Chapter 7
Intrigue
Just about every basic structure had a leader to them. Whether it was a country, fiefdom, city or town, there was always some structure of systematic hierarchy in place. A king ruled over a country. He in turn entrusted the management of land to his vassals in exchange for loyalty and allegiance. The vassals looked after the land and collected taxes from the people, thereby keeping the country functioning.
This was true on a smaller scale than a kingdom, as well. A city or town almost always had a leader or council to govern over matters pertaining to their settlement. Smaller than that, too, were businesses, which were always under the ownership of someone who needed to make money to pay their taxes. Many businesses also had employees who carried out their duties under orders from their boss, and for their work, they received a cut of the revenue which they would then use for their own means.
Signs of leadership and hierarchy could be seen everywhere. And even in Selenia, where things had taken a decidedly anarchic turn, it could still be seen.
A primary example of this was the Thorned Roses. They were a gang, but they would not have come to fruition were it not for the organisation of the group by their leader. In the chaos following the assassination of the previous tsar, he had taken the initiative to take the slaying to a more local level and killing the lord of the Ozerograd oblast. With the vacuum of leadership created, he filled that vacuum by taking residence in the lord's villa and instilling himself as the self-proclaimed leader of the area. While there was much resistance in the town to this, the nature of his deed of killing attracted the seedier, more roguish types to his side, and he managed to create a gang out of them. They would keep his leadership intact by quashing resistance and keeping townsfolk in line by intimidation and violence, if necessary. Meanwhile, he would be the head honcho of it all, living the life of a lord and indulging in all the privileges that status brought.
His name was Hinnerk. An Obstagoon whose name, not widely known prior to five years ago, became a name of infamy since among the citizens of Ozerograd and the surrounding oblast.
He spent most of his time out of town, in a villa not far from Ozerograd itself. It was located on higher ground, as the town was, and belonged to the lord that presided over Ozerograd, along with the surrounding oblast. However, there was one key difference; whereas Ozerograd was once located by the lake's shore, this villa was always located on higher ground. In older days, when the town suffered frequent flooding, there was great resentment towards the lord and his family, who were always safe from the flooding of the lake. It was this growing pressure year upon year that threatened to erupt into protests and violence, that convinced the then lord to build a new town nearer to his own abode and placate the anger of the townsfolk.
But Hinnerk wasn't one to pay attention to such details. History was, after all, history; it was in the past, and didn't have any bearing on the present. He wasn't one for historical teachings; Mitrofan might've been, but he sure as hell would never indulge in something so boring and dreary.
When it came to pastimes, he was far more interested in keeping his skills honed.
Right now, the Obstagoon was laying into training dummies down by the shoreline of Lake Lazurny. A path led from the villa down to the lake, and floodgates had been set up along the path, just in case the lake's flooding reached that high.
The sound of splintering wood came as Hinnerk slashed the dummy to pieces with a finishing blow in Night Slash. It didn't stand a chance against the Normal and Dark-type's force, and crumbled to pieces in a pile.
It was power like the Obstagoon's that allowed him to maintain his position as leader of the Thorned Roses. This was not someone to underestimate, or get on the bad side of. A number of townsfolk had found this out the hard way, and some Thorned Roses had even been on the receiving end of his blows if they ever dared talk up to him. There was a simple, unspoken rule within the Thorned Roses and later among the citizens of Ozerograd: Don't piss off Hinnerk, or you'll live to regret it.
It rarely got to the point, though, where he'd actually kill someone. He only reserved that for people that rose up in rebellion against him, and those who proved themselves to be an intense irritant to him and his gang. The latter of these only happened on one occasion, and the former had been on three in the past five years. But all of the times, the rebellion had been ill-prepared, underestimated his power, or their plans were leaked to him. Either way, he'd managed to effectively suppress resistance to his rule.
The most recent one had been at least two years ago. That was reassuring to him; it meant the townsfolk had submitted to him, and he was safely in control. But even so, it never hurt to be prepared. Hence, his training pastime to keep him vigilant.
At least he had plenty of time for the life of luxury he felt a leader like him deserved. He made sure to take full advantage of the previous lord's living conditions, guzzling exotic foods, and frequently raiding the wine cellar, usually becoming incredibly inebriated as a result of his excessive drinking. He had luxurious furnishings in the villa, and he had servants to obey his every word. They were Thorned Roses, of course - he wouldn't have wanted the servants of the previous lord for fear of possible reprisal by them. It would be all too easy to slip poison into his wine and kill him that way. He was one to cut out potential problems at the root, rather than let them sprout later on. That had been the downfall of far too many people to name, for not realising the problems that would kill them until it was too late. Hinnerk wished to avoid that possibility at all costs.
These thoughts did come to him as he regained his breath from his training session. Maybe it'd be better to have no one serving me in that house, he thought to himself, before dismissing that thought. Nah. We all live for a day when we don't have to work. I'm not passing up being served by servants. Honestly...that's a dream life. Who the hell would pass that opportunity up?
Two names sprung to mind. And immediately, his mood soured.
...Well, not unless you're a certain team consisting of a do-gooder mudfish and a smug gecko with a tree stuck up his ass. Honest to Arceus...what's the point in going all the way to Grandmaster Rank and not accept all the honours that come with all that fame? Who in their right mind would pass that up? It's wasted on people like them!
Hinnerk found himself growling and his teeth gnashing at the thought of the two figures that had come into his head. And I was having a pretty good day too, he thought to himself. But even when they're not here, those two bastards still manage to be the most irritating pricks to ever have walked Ardalion. Honestly...I'm gonna need another fill of wine to forget those thoughts. Just drown them deep, and they'll go away…
With his mind made up as to what to do next, the Obstagoon made his way back up to the villa, readying himself for another plundering of the wine cellar. It may have only been around mid-morning, but Hinnerk was vexed enough by his thoughts to want to suppress them with alcohol. The wine never failed to give him that sense of haze that clouded his thoughts.
He climbed the path to the top, past the floodgates. He reached the villa and was about to head inside, when…
"Ah, there you are, Boss. There was me thinking you were passed out on the canapé again from one of your drunken binges."
The Obstagoon turned around in a slight huff, and saw none other than Mikhail. And behind him were a pair of evidently nervous Pokémon. Specifically...Bruno and Vivian, both of whom wore an expression that wished they were anywhere but here.
This was, of course, due to Hinnerk's fearsomeness. But that image of him could not have been cultivated well enough if Mikhail wasn't the second-in-command of the Thorned Roses. He was an able strategist, whose cunning and wit enabled them to effectively gather a motley crew of misfits and ruffians and organised them into a gang that would be able to reinforce Hinnerk's power and make the people of Ozerograd cower in submission to him and the Thorned Roses. Without Mikhail, Hinnerk would not be where he was now, and he was thankful to his loyal companion for that.
However, the Seviper had a bold streak, and was unafraid to engage in banter and repartee with his boss. Hinnerk did enjoy banter most of the time, especially over drinks with him. But this morning, due to his sudden foul mood, the Obstagoon wished himself that the viper was elsewhere. Given his tendency of riling him up, Hinnerk wanted him to be off harassing someone else rather than him.
"...What is it, Mikhail?" Hinnerk demanded, not making an effort to disguise his annoyance. "I'm not in any mood for your words right now. If you don't have any business with me, then leave me be."
