Chapter 3: The Great Giant
After driving away the bandits in the Cave of Shadows, Larvesta receives insight as to the whereabouts of the great giant that has been supporting them. Though he had initially intended to train around the area and save the beast lurking in for later, he receives word of a party of heroes who got lost inside and have not been seen for days. Having found plenty of allies to aid him on his quest, Larvesta descends into the deepest depths of the cave to take on the Deadly Sin of Sloth and free the lost party members from his evils. His opponent would not be a pushover, however, as the sin was feared across the continent for his unusual strength and malicious behavior. Despite being resolved to rescue the lost team, Larvesta worries for the battle ahead.
The scene opens at the enemy's base. There are a number of jail cells at the absolute nadir of the cavern, with brigands and thugs casually roaming around the dungeons, ready to strike at anyone who attempts to free the hostages held inside. One prison cell holds captive a Carnivine and two Basculin (one red, one blue), with a pile of weapons and other items lying around just outside the cell. Another cell, this one just past the center of the room, seals within it a Snorlax and a Mienfoo. The Snorlax, however, does not appear to be a prisoner, and is in fact enjoying being with the Mienfoo trapped with him. The prisoners from the nearby cell look very horrified at Snorlax's behavior towards Mienfoo.
"I'm the Sin of Sloth, and I've found myself an adorable little doll to play around with!" Snorlax introduces himself as. He starts squeezing Mienfoo, who is smushed under his heavy weight, and she lets out a yelp at being constricted by her tormentor. "I'm the Sin of Sloth, and I think we should have some fun, my sweet little toy!"
Mienfoo, struggling to break free, angrily calls out her captor, "Grrr… Let me go, you putrid oaf! Beasts like you who don't play fair are the scum of the world!"
Her demand fell on deaf ears, however, as Snorlax continues to crush the Martial Arts Pokémon under his weight, giving no regard for her well being and treating her like a toy. "I'm the Sin of Sloth, and I will never let go of this beautiful doll I picked up! I'm the Sin of Sloth, and I never want to work another day with you in my hands!"
Mienfoo continues to fight against her kidnapper's constriction, but like quicksand, her struggling only seems to result in Snorlax tightening his grasp on her. Still being strangled by Snorlax, she weakly cries for help. "Someone… Help me…"
Back in the neighboring cage, the other prisoners worry for Mienfoo's safety, and pray that someone will come for them.
"That Snorlax has absolutely zero respect for our leader. He thinks he can just pick her up, take her to his bed, and treat her like she's a toy to be played with," said the Carnivine from within his prison. "Disgusting. No wonder they call him a Deadly Sin."
The two Basculin look equally as furious as Carnivine was, but stare in defeat as their battle axes, as well as some other weapons and gear the team had brought with them, were being kept in a storage bin out of their reach.
Just outside, a Patrat was patrolling the cages to make sure no one tried to escape, but appeared to not be fond of the post he was assigned.
"Grrr… I pillaged all those towns, robbed the people of their crops, and kidnapped anyone who tried to get in our way to join these guys. Just when I thought I could finally live my dream of working with the Seven Deadly Sins, I'm assigned to guard duty for some morbid and perverted oaf. Maybe it's about time I reconsidered my life choices," he pouted.
Back up a little bit, Larvesta and his band of fighters had finished preparing to storm the deepest depths of the cave.
"Alright, looks like we're all ready to take on that Deadly Sin," Larvesta announced to his comrades.
"If there's any lovely ladies in that team that got lost, I'm sure they'll be head over heels for me once I come to their aid!" Oshawott stated enthusiastically.
Froakie rolled his eyes, unenthusiastic as before. "Do whatever you want, skirt chaser. I just want this mission to be over."
Rapidash arrives with a map of the cave. "According to this chart, the bottom floor has a long hallway leading to a large circular room at the end with some jail cells carved out of the walls," he explains.
