Episode 8: Stop the Takeover! Leos Makes his Confession!?
I can't believe I'm really being carried like this, Leos thought to himself. He kept a loose grip Griselle's shoulders, while she had no problem keeping her paws beneath him to keep him up. Having explained what had happened earlier on in the night, the group made their way to Castle Eris, determined to put an end to the mess.
Several ghost types tried to get in the way, but Griselle and her family had no trouble dealing with them. Leos was surprised about that. She said he was as light as a feather to her, and he knew she had supernatural strength, yet he wasn't expecting her to literally carry him as if he was that light. She skipped around Pokémon attacks like the battle expert she was, while Nier's Psychic dealt most of the damage. She didn't have to put him down for even a moment.
Soon they reached Castle Eris. They scouted the entrance, but nobody seemed to be there. No eerie laughter from ghosts, no boastful Sinistea, or even the uneasy presence of the Ghost Gang bosses. The place felt totally empty.
"Hey Griselle? I'm feeling better now, so I can walk." Leos leaned forward so he could see her face.
"Are you sure? I really don't mind at all. I don't want ya to push yourself and do more than you need to do," she replied.
Says you. Even if I'm not heavy, carrying me has to be a burden somewhere, he thought as she put him down. She showed no signs of tiredness or bother at all. I can't even picture myself carrying a Pokémon for that long, let alone fighting with one in my arms the whole time. She's so strong it's unbelievable. I really can count on her for anything, can't I?
Those thoughts made him shake his head. No Leos, don't be foolish. Griselle shouldn't be taken advantage of. If I can walk, then it's better I walk.
He surveyed the area again. There was no one in the castle's opening corridor or the hall beyond. Despite how weird it was, he was getting used to the place being empty. "I can't sit around on your back all evening. It's time to fight."
"Well uh, you could if you wanted to. I honestly don't mind at all," Griselle shrugged with a smile.
"Man, you dunno how lucky you are. What I'd give to lounge around on Vincent's back all night," Nier commented in a sing-song tone.
"Don't even think about it." Vincent turned away, and she giggled.
"You two are not serious about this," Leos groaned.
"Oh we are. But what difference does it make if we're smiling or frowning while doing it?" Nier quizzed. She tucked her paws behind her head.
"We should be quiet, though. The ghosts might hide in the walls," Vincent added.
Leos wanted to respond, but he couldn't think of one. As he slowly advanced, nervousness drowned his thoughts. He may have recovered from his extreme fatigue, but he would probably still have to fight that big dragon, Million. Perhaps even at the same time as the giant Jellicent and the dumb Decidueye, Jean and Hundred. No doubt the Dhelmise, too. Could his little entourage do it? Or were they walking right to their deaths?
This is just like back during the war, he realised as he took one unsure step. It's scary, it's dangerous, it's not fun, I have no idea what's going to happen, and I hate that everyone's in danger. Why does this have to happen? Why can't things just be normal for once? How heck did Rune and Mother even let something like this happen? All I have to do is tell them I don't want to marry, yet all this stupid—
"What's the holdup? You okay?" Griselle snapped him back to reality. She had an eager smile on her face. "If you're worried, don't be. We've got this."
"I don't really know what's…" he trailed off upon spotting Laurent. The Poipole was the quietest they'd been all night, and hadn't smiled since learning Prem had been defeated. No. I can't say that, not when Laurent's listening. It's so strange having someone younger than me in this situation for once.
"Er, the castle being empty is making this difficult. I'm thinking of a good plan," he lied and folded his arms. "If they put guards or something, I could figure out how to beat them based on formations, placements, and other factors. But like this, I don't know what's going to happen."
"Better for us though, ain't it? We get to walk around freely 'n stuff," Nier put her paws on her hips.
"Well, not really. We know that they're here, and being ghosts, we know they can jump us at anytime, anywhere. They're probably all gathered in one room, waiting to ambush us," Leos grumbled. He continued to lead the way, heading for the main staircase going up.
"That is so the scary," Laurent whined.
Uh oh. Being too on edge. Think Leos, think! Try and turn this around, Leos thought. "Then again, I've beaten all the Ghost Gang bosses before. They're probably all running with their tails between their legs."
"Huh?" Vincent glanced at him.
"Yeah. I've beaten them all before since they did bad things, that's why they're trying to be extra mean now. But they still can't beat me, so they're the ones who have to hide and make a plan," Leos bragged.
