"You've got to be kidding me!"

The five-year-old Nuzleaf hung his head as the older Shiftry marched around the living room, counting up the coins in his hand. Off to the side, a Roserade sat in a chair reading a book, looking up occasionally to see watch her husband parade around in a huff.

"This was all you could collect today?" the Shiftry asked, holding the twenty copper pieces at the Nuzleaf's face.

The child, Eadwulf, cowered under his father's stare. "I-I got scared. I was almost caught and—"

"Huh?! One more time?!" The father stomped his foot down and leaned down. "You got scared? Is that what you said? Could've sworn I misheard you."

Eadwulf winced. "I-I'm sorry."

"Unbelievable!" Shiftry turned away and threw the coins across the floor. "Just wonderful! Of all the shit to go through, I had to get stuck with this useless coward as a son."

Roserade sighed. "He's just a child, dear. You can't expect him to be useful."

"Not if he doesn't pull in the hauls like he's supposed to. I deserve to live in luxury, not behind these shabby walls!" He gestured to their dilapidated living room, where boards were coming loose and furniture that looked like it was looted from the garbage. "I was never met to be a farmer! My brilliance could outpace any of those stuck-up bluebloods. I could run this kingdom better than the royal family themselves." He dropped the coins into a clay pot sitting on a side table.

"Of course you could, dear."

Shiftry growled and turned toward Eadwulf. "But not if some people can't make the quota like they're supposed to. Do you live living in this hovel, boy?"

Eadwulf backed away. "I…I don't mind—" Shiftry smacked his hand across the Nuzleaf's cheek and threw him to the ground.

"Don't mind?! There is no room for such passiveness!" He grabbed Eadwulf by his leaf and lifted him up. "You are a Trevorrow! We do not depend on others! We take what's ours when we want to! You'll never get anywhere in life acting like such a spineless coward!"

Eadwulf sniffled. "I-I'm sorry. I just don't—"

"Don't what?!" Shiftry roared in his face. "Stop your sniveling, you filth. I raised you to be colder. Fiercer! If you want something from this world, you need to be ruthless. Take, take, and take more if you want to succeed the arrogant upper class at their own game. That is how anyone makes it in this world. So, quick being such a coward and get our money!"

He kicked the door open and threw Eadwulf out into the yard. He landed face first into the mud, practically drowning in the wet earth. He pulled himself out and looked back at the house as his father backed inside.

"Be a good little thief, and squeeze every last coin you can from these rubes." With that, he slammed the door shut.

Eadwulf didn't move from his spot. He looked down at his murky reflection in the dirty puddle, tears dripping from his eyes. His face was caked with mud, and his clothes were soaked deep in the tainted water.

Every day, his father either praised him for stealing a worthy quota of coin or went ballistic when he was even one coin short. There was no in-between with that man. And all his mother could bother to do was half-heartedly order him to cease his torment. She rarely raised her voice or bothered to step in and intervene. Eadwulf had to take care of his own injuries while she busied herself with whatever book caught her interest.

The boy clenched his teeth, suppressing a growl rumbling within his throat. His eyes shrank, twitching erratically as the words of his father bounced around in his head. He felt his chest heating, his breath becoming heavy and like smoke, and his vision flickering with red. A dark aura passed through his body as a brief wisp.

However, the aggression died as Eadwulf took a deep breath and pulled himself out of the mud. He trembled in place, and his throat felt sore. He touched his cheek and felt the lingering sting of his father's strike.

"Colder. Fiercer…" he mumbled before dragging his feet forward. "Colder. Fiercer. Colder. Fiercer. Colder. Fiercer."

Two days had passed since arriving in Rainside Village. With time to spare, Melissa stayed in bed to continued reading My Only Regret. Slowly but surely, she was getting the hang of the ancient alphabet and could read the passages without an aid, albeit at the reading speed of a first time reader.

"Though my words could not reach beyond the chasm that separated us, I stayed firm in my pursuit," Melissa read aloud. "Distance mattered not when there was still a road to journey down. I shall not give in to despair, and take on the challenge with vigor. I shall see to our reunion in time so that we may continue forth in this strange new land. I shall not let this divide be my master—"

She stopped reading as someone knocked on her door. "Come in."

The door opened, and Eadwulf poked his head in. "Hey, Hars. Still reading?"

"Yes." She bookmarked the page and set it down. "Did Ms. Aurelia need me for something?"

He shrugged. "Well, sort of. She asked me to head into the village and pick up some ingredients for tonight's dinner. I thought you and I could go together."

She tilted her head. "That so?"

"Well, we don't hang out much, and I figured we could bond outside of our roles. I want to get to know you better."

"Hmm…" After giving it some thought, she nodded. "Okay. Just let me get dressed first and I'll join you."

He grinned. "Sounds good. I'll tell Granny, and I'll wait for you on the porch." He closed the door behind him.

Melissa hopped off her bed and ventured over to her bag, pulling out a blue dress and white bonnet. As she lay them on the bed and took off her nightgown, she paused a moment to glance at the bedroom door. "Come to think of it, I guess Eadwulf and I rarely talked. I wonder what he's like."

After getting dressed, Melissa joined Eadwulf on the porch and walked with him into the village. They passed by Jason as he worked in the wheatfield, waving to them briefly. Melissa smiled a bit and waved back to him. She saw a bit of a genuine smile crease over his dry expression. It still felt strange to see him so lax, though she was getting used to it.

Eadwulf sighed. "When Granny asked me to do the shopping, I practically jumped at the chance. Anything to keep me out of the fields."

She giggled quietly. "You nearly missed dinner with how long you were bathing."

"I like to be thorough with my cleanliness. No stain or speck of dirt will be found on my body." He pulled on his leaf and rubbed it within his hand. "Well, at least that's the hope."

"I do care for my appearance, too, but I would not say I go quite as far with the hygiene."

He shrugged. "I just really hate dirt."

"I have noticed." Melissa held her shopping basket behind her waist and asked, "So, what did you and Jason do when you used to live here?"

He laughed. "If I told you, Jason might disown me."

Melissa traced her finger across her lips. "I will not tell."

