The sun started to set on the Senbo capital, bathing the city in the warm orange glow. Shops closed their doors for the day, and Pokémon were heading back to their homes. The night guards arrived to start their patrol around the castle walls, locking up the entrance gate after letting travelers through.

On one of the wagons passing into the city, a gang of four rolled out from behind the crates and darted between the buildings. They navigated the alleyways, keeping out of sight of Pokémon passing by in the streets, and pulled themselves onto the rooftops.

Shingo was the first to poke his head up and survey the area. He nodded and signaled the others to climb up. They gathered on top and turned in the direction of the castle. Shingo signaled to Brook, who stepped forward and adjusted her eye scope.

She zoomed in on the castle, spotting the heads of knights marching on the upper wall. "About twenty guards surveying the top," she said. "Their armed with rifles, too."

Shingo glared. "They aren't taking chances with intruders."

Lillia frowned. "Are we absolutely sure this is a good idea? We're already in trouble with the Talbots. If we're seen breaking in and kidnapping their prisoner, that'll just give credence to the assassination attempt."

Blitz patted her shoulder. "Believe me, Lillia, we all know the risk involved with this. However, if we want to get to the bottom of this, we need to take chances. Besides, if that girl is executed for her actions in our name…"

She closed her eyes and shuddered. "R-Right. I hear you."

Brook finished scanning the castle and turned back to the group. "Getting through won't be easy. Though, I think there might be a potential blind spot in their patrol. It's a tight window, so we have to be quick."

Shingo cracked his knuckles. "Simple enough. Get...ugh, get in, get out without alerting the knights."

Blitz tilted his head. "You sure you can handle this, Shingo?"

"If it means protecting the Foresters' honor, I will persevere."

Lillia shook off her nerves and nodded. "I'm ready, too."

Blitz nodded and signaled forward. The team darted across the rooftops and headed straight for the castle.

"HA!" Erasmus came down on a training dummy, digging his claws through the chest and ripping it open. He growled and swung his claws to the neck, decapitating it and sending hay stuffing flying onto the training yard. He hung his head and panted. He scraped his claws into the stone flooring and clenched his teeth.

Training dummy remains lay scattered over the training yard, the remnants of a vicious training session. Some were torn up in huge chunks, and others were ripped to shreds.

Erasmus sat on his haunches and massaged his paws. His claws ached from the five straight hours of training. His paws trembled as he held them up to eye level. Specs of blood dotted around his digits, and he could feel the soreness inside his paws as his claws lay to rest.

"Well, this place looks like a mess." Erasmus glared as Darby came hobbling onto the training yard. His bandages were visible around the neckline of his shirt, and he used a pair of crutches to walk. "Shoddy craftsmanship if they can't endure your impressive slashes, my friend."

Erasmus closed his eyes and huffed. "You should be in bed, Darby."

The Prinplup rolled his eyes and hobbled to the cat's side. "Take no offense, but that physician of yours is a witch. You give a few compliments, and suddenly you are being assaulted with rubbing alcohol. It is an outrage."

Erasmus shook his head and stood up. "She is a trusted member of the staff." He sighed and looked away sadly. "At least, that is what I keep telling myself."

Darby nodded. "The news has not settled well with you, I take it?"

"Do you know what it feels like thinking one of your staff might be an assassin biding their time to take your life? Someone as sweet and hardworking as Vanessa, only to show her true colors in our moment of weakness."

Darby sighed. "A shame, my friend. I have nothing but sympathy for the blow dealt to your and your family. Rest assured, I have nothing but the highest hopes Dimitri will recover from his ailment. Have there been updates?"

Erasmus hung his head. "Not much. As of now, the current diagnosis is a fever, though Dr. Sappington is not sure. She wants to run more tests just to make sure. Dimitri is aching right now, but he does not seem to be in immediate danger. Whatever he was injected with is not lethal, or at least immediately so."

"Hmm, strange," Darby said, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "Why do you suppose the Foresters would poison Dimitri, but not with the express intent to kill him then and there? Perhaps the poison is time delayed."

"I do not know." The cat clenched his eyes shut and growled. "I hate not knowing. I hate that we were so careless. This could have been avoided. Someone should have been guarding Dimitri's room. Someone should have done a thorough search of Vanessa's background." He exhaled with a growl and pressed his paws to his face. "I feel like this is my fault, most of all. Dimitri was put in this position because I inadvertently brough the Foresters into our home."

Darby hobbled around Erasmus, smirking to himself. "That must eat you up inside, my friend. To think those savages would invade your home, manipulating your trust and stomping on it. How could they do something so cruel?"

