can I do? My only other option would be to find another wife, but…I am not a true blood Penworth. It just would not be right. Plus, I cared too deeply about my late wife to replace her."
Ortwin hobbled up to Roscoe and placed a hand on his shoulder. "My king, my duty as the royal advisor is to guide you to the right direction. You must not disband the history of this kingdom so readily. There is always a way around."
"And how else would you suggest we salvage this?"
"While your principles are sound at heart, an heir is needed. I am sad to say finding dear Melissa by now is a lost cause. The Foresters have no desire to return her to us, if she is even still imprisoned by them. Fortunately, I have an alternative solution to our problems."
Roscoe raised his brow. "Oh?"
"It's not the traditional route, I admit, but it's our only option if you wish to stay faithful to our late queen. See, I've heard of the practices for royalty in the New Chariot Empire. Due to the…violent history of the empire, they've gone through quite a few emperors in a short span of time. So, the empire itself hasn't been overseen by a single family line, but multiple. I point this out because it wasn't uncommon for the emperor to…adopt a suitable heir."
Roscoe's eyes widened. "Adopt?"
Ortwin nodded. "I do not want to make it sound like we are replacing Melissa, but we're out of options. While the bounties for the Foresters and Harlow are still active, it seems recent rumors have dissuaded a number of bounty hunters from taking up the job. So, any chance we have of rescuing Melissa have since gone down."
Roscoe stumbled backward, holding his forehead. "Adopt an heir?" He closed his eyes and shook his head. "No, no, I cannot do that."
"I understand this is a hard decision for you. You must still ache for Melissa—"
"It is not that…well, yes, but partially." Roscoe sighed. "I just…I just don't think that is a good idea."
"Why?"
Roscoe closed his eyes. "It is…complicated. Very complicated."
"Your Majesty, we cannot rely forever on the fleeting hope Melissa will return. If we want the royal family to continue on, we need someone to represent the next generation."
"Ortwin, even if I agreed to this, I cannot just hand the title over to some kid. I know what the noble children here are like. That kind of power can go to their heads in one day. And I have no idea what would happen if I slapped that kind of luxury onto someone born in the slums. And I do not want to walk into the orphanage and have to deal with crying brats because one got chosen over them."
Ortwin sighed. "Then what would you suggest?"
Roscoe glared off to the side, then leaned forward on his desk. "What would Melissa suggest?"
"Hmm?"
Roscoe closed his eyes and mulled it over in his head, drumming his fingers on the hardwood surface. After a moment, he looked back at Ortwin. "If I were to consider this, I have one condition."
"Yes?"
"I need to pick the heir for myself. I need to know if they are suitable to run this kingdom."
"Of course, Your Majesty, that is an excellent—"
"I am not done," Roscoe interrupted before straightening up. "I have to do this of my own judgment. As such, I need to find someone worthy of being my heir. Someone with a good heart like my dear wife and daughter. Obviously, I cannot do this as the king, so…I will have to go in disguise."
Ortwin's eyes widened. "Your Majesty, you would be without protection!"
"You know as well as I that I am more than capable of defending myself, Ortwin." Roscoe crossed his arms. "But I need to figure this out on my own. Find someone worthy of taking the place of my heir, if there is any. Not to mention moldable," he muttered through his teeth.
"Hmm? I didn't catch that last bit."
"Nothing." Roscoe sighed. "I do not like it, but you are right. I need an heir, no matter what."
Ortwin sighed. "I trust your judgment, Your Majesty. I know you'll choose a worthy heir."
"Thank you." Roscoe closed his eyes and huffed before realizing something. "Oh, you came in here for a reason?"
Ortwin squinted, then gasped. "Oh, yes. Lady Luna is about to set off on her research trip. I came here to see if you have letter for King Visconti."
Roscoe knocked his bottles aside and picked up the scroll. "Right here." He stumbled to the door and let himself out.
"Your Majesty, you should rest."
"I am fine—" Roscoe caught his leg and faceplanted with the floor. "…Ugh, who put a floor in my way?!" Ortwin shielded his eyes and heaved a heavy sigh.
Luna finished attaching Jane's saddlebags. The Rapidash stomped her hooves in place and sighed. "Hurry up, Luna. I'm getting restless."
"We'll depart soon, my friend," Luna assured. "It'll be a long trip. We may be there for a while." She smirked. "Besides, I heard the Echo Bell capital has the finest fried hay."
