A/N:

And here we are. Y'all didn't think the story could stay happy forever, did you? Enjoy.

Special thanks to Fawkes Kleiffen for the beta reading services.

"…" - Spoken dialogue

Italics - Character thoughts

'Italics' - Telepathic dialogue

/\/\/\ - Lemon Scene

Chapter 24

— — — — —

Flora

— — — — —

The shaymin drifted to the ground, having completed her job over at Roseview. She assumed that things were going well with Tristan, though she had no way of knowing short of flying to Amp Plains herself. But she had work to do of her own, and so that would have to wait. Of course everything's fine, she thought, this is Tristan we're talking about. Truth be told, she had absolutely no idea how he was going to make a military in such a short time frame, but if anyone would be able to accomplish such a task, it was the luxray.

Her own work had been pretty set out for her, too. Roseview had everything in order to level the necessary woodland to create additional fields, and while it wasn't an idea that anyone was particularly fond of, everyone realized the need for this action. A growing country had to have food, after all. She would be going back and forth between the Treasure City and the smaller settlement in order to keep an eye on the task at hand.

She located the cresselia relatively quickly, finding her conversing with one of the elders. Eleanor was speaking with an old archeops, who looked like one of the oldest people in the continent as far as the shaymin was concerned. Then again, even he had nothing on Eleanor…

"Am I interrupting anything?" Flora asked.

"No, not at all," the elder said. "We were just finishing up here."

"Is everything alright?" she asked.

"Of course," Eleanor stated. "It's just that Valmor has grown so fast, and there are simply not enough people to manage things around here anymore. Tristan has also agreed to increasing the amount of official positions underneath him in order to help deal with the workload."

"Oh, so nothing exciting happened while I was gone?" she asked.

"Aside from Tristan recruiting the final few manectric packs, not really."

"Wait, he got all of them?" the shaymin asked.

"From what we've been told, they have recruited all of the major ones," the archeops said. "He has even gotten a few of the luxray packs, which is perhaps the more impressive feat. While he had a better chance of getting through to them, I never thought I would see the day when those two groups would work alongside one another."

"Yeah, don't those two evolutionary lines like… really hate one another?"

"I thought so," the legendary said, "but apparently they're looking past that. Of course, this is a good thing for us. He's got somewhere around seven thousand individuals so far, and that's before any recruitment from settlements. He hasn't started that part yet, but it should bring in far more people."

A few moments later, the archeops had excused himself, leaving the two girls to themselves. Flora realized the need for all that Retribution was doing, but she couldn't help but wish that things would return to normal. Of course, the entire idea of Valmor would prevent that from happening, but she was ready to resume her usual line of work. And come to think of it, even that might be at risk - for better or for worse. Soon the country would have enough skilled individuals who could carry out rescue missions, or enforce the law, and Retribution's services would become more of a specialty than a constant need.

"Hey, where are Liam and Selina? They should've gotten back by now."

"They have," Eleanor said, "but I don't know where they are at this time."

"Wish I could've seen them arrive," Flora said. "Oh well. Did anything happen while I was gone?"

"Not much aside from the two of them becoming unified." The shaymin's mouth went agape. Did she hear that correctly?

"Hold up, Liam and Selina are a couple now?"

"That they are," Eleanor replied. "We had the private ceremony about a week ago."

"Aww, why couldn't you all have waited for me to get back?!"

"Calm yourself, Flora. It was just the two of them and I, who legitimized their relationship. They knew that the team was spread all around, so we all agreed on just the three of us so as not to make anyone feel left out."

"Oh, fine…" she mumbled, though she had wished it had been different.

"Rest be assured there will be celebration once everyone is in one place again. Liam has already talked about the feasts and the massive amount of company we will be keeping."

"I bet," the shaymin stated. "But I've gotta admit, I totally called it years ago."

"I'm sure you did," Eleanor replied with a smile. "I feel like this was very foreseeable."

"No kidding. I bet they've gone at it on every piece of furniture they own," she joked, causing the cresselia to roll her eyes. The grass-type giggled in response, all while her friend tried to ignore her childishness.

"Moving on from that," the legendary said, trying to change the subject, "how are the tasks coming along in Roseview?"

"Everything's fine. They're about halfway through the latest clearing processes, and I think planting should be able to occur by next season. Of course, if he ends up doubling the size of Valmor again before that, then we better go ahead and start making room for some more fields."

"I doubt that will happen. Claw's Edge clearly wouldn't want to join, as the dragons wouldn't be keen on submitting to any authority that isn't their own kind, so that blocks us off from spreading any further North. You said yourself that Shaymin Village wants to stay independent, and there are very few settlements down South. I can't foresee Valmor growing that much more in the near future. Right now, I think it's best that we just focus on continuing to develop what we've already got rather than trying to acquire more."

