Melting Gelid Roses

by EchoEternal

Slash-fic, M/M. AU, just Pokemon. From the north, reports of the prophet run rampart, and whispers of war are growing louder. A knight and a ninja will slowly find themselves in the heat of things. Main Shipping: Sneakpast (Greninja/Chesnaught).

27. Defending The Homeland

Well, we've waited long enough to catch up on that battle arc, so, no time to waste. Lots of fighting to attend. Enjoy!

...

---

[Northern Road, Springton]

Bolts of electricity danced around Electabuzz's fists, as he slammed them together. He grinned as his cloaked companion, who stood between him and the two knights. Samurott positioned his sword forward, while Typhlosion readied his naginata. The sea lion spotted citizens clearing the street, but kept most of his attention on his adversaries.

"So, who are you working with there?" Samurott narrowed his gaze between Electabuzz and his partner. "They orchestrated quite the show."

"A show…?" Electabuzz scowled and stomped down. "She didn't make this! The plot was my idea! I'm looking to liberate this town and kingdom!"

"Right, right," chimed in Typhlosion. "We definitely believe that you have the brains to come up with a full-scale attack on the town."

"Shut up!"

Electabuzz hurled a lightning bolt out at the duo, who leapt apart to evade it. They landed aside while the bolt blasted at a building behind them.

"This is all my idea! I'm the one in charge!" Electabuzz growled and punched his fist into his palm; sparks cascaded from his hands. "I formed my team, and we were working on fixing this place up. Then we got even more folks interested and agreeing with us! And now we're here!" He stomped forward. "This is my town, and I'm fixing it up for good!"

"You need to remain calm and focused," snapped his companion, as she straightened up and faced him. "We have a plan."

"Yeah, and wrecking these two is part of mine."

Pivoting to Samurott, Electabuzz hurled more thunderbolts at him, as Samurott scrambled and raced away from each shot.

Typhlosion crept around as Electabuzz fired at the samurai, and he reared back with his naginata. A gust of wind surged at him and forced him to reposition.

Swinging his pole weapon down, Typhlosion glowered at the coated figure.

"Why the hell are you helping him?" Typhlosion lifted his weapon as he circled her. "Who are you?"

"Do you really think I'd wear this if I wanted you to know?"

"Might just have to burn it off, then."

Breathing out a stream of fire, Typhlosion roared as he guided it at the enemy. She jumped back and flew into the air. Waving her arms, a heavy wind gusted Typhlosion back into the shop and he smacked against the wall.

Groaning, he slumped down, still gripping his naginata. Typhlosion bared his teeth as she soared back to the ground.

"So, a bird," he grumbled. "That's beatable."

"Are you knights always this chatty?"

Withdrawing knives from her belt, she hurled the blades at Typhlosion. He spun his pole to knock each one from slicing at him, and swung it down again.

"Huh, not bad." The hood nodded. "That weapon doesn't even look like yours." She pulled out another knife, as her head faced the jumping samurai. "More like his."

Typhlosion jerked back as his enemy flung her knife at Samurott.

"Heads!"

He twisted from a bolt and lifted his sword, blocking the knife and casting it aside. Glancing to Typhlosion, he nodded, and swung his sword.

A wave of water ripped across the street and slammed into the charging Electabuzz. The electricity conducted with the water and the voltage backfired on him.

Though electrocuted from the connection, Electabuzz rotated his arms to amp up the power he absorbed, and grinned as he lifted his fists.

"Ha, that all you got?" Electabuzz threw a punch as the lightning launched out. Samurott dove aside as it blasted a crate to pieces. Though he still grinned, Electabuzz flinched and shuddered with the voltage. "You really think you can take me out with my own power?"

Loosening his body, he discharged a wave of voltage around the area. Sparks danced out as the bolts rippled across the street.

Both Samurott and Typhlosion were electrocuted from the power, yelping out as the electricity enveloped them both. Electabuzz's ally also took the hit, groaning from her teammate's blast.

As everyone dropped down, Electabuzz panted and laughed, placing his hands at his hips. He beamed at his opponents, as Typhlosion slowly pushed himself back.

Glancing to his left, Typhlosion bit his lip, while Samurott remained down. Using his naginata to force himself upright, Typhlosion glared at Electabuzz as the fire from his collar flared up.

"You knights aren't so high and mighty when you get a real dose of power served to you, huh?" Electabuzz cackled. "Damn, I should've just let loose from the beginning!"

"Idiot," snarled Typhlosion. "It's one thing to hate us, but you're destroying the very town that you're trying to protect!"

"Seems like we gotta fix it up by knocking it down," assessed Electabuzz. "After all, if it helps clean things up for the better, so be it."

"And everyone living here be damned, right?"

"Hey, sometimes making a reset helps!" Electabuzz folded his arms. "What, you never had that problem before?"

"Every single time I have that problem, I deal with it as it comes," snapped Typhlosion. "You can't just wipe the world away every time you feel slighted."

"We haven't been slighted, we're completely overrun," defended Electabuzz. "This king keeps messing everything up, because he had to go gay and keeps mucking around the town like he didn't cause any issues ever." Electabuzz snorted. "Bet he even had the poor queen killed himself. Or maybe that general of his did it!"

Seething, Typhlosion tossed his naginata aside. He charged across the street as his body cloaked in flames, and sped toward Electabuzz.

As the thug reached back, he gripped his blade. Carefully, he pulled it from behind, waiting to fully withdraw as Typhlosion neared.

A fan flew across and smacked against Electabuzz's hand. The abrupt impact surprised him and he dropped the sword.

Typhlosion crashed hard into Electabuzz and smashed him against the ground. As he reared back to strike again, Electabuzz punched at him, pushing in with electricity around his fist.

Forcing one another apart, Typhlosion gripped at his chest, as dying sparks fell from his armor. Electabuzz growled as he brushed away dirt and ashes.

"You…you do not get to dishonor our king, our general, or our queen," managed Samurott. He lifted his blade around, and blocked another knife that flew at him. "They've done too much work trying to help all of us."

"They only help people like them, not everyone else," thundered Electabuzz. "What about the rest of us?! What about our needs, our rights?!"

"What the hell are you even in need of?!" Typhlosion spat a fireball at the cloaked assailant, who twisted away from it. "You're just pissed because others exist!"

"Others that constantly dump their lives onto normal people's! Just like my uncle before, always going on about wanting more and more, the greedy…" Electabuzz snarled. "And if you think that's the only problem, you're definitely wrong! Nidoking went off just a few years back and nearly let the whole kingdom collapse!"

"His wife died you miserable buffoon," snapped Samurott. "He cared deeply about her!"

"Likely story."

"That is the story!"

"And what about you?" Electabuzz threw his hand out. "Coming from another country, like you even belong here. Intermixing kingdoms is dangerous!"

"Are you serious?" Typhlosion struck the ground. "How hard do I need to hit you, exactly?"

"Easy, Ty," urged Samurott.

"Why?!"

"Because I'm right!" Electabuzz jabbed a thumb at his coated counterpart. "Even she knows about the dangers of kingdoms sending people in and attacking us."

"Is she even from this kingdom?!"

Opening his mouth for a moment, Electabuzz paused and glanced down. He turned to his companion, and his eyes narrowed on her.

"You are letting them distract you from your objective," she reasoned. "We're not here for any of that, and you agreed—"

"What are you here for again?" Electabuzz stomped toward her. "You told me you were here to help make things better."

"Yes—"

"But you're not from here?"

"Of course I am!"

"Where from?"

"…Uh…"

"Wow, you didn't even research our kingdom?" Samurott rolled his eyes. "You could have at least tried."

"Again, this isn't what we need to focus on," she instructed to Electabuzz.

"If you're not from here, then how do I know you're not duping me?"

"Because I'm not."

"Didn't you—"

"Oh, come on!" Typhlosion threw his hands up. "Can you take your head out of your ass for five seconds?" He pointed at her, leaning back from two knives that soared across at him. "She literally is running around throwing knives at knights who normally protect you! Has she even shown you her face?"

Electabuzz scratched at his head while looking back at the ground. He returned his attention to his current ally, frowning at her.

"So what are you really after?"

"This is still knocking us off task," she repeated. "They haven't arrived—"

"Who are 'they' supposed to be?"

"Reinforcements," revealed Electabuzz.

"Don't tell them that!" The assailant drew another knife. "I need to see this mission through to its end. We're nowhere near that."

"We're supposed to be working on the town—hey!"

Samurott stabbed forward with his sword, but the figure pivoted aside. She whipped up wind to knock him off-balance, reaching for another knife.

Feeling nothing left on her belt, the stranger jumped back as Typhlosion swept with his naginata, and kept swinging at her to no avail.

"Electabuzz—"

"No, don't talk to me like that anymore!" He pulled his fist back. "I…I don't know who to even believe right now! I can't believe this."

"Seriously?" He whirled around as the shopkeepers emerged from their store. Swampert shook his head. "You don't belong in this town either."

"What?!" Electabuzz stomped down. "I've given you two tons of money!"

