Senbo Capital Streets…

A crackle of psychic energy surged in the mostly vacant streets of the capital. Those few Pokémon around quickly scattered to safety and watched from a distance as a shining teal light flashed like a star being born before their eyes. A pressure expanded across the street, hitting their faces with a strong breeze and sending litter flying.

In the fading light a group of Pokémon surrounded by a ring of seven others: an Abra, two Kirlia, a Xatu, a Clefable, a Slowbro, and an Electrode. The bystanders instantly recognized the winter camouflage uniforms the group wore and ran away in a panic.

Percival took a deep breath and broke away from the link. "We're here." His team collapsed onto the ground to take a breath, some with sweat dripping down their faces. The Teleportation Corp was more than capable of transporting across Virdis, but the speedy exit from Fort Lucus to the capital left everyone rightfully exhausted.

Jason shook off the nausea he was feeling, a common side effect of long distance teleportation, and glared at the castle in the distance. "There's our target. The girls are there, you said?"

Basil crossed his arms. "Indeed. They're hosting a party for some big invention, and I can't imagine they would be anywhere else."

"Alright. We can't waste any time. We'll go over the plan when we're close to the castle." He turned to Leon and Hedwig. "I expect you two to be on your best behaviors."

Hedwig waved it off. "Yeah, yeah, we hear ya."

Leon grunted. "That idiot princess…"

Jason groaned. "I have no time for this. Percival, you and the Teleportation Corp stay here to recharge. We'll be making an emergency escape as soon as everyone's accounted for."

Percival saluted. "Roger."

Jason pointed toward the castle. "Everyone, move out, now!"

"Sir, yes sir!" Basil took the lead with Leon and Hedwig tagging behind.

Jason was about to go after them, but Percival grabbed his arm and pulled him back. He glared and asked, "What are you doing?"

Percival narrowed his eyes. "You can get to that castle in two seconds flat if you wanted to. You can wait a minute to answer something. Do you have any idea what you just did bringing those two here?"

Jason pulled his arm away. "It was an emergency, Percival. I couldn't be bothered to search the entire fort for Eadwulf or anyone else. I needed a team to help with the extraction."

Percival glared. "I understand that. Really, I do, but Hedwig is a danger that should rarely be left out of sight, and I can't exactly place the highest faith in Basil to keep her under control. And yet, she's the least of my concerns compared to Leon. You brought Leon to the Senbo Kingdom, and now you're planning to infiltrate Senbo Castle."

"…" Jason looked away.

"If this wasn't an emergency, I would've pointed out how poorly thought out it was to bring him here."

"…Leon won't do anything brash."

"You say that now, but I'm not comforted by an empty promise." Percival poked Jason in the back. "You're the Forester leader, Jason. Make sure he doesn't do anything to jeopardize the extraction. We don't want his own version of a Bloodless Massacre. Or something worse."

"…" Jason took a deep breath and dropped to all fours. "Right." He took off with Quick Attack, disappearing in a streak of white light.

Marie, Pandora, and Lillia poked their heads back into the main foyer, glaring at the stairs leading to the upper levels of the castle. Marie hissed, clenching her fingers into the wall. "I'm going to rip that disgusting penguin apart with my bare hands."

Pandora stepped away from her growling hair as it showed its teeth. "I still can't believe that jackass tried to take advantage of me." She held her head. "Ugh, I can barely remember what happened. I was vaguely aware of everything, but not completely there. Ugh, only time I felt like that was when I was drunk, though this was…so much worse."

"Why would Prince Darby spike all those drinks, though?" Lillia asked. "I mean, serial killers and kidnappers plan for stuff like this better. Why would be go to all this trouble under the risk of getting caught?"

"Maybe Erasmus is in on the joke," Pandora suggested with a growl.

"I doubt it. He was so sweet to Adenine, and he wouldn't look like he could hurt anyone. There's no way he would—"

"Hey," Marie interrupted. "In case you've forgotten, our friend is currently being held hostage by that creep who started this, so let's drop the chitchat for a moment."

Pandora glared. "Well, how come you're not charging head first up the stairs if we're on such a desperate time limit?"

"Because of that." She pointed out to the foyer.

They followed her finger and saw it aiming at the Octillery knight, Jael, who was clinging into the far corner of the ceiling, surveying the crowd. His head turned in their direction, but they ducked back behind cover before he could spot them. After waiting a moment, Marie poked her head out again and saw Jael turning his attention to somewhere else.

"Darby's knights," she hissed. "They're probably making sure I don't go looking for Melissa."

Lillia raised her hand. "Can't we just bring this up with Erasmus? We have evidence that the punch has been tampered with. He could do something."

"Maybe, but love potions aren't terribly common this far out in Virdis. He probably won't believe me."

"Then say someone spiked the drinks with poison, I don't know!"

Marie growled. "I don't have time for this. I need to find Melissa!" She tried to run out, but Pandora bit down on her skirt and stopped her.

"You just said those knights are keeping an eye out for you," she whispered. "If you go charging up there, they'll hunt you down and do who knows what. We need to be smart about this."

Before Marie could argue, Lillia stepped forward and said, "I'll distract him."

"Huh?" they gasped.

Lillia nodded. "I can take care of myself. Prioritize finding Melissa and keeping her safe. I'll try to warn Adenine after I give Squidy the slip."

Marie and Pandora looked at each other for a moment and shared a nod. "Alright, but be careful. We don't know what these guys are capable of."

Lillia smirked and dashed off into the crowd. Marie and Pandora placed their backs to the wall with Marie keeping a close eye on Jael's position. "Is Melissa going to be okay?"

