"Master Alexander."

The courtyard was crawling with motion. Hundreds and hundreds of pokemon were gathered in the same place, crammed together in an incredible rainbow of size and shape and color. From every stage of life and every social status. In the air, on the ledges of rooftops, on shoulders and backs. The heart and soul of Paradise. He could see the hurt on their faces from here.

"Master Alexander, sir."

The Serperior's eyes refocused. He leaned away from the ornate stained window and let out a cough, fighting back against a dizzy spell. "Yes, Ribombee?"

"The decree is in five minutes. Please finish up your preparations."

"...Right. Thank you."

The fairy gave a curt bow before she sped off towards the other side of the vaulted chamber to worry about something or other. Alexander blinked away the momentary disorientation and looked towards his peers, who were milling about the marble council table in these final moments. Flygon was desperately attempting to put a binder's contents to memory. Virizion had summoned Kommo-o and was going over security precautions. Grumpig had already slumped down in one of the chairs and was fidgeting in his anxiety.

Lastly was Reinhardt himself, who had settled at the far end of the table with the queen and prince. He was knelt over and playing with the Chespin, his fingers seemingly massive when compared to the child. There wasn't even a hint of reluctance to be seen on the Chesnaught's face. If you made a painting of just this moment in time, there's no way one could guess that this was a ruler about to speak to his wavering kingdom. The fact that this wasn't an act was always Rein's strength.

"Look who decided to finally join us," muttered Flygon as the Serperior drew near, not looking up from his papers. "You're gonna get a good enough look at the crowd when we're down there in front of them. No need to stare."

Virizion shot them both a sidelong look. "It's in a Serperior's nature to stare, Flygon."

Alexander sucked in a breath through his nose and held it in his core, exhaling only when he resolved to follow through. "I doubt that it will change the outcome of this decree, but I have something to say. To preface it, I apologize in advance."

"Well go ahead and say it!" Grumpig said. "The anticipation is already killing me! I don't need more of it added on!"

Of all the eyes that fell on him, Reinhardt's hurt the most. He already knew what Alex had to say, after all. There were no secrets between them, nor have there ever been. The king simply trusted that he would make the right calls. Now, the Chesnaught wore an expression of pity towards him. He always hated that look.

"It's about the situation with Rusty Mountain, and my informant in Shardurr. I haven't been telling the full truth about what I know."

"You never do," commented Virizion, who passed back and forth between paying attention and wrapping things up with Kommo-o. "What is it this time, Alex?"

"To start, my informant was killed after your ambush, Virizion. As I expected, your actions forced the Weavile into a corner and to her a crack in her defenses. Second, Rusty Mountain Mercantile Guild is innocent of the crimes we've been trying to convict them of. Those were not their firebombs. They were Shardurr's."

"...Son of a bitch!" Flygon shouted shortly after, throwing their binder across the black marble table. "I knew it! I knew those prisoners were telling the truth! I wasn't able to find a single damn thing leading to how they smuggled them in! Why the hell wasn't Persian cooperating, then?!"

Alexander blinked. "Why would he talk and risk incriminating himself? He knew it was foul play from the first discovery. It was the correct decision to batten down and bear through the accusations."

"He didn't have to make my life so difficult at the same time, dammit!"

"Then how did Shardurr get their hands on that much firepower in the first place?" asked Grumpig, who wrung his hands to a painful degree. "Was it accumulated over time? Did I miss something in the logs?"

"It was smuggled in all at once. Chenza had it done a month ago, and has been slowly framing Rusty Mountain for possession of the explosives by winning shop owners to her side and promising financial freedom in the future."

Virizion and her captain were well and finished now, the both of them turned completely towards the Serperior. She huffed through her nose. "All at once? Really? How? Our protocols prevent a majority of contraband from getting in, much less entire crates of bombs. Even the most incompetent of checkpoint guards wouldn't miss that."

"The checkpoint guards were the ones that smuggled the payload in in the first place," said Alexander. "I know which ones, their posts and schedules, the night they did it, and what they were paid. I was waiting for a moment after a day like today to act upon that information, to prevent a situation like Virizion caused."