He tossed a thunderbolt at them, to which Swampert stepped out and let hit him. The voltage had no effect, as he wiped himself off.

A pillar of fire burst up in front of Electabuzz, and he slammed back against the building behind him.

"A lot of people give us some money for any needs," corrected Blaziken. "Individually, you're only causing more trouble than you're worth, and you're bad for business."

"That's without factoring in working with a literal enemy to the kingdom," deadpanned Swampert.

"And she'll get away if you waste your time on him," called Typhlosion.

Everyone turned as the enemy on the rooftops jumped across, and flew to the next set of buildings. Swampert and Blaziken hurried around between buildings below to pursue her.

"Hey, wait—"

"You're not going anywhere," snapped Samurott. "You've already done enough damage as it is."

"Don't stop me!" Electabuzz threw a punch of lightning back at Samurott, who dove aside. "I need to stop her!"

"It's your fault that she's even here!"

"But she's not the only one!"

"Fantastic!"

Typhlosion pulled out binds from his belt. He yanked on them and glared at Electabuzz, who stepped back, pulling his charged fist up.

"We're done with this. Give up," demanded Typhlosion. "You've done your worst, and now we have to pick up the pieces."

"No!"

"He wasn't asking."

Whacking the back of his head with the blunt of his blade, Samurott glared as Electabuzz dropped down. He smacked at him again, forcing him down to the ground.

They waited for a moment until Typhlosion kicked at Electabuzz, who barely moved. Dragging him back, he bound his wrists and tied them together.

"Oaf should be dead," Typhlosion grumbled as he finished.

"That wouldn't help at all," insisted Samurott. "Better that he lives with his guilt."

"If he feels guilt, you mean."

"Typhlosion."

"Enough, I know." He hoisted Electabuzz up and over his shoulder. "We have to go help our tutors, and then get to everyone else."

Both hurried down the street, hurrying after the shopkeepers. A little ways down, the pair watched as a watery pillar blasted from the roof, and the invader fell from it.

She spiraled around as Blaziken and Swampert emerged from separate alleys. They came together and launched their fire and water pillars together.

Though they connected and blasted her back, the figure spiraled through the air, flying off from the group.

A rainbow shimmered down as Blaziken charged down after his fleeing target. Swampert started after him, but glanced back to spot Samurott and Typhlosion.

"We've almost got her, come on!"

He rushed after his partner, while Samurott and Typhlosion hurried along behind.

As he closed the distance, Blaziken's foot lit up in a flare and he kicked forward at her. His fiery foot slammed directly into her, and she cried out, rolling away from him.

Keeping her hood over her head, a small dark orb slipped from her sleeve and into her wing.

"Enough of this."

Spiking the orb to the ground, a heavy burst of smoke surrounded the sky. Blaziken covered his beak and backed away as it filled the air around her.

Whipping at the smoke cloud with streams of water, Swampert hurried cut through it, only to find that their enemy had disappeared.

"Damn it." Blaziken kicked at the ground. "I should have had her."

"You were close, and it was a great effort," complimented Swampert. "Not bad for mere market vendors, huh?"

"Are you kidding?" Blaziken flexed. "We were awesome! It felt like my traveling days came back to life!"

"Seems like you've got the energy flowing for it."

"Yeah!" He beamed to his partner. "Hey, you seemed to liven up a lot too, you know?"

"Ha, maybe a little bit."

Both turned as Samurott approached them, and they smiled to him. He glanced behind, and the duo looked to Typhlosion, who dropped Electabuzz to ground and rolled his shoulders. Swampert and Blaziken looked to one another, and then back at their students.

"So, we didn't catch the whole battle, but we heard a lot of it before coming out," revealed Swampert. "You guys did good work, as expected, but—"

"How come you two didn't use your Pledges?" Blaziken tilted his head at the pair. "You saw how Swampert and I made use of them, right?"

"Probably would've done better if we made it out sooner," suggested Swampert. "We weren't exactly sure if we could handle it, but you guys seemed like you needed help."

"As it turns out, we did," admitted Samurott. He rubbed behind his neck. "Um. As for the Pledges, well…we, uh—"

"Didn't think to integrate them after I messed up early on," Typhlosion lied. "It's new, and I got nervous."

"Oh." Swampert sank down. "That's a shame. We thought you two were ready."

"We were, I just…didn't apply it properly." Typhlosion glanced away from everyone. "Next time, though, we'll be ready."

Blaziken eyed him quietly for a moment, and checked Samurott, who had closed his mouth. The sea lion only gazed down at the ground, studying it in vain for their runaway.

"…Right, well, we hope it all goes well." He gazed at Swampert, but shook his head as the mudfish deflated more. "Swampert and I should help clean this area up, but if you two want, we could hold onto your prisoner until you're ready to head home?"

"Thanks, but it's probably best if we just keep him with us," determined Samurott. He forced himself to face the shopkeepers again. "We'll keep track of him while we look for everyone else."

"If you're sure…"

"It'll be fine." He turned back to the streets leading back west. "We should go find our friends first, see if we can help them."

"Good luck, then."

Samurott nodded, and turned back, as Typhlosion already started back down the road. He sighed, and followed after his fellow knight.

---

[Western Square, Springton]

Two figures stood around a wooden stage, as one climbed onto it. She laughed as she twirled around, and flipped backwards, balancing on foot to pose. Her ally waited below the stage, as he folded his arms, and shook his head.

"Aw, come on." Medicham placed her hand on her hip and smiled. "You seem like a dancer, so why are you joining me up here? Everything is working out great so far!"

"Being here isn't something that I even wanted," murmured her companion.

"What? But you're with that group helping us out!" She hopped down along the stage's edge, and leaned over, studying her helper under his cloak. "It's for a good cause."

"Somehow, I don't think so." He shook his head and gripped at it. "There's a lot that I shouldn't be doing, and this is definitely part of it."

"Come on, little pig," eased Medicham. "It'll be worth it when we make this town great again, back to its former glory!" She giggled. "Maybe Electabuzz will finally be able to relax and pay more attention to other matters too."

"That rowdy one barking orders?" Her companion tilted his head. "Doesn't he seem like a bit…too much to handle?"

"He's a great leader, and should've been added to the knights roster for the king," contested Medicham. "But that worked out well enough now, because he can help the rest of us actually fix the kingdom!"

"This seems like a pretty place," murmured the interloper. "I don't see what's wrong with it."

"Sure, it looks fine, but our king is just a mess." She rolled her eyes. "Can you imagine, he actually wants to marry his general! His wife didn't die that long ago!"

"Isn't she the one that died years ago?" He rubbed his head under his hood. "How long should he have waited? A whole decade?"

"He could've at least married someone more suitable!" Medicham folded her arms together. "Regardless, this town and the kingdom itself are suffering with him in charge, because he just lets that kind of stuff run rampart!"

"…What stuff?"

"You know!"

"I don't think I do."

"Whatever, you're better off." Medicham swung back around onto the stage. "Anyway, as fun as taking this stage for myself is, what are we waiting here for?"

"Our orders were to maintain the position here until our reinforcements from the north arrive," he explained. "I…don't know much more than that."

"Huh." She folded her arms behind her head. "They don't like telling you much, do they?"

"Does Electabuzz tell you everything?"

"Of course!" She smirked. "He's great like that."

"Sounds nice…" Under his breath, he added, "Doubtful…"

"Trust me, he'll come get us once it's time," assured Medicham.

"Hey!"

Both twisted around, as Gardevoir, Lilligant, and Gallade rushed into the area. Medicham fumbled around upon spotting Gardevoir specifically, and forced herself back upright, tapping her foot on the stage. Her partner turned back around to her.

"That's the toughest one," she whispered, pointing out Gardevoir.

"She seems strong."

"Absolutely. The other is an earl."

"And the flower?"

"What the hell are you two whispering about?!" Gardevoir stormed forward. "This town erupted into chaos, and you're playing around on the stage like it's a show?"

"Oh, but it is part of our performance," mocked Medicham. "After all, we're trying to help make this place better, at long last."

"Better?!" Gallade stepped behind Gardevoir. "Are you joking? Launching an attack against your hometown is terrorism!"

"It's part of a process to make this place come back to its former glories," contended Medicham. "After all, why should beauty queens like you three get to run the place anyway?"

"Excuse us?"

"People shower you two in particular with endless adoration," pointed out Medicham. "And why? One of you is an earl that shouldn't even be here so often. Don't you have your own home to play around in? And you!" She locked eyes with Gardevoir's glare. "You run around here like you're the one in charge, whipping your powers out at anyone you decide to mess with! What makes you queen of the kingdom?"

"These powers get used on anyone that tries bringing harm to the town, that's where I let them rip the most," snapped Gardevoir. "And right now, they're meant for you two!"

"Now."

Lifting her arm, Gardevoir pointed to Medicham, as her ally scurried off. A pink beam flooded from her hand and fired off at Medicham, who giggled into a cartwheel to roll off from the attack.

Spiraling around the stage, she waved her hands to Gardevoir, and laughed as she danced.

