Pokemon Mystery Dungeon

Shadows of Ganderosa

Chapter 40

Threatening Rapture


(Fericia Territory: Howling Plains)

His soul was shaking with dread over what he had just done: who he had just abandoned. Every inch of his skin crawled with guilt while his head spun from shame. The one thing that disturbed him most was the feeling of warmth around his neck that urged him to keep walking: the Sapphire Star.

Despite his conflicted feelings he continued to walk onwards. He didn't turn around and go back for Lily. He kept telling himself she'd be alright. He kept lying to himself, despite the truth being so obvious. Thalia was a beast. A specialized pokemon could probably feel the immense power of the nidoqueen by merely standing next to her. It was almost as if she could kill an entire troupe of pokemon and not have broken a sweat. He had no clue how Lily could survive against Thalia.

"Dillan!" Hazel shouted. Dillan almost jumped right out of his skin from the sudden increase in volume. His head jutted to the left and rested on a worried-looking Hazel. "You zoned out again."

"Oh..." he said. "Yeah... What were you saying?"

"I said we should be far enough away from Thalia to relax." Hazel looked at Dillan with a worried frown. "Do you want to take a break?"

"N-no!" Dillan stuttered nervously. "We can't stop until we get to Fericia Castle, and I don't want to be the reason we stop."

"You're still worried about Lily, aren't you?" Hazel had a worried look in her eyes. It urged Dillan to open up.

"Well... Of course I am..." Dillan said, rubbing his right arm with the shaft of his claw. "And I know we can't go back... but I'm afraid we're leaving her to die."

Hazel turned away from Dillan and stared out at the grey sky that sat above the grassy fields ahead. She seemed more concerned about Dillan than the impending doom that laid behind them: the same doom Lily went to face. Dillan could understand why she wasn't as concerned with the lycanroc's well-being. Lily did lock them up, and her tribe did threaten to kill Hazel for a reason he still didn't understand. But Dillan couldn't help but see past the treatment he'd been given and feel his conscience tugging on his mind, telling him that leaving wasn't the moral thing to do. Knowing that moving onward was the smart option only helped so much.

If it wasn't for the Sapphire Star, he would turn around right now. But he didn't. Why? Because not only would everyone die if the Enemy were to get their hands on the crystal that was strung around his neck, but also because the Star urged him forwards. It was such a hard decision to have to make.

"We'll ask Guildmaster Lawrence to send some pokemon to Howling Plains to fight Thalia. He's a really great guy, so you know he'll do it." Hazel turned her eyes back to the horizon.

"Thanks," Dillan said. "But it doesn't help me to stop feeling guilty about leaving Lily alone like that..."

"You could try and think about something else," Hazel suggested.

"Like what?"

"Well..." Hazel began. "You could tell me what you know about the Sapphire Star."

Dillan stood there for a few seconds, shifting his weight around from one foot to another. "I... I guess... I don't really know anything..."

This time, the charmeleon couldn't help but turn her entire attention towards the gabite. Hazel turned towards Dillan, brought her head back, and blinked. "Y-you don't?" she stuttered. It made Dillan kind of nervous. Was it really that big of a deal?

"Not really..." Dillan admitted. Now that she mentions it, I'm not even sure why the Enemy wants it... "All I really know is that the Sapphire Star occasionally leads me... to some places... Like in Poltress, it led me to you and Ryan."

"And is it doing that now?"

"Now?" Dillan repeated. "Now it wants me to get away from Howling Plains. But other than that... I know as much as you do."

Hazel turned back towards the road ahead, still visibly shocked by what Dillan had told her. It was plain as day that she expected he would know more about the crystal around his neck. But anyone he'd met who probably knew anything about it was either secluded and treated him like he was a jerk, or was a mass murderer and wanted to see his insides become outsides. Come to think of it, Reya was the only one who would actually give me any information: and she's gone. On top of that, there were her wounds... the same wounds Valery had... They couldn't tell me anything important or their wounds would... He shuddered just thinking of the brutality.

"So you're in the dark, too..." Hazel said quietly to herself, though she spoke loud enough for Dillan to hear. She turned to Dillan and began to stare at the four-pronged star resting just below his purple bandanna. "We're both in the middle of something humongous, aren't we?" she asked the gabite. "But I guess I already knew that."

"What do we do now?" Dillan asked, stopping in his tracks. Hazel stopped as well, planting her feet next to the gabite. "Obviously the Enemy is hunting the Sapphire Star, right? So they'll be coming after both of us."

"If you're going to ask me to leave, I already told you-"

"It's not that," Dillan interrupted. "I'm just worried that we won't be able to protect the Sapphire Star from Jake... I mean, where do we go to protect something like this? The Enemy's already put Castellum Town in a Mystery Dungeon-"

"What?!" Hazel shouted in shock. "Th-... That was them?!"

"Yeah," Dillan said.

"How do you know that?"

"Ignitus told me back in the Alkan Guild, but that's not important right now."

"It sounds too big to not be important!" Hazel stated frantically.

"My point is that they're way too powerful for us. I'm not sure if the both of us can protect the Sapphire Star alone. I know we're going to Lawrence for protection, but I don't know if Fericia Castle is going to be enough to stop them: not for long..."

Silence filled the surrounding area. Nothing seemed to move around the group, not a bird in the sky or a wind blowing by. It enhanced the worry and fear in Dillan's chest, but not as much as Hazel's lack of confidence in their abilities. She seemed just as worried as him, creating even more tension in the cold, stagnant air.

Hazel looked down worriedly, resting her chin on the purple scarf, and began to grimace. "I mean..." she began, sounding as worried as ever. "I think I know someone we can go to..."

Dillan raised his head hopefully. "Where?" he asked.

Hazel opened her mouth, then hesitated. That hesitation made Dillan feel reluctant to hear her answer. If she's this worried about going... wherever she's thinking of...

"King Judah could probably help us..." she stated slowly.

Dillan's face dropped into relief. "That sounds like a great..." He stopped himself. As he continued to stare into Hazel's brown eyes, he realized the worry didn't dissipate. "But you're not sure about it?"

