21st Winter Moon, 907—Night

In the wake of disaster following the Festival della Festa, citizens of the Echo Bell capital were ordered to vacate the streets immediately as a search was conducted. Multiple witness accounts, including those of the esteemed knights themselves, identified multiple perpetrators of the chaos that unfolded during the festivities.

After the signal launched by the knight, Angelo, was received, the capital was put into immediate lockdown. No one, whether of or outside of the kingdom, was permitted to leave until a thorough search of the capital was completed. No Forester or criminal would be allowed to escape under the watchful eye of the Echo Bell knights.

These were the exact concerns dwelling in the thoughts of the Foresters.

Their various attempts for escape were thwarted with inopportune timing or disadvantageous circumstances. No matter where they went, a knight would be around the corner guarding an exit point. The Foresters were forced to stick to the intricate pathways of the city until they found their moment to flee, though they ran themselves ragged, especially with the addition of their injuries from earlier.

Fabrice, taking the lead, poked his head outside an alley and spotted a knight marching down the street. Fabrice fell back and silently ordered his group to hide against the wall as the knight passed them. They held their breaths until the knight was out of sight.

Klaus huffed a breath and fell onto his rear. "This sucks."

"No kidding," Gold and Jewel whined.

Klaus glared, then pulled the twins down by their hoods. "This is all your faults!"

"What? How?!"

Fabrice turned and shushed them. "Keep it down, all three of you."

Klaus shook his head, then focused back on the twins. "If it weren't for you two causing such a mess, we wouldn't have landed in as much trouble as we have. You two just had to cause mischief and let yourselves be seen."

Gold pouted. "In our defense—"

"What were you expecting?" Jewel finished.

Klaus' eye twitched. He was a second away from snapping until Melissa got between and pushed them apart. "Alright, enough. I think we all have some partial blame in all of this."

"We wouldn't have gone into the capital in the first place had it not been for your sweet tooth," Jewel accused, to which her Meowth brother nodded in agreement.

Melissa blushed awkwardly. "Like I said, we are all partially to blame for this. Even Fabrice for not drilling into my head how stupid it was to come back here."

Fabrice shot her a deadpan glare. "You're still salty you lost your crème puffs, aren't you?"

Melissa dropped to her knees and wept into her hands. "Why is the world so cruel to the most innocent creatures?" Klaus rolled his eyes, but gently patted her head.

Gold approached Fabrice and whispered, "Can't you do that mud swimming thing you used to rescue us earlier? That would get us out of the city."

"Yes, and it would be extremely obvious," Fabrice countered. "Plus, unlike me, none of you can't breathe underwater."

"But we wouldn't be underwater, we would be underground." Gold frowned. "Come to think of it, how do you breathe underground if there's no water?"

"It's softened earth infused with wat—you're missing the point." Fabrice took a deep breath and sighed. "Look, I can do that to get us out of here, but I would have to be super close to the kingdom walls for us to make an uncontested escape. If I did it in the middle of the city with knights prowling about, we'll get caught. I only did it before because we were in less danger, and it was kind of an emergency."

Klaus frowned. "So, how are we going to get near the walls? At the rate we're going, it'll be sunrise, and we'll be barely cognizant to answer any questions after the knights arrest us."

Melissa proved his point by interjecting with a soft, demulcent yawn. "So sleepy."

The twins giggled at her. "You yawn like a baby," they said. Melissa pouted and hid her reddened cheeks.

Fabrice shook his head. "Listen, at our current rate, escape is purely aleatory. Either we catch a break, or a random rock from space crashes down and destroys the walls."

"That can happen?!" Melissa gasped. "Rocks can fall out of the sky?"

"Do you…not know what a meteorite is?"

Melissa sucked her lips in. "Oh. Oh, meteorites. Heh, completely forgot. C-Continue."

Fabrice frowned. "Yeah, we definitely need to get out of here before sleep deprivation kicks in." He peeked out of the alleyway again. "Wish we had another exit strategy."

Melissa looked off to the side, wracking her sleep deprived mind, and gasped as a revelation struck her. "Secret passage!"

"Shh!" Fabrice hushed, but then stared at her oddly. "Wait, what?"

Melissa scrambled inside her bag and sifted through her notes before pulling out a hand drawn map. "My assignment for the heist. I have been studying the underground catacombs of the Echo Bell capital."

Everyone's eyes widened. "You what?"

