Melissa awkwardly stood by the fort elevator, tugging at the knapsack hanging off her shoulder. Upon waking up from what was the most restful sleep she had in weeks, Jason informed her to pack her belongings for a week-long trip. She hardly questioned him and went along without a word.

She wore a simple, muted green dress with sleeves stopping halfway down her forearms and a blue shawl loosely hanging from her shoulders. Nearby, she saw Jason and Eadwulf talking to Blitz and Jet regarding their departure. Jason wore a blue doublet over a red tunic and black pants while Eadwulf dressed in a yellow pourpoint and black pants. They both carried their own knapsacks, though they were noticeably smaller than hers.

"Can I trust you two to handle things while we're gone?" Jason asked.

Blitz, still in his wheelchair, nodded. "We'll keep watch of things here until you get back."

Jet crossed his arms and grumbled, "Assuming there aren't any more shenanigans."

Jason narrowed his eyes. "Jet…"

"…Sorry."

He sighed. "Look, we need to put aside whatever words were thrown yesterday. I need this vacation right now, and I can't relax thinking there might be trouble among ourselves. All I'm asking is that you continue apace while I'm gone. When we get back, I hope to have a more informed response to our next objective."

Blitz nodded. "We'll be fine. I'll have my team look into negotiating with our former suppliers."

Jet huffed. "And I'll make sure to keep everyone in line. I'm itching to investigate Blitz's traitor theory."

Eadwulf chuckled awkwardly. "Of course you are…"

Jet softened up and looked around them to see Melissa, who immediately turned away from his stare. He narrowed his eyes and turned to Jason. "Are you sure it's wise to take her out of the fort?"

Jason nodded. "Rainside Village is one of the safest places to be right now. Besides, I think she's been cooped up in the fort for too long."

"…" Jet closed his eyes. "Alright."

Blitz smiled. "Stay safe on your trip."

"Thanks." Jason waved them off, and he and Eadwulf headed back over to Melissa.

Sensing their return, she adjusted her knapsack and looked down at her feet. "Um…" she mumbled, shifting nervously.

Jason closed his eyes and sighed through his nose. "Sorry to keep you waiting. Ready to head out?"

"…Yeah."

They headed down via the elevator and went straight to Godfrey, who waited patiently for them with the wagon already attached. They placed their bags into the wagon and hopped in. Eadwulf bent down inside the wagon and took Melissa's hand to help her in.

"Th-Thanks," she mumbled. She set her bag down and fidgeted in place. "You…don't have to be so nice to me. I'm feeling better, really."

Eadwulf smiled. "A little kindness never hurts, right?" He stood up and walked to the other end of the wagon to talk to Godfrey.

Melissa sat down and hugged her bag to her chest. She lifted her eyes a bit to see Jason shuffling through his own knapsack. She saw he had some books stashed inside. She believed she recognized the covers of a few. Journey of the Stormbreaker, she believed they were called.

"Um, Jason?"

"Hmm?" he responded without looking up.

"How long will it take us to get to Rainside Village?"

"About an hour. You packed a cloak, right?"

"Y-Yeah."

"Good. Rains get pretty chilly this time of the year, and we're expecting a few showers rolling by the area within the week."

"O-Oh. I see."

He finally lifted his gaze to her. "Nervous?"

"I…I just don't…"

He narrowed his eyes sympathetically. "The people of my village are trustworthy, Melissa. You have nothing to be afraid of. You have my word."

"…Okay." She hugged her bag tighter. "S-So, Rainside Village is where you and Eadwulf grew up?"

"Since we were kids, yeah. We've been brothers since we were six, though you could say we've been friends for as long as we can remember." He leaned his head back and hung his arm over the side. "Lots of memories from the village I still hold near and dear to my heart. I cherish each of them like they were my own soul."

"Oh." Melissa loosened her death hug over her knapsack. "D-Do you visit often?"

"Occasionally, usually to pick up everyone's mail. We had quite a few Rainside residents in the Foresters. Some of them relocated back there after we lost our suppliers. Haven't visited for over a year." He glared. "Actually, I haven't set foot in Rainside since the day you fell onto our doorstep."

Melissa frowned and looked away. "Oh. I-I'm…I am sor—"

"Melissa."

"H-Huh?"

"You don't need to apologize." He closed his eyes and breathed softly through his nose. "It's not abnormal for me to make infrequent visits. For as much as I cherish my home, it…has its weaknesses."

"L-Like…what?"

"…" He looked away from her and stared into the forest. Melissa's ears drooped from the silence, and she curled herself into the corner of the wagon.

Eadwulf jumped back into the wagon and sat down. "Alright! Rainside Village, here we come!" He grinned. "I missed Granny Aurelia. I hope she's doing well on the farm."

Jason glanced at him. "She hired some of the local teens to tend to the crops for her. Last I saw, she was doing fine on her own."

"Hmm, that's good."