"If you gave me the same choice a hundred times I would not deviate," Virizon shot back with a scowl. "Whoever your informant was, they were just as guilty of their crimes as the rest of their pack. And frankly, the games you play are just demonstrations of sloth, not patience. Why don't we-"

"You mean to tell me-" Kommo-o started to blurt out as he suddenly stomped forward, much to Virizion's stunned surprise. "-that Rusty Mountain has nothing to do with this? That we've been looking in the wrong place the whole time, on your command? That when Shardurr rampaged through the Order's headquarters two nights ago, they were taking back their own bombs?"

Virizion looked taken aback. "Captain? Mind running by me why you felt the need to speak out of place? Do not act as though you aren't already on thin ice."

"Master Alexander," Kommo-o pressed. "You let the Order believe that Persian was starting a war. You let all of Paradise believe it. You're saying that it was a lie all along? We would've torn down the whole Rusty Mountain district to get those bombs. We've been searching every establishment under their name for weeks. And you just let us?"

Reinhardt ushered for Lilligant to take his son off to the side. "Now captain. I know how it may seem, but try to collect yourself and remain calm. I understand that you take a great amount of pride in the good work you do for the kingdom. I would ask you to understand that all of the actions you've taken have meaning. This is a more delicate situation than you know."

"Meaning?! What meaning is there?! I have dedicated entire days and nights to interrogating the guild! Weeks worth of manpower and overtime that could've better been used in bolstering our city, wasted looking in the wrong places! We played directly into the Weavile's hands on purpose! And for what? To preserve this worthless game of spies that the Master of Law is so adamant on?"

"Captain!" Virizion stamped her hoof against the granite. "You were not given permission to speak as freely as you are! You will remain silent unless spoken to! That's an order!"

Alexander lowered his head. "No. Let him talk."

"And you would think to overrule an order on my subordinate?" she sneered at the Serperior. "Alex, this charade has got to end sometime!"

It was a wave of Reinhardt's hand that gave the final judgement. "Master Virizion, I'm afraid Alex is right. This is important for all of us to hear. Kommo-o, speak your mind."

"And to think that you all are going along with this…" the dragon turned up their nose and growled. "Disgusting. You were lied to. Manipulated. And what resulted from this confession? Petty annoyance?"

"You misunderstand, Kommo-o!" Flygon spoke up. "If you think that I'm not outraged, you're sorely mistaken! I've been waging this war with Persian for weeks and weeks, only now to find out that it was all for nothing! And you know, I'd love to hear Alexander's explanation as to why he had me run in circles all this time!"

Grumpig just put his head in his hands and sighed. "Not that anything will come of making a fuss about it. Our response to the situation at hand doesn't change because of it, and it's not as if it wasn't Master Alexander's information to give out. He makes the laws, does he not? What harm could possibly come to one of the founders of Paradise?"

"This isn't anything new," said Virizion with a tired huff. "Alex has always been one to twist the truth. I've known him since this place was just a handful of buildings nestled together in a valley. The irony of a lawman concealing the truth has long been lost on me. Who started with the explosives doesn't change who has the explosives now, anyway. It's irrelevant to me. I will do my part, and I will have justice one way or another."

"So that's it, then?" Kommo-o said. "That's all? The Master of Law conspires against the kingdom, and it's forgotten like the wind the next day?"

Reinhardt straightened his back in his seat. "Captain. Kommo-o. Master Alexander has his reasons, and he is well within his rank and authority to do such things. I don't believe that it was a conspiracy at all."

Alexander finally spoke up. "Put it away, Rein. There's no excuse this time. I know when I'm wrong." He turned his head to the dragon, head lowered and pupils narrowed. His guts were already churning. "You're right, captain. I am responsible for the delays when it came to responding to Shardurr's growth. I am responsible for withholding information that could have been used to track the group's movements. I kept the truth to myself. I would give you my reasons, but I'm certainly well beyond excuses by now, and few would understand why I have done what I did."

"Hmph! What is there to respect about a lying judge? You are one who built this place. Why would you seek to burn it back down? Why choose to work with that Delphox and Serperior, who have done nothing but bring disorder to your own people?"