Trevenant interjected, taking note of the jail cells. "Those cages weren't there when this place was still in its prime. I imagine that Sin and his cronies installed them after they took over. If the lost team is anywhere in here, I believe they're trapped in those cells."
"Jail cells, huh? Looks like we'll need someone who can break through locks easily," Larvesta remarked. He looks through his current party, and his gaze is directed at his thief, Froakie. "Froakie, you look like a good pickpocketer. Mind getting those cell doors open if we need you?" he asked the frog.
Froakie accepted Larvesta's request. "Leave it to me. I'll get those fools out of there… if they're still breathing, that is."
His added remark upset Larvesta a little, but the insect rolled with it, not wanting to start a fight in the middle of a dungeon.
"Also," Froakie added, "my skills aren't limited to just picking doors open. If there's any locked chests you need me to breach or any loose items from an unfortunate goon you want, I'll oblige. Just don't put me out in the front lines where I could get my head smashed by a brigand's axe, and I think we'll be on good terms."
"Skills like those will be essential to our cause. I'm grateful to have someone like you on our side," Larvesta commented.
"Heh, would you look at that. Seems it's your time to shine, old chap! Wouldn't want to disappoint the damsel in distress, now, would you?" Oshawott told Froakie, wanting to egg his partner on. Froakie did not respond.
Regardless of the circumstances, the team decides to venture downwards to rescue the lost party and take out the Sin of Sloth.
Just after descending the stairs, the team spots an armored Cacnea who is locked in a cell just in front of the entrance. Unusually, his armor has a number of spikes protruding out of it, as if to give off an unwelcoming atmosphere. The knight's armor appears to have seen battle, as not only were some of the spikes chipped off, but he also has what appears to be a flower emblem on his right shoulder plate, worn out and scratched out with a cross shape as if Cacnea is ashamed of his previous position.
Curious, Larvesta asks Froakie to open the cell for him. Froakie, albeit somewhat cautious, gets to work unlocking Cacnea's cell. It thankfully does not take long, though, and Larvesta goes over to Cacnea to try talking with him. The knight did not appear to be one of the Sin's henchmen, so Larvesta felt he could be better reasoned with.
"Excuse me, are you trying to fight Snorlax as well?" Larvesta asked Cacnea.
No response. Cacnea does seem to acknowledge Larvesta is in the cell with him, but he just silently glares at the insect, with Larvesta feeling awkward at the lack of sound. Surprisingly, despite being locked in a jail cell, Cacnea still has some weapons on him. He has a poison lance and a javelin sheathed behind him, and was carrying an Oran Berry in his hand.
"Could you at least tell me your name? I'm Larvesta," Larvesta introduced himself, hoping to get a conversation going.
Rapidash enters the cell as well to better facilitate the discussion, but upon getting a closer look at the imprisoned cactus, Rapidash takes notice of the symbol on his armor's shoulder plate. Eyes widening, Rapidash instinctively draws his sword out and assumes a battle stance, much to Larvesta's surprise.
"Wait, Rapidash! What are you doing!?" Larvesta shouts.
"Larvesta, do you not know what that emblem is!?" Rapidash retorts "That's the symbol for Lilligant's army! He's one of our enemies!"
"Lilligant… Now that's a name I never wanted to hear again…" Cacnea suddenly says. He turns his head to the side as he speaks. "Don't worry, boomer. I'm not with that witch anymore. Even have the cuts to prove it." He leans his shoulder over to Rapidash to show that the symbol has been scratched out, but this does not fully convince the paladin.
"You really expect me to believe the word of one affiliated with the Wicked Witch of the East?" Rapidash threatened.
"Rapidash, he doesn't seem to be a spy. I think we can at least hear him out, and see if he could help us in our quest," Larvesta responds.
"Larvesta, I knew you were a beginner, but I never expected you to be this naive. What next, are you going to try asking Lilligant herself to team up with us?" Rapidash disappointingly retorts.