"My, we're in a foul mood today, aren't we?" observed the Seviper. "But then that's what happens when you quaff alcohol like it's water on a daily basis. Before you know it, people will only see this side of you, and then Hinnerk the Brutal Tyrant will fade as an image and be replaced by Hinnerk the Drunken Imbecile. ...That would do much to undercut all you have built up here."
"Shut up, Mikhail," growled the Obstagoon. "I'll stop drinking when I want to stop. Like I said, if you don't have any business, then kindly piss off." His attention was then drawn to the two Pokémon behind Mikhail. "Does it have to do with these two runts, by any chance?"
"Indeed, it does. And bad luck for them to have caught you at such a time." The Seviper turned to face the duo behind him. "...All the worse for you two. If only you hadn't failed that fairly simple task…"
"It wasn't our fault!" protested Vivian. "We would've been successful if those stupid do-gooders hadn't showed up!"
"Yeah!" Bruno seconded. "W-We're not disloyal to you, Boss, really! It was as Vivian said! It was out of our hands!"
"...Tch. Excuses, excuses," dismissed Mikhail. "Honestly, do you hear your desperation? It's like a herd of wild Wooloo bleating sometimes. At least come up with better excuses in front of the Boss. ...How disappointing of you, Bruno and Vivian."
"...Bruno and Vivian…" Hinnerk scanned the two. "...Oh yes, I remember now. The rookies that joined sometime back. The Meowth and that Deino boy with a girl's name." Hinnerk snickered at this, looking at the dragon in question. "Vivian...Who the hell gave you that name in the first place? Did they know just what gender you were? Or was your voice too high-pitched to tell?"
"..." Vivian was on the cusp of giving a retort. But he remembered who he was speaking to, and reluctantly held his tongue.
"So what did Girl's Name and the other runt fail in?" the Thorned Roses' leader asked. "...Was it something serious? It better not have been…" He glared at the rookies, whose fear only increased tenfold.
"...Thankfully, no. They were to apprehend a girl whose family's behind on rent payments," Mikhail informed. "They had a good opportunity and all; apparently she'd gone to Verdant Woods to find a sentimental keepsake she'd lost, or something like that. Either way, they had a perfect opportunity to seize her, and potentially use her as ransom to compel her family to scrounge up money for the rent payments."
"...And they failed?"
"They failed." Mikhail looked over at the two in acknowledgment. "...Why not hear the words from their own mouths? ...Tell the Boss exactly how you failed that simple task." He turned that question to the Dark-type duo. "Oh, and if you utter excuses, it's straight on sewer duty as punishment. Stay off the excuses, though, and you may just avoid that."
Both Hinnerk's and Mikhail's eyes fell on Bruno and Vivian, demanding to know the details. Faced with the looks from their two superiors, it was the former that swallowed his fear and spoke up.
"...Two friends of the girl came along to save her," Bruno began. "And they were a lot stronger than we anticipated. ...We lost to them," he admitted, embarrassed and ashamed.
"They were talking heroic crap about how they were going to help Selenia in its darkest hour. Or something like that," Vivian recalled scathingly. "That Riolu...Could he have been any more annoying? Talking like he was number one...He talked shit about the Thorned Roses, too. Said he hadn't even heard of us. ...You heard that right, didn't you, Bruno?"
"...He did say that. He was weird, too. His eyes were green, even though Riolu's eyes are normally red," elaborated Bruno. "...Stupid twit. He'll get what's coming to him. That Treecko, too."
Hinnerk was half-listening to the explanation the rookies were giving him, not really caring at first. However, at Bruno's last statement, he suddenly snapped to attention.
A Treecko?
"A Riolu and a Treecko…" Mikhail murmured. "...I'd bet strong money they were those two I encountered in the main square yesterday. That same Riolu talked back to me as well, as if he was some big shot. ...I gave him a good lesson, though. A lesson of my venom's malice." He grinned evilly at the memory.
"...So that Riolu's a problem, then," Hinnerk noted. "...But I'm more curious about the Treecko. What did you glean about them?"
"...Hmm…" The Seviper racked his brains. "...I didn't notice any defining traits about the Treecko. The only thing I could say is that she was a girl around late adolescence, if I had to make an educated guess. ...I couldn't say for sure. To me, the Riolu was the greater drawer of attention of the two of them." He looked at his boss, curiosity in his eyes. "...Why do you ask? Why are you so curious about the Treecko?
"...Oh, it's just...something," Hinnerk replied. "Just a hunch, really. I do wonder if that Treecko's who I think she is...Hmm…"
"...Um," piped up Vivian, drawing the attention of the Obstagoon and Seviper. "If we can speak…"
"You can't," shot down Mikhail. "You failed the mission, remember? Be quiet while your superiors are talking."
"But we know the Treecko's name!" Bruno protested. "She was called...what was it again? Elvina? No...Elvira. Yes, it was Elvira!" But in that moment, Mikhail glared hard at him, making him shrink back down in submission. "...If it helps…"
"What did I just say?" Mikhail icily reprimanded. "I told you to pipe down. Don't you dare disobey orders like that again!"
However, the Seviper missed the slightly stunned expression borne by his overhead. Hinnerk stood there, processing the name Bruno had uttered.
Elvira…
With that name, a half-forgotten memory came back to him.
Seven years ago...
Hinnerk walked through the back streets of Iria, clutching a sack. He had been tasked to transport a valuable commodity by his overheads, and he obliged dutifully, knowing that his reward would be a lucrative one. At one point, he stopped, and looked through the small sack once more, double-checking that nothing had fallen out. That wouldn't end well for me if it did.
He continued along the alley, strutting on all fours as a Linoone. He had not yet evolved, although he was putting in hours at night time in order to potentially trigger the evolution. But it hadn't happened yet, and Hinnerk was beginning to worry about it.
It'll happen one day, he kept assuring himself. But as the days passed, he found his agitation and anxiety hard to suppress. The training sessions helped as an outlet for these negative emotions, though, and he found himself getting more into them over the last few weeks.
The Linoone shook his head, trying to get rid of the distractions in his head and focus on the mission at hand. It wasn't too much further to his destination, at least. Just another bit to go, and…
"Hah...Finally, we're out of there."
The sound of the voice made Hinnerk freeze. Especially given that he knew who that voice belonged to.
What in blazes? ...What the hell is Kallias doing here? No, no, no...if he sees me, then I'm doomed! Quickly, he looked for a hiding place. But there wasn't anywhere completely foolproof, so he had to make do with some stacked beer kegs. Please don't come down this far, please don't come down this far...he silently begged.
"You're telling me," a second voice sounded out. "I never thought we'd get out of there."
Shit...Melchior's here too?
"Who would've thought it'd come to this in our lives?" Kallias's voice spoke, with slight mirth in it. "I mean, I'm grateful for the praise, but...it does wear on you when you just want to go home to the Guild. After all, I did promise Elvira I'd be home for her hatch day. I don't want to be away like last time."
"It's not for another few days, though," Melchior pointed out. "You've got time, Kallias."
"Yes, time. Time to prepare a gift for her," Kallias said. "Hopefully, the Tropius Carriers will have it delivered in time. That Dresilian merchant did promise me he'd have everything ready."
"...Let's hope he followed through," Melchior replied. "That would be most unfortunate, if the hatch day gift arrived late."
"True. ...I do love my little girl." Kallias's voice spoke with tenderness. "She and Zenobia mean the world to me. And I don't want to let Elvira down like last hatch day. To think she'll be eleven already...She's growing up fast. Before you know it, she'll be apprenticing at the Guild. And I'm sure when that happens, she'll be the happiest girl in the world."