Melissa's ears perked up from the brothers' light conversation while the wagon started to move, rocking her gently. Granny Aurelia, huh? I wonder what she's like…

Pandora lay her head on the mess hall table, mindlessly picking at her food while grumpily staring at it. Sadie and Adenine joined her for breakfast, the latter still looking a little less glum since recently. The girls stared at the lethargic Growlithe with concerned expressions.

"Everything alright, Pan?" Sadie asked.

She closed her eyes and sighed. "Where do I even begin?"

Adenine frowned. "Yeah, Ah guess it's been…one of those kinds of weeks. Or months, in this case."

She growled and straightened herself up. "Is this the luxury of an evil genius? To cower in fear while some blowhard reaps the reward of battle? Well, I have something to say about that, because you can't have reward without war!"

"…" Sadie blinked twice. "What?"

Pandora deflated and ran her paws down her face. "I'm mad, alright?! We're all being undone by the seams, and now everyone will want our heads for a crime we didn't commit. A lot of crime we didn't commit! And those bastard Tetrarchs and Last Autumn are probably laughing at us while we wither ourselves to dust! I'm sick of them thinking they have the edge over us!"

Adenine set her fork down. "Pan, Ah don't want to get involved in anymore schemes or the like. That's what got us into this mess to begin with. Maybe we should let it go and hope it blows over—"

"You know we can't do that. They've crossed too many lines for us to ignore! We need to hit them back hard!"

Sadie sighed. "For as much as I agree with you, I'm siding with Adenine on this one. Last Autumn has too many advantages against us, and we still know next to nothing about their plans. All we know for certain is that they're manufacturing a deadly poison for their nefarious plans. We don't know anything. We're just running around in the dark."

"I don't care! After what that jackass prince almost did to Melissa and me, not to mention our current situation, I want to hit them where it hurts!"

Adenine looked away. "Would that include Erasmus?"

Pandora frowned. "I…" She groaned and shook her head. "I'm not even sure we can trust Erasmus. Maybe the Talbots are already colluding with Last Autumn."

Adenine gasped and hugged herself, shivering at the thought. "N-No. E-Erasmus would never…he…"

"Oi, Pandora! Dial it down." The group looked up as Ursula and Tank passed by their table. The Toxicroak crossed her arms. "The poor girl suffered enough heartache. Be a little more sensitive."

Pandora sighed through her nose and faced Adenine. "Sorry…"

She stopped shivering and nodded slowly. "I-It's fine…"

Sadie smiled at Ursula. "I see your cast is finally off. How's the leg feeling?"

Ursula smirked and hopped on it a couple times. "Better than ever. Can't wait to get back to work. Though, I will say, it gave me an excuse to work on my arms." She flexed her left arm and patted the muscles. "Oh yeah, that's pure dedication right there!"

Tank crossed his arms and huffed. "I do, however, side with Pandora's frustrations. If our current situation continues apace without a drastic turnaround, all of this will have been for nothing."

At a nearby table, having finally been released from house arrest, Leon sat quietly eating his breakfast. His attention was drawn to the conversation next to him, and he tentatively listened to them while eating his pancakes.

"So, we're in agreement!" Pandora exclaimed. "We strike back at Last Autumn and get the upper hand over them!"

Tank shook his head. "Don't misconstrued my words. I agree with your anger, but not to a frontal attack of your design. Blindly lashing out isn't going to fix anything."

Pandora glared. "Do I have to explain to you what they did to us? Melissa and I were drugged by those bastards, and they're working for Last Autumn. Working with monsters like the Tetrarchs makes them just as liable, and I will not let them continue their actions unopposed."

Tank sighed. "I'm not discounting either of your experiences with them. I've seen the effects it had on Melissa, and I'm just as furious."

"Agreed," Ursula added, cracking her knuckles. "What I wouldn't give to break their clavicles with a well-placed chop."

"As it stands, however," Tanks continued, "provoking a fight in our current state will only draw us closer to an inevitable self-destruction. If we were to collaborate on a plan of retaliation, it has to be thought out. Even then, there's no way Jet or Blitz will approve of something like this while everyone's on high alert."

"They don't have to know!" Pandora argued.

"Not if you shout it out," Tank mumbled.

Adenine folded her arms onto the table and lay her head inside them. "Is pursuin' battle even worth it? Ah never even wanted to become a thief. Ah…Ah just had nowhere else to go except here. Headin' into a fight that could land us in more trouble? Ah'd be damned to put mahself through more heartbreak."

Sadie patted her head. "You can't lose hope so soon, Addie. We're all hanging onto hope here."

"Ah'm not sure if Ah have any hope left in me…"

Pandora frowned. "Adenine…"

Ursula growled. "I've been cooped up in Fort Lucus for too long. Sitting around and twiddling my thumbs while my comrades are dropping like dead leaves isn't what I was taught to believe. I say we go with Pandora's plan and bring the fight to Last Autumn and the Wick Kingdom."