"I do not know…"

"That is the terror of the outside world, my friend." Darby patted the Glameow's shoulder. "It is a horrible world brought down by the depravity of those who refuse to stay in line. There is anarchy roaming our territories. Wars fueled by those who want to destroy the status quo, bringing their Hell into our paradise. We may never know why they went after Dimitri, but what reason do we need? They scorned your family. They struck first, and they struck again after kicking you down."

Erasmus' glare deepened. "Yeah…"

"There is no recourse for these transgression, Erasmus. The only solution is the eradication of the Foresters. Menaces, they are, and they need to remember their place in the hierarchy. Do not do it for just your kingdom and the nobles mocked by their crimes. Do it for your family, for your dear brother."

Erasmus' fur bristled, and his eyes sharpened. He unsheathed his claws and swung into the last of the training dummy, spraying hay into the air. Darby stood back and chuckled to himself as the Glameow huffed at the scattering of hay.

Because why get my wings dirty when revenge is such a refreshing motivator?

Alone in his chambers, Gaufroi took a deep breath and hoisted his axe over his head. The fur on his bare chest was dripping with sweat. He steadied his posture, tensed his muscles, and swung down. He stopped the axe centimeters from touching the floorboards. He drew another breath, lifted the axe, and repeated the action again. He exhaled with each swing and paused to catch his breath.

"Focus," he mumbled. He rolled his neck a couple times and lifted the axe again. Just as it reached above his head, a knock sounded off his door. "Enter."

The door opened on its own, and Fulbertus floated inside. "Hmph, I was wondering what all that negative energy was. You have a domineering aura, Sir Gaufroi, one that would make the weak-willed quake in your presence."

Gaufroi kept his back turned to the Beheeyem and continued with his exercises. "What do you want?"

"I can't help but detect a hint of mistrust during our investigation of the foyer. I didn't want to say anything, but you've offered the cold shoulder here and there when words were traded."

"You called that miserable prodding in the rubble investigating?"

Fulbertus chuckled. "The rumors of your salty exterior weren't exaggerated. You don't mince your words. And so what if my team wasn't enthusiastic in the search? One of them was stabbed, and the mood was far too dour for a serious search of the premises. Besides, it's an open and shut case if you ask me."

Gaufroi scoffed. "It doesn't matter what your feelings of the situation. You are a knight to your superiors, and you are to carry out your orders."

"Such old ways of thinking." Fulbertus shook his head. "Come now, Sir Gaufroi, times have changed beyond your golden years. We of the Wick Kingdom have taken a liking to the Tetrarch's looser definition of service. Serve and protect, but always value your life. I would gladly give anything to protect the royal family, but my wellbeing is just as important."

"It's my way of doing things, and I expect my subordinates to follow through." Gaufroi swung his axe down harder, once more stopping it before it touched the floor. The floor seemed to shake from the sudden stop. "That is how we protected the Senbo Kingdom."

Fulbertus shook his head. "You really don't trust us, do you? No, what am I saying? You don't trust any outsiders. Your loyalty is to the throne, and you follow their orders like an obedient soldier. I suppose one can't expect the elderly to put aside their pride."

The Ursaring exhaled through his nostrils and set his axe down. "I don't expect young people to understand the past." He picked up a wet cloth and wiped his face. "I've been around for a long sixty years, boy, so don't go telling me how to do my job."

Fulbertus laughed. "I'm not afraid of an old man. You have your brawn, for however long that'll continue to serve you, and I have my intellect. I mean no disrespect, of course. It's understandable someone of your advanced age would start forgetting things."

"Did you come here to insult me, because I can gladly show you the door when you're done."

The alien knight raised his hands. "I was just curious why the Senbo Kingdom hasn't retired you yet, and perhaps I wanted to put aside this bad blood between our kingdoms. We are working together for a common goal, both for evolution and for the safety of the region."

Gaufroi heard a flickering sound in the air. He turned around and saw the Beheeyem had conjured a table and chairs into his chambers. Atop the table was a chessboard with all the pieces in position. He glared at the knight and asked, "What is this?"

Fulbertus shrugged. "A friendly game? Or perhaps a showcase of superior young blood? Your choice, really."

Gaufroi groaned and turned away. "I don't play."

"Quite alright. I know the game is far too complicated for someone as primitive and old-fashioned as you. Best to leave you be to your archaic workouts." Fulbertus chuckled. "After all, the kingdom is in safe hands with the barbarian wielding an axe."