His grin stretched. "I'll hold you to that." He sighed and looked up at the clouds. "Jason was a pretty simple kid. He took after his dad a lot, learning about the stars and space. He always wondered what was beyond the sky, what existed beyond the scope of our vision. I was more into sports, personally. Actually, I invented a few games for the Foresters."

Melissa winced. "Would one of them happen to be Forest Ball?"

"Actually, yes. You played?"

She sighed with a strain smile. "Marie roped me into it last year. I…was not very good. At all."

He laughed. "I thought I heard someone screaming and panicking during a match. I never would've assumed it was you."

She pouted. "Gee, thanks."

"I'm just messing with you." He folded his arms behind his head. "We were often kicking a ball around the farm whenever I visited. I…visited a lot. Even stayed a few nights at his place. He always got me involved in his version of fun, and I only went along with it because he was my pal."

"Such as…?"

"Again, don't say anything of this to him, or he might actually kill me." He snickered. "I mentioned this at breakfast a couple days ago, but Jason just loved reenacting scenes from his favorite book. He always played the part of the Great Stormbreaker, Zeraora. He even had a cute little costume his parents ordered for him. He'd prance around outside, climbing over the house, jumping off the roof, and all that."

Melissa snorted and covered her mouth. "R-Really?"

"Oh yeah!"

Melissa tried to keep herself composed, a tad guilty that she was laughing, and only managed a few amused gasps. "Oh my Arceus, that is…so adorable~."

"I wonder if he still has the costume. Last time I saw it, it was scorched pretty badly."

She stopped laughing and shot him a confused stare. "Scorched? Oh dear, did it catch fire?"

"Well, no, but…" He shook his head and scratched the scarred side of his face. "It doesn't matter. It was a long time ago. He's more or less grown out of that phase. Well, so he says, at least," he mumbled with a snicker.

Melissa giggled. "Still, it sounds pretty cute."

"Yeah, he was a pretty childish kid back in the day. Good times." He sighed and looked away. "Well, they were mostly good."

She frowned. "Hmm…hey, Eadwulf?"

"Yeah?"

"I've been wondering. The Hawthorne family took you in as their son, right?"

"…Yeah."

"What happened to your biological parents? Did something happen to them?"

"…" He closed his eyes and sighed. "It's a sensitive subject, one I want to forget."

Her ears drooped. "I feel like I have been hearing that a lot lately. This village seems so peaceful, yet…you all seem to have bad memories of this place."

"There's just some things that shouldn't be said, Hars. Believe me, sometimes it's better to just bury the past and never look back." He quickened his pace and hurried ahead.

"Ah! Eadwulf, wait for me!" Melissa hopped after him.

"No way, what's our luck?"

Hiding behind a stack of barrels, three Pokémon stuck their heads out as they watched a Nuzleaf and Buneary walk down the street. They consisted of a Tyranitar, a Graveler, and a Heracross, all dressed in thief armor with spiky-furred collars.

Graveler glared. "That's Eadwulf the Executioner of the Foresters. He has to be."

"And is that the maniac, Harlow, with him?" Heracross gasped. "What are the chances?"

The Tyranitar narrowed his eyes as sand funneled through the vents in his body. "Two bounties like theirs will have us set for months. Boys, time to make our catch."

"Hold still, Wolf."

Eadwulf sniffled as Jason smeared the medicine onto his face. They were sitting outside Jason's house in the backyard, away from the eyes of the adults. Eadwulf asked to see Jason in private, revealing the black eye he was now sporting. Jason nearly ran to his parents to tell them, but he begged the Pikachu to stay quiet. It took some convincing, but Jason agreed to stay quiet.

Once Jason finished applying the medicine, he handed Eadwulf a cloak. "Pull the hood over your face, and it should cover your eyes."

He nodded meekly and wrapped the hood around himself. As expected, the hood shielded his eyes and hid the bruise. He sighed and hugged himself, pushing his back up against the house. "Thanks, Jason."

Jason glared. "Your dad hit you again, didn't he?"

"…" The Nuzleaf only tensed up and pulled his legs up to his chest.

It only confirmed Jason's fears. "This isn't right. Dad's shouldn't be mean to their children! They should be loving and caring!"

Eadwulf closed his eyes. "It's fine, Jason."

"It's not fine!" He shook the Nuzleaf by his shoulders. "You can't let your dad keep getting away with this."

"He just wants us to have a better life than what we have now—"

"No, no he doesn't. He's just using you to steal from other people. That's not right."

Eadwulf sighed. "Dad says that's how you get rich in this world. If you want something, you need to take it. It's my fault I've been slacking on my quotas. I'm just not that good at pickpocketing."

Jason growled. "Stop acting like he's in the right! He's a big jerk, and your mom isn't any better!"

"Don't you hate living as a farmer?"

He frowned. "No. I don't care where I live as long as I have my family. I was taught by my mom and dad to appreciate the things we have, and all your parents care about is stealing. How can you be okay with this?"

Eadwulf buried his face into his knees. "I'm not good enough for my dad…"

Jason growled and stood up. "That's it."

"W-Wait, what are you—"

"Mom! Dad!" Jason ran to the backdoor.

Eadwulf's eyes widened. "No!" He lunged and pulled Jason back by his tail. "No, don't tell them! My dad will get super angry if he finds out I tattled on him!"

"He's a monster!"

"I-I can do better! I just need to get better at making money, and he'll be happy. Eventually, we'll be able to make enough money so Dad can start his own business and become a noble."

Jason frowned. "Do you really think it's that simple?"

"Let me take care of it, Jason, please. Please, don't tell your parents. If I make my dad proud, he won't hit me anymore. He'll love me. He won't…call me trash…" The Nuzleaf paused as his right eye twitched involuntarily. A low grumble rumbled deep within his throat. "Trash. Filth. Garbage. Dirt…"

"Eadwulf?" Jason cautiously reached at his friend. "Are you okay?"

He staggered away from the Pikachu and clenched his head. "I'm…fine. I'm fine. Really." He clasped Jason's hands in-between his own. "Please, just don't say anything. Y-You'll see. I'll show my dad I can be fierce and strong. I-I won't be the spineless coward I am forever."