"There's no way I trust him with something like this," Hazel admitted. "Someone with that much power doesn't need more of it... and I'm afraid going to King Judah for help is just going to lead to him taking the Sapphire Star for himself. Nothing's stopping him from doing so."

Makes sense... Although it's the best option we have... Judah's the strongest pokemon in Ganderosa. If anyone can protect us, he'll be able to. But... Dillan looked towards his frantic friend. Hazel has a history with Judah that still torments her. Even if he wasn't the one who killed her mom, she still has a fear that he's responsible. So how am I going to convince her that this is our best option? Dillan stared into the cloudy horizon. He continued to wonder how he would be able to convince his friend. If she were in my place... Then, it hit him.

"Hazel, "Dillan began. "I don't see any other choice. If the Enemy is really as powerful as Ignitus said they are, we don't stand a chance, and Judah is our best bet to protect Ganderosa. Besides, wouldn't he protect the Sapphire Star just as much as we would? I mean, he loses his kingdom if Ganderosa dies."

"Yeah..." Hazel said. Based on the rapid fluctuations of her flame, as well as her twitching brow-line, she seemed to be thinking hard about this. "But what about Valery and Fitz! They're working for someone who wants to stop the Enemy, right? Wouldn't they help us out?"

"I don't think so," Dillan stated. "They haven't helped to protect the Sapphire Star in any way I can think of. And if Fitz was really with them, she wouldn't have given it back to Lily. She would have brought it back to her leader, whoever he is, and they would have protected it. Instead, she let it go."

"But what if... What if... What if we... What if-"

"Hazel," Dillan said loudly, drawing her attention away from her worries and onto him. "It'll be fine. Just... trust me."

Hazel stared into Dillan's eyes. He tried to remove all doubt from his face in order to sooth his friend's emotions. She had to agree with him. Judah had to be their defense against Jake.

A sigh flowed outwards from Hazel's lips. "You're right... I'm just worried he's not going to help us... and he'll just use the Sapphire Star for himself..."

"I get that," Dillan stated. "But anyone else would die. He's our only option."

Hazel stared at Dillan for a few seconds before looking towards the ground and sighing in defeat. "Alright... I guess we don't have another choice... So we'll take the Sapphire Star to Judah." She then looked at him with a little confusion. "When did you become so logical?"

"Well, it was the best choice. So I had to think of the best way to convince you. You usually do the same thing with me, so I thought it would probably work with you."

Hazel laughed a little. "Guess I'm a little too convincing." She then looked backwards towards the sky. "Sun's about to set. At this rate, we'll hit the Fericia Castle just before it gets dark."

"Hazel," Dillan said. She looked at him with a slight smile. "Thanks for agreeing with me..."

"Don't mention it," she stated. Hazel reached one hand into her bag and pulled out a blue berry that Dillan recognized as an Oran Berry. "Here," she stated as she held it out for the gabite. He skewered it on the end of his claw and began munching on the small berry. Hazel pulled one out for herself and began walking.

As soon as Hazel wasn't looking at him, Dillan let all of his worries litter his face. It was hard, but he managed to contain his emotions long enough to portray confidence for the charmeleon. It's probably what convinced her the most... But now she has me worried if this is what we should be doing... I mean, I can't think of anyone else who could help us as well as Judah, but she's right to worry about him... Is it going to be alright, or is it going to be an uphill battle?

"Come on, you Slow-poke!" Hazel called out playfully.

Dillan took a deep breath in an attempt at steeling himself. Worrying about it isn't going to help... If trusting Judah is what it'll take to protect the Sapphire Star, then I don't have any choice... Dillan put one foot in front of the other and began walking to join Hazel. As he walked, he began to wonder about his position. The only pokemon he had to turn to was Judah, a pokemon who, based on his sole encounter with the King, seemed to demand nothing but obedience. If the dragonite had the power to back up that demand, and he did, then the moment that dragonite knows about the Sapphire Star, Dillan would be at the King's mercy. There would be no other option.


After nearly two hours of walking under a darkened sky, Team Rapture finally made it to their destination: Fericia Castle. The massive stone structure was a sight for sore eyes for both members of the party. Both of them recalled their meeting each other while Dillan was under Anna the audino's care. It brought a sort of nostalgic joy to the group. Dillan was especially relieved by the fact that it seemed to ease their worries of the future. As they walked through the castle's gates, Hazel told Dillan about her grand-parents and how she use to live here with them. She began explaining all sorts of memories she had. Simply talking about these memories she made on the castle's cobble-stone streets was enough to make her substantially more joyous.

The two continued to walk down the path, passing multiple pokemon who ran by to move along with their daily routines as either shop-keeps who sold goods on the street-side or as daily customers who made it their priority to finish whatever shopping needed to be done. Everyone around seemed cheerful, creating a happy atmosphere around them. It was shocking to the gabite to see so many pokemon on the streets, regardless of the star-filled sky. Maybe the lanterns littering the sides of buildings, casting light around the town, was enough for them to shrug off the lack of sun.

Dillan watched with wonder and amazement. Every castle in Ganderosa seemed bustling with activity and joy, especially this one. He listened to the music that flowed out through the open windows of taverns and cafes as they filled the air with cheery, and all the same different, tunes. He had a hard time keeping his eyes on the black-tipped tower on the horizon, though it probably didn't matter. Hazel seemed to know exactly where she was going.

A few minutes went by before Hazel pointed out a tavern with a sign over the door. In big, bright-red, cursive letters, the wooden sign read, "Harley's Diner". Dillan smiled brightly at the sight. He peered inside the diner and saw a pikachu who wore a black vest and held a tray. He walked from table to table, serving all sorts of food upon the surface that made Dillan's mouth water and his eyes stare with longing. He then looked at the front where a small counter sat. It was currently empty. That's where we met Harley... Back then, she was so nice to us. Wonder if she's here, or somewhere else entirely.

"Let's go," Hazel stated with a smile.

Dillan tore his eyes and began walking with the charmeleon once more.