The old bear closed his eyes and let out a long, irritable sigh. "Young people…" He threw off the damp cloth and pulled up a chair. "If it'll get you to leave me be—"

"Of course, of course." Fulbertus sat down and pushed himself in. "I even gave you the honor of the white pieces. Your move first, unless you need a refresher. To move your pawns, those tinier pieces just to be clear, you—" Gaufroi cut him off by sliding one of his pawns two spaces forward.

"I said I don't play, not that I can't. Now, quite flapping your non-existent mouth and make your move."

Upon reaching near the castle walls, Brook once again examined the patrol of the guards. The others waited patiently behind her. Blitz had his hand on his bow while swaying his tail side-to-side, displacing little embers into the air behind him.

Brook narrowed her eyes and turned back to the group. "Okay, I think I found a blind spot. The knights stop every thirty seconds to take a quick scan of the surrounding area before continuing on their patrol. Based on some of their body types, there may be canine Pokémon with enhanced senses, and they're spread evenly among the patrol so that they can detect anyone within the thirty second window."

Lillia whined. "So, there's no blind spot?"

Shingo wagged his finger. "Not necessarily. We can elude their sense of smell just fine. It's just their enhanced hearing we need to avoid. Fortunately, they likely never met someone like Brooklyn."

Brook stretched her wings and gave them a few quick flaps. Lillia tilted her head as she watched the Unfezant flap her wings out of sync with each other. She was no expert on flying, but she was almost positive that wasn't how wings were supposed to be used.

Brook took a deep breath and nodded. "Alright, we only have one shot. Everyone, grab hold of me."

Lillia's eyes widened. "Wouldn't we be too much weight for you?"

"Less talking, more holding."

Lillia watched the guys grab onto Brook's body. She sighed and climbed up onto Brook's back, wrapping her arms around her neck. She watched Brook stretch her wings far out from her body and slowly flapped them. She looked down and saw a circlet of wind building up under them.

"Everyone hold on." Brook bent her legs and twisted her body. "Ascending Gale!"

She jumped and spun her body. Lillia gasped as wind started swirling around them, blasting them off into the air. She felt herself spinning as if she was trapped inside a cyclone by herself. She didn't hear a peep coming from the boys, but felt her legs involuntarily swing into Blitz.

When she dared to look down, she saw they were far over the castle walls, and without the catching the patrolling knights' attention. They didn't even hear the rushing air soaring right past them.

Lillia felt gravity taking over and braced herself as Brook dove toward the castle. Shingo swung himself onto Brook's back and pried Lillia off. He signaled to her to jump, which she hesitated to comply with. Blitz grabbed her by the waist before she had a chance to ask questions and jumped off with her.

"Lillia, use your Psychic," he ordered quietly, but firmly into her ear.

Snapping back to reality, Lillia concentrated and enveloped the both of them in the psychic aura. She slowed their fall until they touched down into the castle courtyard. Blitz grabbed her hand and pulled her behind some bushes just as a pair of knights walked out from around the corner.

Once they passed by and out of earshot, Blitz whispered, "How are you holding up?"

"G-Good," Lillia said through a breath. "Sorry, I…never been on a stealth mission like this. It's quite…exhilarating." She looked up and didn't see any trace of Shingo or Brook in the air. "Where did they go?"

"Likely already found their way inside the castle."

"Really? That's…incredible."

Blitz patted her shoulder. "It's pretty much natural for those two. Trust me, one of these days, you'll be hearing rookies say that kind of thing about you."

Lillia smiled. "Heh, thanks."

He nodded, then signaled ahead. "We need to keep moving. We still need to figure out where the prince is. Since Petra basically demolished his wall, he was likely relocated to another part of the castle."

Lillia glared and nodded. "I'm right behind you."

Shingo and Brook landed on the outside of the foyer windows, some still broken after the party. Shingo peeked inside first, scanning the floor for patrolling knights. A few made their rounds through the foyer, but kept their vision forward. Shingo nodded to Brook, and they jumped onto the ceiling. He stuck to its surface while she dug her talons in. They crawled along the ceiling to the other side of the foyer.

"Where's the dungeon located?" Brook whispered.

He dug inside his scarf and pulled out a hand drawn map of the castle. "Located in the eastern wing of the castle. Locked shut behind three reinforced doors. Virtually unescapable, or at least before guards apprehend the escapees." He shivered. "Just the idea of being down there…"

She patted his back with her wing. "Deep breaths, Shingo. We'll be in and out before you know it."

He sighed with a shudder and tucked the map away. "Right."

After the knights finished their patrol of the foyer, the pair glided down to the floor and dashed down the hall. They stopped between intersections and checked around the corners before continuing forward. Up ahead, they could see metal doors at the end of the hall, deep within the eastern wing.