"She had five glasses of that shit before Darby escorted her away. I'm not sure what to think right now." She clenched her fists. "But I swear, if he does anything to hurt her, I'm…" She closed her eyes and trembled. "I'll never forgive myself if anything happens to her."

Pandora frowned. "You really care about her, don't you?"

"…I would've felt the same if I hadn't stopped that bastard Arcanine in time."

"…" Pandora placed her paw on Marie's shoulder and smiled. "We'll save her. Don't worry."

Marie sighed and glared ahead. "Right."

Jael routinely turned his head side-to-side as he examined the individual party guest. His eyes were overlapped with red targeting reticles, allowing him to pinpoint individuals with greater ease. So far, nothing out of the ordinary passed his eyes.

No sign of that Mawile. Dammit, I was sure I had my eyes on her. She just…vanished. No one's ever escaped my sight that easily. I could keep track of a Joltik in a crowded street, yet I can't keep one Mawile in check? Fulbertus is not going to like this.

He pinpointed Prince Erasmus, who was dancing in the center of the foyer with some Kecleon. He spotted Kaolin talking to some socialites, and the two mischief makers, Matthew and Colleen, swiping food of people's plates. Cairo was flirting with some women, and Galen was just hanging out by the stage.

Jael narrowed his eyes. Strange. Prince Dimitri is absent. I haven't seen him all day. His eyes scanned over the crowd again. No sign of Lionel, either. Guess he's having some fun with that Growlithe—

Something came flying at him, but he caught it in his tentacle. He glared at the kebab skewer and noticed it was being held in a Psychic aura. He snapped it in two and focused in on the direction in came from. Immediately, he detected a female Meowstic who speed-walked into the crowd with a plate of kebabs.

"Hmmm…" He looked around for a moment longer, then started climbing across the ceiling. "Where are you off to, you little troublemaker?"

Adenine sighed contently as she leaned her head on Erasmus' shoulder. She had to admit, despite their different forms, he was a remarkable dancer on two paws. He matched their pace with impeccable balance, his paws on her hips and her arms wrapped around his neck.

"How are you enjoying yourself, my dear?" Erasmus asked.

Adenine sighed again and snuggled into his shoulder. "Ah've been lookin' forward to this for days."

He smiled. "As have I." He gave her a gentle peck on the cheek and spun themselves around. "I am glad you and my parents got along so well. Perhaps breaking the news of your true class will go better than I envisioned."

Adenine smiled awkwardly. "Maybe we should hold off on that until they've gotten used to me."

"I will be expecting you to visit for dinner, yes?"

"Of course…though, Ah will have to take some extra time off from…mah family's shop," she mumbled.

"Well, when the new train system is up and running, it will hardly be an inconvenience. Same length of time you are usually away, but much more time to spend together."

She smiled, though turned her eyes away. "Yeah. Ah…guess it will work out that way."

He frowned. "Is something troubling you, Addy?"

"No, no, Ah…" She frowned as she stared at the floor. "Erasmus, out of curiosity, ya do love me, right?"

"What a foolish question. Of course I love you."

"Even if Ah was…hidin' a big secret from ya?"

Erasmus smiled. "Adenine, you are the most wonderful lady in Virdis. No secret would ever change the feelings I have for you."

"Ya say that now, but…" She gulped. "Hypothetically speakin', what would ya say if…Ah was a For—" Just as she said it, her eyes turned toward the stairwell and caught a shocking sight.

She spotted Marie and Pandora sneaking out of the foyer and ascending the stairs out of sight of any Talbot or Tetrarch. She gawked as the duo fled out of sight. What are they doing?

Erasmus frowned. "Adenine?"

"Uh, Ah…" She looked up and nearly shrieked at the Octillery scaling the ceiling like he was hunting something. "Oh no…"

"Adenine?" He nearly looked up, but she quickly grabbed his face and pulled him forward.

"Ah…Ah mean to say, what would ya say if Ah was a…former lasso champion back in mah hometown?"

Erasmus blinked in surprise. "This…is the first time I am hearing of this."

Adenine laughed awkwardly. "Oh yeah, lassoin' is like a pastime for us country folk. Basically a test of skill to see who could grab with the fanciest rope work. In fact—" As she chattered along, her eyes nervously darted to the stairs again.

Good grief, girls, what are ya up to now?!

Despite the excessive trembling in her body, Melissa couldn't command her feet to unglue themselves from the floor. She fell back against the wall, teeth chattering and eyes dilated, as Darby stepped up to her with that charming grin that made her stomach turn.

He pressed his wing against the wall, brushing up against her cheek, and asked, "You are the infamous Harlow?"

Melissa didn't answer, wracked with terror from his handsome features.

"Well, this could not have gone any better than I thought. I was not expecting such an esteemed thief to wander up to me and offer herself with such reckless abandonment. I knew I could charm the greatest beauties of Virdis, but I did not realize my charm extended to thieves of your caliber." He cupped his other wing under her chin. "Seems we were right to assume the Foresters would want a peek at the new train system."

"D…Do not…t-touch me…" Melissa whimpered.

"What is the matter, Harlow? Do I make you weak-kneed with my presence? Are you delighted to have the undivided attention of a prince? You seem to have a habit of absconding with the upper class. Dear Princess Penworth, and even a knight from a noble house. Am I your next target?"

"Get…away from…me," she pleaded.

Darby narrowed his eyes. "You are supposed to be the maddening thief who has brought Virdis into recent unrest? Looking at you now, I am baffled to believe such trite rang true on deaf ears. Exaggeration is such an unfortunate symptom of legend, born from fear and awe in the moment. What is your secret, Harlow?" He reached for her mask.