Melissa grinned. "They are super fascinating, trust me, but not the point." She set the map down and rolled it out. "If I remember correctly, the passages stretch out all over the underground of the capital. If you do not know your way around them, you can easily get lost. Fortunately, I found some journals that documents a few paths. I was hoping to study them a bit longer until all this came up, but I remember a passage that leads near the walls."

Fabrice smiled. "Melissa, you're a genius."

Melissa smiled bashfully. "Th-Thanks."

"Do you know where the entrance to the passage is?"

Melissa skimmed the map again, then nodded. "Yes, I should." She pulled out a map of the capital and unfurled it. "It should be on…this street, about ten minutes from where we are."

Fabrice took the map and read it over. "Alright. We'll try out the passage and hope none of the knights had the same idea. Sound like a plan?" His team nodded. "Good. We have no time to lose. Stick close." After Fabrice checked for any passing knights, the team raced out onto the dark streets.

"This is bad, this is bad, this is bad! It's worse than bad! It's the worst. Possible. Thing. EVER!"

Luna and Angelo stood by at the entrance to the king and queen's chambers, patched up from their rough encounter with the Foresters earlier in the day. The Jellicent king bounded around his room, wailing on and on about the tragedy that befell his humble kingdom. Though, debate was still up if it had anything to do with the Foresters or the fact the festival had to be postponed.

The queen and Azelia stood by the king's bedside, one looking annoyed with her husband and the other curiously staring off into space. Queen Visconti covered her face and heaved a sigh. "My darling, please cease this rabblerousing before you give yourself an ulcer."

The king ran his flippers down his face, then turned to his devoted wife. "My darling Corinna, you do not see the fear that projects through my own vision. To think, a travesty like this could have been prevented with better planning. I am a failure of a king who desires to inspire and bring light to our subjects in these dark times, yet I cannot even control the crime that runs rampant in our fair capital." The king threw himself onto his bed and wept like a blubbering Sealeo.

Luna stared awkwardly at the king's rather undignified appearance. She looked to Angelo and whispered, "Is he normally like this?"

"We are known as the Kingdom of Revelry for a reason," the Raboot whispered back. "Inside these walls, etiquette is the least of the royal family's concerns. Still, I can't blame the man with all the stress he's constantly under."

"Hmm…" Luna looked on pitifully at the blubbering king.

Queen Corinna floated onto the bed and rubbed her husband's head. "Do not fret too much, my bountiful beau. The subjects love and admire you. They do not fault you for these horrible transgressions—"

"What is the use?!" the king wailed, rolling onto his back and raising his tentacles toward his bed's canopy. "With all the horrors that transpired in the year, I fear what may happen come the Red Ash Moon. What if we have to cancel the Misty Lights Carnival? Who would then appreciate my rule and not demand a pyre to be lit under my throne?"

Azelia smiled brightly. "Oh, cheer up, Dad! If anyone wanted you dead, they wouldn't keep it secret. You're the nicest king in all of Virdis!"

The king sniffled and looked up to his daughter. "You speak the truth, my dear Azelia?"

"Of course!"

"WAAAAH!" The king wrapped his tentacles around Azelia and pulled her into a big hug. "You are the light of my life, my darling baby!"

"Ahem," his Gourgeist wife chimed in with a raised brow.

The king pulled her into the hug asl well. "Same as you, my darling! WAAAAH!"

Luna winced and looked away, covering her peripherals. "I cannot not imagine King Penworth being nearly this emotional, aside from fits of rage."

Angelo shrugged. "I cannot speak for any other kingdom, but Echo Bell has always been lax when it comes to their rule. A little too lax, if you ask me."

"What do you mean?"

Angelo sighed and stroked his chin. "Crime runs as rampant as it does because one too many laws and policies didn't account for everything, and now we're desperately reigning in the mess. Some things ended up spawning out of our control."

Luna frowned. "You mean like…him. The reaper—"

"Grim Deadlock, you mean."

Luna felt an icy chill shoot up her spine. She jumped away from the door and looked up to see the only prince, Asterio, glaring down between the two knights with his usual stoic expression.

"Y-Your Highness! G-Greetings!" Luna yelped.

"Yeah. Hello." Asterio looked to Angelo. "How is my dad doing?"

Angelo glanced warily at the blubbering king as he continued to suffocate his family. "Improving, I guess."

Asterio sighed. "Typical."

Luna gulped and raised her hand at the prince. "Pardon my forwardness, Your Highness, but you mentioned Grim Deadlock."