Shingo suddenly stopped and put his arm in front of Brook. He listened closely on the door, hearing the distinct sound of footsteps on the other side. He pointed to the ceiling, and they jumped out of sight just as the doors were being unlocked. Shingo pressed his hand to Brook and used Camouflage over himself and her. Since she couldn't turn completely invisible, just her clothes, she pulled up her hood and tucked herself into a ball.

The doors opened, and a Lurantis and Sunflora knight walked out. "That was a bust," the Lurantis said as he locked the door. "Nothing but the same old response. What do you make of that?"

"An iron will, perhaps. Truly a testament to her training."

"You call that an iron will? She looks half-asleep if you ask me. Almost like she's not all there."

"What better way to keep her secrets than to distance herself from reality?"

"You're giving the Foresters too much credit."

Shingo and Brook narrowed their eyes. The assailant.

The Sunflora waved his leaf hand. "They're a crafty bunch. Heh, you're not a Forester by chance, right?"

Lurantis glared. "Don't even jest about that. The king's running intense background checks on everyone. Didn't you hear what happened to Rauffe? The king found out he had a criminal history. Didn't give the poor guy a chance to speak, and he didn't want to take chances."

"He let him go? That's cruel."

"I call it a mercy. Better to be discharged from service with respect than be branded as a traitor. I heard he was going to travel to the Algus Kingdom. Said something about some familial connections that can help him get back on his feet. I lent him some coin for the trip."

"A darn shame. Don't you think the king's being too hard?"

"How would you respond if you found out your kid was targeted for an assassination?"

The Sunflora knight hung his head. "Fair point."

"I already know a few knights who are going to get discharged soon. I just hope it's not me. I need the work to support my family. I can't blame the king, but the Talbots are taking the prince's situation really hard."

"Perhaps things will go back to normal in the future."

"I pray for a silver lining in all of this, but reality's disappointing." Once they finished locking the door, they marched off.

Shingo and Brook dropped to the floor after the knights were out of range. The Frogadier instantly went to the doors to pick the lock. Brook joined his side, keeping watch with a frown across her beak.

"What tragic times that have befallen them. I wish them nothing but the best."

"Save your sympathies, Brook. We have our own battles to attend to."

She sighed. "Must you be so cruel?"

"The mission comes first, and we have our own people to look after. I do not wish ill on those men, but this is survival now."

She shook her head. "You sound just like your father."

"Then may he impart his wisdom onto us as we carry out our mission." He finished picking the lock and opened the first door. There was space between the first and second doors, though it was still a small space. He shuddered. "And believe me, I want to get this over with as soon as possible."

She nodded and followed him inside. Shingo peeked out into the hall one last time before shutting the door behind them.

Blitz and Lillia shuffled their way against the castle, taking shelter behind hedges whenever a knight passed by, and made their way to the side directly under Dimitri's room. It wasn't hard to tell given the giant hole made by their resident mail carrier nearly a week prior.

Lillia peeked around again and nodded. "Okay, we're here."

Blitz stretched his claws. "Make haste, and keep your hood up. We'll have the cover of night to mask our presence." Despite being in their winter uniforms, barely any light reflected off them. The additional grays and dark splotches masked them with the encroaching darkness. Blitz made sure to tuck his tail underneath his uniform, though.

Lillia pulled her hood on and pulled out her climbing claws from her bag. They nodded to each other and started scaling the castle walls. Blitz proved to be the more experienced climber while Lillia lagged behind him, trying her best to keep pace with him.

After getting a few meters off the ground, she peeked down and saw some knights passing by. Thankfully, no one noticed them with the sun starting to disappear under the horizon. She continued following Blitz up.

"Do you do these kinds of missions all the time?" she whispered.

"Eh, when Sadie and I first met Jason. Before the Foresters was established, we did small raids like this. Then things kind of spiraled into this huge guild. I just went along with it, acting as the mediator of the fort. I prefer the peaceful approach. I always believed diplomacy was the way to a perfect future, though such dreams come with their challenges. Still, I hold hope to the Forester banner, and for those who feel shunned by society."

"You overcame so much despite being blind."

"Who would believe a child lacking sight would amount to anything? Had I not met Sadie when we were kids, I don't know what would've become of me. I have so much to thank her for being a part of my life, and for helping me see the world." He sighed. "That's the hardships some Foresters face. Some of us are outcasts, or rejects because we don't fit the standard."

"I know what that feels like," she mumbled. "So, what's Brook's story?"

"Hmm. I don't know her that personally, but I figure it has something to do with her inability to fly."