"Rapidash, you're jumping to conclusions," Larvesta bluntly tells him. "Could you at least let him speak?" he asks.
"The insect speaks correctly. I wish to atone for my past sins and fight back against Lilligant's regime. She was once benevolent, but hard times have come and she has since changed," Cacnea sadly speaks.
Rapidash glares at the cactus, still heavily distrusting him. After a bit of time, however, he sighs and decides to speak up. "Well, I guess it's your call, boss. I seriously hope you know what you're doing, because right now, you're practically begging to get stabbed in the back," Rapidash reluctantly tells Larvesta.
"Rapidash…" Larvesta utters. "Anyways, welcome to our team, Cacnea. We… err… I'm glad to have you with us."
The three of them leave the cell to regroup with the rest of the team, and once everyone is together, everyone goes into the hallway to get to the Sin of Sloth.
There are plenty of brigands, and even a few myrmidons, waiting for Team Valiant as they make their way into the cavern.
Snivy and Rapidash are able to make quick work of the myrmidons using their lances, while Oshawott and Tepig deal with the axe-wielding brigands.
One myrmidon sneaks past Snivy and her mentor and approaches Cacnea, but the cactus flings his javelin at the sword wielder, knocking them out. Cacnea approaches his defeated foe and picks his javelin back up.
"Huh, looks like you have skill. Nice work," Snivy compliments Cacnea. Rapidash secretly gives her a dirty look, but no one notices.
In a crevice outside the beaten path, Froakie snipes a mercenary with a Short Dagger and opens a chest they were guarding, snatching an Iron Dagger from it. "This will be useful," he thought to himself.
Further into the cave, Team Valiant encounters the Patrat from earlier. "Great. More sold'ers 'ere to strike me down. Why doz it always 'ave to be me...?" he complains to his foes. He picks up a dubious axe and starts chasing after Froakie. Despite being in the line of fire, Froakie does not budge an inch and just lets the brigand come after him, as if he knows something. Oshawott, on the other hand, looks very nervous at his partner's lack of movement. Patrat lets out a war cry and lunges towards the thief with his axe, but hilariously, just as Patrat is about to strike, the axe lets out a dubious aura, and its blade retreats and unsheathes itself on the opposite side, stabbing Patrat in the chest instead. Froakie remains completely unscathed.
"Grrrrr…! Stupid axe! Why do ya' always go aftah me!? I'm da one who'z swingin' you around all da time! Hit the loons in front ov me!" Patrat vents to his weapon.
Larvesta stares in awe at the rowdy brigand, but decides to approach Patrat to try and speak with him. "Excuse me? Are you with these bandits?"
"Well, yeah, but I'd raddah be wiv anyone but dem! Tink dey can push me, da mighty Patrat, da Beast of Brutality, around like he'z a total newb or somefin? Ha!?" Patrat let out in anger.
"Well, thing is, we're actually out here trying to defeat the leader of this pack of goons. Is there a Sin of Sloth or some other monster like that down here?" Larvesta asked.
"Oy, dat dere be! I tell ya, dat Snorlax guy, he be a REAL piece o work. You dun wanna mezz wiv dat guy if you dunno what yer doin…" Patrat warned.
"I heard… Luckily, I have power in numbers, and the Pokémon I have recruited have proven to be very capable fighters. Say, if you don't like being here, mind helping us out?" Larvesta requested.
"And be forzed to tag along wiv a bunch o fancy pants!? Ya really tink I wanna be wiv yer sack of losers, ya fiery fiend!?" Patrat bemoaned.
"I mean, it's either me or Snorlax. Like, do you want to work under that monster's heel? If so, I can knock your lights out for you like I did to your buddies in crime," Larvesta snarkily retorted, holding his sword out.
"Meep!" Patrat quietly shrieked. Realizing he is stuck between a rock and a hard spot, the brigand reluctantly accepts Larvesta's offer to join. "Ohhh… Fine, I'll join yer fancy band o' knights. Butcha better not throw me away like I'm trash frum da day before!"
