POV: 5 years ago

A young Grovile and Eevee sat amongst the company of themselves a feeling that they have been all too familiar with over the years. They were no older than 14 on that fateful day. The day they would last see each other for over half a decade.

"Maple what's on your mind? I can't help but notice you look stressed." The Eevee inquired brushing her soft fur against her friends side.

Maples right hand tensed up into a closed fist with anger. His supposed close friend had just sold him out to the village as a couple with his Eevee friend Shadow. Something that many in the village did not approve of. One of whom was Shadow's father who had a lot of power in the village however he had not decided what to do yet.

"Shadow, I believe you should know what is to become of me over the next few months. Helix betrayed us and outed us as a couple to the entire village and a lot of people want my head for it including your father. For that and many other reasons I have no choice but to leave today. I know you understand." Maple spoke amongst the open air.

Maple let out a deep breath as he just kept walking never stopping until nightfall. He felt a familiar force tackle him onto the unforgiving dirt below him. It was Shadow, The look in her eyes was between livid and like a bomb exploded on her face so much was her fury.

"Why did you just leave me like that, If you're leaving then so am I. I have nothing left in that village if you leave. After what Helix did I only have you left. I want nothing to do with my family. They just want me to be trapped in that god forsaken village. I won't have it, If I have to be on the run then I won't hesitate to run as fast as my legs can carry me." Shadow broke down, Tears travelling across Maple's bare chest as the duo lay there.

Maple was stunned at what he was hearing. He always knew to some extent she wasn't happy in the village but also in the back of his mind knew something more had to have been going on.

A few hours later.

Maple awoke in the dark yet inviting comfort of the room him and Shadow occupied for the past several hours before he heard a scream. She wasn't there. Amongst the barely visible surroundings a sharp gaze fell upon a letter addressed to himself.

Maple,

It is in your best interest that you give up now as we will find you. My daughter is not to be with you in any context. I don't believe what I was told earlier today but I don't believe that you aren't trying to escape the village traditions either. For that reason you are to return and face us in person. The longer you drag this out the more it hurts you.

My regards to you,

Brutus.

POV: Village the next day.

Shadows eyes burst open like the shockwave of a bomb to the familiarity of the house she had known for years. That is when she realized her father had brought her back to the accursed village. The hole she never wanted to be a part of in the first place. She had just wanted to leave and better herself. Get an education, Start a family and perhaps do something more with her life when things stabilized.

Instead she was greeted by the Flareon she spited more than anything. The man whos ideals sickened her to her very core. While he may have been her father all of the injuries she sustained from the physical abuse that the young Eevee was no doubt drug into to avoid much worse would leave her with permanent scarring across her chest and legs. To her Brutus was the devil himself and the more she looked into his blood lusting angry deceitful eyes the more she wanted to claw the orbs out of his head and spill them across the floor.

"Morning sleepyhead, Have a good night outside the village?" Brutus inquired staring not just daggers but claymores into his daughters hate filled eyes.

Shadow seeping with lividity spat in her fathers face before turning her back to the Flareon. Brutus however would get his answers by any means necessary even if it meant torturing his own daughter for them.

Forcefully grabbing her face with one hand he turned her head to face him before striking her with a backhand. Shadow wasn't phased by the attack but was more in shock that he continued to do this.

"What the hell is wrong with you? You leave the village with Maple and basically act like I don't exist after what all I have done for you. I hope this is just a phase because I don't wanna think about how my only daughter grew up to be such a brat." Brutus exploded until he was out of breath panting heavily like a dog on a hot summers day.

Shadow busted out laughing at the naivety of her father on the issue. Composing herself after being backhanded again she became more serious than she ever had in her life.