"Did you really beat them Mister Daddy's friend Leos?" Laurent asked.
"Of course. They wouldn't be trying to hurt my friends if I didn't. But all this started because I stopped them from doing bad things to the town," Leos explained. "And remember, you can just call me Leos."
"I will call you Uncle! Uncle Leos," Laurent squeaked, putting their hands together.
"I'm the uncle, huh? I'm okay with that," he muttered, and put a paw on his hip. Got to admit though, I do feel too young to be an uncle.
"And that means you are the Auntie. Auntie Gree!" Laurent announced.
"Gree? Wait a minute, why don't I get a proper name?" Griselle cried.
"I am sorry. Your name is hard for me to say," Laurent said, prodding their hands together.
"It's easy, though. It's just Griselle. Grr-iss-sell!" she objected.
"Grr… eese? Sellu?" Laurent replied.
"See, you've almost got it! Iss, not eese. Grr-iss-sell," she said.
"Grr… eese. E-eese-iss. Greesell- aahhh I wanna call you Auntie Gree!" Laurent squealed and rubbed their head.
"Auntie Gree suits you. It's two letters off greedy," Leos commented.
"Oh ha ha. You read that one in a book?" Griselle pouted at him. "And what's with the cockiness, anyway? It's unlike you."
Leos leaned towards her and began to whisper. "Can't let Laurent know I'm nervous. I don't actually know what's going on here."
"Mhmm. Well, we did kick their butts pretty hard, so it's not like you're lying," she stood straight. She noticed her parents snickering to each other. "What're you two laughing at?"
"Oh, nothing," Nier sung.
"But weren't you having a go at us earlier for not being serious?" Vincent scratched his chin.
That made Leos growl. "We are being serious. Thanks to this little talk, I was able to pin down where Prem and the others are being held."
"Daddy? Where is Daddy?" Laurent squeaked.
"The throne room. They want a showdown," he stated.
"How in the world did you come to that conclusion?" Nier wondered.
"Castle Eris has dungeons and prison cells, but they've pretty much been unused since the war. If they're still there, then they're high maintenance rooms that require constant patrol and guarding when Pokémon are held captive there," Leos explained as he led the way up the castle. "Meaning if the Ghost Gang were keeping everyone there, I would be able to hear them for sure."
"Oh yeah. No way Kristen would keep quiet if she was being held captive. All the rooms here don't have doors, so we could hear her," Griselle pointed out.
"Except the throne room, which also happens to be built to be soundproof. But I wasn't just thinking of Kristen. The lower floors would be pretty noisy and well-guarded if everyone was being kept in the dungeon. Throw in the fact that everyone here was preparing for that party and the traditional wedding…" Leos added.
"And they would be sitting Ducklett for a big invasion of power-hungry ghosts, leading to an easy takeover. They'd have just enough time to store all their prisoners in one place," Vincent finished.
"Exactly. So let's keep our eyes open," Leos said with a nod. I say that, but it's really hard to believe Mother and Father would get defeated by any of the Ghost Gang bosses. And how did they get the castle to be empty AGAIN? Now that I think about it, maybe this is another surprise setup.
"This is still the scary," Laurent moaned, and scrunched themselves up.
"Don't worry. We mean it; as long as us four are here, we can't lose," Griselle promised. "Just keep behind us, and squeak if you see anything scary, okay?"
"Okay," Laurent nodded.
The group fell quiet after that. There wasn't much further to go as Leos kept them moving forward. They ascended a couple of staircases, briefly scouted the halls and rooms for stray ghosts, but found nothing besides abandoned rooms. Rune's bedroom caught his attention, as unlike everywhere else in the castle, evidence had been left behind.
There was collection of dust and fur gathered into one spot on the floor, while a discarded broom laid not too far from it. Part of a wall mirror was watermarked too, and his bed wasn't fixed. As Leos wandered around careful not to touch anything, more unfinished business became clearer to him, though the others waited by the doorway.
"What's the holdup? Find something?" Griselle asked.
"Don't you see it?" Leos replied. "Half-finished dusting and sweeping, water dried on the mirror to make watermarks… they were in the middle of cleaning when something stopped them."
"Oh yeah. Um, I dunno exactly how royalty clean stuff, but they'd get in a lotta trouble if they left stuff like this, wouldn't they?" Griselle replied.
"It's an easy way to get fired for sure," Nier commented, tucking her paws behind her head. "Guess you're thinkin' since the mirror's still wet, all this is recent?"