The action gave Melissa just enough motivation to duck under his wing and make a break for the door. Hurriedly, she grabbed the door handle and prepared to throw the door open—

"Stop!"

Her eyes widened as her body went completely rigid. Though with a death grip around the handle, her body locked up from the Prinplup's verbal command. She trembled, staring desperately at the door and pleading with her body to rip the door open so she could escape the travesty unveiling in front of her, but it refused.

Darby walked up behind her, gently pried her hand off the handle, and closed it with a simple push. He turned her around, and she complied without resistance, piling on the terror that welled inside her chest like a two-ton weight. He looked up and down with an inquisitive look.

"Strange. That was much faster than I anticipated."

"Wh…What did you…do to me?" Melissa whimpered.

Darby laughed as he pulled her away from the door. "That love potion altered your brain chemistry to make you…openminded, to put it lightly. Not like alcohol, but where the mental defenses of the mind are vulnerable for something a bit more…persuasive. Though, it's hardly useful without my involvement: Lover's Trance."

"W…What?"

"A little something I developed myself. A combination of Attract and Captivate. A low-level form of hypnosis that compels the target to fall hopelessly in love with the user. So much so that they blindly follow my orders in the name of love."

Melissa's eyes widened. "W…What?!"

"That love potion made your mind open to the effects. It is not temporary, but my influence is forever lasting. As long as you can hear my angelic voice…" He petted her cheek, leaning closer to her. "You will follow it to the ends of the world."

She smacked his wing away and stumbled away from him. "S-Stay away from me! Stay away—"

"Don't leave so soon, my pretty little thief." She froze again, and her feet started moving her back to Darby. "You are barely resisting. Strange. I should not have this much influence over you yet. It is as if…you have been exposed to my charms in the past."

Her heart sank as soon as the words slipped from his beak. In a flash, memories of her time with Darby in the past came hurdling to the forefront. Every little compliment he gave her, every little wink and nod, every little moment she swooned in his name, and every little thought that swooned over his amazing, perfect, handsome features…

"I hope to spend some time with you, my dear. We have so much to catch up on, yes?"

"You are as lovely as ever. Truly a mark of perfection on the world."

"Speak to me, Princess Melissa…Is there something you request of me?"

Tears welled up in her eyes as she stared at the Prinplup in horrific realization. "What…did you do to me?"

Darby smirked. "I have grown bored of my position as prince of the Wick Kingdom. One must maintain a perfect image at all ends of the hour, and the people must look to you as a symbol. BAH, I say. A pointless task that is both suffocating and worthless. How does any other royal stand atop a pillar without the quaking weight of boredom collapsing under them? If you ask me, if I must possess all this power, why not use it to both become a symbol and for my amusement?

"My father was always a thrill seeker who understood my dilemma, so he gives me freedom to do as I please. That is why I have taken an interest in getting to know the people of my kingdom, and where the depths of my philosophy were born. The people are weak. Any unrest they see in their monarch, and they tear each other apart like savages. They cannot be trusted to lead themselves, so they look to a beacon with a crown to govern them. If they trust their king, or their prince in my case, they will listen without complaint or question.

"The basis of my Absolute Loyalty. I cannot bend men to my will, but I can certainly manipulate them into doing things for me." He folded his wings behind his back and paced around the room. "Do you know how pathetically simple it is to manipulate Pokémon with love? Any fool with a heart for another will quiver for a chance to be with their true love. A kingdom ruled by the strong will lead to an uprising. A kingdom that rules over the weak, however, keeps them in check. They are like pawns I can play with and sacrifice at my leisure. Those who fall for my charm are subjects I rule over. Anyone who resists? They perish."

Tears flowed down Melissa's face. "You…used me?"

"Purging the weak is such a waste of resources. They can be better used to serve a greater purpose." He laughed. "King Penworth knew this well."

Her eyes widened. "W…What?"

"Princess Penworth was not fit to rule a kingdom, but it would have been such a waste to not use her. It was only natural to marry her off. She was no longer useful as a ruler, but she served the next best purpose: a tool."

"A…tool?" Her ears fell over her face. "A useless…tool?"

"A shame, really. There was something about Princess Penworth that…I just could not let go of. She fell under my charm so fast that I fantasized of all the different ways I could play with her. Hardly any manipulation to perform on my part. If I had my way, she would have given up her crown and returned to the Wick Kingdom with me as my concubine."

Melissa stumbled back into the foot of Darby's bed. She had to hold onto the frame in fear of falling over. She could barely stand as the fear started weighing her down. Sweat dripped down her forehead, and her breathing became more sporadic. "You…You were going to…"

Darby shrugged with a smirk. "What can I say? I like to have fun. And if anyone ever tried to say anything against me, they would…well, not like the consequences. You either keep your mouth shut, or surrender to the euphoria. Returning to a time where Pokémon should shut up and listen to the higher authority. Servitude with a smile." He approached her. "Why are you not smiling, Harlow?"

She clenched her eyes shut and tried to rush past him. "STAY AWAY FROM ME!"

"You will not leave."

Her body locked up so fast that she went skidding across the floor. She rolled into his wardrobe, hunched over on her hands and knees. She choked with sobs, tears falling onto the hardwood floor as she trembled in place. She curled up on the floor, hiding herself.

Darby walked up to her. "I never expected to charm a Forester. I just wanted to drive them crazy if they had shown up. I could not have asked for better than the infamous Harlow, though." He held his wing out. "Stand for me, my pretty thief, and surrender to your desire."