The two walked for ten more minutes before coming to a big flight of stairs that led up a hill-side. Upon scaling the hill, Dillan walked along the cobble-stone path before coming to rest at a statue of a dragonite (Dillan recalled Hazel telling him months ago that it was of Maxamillian Armadine, Ganderosa's first ruler) who stood on a stone pedestal that spewed water into a basin below. Behind the statue sat a two-storied tower topped with a black roof: the Ferician Guild. It also had a brown, wooden door with black, iron supports along the front. Dillan looked up and down the guild with amazement. His first time here, the Guild didn't seem like that big of a deal. Now that he was faced with the tower once more, he realized his thoughts on the building were justified, if not overestimated. Compared to the other guilds he'd visited, the Ferician one was pretty underwhelming. Come to think of it...

"Hazel," Dillan began. "Is it just me, or is the Ferician Guild smaller than Palando's..."

"It isn't just you," Hazel laughed. "When I first came here, I thought it was too small to represent the entire Fericia Territory's guild system. But I guess you could say it has character."

Team Rapture walked around the fountain and Hazel pushed on the door. Dillan watched as the door creaked. But nothing happened. Hazel stopped pushing on the door, then threw her body weight into her palms as she tried to force it open.

"Uh..." Dillan began with a raised eyebrow. "It's probably locked..."

"At this time of... night?" Hazel said through a strained voice, still pushing on the door. A few seconds went by, and Hazel decided she wasn't getting anywhere, so she stopped and began to pant. "The Guild isn't suppose to be locked until a few hours after the sun sets, and it's only been about one."

"Maybe knocking will work?" Dillan suggested. He walked over to the door and pounded the back-side of his claw on the door, creating small "thud"s on the wooden surface. The two pokemon waited for a few seconds before Hazel pounded her fist on the door.

"Hello?" Hazel shouted. "Guildmaster Lawrence?"

"Didn't you see the sign?!" a rough voice shouted from the other side. "No soliciting! Whatever it is you're selling, the Guild's not buying!"

"We aren't here to sell anything, we just need to speak with Guildmaster Lawrence!"

"I don't care!" the voice called out once more. "Go away, or you'll have to deal with the full extent of Ganderosa's Guild!"

Hazel gave a deep sigh before looking at Dillan with a look of disbelief. "We are the full extent of Ganderosa's Guild!" Hazel shouted. "Now let us in! It's important!"

"Likely story! Now get off of my front door!"

"If we don't see Guildmaster Lawrence," Dillan began. "All of Ganderosa could be destroyed!"

"Oh yeah?" the voice shouted. "And who would do something like that?"

"A group known as the Enemy!" Hazel looked back at Dillan with shock. He began to stare at her and he began to feel nervous. "Was that too much information?" Dillan quietly asked the charmeleon.

"We don't know who that is!" Hazel whispered. Crap...

A few nerve-racking seconds went by. He wasn't sure if what he said had actually worked on this pokemon or what, but they could only stand there and wait.

"Well, what are you waiting for?" a cheerful voice bellowed. "If it's that important, why in the blue blazes are you making them wait this long?!"

"Y-yes Guildmaster, sir!" the previous voice said worriedly. In about two seconds, the door gave a "clank" and opened wide, revealing the Guild's interior.

It was a circular room with purple tapestries of the Ganderosan Symbol (the dragonite's skull with crossed spears) along the left and right walls. Near the entrance to the guild, resting upon the white-carpeted floors, were two desks, both filled with stacks of paper. In front of the door stood a small, quadrupedal pokemon with brown and vanilla rings colored into it's fur in a zigzagging pattern. It also had a black smudge where its eyes were as if it was wearing a mask. The pokemon had drooping eyes and dark circles under them, though it also looked a little worried.

"Ziggy?!" Hazel announced with a smile.

The zigzagoon's face contorted into a wide-eyed snarl as he took an apprehensive step backwards. "You?!" he shouted. Then, his face went into an angry grimace. "And it's Hans!"

"It's great to see you again!" Hazel stated.

"The feeling's not mutual!" Ziggy roared. "I thought you were out of my fur for good: shipped off to the Alkan Region, if I recall correctly!"

Dillan stared at the zigzagoon and recalled their last meeting. He remembered the small flame escaping from his mouth as it burned his paperwork to ashes. The memory made him shrink down from worry. He probably doesn't remem-

"And you!" Hans pointed an accusatory finger towards Dillan who took a hard gulp in response. "You costed me tons and tons of paperwork! I haven't tasted anything but charcoal in weeks because of you!"

"S-sorry..." Dillan said nervously.

"Ziggy," A voice called from the stairs. "Do you plan on sending them upstairs anytime soon, or not?"

The zigzagoon froze, all the color washing away from his face. He looked backwards quickly before stuttering, "Y-yes sir!"

"Is that Guildmaster Lawrence?" Hazel asked.

"Yes," Hans stated. "And he'll have my hide if you're not up stairs in the next minute! So I'm begging you, leave me in peace!"

"We'll leave you to it," Hazel said. She grabbed Dillan by the arm and led him into the building. As the warmth of the room encompassed them, Team Rapture reached the stair and started to climb. Upon reaching the top, they were met with a massive, opened door leading into a pretty messy room.

The room had paint littering the stone-walls and wooden floor. There was a massive bed at the end of the room that hadn't yet been made. A desk, with no chair, sat against the wall next to the bed. Papers were scattered about the table-top along with chipped charcoal used for writing. There was also an easel sitting against the wall which held a gorgeous painting of the underside of a blue pokemon with enormous red wings, spread out to catch gusts of wind as it raced across the skyline. In the center of the room stood a jolly, quadrupedal pokemon with a massive, vanilla mustache trailing along the floor behind it. The pokemon had big, bushy, vanilla fur covering most of its face. Blue eyes could be seen through a part in the fur. The pokemon had big ears and a massive, blue body.

"Guildmaster!" Hazel exclaimed with joy. Team Rapture entered the room.

"Please, Ms. Prince," Lawrence stated. "Let's skip the formalities." Lawrence's eyes set on Dillan, and he smiled brightly. "Hello, Dillan."

"Hi, Lawrence," Dillan said with a wave of his claw.