Asterio nodded slowly. "You two were talking about the cesspool that is the nightlife of our capital. What else to say that is not the miasma that brewed from the stench of corruption? Though, do not take my word for it. I try to stay out of these affairs as much as possible. They give me a headache, the wretched scum of these filthy streets."

Luna's eyes traveled down the shiny Frillish and noted the clenched flipper and tense shaking. She was warned of the prince's volatile temper when it came to these sorts of matters. She had a hard time believing this was the same kind soul Monica spoke fondly of. Best not to push on the matter or suffer the uncontested wrath of the prince.

"Duly noted," Luna simply responded.

Asterio sighed and rubbed his eyes. "Forgive me, I am just weary right now. I had to handle some complaints for my father regarding the disruption today. So, there are Foresters lurking the capital?"

Angelo nodded. "And two other suspects. A Machamp and a snazzily dressed Weavile, we believe. From the looks of things, these two may be bounty hunters hunting for a bounty, and they happened to find the Foresters here."

"Tch." Asterio rubbed his eyes again. "Typical. Last thing we need is trash like that polluting the streets."

Luna frowned. "So, if you have someone like Grim Deadlock cutting down these criminals, would that be a good thing?"

Asterio laughed bitterly. "Cute."

"Huh?"

"Look, I do not necessarily disagree with what Deadlock is doing in these streets, but it will not change anything. He is just as bad, if not worse. Grim Deadlock is a monster born from our incompetence. Or perhaps something darker than that. It is hard to say what truly brought him to this world, but I cannot deny his methods are problematic in the long term."

"Then why side with said methods?" Luna asked with a raised brow.

Luna could've sworn a glint of sadness reflected in the gloomy prince's eyes. He turned away just as Luna took a closer look. "Perhaps because I lost faith in Pokémon."

Luna's eyes widened. "Lost faith? What do you—" She stopped when Angelo placed a hand on her shoulder. He shook his head, silently telling her to drop it. She frowned, but conceded with the silent request. "N-Never mind."

Asterio sighed and wiped his eyes. "Whatever. If you want to know more about Deadlock, ask my father when he calms down. I only came by to tell him his dinner will be brought up in half an hour. He…likes to comfort eat when he is like this."

Luna smiled. "We'll pass the message along."

"Thanks. I guess." Asterio waved them off and turned around. "If anyone needs me, I will be in the archives with Ms. Gatti." He started down the hall.

"Ah, Bro! Hold up!" Asterio stopped and turned back as Azelia floated out the door. "Don't you want to help us cheer Dad up? He could use all the support he needs."

Asterio winced. "As if he needs my depressing atmosphere to clear up his stormy weather."

"Nah! You are a rainbow after the rain, Bro-Bro!"

Asterio rolled his eyes. "Whatever." He continued down the hall.

"Aww. Well, I'm sure Evangelina will want in on this!" Azelia paused and tapped her chin thoughtfully. "Hey, Asterio! Where is Evangelina? I haven't seen her in a while."

"How should I know?" Asterio growled. "Check her room or something." He doubled his pace and disappeared around the corner.

Azelia pouted angrily. "Rude!" She huffed and floated down the opposite way.

Luna was left awkwardly staring at the hall, hands tucked behind her back. "Well, never before have I been grateful to be an only child."

Angelo patted her shoulder. "They're always like that." He turned back into the king's chamber.

Luna crossed her arms and leaned against the doorsill, staring ahead with a pensive expression. "The miasma that's been brewing in the streets, huh? Grim Deadlock…"

Stealth. Not the particular forte of Armant, who preferred the direct approach to problem solving. Conversation or brawling, his two main tactics for resolving a situation, whether it be discussion of art, culture, and the fine details of society, or the brutal execution of finely thrown fisticuffs. He wasn't picky with either option, though battle is a stale subject given his lack of potential threats to his person.

These times were different as now Armant had a giant charge hanging over his head in the form of another major debt. Being the only witness to a destroyed belltower, he was pinned for the damages and forced to flee the scene. Another debt to add to the ever-expanding list, he guessed.

Armant kept hidden under the cover of darkness as the knight patrolled the streets. The invincible Machamp could easily take them, but it would be a waste of time and a fruitless endeavor. What point was there in starting a fight if the outcome was so predictable? Not even a handicap would favor to even the odds. Better to play stealthy to entice a hint of challenge navigating the city.

As Armant kept watch of the streets, he heard rattling coming from behind. He paid it no mind, reasons being that it was another non-threat to his invincible hide and the quiet chatter that followed gave away the identity of the disturber. A grandiose tone of voice even in its hush tone, one all too recognizable for the Machamp.