Jane pouted. "Tempting me with food? You cruel woman." Luna snickered. Jane snorted a laugh, then stared down the street. "So, how likely are we going to find Sir Gerard?"
"At this point, it's not about finding him. It's about getting him to talk." Luna glared solemnly. "He's been gone for twenty years. He has to know something about the Great Ruins, and what's going on. This is far more than just finding the Foresters. There's something strange going on."
Jane glared. "And you still couldn't strongarm anything out of the Nidoking?"
"Nothing but vague riddles…and pestering me to read his manuscript. A lot." Luna shivered. "He's very pushy about it."
Jane laughed dryly. "Poor you." She sighed. "You're really getting yourself wrapped up in this mystery."
"Well, it has me curious."
Jane narrowed her eyes slightly. "Luna."
"Hmm?"
"I remember you taking offense to something that Torracat, Amon, said. About the 'heretics' of Virdis. I have to ask: are you still doing this because the king ordered you? Or is this a personal endeavor?"
Luna gripped Jane's reins tightly. She took a deep breath, then said, "I'm just doing my job."
"…" Jane flared her nostrils. "Alright." She scuffed her hooves lightly against the street as Luna did last minute checks of the saddlebags. Jane looked ahead, then squinted. "Hey Luna? Someone's approaching the castle."
"Hmm?" Luna tilted her head and spotted a hooded figure limply approaching the castle. "Must be someone in need." She kept one hand on her scabbard and met the hobbling figure halfway. "Excuse me!"
The figure stopped and lifted her head. She smiled wearily. "Oh my…"
Luna raised her hand. "Ma'am, I'm going to need you to stay where you are. Do you have business with the king?"
"This is the Verde castle," the figure awed, gazing up at the majestic structure. "Marvelous. Simply marvelous."
Jane trotted up to Luna's side, where the duo shared a look and a shrug. Luna continued with, "Ma'am? I asked you a question."
"Hmm?" The figure looked down and smiled apologetically. "Oh, I'm sorry, dear. I was just taken in by the castle." She pulled her hood back. The woman was an aged Inteleon with wrinkles developing in the face. She leaned against her staff. "No, I do not have business with the king. Actually, I'm a traveler."
"Oh? From where?"
The Inteleon sighed. "Far, far away. I came from the Umbra Clock Kingdom, away from that nasty war."
Jane's eyes widened. "All on your own? Damn!"
The old woman laughed hoarsely. "I'm just as surprised as you. I just couldn't handle that war. The stress was getting to me. And I don't have anyone to keep me company. My poor husband passed away some time ago, and my dear grandchildren are fighting in honor of our king. My support lies with King Foirbeis, but I feared for my life." The woman broke out into a coughing fit and fell forward.
Luna gasped and supported her with Vine Whip. "Careful!" She gently helped the old woman sit down. "You've clearly traveled a long way. Please rest."
The woman coughed into her fist, then smiled warmly. "You're a good child. Thank you—oh?" She gazed upon Luna's simple clothes adorned in lightweight armor. "Are you a soldier?"
Luna smiled. "I'm actually a knight."
"A knight! Oh, splendid!" The woman laughed out loud. "I thought only the Umbra Clock Kingdom was allowing women to become knights, but I'm surprised. Truly amazing."
Luna laughed lightly. "Don't gush too much. I'm the only one."
"One is better than none, dear." The woman folded her arm into her lap and sighed. "You are fortunate, child. Very fortunate. You have my support. You make this old, withered bag of bones very happy."
Luna blushed and hid her face. "Oh, stop, haha."
The woman gazed up at Jane and noticed the saddlebags. "Are you going somewhere?"
"Oh, that? Well, the reason is classified, but I'm—"
"Luna!" Luna jumped at the voice, then spun around into a kneel. Roscoe approached her, accompanied by Ortwin who kept one hand on the king's shoulder. "Are you…ugh, prepared for your trip?"
"Yes, Your Majesty, I am." Luna looked up, then recoiled at the unkempt state of the royal Lopunny. "Uh, pardon me, Your Majesty, but—"
"Don't ask," Ortwin insisted.
"Uh, okay."
Roscoe rolled his eyes, then pulled out the scroll. "Once you get to the capital, head straight to the castle. I have been informed the Viscontis will be attending a meeting with King Talbot, but they should be back by the time you reach Echo Bell. If not, they have arranged for your stay in the castle."
Luna took the scroll and bowed. "Thank you very much, Your Majesty."