"Right. They're still here, and it solidifies my point they're all in the throne room," Leos nodded.
"Then shouldn't we hurry?" Griselle said. Leos still hesitated. "What're you thinking?"
"Laurent, do you want to stay here? Vincent will look after you," Leos suggested.
"Me?" Both Laurent and Vincent said in surprise.
"Laurent, I know you don't like fighting, and this might get violent. We'll need somebody to look after you, and Vincent fits the bill because he can't hit ghosts at all. He doesn't have any Pokémon attacks," Leos explained. "I know Griselle can only use Hydro Pump, but I have other ideas. I would leave both Vincent and Nier, but we might need your healing, Nier."
"Holy crap you actually were strategizing." Nier frowned.
"As much as I hate being left behind, it does make sense. I can lead an escape if something happens," Vincent commented with a frown, too.
"Oh no, I do not want to do that!" Laurent cried.
"Laurent…" Leos muttered.
"I am the scared, but I am not that the scared! I want to help save Daddy, too. Please let me help," Laurent pleaded.
"I'm only saying this because it's not going to be like the fights from before. This one is going to be serious, and there may be weapons involved. Pokémon could get hurt, and those Pokémon might be us," Leos warned. "I'm not going to force you into this, but I'm not going to force you to stay here, either. If you really are prepared to do anything to help Prem—"
"Yes, yes I will do anything!" Laurent squealed loud enough to silence everyone. "I-I mean, yes. Please let me help."
"Um, I'm not really sure about this… I dunno how young Laurent is," Griselle whispered to Leos.
"The way I see it, Laurent's age doesn't really matter. After hearing that, do they really seem like the kind of Pokémon that would stay here if we told them to?" Leos replied. "You can come, but you have to listen to us."
"Yes sir Mister Daddy's friend Uncle Leos!" Laurent saluted. There was a long moment of silence, and they started giggling and blushing. "U-uh, erm, yes Uncle Leos."
"You're really nervous, aren't you? You only need to spray ink at the ghosts if I tell you to," Leos said, putting on a smile.
"I remember," squeaked Laurent.
"Guess we're all in. No turning back now," Vincent stated.
"Wouldn't plan on it," Griselle replied, while Nier nodded.
Despite the others' readiness, Leos couldn't help but slow down upon reaching the throne room doors. Griselle promptly pushed them wide open, but he prayed she would go slower so he'd have more time to mentally prepare. He gripped his scalchop before he stepped in, and expected to be jumped.
The throne room was empty and dark. What little light there was came through the windows, which drew an unsettling pattern on the floor in the middle of the room. Griselle and Vincent spread left and right to scout, both nearly silent in their careful movements. The most the group could hear was a howling wind against the distant walls, which echoed through the room to sound like a low, whispering song.
"There's no one here?" Leos mumbled, and then flinched as Laurent latched to his back. "Laurent?"
"I-I am sorry. I do not like it when it is dark," Laurent whimpered. "Do we have to go this way?"
"We'll be alright. Like I promised, we're right here." Leos patted them on the head. Laurent's grip loosened and they poked their head out. "Wait, we're not alone. Right in front of us!"
It was too dark to see in front of them, but after a few moments, everyone realised, too. A low rumble shook the air as a huge silhouette faded in from the far end of the room. The occasional burst of steam could be heard, and as the figure came into view, mist covered the ceiling and floor, too.
Leos recognised the shape of the monster as similar to a Palossand, but its appearance was totally different. It looked like it was covered in a snow-white sheet, while countless red, blue, and grey eyes dotted its upper half. Where Palossand's mouth would be, instead there appeared to be a metal vent. Its castle-shaped arms were sharper and more claw-like, too. Once it was fully in view and looming over the group, the ghostly monster let out a stale, grating roar.
Laurent was the first to scream and sprayed their ink at the ghost monster, making everyone flinch. As messy as Laurent's spray was, the green fluid barely covered a fraction of the monster's front. Leos quickly snatched Laurent and pulled them back, while Vincent and Griselle stood guard over them.
"What is this thing? Ain't no Pokémon I've ever seen before," Nier cried and pointed her rapier at it.
"I don't like it! It big, the scary, going to eat me!" Laurent screamed and flailed in Leos' arms.
"Laurent, calm down! It's not going to eat you!" Leos shouted, but he couldn't hold on. He let the Poipole go, and thankfully they latched to his back again.
"You three stay back. Nier, don't let this thing get any closer," Vincent ordered as he stood in front of Leos and Griselle.
