Braigian capital city of Kingcardine, Slums, Narrow Alleyway, 30th of Year's Harvest, Lunar Year 414

"Finally." Leila the Smeargle smiled as she noticed two different pokemon approaching her, fliers in their hands. "I was about ready to give up if Year's Fall came and no one answered."

"Well, here we are." An Impidimp smiled wickedly as he and a Shroomish stepped into Leila's view.

"We understand what you want, so, what are the orders?" The Shroomish asked.

"Not right away." Leila wagged her tail like a finger. "First, introductions are in order. Barnabus…" She turned to the Impidimp. "You're a cutthroat snake oil salesman, quite literally, in that you've literally slit the throats of nearly all your competition in sales in the name of Yveltal. You're everything someone from Kulbururd would aspire to be, and now you're here for no other reason than the enjoyment of the challenge you have before you."

"You've got it!" Barnabus's smile grew. "The big Y-man and I, taking lives is basically an after-dinner sport. Speaking of…" He turned towards the Shroomish. "How's your policy on unforeseen accidents, Leila?"

"Do not kill your teammate or set them up to be killed." Leila sighed. "If I catch wind of something like that, and I will catch wind of something like that, your reward and lives are forfeit."

"You sound super sure about that, but...aren't we the ones with the power here?" Barnabus turned on Leila, who began to laugh.

"Ahahahaha, oh, ohhh, that's a good one. No, no, no." She shook her head and flicked her tail before transforming into Barnabus.

"You have no idea how unbelievably ill-prepared you are to deal with me." She announced again before transforming back into herself.

"You have me intrigued." Barnabus laughed. "For that you shall live, and I guess so shall he."

"Gee thanks, I feel so warm inside." The Shroomish rolled his eyes.

"Oh, Bruno." Leila put a hand on the Shroomish. "A small-time thief, fresh out of five years in prison for stealing from a lesser lord and killing his bodyguard. All you want right now is that freedom to be forgotten, to live out a new life in peace, where no one from your past will come knocking. I promise you that while this mission is bleak, the whole world will ultimately be made better for it, and you will have a happy new life in the lost city, far away from any of these pokemon who would conspire to keep you down. Stay strong and convicted, and you will make it through this."

"Of course." Bruno nodded.

Leila smiled. "Of course." She repeated.

She took her hand off of him, and began to use her tail to paint a plan on the wall.

"Here is what I want you boys to know for now…" She began. "Back at the beginning of Year's Run, rumors started to circulate about a lost city in lands owned by Fortune, and we next learned of a Fortunian noble, Farea, attempting to mobilize a task force. That noble is the only one keeping the Fellar Shol county, a county neutral in most politics, relevant within Fortune. If we can eliminate her and replace her with a puppet, we can organize a Fortune much more willing to trade its various luxuries over to us.

"We next learned of Dirge, a bard from Daywich looking into rumors of a magic weapon or something similar in the same lost city. He is slated to become a member of the Council of Sages if this goes according to his plan, and he will no doubt set similar sites on Braigian mines. We can't let that happen, so eliminating him and replacing him with a puppet is a more defensive measure for the good of our nation.

"We next turn our attention to the Nitta family of Nishiki planning to conquer this city. Ultimately, whether they succeed in that or not doesn't really matter. What matters is their head Samurai, Ariuji, keeps them far more powerful than they otherwise would be, and if he is taken out, they will not have the manpower to get any ideas about invading our nation, and if he is replaced with someone loyal to Braigia more than the Nitta, we might be able to weaponize them if we are ever caught in other international conflicts.

"Chotan holds a seat on the council of Hyacinth Manor in Dammoghes, and that should be enough of a reason to eliminate her and fill her vacant spot with a puppet, but if that wasn't enough, she intends to destroy the very weapon Dirge wants to acquire, if it even exists. Since we will be making use of the city no matter who technically owns it, we do not want that weapon to leave its borders, and for that reason, Chotan must be eliminated.

"That brings us to the priest, Urifis, who has all these notions of secession from the counties of Fortune swirling around in his head. He's already a paranoid wreck of a recluse, so he'll be the very hardest to deal with, but if we can eliminate him, we might be able to turn the conversation from secession and forming a new nation, to secession and joining Braigia. This will make trade between Dammoghes and Fortune, as well as this lost city, much easier for us, and will serve to make the Nitta family of Nishiki think twice about any violent plans.

"Finally, assuming this city exists, you two will become our final puppets, and will take root in the city which, over time, will succumb to your influence. Now then, your first mission is simple. Get out of this kingdom, and into Fortune. We'll do it by making use of the teleport pad inside Kingcardine Castle, but rather than wait for the paperwork to extradite two criminals to be denied, we might as well sneak in through the catacombs. I can operate the pad for you once you get there, but from that point, when you touch down in Fortune, you will be on your own, and I'll be working cleanup. You have your targets, you know what we want to happen and what we don't want to happen, and now…"

Leila pulled a loose brick from the wall, revealing a secret passageway. "You can take this escape tunnel down into the catacombs, which should come out into the teleport pad room of the castle. I'll be sure to leave the correct one on for you, but you have to be quick. Goodbye and good luck."

"Just a dark, narrow, expanse, heading towards the seat of all Braigian power." Barnabus smiled. "And only one slip-up might call all they have down on us."

"What could possibly go wrong?" Bruno asked sarcastically as he made his way into the passageway. Barnabus followed closely behind.

Leila closed the passageway behind them, and got rid of her plan details from the wall before Transforming into a Starly and flying towards the castle.

*Leila's Expedition Team (Team Intrigue)*

1: Barnabus: Male Impidimp Warlock (Healthy)

Ability: Prankster

Move Tree 1: Fake Out → ? → ? → ?

Move Tree 2: Confide → ? → ? → ?

Move Tree 3: Shadow Claw → ? → ? → ?

Move Tree 4: Thunder Wave → ? → ? → ?

2: Bruno: Male Shroomish Rogue (Healthy)

Ability: Toxic Heal

Move Tree 1: Absorb → ? → ? → ?

Move Tree 2: Tackle → ? → ? → ?

Move Tree 3: Flash → ? → ? → ?

Move Tree 4: Stun Spore → ? → ? → ?