"Thank you, I'm sure you'll find we take good care of our soldiers and recruits here in Team Valiant. Please enjoy your stay," Larvesta thanks. Feeling awkward from his dialog, though, he thinks to himself "Man, I sounded very cheesy back there, didn't I."
"Hey, one more thing before we go on," Froakie interjected. He points to Patrat's axe and tells the brigand "Might want to get rid of that thing before it causes you more harm. I didn't even need to budge an inch and already you made a fool of yourself with it."
"Ay! Ar yoo spittin' on mah pride en joy!?" Patrat retorted. "Dis thing's my ace in da hole! Sure, it may 'av always hit me when I wanted it to cut somefin else down, and it may have sent me to da medic out on da battlefield every time I go out wiv it, and mah medical billz when usin' dis thing may 'ave put me in tons o' debt, but I can still rely on dis beauty to get me wherevur I need in my banditry!"
"So that thing's been causing you nothing but trouble, then? Hmpf. As I expected. Your Devil Axe is holding you back. It's time you got a replacement," Froakie states as he glares at the now heartbroken Patrat.
"D-Devil Axe…?" Larvesta questions, not liking the sound of that name.
"It's a cursed weapon said to bring nothing but misfortune onto its wielder whenever they use it. Just when you think you're about to land a decisive blow using the thing, BAM. It withdraws into its stick and points its blade in YOUR direction, drawing your blood and putting all of your effort to waste. Truly an evil weapon," Froakie explains to everyone.
"Actually, come to think of it, I picked up an Iron Axe from a bandit just outside the cave not too long ago," Rapidash notes to Patrat. "Promise me you won't turn it against us?"
"Do I really gat a say in da mattur? If I tried fightin' you sum moar, you'd pick me clean," Patrat argued. "Trust me, I know mah place in da yooniverz. I ain't gonna get mahself curb stomped by sumewun like you."
Rapidash sighs. "Fair point. Use this well," he tells the brigand. Rapidash hands the Iron Axe he salvaged earlier to Patrat. After that, Trevenant heals the wound Patrat had sustained earlier, and the team ventures into the boss arena just ahead of them.
Finally, the team arrives at the base of the cave, where multiple jail cells are within their sight. The most notable of these cells is straight in the center, where Snorlax is still acting dirty towards Mienfoo, the latter trying desperately to break free from the Sin of Sloth.
"So…" Larvesta remarked, quietly terrified at the scene he is witnessing. After getting disgusted at what was in front of him, his gaze is directed to another cell to his right, holding the Basculin duo and Carnivine. "I presume this was the vanished team Trevenant told us about?"
Trevenant recognizes the trapped Pokémon as the team that fought Snorlax a few days ago. "Oh! It's them! They're the ones who got lost in this cave! We have to save them, Larvesta!"
Unfortunately for Team Valiant, it did not take long for Snorlax to notice the intruders in his home. Annoyed that his playtime is being disrupted, the Sin of Sloth gets up to deal with the pests that knocked on his door, dropping Mienfoo onto the ground. "I'm the Sin of Sloth, and I won't let my playtime get cut short by intruders! I'm the Sin of Sloth, and I'll lock all of you into my cages so I can play with you whenever I want!" he shouted at Team Valiant in a threatening demeanor.
Mienfoo attempts to get up now that Snorlax wasn't crushing her under his weight anymore, but the Sin immediately glares at her, realizing that she is trying to break free, and stomps on her with all his might. The shock and pain from Snorlax's crushing foot is too much for Mienfoo to handle, and she is rendered unconscious as a result of the Sin's attack.
Seeing their normally brave leader get crushed like a bug sends a chill down the spines of her companions. The three of them get wildly mixed feelings of rage, shock, and sorrow over what the Sin of Sloth did to Mienfoo.
Not caring what the other prisoners think of his mistreatment, Snorlax grabs his battle axe from within his cell and busts through the metal bars to confront his adversaries head on.