"You wanna know what's wrong with me? I'll tell you everything if you'll let me fucking speak. First off I feel like this village is just trapping me from what I feel I could be and when this fact has been brought up to you it gets laughed off. On top of that I pretend you don't exist because everything that has ever made me happy has been stripped away because you would rather see me suffer. Maple has always been there for me when everyone else in this village has treated me like shit and like I'm a waste of space and when he left on his own volition he even took me with him. That man isn't going to take your shit laying on the ground in surrender, That ground will be stained with blood when all is said and done. If it's his or your many squads you will send after him is beyond the point but I have no doubt that he thinks I'm dead. And I had a good laugh at the part where you said 'After all I have done for you' Because all you have done is made me question everything you have done and abuse me physically and mentally. There's a good reason mom left you and that's because she wasn't going to take that no more. Call me whatever you like but I will show you that I'm certainly not a brat." Shadow yelled until her face was a blood crimson red. Venting her pain made her feel liberated in a way she never had in all the time she spent in the village.

Brutus turned his back to her for one last time with the only things he had to say to try and backpedal out of the toxic relationship boiling in a melding pot with his daughter was despicable in it's own right.

"See how much I care now, Maple's life is in his own hands and as for you Shadow I will make sure you see just how bad it could be for you." A diabolical laugh was heard echoing down the halls of the building seeping deeper into her bones.

POV: Present day

Blood leaked from Maples arm as another gash had been left in the now Sceptiles skin as he fought with the group known solely as The Black Flag hunted down the lone fighter on the roads outside of LapisRose city.

Maple grunted slightly from the attack he took full force of skidding backwards a little. His stance didn't waver however as he got into proper fighting position ready to take on the world if he had to. And the best part was there wasn't a damn thing these puny little wannabes they called grunts could do about it.

Taking proper initiative he kicked in the direction of a group of grunts hitting two with the full force of his leg plowing them in the gut. Two more tried to charge head-on in a poor attempt to take him down. Seizing the opportunity Maple swept two more of his ragged opponents off of their feet bashing their skulls among one another dropping them in a sea of blood with a violent crunch echoing through the air.

"When are you going to realize you stand no chance at taking me in?" Maple got into fighting stance taking no prisoners as he struck a nerve with many of the Black Flag men that remained. Gesturing to them to try something again one unfortunate soul did only to have their wrist taken out of socket and kicked hard in the chest flying back into a tree nearby.

"I'm sure Helix would be enthusiastic to see you, Maple." A mysterious Dragonite in the back of the pack chillingly stated. A path was made for the older man who was obviously leading the entire operation as he approached Maple with footsteps that shook the ground he walked on.

The two stared down into what some of the men could only assume was each others souls as they both remained unmoved the Dragonite towering over the young Sceptile.

"Heh I tell you kid if I had even a drop of the courage you're showing right now when I was your age we might not have ever been in this mess. Brutus has no idea how lucky of a bastard he is." The Dragonite laughed as he looked back viciously at his men.

Maple was puzzled at what he was witnessing. Was this Dragonite really thinking of doing what he thought was about to happen. Well then only one way to find out.

"Then why is it you work with him? What is it about that man that made you stay by his side?" Maple said the magic words that made it flip.

The Dragonite smirked seeing that Maple got the hint and decimated all but 3 of his remaining forces.

"Not anymore, I'm tired of him lying to me and fucking with my pay. I've worked 25 years for the man and yet he takes all the credit for everything I have ever done." He said his allegiance changing to whatever Maple was to do with it. He turned back to the three men who were on their knees begging for their lives.

"If you three want to live then you are to run back to Brutus with the field report and my regards to him. Tell him that if he really wanted Maple in his custody he should have came himself to do it." The men agreed to this picking up the weapons they dropped before sheathing them and running.

Facing Maple after all was said and done he realized that he never properly introduced himself nor did he explain what this was exactly.

"I'm Boris by the way, Until the situation with Helix started I was trusted as Brutus's top guard and commander. Only to be thrown to the side like a kid getting a new toy when he backstabbed you for his own gain. To put it simply I wasn't just tired of the way he handled things but tired of being his side dog. After what that man if you can even call him that did you have my complete loyalty." Boris gave context to his new leader and friend extending a hand out to him.

Maple gladly took the handshake taken aback how unpopular Brutus had become among the village.

"Well as long as you stick with me you are my equal as is anyone who wants to side with me. I may not like that village but at the same time I want to show Brutus a piece of my mind. But above all else I want to help those who have been victimized so no one has to live like that." The two laughed it off in solidarity as they decided to camp for the evening.