Roscoe glanced at the aged Inteleon. "Who is this?"
"Oh, uh…" Luna slipped the scroll into Jane's saddlebag. "Sir, this woman is a refugee from the Umbra Clock Kingdom. She claims to have escaped due to the ongoing war in that region. She felt like her life was in danger."
Roscoe glared. "Is this true?"
Inteleon lifted herself with her staff and smiled. "Are you the famed king of the Verde Kingdom? I am humbled." She did her best to bow. "Please forgive this old vagabond for disgracing you with her presence."
Trust me, you're not doing any worst than His Majesty, Ortwin groaned.
"The sight of me must repel you, but I only seek accommodations to live. I was actually looking for someone that could help me, but I was drawn in by the sight of your castle. I apologize for disturbing you."
"You're from the Umbra Clock Kingdom?" Roscoe asked, wiping dried alcohol away from his mouth.
"Yes."
"Do you know anything on how the war is progressing?"
"Terrible. The New Chariot Empire is ruthless. I fear they've already seized control of some of our territory. They get closer each day. It's been terrible." She covered her face, shuddering. "It's like we're being dealt with terrible tragedies every other week."
Roscoe frowned. "I am…very sorry. Is there anything I can do for you?"
"I would want nothing more than somewhere to rest. Is there a nice tavern I could take residence in. I would appreciate it."
Roscoe glared. "A mere tavern?"
"Yes. Much better than sleeping out in the cold, yes?"
Roscoe closed his eyes and sighed. "Ma'am, I cannot allow you to do that. You have clearly been through a lot since leaving home." He extended his hand to her. "Please, allow me to help you personally."
Her eyes widened. "Oh, no. I could never…" She gripped her staff and bowed her head. "To lower yourself for a lowly vagabond such as me. It's unheard of."
Roscoe shook his head. "No, no, I insist. Besides, I would appreciate your knowledge on the ongoing war. We want to do our best to avoid it." He took her hand. "Allow me to take you into the castle. In exchange, once you are rested, I will provide you work here. You will find our accommodations befitting for someone of your age."
"Oh? Really?" The Inteleon covered her face. "Oh, I am not worthy. Thank you, King Penworth. Thank you." She bent her knees and bowed to Roscoe. "Thank you so much."
"Please stand." Roscoe pulled her up. "I will have Ortwin escort you inside. May I ask for your name, miss?"
The Inteleon smiled kindly. "Ydalyn. I am Ydalyn."
"What a beautiful name." Roscoe gestured her to Ortwin. "Ortwin, please take her inside. Have Gustavo fix her up a hearty meal."
Ortwin nodded. "Of course, Your Majesty." He gently took Ydalyn's hand and helped her into the castle. "Watch your step."
"Oh, thank you very much. Thank you, thank you, thank you…" she kept on repeating until she was out of earshot with Roscoe, Luna, and Jane.
Roscoe sighed and crossed his arms. "That damned war. If we can get any useful information out of her, we can use it to guarantee absolute avoidance."
"Agreed," Luna mumbled. She used her vines to lift herself onto Jane's back and took hold of the reins. "Anything else to know, sir?"
Roscoe sighed. "Just do not draw attention to yourself. If you can find anything on the Foresters, get it by any means."
Jane glared. "Huh?"
Luna sighed. "Yes, sir." She whipped the reins. "Jane, let's go!" Jane broke into a speedy gallop away from the castle with Roscoe waving them off.
Jane soared through the streets, darting straight through toward the main gate. The gate was opened for their arrival, allowing them to pass through without stop. They galloped through the orange and brown domain of the Forbidden Forest with the sound of leaves rustling through the wind and crunching underneath Jane's powerful hooves.
"Luna," Jane spoke up between breaths. "You did tell the king…why you're really going. Right?" Luna narrowed her eyes, gripping the reins tighter. "Luna!"
Luna sighed. "I don't want to make assumptions, but why would such an important moment in our history be erased from the royal archives? I don't want the king knowing what this mission is really for, not yet. I need to find Sir Gerard and get answers for myself. If it's nothing, it's nothing."
Jane sighed. "Luna, I swear…"
"We'll be fine. We'll have the Visconti family backing us up. I don't want to excuse the king of tampering with the archives. I just…I need to know what happened. If anything happened."
Jane narrowed her eyes, then focused on the road ahead. "I've never been steered wrong by your judgment before. If you're sure, I'll go wherever you guide me."