"I'm the Sin of Sloth, the mighty Snorlax, and none can stand up to my ferocious might!" Snorlax boasted to Team Valiant.
He takes a gander at the army he is up against to find any weak links, and his gaze eventually locks onto Trevenant. Being a healer, the tree had no means of countering his massive swings, rendering him vulnerable.
Snorlax immediately begins charging towards Trevenant, but Snivy and Tepig intercept the Sin of Sloth to protect him, both countering the titan with swords.
In spite of his injuries, Snorlax takes a gander at his two adversaries. Drool drips down from his mouth as he gazes at the red and green duo. "I'm the Sin of Sloth, and I see me a tasty bacon and lettuce meal… I'm the Sin of Sloth, and I could go for a battle meal right about now!" Hungry for a grass snake and fire pig snack, Snorlax slams his axe onto the ground where Tepig and Snivy are situated. They are only just barely able to dodge the massive blow.
Snorlax attempts to hunt the duo down again, but his axe is stopped by a familiar sharp blade. "Whoa there, big guy. Can't have you grinding my beauty and her bud into mince meat. Noone's going to be able to admire their gorgeousness if you smash them to pieces," says Oshawott, as his Killing Edge intercepts Snorlax's battle axe.
Patrat comes in to get a hit in on Snorlax as well, wielding the new axe Rapidash gave him and wanting to get back at the Sin of Sloth for mistreating him all this time. "You've been playin' me for a fool over da last few yearz or so! A'hm done bein' anodder wun of yer toys!"
Snorlax did not seem to even recognize who Patrat was, but was nonetheless upset that someone was turning their back on him. "I'm the Sin of Sloth, and I'm going to make you learn your place… an unmoving servant crushed beneath my foot!" Snorlax takes a blow from Patrat's axe, the first actual hit Patrat has made in a long time, but is nonetheless able to counter with a heavy blow of the same magnitude as the attack he tried on Snivy and Tepig. Though Patrat tries to get away, the attack still gets to him somewhat.
In the background, Froakie also swoops in to steal a small bag of Oran Berries from a nearby chest. He calls for Patrat to come relieve himself after Snorlax's deadly blow, and the brigand obliges, grabbing a berry to heal his injury.
Rapidash and Snorlax trade some blows with each other, but both fighters find themselves evenly matched, neither of the two able to get the advantage on the other. Eventually, having weakened Snorlax to a vulnerable state, Rapidash retreats from the clash to let Larvesta deal the finishing blow, an honor the insect gracefully accepts.
Larvesta's sword gets coated with fire as he prepares to strike at his enemy. Filled with determination, Larvesta charges forth towards the Sin of Sloth and slashes at him several times at blinding speed, ending with him thrusting his sword through the monster's chest. After Larvesta releases his sword out of the Sin's body, his opponent wobbles around for a while before toppling over on his belly.
Not wanting his life to be cut short, however, Snorlax gets up (albeit exhausted and heavily breathing from his recent battle injuries) and gets out a clear orb with a glowing center. "I'm the Sin of Sloth, but even I know when to give up and retreat! I'm the Sin of Sloth, and we shall meet again someday!" Snorlax threatens as he raises his Escape Orb into the sky. Though Larvesta attempts to give chase, a blue pillar of light engulfs the defeated Sin and teleports him away from Team Valiant.
"Dangit… We couldn't capture him…" Larvesta cursed under his breath as his enemy made his retreat.
At the very least, the prisoners are now saved from the Sin of Sloth and his cronies. Froakie goes over to Carnivine's cell to pick the door open and free him and the Basculin.
Oshawott heads over to Mienfoo's body to make an impression on her. "Surely, the damsel will be infatuated with her savior once I show myself to her!" the myrmidon thought to himself. Before he can get to the Martial Arts Pokémon, though, Carnivine and the Basculin, free from their imprisonment, rush over to Mienfoo as well to check up on her, charging right past Oshawott. Oshawott gets spun around by the three-mon stampede, and passes out after getting dizzy from being pushed around.