"I imagine she will," Melchior agreed. "...You're not going to give it to her right away, though, are you?"
"No, too soon," dismissed Kallias. "Not until she's a teenager, at least. But that's not too far away. Hell, given how time goes, blink and she'll be an adolescent. That's what it feels like these days."
"...Sure does," Melchior said. "...Hmm...I think the coast is clear. The crowd appeared to miss us."
"Thank the gods for that," Kallias replied, relief present in his voice. "My arms ache after signing all those autographs. I just want to get back to the Guild…"
"Let's go then, while it's quiet," Melchior suggested. Then, to the immense relief of the Linoone in the alley, the duo strolled away back into the main streets.
...Thank Arceus I wasn't spotted, Hinnerk thought, breathing a sigh of relief. It'd be one thing to be spotted. But by Team Marshwood of all people? I'd never live it down. Now then...once the coast is clear, time to get out of sight. And with that, after a short wait to make sure the Sceptile and Swampert were gone, the Linoone continued down the alleyway.
It had been a close call of a moment, back then, trying to avoid detection. And frankly, it was a moment that he had dreaded on reflection, being so close to being caught by Kallias and Melchior, two individuals he loathed with a passion.
But now...it proved to highlight to him an important fact that he typically dismissed before this.
Fernblade Kallias had a daughter named Elvira. And now there was a Treecko by the name of Elvira that had defeated two of his henchmen.
...There's no way in hell that's a coincidence. I'd stake my whole claim to Ozerograd on it. ...So, like father, like daughter, eh? Typical. Just typical. Even when Kallias has disappeared off the face of the world, his spawn takes his place.
...But they're not the same, he then thought to himself. Fernblade Kallias was in a league of his own. There's no way his kid's as powerful as he is. She's just a Treecko, after all. Which means...I may be able to reel her in.
A devilish smile appeared on the Obstagoon's lips.
"...Hinnerk?" questioned Mikhail, not knowing why his boss's foul mood had given way to a smirk.
"...I think we've happened upon quite a windfall, Mikhail," Hinnerk said. "Who would've thought Fernblade Kallias's daughter would turn up here of all places?" The wicked grin on his face grew.
"Fernblade Kallias's daughter?" The Seviper cocked his head. "You really think the Treecko that defeated these two is his child?"
"I'm certain of it. If this Treecko conveniently named Elvira doesn't happen to have any relation to that smug bastard, then I'll eat carpet," Hinnerk replied. "He had a kid named Elvira, that puffed-up do-gooder. I'll be damned if it's a coincidence. ...And you know that? I can't think of a better way to get revenge on Fernblade Kallias by doing away with his little girl."
"Ah…A wonderful idea," Mikhail agreed, his expression taking on the same evil grin that Hinnerk was sporting. "That would be a delicious act of karma, wouldn't it?"
"Indeed, it would." Hinnerk licked his lips. "Well, boys...looks like we got a wench to hunt. Scour the surrounding area for her, and when you find her, make sure to bring her back to me. But don't kill her. I want to be the one to send her to Yveltal's embrace."
"Understood. I'll get around to dispatching men to look for her." The Seviper then gestured to the two behind him. "But first...however shall we punish these runts for their failure?"
"Hmm...How about sewer treatment?" proposed the Obstagoon. "Just like you suggested earlier."
"Yes, indeed," Mikhail concurred. "Glad to see we think the same way."
"Oh, come on!" protested Vivian. "You promised we'd avoid sewer duty if we didn't give excuses! And we didn't!"
"I never promised anything," Mikhail corrected. "I said you might avoid sewage duty if you didn't give any excuses. There never was a guarantee to begin with. In other words, I might not choose to take pity on you. And I didn't. Nor did the boss."
"Get back to town and get started on that, you two," ordered Hinnerk. "Hell, if you do a good enough job, you might just be sent out to look for that hero's spawn."
"...Fat chance," murmured Bruno, though it was silent enough that neither of his superiors heard the remark. "...Well, Vivian...let's just do it and get it over with."
"...Alright," sighed Vivian in defeat, before they turned around.
"Hop to it," ordered Mikhail. "Ozerograd's sewers won't clean themselves. And the boss doesn't appreciate being kept waiting."
"Indeed, I don't," the Obstagoon agreed. "And that goes for the rest of the Thorned Roses. The sooner we find this Treecko, the better."
"Don't worry, Hinnerk. I won't let you down," pledged Mikhail, before he slithered away with the two rookies in tow.
"...Heh." The Obstagoon let out a laugh, once they were gone. "So Kallias's little girl has been hiding under my nose all this time, has she? If only I'd known that sooner...Oh well. Better late than never, I suppose." He turned his back and got ready to head into the villa.
But this time, it wouldn't be another session of binge drinking, he decided. A bit of wine, perhaps, just in case. He didn't want to be staggering in an intoxicated manner if the Treecko was found. But at the same time, he didn't want to be fully sober, either. Alcohol gave him greater confidence to carry out things he wouldn't have the will to do if sober. At least, that was what he liked to think.
Before he entered the building, Hinnerk looked to the blue sky, up to the heavens. A taunting smile crossed his face.
That'll show you, Fernblade Kallias. After the way you ruined my life...I'd be all too happy to snuff the life from the girl that meant everything to you.
"Mmm...this is rather nice," Zenobia commented, after eating a piece of nanab bread. "It's as good as mine, I'd say."
"Oh no, I wouldn't say so," Elvira replied. "This is good, but...nothing compares to your nanab bread, Mom."
"...Perhaps I ought to make some again. It has been a while since I last made some."
"Oh! Good idea," Elvira backed. "Then Arian can taste it and see how brilliant your cooking is."
"...Well...if it's as good as the porridge was yesterday, then I'm all for it," Arian said.
It was the morning after Arian and Elvira had returned home from their escapade in Blossoming Meadow, where they rescued Iona and brought her back to her mother. When they returned to the house, they regaled that day's exploits to Zenobia over dinner, and the Heliolisk congratulated them for their selflessness in jumping in to save the young Flabébé. The two Pokémon went to bed not long after, satisfied that they'd done a good day's work.
Now it was the next morning, and the three occupants of the house were eating breakfast. However, instead of preparing her own breakfast, Zenobia wished to try some of the nanab bread loaf that Arian and Elvira brought home the night prior. The two agreed, and so nanab bread was that morning's dish.
"That would be nice," continued Zenobia. "...However, I would need to get nanab berries. And I don't believe we have any in the pantry."
"...I guess we'll add that to the list of things we need, like the rawst tea leaves," Elvira said, before realising something. "Oh, I should've looked out for tea leaves when we were down at the marketplace yesterday...How'd I forget?"
"It's alright, dear," assured her mother. "It's only tea leaves. We can do without them."
"...Besides, we were preoccupied with me being poisoned," Arian reminded. "It'd be easy to forget in that situation."
"...I suppose that's true. Still...I'll try and remember it next time," resolved Elvira. "Maybe when we go into town today."
At the mention of this, Zenobia's expression became a concerned one. "...Going into town...Are you certain about this, you two?" she asked.
"...Well…" Elvira's reply faltered when she saw the worry in the Heliolisk's eyes.
"Ozerograd's the main place to find people like the Florges from yesterday who have issues troubling them," Arian reasoned. "There's bound to be more people like her who need help in town."