Tank raised his brow. "Again, I do agree on some level, but it's a hopeless fight. Even if we come out unscathed, it'll be a dent in our remaining resources. Metal isn't exactly simple to come by without proper channels."

Pandora snorted. "If we had that big block of elementium, it'd be something…"

Tank's eyes widened. "Wait, what? What elementium?"

"Hmm?" Her eyes widened. "Oh, right, you guys didn't hear." She straightened up. "The train system the Wick and Senbo Kingdoms are unveiling is using a large chunk of elementium to power it. It was like…well, a couple feet shorter than you, Ursula!"

The Toxicroak tilted her head. "Damn, that is a lot."

"It's more than a lot," Tank mumbled. "Elementium of that quantity is hard to come by. There have been tales of lower classman rising in their station just from having elementium veins running under their property. To acquire some of that size is…incredible! Pandora, where did they say they found it?"

She squinted as she thought back to the session. "Eh, I don't remember if it was mentioned or not, but I imagine it might be linked to their alliance with the gear Pokémon. Apparently they've gotten the assistance of an ancestral Pokémon known as the Klink line said to have been servants of the Arbiters."

Sadie glared. "Arbiters?"

"The original thinkers," Tank said. "Said to have brought Pokémon out of the Savage Era a thousand years ago through their advanced intellect. Unsurprising since a lot of their documented history was found in the land around where Senbo would eventually be founded."

"Sounds to me like you all have a prime opportunity to kill two problems with one stone."

The group jumped with a start and spun around, coming face to face with the cheeky Salandit himself. Pandora scowled. "Basil! Quit doing that!"

He raised his hands. "Sorry, sorry~!"

Tank glared. "Wait, aren't you still under house arrest?"

Ursula crossed her arms. "You and Marie are under suspicion for Otis' assassination."

He shrugged. "Eh, what Jason or the others don't know won't kill them."

Pandora raised her brow. "What was that earlier about two stones and junk?"

Basil laughed. "It's quite simple. If you want to get back at the Wick Kingdom while also uncovering secrets of Senbo's operations, why not go with subtle, direct approach?" He clicked his fingers. "Might I recommend targeting the subject of interest that drew you to their little gala?"

She glared for a moment, then gasped. "The train…"

"Exactly."

She scratched her chin. "The official launch isn't until this Friday. If we can intercept it, we might be able to steal the elementium core used to power it."

"A blow to the Senbo and Wick Kingdoms, and a boon for us," Ursula added.

Sadie raised her brow. "For someone so obsessed with that train, I'm surprised that wasn't your first idea, Pan."

She sighed and faced her. "Frankly, I've been so frazzled with everything that it admittedly slipped my mind. I just want to wring someone's neck for all this misery being dropped on our heads!"

Basil patted her head. "It's been rough for everyone, but an understandable lapse in reasoning." He paced around the table, hands folded behind his back. "But it's a real treat. That elementium core could provide some useful upgrades to our equipment, maybe even hasten your research into aerial technology, dear Pandora. I'm sure Shade will be giddy to study such a hefty sample."

Sadie glared. "Are we overlooking that we got in trouble the last time we pulled a stunt like this?"

Basil bowed. "Jet and Blitz aren't going to be hounding Pandora since they'll be overseeing Jason's responsibilities. As long as no one asks questions, it won't do any harm if she snuck out for a while. Besides, who wouldn't be grateful for such a boon? Elementium of such purity doesn't come by so easily."

Tank sighed. "He has a point."

Sadie crossed her arms and deepened her glare at the Salandit. "What exactly is your game, Basil? Why are you so interested in us pursuing the train?"

He sighed and shot her a serious glare. "If I'm being completely honest, your anger and hatred for our enemy right now is…infectious. When I was first informed of what nearly became of Melissa, I…" He closed his eyes and breathed smoke from his nostrils. "I'm just so sick and tired of senseless cruelty in this world."

Her eyes widened. "Basil…"

"I want Last Autumn to pay for all the pain and suffering they caused in the shadows. Every little action they influence causes catastrophe for someone else. This is the result of their influence spreading out of control, all for a motive we have yet to comprehend. What are they really after? What are their end goals? What does the Wick Kingdom get out of this if their own existence contradicts the original goals of Last Autumn? I want to know the truth, hopefully to honor Giles in his final days researching their web of conspiracy…"

She narrowed her eyes sadly. "You still miss him, don't you?"

He sighed. "Never stopped."

A silence lingered afterwards as they let the conversation fully absorb into their minds. After a moment, Tank sighed and raised his hand. "You won't be able to get that ore without some help."

Ursula nodded and punched into her palm. "Someone needs to provide backup."

Pandora's eyes widened. "You two will help me?"

Tank smirked. "We don't let our own travel alone, remember?"

Ursula grinned. "We're going to break into that train and rob it blind!"