Jason's eyes narrowed worriedly. "Wolf…"

"Jason, please promise me you won't tell your parents."

"…" Jason closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "Alright. I promise."

A bell rang over Melissa and Eadwulf's heads as they entered the tiny shop. A few Pokémon wandered around the shelves, which were lined with preserved foods not commonly found in Rainside Village, or anywhere in the Verde Kingdom as Melissa recalled. Uniquely shaped fruits, an assortment of dried faux meat, some sweets, and much more.

"Wow," Melissa awed.

Eadwulf smiled. "Since we grow our own crops here, we reached out to the other farming communities outside the kingdom for aid. This shop houses a lot of unique goods from the ally kingdoms, and a few others from the occasional traveling merchant."

"Even with the food tax on your crops, you're still able to do business with other villages?"

He sighed. "It's hard, but we've adapted." He handed Melissa the shopping list. "I'll take care of the first half of the list. You can get the other half."

"O-Oh, sure." She took the list and scampered to the other side of the shop while Eadwulf browsed.

Melissa read the list while scanning the shelves. On one shelf was a bag of golden gate apples, which had a reflective yellow hue and twice as big as regular apples. She grabbed a bag and read the label, surprised to see they were from the Great Gate Empire. Eadwulf did say a lot of foreign merchants would go out to do trade, but she was still surprised to see such unique selections of food.

I wonder what other types of crops are grow in the other kingdoms. She shrugged the thought off, placed the apples in her basket, and continued roaming the shop.

"Well, well, there's a familiar face!"

She squeaked and spun around, coming face-to-face with a female Linoone in a green dress with a white work apron. Melissa blinked at the Linoone, trying to come up with a name, but didn't find anything.

"Uh, hi." She straightened up. "Do I know you?"

The Linoone chuckled. "Well, I certainly know you, Harlow."

Before Melissa started to assume she was being confronted by an assassin, Eadwulf approached them and said, "Ah, Cara, hello."

"Cara?" Melissa mumbled.

Eadwulf gestured to the Linoone. "This is one of the Foresters who left us recently. She lives here in Rainside Village."

Cara smiled. "I'm not surprised you don't recognize me. We only interacted that one time when you joined us for Forest Ball."

Melissa smiled irritably. "Ah, yes, that is why I do not remember." She shook her head and offered a more genuine, albeit awkward smile. "Well, uh, nice to see you again. You quit the Foresters recently?"

Cara sighed. "I didn't want to, but I was just so worried with everything going on. I feel bad for leaving you guys, but I have to look out for myself. I'm just glad I was able to get work in the old village shop. Decent pay and all." She shook her head. "Plus, I couldn't help worrying with all the bounties against us. Since we are set up in the forest, I've heard the odd tale or two of bounty hunters causing a fuss in the villages."

Eadwulf frowned. "Huh, Granny didn't mention that." He sighed. "Then again, she wouldn't want us worrying, so I'm not surprised."

Melissa frowned. "Still, that must be awful."

Cara smiled and shook her head. "Nah. I've learned enough under the Foresters to take care of myself. If anything comes up, I'll be sure to handle it."

Eadwulf smiled back. "That's good to hear, and I'm glad you're making good use of your time here."

"As am I. Still, how are things back at Fort Lucus? I wasn't expecting you or Harlow to stop by."

He scratched his nape and sighed. "Jason and Harlow needed time away from everything, and I just came along to keep an eye on them."

Cara frowned. "Oh, that's right. How are you feeling, Harlow? Last I heard, you were pretty down since returning from Senbo."

Melissa looked away and awkwardly kicked the floor. "Better, I guess."

Cara smiled and reached onto a nearby shelf. "Well, how about a little something to turn those frowns around?" She picked up a small box and placed it in Melissa's basket.

She picked the box out. "What is this?"

"Special chocolate imported from the Algus Kingdom."

Her eyes widened at the price on the shelf. "Fifteen coins?! I can't take—"

Cara shook her head. "I'll cover it. It's no big deal. Just a little something to show we're all looking out for you."

Her ears drooped. "I…" She sighed and placed the box back into her basket. "I…thank you, Cara."

"You're welcome. Now, do you two need help with your shopping?"

"Actually—" Eadwulf took the shopping list from Melissa and asked, "You wouldn't happen to have any strawberries, right?"

Cara nodded. "They're in cold storage. Let me get those for you." She raced to the back of the shop.

Melissa looked down at her basket as she followed Eadwulf to the main counter. "I feel a little guilty taking these chocolates."

"You don't have to take them if you don't want them," Eadwulf said.

"Maybe, but…" She sighed and looked away, hiding her blush. "I…have been craving something sweet recently." She groaned and covered her face with her ears. "Like crème puffs…"

Eadwulf chuckled. "We'll ask Granny if she can make you some."

Cara returned from the backroom and placed the box of strawberries on the counter. "Here you go, fresh strawberries. Don't eat them all in one afternoon."

Eadwulf nodded. "We'll try not to. Give me a moment." He set his basket down and reached around for the money.

As Melissa waited for him, rocking back on her heels, her ears suddenly sprang up. She detected something rustling nearby, possibly outside the shop. It sounded like little particles scraping against the wall. It sounded familiar, too, like a sandstorm was brewing. She glanced over her shoulder, following the sound of the noise, and paled when she glanced out the window.

"Oh no…"

Eadwulf frowned and looked at her. "Harlow—"

"Everyone, get down!" she screamed.

Immediately after she yelled, the windows shattered inward and let in a torrent of sand into the shop. The customers screamed and dropped to the floor. Eadwulf pulled Melissa down and covered her while Cara hid behind the counter. Items were thrown off the shelves. Glass jars smashed onto the floor and spilled out their contents while preserved foods were ripped from their casings and splattered across the walls.

Eadwulf and Melissa shielded their eyes and looked up as three men entered the shop: a Graveler, a Heracross, and a Tyranitar, who was venting sand from his body. The Graveler and Heracross brandished a mace and daggers respectively while the gargantuan Tyranitar towered over the cowering customers with his arms crossed.

"Nobody move!" Heracross yelled. "Be good, and we'll let you keep your lives."

Graveler scanned the shop and spotted their targets huddled by the counter. "There they are, boss."