Against her will, Melissa jerked off the floor and rose to her feet. She turned to Darby, tears streaming down her face. He beckoned her forward and, when she did, wrapped his wings around her. He pulled her close, her lips an inch apart from his beak.

"You are mine now, Harlow. My pretty little thief." He cupped his wing behind her head. "Do not take this personally. You stole my Melissa away from me, so you are going to help me destroy the Foresters, whether you want to or not."

With that, he pulled her in and forced a kiss upon her lips. Melissa's eyes widened, and she tried to struggle out of it, but the love potion in her system took over. The euphoria overwhelmed her. The trembling in her body ceased as her mind slowly drifted into the pleasure of the kiss. It was something she always dreamed of. A chance to finally steal a kiss away from Darby, like she always wanted.

Darby opened his eyes a little and reveled in the dreamy look on her face. That is right, my pretty thief. Surrender to your prince. Surrender your free will to me. He lifted a wing up to her face and reached for her mask, ready to see the face of his new plaything—

CRACK!

Darby's eyes widened as a purple gas exploded out from between their lips. He immediately shoved her to the ground and stumbled back into his bed, howling with a raspy cough. There was horrible taste in his mouth that made his tongue and throat burn.

He turned his attention back to Melissa as she pulled herself off the floor as she coughed up a clear capsule onto the floor, which was bitten open. She grasped her throat and glared at him with hate and tears in her eyes. "You…ASSHOLE!"

He clenched his teeth. "You little bitch! What did you do?!"

"Figure it out for yourself!" She stumbled into the door, pulled it open, and raced outside.

"HARLOW! Get back—" He coughed fell onto his knee. He lifted himself to a vanity mirror and checked his face. He was horrified to see discoloration in his eyes. A sickly, purple color in the blood vessels. "She…She poisoned me?!"

Realizing the trouble he was in, he raced out of the room to catch up with her. His equilibrium was thrown off as he swung right, nearly throwing him into the wall. His vision started to double, but he caught the tail end of his prey fleeing around a corner. He slapped his cheeks a couple times and ran after her.

Jason peeked out around a building, just within sight of the castle wall. He scanned the area, pinpointing many guards standing by the wall entrance, as well as several nobles taking in the sights of the outdoor garden. Turning his eyes up, he spotted more guards patrolling the top, some stopping every so often to survey the streets before marching along.

Basil peeked over Jason's shoulder and grinned. "Ooh, they really beefed up security. Getting in is going to be pretty tricky."

He shoved the Salandit off. "Not for me." He turned to his team. "Listen up. I'll go in first and try to extract the girls as quickly as possible. If I'm not out in eight minutes, assume the worst and cause a distraction to get the knights' attention. That should buy us some time to escape."

Hedwig laughed and punched into her palm. "I'll rip and tear through all those puny tin cans and show these so-called knights how a real Pokémon fights—" Jason raised his finger to silence her.

"You will be assisting Basil in starting a panic. No fighting. At all."

Hedwig pouted. "Aww, come on!"

"I'm serious!" Jason snapped, causing her to jump. "We're just here to get the girls evacuated. We enter and leave. That's it. No fighting of any kind." He pointed at Leon. "And that goes double for you."

Leon narrowed his eyes. "Me?"

"You are to stay with Basil at all times and not leave his sight. I don't want you sneaking off, and I especially don't want you anywhere near the Talbots."

"And why's that?"

"Because the last thing I need is a panic to be started over the worst case scenario." He jabbed his finger against the Aron's head. "You're only on this mission because you happened to be in sight. Do not do anything stupid, or there will be serious consequences."

"…" Leon shifted the weight of his shield and looked away. "Understood, sir."

Jason sighed. "Good." He poked around the corner again and checked out the knights. "Remember, as soon as I enter the building, switch to Plan B if I don't return in eight minutes. Basil, you're in charge."

Basil saluted. "Aye, sir."

Jason took a deep breath and dropped onto all fours. He carefully investigated the positions of every knight in his line of sight. Their line of sight, the speed of their patrol, how fast they turned when surveying the ground; everything that could hinder his chances of getting through unseen.

"…Thunder Fairy Step."

His team shielded their eyes from the sudden flash, then peeked around the corner where they caught the tail end of a lightning bolt whizzing over the entrance guards. No one seemed to notice the thunderous boom, likely overpowered by the chatter going on around the castle.

Basil pulled back into hiding and leaned against the wall, arms crossed. "Now, we wait."

Hedwig groaned and fell onto her rear. "This is so stupid. I am a predator. I am a beast. I do not sit around and start panics. I fight to survive."

Leon scoffed. "Of all the places to be right now, and I can't even do anything about it."

Basil chuckled. "Just relax, you two. Let's just enjoy the peace while we can." He glanced over his shoulder with a grin. "I doubt he's getting out of that castle in eight minutes, anyway."

Moments Earlier…

Atop a perch outside the castle wall, laying across a rooftop, Hobs narrowed his eye through his telescope. He caught the briefest glimpse of a spark of lightning dashing through the castle wall. The knights completely missed it, though he hardly blamed them. It was a blink and you'll miss it type of situation. Incredible speed unlike anything most Pokémon were capable of or lacked the training to replicate.

"And the Fairy Knight himself graces us with his presence." Hobs lowered his telescope and stood up. "Just as predicted. I still don't know what that bastard's plan is, but he seems fairly confident he can destroy the Foresters like this. Tch, I hate how he's going about it, but I'll just do my part."