"Haha! I see we have reconvened during these trying times, my friend!" the flashy Frediano said as he popped up behind Armant. "The rumors of the audience spoke of a muscular fiend rampaging through the city, chasing a pair of felines in nature's garb."

Armant narrowed his eyes. "And I take it you had similar encounters?"

Frediano threw his head back and laughed. "Quite the rambunctious trio of players during my performance, some who threatened to steal my light. A shining Valkyrie of nature and a sickly goblin of misfortune, dancing across my stage during my act. Oh, but they were hardly what I call starring attractions, especially compared to me, the Great Frediano!"

"Uh huh," Armant mumbled, half-paying attention.

"Though, one actress shined brightest during our dance, enough to where she arguably rivaled my role as the protagonist, but only slightly. A rogue of mystery and deception, as cunning and charming as the rumors stated, raising her beauty and skill to heights I had not believed until my eyes witnessed them myself. She is truly a most deceptive and slippery vixen."

Armant glared over his shoulder. "What are you on about?"

Frediano tapped the side of his mask. "Why, I refer to that devilish copycat of a rogue, Harlow."

"Harlow, eh?" Armant scratched his chin. "Even she's in the city."

"Exactly. Now she and her lackies continue with their routine off the stage, hidden within the city as we are. I imagine they are attempting escape as we speak. Perhaps they already fled beyond the walls."

Armant shook his head. "Nah. There's too many knights out in the open. They wouldn't be able to get anywhere near the walls."

"Then we've reached a most perplexing conundrum. It's like escaping a locked room without undoing the lock. A most peculiar crime and escape."

"…I don't think this is even remotely comparable to a locked room mystery."

"Regardless, know that the Great Frediano will descend upon those blackguards and bring about righteous justice with stunning flair!" Frediano flapped his cape and posed dramatically in the stale air.

Armant sighed and massaged his eyes with his fingers. "Fred, perhaps you'll find more success in silence, which I prefer you do instead of drawing the attention of knights by mistake."

"It is not my fault I'm so captivating~!" Frediano continued switching between various dynamic poses, each reflecting sparkles off his costume from an unknown light source. Armant was half-convinced he was generating the light through a gaudy aura of pure flashy vanity.

Armant sighed and focused back on the street. "If the working theory is that the Foresters are still inside the capital walls, we have a shot of finding them. Question is, where would the next likely place they be?"

"Perhaps they are assuming the roles of staff at the local pub. A cunning performance in these dire times!" Frediano exclaimed.

Armant rolled his eyes. "We'll chalk that up as our last option." He massaged his chin and stared firmly at the ground. "No, we need something more concrete to find them. Problem is, they'll be having the same trouble moving through the streets as we are. What other way is there to get around the city beyond…" Armant paused a moment as a thought came to mind.

He ventured through the known secrets of the kingdom out of curiosity for their architecture. Fascinating buildings and monuments aplenty to gaze upon, but very little to offer in the way of escape on the surface. With knights sprawled through every known exit to the city, navigating the streets alone was a dangerous chore. The keen Machamp, however, recalled the rumors of underground catacombs. He remembered his tiny Buneary acquaintance mentioning them in passing during their many meetups, a fascination he never quite got an answer for beyond architectural pursuit.

The catacombs were vast, said to be a labyrinth if those foolhardy enough to enter didn't know their way around. Would such a space be the perfect escape route for miscreants hunted by the knights? Though, a misstep in approaching this lead could result in getting lost or a waste of time. Perhaps both. On the other hand, they were looking for several thieves who were no doubt licking their wounds from the hysterics of the day. Would any other method of fleeing the city fair better?

"Fred," Armant said, looking to the Weavile. "What are the chances our plucky thieves absconded through the underground catacombs?"

Frediano stroked his chin. "Well, I assure you, I've done a thorough search around the capital since they fled the scene. Chances of them getting to the walls unseen as slim at best. Though, if one were to take a secret passage and slip by cover, it would be a reasonable route."

Armant glared. "Problem is, we wouldn't know how to navigate them, nor if they would have the same idea. This is risky, especially if we end up getting turned around ourselves."

"So, not the catacombs?"

"It's too much of a chance." Armant scratched his chin pensively as he wracked away in his mind. "Although, if we can figure out which passage they would likely take, we could ambush them there."

Frediano crossed his arms. "I could break into the local library and steal some maps."

"Might help." Armant stretched his arms and cracked his neck. "Best to get a move on. It's a long night ahead—"

"I wouldn't recommend venturing further."