Luna closed her eyes and sighed. "I hope I'm sure. I hope so." I don't want another tragedy to befall the kingdom. We already lost a princess.
"Aaaaa…CHOO!" Melissa jumped, then rubbed her nose. "Ugh. I do not remember having allergies."
"Welcome to my world," the sickly Morgrem, Klaus, muttered beside her. He lay in the grass, crumbling leaves in his hand.
Melissa ruffled out the wrinkles in her new uniform for the season: an autumn-themed camouflage jacket. With the temperature cooling, the jackets provided plenty of warmth, though not totally necessary for her since she was also starting to shed her fur for her winter coat. Even so, she thought the jackets were super pretty.
Three months have gone by since the invasion on the Algus village. A lot has been going on since then. The higher ups were having routine meetings every other day regarding their next plan of attack. So far, though, there hasn't been any direct interference from Last Autumn as far as she knew. She wasn't allowed to participate in the meetings, of course, but the higher ups were being a bit more generous sharing information nowadays since now everyone was involved.
Aside from that, Melissa has been progressing in her secondary training, as well as her friends. After she recovered from her injuries, she showed gradual improvement with a blooming confidence. She truly felt like she was getting stronger, which made her happy.
Her work alongside Shade has also helped to produced better medicine for the medical hut, all thanks to JoJo's seeds. Any lingering ailments Foresters had were being treated faster and with better results. It was a mark of growth for their limited resources.
Most of all, Melissa had been keeping tabs on how the Verde Kingdom was doing, and it soured her mood each time something new came up. The people were apparently getting restless with her absence, rumoring the fall of the Penworth legacy. It made Melissa guilty that she wasn't there to ease the burden of her people, and she often thought of returning and forgetting about her dream. However, she had gone too deep to turn back. Though it pained her, she couldn't make the struggles she endured for nothing.
All in all, Melissa's journey was far from over.
"Hey! If you two have time for lounging, you've got time to work!"
Melissa gasped and sprung back to her feet. "S-Sorry!
Klaus sat up and groaned. "Why did I agree to this?"
They turned their attention to the rounded hill they sat against. Positioned at the top, and built facing away from the main road to the forest, was an impressive and long ramp. It started from the top, dipped down along the steep side of the hill, then ended with a sharp curve toward the sky.
Pandora stood at the top, gazing at the horizon with brimming confidence. "Today's the big day! It's time to put all my hard work into action! My wind-slayers will rend the sky itself! MWUAHAHAHAHA!"
Standing idly beside her was said contraption, or at least a working prototype. A longboard with wheels attached to the bottom, a pair of flat wings sturdily mounted and secured to the sides, and a large contraption in the back. The contraption had a large wooden propeller currently being twist by Wyatt. The more he turned, the tighter it got. The propeller was secured with some elastic material very similar to the gunk used by Marlo way back.
Once Wyatt got the propeller as wound up as he could, he stuck a thick stick through between a blade and the grate holding the propeller in place. "All set!" He jumped onto the longboard and strapped a pair of goggles on.
Avel sat uncomfortably in his brother's lap, also donning a pair of goggles. "Err, Pandora? This is safe, right?"
"I'm 73% sure!" she exclaimed.
"Oh dear."
Pandora shouted down to Melissa and Klaus, "You two remember your part in the experiment, right?"
Melissa scratched her head unsurely. "Uh…keep time of the wind-slayer's flight?"
"Provide a landing for your crash test dummies?" Klaus grumbled, though Pandora seemed to hear him despite the distance.
"Good enough!" she yelled back. She faced the brothers and said, "Now, once you're halfway down the ramp and start picking up speed, release the propeller. If my calculations are correct, once you hit the end of the ramp, the speed should allow the wings to glide through the air while the propeller maintains your flight speed."
"I have some notes—" Avel started until Wyatt raised his fists and cheered.
"Let's do this!"
"I like your attitude, Wyatt!" Pandora walked behind the wind-slayer and reared her legs back. "Everyone set?"
Avel checked the flying machine again and asked, "Pandora, don't you think we should have some kind of seat restraint to keep us from—"
"GO!" Pandora bucked her legs and nudged the contraption down the ramp.
Once it started rolling, Wyatt and Avel gripped on tightly as it quickly picked up speed. "Woohoo!" Wyatt cheered. Avel wrapped his tongue around Wyatt's waist and anchored himself down.