"Come on, is that your best shot?"

Growling, Gardevoir flew forward toward the stage. Gallade and Lilligant attempted to chase her towards their enemy.

Popping out from nearby, however, the coated invader spun around and swayed in front of Gardevoir. She whipped her hand out and aimed at him.

"Whoever the hell you are, I don't have time for this."

"No? But this is a stage," reminded the stranger. "And we're meant to perform here, are we not?"

His body wobbled around as Gardevoir glowered at him. His swaying motions wavered around as a jet light glimmered from his hood.

"That's a Teeter Dance," sputtered Lilligant. "Gardevoir, don't look at him!"

"Why shouldn't she?" He wobbled around and spun with his steps. "That's the whole point, isn't it?"

Gripping at her head, Gardevoir teetered around, her stance no longer steady. She stumbled back and groaned.

"What…the hell…?"

"To be exact, it's an amplified Teeter Dance," elucidated the interloper. "It works on Psychic Types, but making it stronger makes it that much more effective." He chuckled. "With a few…additional benefits."

He spun around as Gardevoir twisted around to her friends. He lifted one arm, as he did, Gardevoir lifted her own. Repeating the motion, he did so with their other arms.

"Gardevoir—"

"Is that right? Gardevoir, then." Her opponent chuckled. "Don't you want to see the show? Maybe you even become part of it?" The dancer shook his head. "These two are interrupting, aren't they?"

"N-no they're not…"

"But they are," he insisted. "And shouldn't we stop that?"

Against her will, Gardevoir's hands lit up in a faint fuchsia glow. A psychic wave emanated from the enemy and alongside Gardevoir, connecting with her powers. Lilligant pulled back as Gallade tried to step ahead.

"Let's."

Lilligant and Gallade jumped aside as the psychic wave blasted out at them. Gallade rolled around and glared ahead.

Medicham laughed, jumped into the air, and delivered a knee kick into Gallade, knocking him back further. She hopped back to the ground and spun around, clapping for her companion.

"That was just wonderful," she cheered. "You should've seen what a brute she was before! And people here treat her like the town darling. Pah."

"Her underlying strength is still there," mentioned her ally. "She's not likely to stay like that for long. I only had a surprise advantage."

"It'll be for long enough."

Unsheathing a sword, Medicham started towards Gardevoir. She pulled back on her blade and lined up on the mage.

"Time to get this town makeover rolling!"

"Why don't we roll you instead?!"

Pivoting around amid a flurry of petals, Lilligant spun between Gardevoir and Medicham. Lifting her leafy arms, she launched her petal barrage at her enemy, and blasted her away from her friend.

Flying back, Medicham crashed down away from the group. She groaned and forced herself back up to her knees.

"Stop them!"

"Wait."

The interloper jolted up as another appeared in the area. This taller cloaked individual held her chest, which had burn marks singed onto her coat. Her ally lowered his arms and tilted his head at her.

"What happened to you?"

"That oaf caused a scene and ended up getting two knights attacking us." She lifted herself upright and shook her head. "Our reinforcements should have arrived by now, so if they haven't…"

"They're not coming?!"

"Unlikely."

"What're you two talking about?" Medicham forced herself back up and stepped toward the two. "Aren't you battling with us here?"

"But if they're not coming, this whole attack is a waste!" The shorter invader looked up to her. "What are we supposed to do?"

"You need to get out of here, and I'll buy you time." She faced their opponents. "You will still be required later on."

"I don't want to be part of any of this at all!"

"Too bad." She glanced back at him once more. "Disappear. That's an order."

Not arguing the matter further, the shorter interloper disappeared as the taller figure lowered her stance. Medicham hurried alongside her.

"If he's leaving, then what do we do?" She reached for her ally, who moved back from her. "Hey!"

"Either you can work with me to escape or fall with your leader," warned the stranger. "That's your choice."

"They defeated Electabuzz?!" Medicham tightened her fists. "And you just let him get captured?!"

"What part of this do you two not understand?" Her ally twisted to her, and glared beneath the hood. "The rest of our forces are not coming. Staying here is dangerous."

"But we have to get Electabuzz!"

"That's your choice." She turned back to their enemies. "Regardless, they remain in the way for any objectives."

Spinning back around, Medicham winced as Gardevoir shook her head. She slowly lifted it and glared at the troublemakers.

"Payback time."

"Agreed," piped up Gallade.

As her ally hurried off to one side, Medicham scrambled for the other, but was blocked quickly by Gallade. Gardevoir approached, with energy crackling from her fists.

"Can't you two just step aside?" Medicham attempted to back away. "I've got to go help my…I need Electabuzz—"

"No, what you need is to be stopped."

Gallade rushed at Medicham, who pivoted away from him and attempted to run off. A pink beam blasted behind her and she yelped out, dropping to the ground.

Lifting herself back up, she shuddered as Gardevoir and Gallade towered over her.

"Nice try, but you're not going anywhere," declared Gallade.

"Actaully, she's going somewhere," amended Gardevoir. "Prison."

Shrieking, Medicham attempted to back away, but Gardevoir telekinetically locked her down, while Gallade restrained her. He smirked and stood back up to his partner, smiling to her.

"Well, that settles this one." He placed his hands on his hips. "You want to check around the rest of the town? I can take her away—"

"Hold on." Gardevoir blinked and surveyed the western square. "…Where's the other one? And Lilligant?"

Gallade jumped and hurriedly checked around, not finding anyone else around. He dropped his arms and deflated.

"New plan: let's go find them."

"And Electabuzz!"

"Oh, hush up," snapped Gardevoir. "He doesn't even care about you, guaranteed."

Not far from them, Lilligant chased after the invader, who flew off from the square. Sliding a tome out from her pouch, Lilligant flipped through it, and lifted her arm up.

Drawing out a zigzagged motion, Lilligant pointed forward and fired a lightning bolt at her target, who yelped out as the blast connected.

Slamming to the ground, she spun around and twisted back to Lilligant.

"Fine, we'll do this the hard way."

She pulled her arms back and blasted Lilligant away with a heavy burst of wind. She crashed into a shop and slammed into a glass desk, which shattered behind her.

Jewels dropped around Lilligant as she slumped down, but pushed herself away from the shards. She studied the floor and started to lift herself upright.

"The only way I can get away is to kill you people, it seems," decided the invader.

She approached Lilligant as she struggled to rise up. Sweeping down, the interloper scooped up a shard of glass into her wing and aimed at the fallen dancer.

Something else flew into her, however, and the stranger dropped her glass. She clutched at her neck as she sank down and dropped to the floor, stumbling back out the door.

Eyes widened, Lilligant twisted around and blinked, as Sceptile lowered his hand. His eyes were lowered unlike she had ever seen, but he gave a hard blink and opened them like usual.

Hurrying around from his desk, Sceptile kicked some glass aside and reached down for Lilligant, scooping her hands into his.

"Honey, are you ok?" Sceptile gently helped Lilligant back up, dusting her off a bit as well as he could. "That crook wasn't too rough on you, was she?"

"N…no." Lilligant blinked at him, and glanced back outside. "…Is she…?"

"Dear, don't you worry about her, ok?" Sceptile patted her hands and grinned to her. "Just let me go clean her up first, and then we'll get you properly cleaned up too."

"You got her in one shot," managed Lilligant.

"Jewelers have an eye for the details, darling," insisted Sceptile. "Hold on here, honey, I'll be right back."

Sceptile hurried outside, and checked around the street. Blood was visible in a dark pool just outside of his shop, but there was no body with it. His eyes lowered as he scanned around the western streets, and reached for his back pocket.

"Look! It's Sceptile!"

He twisted back and relaxed himself as he spotted Gardevoir hurrying to him, Gallade dragging Medicham just behind her.

"Ah, dear, good to see you!" Sceptile twisted around and looked around the street. "Did you happen to see some coated bird lady rush out from here?"

"You saw her?"

"We did, and she was attacking your poor dancer friend." Sceptile looked around once more before turning his attention to Gardevoir and Gallade. He placed his hands on his hips and shook his head. "She must have hurried off, but she can't be too far."

"Why not?"

"Um." Gardevoir glanced at Gallade, who pointed at the blood on the ground. "That's hers, right?"

"Of course, certainly not your cute friend's!" Sceptile waved his hand and entered his shop. "She's this way, dears! Please come in, come! I do have a bit of a mess to clean in here, but she's fine, and that's what matters."

Exchanging baffled expressions, Gardevoir and Gallade shrugged to one another, and followed Sceptile in, dragging the squirming Medicham behind them.

---

[Town Center, Springton]

In the town's central area, market vendors and customers hurried off, knocking over crates of fruits and berries as they raced off. Escavalier drifted around, sliding aside as a Pokemon with a big flower on top brushed past him.

"Hey, watch it!" He glared as the offender hurried off, not even bothering to look back. "Damn it. This whole place has gone off big time."

"No kidding." Accelgor shifted around, surveying the shattered stalls as the remainder of the crowd cleared out. "And more bad news: we officially lost the bears."