"W-What? She can't…but, just moments ago, we—"

"That wasn't so much flying, more so jumping. I figure you noticed how her wings were moving when she was stretching them?"

"Well, I didn't want to say anything. Didn't want to be rude."

"I don't understand it, but she has coordination issues. Can't keep her wings in sync, and she stills struggles with basic tasks using her wings. Shingo's the one that taught her how to make the best of it."

Lillia frowned. "It's so cruel to judge someone over habits they can't control, or their interests. I always did my best back home to be this beacon of hope for my people, even if I didn't regard the title with much hope myself. I sometimes think I was drawn to the Foresters because they understand what that feels like, and I could help others understand more about themselves."

Blitz smiled. "That's a wonderful goal."

"Heh, best I can do when I'm not much of a fighter. I hold to your beliefs as well, Blitz. I do not believe in violence."

"Hmm. Lillia?"

"Yes?"

"Though I took you under my wing to learn the inner affairs of Fort Lucus, perhaps I can give you some pointers on how to improve your fighting style."

"How so?"

"You specialize in long range combat, yes?"

"For the most part, yes."

"I believe even the most passive of us needs a trump card when we're pushed into a corner. Perhaps I can help you discover more about your abilities."

"You think so?"

"If you'll let me."

She smiled. "I…wouldn't be opposed. I will do anything to help my friends."

"Heh, then let us hope for better times ahead. Speaking of…"

They reached Dimitri's room and pulled themselves in. As they suspected, the room was empty of an ailing Glameow, meaning he was relocated to another part of the castle.

Lillia stashed her climbing claws away and asked, "How are we going to find him?"

He glared. "Shade said Otis was afflicted with a fever when injected with Wraith. That means Dimitri is suffering through one, too. I just need to sense for a mammalian Pokémon with a higher-than-normal body temperature."

She smiled. "Oh, that's right. You can sense the flow of heat."

He pressed his hand to the wall and closed his eyes. "Hmm…I don't hear anything. Best be swift."

They poked their heads out into the hallway, did a cautionary sweep of both directions, and quietly dashed out.

"I am telling you, my friend, it was clear as day when I saw her face!"

Erasmus groaned and rubbed his face. After finally calming down from his training, he and Darby returned into the castle to retire for the night. However, somewhere along the way, Darby decided to bring up his theory (as Erasmus calls it) regarding the true identity of Harlow. It made Erasmus' head spin each time he listened to the penguin announce his beliefs.

Darby shook his head. "I cannot believe how blind I was to the truth myself, but it makes so much sense when you think back to it. I mean, of all the Pokémon to kidnap her, it had to be a female Buneary. Do you know the odds of that happening? Even taking into account Pokémon not commonly native to Virdis, that still means—"

"Darby…" Erasmus stopped, turned to his friend, and sighed through his nose. "Are you absolutely sure you do not have a concussion?"

The Prinplup pouted. "Must you profile me as a maniac? I speak the truth on this. I even incited a reaction from the Fairy Knight when I first tried to tell you. Does that not mean proof?"

"Considering the damage he did to you, what you call inciting a reaction could very well be whatever bloodlust he was experiencing in your direction. It is hardly evidence, if not biased perspective." He sighed. "Believe me, Darby, I still worry for Melissa to, but cobbling together this outlandish tall tale makes you look mad."

Darby glared. "Are we certain you do not speak with bias? You are still in disbelief after that little show in the foyer. My brother, Kaolin, informed me of the details when he was shoveled off to your family's bunker. You brought a supposed ally of the Foresters into your own home."

Erasmus glared off to the side. "Do not remind me…"

Darby sighed. "I sympathize with you. Your right to the throne has been stripped away, and now you hang with this guilt over being a possible catalyst in bringing harm to your kingdom. Take it from me, you should not let emotions blind you from your true goals. It only brings more pain than it is worth."

Erasmus sighed. "You would not understand. I felt like I could trust Adenine, yet it feels like she has not told me anything about herself."

"Because you will not admit to yourself she is a Forester. You are too lovesick to see the truth. Admit already that she was using you."

"We were ten when we first met. The Foresters were not even a reality then. I know in my heart she is a good person."

Darby shook his head. "Let me give you some much needed advice, my friend. Love is a tool used by people to get something out of it. Do you think nobles marry for love and affection? They are more often arranged marriages between houses to combine assets and gain more sway in the political climate. Any fool who marries for love will quickly see that love die through long term exposure. Not even family can love each other twenty-four-seven. You expect two strangers unbound by the chains of blood to share that unconditional bond?"