"I want to come, too." They looked to the table next to them as Leon hopped out of his seat, glaring determinedly. "If you will allow me."

Sadie glared at him suspiciously. "And why would you want to?"

He hung his head and sighed. "I…I want to atone for my actions. Some part of me thinks I'm responsible for our situation. Had I just left Prince Dimitri alone and carried out the mission like I was supposed to, maybe we wouldn't have lost so much of our influence. If it'll help a little, I want to assist in stealing away the elementium core."

Pandora crossed her forelegs. "A hard sell, but the extra muscle may come in handy."

Tank nodded. "I can vouch for him. I'll even supervise him during the robbery."

"Then I guess we have a robbery to plan out."

Adenine frowned. "But how are y'all goin' to pull this off without Jet or Blitz givin' ya an earful?"

"Leave that to me," Basil said, instantly earning him sour glares from the table. "What?"

"Weren't you the one who tattled on us during the gala?" Sadie reminded.

He laughed and shook his head. "Dear Sadie, don't cling to the past."

"Ya're word isn't exactly trustworthy at the moment," Adenine added.

"Perhaps." He laughed and scratched his chin. "But that's why you two girls are going to help me. We don't need to do anything elaborate. Tank's usually sequestered in the forge, Ursula could claim her leg still hurts and rest up in her hut, and no one will even know Leon's gone."

The Aron deadpanned. "Thanks…"

Sadie sighed. "This is crazy."

"But necessary," Basil added. "I have a personal motto for plans like this. If you want your plan to succeed without a hitch, always have a reliable partner to back you up. It takes two for a plan to be executed perfectly."

Pandora nodded. "Alright, then we're in agreement. How do we get to the Senbo Kingdom in time, though? Maybe if we can convince Godfrey…"

Basil chuckled. "Leave that part to me. I can easily commandeer a wagon for you all to hitch a ride. I'll even give you some money to rent out an inn and blend in while you stake out the train station."

Ursula glared. "How are you going to convince someone to give us a ride?"

"Oh, no need to worry. I can be very convincing~."

House Freia, Verde Capital

Noel reclined into the living room couch with a cup of tea and saucer in hand, which she gazed into with a somber expression. Her eyes were red and scratchy, and parts of her fur were sticking out all over the place. She was still in her nightgown and bed robe, not seeing any point in getting dressed.

She tried to lift the teacup to her lips, but her hand trembled from the minimal exertion. Droplets of tea spilled over the edge and onto her nightgown. Relenting, she placed the cup and saucer onto the coffee table and lay back into the couch, arms crossed.

"You must drink something, dear," she heard her husband say as he slithered into the living room.

The Typhlosion closed her eyes. "I can't stop thinking about her."

Ceran slithered to her side and patted her shoulder with his tail. "I know. I, too, worry about her. We must have faith in the knights to—"

"I've given them too much of my patience to hand over faith," she growled. "I should be marching into that forest and tearing the trees asunder until I find my daughter!" Her flames flared up and burned away the collar of her robe.

Ceran retracted his tail before the flames deployed. He sighed and shook his head. "Darling, you and I both know that won't accomplish much. These knights have tried for years to find the Foresters' hideout, and not even their best trackers were able to locate it. I have much faith in your former profession, but not even you can procure results. We must wait."

She clenched her teeth. "The princess has been missing for almost a year, Ceran, and some of the other nobles are already declaring her dead. How long until rumors of Luna's fate rally similar beliefs? I refuse to believe she's dead, and I will not rest until I find her."

Ceran sighed. "Luna is resourceful. I'm sure she's already trying to find away back to safety."

"That's not good enough. I'd feel better if I was out there brandishing my axe at those rotten thieves. To Hell with the Forbidden Forest! Nothing but our daughter's safety matters to me!"

Ceran sat down and wrapped his tail around her waist. "I share your feelings, but you are lady of this house. If you went charging out there and starting a fire, House Freia will falter from the backlash. We'd lose substantial influence."

Noel calmed her flames and exhaled a puff of smoke. "I know…"

"I know this is hard for you, sitting around and doing nothing, but this is the way things are as unfortunate as it is. We can only pray and wait."

Noel closed her eyes. "I have little reason to put my faith in Arceus…" She glanced at her husband and noticed something coiled in his body. It looked like a jewelry box. "Dear, what's that?"

"Hmm?" He looked at the box and smiled sadly. "I was…going through Luna's room. I thought it would help me cope, remembering the good times."

She scoffed. "Don't say that like she's dead."

"My apologies." He set the jewelry box down on the coffee table. "Completely forgot she had a jewelry box."

Noel shrugged. "I remember it. We got it for her a few years before she became Matthias' squire. Never expected her to take up the warrior's path like her mother. She never was one for jewelry and dresses, though."

"Ah, that's right. We got her a smaller one." Ceran patted the box. "A shame. I thought she'd might like it, though it was buried in the back of her wardrobe under a pile of dresses."