"That goes without saying. Alright you big lump of trash, stop right there!" Nier shouted. The ghost roared back at her, bent one of its claws forward, and a huge, pink orb formed between the tips of its nails.
"Watch out!" Vincent stuck an arm out, but there was no need. The moment the pink orb was fired, Nier flew through the air with her Psychic to avoid it. It hit the floor and burst into a huge cloud of sparkly glitter.
"That was Moonblast, but it was huge. Some kind of fairy type?" Leos muttered, observing intently.
"Think I stand a chance of hittin' it?" Griselle asked.
"I've got a better idea I wanted to try. I'm going to throw up some Water Pulse, and you hit them out of the park… get it?" he proposed, and held up said attack. He was able to shift about even with Laurent hugging him.
Griselle glanced between him and her parents, who were fighting the giant ghost. None of their attacks seemed to do any damage, but its massive form made it too slow to hit them, too. She spread her feet apart and held her lance like a bat.
"That's really all you wanted to try? I-I'll do my best," Griselle promised.
"Try and aim for its mouth," Leos suggested as he tossed the first orb of water lightly into the air.
The Water Pulse floated slowly, giving Griselle ample time to draw back and aim. With a mighty swing, she sent the attack flying into the ghost monster faster than the eye could blink. It burst into a misty cloud of water and had enough force to topple the monster back, but no damage was visible.
"That looked like it worked," Nier said, glancing back at them. Leos and Griselle nodded to each other and proceeded to use their new attack in rapid succession.
Leos was able to stop paying attention to her. He focused his effort on creating orbs of water and tossing them over to Griselle, all while keeping his eyes on the ghost monster. Laurent remained wrapped around him, but even they started to calm a bit as the orbs of water smashed into the monster.
"Nier, don't just stand there. Join them with Psychic!" Vincent ordered with a swipe of his arm.
The Meowstic lifted her ears, and dark pink energy radiated from the eye marks inside. The next moment, near-invisible blasts of force began to go off around the monster, further helped by continuous strikes from Leos and Griselle. Each one caused it to grunt and topple backwards as though it might even fall over.
"It is working?" Laurent murmured.
"If we have to beat this thing to save everyone, then we will. It's like I promised," Leos growled without looking at Laurent. That said, this thing is clearly heavily armoured. It barely looks like our attacks are hurting it at all. Something that water and psychic isn't very effective against would be…
He wouldn't get the chance to finish that thought. Amongst all the blasts and mist, he noticed two attacks charging atop the monster's claws, both huge orbs of energy. One resembled a Moonblast, while the other, a stronger Water Pulse.
"Look out!" Leos shouted and pulled Laurent into a crouch with him.
Both of the monster's attacks were unleashed with a great boom. They flew past a surprised Nier and Vincent, forcing Leos to gasp and brace for the worst. He cradled Laurent tightly, but even as a deafening explosion went off, all he felt was a strong pulse that pushed him to the floor.
"What?" he whispered after a moment. Laurent was quietly moaning below him, while the smoke around them made it annoying to breathe in the moment. He got up, and his heart turned heavy as he found Griselle stood over them. "Griselle!"
"Y-you okay?" she breathed out and slumped. Her front was slightly blackened and she was covered in marks of damage, but she managed to stay on her feet.
Griselle is… you still had to protect me, Leos growled. Time felt like it slowed to a crawl, and his view of her stuck in his mind. All kinds of comments played through his mind, but only one of them was clear. This was just supposed to be a silly little dating game. Instead it's turned into this.
"Auntie Gree!" Laurent cried.
Villainous ghosts, my friends kidnapped, and now Griselle's hurt… All because I played along with this stupid game! Leos growled even louder, and closed his paws. "Griselle!"
"Leos?" she replied. They locked eyes, and she gulped. Laurent was confused between them, but once the Poipole noticed their focused faces, they shuffled away.
"It's time to stop playing around and end this," Leos announced, and took position in front of her. The duo crossed their arms, the room darkened even further, and their bodies glowed with a golden aura.
"A Z-Move? Here and now?" Nier gasped. Leos ignored her.
"I hate this. More than anything in the world, I hate this. Every time I get involved in royal politics, things are like this," Leos shuddered as he unfurled his arms and slowly crossed them again. "But all of this is to do with me, not my friends. I'm so sick of having to see everyone I know and love get hurt just because of me!"
