Fortune, Frontier, The Lonely Rose Tavern, 8th of Year's Fall, Lunar Year 414

A Noivern, his thin white cape with its jagged crimson line running through its center flowing behind him as he flew slowly through the raining thickets, scanned the forest floor with his narrow eyes, one of which rested behind a brutal claw-like scar. He soon found what he was looking for, a small gathering of buildings in what one could theoretically say resembled a township.

He landed, and he clenched the flyer he had in his hand.

"This is the place." He muttered to himself as he looked down at the flier and back at the building in the center of the town.

It was far more extravagant than he would have thought from a building in what was known as 'The Frontier', with polished stones and marble pillars giving it an aura of majesty among, quite frankly, mud huts.

"Surprised even the guests get better beds than the locals." The Noivern shook his head.

"That's Fortune for you." A shiny Alolan Ninetales made her way past him and towards the building. "Counties or Frontier, doesn't matter. They always want to show off."

The two pokemon entered the building at the same time, and as they did, they noticed each other holding the same flyer.

"You too?" The Noivern asked.

"Meh." The Ninetales shrugged. "We can talk about that later, first we should find-"

"Oh, oh, Bulu be blessed!" A Shiinotic waddled quickly over to both of them and locked the door behind them. "Wait!" He realized a mistake and unlocked the door before turning and blocking the pair from leaving. "Guards? Knights?"

"No." The Noivern gestured to his cloak, fashioned to a magenta jewel on his chest. "Does this garb look Fortunian to you?"

"But you!" The Shiinotic turned towards the Ninetails. "Local! You are so clearly a local!"

"Not a knight, not a guard, and not a fan of the other locals." The Ninetales responded.

"And you weren't followed?"

"No." Both pokemon responded.

"But you're sure?"

"Yes." Both pokemon responded.

"And you're not lying?"

"No." Both pokemon responded.

"And you're sure you're not lying?"

"We don't have time for this sort of game." The Ninetales groaned.

"Yeah, we're here because we want to help." The Noivern nodded. "Now do you want to brief us on this plan of yours or not, sir Urifis?"

"Ack! I shouldn't have used my name, I should NOT have used my name…" Urifis shuddered. "Fine. Fine. This way, this way, you'll be two and three. I'll have to tell my boy to take down the fliers that he put up."

As the Noivern and Ninetales looked at each other quizzically, Urifis led them both to the upper floors of the tavern, into a luxury bedroom that had been completely cleared of all furniture save for a table with four seats, with a small oil lamp upon it. A Bisharp already sat on one of the cushions.

"I was wondering when the other two would get here." He laughed.

"Perhaps I should sit down more slowly." The Noivern chided. "And teach you that impatience is a vice."

"Can we please just start this meeting already?" The Ninetails sat down on a cushion.

The Noivern made a show of very slowly approaching his seat and sitting down very properly.

The three of them turned to Urifis.

"Names? Professions?" Urifis asked as he sat down.

"I already told you when I came in…" The Bisharp sighed. "But to reiterate, the name is Francis. I'm a-... an ex-mercenary. Now I'm...just Francis."

"I…" The Noivern motioned to himself as though he were supposed to have gone first. "Am Neofytos Rodas, Prince of the Hollow Void! Rejoice at my presence, mortals!"

"Hollow Void?" The Ninetales asked as both Francis and Urifis did clap at the mention of a prince joining them. "I've never heard of such a place."

"Unsurprising." Neofytos shook his head. "Mine was a kingdom nowhere near as large as the nations we call wordly, and Hollow Void more accurately describes its current state than its moniker. Nevertheless, I have spread only the truth this day. A prince I am, and you three are not."

"Well, if that's quite finished, I'm Yukino." The Ninetails specified. "And while i'm not a prince, I suppose I should mention that I belong to the Asyren clan of-"

"Asyren?" Urifis jumped from his seat. "Oh no, oh nonononono…You're her aren't you? The one that ran!"

"So?" Yukino asked.

"You." Neofytos pointed to Francis as Urifis began to lose the ability to speak. "Explain."

"Uhh…" Francis shrugged. "You got me, man. Or...oh wait! Isn't one of the thirteen counties called the Asyren Coast?"

"YES!" Urifis shouted. "And that means, NO! That means...there going to be sending her after us."

"They're sending someone after me?" Yukino wondered. "Ugh, great. Well, guess that means time really is of the essence here."

"Yes, Yes, Time. We need to get a move on very very soon." Urifis nodded. "Here, here, here. These are lists of supplies for you to purchase and enough money to buy them. The mud hut closest to the tavern, that's the one to go to. Meet me at the far end of The Rosy Woods in no later than 1 week's time! Consider it an impromptu trial run!"

And without warning, or explanation, Urifis crashed through the tavern window, disappearing into the stormy night rain.

*Urifis's Expedition Team (Team Frontier)*

1: Neofytos Rodas: Male Noivern Bladesinger (Healthy)

Ability: Infiltrator

Move Tree 1: Tackle → ? → ? → ?

Move Tree 2: Gust → ? → ? → ?

Move Tree 3: Supersonic → ? → ? → ?

Move Tree 4: Moonlight → ? → ? → ?

2: Francis: Male Bisharp Fighter (Healthy)

Ability: Defiant

Move Tree 1: Scratch → ? → ? → ?

Move Tree 2: Leer → ? → ? → ?

Move Tree 3: Metal Claw → ? → ? → ?

Move Tree 4: Torment → ? → ? → ?

3: Yukino Asyren: Female Shiny Alolan Ninetails Sorcerer (Healthy)

Ability: Snow Warning

Move Tree 1: Powder Snow → ? → ? → ?

Move Tree 2: Calm Mind → ? → ? → ?

Move Tree 3: Mist → ? → ? → ?

Move Tree 4: Safeguard → ? → ? → ?