"...I understand you want to help people. And I get that. I really do," Zenobia said, concern and worry dotting her gaze and words. "But...think of yourselves as well. The fact that Arian was attacked and poisoned yesterday without provocation is only proof of the kinds of tricks the Thorned Roses will pull. ...If you must go into town...please, please, I beg of you, be careful…"
"...Don't worry, Mom. We'll be careful," promised Elvira. However...Arian couldn't help but notice doubt in her voice, and could once again sense the doubtful emotions through the sensation of waves, much like how he could when he sensed Elvira's sadness two days prior.
The Treecko got up from her seat and got ready to clean up. But before she could, knocking sounded once again on the front door.
"...Who could that be?" wondered Zenobia.
"I'll get it," Elvira volunteered. She made her way out of the room and down the hallway.
"I'll go as well," Arian seconded, and followed Elvira. The Treecko reached the front door, and opened it.
Outside were two Pokémon. One of them was a pink, white and red insect-like Pokémon with two long scythes and a striped pattern along its legs. The other was a familiar face to the duo - a Petilil.
"Oh, hello, Flora," greeted Elvira. "And Vardan as well. …It's good to see you."
"Likewise," the other Pokémon returned. The voice of it was masculine, which was something of a surprise to Arian; their colouration did look a tad feminine to him. "It's good to see you again, Elvira. And also...it's nice to meet your mercenary partner." He looked over her shoulder at the Riolu just behind her. "...Arian, was it? Flora told me all about you. I'm Vardan, her father. It's good to meet you."
"Oh, er...you too," returned Arian, somewhat awkwardly. He looked away slightly, and then his gaze fell on Flora. "...Hi, Flora."
"...You're not great at introductions, are you?" the Petilil snarked.
"Flora, don't be rude," chastised Vardan. "You said he had amnesia. He's likely still getting adjusted to this new reality of his." He turned back to Arian. "I'm probably the first Lurantis you've seen, I presume?"
"...Yeah. I haven't seen anyone like you before," Arian confirmed. "...Then again, it's not like I've seen a huge range of Pokémon. But that'll change, hopefully." He looked at Elvira, as if to indicate their mercenary relationship as the reason behind it.
"...Perhaps so. But...what are you two doing here? I mean, I'm happy to see you, Vardan and Flora...but I'm guessing you didn't come all the way out here just to see Mom and I, did you?"
"...That's true," confessed the Lurantis. "Mind you, I did come out here to see you and your mother. But...that wasn't the only reason. Would you mind if we discussed it inside?"
"Of course," agreed Elvira. "...Oh, but we don't have tea, though. Sorry to tell you that."
"No worries." Vardan dug into a small satchel at his side, and brought out a container. "I brought my own, just in case. ...You see, Flora? It never hurts to be prepared," he victoriously jabbed. "I told you we might need them."
"...Whatever," Flora retorted back with an eye-roll.
And so it came to it that Vardan and Flora had tea with Arian, Elvira and Zenobia. The Lurantis had brought with him persim tea leaves, which brought another new taste to Arian's lips. He found he rather liked it. The taste wasn't a blessing on his lips - it wasn't quite that flavourful to him - but it was alright. He found he preferred it to the rawst tea he'd had the other day.
"...So how are things going in town?" Zenobia asked, taking a sip of tea.
"...Same as always," Vardan replied, giving something of a chuckle with a light hint of bitterness. "Thorned Roses everywhere, everyone being fearful of them, and therefore people tend to only go out if they absolutely have to. ...It's not been great for business, to say the least. But we're getting by...somehow."
"...And how's Diantha?" the Heliolisk queried. "I see she couldn't be with you today."
"No. She's holding down the fort while we're out here," explained the Lurantis. "She sends her regards, though. Oh, and she hopes you get better soon as well."
"I hope so, too. It's been quite limiting," agreed Zenobia, looking down at her injured leg. "...On the upside, though, I've finally been able to dig into that bookshelf and find some literature. There's one story I'm reading right that's full of twists and turns that come out of nowhere. Truly, it's a thrilling tale...I'm going to jump right back into it once we're done here."
"...All that talk about books and stories...You really are a family of bookworms," Flora remarked.
"Yes, and proud to be one," the Heliolisk countered. "Books are a gateway to another world. A brilliant escape from a grim reality. You should read with me, Flora."
"...Maybe," the Petilil deflected.
"Oh yeah…you're looking after Zenobia today, aren't you, Flora?" Arian recalled.
"Yeah. I did make a promise to Elvira, after all," Flora said. "That's why I came out here. It's also an escape from the Thorned Roses, being out here. So that's certainly a plus."
"That's true," Elvira realised. "...But then...why are you here, Vardan? There...isn't a need for you to be here, is there?"
"...Well...Flora coming out here to look after Zenobia wasn't the only reason for this excursion out here," confessed the Bloom Sickle Pokémon. "...I have a reason to come here as well. And it involves you two."
"Us?" Arian's eyes widened in surprise. "You mean...Elvira and I?"
"Indeed," Vardan confirmed. "You see, this morning, Rosa came into our shop. And unusually for the woman, she was in a good mood. When I asked her about it, she told me that her daughter had been rescued from Blossoming Meadow by two young Pokémon. They were none other than a Riolu and a Treecko by the name of Arian and Elvira."
"...Rosa? Would she be a Florges, by any chance?" Elvira asked.
"Yes, she is. I know her well, and she and Diantha are good friends," explained the Lurantis. "Flora had already told me about Elvira forming a team with a Riolu named Arian, so it didn't take long to connect the dots. Truth be told, I was curious about this new development, so when Flora was getting ready to head out here, I decided to tag along."
"So it's curiosity, is it?" Arian wondered.
"Well...sorry, I missed the point again," Vardan apologised. "Curiosity was another factor. One that led into the real reason I came out here. To put it simply…" He paused. "I would like to employ your mercenary services."
"Really?!" Elvira exclaimed. "You want us to...help you out in some way?"
"Yes, I would," the Lurantis replied. "I'll even pay you. That is, if one hundred Poké is acceptable? That's all I can afford to divulge, I'm afraid."
"...No, no, that's alright," accepted the Treecko. "That's entry-level mercenary money, anyway. We'll accept it. ...Well, as long as the job isn't super difficult."
"It shouldn't be," Vardan said. "Let's see...How to explain this? ...I've wanted for the last while to go to Cyan Cove. You surely know of the pearls that are found deep within the place?"
"Yes, indeed," Zenobia replied. "Kallias fashioned a necklace out of some pearls for an anniversary present for me once."
"Funny you should bring that up, Zenobia," Vardan said, with a light chuckle at the coincidence. "You see, I...wished to get something similar for Diantha. For the exact same reason, in fact: as an anniversary present. I know someone in town who could fashion pearls into some kind of jewellery. Plus, along with how things are going with the Thorned Roses...I would like to get her a gift to lift her spirits."
"Oh, let me guess," presumed Arian. "You want us to find a pearl for you in...Cyan Cove, was it?"
"Correct. You found quite an astute partner, Elvira," the Lurantis praised. "...Yes, that's it exactly. I'd like you to retrieve pearls from there. They're normally found in the depths of the Dungeon."
"Dungeon?" Then it clicked for Arian. "...So it's a Mystery Dungeon, then."
"True. But it's a benign one. You shouldn't have much trouble with it," Vardan assured.
"He's right," Elvira seconded. "I've been there a few times. It's not overly dangerous. We should be fine."
"And it's away from town," Zenobia added. "So hopefully, you won't encounter any Thorned Roses there."