Noel raised her brow. "Pardon?"

"I know she didn't care for most of the dresses we got her, but she could've done nicer to hang them up. I'd say there were quite a few that suit her well—"

"No, not that." She straightened up and looked at the box. "I had our housemaid clean the house days before she returned from the Echo Bell Kingdom. She cleaned up Luna's room, too. Why would the wardrobe be in disarray?"

Ceran shrugged. "Well, she did stay the night."

"Dear, I know she isn't the most organized, but why would she tear through her wardrobe after just one night?"

He scratched his chin and glared pensively. "You…have a point."

Noel glared. "I didn't question it at the time, but Luna seemed…off about something. I couldn't place what or why, but…I don't know, I just had this feeling."

"Hmm." Ceran looked at the jewelry box. "It is strange the Foresters would target a knight of all people. I wonder…"

"Excuse me, Lord and Lady Freia." The nobles looked up as a Wobbuffet servant entered the living room, bowing to them. "Forgive the interruption, but you have a guest."

Noel glanced at Ceran. "Were we expecting anyone?"

"Not to my knowledge." Ceran nodded to the servant. "Send them in." The Wobbuffet bowed and wobbled off. Ceran stood up and picked up the jewelry box. "We'll ruminate on this later."

Noel nodded. "Agreed."

The Wobbuffet servant returned and bowed to the nobles. "Lord and Lady Freia, presenting his lordship, Lord Amon Noir."

Their eyes widened. "Wait, what?!"

The servant stepped aside and gestured to the Torracat standing behind him. He flashed his charming grin at the pair. "Lord and Lady Freia, what a fine morning to see you. I come bearing a message for your ears only."

Reluctantly, Ceran and Noel invited Amon into their home and offered him tea. He sat in the armchair across from them, sipping on his tea, while they glared at him from the couch. They wanted to kick him out, but he made it clear that whatever he had to say was to be said expediently. For the moment, they were willing to put up with him.

Amon finished sipping his tea and smacked his lips together in satisfaction. "Mmm, a wonderful blend. You simply must tell me where you acquired it. We could share secrets of imported teas. I may even tell you of the special blends I acquired from dealings in the Great Gate Emp—"

"Lord Noir," Noel growled through clenched teeth, "you had something you want to tell us. In case you failed to notice, we're awfully busy."

Amon chuckled and set his cup down. "Forgive me, I tend to ramble. Allow me to elaborate. I was recently contacted by Prince Darby Tetrarch. House Noir does business with the royal family regarding new medicinal research. You know how it is. You could say Prince Tetrarch is a close acquaintance of mine."

Ceran glared. "Lord Noir, as fascinating as this is, can you please get to the point?"

Amon sighed. "I'm sure you're aware of the controversy that has sprouted in recent events. The Foresters and their attempted assassination of Prince Dimitri Talbot. Dreadful stuff, really."

Noel nodded. "We are aware."

"You were supposed to attend the party on the day that happened, yes?" Ceran asked.

Amon nodded. "Originally, but something came up and I was unable to attend as planned. Though, perhaps that's for the best. I avoided quite the fiasco." He waved it off. "But I'm not here to waste your time with my prattle. To put it simply, the Talbots intend to launch an attack on the Forbidden Forest if King Penworth doesn't comply to their demands. I'm sure you understand the catastrophe their military might could have on us if they were to wipe out the forest."

Noel looked to the side, hiding an awkward blush. "More or less…"

"Thankfully, Darby offered a compromised to the eldest Talbot, Prince Erasmus, that would allow tense relations between Senbo and Verde to go on without unnecessary warfare…potentially, at least. They're planning a stakeout for the new train system."

Noel scratched her cheek. "I heard of this…train they've been promoting. They say it can cross the land in less than a day."

"I assure you, it's a remarkable display of Senbo's incredible engineering talent, but I digress. They plan to keep watch of the train during its launch, even sending some knights to handle security onboard." Amon crossed his forelegs. "Prince Tetrarch requested my aid as a favor. I'm no fighter, but I can handle myself in a scrap. Plus, we Noirs aren't unfamiliar with trapping unwanted pests. The end goal is to bait the Foresters into robbing the train and seizing them at their most vulnerable."

Ceran scratched his chin. "And by trapping them in a fast-moving, enclosed space, you effectively have them cornered. Though, this sounds like it would put the nobles onboard in danger."

Amon waved it off. "There are already safety measures in place should it come to that. This isn't being planned recklessly. If the Foresters have a shred of goodwill left in their tainted souls, they would doom themselves in fear of harming bystanders. No fighting, no harm. A solid trap they can't break from."

Noel glared. "That's all well and good, but why inform us?"

"Well, I care not for House Freia specifically, but the lady of the house herself." He gestured to Noel. "Your reputation as an infamous mercenary precedes you, Lady Freia. There is no one else I would turn to for aid in this desperate mission. Should the trap fail, we have an intended backup plan. We plan to bunker down at the Wick Kingdom station and corner the Foresters with overwhelming force. The two princes, their guards, me, my hired help, and you. Effective, wouldn't you say?"