Once they were halfway down the ramp, Wyatt reached back and pulled the stick free from the propellers. The elastic gunk recoiled and started spinning the blades, seemingly picking up their speed. The brothers braced themselves as they reached the bottom of the ramp and whipped straight into the air. Melissa and Klaus gawked in disbelief as it soared over their heads.
"Woo! Avel, we're flying! This is so awesome!" Wyatt cried.
"I'm going to be sick!" Avel cried. He looked back at the propeller and gasped as the blades started slowing down. "Oh crap."
Their briefly sustained flight came to an immediate close. The wind-slayer tipped forward and plummeted down like a poorly thrown dart. Melissa gasped and covered her eyes while Klaus pulled an alchemical ball from his pocket. With a half-hearted toss, it exploded into a thick pile of foam. Wyatt jumped off the contraption and dove into the foam.
The wind-slayer crashed a couple meters away from them, crumpling to pieces. Wooden fragments bounced across the grass. The propeller broke free of its grated case and spun through the air before landing gently away from the pile.
Melissa and Klaus ran over to the brothers and pulled them out of the foam. "Are you two okay?!" Melissa cried.
Wyatt, though dazed, laughed out loud. He sprawled out over the grass and mumbled, "Let's do that again."
"I…abstain from that notion," Avel grumbled, closing up his shell.
Pandora raced down the hill and joined the group. "Aw man!" she groaned. "It didn't work? I tested a model and everything! It was able to fly just fine."
Klaus sighed. "Has it occurred to you the propeller can't do much if it loses all its energy?" He pointed at the totaled heap. "I mean, it stayed up for a second, but simply using elastic force won't keep it in the air. The propeller needs to keep spinning."
Pandora pouted. "Hey, I test out all available variables!"
"Besides, there's no way that thing would've generated enough force to keep them in the air forever. At most, they would've glided over the forest."
Pandora puffed her chest out and grinned. "I have plenty of other tests to run, my friend. I already have another brilliant idea: slingshot launching station!" Klaus facepalmed.
Melissa helped Wyatt to his feet before turning to her roommate. "Pan, I think Klaus has the right idea. That was never going to work."
Pandora shrugged. "Like I said, I've got other ideas in mind, some more experimental than others." She presented her clipboard to Melissa. "For instance, a propulsion-based system."
"A what?" Melissa took the clipboard and read her notes.
"Oh yeah. Something designed to release a steady burst of explosive power so that I can maintain sustained flight. I've seen Pokémon use their moves to get something like flight using explosions. Granted, it's more for a burst of distance, not sustained flight. Even so, I think I can master it."
Melissa flipped through her notes, amazed by the detail the mad Growlithe put into them. "These are quite impressive, even if I do not understand a thing they mean." She squinted at something that has been circled multiple times. "Ele…Elementium?"
Pandora snatched the clipboard. "That is what I need to finalize my tests. If I can get a big chunk of elementium, I might get somewhere."
Melissa tapped her chin. "Elementium. Is that not a resource found in Virdis?"
Pandora grinned. "Ah, you do know your stuff."
"I am afraid I am not terribly familiar with it, only that it is used in our knight's weapons."
Pandora chuckled. "Oh, my dear Melissa, you have no idea the potential of elementium. It is a godsent that revolutionizes technology and combat!"
"Oh?"
Pandora set her clipboard down. "As you know, Virdis is rich with valuable resources. The most valuable of them all, however, is elementium. It's a rich metal found through Virdis, though finding an underground vein is tricky. Pokémon all over seek it for its special properties."
"Special properties?"
"It's not a very strong metal like we use in armor and weapons, but it reacts uniquely to type energy, the source of our moves. I mean, let's be real, there's no way something as small as a Squirtle can expel that much water without completely dehydrating itself. Naturally, our type energy manifests into our attacks and takes shape depending on how it's utilized."
"Okay, I am with you so far."
"You know how metal can hold electricity until something discharges it? Elementium does that with our type energy. It can hold in that energy until it's completely discharged, only better than most metals."
Melissa thought back to when the Foresters attacked her castle months ago. She recalled Jason electrifying his sword, which exuded a great deal of energy. "I have seen Jason do something like that."
"Exactly. Granted, how the energy is exuded depends on the type. Electric-Types obviously have an easier time, but stuff like Water and Grass tend to complicate things." Pandora grinned. "Though, thanks to my connections, I have heard tales of a special alchemical practice that utilizes elementium. I hope to one day learn it for myself."