Armant and Frediano turned their heads sharply and found themselves joined by a darkly-dressed Cacturne wielding a shovel over his shoulder. His luminous yellow eyes peered at them through the darkness of his hood.

"Dark winds sail through these streets. The reaper's scythe peeks through the fog, and will cut down your damned souls."

Through much searching and careful navigation, the Foresters broke into the capital museum and stealthily hunted for their targeted destination. According to Melissa's notes, one of the passages safest for them to travel to was locked away deep in the museum, accessible only with special permission from the royal family themselves.

They climbed their way down to the museum cellar, their path guided by the candlelight provided by Fabrice. Melissa reviewed her notes as she searched through the cellar while the others took in their surroundings. The cellar seemed to act as a storage area for paintings, statues, and other curiosities, perhaps for preservation or to make way for more stunning art piece. Neither thief could offer an opinion to the correct reason.

"Okay, if my notes are right…" Melissa shuffled through her notes, then tapped the page. "There should be a locked door right over…here!" Melissa pointed down the cellar and singled out the thick wooden door with the metal padlock. "Perfect!"

Fabrice smiled. "Excellent work, Melissa. Klaus, hold this." He handed the candle to Klaus, then approached the door.

Klaus walked up to Melissa and asked, "So, is your big heist going to be stealing something from the museum? Honestly, you could steal something right now. Maybe you'll get extra credit."

Melissa giggled. "As charming a thought that is, the museum is not the target of interest."

"Oh? Then what?"

She tapped him on the nose and giggled again. "That is my little secret." Klaus smirked a bit and rolled his eyes.

"Gold, Jewel. Come over here for a moment," Fabrice called out. "I may need your help unlocking this."

The twins stopped pilfering through the artwork and scampered over to Fabrice to examine the lock. With a moment of respite for them, Melissa placed her notes back inside her bag while keeping the catacomb map out. She teetered patiently on her heels as the twins worked on unlocking the padlock.

A shame they had to leave so soon, especially under new circumstances, but Melissa will get her chance to scour the city again. If her plans were approved by Jason, she will be seeing the capital in a few months from now. Not a whole lot of time, but enough to plan a heist.

Melissa sighed and clutched around her chest. I cannot help but wonder what Mom would think of all this…sneakiness? Puzzled, Melissa patted her chest, but felt nothing beyond her clothes underneath. Melissa opened her collar and peered down her uniform. In an instant, her face turned stark white as her eyes shrank.

Gold and Jewel finished picking the lock and threw it aside. "Done!" they said.

Fabrice nodded. "Good. Melissa, can you hand me the map aga—"

"AAAAAHHHHH!"

Everyone nearly jumped out their skin as Melissa dropped everything and frantically patted herself down like she was struck with Infestation. She peered down her uniform, through her sleeves, through her hood, and every other reachable place on her person, practically clawing at herself.

"Where is it? Where is IT?!" Melissa shrieked. She turned her bag over and dumped everything onto the ground, haphazardly digging through her notes and journals. "No, no, no, no, no! This isn't happening! This isn't HAPPENING!"

Klaus grabbed Melissa and gently shook her. "Melissa, calm down. Someone might hear—" Melissa grabbed him back and retaliated with a more violent shake.

"Where's my locket?!"

Klaus pushed her off and shook his head. "I-I'm sorry, your what?"

The twins walked up to them. "What's that about a locket?" Gold asked.

Melissa paused in her hysteria for a moment and turned her sights on the thieving twins. Without warning, Melissa growled and pounced on them, pushing them to the ground and seizing them by the collars. They were too shocked to fight back.

"You two! Give my locket back, now!" Melissa yelled.

"W-What are you talking about!" Jewel gasped.

"We didn't take it!" Gold added fearfully.

"You two are always reaching around and trying to swipe it off my neck! This isn't funny, you two! Give me my locket!" She shook them frantically, almost banging their heads against the floor.

Fabrice and Klaus grabbed Melissa by the arms and peeled her off the twins. "Melissa, get a hold of yourself!" Klaus yelled.

The twins pulled themselves up and clung to each other, staring at Melissa with fear in their eyes. "W-We don't have your locket! We swear!"

"Liars!" Melissa hissed, struggling in Klaus and Fabrice's holds. "Give it back, give it back!"

"Melissa, chill!" Fabrice exclaimed. "I think they're telling the truth. Just look at them!"