Tyranitar glared and stepped forward. Each step rumbled the shop like thunder. He casted a wide shadow over Eadwulf and Melissa as sand poured from his body, surrounding him like a cloak.

"Eadwulf the Executioner. Harlow the Maniac Thief."

Melissa's ears drooped. I really need a better nickname.

The Tyranitar clenched his fist and raised it. "The bounties have gone up since your little stunt in the Senbo Kingdom. We're here to collect and rid Virdis of you nuisances. Don't even try to resist."

Melissa pressed herself against the counter and looked at Eadwulf. "What do we do?" she whispered.

He dusted off the sand from his clothes. "Leave it to me." He stood up and adjusted his collar. "Gentlemen, let's not spill anymore blood than what has dripped. This is a peaceful village of hard working farmers. I wish not to bring unnecessary harm to these people. Let them leave, and we will try to peacefully negotiation—"

The Graveler swung his mace near Eadwulf's face. "Don't you go fooling us with your fancy talk, Forester! We're not giving you a chance to talk your way out of this. You want these people to get home safely? You better come along quietly."

Eadwulf glared. "I'm afraid I can't do that."

Tyranitar scoffed. "You're in no position to talk, Forester. The way I see it, it'd be a darn shame if anyone found out this village was housing criminals."

"…" His glare deepened.

"It's a wonder none of these folks reported you. You two are infamous across the land, even before your actions in the Senbo Kingdom. What good is standing your ground when it crumbles away by the day? Did you take refuge in this village to hide from our prying eyes? Did you threaten this village into silence lest their lives be forfeit?"

Eadwulf's eye twitched. "I'm trying to be reasonable here. Don't make me mad."

Tyranitar shook his head. "We're doing these people a service by expunging the rot out of this kingdom. You're nothing but pests buzzing around and causing chaos. Virdis would be just a little better off without troublesome thieves haunting the streets." He cracked his knuckles. "And nothing said I had to bring you in alive. I just need to make sure the corpse is recognizable."

"…So that's your answer."

"Don't take it personally." Tyranitar raised his fist high over Eadwulf, generating sand around it. "It's just business—"

Cara jumped out from behind the counter and sucked in a breath. "Hyper Voice!" She landed on the countertop and blasted the stone reptile with a close-range, sonic wave.

"Agh!" Tyranitar and his gang covered their ears and staggered away.

Eadwulf glared and reached under his clothes, pulling out his chain staff. He spun it around himself a couple times before catching both ends. "Cara, Harlow! Lead everyone out the back. I'll take care of these guys."

"You had that thing under your shirt this whole time?!" Melissa exclaimed.

"Always come prepared. Now go!"

Cara glared and waved to the other customers. "Everyone, follow me through the back! Hurry!"

Everyone scrambled off the floor and followed behind the Furret. Melissa almost followed after them, but stopped when she looked back at Eadwulf. She could see him growling through his teeth, and his posture kept shifting between his usual stance and something more akin to how she saw Hedwig fight. It was something animalistic.

She decided to hide behind the counter and keep one ear out for him. I guess I should provide backup if needed.

"I did it, I did it!"

Eadwulf happily skipped to his house with a small sack of coins in hand. By a stroke of luck, he was able to swipe some money from a merchant doing business at the local shop. He made twice his usual quota, and he felt on top of the world.

"Dad's going to be so proud of me!" he exclaimed, clicking his heels together as his house came within sight.

He rushed through the door and slammed it shut behind him. His grin brightened when he saw his parents were already in the living room. Strangely, his father was standing in the center of the room, and his mother didn't have face shoved into a book for once. She seemed to be scowling, though he paid it no mind as he approached his father.

"Dad, Dad, I did it!" Eadwulf exclaimed, holding up the bag. "I doubled my quota. It's like you said. I had to be fiercer when I take the money. I stole it without hesitating. Isn't that great?"

Shiftry said nothing. Instead, he looked over his shoulder and glared down at the Nuzleaf. Eadwulf's smile faltered at the stare. It wasn't the same disapproving, angry glare he got whenever he failed, and it certainly wasn't the mild spark of praise he expected whenever he made off with a good haul. It was a stare unlike anything he ever seen from his father. Something…demonic.

"D-Dad? Is something wrong—"

His father suddenly spun around and kicked Eadwulf across the face with the back of his heel. The money flew from its pouch and scattered onto the floor. Eadwulf slammed against the wall and fell onto his rear. Shocked, he touched his stinging cheek and gazed up at his snarling father.

"D-Dad?!"

"What…did you do?!"

His eyes widened. "I-I-I don't—"

"You little snitch!" He raced up to Eadwulf and kicked him in the stomach. He stepped back as his son crumpled over, holding his aching gut. "You swore to secrecy, and you had the nerve to inform the authorities of our little racket?!"

Eadwulf struggled to look up at him. "I…don't know what you're—"

"The constable came by earlier and said he got an anonymous tip that we've been stealing from the community. Villagers have been coming to him about money going missing for weeks, but now someone's pinned the blame on us." He stomped on Eadwulf's back. "I barely managed to convince them it wasn't us, but I know damn well they'll be coming back to search the house. Is this how you repay your old man for putting a roof over your head? Snitching on him behind his back?!"

Tears filled Eadwulf's eyes. "B-But I never even saw the constable!"

"We were extra careful not to let anyone find out. I know it wasn't me or your mother. You told someone, didn't you?"

"I—" Eadwulf's eyes widened in realization. The only person who knew about his home life, and the only person who had any reason to make that anonymous tip, was Jason. It had to have been him. "It…was him?"

Shiftry scowled. "So, you did tell someone!" He stomped harder on the boy's back. "You stupid, useless trash! We were going to steal our way out of this dump, and you couldn't keep your mouth shut!"

Roserade sighed and stood up. "Dear, that's enough. Someone's definitely going to notice if they find him covered in bruises. You're lucky no one noticed the black eye you gave him last week."

Shiftry growled. "Lucky? LUCKY?!" He stomped his foot down on Eadwulf's head. "There's nothing lucky about anything when we have this stupid brat causing us trouble! What did I tell you, Eadwulf?! Nothing's earned in this world by being a spineless coward. You're nothing but dirt to be stepped on. Mud and trash polluting our space. You hear me?! You're worse than useless!"