Erasmus glared. "For a serial flirt, you are quite cynical, Prince Darby."

He smirked. "Mayhaps so. My family and I can only stand each other for so long, so we encourage growth in what we can do on our own time. As long as I am being productive in keeping the spirits of my kingdom alive, my father hardly cares how I go about my business."

"Then why be so cruel to love?"

"Affection is hardly anything of interest to me. I am more attracted to the body than I am the mind. Love is not everything. And there are cases where love is forged through twisted bonds. Cruelty exists in the world, and some are attracted to watching others suffer for their ignorance. Maybe this Adenine did love you, or perhaps she loved the idea of watching you squirm in anguish for so blindly trusting her."

Erasmus turned away and growled. "Silence…"

"Was that even her real name? Maybe the Foresters have been around for much longer than we think?" Darby's smirk stretched. "Or, maybe the Adenine you knew was just a fantasy compared to the one your friend became? They say we forge our own memories when reality does not suit our fantasy—"

"I said silence, Darby!" Erasmus growled. "I will not hear more of this. Not of your outrageous Harlow theory or any mockery towards my beloved!"

"…" The Prinplup bowed his head. "Pray, forgive me for stepping out of line. I am merely worried you are being used, my friend. After all, they took advantage of trust before. Just look at what your own maid attempted to do to Dimitri. Had she not been found, would she have attempted the same thing on your other siblings? Your mother and father?"

Erasmus looked down. "I do not know…"

Darby hobbled over and placed his wings on his shoulders. "If you wish to get emotional, focus all that confusion and contempt on eliminating the Foresters. They are the ones who brought this heartache upon you, twisting your heart in their hands. Do not lose sight of that hatred. Use it to carve a path to the truth you seek, and we can bring about a new peace to Virdis with our alliance."

"…" Erasmus sighed. "This is all too much."

"Take all the time you need." Darby stepped aside and hobbled ahead. "If you need me, I will be raiding your pantry for a late night snack. I have been eating nothing but soup and medicine for the last several days, and I am in desperate need of something actually filling!"

The Glameow shook his head. "Darby…" He gazed down at his paws, still covered with the flecks of blood from his training. He curled his digits and clenched his eyes shut. "Carve a path to the truth, huh?"

After breaching the doors, Shingo and Brook scaled the ceiling of the dungeon. It was remarkably clean with lantern light filling the path. The dungeon seemed to be deep beneath the castle based on the stairs leading down. There wasn't any sunlight or access to the outside world. It was closed off from the rest of the upper world.

Shingo groaned. "Hating this…so much."

"Stay strong, Shin." Brook looked around before gliding down to the floor. "No guards."

Shingo dropped down beside her. "Breaking out of here would be next to impossible. I wonder what their countermeasures are for Ground-Types. Reinforced plating built around the dungeon? Secret mines used to release knockout gas?"

"A thought for another time." She walked along the path, checking inside the cells. She paused to the sound of a cheerful humming. She ran down to the source and found the cell. "Shingo, get over here."

He ran over and looked through the bars. Inside, sitting on a bench and kicking her legs with a carefree attitude, was an Indeedee. She hummed to herself, looking up at the ceiling and drumming her fingers in her lap. She was in a fresh pair of prison rags, stark white shirt and pants, unlike the rags given in the Verde Kingdom. They saw an empty plate sitting beside her.

She finally acknowledged their presence and smiled at them. "Oh, hello. Praise the glory of the Foresters!"

Shingo glared. "Yep, that's definitely our target."

Brook frowned. "Who are you?"

"I'm Vanessa, a spy for the Foresters sent to assassinate Prince Dimitri. We Foresters have been oppressed for far too long, and we're taking a stand against the corruptive forces of the monarchy." She closed her eyes and beamed at them. "How are you doing today?"

Shingo winced. "Those guards were right. She doesn't look…all there." He formed his Cut lockpicks and stuck them into the lock. "Guess that's for Marie to figure out."

Brook approached the bars and wrapped her wings around them. "Vanessa. My name is Brooklyn Fowler, and this is my friend, Shingo Mochizuki. We're here to break you out of prison."

Vanessa giggled and waved them off. "Oh, that's okay. I'm perfectly fine in here."

"You committed a serious crime days ago. If anything happens to the prince, you'll be tried for immediate execution."

"Oh, Dimitri will be fine, and so will I! I'm just waiting here until I'm released."

Brook winced. "No. No, that's not what's happening. Do you understand what you injected into the prince? You were trying to kill him."

"Prince Dimitri will be fine." She sighed dreamily and cupped her hands to her cheek. "Darby said so~."