"Miss Mienfoo!" shouts the red Basculin as he examines his leader's comatose state. "Please stay with us… I don't know what I would do without you…" the blue Basculin adds on. The two Basculin are sobbing waterworks at the sight of their broken leader. Carnivine, also deeply saddened, checks Mienfoo's wrist to see if she still has a pulse.
"Don't worry. She's still hanging in there," Carnivine tells the others in a relieved tone. Though the Basculin are a little glad to hear that, this does not stop their crying.
Mienfoo is still breathing, but is in a very poor condition. Trevenant walks over to her and gets out his healing staff.
Carnivine recognizes the cleric. "You. You're from the village. Can you save her?"
Trevenant examines the unconscious Mienfoo to see how much he can do. "I can restore her consciousness, but she'll need a few weeks rest to fully get her vitality back," he tells Carnivine.
"As long as she still lives, I appreciate any help," Carnivine thanked.
Trevenant prepares a prayer with his staff, and after his incantation is complete, he raises his Heal staff over Mienfoo's body. A soothing aura surrounds the area around the unconscious mercenary leader, and her scars from the Sin of Sloth's torture begin to fade. Eventually, Mienfoo opens her eyes again as her comrades look over her.
"W-where… am I…? What… is this place…?" she asks faintly as she slowly gets up.
Full of joy and relief that their leader lives on, Carnivine and the Basculin group hug her.
"Ah. You three," she says as she recognizes her subordinates. "Wait, is that gross titan still here!?" she suddenly asks, as she worriedly looks over for Snorlax's presence.
"Don't worry, young lass. The monster has been defeated. You're safe with us, now," Rapidash reassures his rescuee. Eventually, Mienfoo's teammates let go of each other, satisfied that they made it out alive.
"Aha, we've succeeded in our mission!" Oshawott suddenly shouts. He rushes over to Mienfoo and picks her up to her shock.
Right as he carries the "You must be truly grateful to be saved by one such as I. With me by your side, no one will ever violate you the same way that vile monster did. You and I, we will make a great team together taking down the most dangerous of foes together. No one and nothing will be able to get in the way for my love for-"
Suddenly, Froakie slaps Oshawott in the face, causing him to drop Mienfoo, and drags him by the ear away from her. "Have some boundaries, you creep! She's been chained to a monster for days!" he lambasts the womanizer for. Oshawott loudly sobs as he is tugged away from the latest apple of his eye.
"Err… Please… Forgive my comrade. He looks to be a bit of a philanderer…" Larvesta embarrassingly apologizes to Mienfoo.
"Oh, don't worry. He doesn't seem like a predator," Mienfoo replies. "Anyways, thank you for rescuing me. I guess I bit off more than I can chew…"
"From the looks of things, you seem to be a capable fighter yourself, Mienfoo. You have this band of fighters who look to respect you a lot," Larvesta notes.
"Yes, that's true. Apologies for making a fool out of myself out there. That Snorlax must have made me look like a powerless burden…" Mienfoo tells Larvesta.
"No, don't worry. We all have our bad missions. I'm sure I would have wound up in your position as well if I tried fighting that Snorlax unprepared as well," Larvesta tried reassuring Mienfoo. He notices a pile of weapons and gear outside of where the jail cells are, and theorizes that they belong to Mienfoo's team. "Speaking of which, would that pile of weapons happen to belong to you?"
"Oh, yes! Snorlax and his cronies confiscated them from us when we were kidnapped. Carnivine is an archer, and the Basculin brothers use axes. The red one is Bas, and the blue one is Culin," Mienfoo describes. Carnivine and the Basculin make their way to where their gear is, but look exhausted from malnourishment.
"Seems like you've raised quite the team," Larvesta compliments.
"Thanks for that. So, anyways, what are you doing out here?" Mienfoo asks.