"Phenomenal." Escavalier sighed. "It seems like everything has been getting rather hectic lately." He crossed his lances and rubbed them together. "To think how much I used to talk up this place for you…"

"Well, it was lovely getting to know it all the same," eased Accelgor. "Besides, it's nice that my husband tried so hard for me." She shrugged. "Shame, things tend to fall apart whenever we come through."

"Ha, this isn't anything like the helmet nonsense," teased Escavalier. "And don't bother bringing it—"

"So you're not going to give my helmet back?"

"Dearest, we've become a little attached, in case you haven't noticed."

"Yes, and before, I was quite attached as well," she ribbed. "Then you stole it, and we caused such a ruckus back home—"

"And then we fell in love and got married," shot back Escavalier. "I was there for it too, my love."

"Funny, I remember it being a little longer of a story than that."

"Bah."

"It seems like the remainder of the crowd has hurried off," observed Accelgor. She hesitated gazing over a standing barrel between toppled ones for a moment, and backed toward her husband, sliding out a shuriken. Loudly, she continued, "I suppose we should leave here as well, and keep looking for the others."

"Dear, why are you…?" Escavalier trailed off as he spotted his wife's weapon. He cleared his throat and "Oh, yes. We should hurry along and head out."

"That was terrible," hissed Accelgor.

"Oh, like you were any better?"

"Perhaps you're right," relented Accelgor, "in which case, we should speed this along."

Darting to the barrels, Accelgor knocked it over and hurried away from it. She twisted back, but noticed no one was within it.

"Huh." Escavalier shrugged. "Maybe no one is here."

"Unlikely."

As she closed her eyes, Accelgor listened quietly to her surroundings. Escavalier waited and checked around the market; because of the chaos that everyone caused from hurrying off, he couldn't quite find any differences.

"Heard a few pops and bursts, and they all think it's a catastrophe," he muttered. "Not wrong, but there must be better…" Escavalier spotted his wife as she twisted to him, and he pressed his lips tightly together.

She opened them entirely, however, and glared past him. Narrowing her gaze, she aimed around Escavalier, directing her attention to the herbal stand. Unlike the other stands, it seemed mostly new in decoration.

Her shuriken flew from her hand and at the stand's tent, collapsing it around the whole set up. Escavalier blinked and glanced back at it.

"Ah. Well." He shrugged. "I'm aware that not a lot of us enjoy herbs, but—"

"Darling."

"Sorry."

Both attempted to quietly approach the stall, but a cloaked character burst from the fallen stand, and twirled daggers around. A shorter one tumbled out after him, and dragged a club out from behind him. Each slowly relaxed their stance however, upon spotting the shorter bugs across from them.

"Wait, that's not…"

"He's not that frog!"

"No, 'she's' not," corrected Accelgor. She leaned closer to Escavalier. "I think I'm going to start developing a complex over those comments."

"Hush, you're beautiful," reassured Escavalier. He pointed his lance out at the false vendors. "Just who the hell are you two supposed to be, and why were you expecting a frog at all?"

"Doesn't he live here?" The shorter one tilted his head, while the taller kicked at him.

"Don't ask them that!"

"But it's got to be here and the castle, so he should be here, right?"

"Who the blazes are you two boys talking about?"

"Nobody!" The tall one tried to straighten up, pushing his daggers behind him. "We're just poor, terrified merchants—"

"Please, no one's buying that, especially when everyone else cleared out," deadpanned Accelgor.

"Uh, b-but it's true!" The shorter one squeezed his club tight and close to him. "We're just so scared and thought we could hide away…!"

"Lads, any time you want to drop your charade will likely make this much less painfully embarrassing for us all," advised Escavalier.

Both coated bandits looked to one another, and then back again at their enemies.

"Fine, but you should realize," cautioned the taller, "that you're only asking to be troubled."

"And you should've thought twice," warned the shorter, "because now it just got doubled!"

"…Are we seriously going there?" Accelgor buried her head in her hands.

"You start up some stupid rhyming motto nonsense," snapped Escavalier, "and I'll run you both straight through!"

"Have it your way!"

Both threw back their cloaks and withdrew their weapons. The shorter was a pig monkey with an eye-patch. The taller turned out to be a frog as well, though with a bulbous sac below his chin. They readied their weapons as they posed dramatically.

"Recognize us now?"

Accelgor squinted her eyes while Escavalier tapped at his helmet. He perked up after a moment.

"Oh, you're those louts from the wanted posters!"

"Seriously?" Toxicroak groaned. "That's all you've got about us? Do you work at the castle with the other knights or not?"

"Other knights?" Escavalier blinked and became rigid. "Wait a minute…you're that one, aren't you? The one that poisoned one of ours…"

"Finally!" Toxicroak pointed his dagger forward. "Got that right."

Just as the words left his lips, Accelgor sprinted across the town's center, a dagger of her own drawn. She smacked Primeape away and leapt at Toxicroak, their daggers clanging against one another. He jerked back as she glared up at him.

"Where the hell did that come from?!"

"You threatened the lives of important individuals," she hissed. "That's without acknowledging your betrayals to the kingdom."

"Please, I have no ties here." Toxicroak grunted as he pushed back on their deadlock. "And what, am I supposed to feel bad about poisoning the hog?"

"Him, and for even mentioning the frog."

Pulling out a shuriken, Accelgor cut at the Toxicroak's arm, but he stabbed past that and at her, forcing her to evade it.

"Who the hell is he that makes him so important?"

"Someone that matters," was all Accelgor offered.

Resuming her attack, she slashed at Toxicroak, but her swipes only hacked at his cloak, loose as he slipped away from her movements. She ducked back as he took an occasional slice at her, but never waited long enough for her to counter.

Escavalier attempted to hurry over by them, only to have Primeape slide into his way. He stabbed forward with his lance, to which Primeape battled away with his club, and punched at the knight.

Grunting and pulling back, Escavalier bit his lip and glared at Primeape, who swung his club back around.

"No way you can fight with lances for arms," mocked Primeape. "You're as good as gone!"

Without responding, Escavalier thrust his arms forward again, retracting them and blocking as Primeape reared his club forward. It clanged off his armored shell, and Primeape fumbled aside.

Throwing his arms apart, Escavalier stabbed at Primeape again, tearing through his cloak and swiping some of his side. Stumbling back, Primeape swung his club as he retreated.

"What the hell?!"

"Get out of my way," fiercely commanded Escavalier.

"Not happening!"

Putting his lances together, Escavalier pulled back and swung quickly forward, battling Primeape aside. He turned and hurried over to Accelgor and Toxicroak.

Backing away for distance, Accelgor tossed a shuriken, but Toxicroak closed the distance almost as quickly as it was created, and forced his dagger back against hers. He pulled out the other one and moved to stab her, only to have it knocked away.

Toxicroak jumped back, evading as the blade and the lances came at him. He twisted around and flipped past his collapsed market stand, kicking up a barrel to block the couple from immediately pursuing.

"That dastard needs to die," snapped Escavalier, smashing the barrel aside.

"Easy," cautioned his wife. Accelgor pointed her blade at the tent. "He's using this."

"No, he's not," her husband argued. "If he so much as touched you—"

"Come on, dear, I'm better than that."

"But that's not all," continued Escavalier. "He has hell yet to pay." His lances stuck at the stand. "Trying to kill one of my knights will cost him!"

"Specifically—"

"Most specifically him, yes." Quieter, he continued. "Chesnaught could've died…I'll kill this bastard."

"Been trying to," piped up Accelgor. "He's got more training than you'd expect."

"That loud one doesn't." Escavalier glared back as Primeape struggled back up. "Should've gut him already."

"One of them should come back as a prisoner," reasoned Accelgor. "Might as well be the annoying type, not the deadly one."

"But neither is supposed to die," interrupted a voice. "Yet."

Both spun around as Bisharp entered the center, arms folded. Blinking as they exhaled, Escavalier and Accelgor forced themselves upright.

"Didn't take you as the type to get defensive over us, Escavalier," prompted Bisharp.

"Stow it," snapped Escavalier. "You know that I am."

"And you?" Bisharp tilted his head. "I get ninjas are lethal by trade, but this has extra ferocity."

"We'll talk when you stop skulking around," contended Accelgor. "Unless you'd like to explain that a lot more."

"Issues," muttered Bisharp. His eyes narrowed as Primeape pulled his club back. "Hold on."

Primeape dashed forward and swung his club, as Bisharp grabbed it before knocking it away. Primeape's eyes widened as Bisharp approached him, blades out.

"Hu…how…?!"

"If you don't want a second eye-patch, you'll come quietly."

"Wait a second!" Toxicroak emerged from another stall past his own and gawked at Bisharp. "You're…with the knights?!"

"Do I not seem the type?" Bisharp scoffed. "I suppose not."

"N-no, but…when I got away from that samurai last time in town…"

"So that was you I ran into," realized Bisharp. He lifted his bladed arm. "Lucky that you had the hood up back then."