Eadwulf curled into a ball as his father kept stomping on him. He covered his ears as tears drizzled down his face, but it didn't stop his father's verbal abuse from bouncing around inside his head. The words kept playing back over and over, getting louder and louder. His vision dulled, and surrounding noise dampened, making the shouts louder than ever.

He smelled something metallic nearby. Something oozed down his face, and it wasn't tears. Something red dripped over his eyes. It was blood. A cut must've opened on his head after kicked in the face. It seemed like a fairly large cut, too, for he felt blood dripping down his face.

"You're nothing but a worthless stain!"

Eadwulf's breathing became heavier with growls rumbling in his throat. His eyes twitched, and his pupils shrank as they shook around erratically. The dullness in his vision turned red. The screams in and out of his head grew louder than ever, so loud that his own voice and thoughts were drowned out.

However, beneath all the noise, he heard a hissing in the back of his mind.

A hissing like a long piece of wick lit on fire and slowly working its way down.

"Megahorn!" The Heracross opened up his wings and charged through the shop, his horn glowing a vibrant pale green.

Eadwulf coiled his staff together and shielded against the beetle's attack. The ground cracked under his heels, but his stance stayed firm. Dark energy coated his staff. "Penance Style: Serpent's Riposte!" He knocked the Heracross back and fired off a five-hit strike into his face in rapid bursts.

Graveler and Tyranitar moved aside as Heracross sailed through the shop and through the wall. Graveler growled and curled himself into a ball. "Defense Curl! Rollout!" A blue energy surrounded his body, then he rolled toward Eadwulf at high speed.

Eadwulf jumped aside and landed on the shelves. Graveler bounced off the walls and rammed through the shelf, forcing Eadwulf to leap into the air and cling to the ceiling. He spun his staff, generating the dark energy. "Penance Style: Dragon's Fury!"

He kicked off the ceiling and swung his staff down like a whip, nailing Graveler on the head. With the sentient boulder stunned, Eadwulf took his staff in both hands and unleashed a rapid-fire series of blows into Graveler. His movements were swift and fierce. The staff was almost invisible with the speed he spun it at. Each strike concentrated critical blows to precise points on the body with only the Defense Curl shielding the living boulder.

"Fire Fang!"

Eadwulf felt a sudden heat above him and jumped out of the way, narrowly avoiding Tyranitar's blazing bite. "Low Kick!" He lunged forward with his foot extended outward.

"Sandstorm!" Tyranitar conjured a veil of sand around himself. The high winds sent Eadwulf's attack off course and threw him aside. "Stone Edge!" He stomped the floor and conjured a rising path of sharp rocks.

Eadwulf rebounded off the wall and lunged at the rocks. "Penance Style: Dragon's Fury!" He fired off a wide combo string and broke through the rocks. He jumped off one and leapt over Tyranitar's head. "You mind keeping the destruction down? This is a reputable business you're ruining here!"

Tyranitar scoffed. "I'm not here to make quips." He snapped his claws.

Heracross flew back into the shop with his daggers aglow with energy. "Aerial Ace!"

Eadwulf shielded himself with his staff and blocked the empowered daggers. "Penance Style: Serpent's Riposte!" He deflected Heracross' strike and wound up for the retaliation.

"Stone Edge!" Tyranitar stomped the floor again and sent forth the rock stream.

Eadwulf stopped his attack and leapt of the way as the rocks crashed through the counter. Melissa, who was hiding behind the counter, fell flat to the floor with one of the rocks nearly grazing her nose.

Maybe I should have escaped with the others, she thought.

"Unstoppable Roll!" Graveler curled himself into a ball again, this time with a metallic sheen glowing off his body, and rolled toward Eadwulf.

Eadwulf shielded with his staff, but his knees nearly buckled on him from the force. It seemed stronger than the Defense Curl-Rollout combo, or rather empowered by something else. He's combining it with Gyro Ball! The intense spinning grinded sparks off his staffs and was pushing him closer to the wall.

Heracross leapt over Graveler and concentrated a ball of energy into his hand. "Focus Blast!" He slammed the attack down on Eadwulf's head, making him lose his concentration and for Graveler to steamroll into him. He rammed the Nuzleaf through the wall and destroyed the surrounding shelves.

Melissa gasped. "Eadwulf!" She tried to run to him, but weaker Focus Blast exploded by her feet. She backed off as the Heracross landed in front of her.

"Oh, so you decided to stay with us, Harlow? That makes this all the easier." He brandished his daggers and inched toward her.

Melissa backed into the stone pillars impaling the counter, trembling with her back pressed to them. "S-Stay away from me!"

Just then, they both heard a scream coming from Graveler before he was sent flying through the store surrounded in a dark blaze. From the backroom, Eadwulf stepped out caked in dust, growling through clenched teeth and with his staff pulled taut in his hands. A sinister, thick dark aura surrounded it.

"Penance Style: Grizzly's Vengeance."

Heracross sneered. "You've got to be kidding me! Megahorn!" He turned away from Melissa and launched himself at Eadwulf.

The Nuzleaf took the brunt of the attack, but stood his ground. After winding up his staff, he unleashed a concentrated burst of strikes onto the beetle's abdomen. The attacks were so brutal and fast that Heracross' stomach looked like it was caving in on itself. Eadwulf ended with a dual strike from both ends of the staff, throwing Heracross into his downed partner.

Tyranitar glared at his fallen comrades before turned to Eadwulf. "So, this is the ferocity rumored about the Demon of the Foresters? And yet, I sense this isn't the full measure of your power."

Eadwulf wrapped the staff around his shoulders and crouched into a defensive stance. "I'll break you in two," he snarled.

Melissa winced from his harsh tone. Eadwulf?

Tyranitar huffed. "You Foresters will drag everyone down to hell before admitting your burden on society. Very well, I'll have to show you your place. Flamethrower!" He lurched his head forward and spewed a stream of flames at him.