"We were training out here to strengthen our new recruits and to find some more teammates to join us. I hear Lady Lilligant has been causing trouble for the Sand Continent, and I wanted to bring her to justice for what she has been doing," Larvesta explains to her.
"Lilligant? Yeah, she's a nasty one, that girl. She's been sending her soldiers and servants out here to rob townspeople of their belongings and wealth. Apparently, some of them have even been sent disguised so that they can sneak in and strike when her victims are most vulnerable," Mienfoo describes. "From what I've been hearing, she's very distrustful of those outside of her personnel, and doesn't want the people to turn to crime and tear each other down."
"Well, she's certainly doing a good job preventing that situation," Rapidash sarcastically remarks.
A voice speaks up from behind to add their two cents to the discussion. "So she's using her people to sow distrust… Was she secretly like this from the beginning…?" says the voice, who turns out to be Cacnea, just catching up to the scene of the battle.
"Cacnea!" Larvesta surprisingly calls out. "You missed the big battle! Did that armor slow you down?"
"Never mind that, Larvesta. The more pressing matter is what Lilligant is up to," Cacnea responds. "I knew something was wrong with Lilligant for a while now, but I never imagined she felt this way about the people she's supposed to be protecting…"
"Cacnea, you used to fight for her. Do you know if Lilligant is responsible for this incident with Snorlax?" Larvesta pressed.
"I don't know for certain. If Snorlax was secretly in touch with Lilligant, they started collaborating after I resigned, but I don't believe she would resort to confiding with the kind of people she despises so much," Cacnea describes. "Not to rule out the possibility entirely, but I have my doubts as to some sort of connection."
"Well, regardless, she is still our main target, so I hope you are alright with going up against your former master, Cacnea," Larvesta notes.
"If it would bring peace and closure to her rule, I will do what I can to see she is brought down," reaffirms Cacnea, albeit with a sorrowful look on his face.
"In that case, thank you for your help," Larvesta replies. "Speaking of which, Mienfoo, do you think you and your subordinates could help us out in our adventure?" he asks the mercenary.
"Well, normally, I have a fine attached to my work, especially for a request this extreme, but since you saved us from that Sin of Sloth guy, I guess I can accept that as payment for our skills," Mienfoo accepts. "You hear that, team! We have a new mission on our agenda!" she shouts out to her comrades.
Carnivine, now with his bow back, accepts Larvesta's offer gracefully and introduces himself. "I'm Carnivine, the archest of archers! If there's any airborne foes you need taken care of, I'm your guy. Glad to be by your side."
Bas and Culin are also filled with joy at getting to take on the fearsome Lady Lilligant. "I'm Bas, and he's Culin! If you need an axe swung, we'll get the job done!" the red Basculin announces. "We come from a family of woodcutters near the ocean, and Mienfoo has earned our utmost respect ever since she picked us up for her mercenary team. I promise we will not disappoint you," the blue Basculin describes. Patrat has an envious look on his face at the two more capable axe fighters in Mienfoo's friend group.
"Well, what are we waiting for? Let's go storm Lilligant's palace!" Mienfoo enthusiastically states. She tries to march forward, but she finds herself stumbling as she takes some steps. Indeed, as Trevenant had stated, she still has not completely recovered from Snorlax's kidnapping. Larvesta is able to catch her before she falls and scrapes some of her limbs on the ground, thankfully.
"Easy, Mienfoo! You still haven't fully recovered," the old tree reminds her.
"Oh, guess I haven't, huh. Eh, I guess we'll have to wait then," Mienfoo sheepishly concedes. Suddenly, her stomach starts growling, followed by Carnivine and the two Basculin.
"...I'm guessing Snorlax didn't feed you much either, did he?" Larvesta asks.
"Nope," Carnivine explains. "Just bread crumbs and the occasional glass of water - the bare minimum to make sure we didn't die of starvation and he could torment us for as long as possible."