"Toxicroak, this is too much!" Primeape flailed behind Bisharp, who swiped at him. He fumbled back as Accelgor advanced on him. "This isn't working like they told us it would!"

"Clearly not," murmured Toxicroak, narrowing his gaze as Escavalier closed in. "Fine! Primeape, let's go!"

Inhaling, Toxicroak spat out a toxic liquid, forcing Escavalier to slow his approach. Tossing a tiny ball down, he vanished in a purple cloud. Though he stabbed at the cloud, Escavalier found no target to pierce.

Primeape lifted his club and smashed hard at the ground, forcing chunks to fly up from it. Bisharp slipped in front of Accelgor, blocking the earth that knocked into him.

However, Accelgor still tossed a shuriken at Primeape, slicing at his arm. He wailed out as he dropped an orb.

"Stupid ninjas!"

He coughed and sputtered as Accelgor tossed another shuriken, while Bisharp lobbed a knife at cloud. Another burst and formed from the ground below, while a dark shadow popped up in the smoke.

"There!"

Bisharp and Accelgor attacked again, but heard no hits. Shortly, the smoke faded, and they found no trace of Primeape.

Turning back to Escavalier, they shook their heads, while the knight jabbed his lance forward at Bisharp.

"If you had just let us continue—!"

"You're right," immediately admitted Bisharp. "That was stupid of me to interrupt."

"Right," murmured Accelgor. "Stupid."

They glared at one another, and Bisharp shook his head. He started away from the couple, but Accelgor grabbed at him.

"Wait." He spun back as she studied him. She sighed and looked aside. "Thank you. While it wasn't…" Accelgor shook her head and returned her attention to him. "You came to help us. And you did protect me. That's what matters."

"Did he?" Escavalier softened as Accelgor nodded. "Then I owe you one, Bisharp."

"Not at all," insisted Bisharp. "That's just doing my job." He lowered his head. "At least I got one thing right…"

"Well, you can get more by helping us clear the town and finding the bears," offered Accelgor. "Would that work?"

"As long as you don't piss them off," added Escavalier.

"…Yeah, that'll help." Bisharp smirked, just slightly. "Thanks."

Together, the three checked over the market stalls once more, and began to make their way back through the rest of the town.

---

[Northeastern Road, Springton]

Along the road with several eateries and restaurants, Ursaring gazed longingly into a tavern, still closed until nightfall. He placed his paws against the door, slowly sinking to the ground.

"This one looks big enough for all three of us, but it's not open for another four hours," he moaned.

"Ursaring, please get off the ground," murmured Beartic. "Besides, we could come back later on in the night, if you'd like."

"Ugh. But I'm hungry now, and I don't think we've been to this one yet," complained Ursaring.

"Do you really have to make yourself look so pathetic, though?" Pangoro folded his arms and chewed at a stem in his mouth. "Honestly, at least pummel the door and demand that they open. Try looking tough, not desperate!"

"You do realize that would likely only scare people from us even more," reasoned Beartic.

"Yeah, but we'd at least get in," countered Pangoro.

"That has no logic."

"Oh, so now you're smarter than me?"

"No, you're putting words in my mouth."

"Want me to put something else there?"

"Pangoro, be nice." Beartic smirked at him. "Or else I might do that first."

"Can you two quit argue-flirting and find somewhere better to eat?"

"That wasn't—"

"Ah, Bear, wait," piped up Pangoro. "That was the other thing. This street got creepy quiet. As in, it's not late yet, and people have already vanished."

"Might've had something to do with that noise we heard before," mumbled Ursaring.

"What noise?" Beartic blinked and turned to Ursaring, but then twisted back to Pangoro. "You both heard it?"

"Yeah, but you were in the bathroom, so—"

"But you're telling me about this how long after?!"

"…Uh—"

"Goro!"

"What?" He shrugged. "Ursa didn't bring it up either."

"But I did now…"

"The two of you, I swear…" Beartic sighed. "Come on. Now's a good time to find out where those knights disappeared to."

"Seriously?"

"Not the nasty ones, the smaller bugs and Gardevoir's boyfriend," corrected Beartic. "In fact, maybe we should double back for her and Lilligant."

"They're tough enough."

"But we can still help them, or they might help us," reasoned Beartic. "Come on."

Pangoro sighed and ambled over to Ursaring, prying him away from the tavern as the three walked to the middle of the street. Someone across from them came out as well, with the cloaked individual wrestling their coat around as they lined opposite to the bears.

"Um." Beartic rubbed his head, staring down at the smaller creature. "Can…we help you?"

"Rather unlikely," came multiple voices from the oddity.

"Uh…that sounded weird," muttered Pangoro, as Ursaring propped himself up.

"Though…you seem to come from the north," noted the stranger. "Pray tell…what is the status of those lands?"

"Probably good?" Beartic shrugged. "Haven't been there in months."

"Ah, so you're here like us now," the cloaked creature answered. "None of you would know then." Turning, the coated being started to walk away. "Perhaps it's best we leave them like that."

"Leave who?" Ursaring shook his head. "It's not good to just leave people if you know about them."

"We…were leaving all of you."

Fumbling with their cloak, claws ripped through it, and tore parts of the coat open. Four claws emerged, each with an eye on the center of the palms. The two upper arms reached for the hood, and dragged it down, revealing the head of the creature, but seemed to have a claw-shaped helmet of its own. This was the only one of the bunch that had two eyes, but all eyes concentrated on the bears, as they took a step back.

"This one…looks a little freaky," managed Ursaring.

"And all kinds of ugly," chimed in Pangoro.

"What are you?"

"Collectively, we…are Barbaracle," introduced the creature. Though several voices came from them, no mouth was visible. "And we…should go."

"Ah, no, something tells me you, uh…you…" Pangoro scratched his head. "You…guys?"

"Yes…?"

"Do you know what's happened with this town?" Beartic folded his arms. "Because if you do, we need to know."

All at once, the claws swayed around and wiggled.

"He wants to know what we do?"

"The others look ready to fight us!"

"Everything we do is tiring…"

"Hush, we must focus."

Each of the bears exchanged unnerved expressions as the squirming slowed. The head of the collective seemed to perk up.

"What we know…matters little," determined the voices together. "Unless anything else continues here…we are no longer needed."

"Like hell you're not," snapped Pangoro. "What the hell was that burst before?"

"The blast?"

"Do you mean an explosion?" Beartic twisted back to his partners. "You two heard an explosion, and you didn't mention that?!"

"Didn't sound that much like one," mumbled Ursaring.

"Yeah, it seemed like a weird rumble into a quiet pop," described Pangoro.

"Ok, we'll need you, uh, all of you to come with us," decided Beartic. "The others will need to know about this."

"Go?"

"We don't want to!"

"Elsewhere, we must go elsewhere we're needed."

"They cannot keep us…"

Each of the barnacles from the collective swayed to a stop once more, as the head shifted up again.

"No…we will not."

"We're not asking," contended Beartic.

He and his boyfriends lifted their claws as the four from Barbaracle waggled about. They halted and slashed at the rocks beneath the cloak.

"Is it…attacking itself?" Ursaring lowered his fists for a moment.

"No, they're honing them," realized Pangoro.

Starting carefully, the collective moved one foot ahead. The next one planted down beside it, moving them a bit forward.

Barbaracle then broke into a sprint and charged at the three bears, throwing all three off with their sudden speed burst.

They swept down and slashed up at Beartic, who took the blow directly, and fumbled back. Pangoro swung a fist at them, but Barbaracle sidestepped his blow, and then slashed back and forth against him.

Ursaring rushed in and swiped at the barnacles, slicing at one, but smacked around by another two. He fumbled back as Beartic cupped his hands together and hammered upward into Barbaracle.

As they stumbled back a bit, the collective then extended their arms out, and wheeled around. They used the bottom two claws to slash at Beartic and Ursaring, before kicking them both back into Pangoro.

Flipping back around, the arms swayed about, as the claws lit in a faint yellow glow. They rushed at the bears, as blue trails followed the lower two claws.

Beartic and Ursaring pushed up and grabbed at the arms of the creature, holding them back. Pangoro pulled back and threw forward a heavy uppercut, knocking Barbaracle away from his partners and back across the street.

"Ha, got them," taunted Pangoro. "You're both welcome."

"We literally held him in place for you," protested Ursaring.

"So? That was my punch."

"Keep it together, both of you," cautioned Beartic. "That's definitely not the end."

Across from them, Barbaracle's limbs shuddered as they struggled to regain control.

"They're annoying us…"

"We need to hit harder!"

"Can we face them all at once?"

"Our collective surpasses theirs."

Struggling a bit longer, the head barnacle focused and glared ahead, as the others slowly settled together. The four claws faced ahead, blinking as the bears charged to them. Each eye lowered into a glare, matching the head that took charge.

"None of you…are capable of stopping us," declared Barbaracle.

Before they could move, Ursaring took the center, causing the collective to focus on him. He grinned as his eyes widened into a menacing and terrifying face, as Barbaracle stumbled with their steps.