Eadwulf jumped over the Flamethrower and kicked off the wall. He landed a flying kick to Tyranitar's head, but the rock lizard took it without staggering. Tyranitar grabbed him by the ankle and slammed him into the floor before stomping down on his stomach.

"Flamethrower!" With his foot still pinning Eadwulf down, Tyranitar blew flames onto him, hardly feeling the heat against his own body.

"Serpent's Riposte!" The chain staff shot out of the flames and struck under Tyranitar's chin, forcing his mouth shut.

Eadwulf leapt off the scorched floor and threw his heated staff away. The flesh on his hands smoked, and half his clothes were burned off with rags hanging from his shoulders. He hissed through his teeth with rough, growl-like breaths. He tensed up his leg muscles and charged at Tyranitar.

"Leaf Blade!" He jumped and swung his head leaf.

Tyranitar sidestepped and allowed Heracross to pop up behind him, dealing a savage blow with Megahorn to Eadwulf's chest. Eadwulf spat up blood and went flying over Melissa's head, crashing into the wall.

"Eadwulf!" Melissa gasped. She heard the Tyranitar scoff and glared at him. "Leave him alone!"

He snorted and vented sand from his body. "You want to join him on the floor there?"

Melissa jumped and kicked off the top of a rock pillar. She wielded it between her hands like a club. "I won't let you bully my friend, you jerks—"

"Harlow…" She froze as Eadwulf grabbed her shoulder and lifted himself up. His breaths were becoming more haggard and tense by the second. "I said…get away from here."

"But Eadwulf, you're—AH!" She staggered back as he stole her club and sprinted toward the bounty hunters.

Eadwulf roared at the Tyranitar and lunged at him, smashing the rock club across his face. It barely affected the boss, who just backhanded Eadwulf into a wall shelf. "Finish him, boys," Tyranitar ordered.

Graveler sprang off the floor and rolled toward the downed Nuzleaf. "Unstoppable Roll!" He crashed into Eadwulf and pressed him up against the wall, causing jars and goods to spill on top of them. He uncurled from ball form and slammed his mace across Eadwulf's side, skidding him across the wall.

Heracross formed a Focus Blast and tossed it in the air. "Megahorn!" He jumped, hooked the back of his horn around the Focus Blast, and catapulted it on top of Eadwulf. The explosion blew apart the wall and sent goods scattering over the shop.

"Eadwulf!" Melissa cried.

The dust cleared, and she saw Eadwulf buried under a pile of rubble covered in dust and food. He shifted a little bit, but he was clearly in a lot of pain.

The two lackies laughed and high-fived each other while the Tyranitar merely sneered down at the fallen Nuzleaf. "Disappointing. Now then…" He turned his sights onto Melissa. "That's one bounty down. Next is the Maniac Thief herself."

Melissa's eyes widened. She shuffled around the counter and backed away to the other end of the shop. "H-Hey, hold on a minute." She staggered and tripped over Eadwulf's chain staff, now finally cooled down. She picked herself up and grabbed the weapon, clutching it defensively. "I-I'm warning you! I don't know how to use this thing, and it won't be pretty for either of us!"

Tyranitar scoffed. "If we can take out Eadwulf the Executioner, you'll be easy pickings. Boys, do your thing." His lackies raised their weapons and slowly approached her. "Don't make this hard on yourself."

Melissa winced and held the staff over her face. "Eadwulf…"

With the bounty hunters' attention turned away from Eadwulf, they were unaware of his stirring. He pressed both hands down on the floor, snarling through gritted teeth. His eyes cracked open and observed the state of his body. His breathing hastened, sharp breaths going in and out faster and faster. Even as he struggled to pull himself up, his muscles and nerves tightened. Blood rushed through the veins of his eyes as his pupils shrunk to the size of pinpricks.

So much…filth. So much…trash. Garbage. Nothing but garbage. I'm not dirt. I'm not mud. You're…garbage. All of you. Garbage!

"Useless brat! You're more worthless than garbage!" Shiftry shouted, kicking harder and harder into Eadwulf's head.

However, just as he reared his foot back for another stomp, Eadwulf suddenly spun himself around. He grabbed his father's ankle and punched into it, bending his foot to the side.

"AAAAHHH!" Shiftry bounced back on his other foot and fell on his rear. "What the hell?! You stupid kid! What did you—"

"SHUT UP!" Eadwulf lunged into the air and stomped both his feet down on his dad's face. Teeth and blood went flying into the air. The child's eyes were heavily bloodshot while his own blood dripped over his face. "I'm not garbage. YOU ARE!" He grabbed his father's nose and snapped it in two, twisting and bending into irregular shapes.

"AAAAAAAHHHH!" Shiftry swatted him off and cradled his face. "M-My nose…!"

Roserade covered her mouth and trembled away. "E-Eadwulf! What has gotten into you?!"

Eadwulf picked himself up and glared at the clay pot on the table. He grabbed it by the rim and walked over his father, kneeling on his chest. "I'm not garbage. I'm not garbage. I'm not garbage."

Shiftry's eyes widened as he watched his son lift the pot high over his head. "W-Wait! Eadwulf, stop! I'm sorry! Please, just calm down. I'm your father. You can't—"

"SHUT UP, SHUT UP, SHUT UP!" Eadwulf smashed the clay pot down on his father's face. "I hate you! I HATE YOU!" Over and over, he battered his old man with the clay pot, caking its underside with red. "Hate, hate, HATE!"

Blood splattered over the floor and furniture, splashed across Eadwulf's face, and even managed to fling a few drops onto his horrified mother. She pressed herself up to the wall, unable to look away. Eadwulf swung the pot with such ferocity and fury that her husband's face was hardly even a face. His nose was flattened down, and there was far too much blood to make out anything. No matter how many times he swung down the pot, he didn't slow down even by a fraction.

All of her husband's struggling and flailing, however, did slow down. He stopped kicking and squirming after a moment, and his limbs went limp. Even then, Eadwulf didn't stop slamming the pot down on his face. She couldn't even recognize her son with all the blood covering him.

Fearing for her life, she turned and bolted for the front door. Unfortunately, Eadwulf snapped his attention away from his bloodied father and growled. He threw the pot with the force of a cannon and smashed it into the back of her head, taking her to the ground.