He looked up at the castle and whistled sharply. From atop the castle's highest tower, a similar whistle called back to him. He smirked as his adopted daughter, Ignacia, took off from her perch and dove straight down into the castle.

"Keep the nobles safe and make the Foresters out as the bad guys they are. A simple, yet effective plan."

Marie and Pandora raced through the halls of the castle, checking through every door they passed in search of Melissa. So far, they mostly found cleaning closets, training rooms, and a small library. They didn't have a clue of the castle's layout and were forced to search every room they could, or at least keep an ear out for their friend.

"Ugh, this is so stupid!" Marie yelled. "Why do royals insist on having castles?! Who needs this many rooms?!"

Pandora winced, occasionally looking down at Marie's legs as they ran. "Marie, isn't your leg hurting?"

"Excruciatingly," she growled. "But it won't hurt as much as Darby if he lays one feather on Melissa!" She was trying to ignore the stabbing pain in her bum leg and nearly faltered upon being reminded. She bit down on her tongue, withheld her cries, and continued running.

Pandora glared ahead and asked, "Can you explain to me what you meant earlier? You said we were drinking love potions? That…That doesn't sound like an actual thing. That sounds like something in fairytales."

"Unfortunately, they're very real, and very illegal." They turned a corner and sprinted past a startled maid. "It shares traits with its distant cousin, the aphrodisiac, though this stuff alters that mind when consumed. It weakens volition and judgment while heightening arousal. When they were originally made, they were used primarily as party drinks between couples. It originated in the Arcania Kingdom way back, and folks then loved downing this crap. It was their alcohol for parties."

Pandora grimaced. "And that creep nearly took advantage of me while I was under the influence…"

"It gets worse. That stuff doesn't make you instantly fall in love with the first thing you see, but it makes you super giggly and talkative. It's a love drug that heightens passion for something, whether it be a person, an object, or a specific subject."

Pandora glared. "He managed to charm me because of my knowledge of the Arbiters. He used that to get closer to me."

"And Darby is using Melissa's stupid crush on him to get to her." Her hair bared its teeth and growled. "Worst of all, it has some unfortunate side effects when combined with Attract, and I don't want to think about what'll happen if we don't get to Melissa in time."

Pandora frowned. "So, that's why you hate Attract so much."

"Love is supposed to be natural and free, not constrictive and forceful. I express my love for everyone the way I do, but I would never force that love onto someone." She clenched her teeth. "I should've stopped her from leaving. I'm so stupid!" She punched herself in the forehead. "Stupid, stupid, stupid!"

"…Marie, how did you know that punch had love potion in it?"

"…"

"Marie?"

"…" She looked away from her. "Because I've drank them before."

Her eyes widened. "You…drank them? That doesn't sound like you were being fed them without your consent. You drank that crap willingly?" Marie hesitated for a moment, but nodded. "Why would you do that?"

She clenched her eyes shut. "I don't want to talk about it…"

"Marie, I—look out!"

Marie's eyes flew open as she tried to stop, but the stress on her bad leg finally gave way and sent her tumbling forward into someone rounding the corner. Pandora skidded to a stop and gasped as Marie lay sprawled out on top of, shockingly, Prince Dimitri Talbot.

"Ugh…" Dimitri shoved Marie off and stood up. "What was that for?"

Marie pushed herself against the wall to stand. "S-Sorry, we were—"

"Wait…" He glared at them. "What are you two doing all the way up here? This part of the castle is off-limits to party guests."

"Why aren't you at the party?" Pandora asked.

He scoffed. "Like anyone is going to care if I am there or not." He rubbed his foreleg and mumbled, "And I rather stay away from my older brother for the time being…" He shook his head and returned to glaring. "But enough of that, you two are in big trouble—"

Marie grabbed him by the coat and shook him. "Look, I don't care! My friend is in trouble."

Dimitri raised his brow. "Pardon?"

Pandora pulled Marie away from him. "Get a hold of yourself!" She faced Dimitri and said, "Listen, we're in a hurry. Our friend went off somewhere with Prince Darby, and there's stuff in the punch they were serving, and now we think she's in trouble, so—"

"Hold it, hold it!" Dimitri interrupted, raising his paw. He narrowed his glare. "Did you say…Darby? What did he do?"

Marie glared. "He spiked the punch with an illegal substance that inhibits the mind and makes them highly susceptible to orders. He took our friend somewhere, and we're trying to look for her."

"He did WHAT?!" The back of Dimitri's fur stood on end, and his eyes shrank into slit pupils. "That bastard…I knew I wasn't crazy."

Pandora pressed her paws together. "Look, we're really sorry, but we need to find her. Can you just tell us where Darby is so—"

"Screw that!" He turned and started running down the hall. "Follow me, I know where Darby's room is."

The girls didn't give it a second thought and chased after the Glameow prince. Marie faltered, so Pandora dove between her legs and scooped her onto her back before joining up alongside Dimitri. Marie clung to Pandora's dress and glanced at Dimitri. "You know about Darby, too?"

He growled. "He did something to our maid a few nights ago, but I didn't have any proof. Aside from your friend getting pulled into this, this is the best news I've heard all day."

"Why's that?" Pandora asked.

"It gives me an excuse to tear his eyes out!"

Marie glared ahead. "Save room for me. I have a bone to pick with him."

Dimitri's ears twitched. "Wait!" They stopped as he looked up. He focused his hearing on the upper levels. "Someone's running upstairs. Two sets of feet. They sound like they're both stumbling."

Pandora gasped. "She escaped!"

"Not for long. This way!" Dimitri and the girls ran toward a stairwell up ahead.