Pangoro slammed into Barbaracle next, and took their floundering slashes at him. Tightly gripping at them, he pulled back and threw Barbaracle further down the street.

As they flew back, Beartic deeply inhaled. Dropping his mouth open, he launched a breath of mist out into the air. It first formed into a ball of ice as it soared across the sky.

This orb floated above as Barbaracle hit the ground. They struggled to rise as icicles rained down from the ball and crashed down upon the collective.

"They cannot…defeat us…" managed Barbaracle. "What will…the others…?"

All three bears closed in on the collective, fists tightened as they approached.

"Three against one or three against a bunch, we'll always win together," asserted Pangoro. "This fight is over."

"How are we going to take them in though?" Ursaring glanced at his partners. "Can they be bound easily?"

"Guess we'll need to find that out," decided Beartic.

"They will…not take us…!" Barbaracle forced themselves back up, breaking away from the ice crushing them. "We will not…lose this."

With their lower arms, Barbaracle scooped up, as the upper pair shot up and together in a tree pose over their head. Beneath the bears, the ground rumbled as they stumbled.

"What the…?"

Rocks broke through below them, and knocked Ursaring off balance. Pangoro was next, pushed from his feet as he tumbled over. Beartic flew back as the stone erupted from below him.

"On this, we agree…" Barbaracle narrowed their gaze against the bears. "This ends…here and now."

The lower arms pushed up again, and the upper arms met above sharply. Rocks rumbled below and launched up from the ground.

Jumping up, the bears twisted away from the two rocks rising from the sides, and reared back as the third erupted from the ground. Together, they smashed into the final rock and it broke off, as they pushed it into the collective.

Their combined force propelled the rock heavily into the barnacles, and they crashed back below. Though broken apart, the rocks crumbled and crashed over Barbaracle, burying them beneath the stones.

All of the bears panted as they straightened up, and slowly approached the rubble. Pangoro balled up a fist, Ursaring raised his claws, and Beartic kept his mouth open for the mist.

"…Did we get them that time…?"

As they neared, a dark shadow formed beneath the rocks, and they crumbled in as it faded away. Pangoro and Ursaring hurried over, and pushed the stones aside. Underneath them remained no trace of the collective that battled them. Beartic blinked and searched the ground, and then looked around the northeastern road.

"They got away," murmured Ursaring, as he dropped a stone.

"How the hell did they manage that?" Pangoro tossed his rock aside. "They could pull a cartwheel, but teleporting?"

"As long as they're gone, that can count as a win for us," determined Beartic. "We need to go find the others now, and make sure this attack is settled."

"And then can we decide on dinner plans?" Ursaring's stomach rumbled as he gripped the fur inside his ring marking. "That fighting only made me hungrier."

"Later—"

"Actually, I'm pretty sure I worked up an appetite too, after that battle," realized Pangoro. He patted his stomach and chuckled. "Could definitely use a good meal tonight."

"One thing at a time, please," insisted Beartic. "Let's help this town, and then maybe we'll get food after." He folded his arms and sighed. "I doubt their kitchens are open tonight, even if we save everyone."

Both of his boyfriends groaned as they slouched and Beartic chuckled. Tugging at the two, he waved them to follow him back into town, and they trailed along after him.

---

[Eastern Gate, Springton]

At the town's edge, near one of its exits, Scizor leaned against the post of the gate while Heracross held up a green book and Armaldo read it from behind him. As they looked over the pages, Heracross occasionally glanced back to Armaldo, who nodded, and he would turn to the next set. Scizor rolled his eyes, as his frown hung lower with every page turned.

"So, the bluebell is also used to symbolize everlasting love as its third meaning," summarized Heracross.

"What? That's so romantic, my gosh," cooed Armaldo. "Gods, I didn't know that! No wonder Chesnaught picked that one! It's so adorable."

"Yeah, he would pick something cute for his partner," decided Heracross. "Greninja got lucky with him."

"More like poisoned his mind," mocked Scizor, though neither of his fellow knights paid him any mind.

"Do you think they're doing ok?" Armaldo tapped his claws together. "It must be really cold up there. Shouldn't they have sent a letter by now, or something?"

"He should probably hate us these days," murmured Heracross. "So, no letters."

"He hasn't got any right," contested Scizor, yet again, he was ignored.

"But Greninja and Delphox had friends too, and they could message King Nidoking or General Rhydon," suggested Armaldo. "Why not send something through?"

"Well, normally I travel up to the tundra outpost for their messenger to deliver letters to me," relayed Heracross. "But the past few times I've been up there, he hasn't shown up at all." His eyes lowered as he lost focus on the catalog. "If he doesn't show up when I go this week, I've got to let King Nidoking know there's something definitely wrong."

"You didn't tell him already?"

"I did, but it's not like we can respond right away," elucidated Heracross. "After all, they could just not have any mail for us."

"And what about our mail for them?" Armaldo waited as Heracross fell silent. "See, see? We have stuff to send up too!"

"There's a chance that they're having a very rough winter storm," argued Heracross. "That did happen three times in the past five years, and they didn't come by for mail for over three months."

"Maybe it's not so bad," relented Armaldo. "But still…"

"Look, it's been long enough for me to tell Nidoking after my next visit," reiterated Heracross. "He should have another method of contacting their emperor if something is direly wrong, but they make that call, not me."

"What the hell does it matter?!" Scizor's outburst caused both of his companions to jump and they fumbled with the catalog. "Those three are off and gone from our lives, and they could very well stay up in the empire! We're not supposed to be hung up about that!" Scizor fumed. "If anything, they could plot an invasion and become our enemies tomorrow! It wouldn't be the first time in history that allied kingdoms turned against one another!"

"They wouldn't have bothered sending us knights for a fair trade," countered Heracross. "Or, they would have gotten them to head back."

"Just because that hasn't happened yet doesn't mean that it's not coming!" Scizor folded his arms. "We could have an attack launch against the town and be completely blindsided, while those three bears are the masterminds!"

"Or it could just be that you're being a bully," snapped Armaldo.

"Excuse me?"

"Uh…I…"

Armaldo sank down, glancing at Heracross for help, but the beetle had covered his mouth with the catalog. He turned back as Scizor stormed over to him.

"Listen, Armaldo," fired back Scizor, "don't you forget who's helped your sorry ass with training time and again, especially after getting burned by Typhlosion of all knights." He swung around to Heracross. "That goes double for you, except you get it worse from Delphox! A mage besting you in single combat repeatedly—what a laugh!" He smacked his claws together and glared at the pair. "Just because everyone thinks that things are going to be just fine with the empire doesn't mean those gay boys up by them will be friends with us anymore. And we shouldn't expect that." He twisted back from the pair. "And that doesn't mean either of you can suddenly go soft on me because you want to play nice for King Nidoking's wedding and score brownie points with him."

"General Rhydon's too—"

"He matters less!" Scizor threw his arms up and twisted back. "Damn it! We kept making fun of him being a stupid viceroy or whatever for Nidoking, and now he'll be a…some kind of a…"

"King Consort," titled Heracross.

"That! How stupid!" Scizor kicked at the ground. "Two kings ruling together, how ridiculous!" He shook his head. "A king needs a queen, not another king, or a crook to swipe the crown."

"Don't talk about the General like that!" Armaldo gasped from his abrupt defense, as Heracross's eyes widened.

"He deserves it!" Scizor snapped his pincers and glared skyward. "He's probably playing a ridiculously long con, and I don't get how we've been blinded to it for so long!"

"But—"

"No, don't argue that, because I'm right and you both know it!" Scizor fumed as the other two cowered lower. "It's all a complete farce, I just know it!"

"…Even if it is," reasoned Heracross, "…Nidoking's happy." He waited as Scizor glared at him, but mustered up nerve to add, "Shouldn't that be good enough?"

"When this kingdom falls apart more than it already has in the past, you'll get it then," snapped Scizor.

"Haven't you heard: it's falling apart right now!"

All three jolted up and twisted back towards the town. Two monkeys, a sheep, and a flower critter hurried past them, rushing out from the town as quickly as they could. Heracross stowed the flower catalog in his pack, while Armaldo and Scizor raised their claws and faced the town.

"Gee, I wonder who could've called that one," ridiculed Scizor. "Hmm, no clues there, huh?"

"Still complaining first and problem solving second," mocked another voice. "Classic Scizor."

The red mantis jerked up and twisted around, looking for the newcomer. Heracross and Armaldo both stared at him, baffled by his response.

"Show yourself!" Scizor punched forward with his pincer. "You scum, this was your doing, wasn't it?!"

"Who are you talking to?"

"Only one who could annoy him more than anything else in the world," teased the voice again.

Glaring up, Scizor spotted the green mantis as he flew down, shrugging with his scythes. From an alley, long legs came out, followed by the rest of his accomplice.

"Scyther," hissed Scizor.

"Aw, is this you introducing me?" Scyther's smirk faded. "How quaint."

"What the hell do you want?!"

"Isn't it obvious?" He jabbed forward with a scythe. "To get at you, as usual."