Noel huffed through her nostrils. "I'm retired, Lord Noir. I don't do mercenary work anymore."

He chuckled. "Ah, but the way you squared up against the Black Knight proves otherwise. Even in your new noble settings, you still crackle with that fiery aura for battle. They say your skill on the battlefield could rend armies with the force of a volcano, yet with the grace of the ancient Lilligant. It's a combination of skills that could decimate the most stubborn of foes, and what better to annihilate those pesky Foresters?"

She closed her eyes and sighed. "You make it sound so simple. My answer's still no. I retired so I could settle down and start a family. I raised my axe out of anger, but that was the last time."

"Yes, but that anger was for someone. Lady Freia, you are aware that we intend to capture the Foresters alive to interrogate them."

She opened her eyes and glared at him, realization dawning on her. "You mean to say…"

Amon chuckled. "We have every intention of twisting out every last drop of information we can afford from whoever we capture. Secret hideout, their internal operations, and information of their current prisoners."

"Luna…"

"Exactly. If we are to become family one day—"

"You're not marrying our daughter," Ceran interjected.

"—then we must combine our forces to rescue her from the Foresters' clutches. It's an offer you can't refuse, and I'm sure you've grown weary of waiting for our king to do anything substantial."

Noel glared to the side. "Hmm…"

"We've waited too long to rely on the higher forces to act. As they say, if you want something done right, do it yourself. You alone could carry this operation, but this is just as much a political matter. You let me handle the negotiations with the princes, and you can focus all your attention incinerating those damnable thieves."

"…"

"Are we in agreement, Lady Freia? Shall we work together so that we may see dear Luna again, safe and sound from their vile chains?"

"…" Noel closed her eyes and sighed through her nose.

"I cannot believe you agreed to assist him."

Noel opened her wardrobe and pushed her clothes aside. Hanging from the back were scarred armor pieces designed for her body type. Ceran stood behind her with his back turned while she dressed herself.

"I had to," she mumbled.

Ceran glanced a little over his shoulder. "Dear, this is House Noir we're talking about. They're not exactly known for their honest deals."

"I'm aware of that, but for as much as I hate that little cur, he had a point." She glared at the floor. "I'm not versed in the delicate matters of nobility like you, so it's all the more frustrating when the only liable solution our king can offer is deliberation over the matter. Back in my day, I get things done when they need to be done."

"But we don't know for certain if the Foresters will be on that train."

"If nothing happens, nothing happens. I'd feel better humoring the stakeout and pleading something comes from it." Once she slipped on the padded tunic, she attached the chest and back plates. "I won't let this one chance to slip between my fingers. If I must destroy everything in my way to get Luna back, so be it."

Ceran sighed. "There's no quelling your rampage, is there?"

"Will you stop me?"

"Can't say I will."

Noel attached the armorer bracers and finished off the outfit with her helmet, sliding it onto her head. She looked herself in the vanity mirror and took a deep breath. The faded red of the armor pieces highlighted the many scars over its surface, mirroring the few battle scars present on her face. She grazed them with the tips of her fingers. "Been ages since I saw donned the old armor. Ugh, may need to see a blacksmith to make some refinements. I forgot how tight the bracers were."

Ceran touched her shoulder. "I suppose all I can say now is…good luck. If it must be so, make sure you come back with Luna." He kissed her cheek.

She smiled. "Don't worry. Once the Flame of Fury starts moving, the forces of nature will tremble."

She reached for the final item in her wardrobe: her double-headed battle axe. She lifted the gargantuan weapon out and heaved it over her shoulder as if it were a tube of parchment. Her mane flared up, passing through the grate built into the back of the armor.

"Hang on, Luna. Momma's on her way!"

Rainside Village

Godfrey trotted to a stop outside the open village, letting his passengers hops off with their bags in tow. Eadwulf patted the Mudsdale's side. "Thanks for the lift, Godfrey. See you in a week."

The horse snorted with a nod. "Have fun." He glanced at Melissa, who weakly dragged her feet through the dirt. He bent down to her level and said, "Take…care, Melissa."

Though the frown on her face hardly moved, an appreciative twinkle shined in her gloomy eyes. "Thanks, Godfrey." The Mudsdale turned himself around and trotted away from the village. Melissa sighed and faced her new surroundings.

Unlike most villages or towns she had visited, Rainside Village was much more spacious than the compact or tightly organized streets of the Wick or Senbo Kingdoms. There were a few prominent buildings such as taverns and a shop rather than the usual market street. Further up ahead, she could see acres of land filled with crops of all kinds. They ranged from berry trees, corn stalks, vegetable patches, and more.

Jason noticed her expression and faced forward. "Welcome to Rainside Village, one of the more prominent farming communities of the Verde Kingdom. Almost everyone here is a farmer by trade, and we tend to look out for each other to ensure a bountiful harvest every year."