"That makes sense to me," Flora said. Looking down at the city, it was abundantly clear how far it had come - a testament to Valmor's prosperity. But she also couldn't help but feel like the former town had lost some of what made it appealing to begin with. The peaceful maritime town had long since ceased to be just that, now seemingly trying to take its place among the largely populous cities throughout the world. "It's all such a massive change. I can hardly believe how fast it happened…"

"I've seen several similar cases in my lifetime," Eleanor said. "Sometimes changes can occur like that. We just have to do our best to become accustomed to it, and to try and live the best lives that we can."

"Oh, another sentimental speech coming my way," the grass-type said with a laugh.

"No, I guess I will spare you this time around," the cresselia retorted. "I suppose I do make those quite often…"

"Yeah, no kidding," Flora joked. "But I am only teasing you. I have always enjoyed your optimism."

"As have I your sense of humor," Eleanor replied. "At least, most of the time…"

"Hey now, you know this team wouldn't be the same without me."

"I couldn't agree more," the legendary said with a laugh.

— — — — —

Liam

— — — — —

He finally understood where all those jokes about young couples came from. Neither of them could seem to control themselves. It was every morning, every night - sometimes they'd go back home during the day. Often times multiple sessions in a row until they passed out, and all it would take was a single seductive look and they'd fall into the same cycle again. Each and every position they could think of had already been done multiple times. The week had been a passionate blur, one that neither of them would ever forget about.

At the moment, though, he found himself having to shut away those kinds of thoughts, not wanting to make an unwelcome exposure of himself while the two of them were in public. He had already tended to his financial matters, and Kangaskhan was more than elated to hear the news regarding the two of them. The world felt like a different place now, and not because of the changes being made within the city, but because life in general could not be better. With Selina at his side, he felt like everything was perfectly as it should be.

The prospect of a military was one that really fascinated him, though, especially the more he heard about it. It seemed as though most conversations he overheard had something to do with the recent news of multiple packs from Amp Plains and how they would fulfill the role. Just about every major settlement had a local police force, and if not, then bounty hunters were always an option as well. But a national, mobile force - and in such great numbers? That was something that he hadn't really considered for the Grass Continent, and a concept that had only been put into practice in far larger countries worldwide.

He welcomed the idea of it nonetheless, though he still did harvest one concern: that one pack that they had fought several years ago. Did they know of Retribution being involved in this? Surely they couldn't hold such a grudge after all this time. The two of them had been young, and even though they were reckless in approaching the area, they had done it under the bed of intentions – even the electric-types present back then had acknowledged that much. Hopefully Tristan hadn't managed to find that particular manectric, and if he had, maybe the pack leader would have calmed down after these past few years…

He stood idly by while Selina browsed through the Kecleon shop, walking amongst the merchandise. She was looking at various objects to decorate their house with, some of which Liam desperately hoped that she wouldn't buy. Still, though, each time she looked at him with excitement, a large grin stretched across his face. Seeing her happy was just contagious.

There was no denying that the world had become a much smaller place with Tristan as the Advisor. He could tell that there were several people from around the continent, even a few from the reclusive Desert Village. He knew that something of the sort should be expected, but to think that it would have happened in a little more than a month was beyond his wildest imagination. And seeing it all develop firsthand was an indescribable experience to say the very least.

Selina trotted up to him happily, an intricately-woven fabric folded up on her back. Arceus, she actually bought that… "What is that for?" he asked.

"A new blanket," she stated cheerfully. "I think it'll look great on our bed!"

"Yeah, gaudy red and purple is all the rage I hear."

"Hey! It looks fine!" she said, faking an offended tone.

"Sure, if you're colorblind." The umbreon head-butted him, doing her best not to drop the blanket onto the ground. He laughed as her head forced its way into his midsection, rubbing behind her ears with his paw.

"So when is Marvin supposed to meet us?" she asked.

"He should be at the café before long. I'd say we have time to toss this rug back at our place before we meet with him."

"Alright, if you insult this blanket one more time, you're sleeping on the other bed tonight," she teased.

"Aww, come on. You'd miss me…"

"Mmm, maybe. But you would learn your lesson."

They headed back for their home, all while Liam was secretly hoping that she'd reconsider putting this thing on their bed. But if she wanted it to be there, then he wouldn't stop her. Of course, it wouldn't prevent him from poking jokes at the hideous overlay.

Once they got inside, he helped her make their bed up, regretfully putting the new blanket on top. But as soon as that was done, the lucario took her by surprise, hoisting her up on the mattress and claiming her neck. "Liam, we—ah! We don't have time for this!"

"Sure we do," he said. "We've got an hour or so until we have to meet him."

"But not on the new blanket though…"

"I mean it's not like we could make it any uglier…" he said, earning a light jab to his ribs. But she couldn't maintain the disapproving look and broke out into laughter.