She squirmed on the floor in a daze, unable to get control of her limbs. Eadwulf grabbed her arm and spun her onto her back. She blinked through her doubled vision and stared up at her animalistic, snarling son.

"E-Eadwulf, n-no. It's me, your mother. I-I never laid a hand on you. P-Please, have mercy—" He stomped down on her throat and cut her off.

"No mercy…for trash!" He raised his fists. "Only…exterminate!"

She choked through her sobs and broken windpipe. "Ead…Eadwulf—"

The first punch came down, and the lights went out.

"GRAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!"

Melissa and the bounty hunters froze as Eadwulf suddenly sprang off the ground and blindly charged at them. Melissa dropped the staff and jumped out of the way while Eadwulf tackled the Graveler out of the way. Despite being so heavy, the living boulder was thrown off his feet and crashed into the wall.

Heracross gasped. "He's still conscious?!"

"Kill him, you fool!" Tyranitar ordered.

Heracross empowered his daggers with Aerial Ace and swung at Eadwulf. However, the Nuzleaf dodged one dagger and caught Heracross by the wrist. He spun around and punched directly into his elbow, snapping the beetle's arm backwards.

"AAAHHH!" Heracross dropped his daggers and fell onto his knees. "W-What—" He was grabbed by the head and forced to look directly into Eadwulf's eyes.

His eyes were bloodshot and tinted red. His teeth were clenched tightly with hot breath venting out in rapid exhales. Heracross could feel the Nuzleaf pressing tightly over his skull.

"W-What are you—" Heracross tried to yell, but Eadwulf struck his chin with his knee. The beetle accidentally bit his tongue and fell backwards with blood gushing from his mouth.

"B-Blood…" Eadwulf growled. "So. Much. BLOOD!" He rushed into the beetle and tackled him against the wall. He stomped his foot against his face, grabbed him by the horn, and pulled back.

Heracross screamed and scratched at Eadwulf with his good arm. "Stop, stop, stop, sto—AAAAAHHHH!" Eadwulf threw his foot against the horn and snapped the bone in two. Heracross' horn fell limply over his face, too hurt to scream.

Eadwulf grabbed him by the head and slammed his face into the ground. "Worthless garbage! Disgusting filth!" He dug his hands through Heracross' carapace and forced it open. He bent his body and pulled on both the carapace and the wings, aiming to rip them both out.

"Unstoppable Roll!" Graveler charged through and knocked Eadwulf off the beetle. He bounced off the ground before making a wide turn back toward the Nuzleaf. "What the hell is wrong with this guy?!"

Eadwulf flipped onto his feet and snarled at the charging boulder. "Blood. BLOOD!" He slammed both his palms into the boulder and dug his feet into the floor.

To Graveler's horror, Eadwulf not only stopped him from moving, but his hands were digging into his stone body to get a grip. His constant spinning dug a shallow trench into the floor, and blood from Eadwulf's hands smeared over his body until he came to a full stop.

Graveler trembled in his trench as he stared into Eadwulf's bloodshot glare. "What is this freak on?!"

Eadwulf grabbed him by the arm, roared, and flung him over his shoulder. He smashed the Graveler into the floor before immediately lifting him again and repeating the motion. Over and over, he bashed Graveler into the floor like a sledgehammer, decimating more of the shop. Chips of rock fell from the boulder's body and flew across the shop.

Melissa, who took to the safety of the counter again, winced as the rock chips rained on her head. She peeked out from hiding and watched the massacre in disbelief. This…This is the Explosive Wolf everyone was talking about?!

Eadwulf threw Graveler down one last time before jumping on his back and pulling back on his arms. Graveler screamed and kicked his feet as cracks started forming over his shoulders. "Stop it! STOOOOOP!"

"Flamethrower!"

A stream of flames engulfed the pair and knocked Eadwulf away. Tyranitar closed his maw and grimaced through clenched teeth. His knees were shaking, and a cold sweat dripped from his face. Despite moments ago acting cool and tough, the facade shattered as he looked upon his crew's battered bodies.

"This guy's insane," he muttered. "He's actually trying to kill us?"

"RAAAAAAH!" Eadwulf leapt off the floor cloaked in flames and set his sights on the rock lizard. Tyranitar gasped and dashed for the door. Eadwulf grabbed the Graveler by his wrist and chucked him at the fleeing lizard, bashing him across the head and taking him to the floor. "Must…clean…BLOOD!" He leapt through the air and landed on Tyranitar's chest.

"S-Stay away from me, you freak! Hyper—" But as he charged up the attack, he was cut off as Eadwulf punched directly into his mouth and pulled on his tongue. "GAAAH!"

Eadwulf kicked Tyranitar's jaw shut, forcing him to bite his own tongue. He screamed through his teeth, tears flowing down his face. Eadwulf stepped off the ailing lizard and picked up his discarded chain staff. On top of the dark aura coating the metal, crimson sparks crackled over its surface.

"Cleanse the filth from existence…" Eadwulf growled. "Expunge it. Every last drop! Demon Wolf's Funeral" He lunged on top of Tyranitar again and cracked his staff across his face.

A concentrated explosion erupted from the point of impact. The shockwave reached across the shop and rattled Melissa from behind cover. She peeked out again and gasped as Eadwulf battered the defenseless lizard with relentless abandon. His staff swung in a flurry of strikes, each delivering a chain of explosions one after the other. The entire area surrounding them was blown away, leaving only a blackened floor beneath them and scorched air filling the shop.

Through what little Melissa could see through the explosions, she saw cracks forming over the Tyranitar and blood oozing out. She could see the fear and panic over his face, too, before being engulfed in explosions.

No. No! He's going to kill him!

Melissa jumped out from behind cover and raced to Eadwulf. "Eadwulf, stop! This isn't right!" She kept her distance from the flailing staff and reached out to touch his back. "Eadwulf—"

The second she grazed his skin, he whipped his arm around and smacked her across the face. She slammed into the wall with a hard thud and fell onto her rear. She groaned and massaged her cheek before looking up. Her eyes widened as Eadwulf turned his sights onto her with no change in his hostile expression.

"E-Eadwulf?" she mumbled.