"... Well, let's not wait any longer, then." Arian got up from his seat. "Come on, Elvira. Let's get going."
"Okay. I'll just get the bag and then we'll go," the Treecko said. She also got up from her seat, and left the kitchen to head to her own room, where their mercenary's bag was located. Arian followed her out of the room.
"...What a pair," commented Vardan, once they'd left. "It's nice to see Elvira following in the footsteps of her father. If only old Kallias was here to see her now…"
"Stop doing that, Dad," chided Flora. "I told you this already yesterday. Elvira doesn't want to be compared to her dad when she does mercenary work. She doesn't want the stress of living up to him placed on her shoulders."
"...I understand that much," the Lurantis accepted. "But I must say...that will be quite a difficult bind to sever. I really wouldn't blame people who compare her to her father. It's inevitable it will happen, once they hear that Elvira is the daughter of Fernblade Kallias. That's just what people do."
"...I agree with you there," Zenobia concurred, finishing off the remainder of her tea. "Many have the tendency to raise their expectations too high, and become disappointed when they fall short. Elvira's correct to be fearful of these expectations. Even Kallias saw a fair share of that when he was still around. Some expected him to have an aura of grandeur and be an awesome sight, only to be disappointed by his humbleness and straightforward character. ...Mind you, they were mainly nobles, so I'm not sure that counts."
"Heh. Nice one," Vardan snickered at the disparagement. "...But going back to Elvira. I do hope she succeeds in her mercenary work. I imagine it'll be a formidable task, what with Selenia being in the state it's in...but I wish her all the best. Really, I do.
"Now then. I know Flora was due to help you, but I think I'll stay here and help out as well until the kids come back. Is that alright with you, Zenobia?"
"Oh, it's no problem," the Heliolisk permitted. "Stay a while, Vardan. I'd like to be caught up on the last few weeks."
"Of course. Let's go to the sitting room. And here, I'll help you," the Lurantis volunteered, going over to her and grabbing her crutches.
"Thank you very much," Zenobia said, as she took hold of them and made her way out of the room, with Vardan by her side.
"...You're lucky Mom knows better," Flora observed, looking at that scene that could very well be mistaken for something else. "If you married a more distrustful woman, she'd think you were having an affair with her. ...But there's nothing saucy here. Just boring chit-chat from fellow parents. What else is new? ...Oh, and worse still, Dad left me to clean up." She saw the cups on the table. "Well, it's what I signed up to do…" Sighing, she went to gather the cups to be washed.
"We go to the left," Elvira directed, once they had reached the road outside the house.
"Hmm...I haven't been this way yet," Arian noted, as he followed his partner in her instructed direction. "What's in this direction?"
"Well, Cyan Cove is this way, of course. And a number of villages and small towns. But beyond that...from Ozerograd, this is the main road that eventually leads to the Empyrean Mountains and Miletos."
"...The Empyrean Mountains?" Arian asked quizzically. "What are those?"
"The Empyrean Mountains…" Elvira considered what to say. "...I'd say they're the most prominent physical feature in Ardalion. It runs down the centre of the continent, and every single country has a part of the mountain range in them. All of the continent's major rivers run from there, and act as the lifeblood of Ardalion, nourishing millions of people. And the mountains themselves are massive. They're some of the tallest mountains in the country, some mountains reaching above the clouds themselves. They're honestly dominating. We should go see them at some point."
"Ooh...I'd like to see that," the Riolu said enthusiastically.
"They are quite a sight," the Treecko agreed. "They're like a barrier between the western and eastern halves of Ardalion. It's only thanks to a few narrow passageways that we can even link them. And even then, those are fairly treacherous to trek through. ...I've come to realise, though...that maybe the Empyrean Mountains being a barrier isn't necessarily a good thing."
"...What do you mean?" Arian asked. "Why's that a bad thing?"
"...You wouldn't know this, Arian, but...the truth is that there's a big west-east divide in Ardalion," revealed Elvira. "That is to say, there's rivalry and considerable friction between Selenia and Alba, the countries west of the Empyrean Mountains, and Dresilia and Miletos, the countries of the east. You see, the east has better land than the west, which in the past led the eastern countries to become more powerful than their western equivalents. But...this has led to the east looking down on the west like they're barbaric, backward savages. And this means that the west now looks on the east like they're selfish and egotistic."
"Oh...really? Is it that bad?" the Riolu wondered.
"Mmhm. And the Empyrean Mountains make this difference all the more real," the Treecko went on. "Once you're on the opposite side, it's easy to view it as a world different from your own. The same goes for the people. If you're not a regular traveller between the halves of Ardalion, it's easy to fall victim to rumours. More so if you never travel over the mountains. That's what I mean by the mountains acting as a barrier not really being a good thing. ...I suppose at the very least, it has at least meant that war over the last five hundred years between the east and west has been rare because of the mountains."
"Of course. War and mountainous terrain don't go well together," realised Arian. "...I see...So there's racism at play in this world…"
"...Unfortunately, yes," Elvira accepted. "But obviously not all the stereotypes are true. I've met nice people from the east, and my dad and Melchior had requests from the east by people who knew better than to believe in rumours. And even up in the higher levels of society, the previous tsar of Selenia was making close relations with the emperor of Dresilia and the archon of Miletos. While it was never an alliance as such, it was pretty close to it. ...A shame Mitrofan had to come along and derail all that."
"...Wait a minute," Arian pondered. "If the leaders of the east were good friends with the previous tsar, then why aren't they doing anything about Mitrofan?"
"...There isn't the political will in the east to do anything about Mitrofan," the Treecko replied. "Even if the leaders supported Mitrofan's removal, they'd still have to get approval from their nobles, and that would be an arduous task to the point of it not being worth raising an army and going to Selenia to depose of Mitrofan. It's apathy more than anything that's keeping them."
"...That's terrible," replied the Riolu, partly shocked by the reason given. "Apathy? Really? But there are people suffering over this side of the mountains! They need help!"
"If it's over the other side of the mountains, then it's not their problem. That's simply how they'd view it," Elvira reasoned. "...I know. It is terrible. But that's just the way of the world. Plus, from what I hear, they have their own upheavals to deal with. They'd probably have bigger things on their plate than help out a country that's been despised by most of their citizens and nobility."
"...That's…" Arian tried to come up with a response, but came up with nothing. He could only walk on in silence, slightly staggered by what he had heard, about the inactivity of the east in the face of this calamity in the west. How could they be so selfish? he thought to himself.
The two walked on in silence for the next while. Arian was still lost in thought about the east-west divide Elvira told him about, while the Treecko herself had gone silent, presumably lost in her own thoughts.
Silence reigned as the two of them walked further down the road. Eventually, Arian's thoughts drifted from his previous discussion with Elvira, and to their surroundings. Once again, the day was bright and sunny, and it brought out the best in the landscape. The grass was green, a gentle breeze blew, and the sun shone brightly, casting the land in a warm glow.
"...Yet another beautiful day," he remarked.
"...Mmm," was all that Elvira murmured in agreement.
...That's strange, the Riolu thought to himself. Is that all Elvira has to say? He looked over at the Treecko, and noticed that she had a pensive look on her face. ...What's she thinking about?
"Elvira?" he asked. "Is something the matter?"
"Hm?" Elvira seemed to snap out of her thoughts. "Oh no, I'm fine. Really."
"...Are you alright? You seem a bit out of it," Arian observed. "Penny for your thoughts?"
"...Penny for your thoughts?" Elvira repeated, rather confused. "Don't you mean 'Poké for your thoughts?'"