Lillia peeked her head out from under the buffet table, catching a glimpse of Jael as he searched from the ceiling. She pulled back under as he looked over her position. She pulled out some kebabs, bit off the fruit, and levitated the sticks. She poked her head out again and focused in on Jael before firing at him.

Jael reacted and managed to catch all of them. The brief distraction gave Lillia a chance to slip away and run for cover. She ducked behind a Snorlax, then rolled between a group of snooty gentlemen. Ignoring their glares, she jumped out between more nobles before hiding on the other side of the crowd.

Lillia placed a hand over her racing heart and sighed. "This is way more intense than it needs to be." She stood up straight and slowly backed away while keeping her eyes on Jael. "The girls better find Melissa soon. I'm not sure how much longer I can—"

"What happened to Melissa?"

She gasped and spun around, ready to Charge Beam her attacker, but it was only a frightened Adenine. "Oh…it's you." She gulped and brushed off her sparking hand as she smiled nervously. "So, how's the date going?"

Adenine shook off her initial shock and glared. "What did ya girls do now? Ah had to cover for ya three while ya were sneakin' around like a bunch of Joltik in a group of Voltorb. Ah had to ditch Erasmus to check on ya."

Lillia raised her hands and laughed awkwardly. "N-Nothing's wrong."

The Kecleon's glare deepened. "Lillia…" Lillia yelped as a thunder cloud started forming over Adenine's head. Her parasol sparked with electricity. "What's goin' on?"

She laughed with increasing tension in her tone. "W-Wow, I've…never seen you this angry before." She gulped and raised her hands. "Adenine, please calm down. You're making a scene." She nodded to the other nobles and darted her eyes to the ceiling.

"What are ya hidin'?"

"This really isn't the time and place to explain, but—"

Before she could say anything more, they were interrupted by a sudden blast of sand. They closed their eyes and pushed their skirts down as sand rushed around the foyer, frightening the other guests. Adenine's storm cloud was overpowered and blown away in the sand.

A cracking sound flew in their direction, and they were suddenly bound in a long, slimy tongue before being pulled to the ground. The sands died down, and they looked up at the purple Kecleon who had them tied up. He tipped his hat to them while his partner, a Rhyperior, stomped up behind him.

Adenine shrieked. "What in tarnation is goin' on?"

"You tell me." They turned their eyes up and gasped at the Flygon hovering above them. A veil of sand floated around her as she glared down at them.

Erasmus pushed his way out of the crowd and gasped. "Adenine!"

Adenine gasped. "Razzy!"

Erasmus glared at the Flygon. "Ignacia, what is the meaning of this? Untie them this instant—"

"I'm afraid I can't do that, Prince Talbot." Ignacia cocked her head and glared at him. "These two are under arrest."

"On what grounds?!"

"We have confirmation that Jason Stormbreaker is in the castle."

The nobles all gasped at the name, looking to each other in horror with memories of the Forester leader's infamy. Chatters of anger and squeals of terror erupted among them as the partying atmosphere turned into a downcast of panic.

Lillia and Adenine's eyes widened. He found out!

Erasmus stamped his paw down so hard that it momentarily silenced the nobles. "What does that have to do with these two?!" Soon joining his side, his personal guards emerged from the crowd with their weapons pointed at the Flygon and her crew. "Hunt down Jason Stormbreaker if he is truly in the castle, but I will not stand for this nonsense. If you do not release them in the next five seconds, I will not hesitate to bring down the full force of my knights upon you."

Ignacia gave him a bored glare. "Jael informed me just a moment ago that there was a troublemaking Meowstic on the loose, as well as a Mawile and Growlithe. I'm sure even you are aware why your father needed to increase security for this event. With the fiasco in the Verde Kingdom regarding a mole in their castle staff to thieves committing crimes under the noses of the public, what do you suppose the charge is?"

Erasmus' glare deepened, but his legs trembled as a worrying thought came to mind. "What are you saying?"

"The Kecleon and Meowstic have been accused as members of the Foresters."

Adenine and Erasmus' eyes widened. "WHAT?!"

Lillia winced. "Oh no…"

Melissa didn't know where she was going. She wasn't completely sure what was up and what was right. She stumbled through the halls, desperate to escape her captor, but struggling against the hurricane of sensations raging inside her. Everything went topsy-turvy through her eyes. The halls were twisting and tripling in a kaleidoscope of colors. Taking a single step felt like she was balancing on a ship during a heavy storm.

I thought it was a bad idea at the time, almost unnecessary. She stumbled into a wall, balancing herself against the window. But I am so glad I brought that poison I was working on with Shade. I just never thought I had to use it for something like this. Not like this.

She pushed herself up and continued running, but it became increasingly difficult with every step. Her movements gradually turned sluggish, and her vision worsened by the minute, though she wasn't sure if that was from the poison on the tears still dripping from her eyes.

She couldn't make sense of the thoughts and feelings blasting away inside her mind. It was a splitting headache that threatened to crack her head in two, pressing down on her brain with new weights being applied by the sensory overload.

Why is this happening? Why is this happening to me? What did I do wrong? What did I do to deserve this? I just…I just wanted to…

She tried reaching for her locket, hoping to cling to whatever anchor of reality she had left, but was soon brought back to an empty world where it no longer hung around her neck. She kept grabbing over and over for anything vaguely shaped like a locket as the tears came down harder. No matter how many times she tried, it wouldn't appear to her.

The black fog rolled in as her surroundings became increasingly obscure. It was her stuck in a dark tunnel, trudging through an empty void with a gray light in the far distance, taunting her with its depressing glow. The halls tilted side-to-side, throwing her against the walls. Her vertigo worsened, twisting the gray light ahead into a tight vortex.