He stepped off of the Tyranitar, who was barely breathing, and approached her. The repeated explosions blackened his arms with scorch marks, yet it hardly slowed him down. The vitriol and venom pouring from his expression was paralyzing to witness. Melissa could feel the hatred radiating around him. The unrestricted, uncontrollable hatred.

"E-Eadwulf…no. It's me, Harlow. Your friend," she pleaded softly.

He let his staff drag across the floor. Miniature explosions went off as it scraped over the wood.

"It's me. M-Melissa," she whispered. "Don't you recognize me?"

Something flickered over her vision the longer she stared at him. Her body tensed up as the visage of someone else flashed over Eadwulf. Glimpses of a smirking Prinplup dragging a sword behind him and slowly advancing toward her.

Tears welled up in her eyes. She kicked her heels into the floor, desperately shuffling backwards until her back was firmly up against the wall. "S-Stay away from me. S-Stop. No. No!"

Eadwulf only growled in response. He raised his staff over his shoulder, tensed his muscles, and readied to strike it down on top of her. Melissa closed her eyes and curled into a ball, bracing for the worst.

"Touch of Zeraora!"

Melissa's eyes widened as a blinding blue flash surrounded Eadwulf, causing his entire body to lock. Just as soon as it happened, he collapsed to his knees and fell unconscious in front of her feet. Standing over Eadwulf, looking out of breath, was Jason.

"Oh…Oh man," he panted. "That was too close."

Melissa blinked through her tears. "J…Jason?"

"I am so sorry I didn't get here sooner. I only just found out about the bounty hunters. I…I…" He looked around the shop and frowned.

The Heracross was unconscious on the floor with his horn, arms, and carapace banged up. The Graveler was curled up and sobbing uncontrollably. The Tyranitar, though still able to move, shuffled away from Jason in terror with his face riddled with cracks and burns. It was like the will to fight was sucked right out of them.

His ears drooped, and he turned his attention back onto the terrified Buneary. He sighed and reached out to her. "We need to talk."

By some miracle, the bounty hunters were too terrified to speak out against what Eadwulf did to them as the constable came to apprehend them. They righted off their own injuries as accidents from the fight, if only to appease the wild animal himself. Though the constable had his doubts, the patrons were frazzled enough, so he hauled the bounty hunters away.

Jason, Melissa, and Cara sat outside the shop with a ruined basket of groceries. Eadwulf sat on Jason's side with a blanket wrapped around him, though he kept a full meter away from Jason. He had his face buried inside, and signs of tears poked through the fabric.

"…That's all he remembered after he finished telling us," Jason said, finishing his tale to the girls, though mainly Melissa. "All he recalled was getting super angry, and then he found his parents' bloodied bodies on the floor."

Melissa hugged herself and shuddered. "I…I see."

Cara winced. "Heavy…"

Jason shook his head. "We lied to the constable and said Eadwulf was with us all day when his parents were murdered. We weren't sure if they would've believed a five-year-old could do that much damage, but…better safe than sorry. Ever since that day, he's been a member of the Hawthorne family."

"…Why did he keep his last name as Trevorrow?"

He sighed. "I never liked his parents, but…on some level, I think Eadwulf feels guilty for the way he ended their lives. He keeps that name to always remind himself of what he's capable of. He had nightmares for years, always waking up thinking he was drenched in blood. He would sit in the bathroom for hours trying to wash away blood that wasn't there. He got better over time, but…that compulsive cleaning habit always stuck."

Melissa whimpered and hugged herself tighter.

"He only gets like that if he's messy and stressed out. I always try to lighten the mood if he gets stains on himself. It gives him something to focus on." He sighed and covered his face. "It's why Eadwulf tries to end fights fast. He doesn't want that side of himself getting out. Otherwise, you might end up like those bounty hunters."

"…Or like Big Pasco," she mumbled. She recalled Marlo the Simisage and his crew specifically hunting down Eadwulf for what happened to their boss. She never would've imagined seeing what they witnessed for herself.

Jason closed his eyes. "I'm really sorry you had to see that. Please don't hold it against Eadwulf. He can't control that side once it's out. He never wanted to harm anyone."

"I…" She glanced around Jason and at Eadwulf.

As if feeling her stare, he peeked out from behind the blanket and looked back at her. Melissa flinched and covered her face behind her ears. She heard Eadwulf sigh before retreating back into the blanket.

Jason frowned at her shivering. "Melissa…" He sighed and looked at Cara. "We're sorry about what happened to the shop."

She sighed. "And here I thought I was going to get away from this Forester craziness. It's…fine. I'm sure the boss will understand. Probably." She stood up and dusted her apron off. "Just…forget about paying for the food. Doubt most of it is edible now. You guys…take care, I guess." She walked back into the shop.

Jason sighed through his nose and stood up. "Come on. Let's go home." He helped Melissa to her feet. "Will you be okay?"

"I…" She wrung the basket's handle between her hands and sniffled. "I need some time to process all of this…" She walked ahead of the boys with her head hung.

Jason heard Eadwulf hiccup a little beneath his blanket and pulled him to his feet. The Nuzleaf poked his head out and whispered sadly, "She's scared of me…"

"She was just spooked, that's all," Jason assured.

"I…I almost killed her." He covered his eyes and cried into his palms. "Oh lord, I almost killed her. What is wrong with me?"

Jason patted his shoulder. "Just give her some time. She was just as worried about you."

"We brought her here to cheer her up, and I ruined everything by making her more afraid than ever. She's never going to trust me again." He groaned and punched himself on the head. "Why can't I get a better control of my anger?"

Jason frowned. "Let's just go home, brother." He pushed Eadwulf along and followed after Melissa. He glanced back at the shop and watched Cara pick through the debris near the entrance. He sighed and faced ahead.

I always thought not burdening others was for the best. Opening up and feeling vulnerable to your weakest moment. That's not easy. Jason narrowed his eyes. I brought Melissa here to learn the truth, but…I'm scared it might hurt her. She's been through too much already. Better to stay in silence and not worry others. And yet…she was suffering in silence, too.

Jason breathed a heavy sigh and glared ahead.

She deserves to know the truth. I just hope…I can ease her into it.