"Guildmaster-" Hazel began.

Lawrence gave a hearty laugh, cutting Hazel off. "Ms. Prince," he began. "I must insist upon you calling me Lawrence. After all, your team single-handedly took care of Team Armageddon, no?"

"Well... yeah, but-"

"I remember when you both were merely children upon my doorstep," Lawrence said with dreamy eyes. "Caring for the well-being of one member was so inspiring that day... I knew there was greatness in both of you, and now look? You're both extraordinary guildmembers who serve their King even if danger rips at their every fiber of their beings! Very impressive, indeed!"

"Yeah..." Hazel said with a smile. "But-"

"So what's been happening with Team Rapture? No, wait! Don't tell me! Garth's been giving you a hard time, hasn't he? Don't worry too much about it! Back in the day, me and Garth use to be at each other's throats, trying to one-up each other in anything and everything we did! Of course, I'm a Guildmaster and he isn't, so I guess I still win in the end!" Lawrence gave a strong laugh of approval.

"You know Garth?" Dillan asked.

"Hmm?" the stoutland hummed, processing what Dillan had asked. "Oh! Why, yes! Me and Garth use to be very competitive children! We planned on becoming an exploration team, you know. Of course, that didn't work out seeing as-"

"Guildmaster!" Hazel shouted.

Lawrence stopped speaking and looked at Hazel with shock. Then, he gave a nervous laugh. "Was I speaking over you?" he asked. "I have to apologize. My old ears don't work as well as they use to. If only it were like the old days when I was a youth. Oh how I long for..." The stoutland gave a bright smile as he cleared he throat. "Never mind that. You came here for a reason, did you not?"

"Yes, Guildmaster," Hazel stated calmly with a slight grin. She then looked to Dillan and nudged her head towards Lawrence.

"W-wait," Dillan said with an uneasy grimace. "You want me to explain?"

"You're the one who convinced me, remember?" Hazel said. "Besides: that crystal makes you the best pokemon for the job, Paladin Dillan."

"Paladin?" Lawrence asked. His eyes went right to Dillan, then down his chest. Almost instantaneously, the jovial pokemon's expression hardened into a look of cold recognition. "Then that rock around your neck..."

"You know about this?" Dillan asked, gesturing a claw to the Sapphire Star.

"I couldn't be a Guildmaster without knowing such..." The Guildmaster trailed off at the end of his sentence.

"Guildmaster?" Hazel asked, concern tainting her voice.

"Where did you get the Sapphire Star?" the Guildmaster questioned, looking at Dillan directly.

Dillan looked over at Hazel for an answer, but she just urged him forwards with a nod. I guess I would know more about explaining the Sapphire Star... Taking a deep breath and attempting to overcome whatever nervousness plagued his mind, Dillan began by stating, "Guildmaster, we need some help."


"I see..." Lawrence stated, looking more grim as the story went on. Dillan explained everything from when they first arrived at Howling Plains to right at this moment. He explained as best he could about the Sapphire Star and the Lycanroc Tribe. Sometimes he went off on a tangent, to which Hazel snapped him back on track.

After a few more minutes, Dillan finished his tale saying, "We came here to get this away from Thalia."

"Guildmaster," Hazel began. "If we're being honest, we can't defend the Sapphire Star alone."

Lawrence took in a deep breath and began walking towards the painting. He knelt over and bit down on a brush that was laying on the floor. Dillan was very shocked to find the lycanroc open up a container of paint, to which he dipped the brush in and began applying strokes to the painting.

"Guildmaster-" Dillan began. He stopped himself when he realized the Guildmaster was grumbling to himself. The words were too mashed together to accurately hear what he was saying, even when Dillan was concentrating. The only words he caught were "crystal", "Sapphire Star", and "Acreus". The gabite leaned over to Hazel and whispered, "Is he alright?"

"I may not be as spry as I once was," Lawrence began. "But my hearing is still impeccable." Dillan gritted his teeth from embarrassment. He heard that? "I'm assuming you know of the group Thalia was a part of."

"The Enemy, sir. We mentioned that."

"Guildmaster," Hazel said. "Are you feeling all right?"

"And what of their motive?" Lawrence questioned.

"To destroy Ganderosa," Dillan said.

"Guildmaster," Hazel began. "I don't see how this has anything to do with our problem."

"Which is Thalia?" Lawrence asked. He gave a sigh. "I guess you're correct in that regard. Though I hate the idea of you children being involved in something of this magnitude... not while you can still enjoy the rest of your lives to their fullest!"

"I think we deserve more than that," Hazel urged. "Haven't we proved we're more than kids by now?"

"The King certainly thinks so," Lawrence stated. "In fact, he seems to think-" He stopped himself mid-sentence, but Dillan didn't know why. Other than the three pokemon, there was nothing in the room that would make any sort of noise loud enough to cause a disturbance. "I'm getting ahead of myself. It's best to let King Judah tell you about such matters."

"I'm still confused, sir," Dillan admitted. "What aren't you telling us?"

Lawrence stood there in silence, contemplating to himself as he applied a new coat of paint to the canvas. He tilted his head back and forth as if he were weighing options internally. Either that, or it was a new, strange way of applying paint. "You both received your letters from King Judah?" he asked.

"Yes, sir," Team Rapture answered together.

"Then you know that you're suppose to be in Jarondai by tomorrow night." Tomorrow night?! "Of course, since you're here, you'll both be late. And the King won't enjoy that one bit."

"Is it that important?" Hazel questioned. "I mean, we were planning on going, but this outweighs a party!"

"Plus," Dillan added. "When we go, it'll be to get help from the King."

"So he didn't tell you?" Lawrence asked, turning his head slightly as to look at the guildmembers from the corner of his eye.

"Tell us?" Dillan asked.

"He must have his reasons for keeping it a secret, I assure you. But to tell you that you'll be going to a simple party is absurd."

"So he's not celebrating our victory in the Alkan Islands..." Hazel said quietly and worriedly.