Melissa flared her nostrils and glowered at the twins for a moment, watching them squirm on the floor. As she started to calm down, Melissa looked closely at the confusion and hurt in their faces. Though a pair of thieving rats as they were, they weren't shy of showing off their talents. If anything, they wouldn't even bother hiding it, rather display it to annoy the Buneary.

They were telling the truth.

Tears broke out and streamed down Melissa's face. She collapsed onto her hands and knees, staring down at the floor with a distressed gaze. "But where…did it…" Her eyes widened as the memories of earlier rushed back to her.

After fighting Luna Freia, Melissa fell into the canal to escape. Luna tried to stop her, but failed to grab the fleeing Buneary. Or at least, that's as much as Melissa could remember in the moment. One horrible possibility was that the locket snapped off its chain after she fell into the canal, and now it's somewhere submerged in the waters of the capital.

The other possibility, however, was just as likely, if not worse.

"She has my locket…" Melissa whispered.

Fabrice bent down and rubbed her back. "What?"

"I was fighting a knight. She has my locket. She grabbed my locket by mistake, trying to reclaim the scroll I stole from her." Melissa bared her teeth and pressed her forehead into the floor. "I was being petty because of the crème puffs. If…If I had just give the scroll back, she wouldn't have tried to go for my locket my mistake." Melissa clenched her eyes shut and wept into her folded arms. "My…M-My locket…"

Klaus, after helping the twins up, frowned at his quivering friend. The twins awkwardly looked away. Though not the perpetrators of her sorrow, they couldn't help feeling guilty over their previous attempts trying to take her locket, even if in jest. They knew how volatile Melissa got when it came to her locket, but they didn't expect her to act like this again.

Fabrice pursed his lips, struggling to find the words to say. He opened and closed his mouth, stuck between offering encouragement and focusing on their escape. He was normally better with these situations, but he was too tired to think clearly.

"Melissa," Fabrice mumbled, awkwardly scratching behind his head. "I…we could always try and find the knight who took your locket."

Melissa sniffled, then looked up at Fabrice. "B-But, w-we're on the run."

"Well, yeah, but…you know, we could still try, right?"

Melissa frowned, touched by the sincerity in his offer. Any other day, Melissa would've jumped at the offer regardless of consequence. That locket was a memento of her mother, an item too precious for her to part with. It was what Melissa could turn to for strength and courage in her darkest hour.

But to put her friends in danger just to secure her happiness?

Melissa sniffled, wiped her eyes, and shook her head. "N-No."

Klaus's eyes widened. "But that locket—"

"It's too late. There's no point going back for it." Melissa tried to stand up, but faltered forward. Fabrice caught her and helped her up. "W-We need to get out of here before someone finds us. That's all that matters."

Fabrice frowned. "Are you sure, Melissa?"

"I…" Melissa tensed up a bit, but shook the hesitancy out of herself. "I am sure."

"…I'm sorry, Melissa. Truly, I am."

Melissa closed her eyes. "It's…fine. At least I know it's with someone who won't think to sell it. I hope, at least."

Fabrice nodded. "Yeah." He sighed, then awkwardly looked ahead. "Well…we should continue going."

"R-Right." Melissa stumbled forward, taking the lead into the catacombs with a wobbling grace. Even with her head turned away, the others could hear the soft crying she hid from them.

Klaus crossed his arms and looked down. "Anyone else feel a little…cold?"

Gold and Jewel nodded somberly. "Yeah."

Fabrice shook his head, then motioned the others to follow. With even less vigor than they had earlier, they followed Melissa down into the catacombs. Klaus was the last in line, preparing to shut the door behind them. He halted a moment as something Melissa said finally clicked in his head.

"Wait. She took the locket? When has there been a female knight in Echo Bell?" Klaus tapped his chin. "Only one I can think of would be…"

Klaus thought back to when he swooped in and absconded with the flashy Weavile who was harassing Melissa. He distinctly remembered seeing someone else in the area fighting Melissa. A Snivy, if he remembered correctly.

A female, Snivy knight.

Like the one from Verde Kingdom.

"…" Klaus' eyes widened. "Oh shit."

The unsettling presence of the grimly-dressed Cacturne alerted Armant to raise a fist at him. Frediano stared at the prickly scarecrow with a mystified gaze, or at least as mystified as one can interpret from a mask. The chilling statement gifted upon the duo rang out in their ears as they stared at the shovel-wielding stranger.

Armant glared. "(Who are you, stranger)"

The Cacturne shook his head. "I speak the same language as you. No need to cater."