"You do not know what they have done for the city. In this time of crisis, they have certainly done much more good than I. Vallion alone made the choice to stay hidden in the ranks of Shardurr in the hopes that he could undermine what's coming."

The dragon snorted. "The choice to stay hidden? You gullible fool. What pokemon would make the choice to stay in a position of power out of goodness? Certainly not that murderer, or his bitch." Kommo-o looked over to the arched exit, where Ribombee flitted impatiently as she looked out over the argument. "It's time. Let's put this worthless farce behind us. Paradise is waiting for its leaders to speak. They cannot be failed by incompetence any longer."

The king parted from his family with a brief and temporary goodbye. Flygon parted with his papers by slamming them into a wall. Virizion spared only a disappointed glance before she trotted off to the front of the pack. Grumpig looked to be lost in his thoughts for an extra moment before realizing it was time to leave and scurrying to the rest of them.

...What harm could come to a founder of Paradise? Even if they were a dishonest judge?

The march through the palace gave the impression of belated defeat. Alexander pursed his lips, slithering behind everyone else with only a regiment at his rear. More of the guard started to mobilize near the bottom of the wide staircase they descended. As the great doors to the palace swung open, he could hear the roar of the chatter outside start to subside. The ringing in Alexander's ears only grew worse in the break of sound, as did the pain in his chest.

There, at the foot of the capitol building, Paradise's king and his high council stepped out into the open and took their places out on the steps. Ranks of royal guards arranged by size and capability took their places as the mass of pokemon started shouting once more. The courtyard was built with acoustics in mind, however, and Kommo-o's bells quickly overcame the cacophony and forced a hush over the crowd. Utilizing that same architectural design, Reinhardt cleared his throat to speak to the thousand pairs of waiting ears before him.

"Pokemon of Paradise. Beloved citizens of this great kingdom. It is with great sorrow that I come before you today. As you may know, I much prefer to have speeches like this nearer to the spring, where I congratulate your resilience and bring tidings of the new season. Today, I do not bring any such news. I have come to announce that we, as a kingdom and a city, are in a state of emergency.

"We have made it our duty to be transparent with you. It is no secret that the guard's headquarters were broken into yesterday morning, costing the order of the guard nine lives and releasing a disastrous amount of contraband back into the streets. According to our investigation, it is suspected that the Shardurr group is responsible for the attack, particularly the leaders of said group. A reminder that you can report any suspicious activity to your local guard post and your anonymity will be respected!"

Grumbles of dissatisfaction echoed across the courtyard. They didn't believe him, or they disagreed outright. How many of the faces along the horizon had turned their backs on the city already? Could they be won back at all, or was it already too late for them to forgive? Even this far into his life, Alexander could never tell. The stubbornness of pokemon knew no bounds.

Virizion took the helm. "Understand that we are taking this situation as seriously as we possibly can. In the past, we have respected certain liberties granted to our citizens even in times like these. I'm afraid the time to play nice has long since passed, however. We must not allow those who would do Paradise and its people harm to freely walk the same streets as you and your families. Until we have control of the situation again, the city shall be in lockdown. No one will enter, no one will leave."

The voices rose even louder. Disbelief and exasperation. It was an outrage to some, and a shock to others. There were few options more drastic than this, after all, but she had pushed them into a corner. One Weavile forced the hand of an entire city. The daughter of a human.

"Calm yourselves, now," Reinhardt urged his subjects. "This is only temporary, and it is for the safety of everyone. The sooner the danger passes, so too will the restrictions, so cooperation is appreciated immensely. As such, starting tomorrow, the gates of the city will be closed to all. There will be a curfew in place that requires all citizens to be indoors by eight in the evening, and will subside the following morning at nine. You'll have to adjust your schedules and business accordingly. I urge you all to take this time frame very seriously."

Virizion cut back in. "Compliance with all commands from the guard and knighthood will be mandatory. We will be sweeping through several districts for evidence of the stolen contraband and possible criminal activity. We are not asking to search your homes. We will be searching your homes, and you will be held accountable for what we find."

Flygon was next to clear his throat. "In regards to the economic state of the city, all imports and exports will be delayed indefinitely until the lockdown passes. All coming caravans will be turned away apart from those in need or are carrying essential supplies, and those will be heavily searched and treated with extreme caution. As His Majesty mentioned, you are free to run your businesses and work as you are able, granted you follow the curfew."