"A special alchemical practice?" Melissa repeated in awe.
"Oh yeah. Don't know much about it, but I've heard the stories. If I can learn that, I might be able to make a working propulsion system."
"Wow. Virdis truly is incredible."
Pandora snickered. "It sure is."
Klaus kicked the wind-slayer wreckage and asked, "Pandora, out of curiosity, why the heck do you want to build this death trap?"
"Why?" Pandora hummed to herself, then shrugged. "Not much reason. Just…something I've always wanted to do."
Melissa raised her brow. "It is not for evil intentions?"
"That's the most shocking thing I've heard all day," Avel grumbled.
Pandora rolled her eyes. "Don't get me wrong, I intend to use these to conquer the skies. It's just…a happy bonus." She scratched her neck. "That does remind me. Mels, you've been working with Shade on the Wraith, right? How's that coming along?"
Melissa crossed her arms and sighed. "Right, that. Well, you could say we've made some progress."
"You've had three months to analyze that shit," Klaus pointed out. "You seriously don't have concrete answers?"
"We have something, but information is foreign. We do not know what it is made of, but we know what its intended purpose is. The tricky part, however? We do not know why Last Autumn was protecting it so adamantly."
Wyatt tilted his head. "Well, what is it?"
"Err, I was told not to say anything until after Shade presents it to the higher ups. They have a meeting scheduled for tomorrow."
Pandora pouted. "Darn. Are you joining the meeting?"
"No. Shade will be going, but he wants me to run the hut while he is gone. I will just be making new medicine while he is gone."
Pandora smirked. "Well, look at you. You're already in Shade's good graces to run the hut yourself like a true alchemist and doctor." Melissa blushed and hid her face.
Klaus sat on the broken wind-slayer and said, "Well, if that's it for today, how about we head on back? I want to get to the mess hall before all the good food is taken."
Melissa's eyes widened. "Wait, what time is it?"
Klaus snorted, then looked up at the sun. "Eh, probably a little past noon."
"Ah crap!" Melissa hopped over Klaus and the wreckage and bolted to the forest. "Sorry, got to go!"
"Go? Where?!" Pandora called out.
"I have training practice with Jason in ten minutes! Agh, I am going to be late!" She hopped speedily out of sight.
Wyatt covered his eyes and watched her vanish into the forest. "Man, she sure can run when she needs to."
"More private lessons with Jason, huh?" Avel guessed. "Hasn't she been training with him for the last three months?"
Klaus shrugged. "Ever since they figured out her Inherited Will, they've been pushing her to master it. I think she's been training with Jason most of the time, though I've actually seen her spar with Ragger."
Wyatt's eyes widened. "She's been sparring with Ragger?"
Klaus nodded. "Personal request from her. I think Jason told her she'd benefit from different fighting styles, so she asked Ragger for pointers. Eadwulf said he's one of the best brawlers among the rookies, so it makes sense she'd seek his help."
"Huh. I would've never guessed." Wyatt smirked and punched into his palm. "She's been catching up to us pretty quickly! Avel and I can't let her get ahead of us! Bro, it's time for special off-the-clock training! You ready?"
Avel chuckled dryly. "I'd be delighted."
"Then let's go!" Wyatt and Avel dashed back to the forest, leaving Pandora and Klaus behind.
Pandora flailed her paws angrily. "Hey! Training later! You still have to help me clean up!" Unfortunately, they were already out of earshot. "I will personally make you both my evil dungeon janitors!" She huffed and fell back onto her rear. "What a load." She grinned at Klaus. "Well, good news for you, Klaus! You get to help me clean up!"
Klaus blinked, then coughed into his fist. "Oh dear, I think I'm coming down with another cold. I'll just pop on into the medical hut to see Shade—" Pandora dropped a pile of scrap into his arms, nearly knocking him over. "Dammit!"
"This'll look great on your resume for my evil empire!" Pandora exclaimed. "I may promote you to my second-in-command!"
"I thought that spot was reserved for your little crush," Klaus teased.
Pandora's face turned bright red. "Th-That is not true!"
"Oh, my mistake. You wanted Eadwulf to be your king."
"One more remark, and I'm demoting you to royal potato peeler!"
Klaus shrugged. "I'm working, I'm working." He dumped the junk on the base plank of the wind-slayer, then trudged over to more debris.
Pandora sat on her haunches and huffed. Why is it so difficult to find loyal minions?