I…do not…deserve this…

She clung to the wall to catch her breath, then gazed up as colors bled through the darkness. Her eyes widened as floating, transparent heads bobbed around her like dancing balloons. They resembled the faces of her father, Darby, Jet, Luna, and Jason, all glaring down at her.

"You never had what it took to be a queen."

"Nothing but a little plaything."

"You're a worthless maggot who should've stayed in her ivory tower!"

"A traitor to her own people!

"You're the root cause of our suffering."

"I was right to replace you as my heir."

"You're just a tool for our success."

"A spoiled princess who abandons her responsibilities!"

"What kind of idiot leaves her own kingdom in shambles?"

"You never belonged in the Foresters!"

"You're worthless!"

"You're a prop!"

"You're a pain!"

"You're a disgrace!"

"You're weak!"

"STOP IT! STOP IT!" Melissa swiped at the faces and fell to her knees. She cradled her head in her arms, trembling as her panicked breaths hastened. "I'm not, I'm not!"

A pair of feet stepped into view. She gazed up with tears streaking from her eyes, and gazed up at a reflection of herself, staring down at her with judgmental eyes.

"Then who are you?"

"I DON'T KNOW!" Melissa slammed her fists to the floor, knocking the spirit away.

Something rattled out from her dress and onto the floor. She cracked one teary eye open and saw a vial filled with a clear liquid inside.

"The…The antidote…"

She scrambled to pick it off the ground. She sat on her knees and, with a bit of struggle, popped the cork off. For a moment, she allowed herself a sigh of relief. She was mere moments away from passing out. With something of a relieved smile, she tipped her head back and tilted the vial over her lips.

Her hopes were dashed as something snatched the vial from her hand. She bent her neck back, and her heart sank as she spotted Darby looming above her with the vial in his wing.

He panted heavily, but with a cocky smirk. "You almost got me. You really are crazy." He tilted his head back and downed half of the vial's contents.

Melissa's eyes widened. "N-No…"

Darby sighed and wiped his beak. "Ah, now that's refreshing. Oh? I am terribly sorry, did you want this?" He dangled the vial over the head, and what little remained inside.

Melissa weakly reached up to take it back, a small shred of hope as Darby even lowered it a little closer to her hands. However, just as she grazed the glass with her finger, he casually threw it against the wall, smashing it open and sending the remaining antidote flying over the floor.

"Oops," Darby said with a smirk. "My wing slipped."

Melissa's arms dropped to her side as she watched the antidote run down the wall. "N…No…"

Darby grabbed her by the arms and lifted her to her feet. "Aww, do not be so distraught, Harlow." He turned her around and petted her cheek. "I will be sure to help you. I have connections everywhere, and I am sure I can find an alchemist to help you. You will so grateful, you will never want to leave my side."

Melissa struggled to stay conscious, but the sleep-inducing effect of the poison was kicking in. Her eyes twitched to stay open. She tried to fight back, but no longer had the strength to move a finger. She barely had it in her to stand up on her own.

Darby grabbed the edge of her mask. "Now, let us have a look at that pretty face."

"N…No…"

Darby ripped the mask off and threw it aside. "There? Was that so hard?" He laughed as he caressed her cheek. "Why would you want to cover up such a pretty…youthful…face?" He paused a moment and squinted at her. "Wait a minute. You look…familiar?"

Melissa couldn't even summon up the strength for a terrified reaction. She was losing more and more of her strength as the poison overtook her. "H…He…Hel…"

Darby held her face in his wings and looked closer. "You…" After a moment of investigating, his eyes widened in shock. "You…! You are—"

"DARBY!"

He looked up from Melissa as Dimitri, Marie, and Pandora rounded the corner. They were slightly out of breath but bristled with fury as they saw him holding the limp Buneary. Marie and Pandora growled with the former pulling out another fork she stole. Dimitri unsheathed his claws as he advanced toward Darby.

"I knew it," he hissed. "I knew there was something about you I despised. You sick, twisted creep…!"

Darby relaxed his shoulders and smirked. "Oh? Is something the matter, Dimitri? Is your fur normally that prickly, or is it just for me?"

"Let her go," he said, digging his claws into the floor. "I won't give you another warning."

Darby chuckled. "A fun idea, but…" He reached around himself and produced a dagger, causing the trio to freeze up. He pressed the blade against Melissa's nape. "Unfortunately for you, I am the negotiator here."

Pandora growled. "If you hurt her—"

"I have no desire to hurt such a fine specimen such as this, but how about we not test the boundaries of my chivalry?"

Marie clutched her fork in a death grip. "You don't know the meaning of the word."

Dimitri stamped his paw down. "I will go to my father immediately and inform him of what you've been up to. They already told me about the spiked drinks."

Darby chuckled. "It was so easy to convince those waiters to pass them around. I promised them a date with two fine noblewomen if they complied. They hardly hesitated."

"Is this some sick game to you?!" Marie yelled. "Toying with emotions?!"

"Actually, yes, it is." Darby shook his head and laughed. "I am a prince. I can do whatever I want. Anything I want is within my reach, and I will take it no matter what."

Pandora's teeth lit up with smog and flame. "You'll be in need of twenty liters of burn ointment when I'm done with you." She took one step forward, but froze as Darby pressed the dagger harder against Melissa's neck.

"I will not hesitate," he said confidently. "Throw an attack at me. Rush me down if you must. Scream for me to stop in your fruitless attempts. Kill me in one shot. I guarantee that you will not stop me from executing her."