Armant huffed, then raised his fist. "Are you here to rat us out to the knights?"

"I'm but a lowly gravedigger employed by the royal family to clean up these streets at night. What good is a Kingdom of Revelry if it must be desecrated with the carcasses of corruptions fangs?"

"Riiiiight. You still haven't answered my—"

"Well, well! My old pal, the creepy gravedigger!" Armant shot Frediano an odd look as he bounded over to the Cacturne. "Fancy seeing you around these parts again, my friend. Were you drawn to my captivating appearance and compelled to receive my adoration? Perhaps an autograph?"

The Cacturne gave Frediano a side-eye glare. "You. You talk too much." He walked past Frediano and approached Armant instead. He popped a toothpick into his mouth and gazed up at the muscular fiend. "Word on the street is that a couple of troublemakers started a conflict with the Foresters."

Armant crossed all four of his arms. "Perhaps. Who wants to know?"

"The name's Zechariah Beaumont, head gravedigger and corpse collector of the Echo Bell capital. Friends call me Zech."

Armant narrowed his eyes. "My…condolences?"

Zech shook his head. "It's more a hobby than work. I just get paid for this one. One has to take pride in the work they love. And frankly, the dead are better company than the living. They don't talk your ear off as much."

"You collect corpses off the street?" Armant asked.

"You'd be surprised how often it happens, especially here. Though, I've yet to find a body rotting with the plague, which is a good sign for everyone."

Frediano leaned in on Zech's shoulder. "Well, since you've graced the stage with your impromptu entrance, perhaps you can explain that little bit of theatric you were going on about? Something regarding a dark wind, you said?"

Zech huffed and stepped away from Frediano, causing the masked Weavile to topple forward. "I happened to find you two skulking the streets during my shift. It's been awfully quiet since the ruckus you two caused. I haven't found a single victim of my usual sprees. Usually find one, even if they're not from our resident reaper. Seems all the scum are too scared to come out tonight, because now someone broke the silent agreement of crime. You two and those Foresters."

Armant glared. "Silent agreement?"

"Something of a nod among thieves, crooks, creeps, and bastards. Keep all misdeeds relegated to the night where law is its weakest. There have been times where someone would enact trouble during daylight. That would be the last time anyone saw those sorry blokes. Or at least, the last time alive."

Frediano tilted his head. "They were killed?"

"Killed is putting it nicely. Do you know what a smoothie looks like? Imagine something like that, but spilt over an alleyway…and not food."

Frediano gulped and stepped back. "W-Well, someone truly loves the dramatics just as much as the Great Frediano…"

Armant raised his brow. "I'm taking a guess here, but you're talking about Grim Deadlock."

Zech nodded. "Grim Deadlock is efficient and swift with his killings. He doesn't take pleasure in his work. However, those who breach their sin onto the revelry of daylight will enact the insatiable wrath of Deadlock. He refuses to let those horrors ruin this capital's reputation of splendor, so he forces that corruption into the night. Either you behave and give up on a life of hedonism and crime, or Grim Deadlock hunts you down like animals.

"I bring this message to you two as a warning. Go back inside until the sunrises, then leave as soon as you can. No one can beat Grim Deadlock. It's a pointless battle."

Armant stared down at the gravedigger with a stoic gaze before flashing a wide smirk. "Ha!" Armant held his hips and threw his head back, howling with laughter. "Gahahahaha! So, the reaper has taken a fancy for my antics? Perhaps there was a silver lining to this rubbish day, and to think I pissed him off enough to earn such a warm reception!"

Zech glared. "I believe you've missed the part where I said he'll try and kill you."

"Well, good for him, because I've been waiting for someone man enough to kill me." Armant squatted down and snickered through his toothy grin. "If he's as strong as everyone says he is, that means this is my chance to cut loose a bit. Someone to actually give me a challenge."

"You misunderstand," Zech pressed. "Grim Deadlock cannot be beaten. It's impossible."

"A few common crooks and murderers hardly compare to me," Armant said with pride. "If anything, I'm giving good ol' Grim the challenge he rightfully deserves, too. A chance for us fine specimens to flex our muscles and demonstrate our dominance on the battlefield."

Frediano laughed and danced around Armant. "Such passion! A performance like this is worthy of the stage itself, my friend!"

Zech scowled at the duo. "Are you two daft? This isn't a game of brawn and brains. I'm telling you that Grim Deadlock is untouchable. You can't beat him." He pointed his shovel out at the streets. "As we speak, he is no doubt scouring these lone roads for you lot. He may have already found the Foresters and exacted capital punishment upon them."