"Oh, alright - but we'll need to make it a quick one."

— — — — —

Bale

— — — — —

The days were becoming indistinguishable from one another, all while the final one was drawing nearer. Had it not been for the schedules of the guards, he wouldn't even be able to determine that much, as the prison was underground and lacked windows. It was now a little more than two months to go, and all three of their heads would be severed from their bodies.

Clement flipped the page of the one book they had been given: the Book of Arceus. He'd been the only one to even touch his, even if it was for nothing more than something to do. The nidoking always was an odd one, and Bale would be lying if he said that he understood the bulky creature. He rolled his eyes, focusing once again on the ceiling. At this point he knew it like the back of his hand, having memorized every single minute pattern and flaw within it. There wasn't anything else to do other than to read that dreaded book, which he refused to ever touch again.

As for Murtagh, the canine hadn't really said much over these past months. Then again, none of them had. But the dark-type perhaps was dealing with the dread worse than any of them, for every single movement on behalf of a guard made the mightyena's ears stand on end, likely wondering if they had decided to accelerate the deadline of his punishment. Bale could have sworn he'd heard some whimpering in the night, but he could just be imagining things. The mind had a way of playing tricks on one in exceptional boredom. But in just two months, that would be put to rest, too.

The blaziken didn't really know what would happen after that. He had long since discarded the dumb superstitions of his parents, and it wasn't like anyone had returned from the grave to relay the experiences they had gone through, so it could be anything. He supposed that there was nothing there - similarly to what things were like prior to his birth - and that would simply be the end of it. A void, or an eternal sleep. Perhaps that even sounded good right about now, but he couldn't deny the mortal fear within him nonetheless - the uncertainty of what was now inevitable. The consequences for his life of crime.

If he had one regret, it was of course that he had fallen to those two members of Retribution. He supposed he owed the team the gratitude for what they had done years ago – just as everyone did - but that still did not make the hatred subside for where they had put him. Resorting to trickery like that, he thought to himself, still bitter about the fight. He had later learned their names, though he supposed none of that mattered anymore. Their lives would go on, and they likely wouldn't pay a second thought to the blaziken and his gang, all while the three of them perished. His thoughts were interrupted when Garron could be heard arguing with one of the guards, both of them walking in to deliver the meals for the day.

"This had better be the last time we have this discussion," Garron stated. "I don't care how many times that Valmor representative comes here! We have been independent enforcers of the law for a century, and that's not changing anytime soon!"

"They already own everything around us, sir," the magneton stated. "Half of the agencies we partner with are already with them. It's becoming increasingly difficult to turn down their offer."

"Well I am the overseer of this facility, and I still say that until we absolutely need their funding, then we remain independent!"

"Of course, sir. Would you like for me to deliver the news to him?" the guard asked.

"Yes," the aggron replied, "and tell Tristan that I have personally said for him not to send any more of his messengers back here. If we need them, then we'll contact them." No… it can't be… The blaziken looked over at his two partners, who seemed equally as confused as he was. Bale stood up and headed towards the bars as the aggron opened the door, mindful to keep his distance, though every fiber of his being was screaming out in rage.

"He… is he in charge?" Bale simply asked.

"You would be best to never speak out of turn," Garron replied.

"Please, tell me that much. I just have to know." The aggron rolled his eyes.

"There was some sort of election, and he won. Retribution now controls nearly half of the continent." And he had thought that he couldn't possibly hate the team anymore… The door opened, and Bale took the bowl, gripping it tightly as he gritted his beak.

"Sir, I hate to be a bother, but he wishes to speak with you personally…" Garron turned his back to the prisoner, shouting at the magneton.

"Of all the fucking nerve! I'll be telling him something alright!" It was then that Bale noticed the small blade on the aggron's belt, and he had nothing to lose but his chains. Before anyone else had known what had happened, he threw the bowl to the side, snatching the knife from its sheath. Garron immediately spun around, ready to strike him with all the force he could muster, but Bale had already made his move. In an instant, he thrust the knife forth, sinking it through the aggron's eye to the very hilt. Garron immediately fell to the floor and didn't move.

"I need backup!" the magneton yelled, before launching a jolt of electricity towards him. It hit the chain, sending a painful shock through his body, but not before he could exhale a scorching blast of heat in the guard's direction. The mechanical creature was violently sent into the wall, then fell to the ground. Bale shook off the pain that was writhing throughout his body, then started fumbling around with the keys until he found the one that worked. The shackle fell off, and he breathed a sigh of relief, stretching out his formerly-bound hand. He tossed the keys through the bars at the nidoking's feet.

"Hurry up!" he shouted. "I'll hold 'em off!" Clement wasted no time in following suit, and the blaziken grinned as the flames shot out from his wrists. He hurriedly yanked the knife out of the overseer's skull and got into his fighting stance. The fire in his eyes had returned.