Dimitri growled. "You…!"

Darby slowly started to shuffle away. "Now then, I suppose I should make myself scarce. I will be long gone before anything comes of me, so feel free to tattle off to your father. I bid you all ado, and I will be sure to send you letters the fun I will be having with my new lady here—"

A thunderbolt whizzed over the group's heads and collided into Darby. A fist cracked across his face while his dagger slipped from his grip. He flew off his feet and skidded off the wall before crashing onto the floor.

Melissa fell back into the arms of Jason, who tossed away the dagger. Her eyes weakly flickered up at him. "J…Jason?"

He glared at her. "You have some nerve, Rookie."

Her eyes started to water. "Jason…"

He lifted her up and looked her in the eyes. "I wouldn't begin to call this the stupidest endeavor you've undertaken, but to blindly abandon your responsibilities and fly off to have fun without informing any of your superiors crosses lines I cannot begin to explain. I thought you would've learned your lesson from the last time, but this is…" He calmed down as he finally took in her expression. "Rookie?"

Tears poured down her face as the last of her consciousness slipped away. "J…Jason. I…I am…s-sorry…that I am…a disappoint...ment…" The poison finally took over, and she passed out in his arms.

His eyes widened. "Rookie? Harlow? Harlow!" He straightened her up and pulled her eye open. He gasped at the discoloration in them. "Poison?"

Laughter ahead turned his attention forward. Darby picked himself off the ground and massaged his cheek. "Isn't this a surprise? The Fairy Knight himself comes to save his princess." The corners of his beak curved higher. "You just had to interrupt my fun, did you not?"

Jason stared at him with a vacant stare, then looked down at the unconscious Buneary. He gently picked her up and carried her over to the others. Marie and Pandora winced, rightfully worried of the Pikachu's unexpected arrival.

"Jason, this isn't what it looks like!" Marie exclaimed.

"We can explain!" Pandora added. "We were just—"

"We…will talk about this later." He handed Melissa off into Marie's arms. "Percival and his Teleportation Corp are waiting on Newton Street in a crossroad. Go there and wait for me."

Dimitri glared at them. "Wait…you all are Foresters?"

Marie ignored his question and faced Jason. "J-Jason, I—"

"I have words for you, Marie, but not now." He pointed down the hall. "Get out of here."

Pandora frowned. "What about you?"

"…I have some business to take care of."

Marie's eyes widened. She was the only one to hear the subtle cadence in his voice, and it was a familiar ring to her alone. She held Melissa close and hopped back onto Pandora's back. "Prince Dimitri, can you help us escape?"

Dimitri narrowed his eyes for a moment. His judgment told him to warn the knights about a Forester invasion on the castle and be done with them. However, one look back at Darby overrode that decision. At the moment, there was a far greater evil in his presence, and he wanted nothing more than to watch it crumble and burn.

"…This way." He turned and ran down with Pandora following close behind. Marie steadied herself while keeping Melissa secure.

Jason turned his attention back onto Darby, who applauded amidst his laughter. "Bravo, Jason Stormbreaker. Bravo. What a performance. The brave Forester leader willingly staying behind to man the area while his lackies escape. Are you here to slay the dragon?"

Jason narrowed his eyes. "…What did you do to her?"

Darby shrugged. "I just wanted to have some fun with my plaything. I'd say you would understand, but I doubt any woman would want to come near a coldblooded monster like you. Is it wrong for me to charm a woman into surrendering their will to me?"

"…" Jason gripped his sword's hilt.

"No one is going to believe you. Blow the whole secret for all I care. No one is going to take the word of a Forester over their beloved, picture-of-perfection prince. It could just be one of your dastardly schemes to plunder riches from the hardworking nobles to line your pockets. We already believe you thieves are twisted spirits who kidnap defenseless women."

"…" Jason unsheathed part of his sword.

"Though, I am sure they will take particular fascination in Harlow. I was wondering why she fell under my control so quickly. It was as if she was charmed by me before. Now, I am no stranger to the appeal of a Buneary. That fluff hides secrets any man would want to uncover. However, I found myself moved by the face, and what a delightful face it was. It could belong to royalty."

"…"

Darby laughed. "So, that is where you have been hiding her. In plain sight, no less. Very clever."

"…" Jason narrowed his eyes. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

"You are a hard fellow to read, Fairy Knight." Darby spread his wings out. "Go ahead. Beat me up. I will only look like the hero who bravely fended off the corrupted Forester leader. A tragedy I will build upon to earn the favor of those beyond my kingdom and expand my Absolute Loyalty. Besides, you Foresters do not have the guts to kill me. You could not even perform a proper massacre."

"…" Jason's cheeks sparked. "You're right. I don't have what it takes to kill you."

Darby chuckled and applauded him again. "That's a good boy. Heel before your true master—"

A flash of lightning whipped past and startled him. A second after, he glanced to the wall on his left as yellow, electrified slashes burned through the stone, cutting through it in zigzag patterns. He covered his face as the wall detonated in an electrified blast, sending glass and stone flying through the hall.

A strong breeze brushed along his body. He peeked out from behind his wings and saw the entire wall was ripped open, leaving only a sharp drop to the castle grounds below. A brief sensation of vertigo forced him to stay away from the edge.

Darby spun around and saw Jason crouched on the floor. His fingers dug into the floor with burn marks clawing through. He raised his sword, which crackled with electricity. He lifted his head with clenched teeth and a glare that emanated the foul aura of death, piercing right through Darby.

"So, I'll just slaughter you instead."