"You stupid, snide, little—"

"Ah, mind your tone," mocked Scyther. "Hitmonlee, didn't I tell you he'd be so rude? He's always like this, especially in front of others."

"Shut up!"

"Make me." Scyther lowered his eyes. "It might spare your friends for five minutes."

"Oh, you want me to make you?" Scizor snapped his pincers. "With. Pleasure."

"Sure, sure, but let's see you keep up," taunted Scyther.

Beating his wings, Scizor flew at Scyther, who soared up and back on top of the nearest house. Seething, Scizor soared up after him, struggling to keep up, as Scyther yawned and spun around, flying off to the next rooftop.

Hitmonlee blinked as he watched them, and then turned his attention to Heracross and Armaldo, both who stared at him. Shifting his eyes as they watched him, Hitmonlee slowly turned back around, extended his leg, and rushed off.

"Hey!"

"Get back here!"

Heracross and Armaldo hurried after the fleeing fighter, as he sprinted back into the town from them. He twisted back, looking wildly about, and hurried between a house and a small teashop.

Slipping and stumbling, he glanced back, spotting as Armaldo stormed after him. Sliding quickly through a crevice between the buildings, Hitmonlee continued off, as Armaldo slowed and stopped by the thin opening.

Making back around the other side, however, Hitmonlee skidded to a stop, as Heracross folded his arms, horn tipped down.

"Hey."

Failing to find an exit, Hitmonlee shuddered as Heracross slowly approached him. He pulled back on his leg, prepared to kick at him.

However, he hesitated and lowered his leg as Heracross came closer, and merely extended his arms. Heracross blinked as he looked at them, and then to Hitmonlee's face.

"Is that a surrender?" His mouth parted as Hitmonlee nodded. "But then why did you even run? Why did you even partake in any of this?"

Only a shrug was Hitmonlee's response, and he stared down at the ground. Armaldo hurried back to the gate's opening, and slowed as Heracross restrained Hitmonlee.

"So splitting up worked out?"

"Yeah, but he didn't even fight," revealed Heracross. "I caught him, and he just…gave up."

"Really?"

"Yep."

"Huh." Armaldo tilted his head at Hitmonlee, who still stared at the ground. "Well, it might be better that he didn't fight, in that case."

"But then what has he been doing with them this whole time?" Heracross waited, as Hitmonlee remained relatively motionless and silent. "Don't you want to at least explain or defend yourself?"

"Maybe he can't," suggested Armaldo. "We'll have to wait until we get him somewhere to go over his actions."

A crate crashed behind them, and all three jumped, as Scyther laughed and flew back from Scizor.

"That's just a pitiful waste of time, you know…wait." Scyther blinked and spotted Hitmonlee bound. "Hang on, I'll get you out."

As Scyther flew toward him, Hitmonlee shook his head. Scyther slowed his approach and hovered just off the ground for a moment.

"Why not?"

Staring at one another, Scyther watched as Hitmonlee lowered his head. He sighed and touched down to the ground.

"If you're decided then," relented Scyther. He turned his attention to the knights. "Take it easy on him, all right? He's not—"

"Hold still, you little pest!"

Jolting up, Scyther leapt aside as Scizor hammered down. He swung forward at him again, but Scyther dashed outside of Scizor's reach.

"Come on, you're still struggling to catch me?" He laughed. "As usual, trading for power never pays off."

"It always has and always will!" Scizor snipped his claws. "You never get away forever, and I'm teaching you this lesson the hard way, once and for all!"

"Scizor?"

"Shut up and make sure you've got him restrained," barked Scizor, as Armaldo and Heracross flinched. He twisted back as Scyther sprinted down the street. "He's mine."

Taking to the air again, Scizor flew after Scyther, leaving his allies behind with their captive. The pair looked at one another, and then to Hitmonlee. The captive sadly stared after the disappearing mantis pair, and slowly shut his eyes.

---

[Southeastern Alleyway, Springton]

Scyther ran down the road and into an alley, wide enough to maneuver about should he start flying. He pivoted back and watched as Scizor came into view. He smirked and pointed his scythe at him.

"Think you left your friends behind."

"Shut. UP!"

"Aw, don't want them to see the embarrassment?"

Spinning around, Scyther kicked down a barrel and launched it at Scizor, who smashed it to smithereens. He darted at Scyther, who smirked and sidestepped his opponent, and then slashed at him.

Bending low, Scizor spiraled around and slammed his closed claw at Scyther's body. The green mantis flew back and crashed into crates and garbage.

"The only embarrassment here is you," snapped Scizor.

"Exactly who I was referring to," fired back Scyther. "It's always the same with you."

"Go to hell!"

"Been there for years, always stuck there with you." Scyther flew upright and swept his scythes against one another, brushing them apart. "Knighthood only made you even more of an egomaniac."

"So what, I do something decent, and you have to follow up with, what, conspiring with criminals?!"

"Got your stupid attention for five seconds, didn't it?"

Growling, Scizor flew at Scyther again and swung at him, as Scyther flipped over him and darted to a wall. Kicking off of it, he swung back around and sliced at Scizor, doing minimal damage.

"You can't win a direct fight, and you never could," mocked Scizor. He punched at Scyther, who pivoted away. "Always trying to prove how good you were by running and jumping all over, but you never had the strength or endurance for real battles."

"There you go again, still claiming about how I can't fight well because I'm not some metal sturdy moron," spat Scyther. "Some of us like to consider finesse and skill over brute force."

"Please." Scizor snapped his claws. "You're as impetuous as ever."

"Better than close-minded the jerk you turned out to be." Scyther pointed his scythe at the red mantis. "This whole thing was a passing opportunity just to get a chance to shove it in your face."

"To make yourself a colossal shame to the streets?"

"To take you down with me," corrected Scyther. "Because that humiliation hasn't followed you everywhere, so I might as well make sure of it."

"Why?" Scizor lowered his pincers. "That's your point? Making me look bad?" He scoffed. "You'd risk your whole life and freedom just to make me seem terrible?"

"No, you are terrible," reiterated Scyther. "This is just to make sure that whoever you're trying to fool now, it doesn't work."

"Just couldn't stand that I was always better than you?" Scizor chuckled. "Couldn't take losing out to me all of the time?" He lowered his eyes. "Did my shadow suffocate you that much?"

"Knighthood really did make you worse," realized Scyther. "You were always arrogant, but now you're just outright evil."

"You helped literal terrorists to get at me!" Scizor lifted his claws back up. "Go tell those bears that their ploy didn't work!"

"Bears? Your allies?" Scyther shook his head. "They're from the north. The ones that we worked with are…not exclusively from there."

"What, banner-less mercenaries?" Scizor rolled his eyes. "Give me a break."

"If you insist!"

Slicing at a broken easel, Scyther flung it at Scizor, who dipped back and smacked it away from him.

Scyther ran up the wall of the house near him, and kicked off it to fly back into the air. He glanced behind him and then back around to Scizor, who threw a desk drawer at him.

"That's another thing that I don't get about you," pressed on Scyther, as he spiraled back to the ground. "Why do you even work with people that you hate?"

"They became who I'd hate," hissed Scizor. "Some of them are more like you now."

"And is that really so terrible?" Scyther frowned and lowered his shoulders. "Am I that awful?"

"Do I need to bring up who you're working with, or do you want another example from over the years?"

Scyther forced a laugh and shook his head, as Scizor grasped the broken surface of a desk and lobbed it out. Ducking down, Scyther lifted his scythes to carve through it, and broke it apart.

As he rose, he winced, while Scizor dove forward and tackled him. He pounded at Scyther, who struggled to break from it, to no avail.

"For some reason," managed Scyther, "I actually bothered trying this, and yet, I don't know why." He glared up at Sczior, who pulled back on his closed pincer, holding it above Scyther. "You've never loved me, have you?"

"No."

Hammering his claw into Scyther's face, Scizor slammed it down with an unflinching force. He left it against the other's head for a moment, and then pulled it back.

Slowly, Scizor closed his eyes and lifted his head. He looked up to find Armaldo, Heracross, and Hitmonlee had appeared gawking in the alleyway, and watched at least up until this point. Scizor stood up and over Scyther, glaring down at him, and then back up to his fellow knights.

"Scizor, what the hell?"

"Who is this?" Heracross stepped forward. "Why did you want to thrash him so badly?"

"…This is Scyther…" Scizor forced out. He lightly kicked at the fallen mantis, as his body barely rose and fell. "And he's my brother."

"Wait, what?"

"You have a brother?!"

"Shut up and give me the bindings."

"But—"

"Don't." Scizor glared at the pair. "Don't. Make me. Repeat myself."

Armaldo and Heracross stared at one another, and then back down at Scyther. Hitmonlee sank to his knees as he watched. Scizor bound his brother up, not talking to anyone else as he did so, and remaining silent as he stormed back into town with his prisoner.

---

[Afterwards]

All of the Grass Fields knights gathered just outside of Springton and along the road for the castle. People within had started bustling about again, shouting and calling to one another while cleaning the debris they came across. Clouds drifted in front of the sun, weakening the light.