Lastly came Grumpig, who really strained to project his voice. "To the few whom it concerns, researchers stationed in the northern mountains and eastern front will still be receiving supplies over the duration of the lockdown! However, they are to remain at their posts until further notice, regardless of the status of their mission."

And then, him. Alexander focused on his aches more than his nerves. "Failure to comply with these guidelines may result in your immediate and lawful arrest. Open hostility will be met with even greater repercussions, and sentences will be harsh for those who willfully disobey. Your safety is no longer guaranteed. The time for reform and peace will come, but these are times of great turbulence. Paradise may nurture her people, but those who would do her harm cannot be allowed to continue."

The outrage began. The voices all came together in a wave of shrill dissonance, washing through the courtyard and overpowering the design of the architecture altogether. The front ranks of guards tensed up all at once, ready to repel any advance by any means necessary. A bannered Rhydon dug their feet into a wide stance in the event of a malicious bolt of lightning. The fire brigade and their water types looked to their levitating Minior comrade for orders. Kommo-o pushed to the front and stood center in the face of the potential threat.

Looking down on all this, Alexander felt his heart falter. It felt too familiar. Everything did.

Even down to Reinhardt's bellowing voice. "I beg of you to calm yourselves! On my honor and duty as king, I promise you with the utmost certainty that these measures are only for the duration of this emergency, and that you may all resume your lives as you were once this is all over. I reiterate: the more you cooperate, the quicker this will end for all of us."

And yet, it seemed the end was approaching more quickly than ever. Alexander had been here before. None of them were prepared for what was coming. The Serperior had to look off to the side and stare off into the snow. He couldn't stomach it anymore.

...

The manor rested beside one of the tallest hills in Rusty Mountain district, just at the base of a series of cliffs too vertical to build on. Its lavish halls were adorned with velvet carpets and crystalline luminous orb lanterns imported from far-away lands. While inside, every necessity was always within walking distance, and luxury itself was reduced to what was simply the norm. From the depths that Persian had crawled out of, he wouldn't have had it any other way.

The guildmaster strode past mahogany paneling without so much as a proud glance. A coat of arms hung from the wall like any other decoration. His footsteps were silent over the plush carpet, prowling like a king through his own domain. A few rooms deeper into his manor, a grandfather clock struck six times. It had been a grueling day, and the next few were destined to be far, far worse. Damn that Flygon, and damn the king's scrambling offensive. Fate could afford him a single relaxing afternoon at the least.

Rugs turned to marble tiling. Persian stepped into his left wing and settled beside a closed room. In spite of the redundancy, he started to clean himself while he waited for his servant to finish warming the bath. The gentle scents of salts and soaps started to seep underneath the door, flowery and sweet. A bit of bumbling around on the other side seemed to delay the process, but eventually his patience was rewarded with the click of the lock.

The Numel exited the bathroom and regarded Persian with a nod of their head. "Your bath is ready, sir."

"That is all."

With a brief bow of their front legs, the Numel sauntered off down the corridor and out of sight. Persian wrapped his tail around the handle as he entered, closing and locking the door with a deft movement as he had done so many times before. Cascading rows of candlelight danced in the corners, casting soft shadows over the porcelain tub that sat near the center of the room. Numel finally remembered to draw the curtains over the windows. Excellent. It was about time they learned.

Persian took his time adjusting to the heat of the bath. First he dipped his paws, then up to his wrists, gradually working his way up to the grand finale where he sucked in a breath and dunked himself into the shocking heat. Within a few seconds, what once felt scalding transitioned into a perfect tingling warmth. He settled down on his side with only his head sticking out of the water, huffing the glorious lavender scents to his heart's content.

"Getting a bit too comfortable, are we?"

The guildmaster lurched upwards, launching a wave of water over the side of the tub. His heart was stuck in his throat for far too long. "Who's there? Reveal yourself!"