"No," Lawrence stated. "Even though defeating Team Armageddon does tie into your reason for being summoned before the King, it's only half of the truth. there's a veil covering his real intentions, one I'm not at liberty to explain. All I can tell you it that Team Rapture has proved itself to be exemplary in King Judah's eyes. As such, he probably sees your efforts are wasted in Palando. He wants more from you both. I can tell, and so should you."

"So because we managed to take out Team Armageddon, Judah wants us to do more for the country?" Dillan questioned.

"Something you must understand about Ganderosa is that it's government was built upon bettering the lives of the pokemon who serve the crown. Since the Great King, Maxamillian Armadine, our government has been there to restore peace and innocence to those threatened by forces that wish to destroy us all. It's in the Guild System's very nature to help others. Even so, there is a basic evil and corruption that runs rampant throughout Ganderosa, whether that be from a petty thief or a murderer. The Guild seeks to cure that once and for all: for the betterment of all pokemon. That has been the goal of all of Ganderosa's Kings. And until now, it has been a mere ideal that was only reached for. But today, our glorious monarch, King Judah, has finally found a way to give everyone peace."

What?! Dillan was as shocked as he could ever be. Judah found a way... to bring peace to everyone?!

"Th-that's not true," Hazel stuttered. "Even if it were possible, King Judah-" Hazel stopped herself. Her flaring tail and dilating eyes made Dillan think she was just about ready to burst.

"Say what is on your mind," Lawrence said. "It does no one any good if you think badly of our King and refuse to give anyone the opportunity to ease your worries."

Hazel looked determined, and now that she was given the permission to speak freely, her words flowed like a flash fire that would touch any ear around her. "Judah's a coward who sits on his throne, living a glorious life while others suffer below him in the Red Strips!"

"I assume you also believe he uses the Guild System as a shield to excuse his lack of work? You do realize that's the same thinking that Team Armageddon had before turning traitor, do you not?" Hazel grimaced. She didn't try to protest at all. Instead, she looked flustered. "I don't mean it as an insult, merely an observation."

"I just can't understand how you can talk about him as if he's a hero who's trying to better Ganderosa while he kills pokemon around him!"

"Judah has done more wondrous things for this country than you can imagine," Lawrence began. "He may not go around hollering his accomplishments like a flashy blow-hard, but he has been doing work to help the country prosper. For instance: Castellum Town recently fell upon a tragedy, correct?"

"If you're talking about the Mystery Dungeon," Dillan stated. "Then yeah."

"Well, he sent two researchers out to study the area and identify what exactly makes the pokemon in that area become feral."

"We know," Hazel said. "Lesley and Nancy."

"Then you have seen first-hand that Judah is helping."

"In one area of our country's problems, yeah. But that's it!"

"There is also the issue concerning a certain group that threatens Ganderosa itself."

"The Enemy?" Dillan asked.

Lawrence turned around and faced the guildmembers. Dropping the paint brush from his mouth and onto the ground, he continued to speak. " These pokemon have broken from the path of righteousness and salvation for Ganderosa and have become traitors to the crown. These pokemon are Ganderosa's enemies.

"Now understand that I'm not at liberty to tell you all I know, but what I can say is that these pokemon want nothing but to see the Guild fail in their attempts at peace for all. King Judah's main focus has, and will always be, making sure that this group does not interfere."

"But why-" Hazel started, but Lawrence held up his paw.

"I'm not allowed to tell you anymore than I already have," the stoutland interrupted. "If you want to know more, King Judah will have to tell you himself."

"But-"

"You two should be heading off to Jarondai right about now, seeing as you don't want to be late. But before you go striding from the Guild, I would like you both to accompany me to the front of the Guild." With that, Lawrence walked around the guildmembers and down the stairs. "And try and be more up-beat!" he said in a joyful tone.

"Guildmaster, wait!" Dillan called after. He began running down after the stoutland.


Upon reaching the front yard of the Guild, Dillan found Lawrence standing right next to the fountain. His head was tilted upwards as he looked up at the darkened horizon. The star-filled sky shone bright against the stoutland's smile. It shocked Dillan to see the Guildmaster feeling joyous again, even after the seriously-toned conversation.

"Beautiful," Lawrence said quietly. "You know, it's been a while since I made a piece that has a beautiful night sky. If only I could capture it's splendor."

"Guildmaster," Dillan said. "I need a favor."

"Oh?" Lawrence asked, raising an eyebrow at the gabite. "And what might that be?"

"It's about the Lycanroc Tribe," Dillan stated. "Thalia's forces killed about..." Dillan stopped himself. Guilt began to build in his chest as he recalled the state of the tribe. He shook that thought from his head and continued, stating, "Lily's still back there. She's probably fighting them right now without any kind of help and-"

"Who?" Lawrence questioned. "Oh, right! The lycanroc who gave you the Sapphire Star. You want me to send some of the Guild to fight Thalia and the nuzleaf tribe, correct?"

"That would be fantastic!" Dillan said with a bright smile.

"I'll get right on that." Lawrence stated quickly. Dillan's joy seemed to vanish. Was it just him, or was Lawrence being dismissive.

"Guildmast-" Before Dillan could continue, Lawrence looked into the sky and gave a deep, long howl. He then looked at Dillan and smiled.

"She'll be here any second, now," he stated.

"Who?" Hazel questioned from Dillan's left. He looked back at her, not sure how long she'd been standing there. Why are you even the slightest bit surprised?

"Lawrence!" a voice shouted from above. "This better be good!"

"Team Rapture," Lawrence stated looking straight up. Dillan and Hazel followed the Guildmaster's lead. The gabite's eyes widened a he smiled slightly. Woah... That's cool... "I want you to meet Regina."

With a loud "thud", a massive, quadrupedal pokemon came to rest right next to the Guildmembers. Dillan recognized this pokemon from Lawrence's painting in the Guild.

"A salamence!" Hazel exclaimed with wonder, looking up at the pokemon who stood at nearly three-times the height of Dillan.

"And a very tired one at that!" the blue dragon said. "What is it now, Lawrence? And it better not be me posing for another one of your paintings, you sorry piece of sh-"

"This is Team Rapture," Lawrence interjected. "King Judah wants them to be in Jarondai by tomorrow. They're his special guests at Castle Jarondai."