The ghost monster slowly slid back as if nervous, while Nier and Vincent made room. Leos breathed out heavily, but that didn't stop him or Griselle from finishing their pose, which they performed in perfect sync with one another. They crouched and then spun once as they rose, drawing the Aries star sign with their bodies. With their finished pose, a bright flash and glow emanated from Leos, followed by a flaming aura surrounding him.
"Ghost Gang, I've let you have your way for long enough. You stepped too far, involving my friends. This ends here!" Leos shouted.
He swiped his scalchop with a paw to form a Razor Shell in the shape of a scythe, which he spun stylishly. Then he leapt up high and drew back with a roar at the top of his voice.
Right before he would bring his blade down to slice the ghost monster in two, something strained his head, like a dangerous warning flashed in his mind. It told him to hesitate, that he might harm Rune and Ariala somehow. It was an image of them trapped within a tight space, and their faces were terrified.
"What the—" Leos gasped.
He was too close to stop his attack, but he was able to bring his blade down at awkward angle, with an uneven slash that didn't cut through the whole target. The ghost monster was thrown back with tremendous force, where it collapsed into a very weakened heap. Leos landed in front of it, and retained the golden aura that should have been extinguished from his Z-Move.
Before anyone could question it, large sparks and crackles of electricity washed over the ghost monster, crackling loud and crazily enough that it blinded everyone. Moments later, a loud explosion went off and the crackling stopped. The room lit up with large lamps on the side walls, but black smoke bellowed out from the monster's vent-like mouth.
The aura dissipated around Leos, and with it, his energy vanished. He let out a dry gasp as he collapsed onto one paw and threatened to fall on his face, but Griselle came to his aid. Most of his thoughts had stopped, and his focus shifted entirely to catching his breath. By the time he could look up, sweat cascaded off his head and his throat felt like it was being grinded by sandpaper.
"Hang in there," Griselle cried. He kept an arm over her shoulder to stay upright, and gave her a wave to assure her he was okay. "Ah, don't push yourself. We-we'll handle the rest of this."
Right on cue for that, the monster's vent burst open, revealing it was a real air vent. More smoke flooded out, as well as a panicked Prem and Kristen. The two coughed and sputtered as they searched their surroundings and shook themselves of soot.
"Prem, Kristen?" Leos gasped, and then coughed as well.
"Don't push yourself!" Griselle cried louder.
"Leos?" Prem replied in even more surprise. "Where are… oh my goodness, Laurent!"
"Daddy!" Laurent squealed. The duo immediately dove for each other and hugged tightly. Laurent quickly burst into tears and nuzzled into Prem's chest. "Daddy I was so the scared, it was dark and there were lots of big meanies and they wanted to eat me and—"
"It's okay, it's okay now. There, there, I'm here," Prem said reassuringly as he hugged and patted Laurent. "I won't do that again. I'm so sorry I left you alone."
"Enough of the weird sappy show, what in the outer stars going on?" Kristen shouted. "I demand an explanation immediately!"
"That's what I want to know. You guys were inside that… that thing was a machine?" Leos responded. "And shouldn't we do something about this smoke?"
"The windows opened," Nier said blankly, drawing his attention to the walls. Not only did the lamps mysteriously light up on their own, some of the glass walls tilted to let the smoke out.
The ghost machine's claws began to shake with loud, clanging knocks coming from both. Everyone was brought to silence, letting Leos focus. It almost sounded like there were other Pokémon inside and they couldn't get out. If his little vision was anything to go by, his heart started to race.
Nier hit the left claw with a light Psychic attack, and the white cloth around it ripped. The base of the claw opened up to let out another puff of pitch black smoke, but also, a weakened Rune. Leos' mouth hit the floor.
"Father?" he shrieked. Nier quickly hit the other claw, and out came a slumped Ariala with another smoky gush.
"I told you this was a bad idea," the Clefable moaned weakly with a cough.
"Heh, alright. I admit I fudged this one a bit," Rune replied, limply raising a paw at her.
"H-help them out," Leos instructed. With a groan and a palm of his face, Vincent strolled over and pulled them out of the machine. "Alright, can anyone please explain what in the world is going on? What was everyone doing in a giant ghost machine?"
"It's all you, honey," Ariala said. She tried to recover her stance to look proper, but her fur was matted with black splotches all over, and her wings and ears were droopy.
"Aww c'mon, don't make me face the wrath alone. You played along too," Rune snapped. He was in no better condition, and his head fur somehow managed to look even messier.