"...Er, no?" the human replied, perplexed. "Penny for your thoughts? It basically means 'What's on your mind?' ...Do you not know that expression?"
"...I've never heard it said that way," Elvira replied. "You're the first person I've heard say it like that. What exactly is a penny, for that matter?"
"A penny is...a form of currency," explained Arian. "It's not much, though. A penny on its own would barely get you anything. But over time, 'penny for your thoughts' became a saying of sorts. ...Hm. I guess it's a human thing."
"...I see...So it's not like your memories of the human world have been wiped completely," noted Elvira. "You still recall some things, like that thing about pennies."
"...I guess so. But...I can't recall any vital things," the Riolu said, rather disheartened when the words came out of his mouth. "If only I could…"
"Hey, don't worry," soothed Elvira. "You'll find out who you really are in time, Arian. Until then, just focus on the road in front of you."
"...You're right. I told myself I'd be optimistic about this. I told myself I'd go with the flow," Arian said, reminding himself of the conversation he'd had with Zenobia yesterday morning. "...Funny. There's me trying to cheer you up, and yet it ended up the other way around."
"Yeah...it's odd how that works, isn't it?" Elvira commented.
"...On that note, what were you thinking about, Elvira?" Arian queried.
"...Well…" The Treecko hesitated, unsure if she wanted to speak of it.
"...Is it a personal thing? You don't have to answer if you don't want to."
"...No, it isn't, actually. It's just...how do I word this?" Elvira considered her words, but then broke up that line of thought when she saw what was ahead of them. "Oh wait, hang on. This is the road that leads to Cyan Cove."
And indeed, it was; a Y-junction lay in front of them, with a small side road veered downhill to the right, down to a small beach. The signpost at the junction helpfully informed them of what was in each direction.
← Lukomoria, Milenia Pass, Empyrean Mountains
→ Cyan Cove
"So, to the right we go, then," observed Arian, though he couldn't help but be curious about the other things written on the sign. I'll find out at some point, he told himself.
The duo walked down the hill. It wasn't long before they reached the rocks above the cove itself; a small inlet with. However, it was different to the beach just outside Elvira's house; this beach was more sheltered, with rocky formations all around the beach. True to its name, the sea seemed to shine a bright cyan colour in the inlet.
"...It's a nice beach," Elvira observed. "...But it's not quite as memory-filled as the one nearer to home. Plus, it's harder to picnic on."
"...It does look that way," agreed Arian. "...So where exactly is the Mystery Dungeon?"
"It's down on the beach, near the centre of it," Elvira said, pointing to where she directed. "We'll have to climb down the rocks to get there."
"...Alright then. Shouldn't be a problem."
And indeed, it wasn't. The rocks were large, and climbing down them proved unchallenging. Occasionally, some unsteady footings were made by Arian, who hadn't climbed in his body of a Riolu before, but in the end, they both made it to the Mystery Dungeon without incident.
And right away, Arian noticed it, as he stepped onto the sand.
It was a cave. But it seemed like a dark, black abyss where no detail of the cave's insides could be made out. This being the third instance of this oddity, the Riolu knew immediately what this meant.
"So that's it, then," the human remarked. "The Mystery Dungeon."
"It is, indeed," Elvira confirmed. "But at least we don't have to scour every floor looking for someone like the last two times. We can just go straight to the end. I know for a fact that's where the pearls that Vardan wants grow there."
"Pearls in a place like this? ...Somehow, I can't imagine it," Arian voiced. "It looks a bit plain from the outside."
"That's because you haven't seen the inside," Elvira countered. "Never judge a book by its cover. Or in this case, never judge a cave by its entrance."
"Okay, that's at least a saying we have in the human world. The first one anyway," Arian replied. "Guess our sayings aren't so different after all."
"I guess not. ...But anyway. Let's head in and get what Vardan wants."
And with that, the duo headed in.
Cyan Cove
B1F
Once again, Arian and Elvira returned to the familiar format of the maze. However, this was a bit different for the former, due to the fact that this was his first Mystery Dungeon that was a cave. Thankfully, it wasn't dark to the point of sightlessness, and even if it was, Arian would be able to see just fine due to his good night vision as a Riolu.
"So this is Cyan Cove's Mystery Dungeon?" the Riolu said, looking around at the cave. "...Not bad. But would we really find pearls in here?"
"Yes. There's an area at the end where there's a huge deposit of them," Elvira told him. "We just need to make our way there. There's no need to scour every floor like we did the last two times."
"...Good. That takes the stress off things," Arian said, a hint of relief in his voice. "Well then...I guess we'll start looking for the stairs."
And so they started searching. A walk through the corridors and rooms revealed a cave with a seabound theme; the scent of saltwater was prevalent to Arian's nose as he attempted to get used to his new sense of smell as a Riolu. Humans definitely don't have this strong a sense of smell, he thought to himself. Yet another thing I have to get used to…
He was snapped out of his thoughts when he was approached by a Roggenrola.
"A Rock-type? ...Ah! I do well against those!" he recalled, remembering what he'd been told about types by Elvira and Tamara two days prior. He charged a Force Palm and struck the Mantle Pokémon, staggering it. However, that was not enough to knock it out.
"Allow me to help, Arian," Elvira requested, before stepping forward and using Absorb. That did the trick, and the Roggenrola was down.
"...Thanks, Elvira," Arian said gratefully.
"No problem," the Treecko replied. "...Just to say that Rock-types are known for being physically hardy. So don't be surprised if you don't knock them out in one hit, even with an attack like Force Palm that they're weak to."
"...Right. Gotcha."
"This place has plenty of Rock- and Water-types. Roggenrola like them are only one species that live here," Elvira elaborated.
"Rock- and Water-types...and if I remember correctly, you do well against both of those," Arian recollected. "Good! With the two of us, we won't have much to worry about, then."
"...Famous last words," the gecko returned.
"Ha! Hopefully not," the Riolu laughed. "...You're right, though. Still getting used to everything, and enemies can exploit that as a weakness. I shouldn't get cocky."
"Well...the quicker we finish, the less opportunities we have to slip up," reasoned Elvira. "Let's get back to finding those stairs."
"Agreed."
And so they continued along the path. It was fortunate for them that the stairs were in the next room.
"Would you look at that! What a pleasant surprise," Arian chirped. "They were right here waiting for us."
"Down we go, then," Elvira said, and the duo climbed down the steps.
Cyan Cove
B4F
The two made good progress through the Mystery Dungeon. The next two floors yielded little to no incidents for them, and they also picked up some more items and money that were laying on the floor. The Pokémon of the Dungeon were also no trouble; it was mostly Water- and Rock-types that went down to Elvira and Arian's attacks with ease.
The fourth floor proved a bit more troublesome for them, though. The wild Pokémon still fell easily, but the stairs proved to be elusive to find. And after a while of trudging around the labyrinth, Arian found himself wanting to take a break. He wasn't tired, but wanted an opportunity just to stop and sit down for a while.
They were making their way down another corridor. They reached the end of it, but a scan of the room it led into revealed no other exit to the room.
"Dead end," Elvira said to Arian. "Back we go."
"...Wait a minute, Elvira," the Riolu requested. "Do you mind if we take a break first? I could kinda use it right now…"
"...Well...alright," the Treecko accepted. "I suppose it wouldn't hurt." She stepped back into the room, and sat down on the floor, next to a rock. Arian followed her into the room, and sat down opposite her. The room had a body of water in it, though a quick sniff from the Riolu found it to be saltwater, and therefore not the sort of water to fill up their canteens with.