"Wow..." Dillan exclaimed, still enamored with the massive dragon before him. "What are you?"

"Wondering why the hell I'm putting up with this crap," Regina stated. She looked at Lawrence before stating, "You want me to take them to the Castle? The no-fly-zone castle?"

"The other side of Mount Jarndai should be sufficient," Lawrence stated.

"Just because your a big-shot doesn't mean you can use me as your personal vessel. Besides, you know I have little brats to take care of without two more to cart around to an island in the middle of the ocean." Wow...

"I realize your situation, and your children will be in good paws. You have my word, or you'll own my job."

"Tempting," Regina stated. "But out of the question."

"You'll be handsomely compensated for your troubles," Lawrence assured. "Think of it as a way to help your kids get on their feet when they're of working age."

Regina looked at Lawrence. The stoutland tilted his head in a, "you know you want it" kind of way. The salamence rolled her eyes. "Climb up my wing and onto my neck," she stated, turning around and lowering her wing to the guildmembers. "And this is the last time, Lawrence! And I mean it this time!"

"Of course you do," Lawrence stated. He gave a hearty laugh as he faced Team Rapture. "She will be your ride to Jarondai Castle. You should both be there by tomorrow evening if the weather is favorable."

"Lawrence," Dillan said, turning his mind back to Lily. "The lycanrocs really need help. If you're dead-set on Judah being a good guy, then he won't mind you helping some pokemon out, right?"

Lawrence smiled at Dillan for a few seconds, saying nothing. The smile was that of a parent who was proud of a child, which was uncomfortable to say the least. Either that or... was it condescension? This is Lawrence we're talking about! He acts like a big father, not a jerk.

"If it soothes your minds," Lawrence said. "Then I'll send some forces to help the tribe."

"Thank you, Guildmaster," Hazel added in.

"Don't mention it," Lawrence stated. "Now you should be heading off!" Lawrence smiled brightly at Team Rapture. "Even though this wasn't the most pleasant visit, I'm very glad to see you both once more."

"You too," Hazel added. She grasped Dillan's arm lightly and pulled him towards the salamence. "We should be heading off, now."

"Agreed," Lawrence said. "Tell King Judah I said hi!"

"We will," Dillan stated, climbing onto Regina's back.

"Take care!" Lawrence stated. He turned away from the Salamence and walked back into the Guild. Dillan caught a small glimpse of Ziggy before he shut the doors, sealing the building once more.

Hazel and Dillan both climbed up the salamence and found themselves rested upon its neck, Dillan being in front of Hazel. The gabite felt kind of uncomfortable sitting on the salamence, not from a physical feeling, but from a general unease of being up there. It was mainly caused by the fact that there really wasn't anything to grab a hold of, so he could only rely on his legs for support. A fear of falling became apparent to the gabite.

"Uh..." Dillan started nervously. "What's keeping me from falling off of your neck?"

"Boy," Regina said. "Don't be a sissy. I've flown through the sky so often that I know how to make it as smooth as possible. You'll both be fine."

"A-alright..." Dillan said. He hunched over a little and put his arms on either side of the salamence. Just in case...

Regina spread her wings wide and raised them above her. "Are you both ready?" she asked.

"Yeah," Dillan said. He looked back at Hazel. The charmeleon was currently scowling at the tower behind her. She didn't seem to hear the salamence one bit.

"Charmeleon?"

"I'm ready," Hazel said with a nod, still not moving her gaze.

"Are you alright?" Dillan asked her.

"It's just Lawrence," she stated. Hazel turned around and looked at Regina, then Dillan. "I'll tell you later."

"Alright..." Dillan said.

"If that's all," Regina stated. "Then away we go!"


(Fericia Territory: Howling Plains: Hours Ago)

Ryan tore into one of the tents the nuzleaf tribe had set up for their invasion of Howling Plains, panting from his latest experience as a Team Rebirth member. His stomach was convulsing from the overwhelming emotions in his body. His mouth felt dry, and his blood pounded at his eardrums, making it impossible to think straight. He doubled over and threw up onto the dirt. That horrid image wouldn't fade. It was almost like he was forced to stare directly at it, so he threw up again.

"The Master is impressed by the skills you displayed today," a voice stated from behind. Ryan didn't have to face Thalia to know it was her. Her usual, neutral tone was enough to identify the nidoqueen. "You listened to my advice and executed your strategy beautifully."

Ryan wiped the bile from his chin and said, "You stepped in..."

"Yes," Thalia stated.

"You..." Ryan began. He felt the words cling to his throat as though they were barbed.

"Even though the Master was happy with your results, I'm not impressed."

Ryan turned around and faced the scowling nidoqueen. She had her head tilted upwards, giving her a condescending flare to her scowl. "I didn't live up to your standards?" Ryan asked sarcastically, not truly caring.

"You hesitated," she said flatly.

"Well, excuse me if I find it hard to..." Ryan stopped himself. He felt another surge of lunch rise up into his mouth as he spewed all over the floor.

"If you find your work this disturbing, then why stay?"

"Here's a better question," Ryan said. "Why am I even here?"

"To study under me," Thalia stated.

Ryan shook his head. "You know what I meant.

"Originally, I thought the Master recruited me to search. So tell me why I'm on these... missions?"

"You were recruited to do whatever the Master tells you."

"That isn't answering my question."

"Your question doesn't matter." Thalia sounded as though she was getting annoyed with Ryan, but he didn't care. After that fight, his adrenaline was pumping throughout his entire body.

"Out of all of these missions, I've been useless. It wouldn't matter if I was here or dead. And since we both know exactly why the Master is keeping me, I can't seem to wrap around my head why you people aren't using me for the exact purpose I'm here! So why don't you help me understand?"

"You're testing my patience, traitor."

"Don't shut me down, Thalia!" Ryan snapped. "Where's the Amber Amulet?"

Thalia raised an eyebrow at Ryan, after which was complete silence. It had been such a long time since that name was stated aloud. It was always like some sort of dark, unspoken secret, even in Team Rebirth. Now that it was out in the open, Thalia didn't seem to know what to say.