Melissa's frown deepened. "I heard some people in Rainside starve because of the food tax."

Jason frowned. "Yes, well…" He shook his head. "We manage however we can. Don't worry yourself over it. We're here to take a vacation, not worry about the politic strife."

Eadwulf looked up at the sky as dark gray clouds rolled it. He felt a drop of water hit his pointed nose. "We should get moving. The rain's going to start soon."

Jason nodded and pulled up his hood. "Right. Let's go." He led the way with Eadwulf and Melissa following behind.

Melissa kept her head down as they passed by the villagers, some mingling in the street and others preparing to open up business. A few farmers walked by carrying equipment, and some of it looked worn and old. From her studies, she learned that some of the villages in their domain couldn't afford iron or new tools, so they had to improvise with whatever they had. Even knowing that, she was surprised by the easygoing atmosphere. It wasn't the picture of joy and pure happiness, but no one seemed glum or somber. Not at peace, but just…living in the moment, she assumed.

She unintentionally made eye contact with a pair of passing Breloom and Banette farmers. They smiled and waved at her, but she flinched and looked away from them, hiding herself beneath her hood.

Eadwulf frowned. "You okay?"

"F-Fine, just…I, uh…" she stammered.

He glanced at the passing farmers again, who kept on walking, and narrowed his eyes. "Don't worry, Melissa. Jason and I know this village like the back of our hands. No one here is dangerous."

"I know. It's just…" She looked down at her feet. "Stray thoughts. Guys being nice to me, and all I can think about is…"

He touched her shoulder. "I can assure you there's no one like that around here. Even if there was, you can bet Jason and I will be here to scare them off."

"…Thanks."

They moved out of the main village and into the farming land. They passed by the fields toward the farm at the end of the path, where the wheat fields were being grown. Up ahead was a one-story, fairly sized cabin that was in a fairly aged state. Paint flaked off the exterior, tiles were missing from the roof, and the porch steps appeared to be coming loose.

Jason sighed. "Looks exactly like how I left it."

"Well, we'll be here for a week, so we could give it a sprucing," Eadwulf suggested.

"Better than filing paperwork."

Melissa's eyes wandered to a sign as they approached the cabin. She stopped for a moment to read it. Hawthorne Family Farm, it said. The name instantly rang with familiarity, reminding her of the opera she attended a couple months back.

Hawthorne. One of the Laurus Vanguard. Is…Jason's last name Hawthorne? I wonder why he changed it—

"Melissa, hurry up!"

She squeaked from Jason's call and hurried after them. "S-Sorry!"

She caught up with them as they stood before the front door, carefully ascending the loose steps. Once she reached them, she noticed the nervous jitters wiggling over Jason's body. She could hear him mumbling to himself and giving himself a firm slap on the cheeks.

Eadwulf patted his back. "Chill, bro."

"I just don't want her seeing me like this." He rubbed his eyes, driving out the lingering sleep, and smoothed out his fur. He heaved a deep sigh and rapped his knuckles against the door thrice.

Melissa stood behind the brother meekly, shuffling on her heels. A few seconds of waiting later, she heard the door latch come loose before creaking open. She eased her posture and straightened up as an unusual, elderly Raichu opened the door.

The woman's body seemed much softer and rounder than any other Raichu Melissa had seen before. She had a soft shade of brown fur, rounded yellow ears, yellow cheeks, and brilliant blue eyes. The strangest thing about this mouse was her tail, which the elder stood on as it levitated off the ground. Melissa had never seen a Raichu quite like this before.

The elder wore a plain white dressed that reached down to her ankles and a dark blue apron on top. A blue handkerchief was tied over her head like a bonnet. Melissa also noticed modest wrinkles in the Raichu's face, mainly around the eyes.

The elder's expression brightened as she looked upon her guests. "Well, who might you younglings be?" she asked in a joking tone.

Jason let out a deep sigh and, much to Melissa's shock, looked up to the Raichu with a bright, beaming grin. "Hi Granny! How are you?"

"Oh, Jason! So good to see you." She picked the Pikachu up in a hug and kissed his cheek. "You should've told me you were visiting. I would've made snacks."

Jason hugged her back and nuzzled beneath her chin. "It was kind of short notice, but it's great to see you again."

"You really should visit more often, sweetie." She set him down and smiled at Eadwulf. "Oh, and if it isn't little Wolfy!" She scooped the Nuzleaf up and kissed his cheek. "Look how big you've gotten!"

Eadwulf laughed with an embarrassed blush creeping over his face. "Good to see you, too, Granny. Sorry I haven't visited in a while."

"Oh, that's quite alright. You're here now, and that's all that matters." She set him down and finally acknowledged her third guest, who nervously hid herself beneath her hood. "Hmm? And who's this?"