"D-Darby?"

Shingo hissed. "So, that's what this is about." His steady hand wavered he trembled with anger. "That bastard penguin pulled the same stung he did on Melissa. This girl doesn't even know where she is right now. I bet Darby told her he would free her from prison so they can live happily ever after."

Vanessa swooned and fell over onto the bench. "My sweet, precious Darby~."

Brook frowned. "You poor thing…" She closed her eyes and growled. "The indignity of it all, to use an innocent victim in all of this."

Shingo sighed. "Unfortunately, any retaliation at this stage could fuel the flames. It'd just make us look worse."

"We're already risking a lot breaking her out of prison."

"And it's our only chance at getting some answers. You heard what Jason said, we're not letting someone die in our name. We might be able to help her, so hold onto that for hope."

Brook sighed. "Right." She reached her wing through the bars. "Just hold on for a moment, Vanessa. We'll get you out of here."

Vanessa giggled. "But I don't want to leave. Not until Darby saves me~."

The Unfezant narrowed her eyes. What is Prince Darby planning? Why go through this much trouble against his own allies?

There was mostly silence between the alien and bear as they moved their pieces along the board. They each claimed six pieces from each other in the half hour. Fulbertus reclined in his seat, psychically moving his pieces across the board. Gaufroi hunched over the table as he studied the board's layout. Compared to his opponent, he was taking more time to analyze his moves.

They were fairly even in remaining pieces. Six pawns, a knight, a bishop, a rook, a king, and queen. They both kept their kings at the back of the board, surrounded by a barrier of pawns or one knight.

Fulbertus chuckled at Gaufroi's expression. "I prefer to finish the game before I reach your age, Sir Gaufroi."

"Quiet." Gaufroi finally move his rook over a space.

"Hmph." Fulbertus waved his hand and move one of his pawns. "Someone your age has seen battle more times than any other, way before the Verde Kingdom started to establish peace with its fellow western kingdoms. You were around when King Talbot was still a prince, I imagine. No wonder you hate the other kingdoms. You've had to slaughter soldiers fighting the wars. Oh, the sins that must weigh on you."

"I hold no regret for my actions, nor do I hold contempt for my enemy on the battlefield. If I had it my way, war would've ended decades ago." He moved his knight to the left. "It's a fantasy."

"Times are changing, good knight. Perhaps the world wouldn't look so bleak if you stopped staring into that drab fog. Advancements in new technology and medicine are nothing to scoff at, and they were advancements brought by war. War is a good motivator. It brings innovation through desperation."

"It also brings hardship and tragedy to good people."

"The same harm you likely brought leading armies back then. Whatever we did in those old wars, you fired back just as much, if not worse. There's a reason no one's foolish enough to breach your capital. Send forth a million men, they'll be decimated by one of your cannons. That's how it works, right?"

"What are you getting at?"

"A man like you hardened by the perils of war can only see violence as a solution. Those like me who have been blessed with accessible knowledge, however, are innovators. I just find it so strange that the kingdom known for innovation positioned you as the captain. Someone so lost in his own world that he relies on an unwieldly axe rather than your own firearms."

"Too unsophisticated for my tastes."

"Who cares about sophistication? It's effective. It can end a Pokémon's life before they hear the thunder."

"Do you reckon a firearm can fell me even at the risk of your own life?" Gaufroi picked up his knight and knocked Fulbertus' pawn off the board. "If you were to shoot me right now, how confident would you be in your survival?"

Fulbertus sighed. "Now you are so prideful, you truly believe you can survive a headshot?"

"Are you willing to take that risk?"

"It can't be done. Unless you were heavily armored or bulked up with an enhancement move, you wouldn't survive. Even then, neutralized."

Gaufroi narrowed his eyes before dragging his claw across his chest. "Stab wound from a Bisharp. Burn scar to my leg from a Magcargo. Spear to the shoulder from an Amoonguss. Throwing knives to the back."

Fulbertus' eyes glowed red. "What is your point?"

Gaufroi pinched his tongue between his claws and stretched it out. The Beheeyem could see a faded scar. The bear let his tongue go and lifted his chin, parting the fur to show another scar underneath.

"That was from the emperor of the New Chariot Empire forty years ago. He tried to lead an army against the capital. I fought him, and I received that wound from his sword, so I took the arm that wielded it."

Fulbertus huffed and moved his bishop to claim Gaufroi's. "You think I'm impressed?"

"Same old tired tactics as you claim, yet I still lived through the worst battles. Let me put it to you like this, boy. If we were to ever go to war with each other again, may Arceus steer our paths from crossing over." He moved his queen and took out the black bishop.