"Well?" Ryan urged.

"You think I know where it is?"

"Don't play dumb. You've had it for a while now, haven't you? That's why I'm here and not searching for it, right?"

Thalia stared at Ryan, saying nothing. That made the pachirisu smirk, not out of joy but of spite. "I'm right, aren't I?"

"I have absolutely no clue what you're entailing," Thalia stated calmly. "But I don't know where it is."

"But you have it?" Ryan asked.

"I don't know," she stated.

"What do you mean?" Ryan snapped. "You're the Master's closest commander! You have to know!"

"If that's what you believe, you're a bigger fool than I previously believed."

"What's that suppose to mean?"

Thalia stood there for a few seconds before turning away from Ryan. "The Master lets us know all that he wishes. Knowing anything more than needed puts him at a greater risk if one of his followers should turn traitor."

"So you don't know everything there is to know?"

"No one does," Thalia stated. "And it doesn't matter if we know his plan or not."

Ryan tilted his head slightly in confusion. "You're following blindly?"

"Careful, traitor. It sounds as though you're considering betrayal as an option, which is unwise for someone of your position." Ryan said nothing. Instead, he remained calm and waited for Thalia's next string of words. "As for your question, I do not follow blindly. All that has ever mattered to me is the destination, not the road. By keeping a piece of the path to himself, the Master has assured that no matter what happens, our enemies will not have the entire plan. And maybe that is the reason you are here instead of looking. But does the 'why' truly matter, or is the destination what we should be concerned with when considering the path?"

Ryan considered what was said. She doesn't seem to know where it is... And it doesn't seem to matter to her. But if it's true that she doesn't know all there is, then how can she feel trusted? And why doesn't she want to know everything?

"It is time you learn the truth about Team Rebirth, Mr. Simon," a deep, sinister voice echoed in Ryan's head.

"What do you mean by that?" Ryan asked aloud. Thalia stood there, remaining silent. Ryan knew that meant she was conversing with the Master in her own head so he couldn't hear. It might have been frustrating if he didn't have his own internal conversation to deal with.

"You did well in this battle. You fought Raksha with ferocity. Whether that was out of a need to survive or pure brutality does not matter to me. All that matters is that you fought for me, and I believe that has proved your loyalty."

"As you wish, Master," Thalia stated, bowing to what looked like the air itself.

Ryan shook his head. It was unbelievable. After all this, and a simple fight is what proved it? You don't trust me. "You're pulling my chain."

"On the contrary," Thalia stated calmly. "The Master believes your want for 'closure' outweighs your ties you created with your old team. He believes that want is enough to trust you will not go against us."

Ryan gave a scoff of disapproval. "I'm not buying it."

"Then allow me to convince you. Outside of this tent stands one of my recently-tested followers. He has been instructed to give you any information you want from him. Normally, I would do so myself. But something has come up that needs my attention. So, he will tell you what you wish to learn, should it be in his ability to answer. Let his information be the proof you seek."

Ryan's eyes drifted behind Thalia to the entrance of the tent. Someone's out there? Thalia stepped to the side and stared at Ryan. Her neutral expression was enough to demand Ryan follow through with the Master's plans. Still...

"This is going to give me answers?" Ryan asked. "About whatever I ask?"

"If it is in his power to answer, then he will do so."

"So if I were to ask about Thalia?"

"The old witch is one hundred and eighty two," a cold, yet joyful voice stated from outside of the tent. That voice... Ryan's eyes widened and his jaw tensed up. "She was born in a town that was decimated by taxes brought about by the Armadine Family's very own Hans Armadine. That town no longer exists today due to the taxes, which is why she joined Team Rebirth."

Thalia turned towards the tent's exit and scowled. "That was a little too much information for my tastes."

"Shut up!" the voice shouted. Ryan watched as a green blade tore through the tent flaps and ripped them apart. The blade stopped at Thalia's nose, threatening to pierce her scaly nostrils, but the wielder's cold, bitter eyes flashed a sort of blood-lust towards Ryan instead. "The Master told me to give the runt everything I knew! And he asked about you. So why would I withhold that information?"

"You..." Ryan stated slowly as his cold gaze traced the burns across the pokemon's body. His face grew into a snarl of anger, but his mind was too focused on his own disbelief. "But you-"

"I thought you already knew?" Arlon asked with a massive grin. He looked at Thalia and stated, "If he doesn't even know that much, then how long is this going to take m-"

"Remove your sword before I remove it for you!" Thalia demanded.

Arlon's sword immediately shrank back into his leaf and he shrugged. "Fine. But that doesn't answer my question."

Thalia scowled towards Ryan. "He knows. It's just that he's overemotional, allowing it to blind him from simple conclusions." Ryan shot a cold glance at Thalia. Thanks for putting her in a bad mood, Arlon...

"If it keeps being a problem," Arlon began, turning towards Ryan with hate-filled eyes, "I could always beat it out of him. I still owe him for that incident in Castellum Town."

"Just try it!" Ryan barked.

"Enough playing," Thalia stated. "Get this over with so we can follow through with the Master's next course of action."

"Fine," Arlon stated. He stood up straight and softened his grin into a light smile, which was even more disturbing for Ryan. "Tell me, Simon. What do you want to know?"

"You can't be serious," Ryan said. "You're going to tell me what I want to know? You of all pokemon?"

"It's why I'm here," Arlon stated. "Now let's get on with it. Or I could hurt you. Either one works for me."

Ryan looked at Thalia. She nodded her head, urging Ryan to ask a question. Ryan shook his head. "This doesn't change anything between us," Ryan snarled. "I'm still your enemy."

"Now that we have our heart-filled comments out of the way," Arlon began. "Why don't we forget that we want to kill each other for a few seconds while you tell me what you want to know?"


(Fericia Territory: Fericia Castle: Present Time)

As Ziggy shut the door behind the Guildmaster, blocking Team Rapture and Regina from the Guild, Lawrence felt his fear start to rise in his chest. It's happening too fast... So much preparation... So much work and warning... and now it's finally happening...