"Well, I hear a small restaurant recently opened up in a town nearby called Café Mix. They've got plenty of drinks, sweets, and entrees to fill you up while you all get rested. Maybe we could all have a feast out there to celebrate our victory against Snorlax," Trevenant tells Mienfoo's crew.
"Sounds good," Mienfoo enthusiastically replied. "Again, thanks for letting me onto your team, Larvesta."
"I'm glad to have you by my side, Mienfoo," Larvesta responded.
Thus, Larvesta accomplished his first major victory in this new world he found himself in. Feeling a sense of satisfaction, he welcomes the mercenaries he rescued into Team Valiant and they proudly accept his offer. Larvesta reflects back on all of the teammates he has recruited during his first adventure, and optimistically wonders who else will join his team on his quest to defeat Lady Lilligant. In spite of his progress, though, the insect is still concerned over Snorlax's foreboding threat. "Are there more Pokémon out there like him…?" he wonders. "And is Lilligant involved in Snorlax's scheme?" A number of questions start to form in Larvesta's head as he begins to familiarize himself with this world he found himself in.
Sometime after the mission's completion, Larvesta consults Victini in secrecy. She gives off the same mystical and serene aura she had when the two met on Fire Island.
"I've been keeping track of your recent campaign. Seems you're off to a good start," Victini congratulated the insect.
"Thank you, Victini," said Larvesta. "That Snorlax in particular was a fearsome foe, but I'm glad we managed to come out on top."
"Snorlax, huh. Didn't he say he was the 'Sin of Sloth' or some other edgy title like that?" Victini asked.
"Yeah… Countless times… In fact, that freak started every single sentence of his by calling himself that," Larvesta begrudgingly remembers.
"Well, if my genre-savvy mind is correct, I'd wager there's plenty more of those 'Deadly Sin' guys roaming the Sand Continent. Six more, I predict," Victini forebodes.
"Well, hopefully I won't have to run into more of those guys as I go after Lilligant. If Snorlax alone was able to send shivers down the spines of my comrades, I dread to imagine what the others are like. I especially don't want to take on more than one at a time…" Larvesta worries.
"Still, I'd be prepared for anything if I were you. As I'm sure you can tell by now, the Sand Continent is a dangerous place. If another one of the Deadly Sins comes out and attacks you, give everything you've got to get past them," Victini recommends.
"I'll do just that. The last thing I want is to see one of my allies bite the bullet out there," Larvesta reassures. The thought of someone in Larvesta's team getting brutally killed because of a sloppy decision he made makes him shudder.
"Oh, another thing, speaking of your allies," Victini interjects. "You might want to be careful who you let on your side. I noticed you let some suspicious looking people into your team when you were at the bottom floor of that cave. That cactus and rodent could very well be double agents waiting to strike you in the back while your guard is down," Victini warns.
"Victini, I saw the resolve and determination in the eyes and heart of every individual I signed up. I'm sure I haven't gotten anyone who wants to double cross me," Larvesta retorts.
"Still, it would be wise to avoid recruiting anyone who seems untrustworthy. I know I'm sounding like that Rapidash person you got at Western Sahra Town, but if Arceus forbid Lilligant or one of the Sins sees you as someone naive, that could spell disaster for your entire campaign," Victini reaffirmed, very concerned for Larvesta's overconfidence.
"I really don't like having doubts about the people I'm supposed to be leading… but if it's for my own safety, I'll take your words into consideration…" Larvesta reluctantly obliges.
"Again, I'm not trying to make you doubtful, but still, you need to be cautious, especially in a mission with a magnitude as great as this," Victini told Larvesta.
"Alright then. Thank you for your time, my friend. I'll come back to you once I score another major victory," Larvesta tells the Victory Pokémon.
"You're welcome. Good luck with your next mission, dear Larvesta," Victini wishes. She vanishes from Larvesta's sight as the insect goes back to check up on his team.
-TO BE CONTINUED-