Jason gestured to the Buneary. "This is a friend of ours, Harlow. She…needed to get away from the bustle of daily life for a little while, so we thought we'd show her to the farm."

The elderly Raichu smiled. "How thoughtful of you boys." She floated toward Melissa and extended her hand. "A pleasure to meet you, Harlow. I'm Aurelia Summerfield, but feel free to call me Granny Aurelia, or just Aurelia if you want."

Melissa softened and looked up at the woman. Her voice was sweet and motherly, like the chimes of a group of Chimecho frolicking on the wind. She reached out and shook her hand. "N-Nice to meet you, Ms. Aurelia."

Aurelia giggled. "So polite, too. You're quite the pretty young lady."

Melissa blushed bashfully and looked down. "Th-Thank you."

"Please, come inside. Your timing couldn't be better. I have a pie baking at the moment. I hope you like apple!" She floated aside and allowed the trio through. She psychically shut the door behind her. "Make yourself at home, Harlow. If you need anything, just ask." She headed toward the kitchen.

Melissa took a moment to absorb her surroundings. It was quite different to the lavish lifestyle she was accustomed to, or at least used to be accustomed to. There was woven-framed couch and pair of armchairs with cushions strapped to the frames along with a glass coffee table in the center. They sat upon an old, but beautiful red rug with yellow and blue patterns running along the edges. A coat rack stood near the door besides a wooden cabinet. There was entrances leading to the previously mentioned kitchen and down another hallway.

There was an earthy aroma in the air, not too dissimilar to the smells she adapted to in the forest, though with a lack of the pine smell that seemed to follow her these days. It smelled like freshly cut oak.

Along the walls were small portraits, some of which had familiar faces. She saw one of Aurelia, Jason, and even Eadwulf. A portrait of an elderly Stoutland hung beside Aurelia's portrait. Two that stood out was another female Raichu resembling Aurelia and a male Decidueye.

"Hmmm…" Melissa hummed to herself.

"Harlow?"

She jolted and turned to Jason. "Y-Yes?"

He held his hand out. "Want me to take your cloak?"

"O-Oh. Sure." She shrugged off her cloak and handed it to him, where he proceeded to hang it on the coat rack. "You have a…lovely home."

He closed his eyes and sighed. "Thanks."

"I…never seen you smile so big to anyone," she awkwardly said. "You must really love your grandmother."

"…" He looked down. "Yeah. Yeah, I do."

"Kids! Come get some pie!"

Jason spun around and beamed. "Coming, Granny!" He raced to the kitchen.

"Hey, don't hog the pie for yourself!" Eadwulf yelled, chasing after him.

Melissa watched the two brothers scramble into the kitchen with a mix of confusion and mild amusement, even if she didn't show it in her face. Very…Very strange.

After the group finished off their pie, Jason and Eadwulf volunteered themselves to touch up the outside of the house and hang up the tarps to protect the wheat fields from the rain. Aurelia thanked them as they ran outside before focusing her attention onto Melissa.

She led the Buneary down the hall to one of three bedrooms. Melissa stood by the doorway as Aurelia cracked open a window, letting some light in. There wasn't much to the room. There was a wardrobe, nightstand, and a large rug. The bed was king-sized and had a drawn-back canopy with black curtains. It wasn't too different to her bed back home, especially the size.

Aurelia sighed, taking in the outdoor air as the rain started to pick up outside. "Do you like the rain, Harlow?"

"Hmm?"

"I find it quite calming. I can just sit out on the porch with a cup of homemade juice and listen to it for hours." She massaged her back. "Works been a lot harder on the back, even with my psionic abilities to minimize the strain. Not much for me to do but enjoy the scenery. Not a bad life, though."

"Oh." Melissa fiddled with her hands. "I…suppose the rain is nice. Not good for my fur, though."

Aurelia giggled. "No, I suppose not." She floated over to her. "Make yourself comfortable. Sorry if the bed's too big. This is the only spare bedroom we have."

"N-No, it's…it is fine. Quite extravagant for a guestroom."

"Yes, I suppose it is." Aurelia sighed, but then smiled. "Feel free to relax here until lunch, or you can join me for a spot of knitting. I've been needing some new hobbies, so it would be a learning experience for the both of us."

"I will…consider it."

"Alright, dear. Take care." Aurelia floated out of the room and gently shut the door behind her.

Melissa set her knapsack down and approached the bed. She hopped onto it and sprawled herself out as she sank into the mattress. A content sigh unintentionally escaped her lips as she melted into the sheets. After nearly a year of sleeping in a hammock, it felt nice to have some degree of luxury back.

She turned her head and looked out the window, catching a glimpse of Jason and Eadwulf hanging up tarps over the wheatfield as the rain beat down on their heads. It was so strange seeing them outside of their usual authority. She always looked to them as battle-hardened veterans, but now? It felt so strange to see them under normal circumstances, especially Jason, the founder of the Foresters.

What happened all those years ago?