"You really think you can make an enemy of the Wick Kingdom?"

"Want to know why I'm hard on my subordinates? I've lost too many good friends over the decades I've been in service to the crown. They need discipline. They need to be broken down and put back together. Relying solely on their weapons or firearms won't win them wars. We were once savages of this land, and the people are starting to forget what we were truly capable of. That axe I use isn't meant to kill my enemies. It's meant to handicap myself so I don't have to kill."

Fulbertus silently leaned back into his seat and examined the board. He was down to nine pieces while Gaufroi had ten. Worst of all, his king was starting to feel cornered. A pawn breached through and was two spaces away from reaching his side of the board. He could eliminate it with his king, but that left him open to an attack from the rook. The white knight wasn't in any position to take the king, but it limited his moves. Fleeing into the corner seemed like the safest option, but it almost felt inevitable. If his remaining rook was eliminated, careful movements from Gaufroi could corner his king and sentence the alien to a checkmate. He theorized he could find a way out of the bear's grasp, but still…

I underestimated him.

Fulbertus focused on the board, even raising his hand over it for the first time as he studied his potential moves. As his hand hovered over his king, he froze.

Gaufroi narrowed his eyes. "What's wrong? It's your move."

"…" He looked over his shoulder. "I sense something."

"Hmm?"

Fulbertus floated out of his seat. "We'll call this a draw. If you'll excuse me…" He teleported out of the bear's chambers.

Gaufroi gazed at the board for a moment, visualizing the position of the remaining pieces. He scoffed, stood up, and picked up his axe to continue his exercises. "A draw. Indeed."

Blitz and Lillia ducked and rolled through the hallways, evading detection from any staff members or knights patrolling the area. Blitz had detected a high heat signature and followed it until they reached the guest hall. He stopped Lillia and pointed around the corner. They looked around and saw two knights standing guard at a door.

"That's definitely the prince's room." Blitz grabbed his bow and felt around for an arrow.

"How are we going to get passed them?" Lillia asked.

"Simple: they'll be checking out for the night." He loaded his arrow and took a deep breath. He rolled out from cover and fired the arrow into the knights, releasing a cloud of green gas into the air.

The knights staggered and reached for their weapons. However, before they could shout, their legs gave out under them. They fell to their knees and collapsed to the floor. Blitz pulled his shirt over his maw and fanned the gas away. Lillia followed behind with her shirt pulled over her mouth, too.

He knelt down and checked the knights' pulses. "Sleeping gas made from Sleep Powder and Spore. Ineffective against Grass-Types, but useful against everyone else. They'll be unconscious for at least an hour."

Lillia used her Psychic to blow the sleeping gas away. "Fascinating."

"Help me get them into the room."

Lillia lifted the knights with Psychic and followed Blitz inside. She gently set them down on the floor while he closed the door and loaded up another sleeping arrow. He pressed his back to the door and closed his eyes.

"Alright, see if you can read the prince's mind and find out everything we can from him. Think you can do it?"

Lillia rubbed her hands together. "I don't normally do this, but I think I can."

"Good, but try and be quick. It'll be a while before someone walks by and realizes something's wrong."

"Can do."

She approached the bed and looked down at the slumbering prince. He was swaddled in light sheets, and his head supported on a mound of pillows. A damp cloth rested over his forehead. His breathing was raspy with the occasional groan. By his nightstand was a glass of water and some medicine.

Lillia touched under the damp cloth and felt his forehead. She frowned. "He looks terrible." She pulled his covers down to check the rest of his body. She paused on a shaved path of fur on his foreleg. "Hello, what's this?" She lifted his foreleg and examined the peach-colored area.

She could see sickly black lines in his skin, the same kind found on Otis.

"There's a shaved area on his foreleg," she said.

"Hmm. It's possible the family physician checked," Blitz guessed. "Do you see the black veins?"

"Yeah, I do."

"I wonder if she told the king about them. Then again, Wraith's existence is a closely guarded secret. Chances of her knowing about it are minimal."

"At least someone's looking into it thoroughly." Lillia set Dimitri's foreleg down. "Alright, enough dawdling." She rubbed her hands together and touched the cat's temples. She closed her eyes and opened up her ears. Their internal eyes glowed cyan. "This might take a moment, but—"

She froze as something touched her arm. She jolted away, realizing it was Dimitri's paw. She gasped as the cat stirred from his sleep, his eyes blinking open groggily. They were barely open, and what little she could see of his eyes were unfocused and hazy.

"D…Dr. Sappington? Is that…you?"