"But it was your idea. You forced me to play along when you put it into motion despite my objections," Ariala argued.
"But don't you think I've had enough hate thrown at me? If it was so bad, why didn't you take responsibility?" he said.
"It's not my responsibility to cover for your mistakes!" she raised her voice.
"Gods, please do not start arguing!" Leos shouted, and then huffed. Griselle had no trouble keeping him up. "I-I don't even know what you two are arguing about. I'm so dang confused right now."
"Urf, alright whatever. I guess I'll try and take it from the top," Rune grumbled. He scratched the back of his head, and then put a paw on his face. "In a way, everything went according to plan. I just didn't get to rehearse the finale, and you were a little hasty on the power switch, too. Your Z-Move nearly killed us!"
"As I sensed, but what were you four doing inside that thing? Why was that thing even there?" Leos questioned, glancing back at his friends.
"Don't look at me, I haven't the slightest clue, either! But this is ridiculous. I was waiting for you to come and greet me tonight. Instead, those ghosts show up, and I get put in a dark prison? The fact that a prestigious position like myself could have something that embarrassing happen to her, I demand complete compensation!" Kristen ranted.
"That's not actually how it works with retainers," Prem said with a shrug. "But please let them explain before you demand payment."
"And let those ghosts continue to step all over us? Criminals and low-lives must be put in their place for even uttering a negative comment. We have a platform and an appearance we must maintain atop our hierarchy!" she continued.
"Kristen!" Leos shouted. She went dead quiet. "Father, continue."
"Hmm. So the real game was that you were meant to choose one of those three to be your partner in marriage, correct?" Rune began. Leos nodded unsurely. "Well, we planned this procedure for your wedding many years ago, to be honest. You were meant to start this new tradition of royalty meeting their partner and then travelling through town. But as the years went by, I learnt a lot about you and how you wouldn't take something like this seriously."
"Yet still you went through with it," Leos groaned.
"Well, in my own way. To tell the truth, I knew you weren't going to pick a partner," Rune stated, pointing at him. Leos's face twisted and his heart fell into his stomach. "You were going to march right to the castle alone and tell me you weren't going to pick a partner. It's just the sort of thing you'd do."
Leos didn't reply, but apparently his face said it all. Rune had a frustrating, cocky smile.
"So I had to bend the scenario a bit. I figured you'd pick the Pokémon you most cared about if they were all placed in genuine danger. Kristen suggesting the dates on the build-up to tonight helped massively," Rune explained.
"Wait a minute, don't tell me- that's impossible- you couldn't have!" Leos whispered. Even Griselle had let go of him to cover her mouth in shock. "Everything the Ghost Gang did, all of that was a pretend setup? That couldn't be, you had no idea what our dates were. S-some of the things they did were genuinely dangerous!"
"Well, of course it was. If the danger wasn't real, you wouldn't take it seriously," Rune replied with a shrug.
"Please try to sound more respectful about this," Ariala commented.
"That- why- you- I- The whole town could have been flooded!" Leos yelled at the top of his voice.
"Like I said. The danger had to be real or else it wouldn't work," Rune stated.
"Are you seriously telling me you confided with a mafia to sabotage my dates and then staged a criminal takeover so that I would go to help the Pokémon you think I would care about most?" Leos questioned. He was shaking with disbelief, and his mind wouldn't settle. He felt even worse than the terror he felt earlier. "This doesn't even work. The only reason I went for Griselle is because I know she can't hit ghost types reliably while the others could!"
"Was it really?" Rune asked. He folded his arms and that cocky smile came back.
"Yes. Yes it really was. You know I strategize in moments like that!" Leos raised his voice.
"But there were lots of different things you could have done, were you thinking soundly," Rune stated. "Remember, I told you that their families were with them. Griselle would have Nier and Vincent, war veterans, at her side. On the other hand, don't you think a sounder strategy would be to get Prem first? That way you would have had an easier time rescuing the others since you two fight together perfectly."
Leos opened his mouth and threw an arm up, but no words came.
"You could also have assisted Kristen, whose supporting abilities would draw away the ghosts for your friends to escape easily," Rune stated. "And yet, above all else, you made the riskiest move of diving headfirst into battle to save Griselle."
Leos grit his fangs and silently snarled.
"I think my plan worked. In a moment of total panic, you chose the partner you were most worried about. Above and against all odds, the two of you proved your bond and overcame a truly terrifying challenge. And that bond, to you, is more important than any other you've ever known," Rune finished.