The curtains moved. A claw stuck through and pulled down, tearing the fabric from the rod and sending it fluttering to the floor. What little remained of the daylight outside carved a silhouette of a Weavile standing on the inner window sill. There were several places on her limbs and torso covered in old bandages. Over her shoulders flowed the cape of a knight a size too large, torn and defaced with a coat of dried blood.

Persian went rigid, a chill running over him despite the heat. His voice went small. "...You. What are you doing here? How did you get in? Those windows can't be opened."

"Not those, sure. The ones two rooms down can. The lock on the rightmost one has been broken for months. Not that you'll need it anymore," she said, stepping down from her hiding spot.

"Stop! Don't move an inch closer, wretch!"

She smiled. "Hm? Or what? You'll call for a guard? A meager servant, perhaps? That Numel's the only one in earshot, and even then it's a stretch they'd be able to hear you. If my planning's correct, it's right around time they go about their dusting spree, isn't it? They start on the northern end and work their way down."

His claws extended and scraped against the porcelain he pressed himself into. He started to evaluate his options, eyes flicking from the imminent threat to other parts of the room.

"Save it, scum," she said. "I wouldn't go through the effort if I were you. No need to waste your last breath on a struggle. I know they call me a savage, but even I believe there are dignified ways to die."

"I'm not dying today," he snarled through bared fangs.

Chenza shook her head and took another few steps to the side, drawing a growl from his throat.

"I worked especially hard to get to this moment, you know," she chuckled. "I could've been more crude. I could've rushed it-ended you in a messy scuffle somewhere in the streets. I've taken on worse odds than your henchmen can offer. The hunt was refreshing, though. And this way, nobody'll even notice you're gone until it's much too late. Probably until the next shift comes tomorrow morning, hmm? They'll have thought you simply dozed off."

"I-" Persian's voice started to waver. His heart pounded in his chest and in his ears. "What's the point? What could you possibly hope to accomplish by doing this?! By doing any of this?! The guild won't go away just because I'm gone! The lockdown won't end until you're finished, Weavile! Your little attempt to frame me didn't work, either! So tell me what the point of all this is!"

A waggle of her talons. A few clicks of her tongue. She didn't draw any closer-she was already in kill range. "Come on, now. Don't give me that. I know you're not stupid. You're one of the shrewdest, most devilish bastards to ever cross this town. You know damn well that we can't both fit into the city I'm going to create. Pokemon like you, they shouldn't even exist. The kind of scum that uses bowed heads like stepping stones. Civilization's just a playground for you, and I'm going to kill every last one of your kind."

"Speak for yourself, you infernal poltroon! All you've done is throw others into the fray! Your pitiful revolution is nothing more than the manic episode of a generation of idiots, and you lead up the pack with more mountains of bodies than a catacomb!"

"No. You're dead wrong. I'm not forcing anyone to act in the name of Shardurr. I'm just revealing the true nature of this shithole we live in. News of your murder's gonna turn quite a few more heads my way, I'll say. It'll teach them that their masters are nothing more than cowards hiding behind curtains of paper."

"What are you talking about?! That's how civilized life works! Unless you're planning on replacing the forests Paradise was built on and having us all gnash at one another for dirty caves and berry trees! What are you even doing this for? You could have rested on your laurels months ago and lived a quiet life at the top of the food chain! Instead you choose to poke the hive again and again until it falls on all our heads! Why?!"

She looked to the candlelight, glimmering sparks in blending in with the burnt colors of her irises. "Because it's my birthright as a human. Because my life was stolen from me before I was even born. Because I will be king. Is that what you wanted to hear, or did you want me to start from my first kill and work my way up my childhood?"

"Human? King?! What in the hell are you talking about? You're nothing but a lunatic after all!" He spat in her direction. "Your attempt at reasoning would make a Swalot sick. May your lungs rot from the inside out! May your eyes collapse and bleed into your skull! May the Hollow curse your entire bloodline for the rest of time!"

"The least you could have done was curse me with something I hadn't heard before."

The twitch of willing muscle exploded into action. Suds and water splashed over the side and doused half a row of candles. A yowl of rage and desperation rolled through the room. There was no element of surprise. No hidden tricks or ambushes or coming reinforcements. By all means, it was a fair fight.

But Chenza has never lost a fair fight.