There were two canteens of water for each of them, and Arian took a swig of water from his own. Although he was not overly thirsty, he found it a blessing to drink it at that point.
"...Are you alright, Arian?" Elvira asked. "Any reason why you're asking for a break?"
"...Just thought I could use a bit of a break before moving on," the Riolu replied. "This search for the stairs is beginning to get tedious."
"I agree. It can get frustrating sometimes," Elvira concurred. "...We're more than halfway through the Dungeon anyway. A little rest wouldn't hurt."
"Thanks for understanding, Elvira." Arian reached for the bag, and dug out an oran berry. "Um...I'm kinda hungry. May I have this?"
"Of course," allowed Elvira. "Whenever you're ready, we'll get back on the move."
"Thanks."
Arian took a bite out of the berry. As he ate it, he looked across at his partner. Elvira had partially submerged her left hand in water, and the clearness of the water became clear to the Riolu. Yet another good thing about this place, he told himself. Clean and clear free from pollution. That is some clarity, alright.
Then he recalled something from before they came down to Cyan Cove. We were in the middle of a conversation, but we came to the junction for Cyan Cove, and that put an end to it. What was it about again? He racked his brains, trying to remember.
...Oh yes, I remember now! She was looking pensive about something, and I was asking her what it was about. I never did get an answer, but...now's a time to return to it.
"Say...What were you thinking about earlier, Elvira?" he asked.
"Hm? What?" Elvira snapped out of her slight trance. "What was I thinking about?"
"Yeah. We were talking about it before we came down here. But then the subject changed, and I never got an answer. ...What were you thinking about? You said it wasn't something personal, I think."
"...It wasn't. It's...something everyone in Ardalion is dealing with right now." Elvira let out a long sigh. "...Have you been told of the increase in natural disasters in the last year or so?"
"Natural disasters?" Arian cocked his head. "What, like the fact that Pokémon can't evolve anymore?"
"No. ...Mind you, that is a natural disaster in a sense, but I'm talking about stuff like earthquakes, droughts, volcano eruptions," the Treecko listed. "Things like that."
"Oh, I see." Arian's eyes then narrowed in slight confusion. "...Has there really been an increase in them? I...can't say I've noticed anything."
"That's because Selenia's avoided the brunt of them," Elvira explained. "But even then, it hasn't gone unnoticed that more earthquakes are happening, and the autumnal storms are getting more fierce. And right now, we're actually experiencing something of an unnatural weather pattern in this warm weather we've been having."
"...Wait, really?" Arian was surprised to hear this. "But the weather's been really nice every single day so far since I woke up."
"It has been; there's no denying that," agreed Elvira. "But we've been having this good spell for a while, for at least a month. Earlier during this period, before you came along, the weather was actually quite hot by Selenian standards. And although it's cooled down a bit...the rain has been quite scarce. For crops, and for livelihoods...that's not good at all."
"...Oh...I get it," murmured the Riolu, understanding where the Grass-type was coming from. "Without rain, crops can't grow, and water supplies can't be replenished."
"You've got that right. There's a well at the back of our house where we get our water from," Elvira went on. "The water level's getting worryingly low. If rain doesn't come soon, then I don't know what we're going to do." She let out another long sigh. "...The reason I didn't want to bring it up was...well, it was because of you."
"Me?" Arian's eyes widened in shock. "But...why?"
"Don't think wrongly about it," Elvira said to him. "It's just...you've praised this world for its surroundings and tried to look positively upon everything. Mom told me about how you were trying to look beyond your lost memories and see your appearance in this world as a good thing. ...I...don't want to rain on your parade with my negative thoughts and bring you down."
"...So that's what this is about?" Arian replied. It's because I'm trying to be optimistic? "...It's okay to be truthful, Elvira. Don't hide these things and get in a mood because of my optimism. Look, if you're finding it irritating, I'll stop."
"No no no! It's fine," insisted Elvira. "It's a good thing to be optimistic. Not many people are in a time like this in Ardalion."
"But don't feel you have to suppress your thoughts for my sake," Arian returned. "We're a team, right? If something's bugging you, don't feel afraid to share it with me. I know sharing thoughts can be a tricky thing sometimes, but...I won't judge you. I promise."
"...You forgive easily," commented Elvira, a small amount of mirth returning to her. "...It's also the fact that I don't like talking about the natural disasters happening right now. It's a reminder of a problem that's too mystifying for words. And it's a problem that I fear won't go away anytime soon. At least most of Selenia's political problems will be gone if Mitrofan is overthrown. But no one knows anything about these natural disasters to even have an idea of how to resolve them. ...I hate being powerless," she then added mournfully.
"You don't have to be," Arian encouraged. "We've got each others' back, and I promised I'd help shoulder your burdens. Plus...in this time of natural disasters, we need mercenaries more than ever to help those affected by them. If we can't solve the problem, we can at least mitigate how badly the disasters affect people's livelihoods."
"...I...understand," Elvira replied. "...Moments like this...This is how I know I made the right choice in a partner. When one of us falls down, the other should always be there to help them back on their feet."
"...Indeed." Arian chose this moment to rise from his sitting position. "...Come on, Elvira. Let's go find this pearl for Vardan."
"...Alright, Arian. Right behind you."
Cyan Cove
Grotto
The two made it through the rest of the Mystery Dungeon without much incident. Arian could at least say now that he was getting the hang of his moves, and his Force Palm was quickly proving to be his most viable option of attack. This was something that didn't go unnoticed by Elvira, and she chose to speak up about it once they'd climbed the stairs on the sixth floor.
"Your Force Palm's quite powerful," she noted. "But my word of advice would be to not be overdependent on any one move. You see, there's only so many times you can use a move before you use it up and can't use it any more for a while. In Mystery Dungeons, it's best not to use one move constantly; try and diversify your attacks. You could improve your usage of Quick Attack and Metal Claw while you're at it."
"...Okay, I see," Arian replied, nodding in understanding. "It'd be better to make myself a more well-rounded fighter, rather than just focusing on the one move. That's common sense anyway. I should try doing that from now on."
"You'll learn with time," Elvira said. "But now we're at the end. No more wild Pokémon to worry about."
The part of the cave they walked into had quite a large ceiling, from which a few stalactites hung. But what drew Arian's attention more was the large, cyan-coloured pool of water in front of them. One question stuck out to him, though, as he looked around.
"Where are the pearls?" he asked. "...I don't see any around."
"I know where they are," Elvira said. "Follow me." And Arian did so, following her to the edge of the water. The cyan blue water was incredibly clear, and he could see the bottom of the pond.
"Whoa," he reacted. "That's...surprisingly deep."
"I know," Elvira replied. "But it's nothing I can't handle. ...Stay here, Arian. I'll get the pearls."
"...Wait a minute. Elvira, what are you - "
Arian didn't even get a chance to finish his sentence before Elvira ran forward. Then a big splash sounded out, and next thing he knew, he saw the Treecko in the water, swimming down to the bottom.
"Elvira!" he cried out instinctively. He was about to continue, but broke himself off as he saw her movements. She was actually quite an adept swimmer, and was able to reach the pool's floor effortlessly. Then she appeared to reach out for something by one of the rocks at the bottom. After that, she then made her way back up, and surfaced again.
"Hah…!" she breathed, taking in air. "Got them...Got the pearls." She wordlessly laid out her findings, as she took in more breaths of air.