"Guildmaster?" Ziggy asked nervously. "Do you want me to call a meeting to speak with the guildmembers?"

"Don't bother," Lawrence stated.

"But didn't you say you would send forces to help the pokemon of Howling Pains?"

Lawrence gave a long, drawn-out sigh. "I know what I said to them, Hans. And I've just told you differently." He turned to the zigzagoon and shot him a hard scowl. "No one will be sent to aid them. Do you understand?"

"Y-yes Guildmaster Lawrence," Ziggy said, lowering his head to Lawrence.

"Good. Now why don't you deal with the rest of your paper work while I think. I'll be in my study if you require we for anything you come across."

"Of course!" Ziggy stated before running towards one of the two desks. He began working on the paper at the table, scribbling initials wherever he saw the need.

Lawrence began walking down the room and up the stairs as he thought. I still don't understand why you want to speak with them. You already have the one you need, so why do you seek another? You must have your reasons, but... The stoutland stopped on the last stair. He began feeling the helplessness surround him: a feeling he wished to leave behind since his childhood. He pounded his closed paw on the stone step and shouted. Why do you constantly keep me in the dark?! Why would you share your entire plan with seemingly everyone else while you force me to dance on the edge between knowing nothing and everything?! Have I not worked enough for this?!

The feeling of fear began growing inside of him. It was torturous. He wanted to know everything: help in any way he could. He wanted to strengthen his position. But how could he when so much was kept from him? "Why do you refuse to accept me?!"

"You know exactly why, Guildmaster," the voice stated. "Being in your position has tainted your heart with pity. I'm honestly not that surprised considering you spend your days lying to those around you. Perhaps those same lies and the system you lie for has corrupted your ideals for the future."

"Never!" Lawrence shouted. "My loyalties have always been to your cause: our cause!"

"Then why have you still not attempted to claim the Sapphire Star for me?" Lawrence grimaced. "You must have sensed it's power ever since he came to your front door. You must have, at the very least, considered its value."

"I-I never thought about-"

"You forget that I can see into your mind, Guildmaster. You're a fool to believe you can hide from me."

"I wasn't showing him mercy!"

"Then how would you define your actions towards your enemy?"

"I would have had to kill the gabite and the girl!"

"And what use do I have for the spawn of Panne Wicker?! That woman has caused me issues for generations! Her offspring would die whether you spared her or not!"

"That girl has connections in Fericia! You can't make someone like her disappear without raising too many eyebrows! Pokemon would have suspected everything! From there on, it would only be a matter of time before they learned of your identity!"

"If Ganderosa learning of my identity is the cost of achieving our goal, then so be it! But there's a different reason for your lack of actions! Stop trying to hide it! You never wanted to kill a child!"

Lawrence felt his fear reach its peak in his chest. He knows... Why did I ever try to hide it?!

"Why indeed. It's time you stopped playing your childish games, Lawrence and decide what kind of man you want to be! If you want to lose it all for your simple emotions, so be it! At this point, it doesn't matter! You are no longer a vital piece in this game!"

"But my allegiance has always been to the cause! You can't-" A massive surge of pain erupted in the front of Lawrence's head. The stoutland doubled over on the stairs and began shouting in agony.

"Forget your place once more and it will end you! Do you understand?!"

"I understand!" Lawrence howled. Almost as fast as it started, the pain dissipated, leaving the Guildmaster gasping for air.

"Good. Now understand that your assistance in our plan is still acknowledged and you will still be compensated for your efforts. I hope you understand what this means."

"I... understand..." Lawrence stated wearily.

"In a few short hours, I will order my forces to return to the island. I expect them to go unburdened and unnoticed as always. If anyone reports it, that report is to be erased. Do I make myself clear?"

Lawrence took one final breath before stating, "Yes... Yes, King Judah..."


(Author's Notes)

Haha! The plot thickens! I've been waiting for this moment for a very very long time! Of course, there are still some questions, but I hope this gets some things cleared up (and brings up more questions! Chaw haw haw! (props to anyone who caught this reference) :D). Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter (or at least the end)! It took a long time to think and process how exactly I was going to go about putting Team Rapture on the road to Jarondai, which is why it took a little longer to get out (well, that and writer's block and/or college tests getting in the way).

Something I just wanted to put out there for anyone interested. I've been wanting to do this for a while now, but I've been afraid to ask... Anyways, I've wanted to get a beta-reader in for my story! Since I don't want to subject anyone to A. A story they wouldn't be interested in, and B. Having to read a year's work of chapters just to get caught up so they could help me out, I thought I'd ask the fans of the story who've already read up to this point! I need a Beta-Reader. Having to comb through the chapters multiple times is really tiring for me, due to so many other things going on in my life. Since I already know you guys read the story, I was wondering if someone wanted to be a Beta-Reader and point out different "issues" they see: whether it be character dialogue being sloppy for whatever reason or a punctuation error. Maybe even a typo. It would help me so much, and you'd only have to read it once through Google Docs!

{

Benefits: You'd get to read the story ahead of everyone else! You'd be helping me get these chapters out faster than they usually do! And... my eternal gratitude? XP

Costs: As long as it takes to read through a chapter (for me it's an hour...)

}

No pressure whatsoever! Shoot me a PM if you want! If not, you can find a good brick, bring it above your toe, and just drop that sucker! Jk. I don't really care. Doesn't mean more work for me, anyways, ya know? All I'm asking is that you consider it. The more people who help me, the better it'll turn out! Thanks for your time!

Shout-out to "ShadowBlaze07", "Meisterofjuice", "Cyalm", and "ExplodedPoet" for following/favoriting the story! It's funny how literally hours before I posted the latest chapter (or at least I think it's how it happened... :P) I got a new follow/favorite, and I just didn't get emailed about it. Go figure! Anyways, whoever you are, sorry for not giving a shout-out to you in the last chapter! Anyways, thanks so much for liking the story enough to follow! Justifies my work, you know?

That's all for now! Next time, a whole bunch of things are going to come unraveled! A lack of mystery awaits! So thanks for reading, everyone! I'll see you all in the next chapter!