"As much of a mess as this whole situation has been, I do believe there is some truth to what your father is saying. Pokémon do as they wish with no regrets when their lives are on the line, and you are no different," Ariala added. She took a step forward. "Congratulations, Griselle. Leos chose you."
"Ah, I- all of this is kinda silly, isn't it? We're ignoring all the other important points and stuff. N-nothing about this was romantic at all," Griselle replied, rubbing her face.
"This is ridiculous. This is the worst way to choose a marriage partner. How can I settle on that? Do you have any idea how utterly terrified I was throughout all of this, only for it to be some silly little game to you?" Leos ranted on a shaky tone. He scrunched himself up and shuddered hard. "This was just like all those horrible times I wanted to forget. I didn't pick a partner; I was simply fighting for my life. If I didn't go through with this and try to help, everyone I knew and loved was going to die!"
Leos froze so hard he choked, and then he slowly looked up after a moment. Mother had a surprised look, while Father gave him an earnest, warm smile. He was embarrassed. There were many factors about his Father that he hated, but above all of those trivial things, it was his Father's ability to read him like a book that embarrassed him most. Here and now, in the most important decision of his life, he had still been read and manipulated like a child.
But a more important revelation had come up, and it played through his mind like a video on loop. In those darkest times he wanted to forget, he also had the fondest memories of his life. His fondest feelings were things he didn't want to forget, and almost all of them involved Griselle.
His whole reason for fighting to get her to live in Halcandra, for depending on her so much during almost every battle he had ever been part of, especially those in the war two years ago – he wanted her here with him. From the simple routines of his dojo training, to the harshest battles like tonight. Even the little pleasures like being carried to the castle, he knew he could count on her. He wanted her with him always, and tonight proved he wanted that more than the others.
He also needed to get this scene over with. The quicker he played along with Father's game, the less time he had to spend embarrassed like this. With a deep sigh and Beautifly filling his stomach, he slowly stood up and turned to his friends, trying not to look at Rune in the process. He didn't make a sound, he just stared Griselle in the eyes. If he could do this, then that was proof more than anything.
"I can't freaking believe I'm saying this," Leos finally spoke up. The other's faces widened in surprise.
"Wa-wait a minute. What do you mean by…?" Griselle shivered.
"He's right. I was going to march to the castle and announce that I wasn't going to pick any of you. I swear on my heart, that was because I want all three of you in my life. I have no ill will towards any of you, and my individual feelings for each of you are barely uneven. No matter what happens in the future, I hope the three of us can be close together," Leos said. "But this whole experience has made me realise that I'm closer than I ever would have admitted if I were trying to think of things romantically. I'm a bit of a mess in that area, so I guess it's a given I'd only realise I have feelings for someone in a messy situation."
"Wha… wha?" Griselle moaned quietly. Her face started to turn red, and she stumbled back. "Wa-wait a second, think about what you're saying here. You're all going loony! This isn't how anyone choose a wife! And I'm a hybrid, I—"
"I don't care. Prem's a boy, Kristen's a Constellar, and you're a hybrid, but that wouldn't have stopped me fighting a million battles beside any of you to shape the world our own way. But if there's one of you I know I can count on more than anyone else in the world… well, who I want to live with, and love and support through everything we do," Leos explained, looking down.
"St-st-stop it, think about what you're saying. There's no take-backsies, and everyone's watching, and- and- and—"
"Griselle Oswell!" Leos said out loud, looking up at her sternly.
"Yes!" she replied, standing straight and tall with her hands at her side. She looked like she was about to explode into a pile of tomatoes, which made him giggle.
"Heh, you know what? There's no need to be so stuffed about this. We're both going to do things our way," he snickered quietly, to which she loosened up a bit. She couldn't stop blushing though, nor could she hold back little gasps. "Griselle. I do mean it, though. Will you marry me?"
There was a lengthy silence, which broke only thanks to Griselle sighing deeply. "You actually did it."
He could feel her relief from here, or maybe it was her smile that made him feel relieved. But now he was blushing too, and it took all of his strength not to scratch his fur or look away or something.
"You stupid dreamer. You can't take that back, you know. You actually just said that," she said softly. Leos held out his paws for her, and his heart raced so hard it felt like it might jump out of his chest. She came closer and linked their paws together. "I waited so long for this. Of course I'll marry you."
"You… waited?" He cocked his head, making her giggle.