The four thugs were bound and pooled together; Electabuzz and Scyther were unconscious, while Medicham and Hitmonlee remained silent. Bisharp and Scizor kept surveillance on the four, silently alternating between one another. Beartic sat beneath a tree, and smiled as Ursaring and Pangoro crunched on apples. Samurott folded his arms and waited in a circle with Lilligant, Gardevoir, Gallade, Typhlosion, and Accelgor, while Escavalier and Armaldo waited just behind Accelgor.

Everyone turned as Heracross walked out from the town, staring down at the road before looking up at the castle in the distance, and then finally settled on his allies.

"So…there was a kind of explosive that went off, but it crushed an old home," he reported. "No causalities that anyone is aware of, no one was found in the rubble. There wasn't even a fire, so we're still figuring out what type of bomb it was." Heracross glanced back to the town behind him. "Some citizens mentioned that they had seen travelers wearing the robes and cloaks we described, but they didn't realize they were a threat, and everyone just thought of them as wayward souls passing through." He gazed back down at the ground. "None of them were found."

"Including the wanted bandits from before?"

"Neither of them were even seen, in spite of the posters," reaffirmed Heracross.

"Wonderful," muttered Scizor.

"If everything lines up how we told one another," surmised Samurott, "then that means they were expecting some type of reinforcements to show from the north, but they never came."

"Who the hell were they expecting to come from the Iceberg Empire?" Pangoro tossed aside his apple core and placed a hand on his hip. "We barely have enough to help our own territories, especially from the capital city."

"That would be great to know," chimed in Escavalier. "Considering that you're from there, we were hoping that one of you three might know of any threats to storm down this way."

"We've told you that we don't know," insisted Beartic, as he pushed up from the ground. "Emperor Empoleon has had numerous enemies, but none that were known to be actively plotting against him, the empire, or Grass Fields Kingdom."

"Even if they did, no one told us," murmured Ursaring, lowering his apple. "Does that mean they're really against us too…?"

"But they're not representing a coat of arms," countered Lilligant. "If they were looking to declare war with such an attack, wouldn't they bring that with them?"

"They wouldn't if they didn't want it known where they were coming from," explained Accelgor. "If they're trying to keep it quiet for now, they would represent themselves as mercenaries with no affiliations."

"It's definitely something that was meant to be coordinated," assessed Gallade. "They were waiting for back-up, they specifically cased the town for a while, months at least, and they launched a direct attack nearest to the Grass Fields Castle, while we were all out there." He placed his hands on his hips and shook his head. "That wasn't just a whim for attention, they were hired and instructed to pull off such a plot against the kingdom."

"So we're thinking it's one of the major four, then," put together Typhlosion. "And our prime suspicions go to the Iceberg Empire." He shook his head. "But then why give us soldiers rather than spies? We wouldn't have seen them coming."

"Maybe you wouldn't have," spat Scizor.

"Hush, you weren't as prepared for this as you'd like to believe," contested Bisharp.

"Better than the rest of you!"

"Really?"

"Stop fighting!" Armaldo jumped as his own shout, but lowered his eyes and braced himself. "That won't solve anything."

"Exactly right," agreed Gardevoir, as she placed her hands together. "If anything, not being in contact with the Iceberg Empire is what hurts the most right now. We need to somehow get in contact with them out there."

"Or maybe we could reach out to you."

Everyone twisted back to the town as a penguin with red and white feathers shuffled from within the town and over to the group. His ragged clothes stuck from below his armor, and his sleep-deprived eyes were forced wide, as his eyelids drooped down. He frowned as he looked over everyone, not even perking up upon seeing the three bears, as they rushed to the middle for him.

"Delibird, when did you even get here?" Beartic slowed his approach as he neared. "And why do you look so awful?"

"The Iceberg Empire was attacked," unveiled Delibird. "As I came through your town, I heard them chattering about the same while cleaning up damages—"

"Wait, wait, wait," interrupted Pangoro. "What do you mean we were attacked?"

"They came to our city and palace and absolutely obliterated it with soldiers, bombs, and cannon fire," expanded Delibird. He paused and glanced behind him. "Along with actual fire." His brow wrinkled down. "Does that clear it up?"

"When?"

"Recently." Delibird covered his eyes with his flippers. "I was sent down here immediately after to report that and the…the—"

"What, bird?" Scizor folded his arms. "Don't stall."

"The casualties."

Everyone quieted as their eyes widened, all attention locked on Delibird. He grasped at his wing and heaved, but shook his head.

"Of the imperial army, we lost five of our soldiers."

"We lost…who died?" Ursaring slumped down as Delibird shook his head. "Please…"

"Quagsire." Delibird winced and shuddered, not daring to look at his allies. "Poliwrath and Politoed." He swallowed hard. "Alakazam and Machamp."

Pangoro roared and stormed off, punching at a tree, and hitting it repeatedly. Ursaring sank down to the ground and stared silently at it, while Beartic shut his eyes and tightened his fists.

"We're still not sure about the injured, and I don't know if they'll make it yet or not either, but—"

"Who got hurt?" Gardevoir stepped forward and Delibird forced himself to look to her. "Who else?"

"One of ours is in a critical state, and that's Golduck." Pangoro roared and smashed the tree harder. Delibird swallowed and exhaled. "Four of ours, including our emperor and general, are still recovering from hypnotic possession. Ah…and…"

"Keep going," demanded Gardevoir, as her voice broke and trembled. "Who else?"

Tears lined Delibird's eyes, and two dropped out. "…Your soldiers, Greninja and Delphox."

Lilligant clasped her hands over her face, while Accelgor squeezed her eyes shut. Escavalier drifted to her and nudged against her, to no avail. Samurott's arms shook and he staggered back, while Typhlosion's mouth dropped open.

Gallade watched as Gardevoir gripped at her head and backed away from everyone. He started over to her, but she kept away.

"No, no, no, no, no, no…"

"What about Chesnaught?" Bisharp stepped forward. "Did he—?"

"Stable enough condition, some injuries, but he was up and with your friends when I left," revealed Delibird. "He was one of the strongest standing in the end."

"And the Iceberg Empire itself?"

"In ruins but…still standing," determined Delibird. "I need to speak with your king about this—"

"Why did that happen?" Gardevoir twisted back around and her arm shot up, as Delibird lifted from the ground. "Why the hell was Delphox anywhere near danger? Who the hell hurt him?! WHY DIDN'T—?!"

"Gardevoir, stop!"

She jerked up as Gallade reached for her, grasping her shoulders. Bisharp and Scizor flanked him, waiting on either side of the mage. She dropped Delibird and he sat on the ground, shaking as tears fell from his eyes.

"I'm sorry," he whimpered. "I should've done more…I tried, but my friend sent me off, and I…I couldn't…" Delibird sank down. "I wasn't strong enough…"

"It's fine, you're here, and it's ok," reassured Heracross. He patted Delibird and waited as the messenger sobbed. "You did what you could."

"Not enough…"

"How many died in the city?"

"I don't know…" Delibird shuddered. "I…I didn't get to ask…"

"Right, they wanted you here." Heracross sat down in front of Delibird. "And you made it. So, thank you." He placed his hands on Delibird's shoulder as the penguin lifted his head. "But our king really, really needs to hear about this too."

"Ok…ok…"

Helping him up, Heracross took Delibird and made his way past his group, as the pair set off for the Grass Fields Castle. Scizor and Bisharp herded their prisoners and set off behind them, while Armaldo hesitated, but twisted back as Medicham yelped and struggled from Bisharp's grip.

Pangoro had demolished the tree and had taken to pounding at the earth. Ursaring sat quietly while Beartic tugged at him, shouting at Pangoro to stop.

Typhlosion and Lilligant pulled at Samurott, as he stumbled forward, nearly falling. Escavalier held Accelgor close as she kept a hand against her head, murmuring about needing to go home.

Gardevoir pried herself from Gallade and stormed away from her friends. Gallade started after her, but a heavy burst of power blasted the ground around her, and he fumbled back as he shielded himself. He lowered his arms and stared at the crater she left in the earth.

Clouds covered the sun entirely, and all of the noise quieted to them.

---

...

Hope you didn't forget all of the sad stuff that happened before! Because it's not over yet.

This was a good chapter to spotlight some of the characters from Grass Fields that haven't gotten much time before, so now we can get a better look to them individually, rather than just "Nidoking and Rhydon's soldier collection." Some stood out, but hopefully the rest are doing better.

Some villains were left obscured and unnamed intentionally, because they may appear later on, and I've got ideas for them, but we'll see how it works out. Those that got away are likely to do more. Not that this is the last that you'll hear of the named characters either, though.

Feedback fulfills my cravings, so if you have the time, please comment about the story! It really keeps me going.

Next chapter will return to the fallout of the Iceberg Empire in full, since this one was just the teaser for the other characters. It's going to be sad, fair warning ahead of time. But, there's only a few chapters left now, so it won't be much longer.

But until next time, we leave it at that. As always, thank you for reading, and please take care!