"...So that's what we were looking for," Arian observed, taking in his paw a few of the pearls.
"Yeah...Vardan will be thrilled with this find," Elvira said, as she gradually regained her breath. "You could certainly make a necklace with these."
"So that's mission accomplished, then?"
"Yes. All that's left is to pack these up and head out of here."
"Cool. ...Say, you swam rather well back there," noted the Riolu, as he began to pack up the pearls.
"...Oh, I've learned over the years," Elvira told him. "My dad taught me well, and I used to practice with him back in the day, usually when he was home. 'It never hurts to learn how to swim,' he'd say. And well...it has been useful to me on a few occasions. It's certainly been useful today."
"...Right, that's the pearls gathered up," Arian announced. "Let's get out of here."
And so they left the Mystery Dungeon. As they walked back out to the beach and into the afternoon daylight, Arian looked back with a sense of satisfaction.
Another day, another successful mission. ...I just hope this streak keeps up.
"Oi, you two!"
Evening was beginning to descend on Ozerograd. And with the beginning of the descent into evening came time for Caitríona and Conall to close up shop for the day. They did this every day, and would spend the night before retiring to have their evening meal and count the money earned that day.
However, in the midst of closing their stall, they were accosted by two Thorned Roses. But not just any two Thorned Roses.
Specifically…a Krokorok and a Gligar.
"Hm?" Conall turned around and saw them. "Ah...you two."
"Yup. We meet again, ya ol' mutt," the Krokorok growled. "We got a few questions to ask ya, and yer gonna answer 'em, pronto. Got it?"
"...Crystal clear," the Lycanroc replied. Oddly enough, though, he didn't sound fearful in the slightest, despite the intimidating look from the sand crocodile. "Well, Ríona, let's see what these kids have to tell us."
"Hey! Don't call us kids!" raged the Gligar. "Remember whose territory you're walking on! Don't you dare pretend you're above us Thorned Roses!"
"Sure, I understand." Again, there wasn't the slightest ounce of fear from Conall. "Now what do you adults have to question us about?"
"...A bit better," mumbled the Gligar.
"These two." The Krokorok produced a poster. "Boss has us lookin' for 'em. Know anythin'?"
At the sight of the poster, Caitríona's eyes widened. Two Pokémon stood illustrated in it, and the image was a depiction of none other than a Riolu and a Treecko. Below the artist's impression of them lay a lone word scrawled in big letters.
WANTED
"I…" Caitríona faltered, unsure of how to respond.
"...A Riolu and a Treecko?" Conall observed, looking at the poster.
"Yeah...Some of our lot've been sayin' the two of ya were talkin' to 'em yesterday," the Krokorok continued. "...Ain't nothin', is it? Ya wanna tell us what that's all about?"
"...You know that you can drop the act, Ishmael," the Lycanroc said, with a light chuckle. "You know us. And there's no one else around to spot you."
"Dunno what yer talkin' about," growled the Krokorok. "Now tell us! Did ya see these two or not?!"
"...Whatever floats your boat. Well, I have two answers for you," the Midnight Lycanroc replied, still in a mirthful tone. "One's the truth, one's a complete lie. Which one is real, I ask you? That's what you'll have to figure out."
"...Playing this game again…" The Gligar rolled his eyes. "...Fine. We'll play along."
"Excellent," Conall replied, a teasing grin on his muzzle. "So...the first answer is...no. We did not see those two at all yesterday. We were in our usual spot here, selling our wares as we do wherever we visit. But we never saw hide nor hair of those two.
"And the second answer is...yes. We did see those two yesterday. They came by our stall, looking for work to do. And one of them - that Riolu - had been poisoned. So we gave him a pecha berry and that cured him. We had a little chat, and it turned out they were looking for people in need to help. Therefore, we told them about a Florges we'd seen who'd lost their daughter. And so off they went in search of her."
"...Wait wait wait. Stop," ordered the Krokorok. "A Florges lost her kid?" He turned to his partner. "So...was that what that was about yesterday?"
"It must've been," the Gligar seconded. "Those two came back into town with a little Flabébé at their side. So that was a lost child…"
"It's the second answer," the Krokorok said to the Lycanroc. "We saw 'em too with that lost kid, and ya must've been the ones to give the idea to 'em."
"And the correct answer is…" Conall paused for a few seconds. "...Yes, it's the second one! Ding ding ding! Correct! You win, Ishmael! And for your intuition and correct answer, you win...this blast seed!" He produced the item from their wares.
"...Is that it?" the Gligar asked, in a slightly offended tone.
"Come on now. You can't really expect a bigger prize than that, Axel," Conall reasoned. "It was an easy question. So it stands to reason the prizes aren't super rewarding. You said it yourself, you know. You're not kids anymore. So if you don't want to be seen as kids, it's time to do away with that pretense I used to give you in giving you rewarding prizes for easy questions."
"...That's just like ya, alright," the Krokorok, Ishmael, replied. "...Stubborn ol' mutt."
"You can't have both worlds, Ishmael," Conall said. "You're either a child or an adult. And with either of those, you have to take the good with the bad."
"Yes, yes. Ya said this a million times before," Ishmael criticised. "But anyway...goin' back to those two...So ya did see 'em?"
"Oh yes, that reminds me. There was actually another thing about them," Caitríona recalled. "We meant to tell this to Lillian, actually. But we never got the chance yesterday."
"Mm, indeed," Conall said. "But make sure you two keep this under wraps, you hear?"
"Got it," Axel understood. "What is it?"
The wolf looked around the streets, making sure there were no other Thorned Roses around. "...Those two...they're looking to be mercenaries."
"Really?" That caught the Ground-type duo's attention.
"Yes. But obviously, given where they are, they can't reveal it," Caitríona supplemented. "The Thorned Roses would put them through hell if they found that out."
"What we were thinking about was...potentially taking them to see you-know-who," Conall alluded. "Make them part of your little group."
"Hmm...ya think?" Ishmael pondered, looking at the poster. "Ya think they have what it takes?"
"I reckon so," Caitríona said. "And if not...you could look out for them, you two. Be allies and good friends to them. What harm could it do?"
"...We could take 'em on board," the Krokorok replied. "But we gotta talk this through with Lill first. She's part of our team. She should be informed of this. And so should the Chief."
"...Chief…" Conall couldn't suppress a slight chuckle at this. "To think you refer to him by that...It's a little strange. We always respected the chief we all knew so much that it always takes me a second to realise that when you say 'Chief', you mean...you-know-who."
"He's a chief in my eyes," Ishmael replied. "He's a hero, and it's under him as leader that we're gonna win this thing when it does happen."
"...You do good work, Ishmael," Caitríona praised. "...But run along and tell the news to Lillian. If we stay here for too long, I fear someone in the Thorned Roses may overhear our little discussion, and the Torracat will be out of the bag then."
"Gotcha. I'll run then," Ishmael obliged. "Thanks, ya two. With any luck, we'll have those two caught up and sheltered in no time." With that, he turned away and headed down the street.
"...Hey, Ish," Axel piped up. "You think recruiting those two'll do much for us and the crew?"
"...Eh, maybe," shrugged the Krokorok. "They could be a bit wet behind the ears, yeah. But maybe we might hit upon some true potential, and that's what we really need right now. After all, heroes do come from the weirdest of places." He looked down at the wanted poster again, and gazed at the two in the illustration.
Yeah...I wonder. Just what potential have these two got?