"Don't mind it. I just, I'm really, really happy," she sighed, and then shook her head. "Actually, like, I…"
"You can say anything, you know. You could always tell me anything, but now's better than ever," he assured with a nod.
"Well, I couldn't really say anything," she said in a slight sing-song, and swayed her head a little. She went close and nuzzled his cheek softly. "I love you, Leos. For a really long time, I've wanted to say how much I love you."
A shrill scream rung their ears so suddenly that the duo flinched and butted heads with each other, and both fell on their behinds. Leos' heart was already racing, so he had all the panic and adrenaline to look for the source or reason for the scream. It was only Kristen, who virtually tore his arm off to pull him to his feet and out the room. He didn't question it beyond a gasp, a sharp cringe, and wary sounds of surprise. No one else seemed to react either.
"Uhh Kristen, where are we going?" Leos asked after a minute. Kristen normally skipped when she ran, but right now, she was stomping her feet pretty hard. They stopped in Leos' bedroom.
"What do you think you're doing?" Kristen hissed.
"Huh?" he replied.
"Huh? Don't you 'huh' me! What, do you think you're doing?" she yelled this time.
He shifted away. "Okay, okay, er. Please calm down a bit. Er, I have no idea what you're mad about, though."
"What do you think I'm mad about?" she fumed and put hands on her hips. He folded his arms, unable to respond. "You're 'choice', mister. You're acting real comfy with that hybrid!"
"My choice?" he replied. He glanced at the doorway, then back at her. "Wait are you upset that I didn't propose to you?"
"Of course I am. We made a promise, we had a plan, a solid commitment. Me and you were supposed to change our lives and the world together!" she stated.
"I never said anything of the sort." He shook his head. "I never promised any of you. If I did, I'd have chosen a partner on the spot days ago."
Kristen gasped and shuffled back. "Are you… are you seriously turning me away?"
"Everything I said and did back there was in earnest. I realised I'm in love with Griselle. I'm one hundred percent certain," he announced. And I'll never admit it, but I have Father to thank for that. Still wish it could've been done any other way, though.
Kristen uttered several responses, some of which he recognised as profanity. She never finished a word.
"Is that really why you dragged me away here, though?" he asked.
She looked at the floor with a face crimson with frustration. "Yes. That is seriously why I dragged you here. So can correct what's wrong."
"There's nothing 'wrong' about this. Look Kristen, I'm sorry, but I can't lie to myself. This is how I feel—"
"The hybrid?" she shouted, looking up at him.
"The hybrid?" he repeated.
"The freak of nature that was born because of two sinful deviants? You're telling me you're really in love with that? That thing won't even live beyond twenty! How can you fall in love with that?" she cried. "You're always complaining about logic. Clearly the logical move is to marry me, join the Constellars, bring us into accepted society, and ultimately establish peace across Etheria. True peace and happiness to us both!"
"You know, with this reaction, I'm glad I didn't choose you. In fact, I feel like I dodged a Bullet Punch," Leos grit his fangs. "Is that really how you feel about Griselle? You can't even use her name?"
"You still have time to act on this. Please listen to me," Kristen pleaded. Every word started to sound like manipulative poison, as if her voice was hurting his brain. Yet she came closer and held out a hand. "All of our lives will be so much easier if you marry me instead of her. Everything will be as it should be. Pokémon being Pokémon, Constellars—"
"Don't you see her as a Pokémon?" Leos asked sternly. There was a pause, and she gulped.
"C-Constellars can't accept hybrids or any others outside of our species' spectrum as Pokémon," she said quietly.
"What do you mean you can't- I'M A HYBRID!" he yelled at the top of his voice. She even didn't look surprised. "I think you need to leave. And don't come back until you evaluate everything you just said to me."
"You're making a massive mistake, Leos. Please, don't do this." She shuddered.
"Out, Kristen. That's an order."
"Wait, please! I beg of you, I don't mean to- I can't- I just…" she gasped as she knelt in front of him.
"Why are you so desperate for us to marry? Or do you just hate Griselle that much?" he asked.
"Isn't loving you enough of a reason?" she cried.
"Well I never said you couldn't. How many times did I have to reiterate that I wanted all three of you around? That I didn't want any marriage decision to break our group apart any more than it is?" he replied. "But right now, I just want you to leave. You don't seem like you're going to treat us with respect right now."
There was another long pause, and she gulped. "Don't so this. Please don't marry her."
"Out, Kristen. That's an order, now."