Frediano waved it off. "Grim Deadlock hardly changes up his role as revenger of the innocent. Though his status as the third most wanted man in Virdis holds weight, it is not a testament of performance in strength. To focus his time hunting the superstitious scum of these darkened roads is hardly a demonstration of unparalleled might."

Zech dropped his scowl and stared at the two pitifully. "My word, no amount of convincing will steer you from this suicidal run." Zech sighed and shook his head. "This is why the dead are better company. No need for reasoning or logical deduction. Only conversation with no gain nor loss."

"You going to rat us out to the knights or something?" Frediano asked, showing off his frost-tipped claws.

Zech shook his head again. "A fool's errand." He pointed his shovel out the alleyway. "If this is your final wish, take to the rooftops for a better vantage point. I will come to collect your bodies later."

Armant laughed. "Do not give up on us so soon, gravedigger. Come, Fred! Let us flush out this phantom. Perhaps we will find the Foresters in our search."

"Tally-ho!"

Armant and Frediano jumped and scaled the walls of the alleyway, disappearing over the edge of rooftops. Zech watched them leave with a stoic gaze, perhaps one with a brimming disappointment.

Zech sighed and leaned forward on his shovel. "The dead, though good company, is not one to be made from foolhardy decision. Death is a beautiful, natural part of the cycle. It shouldn't be sullied with action such as this." Zech looked over his shoulder and glared. "I suppose you would know that better than most?"

Deep within the shadows of the alleyway, a pair of red eyes peered through the veil. Zech could see the dark fog spilling out over the ground. He felt no fear or hesitation addressing the phantom.

"To free these streets of horrors, might I suggest a trip around the museum?" a voice projected through the darkness. "You will fine quite the puzzling sight beyond the walls of the cellar, yet a fitting one for the death that surrounds your work."

"The catacombs, huh? My dear sister would love to visit those." Zech closed his eyes, leaning his chin onto his shovel. He sighed deeply and shook his head. "Must death continued to be sullied for these pointless games? I ask you, reaper, when will this death finally stop?"

The eyes narrowed solemnly at the gravedigger as the fog rose up around the hidden figure. "When this world finally heals, there will be peace. But no peace will come…until the fatal mark of the monarchy is vanquished. The end of corruption."

The darkness receded, bringing back the dim light of the alleyway and leaving Zech once again by his lonesome. He sighed, picked up his shovel, and walked back to his parked cart.

"There will be no end to the corruption," Zech said to himself. "Not unless someone digs down and rips out their roots from the source. Who would be so bold and foolish to take on the ten kingdoms, though?"

After much coaxing, crying, and consumption of his dinner, King Visconti rested outside his chamber's balcony, overlooking the dark streets of his fair capital with a somber gaze. He was left to himself, with only Luna and Angelo present in the room, keeping guard of the doors. A necessary precaution with criminals running amuck.

Luna offered to stand guard out of morbid curiosity regarding what Asterio last told her. Something had been itching at the back of her head since the day's chaos, after Angelo set off the signal to lockdown the city. Between all her efforts to uncover a mystery in her own kingdom, she found herself sucked into yet another conspiracy. Perhaps not as complex as secret organizations and mysterious histories, but very prevalent for her keen observation.

After a long silence, the two knights heard the king exhale a breath he seemed to have been holding in. "A true travesty. I try my best to be a great king for my subjects, to give them splendor beyond their wildest dreams, and yet I endure the lashing of my failures from the very same people."

Luna frowned, noting the awful trembling in the Jellicent's body. A dismal and pitiful sight, she admitted, perhaps more so than how she saw King Penworth in his ragged state. King Visconti's rule was vastly different in style to her own king.

"King…Visconti?" Luna spoke up. "If I may have a word…"

"Hmm?" The king glanced over his shoulder for a moment, then resumed looking out toward the city. "Lady Freia. My apologies that you had to witness me in my…weakest moment. I have to set a good example for our allies, yet look at me. Quivering like a child lost in the streets. I am ashamed."

Luna shook her head. "No, there's no reason to be ashamed, Your Majesty. From my time here, you have been a wonderful ruler. Your hospitality to me has been nothing short of thoughtful. I'm sure your subjects feel the same."

The king snorted quietly. "My ancestors believed in the art of celebration, that cheer and laughter were the secret to life. I stuck to those beliefs my whole life, pleading that they would change the lives of those in desperate need of cheer." He shuddered and covered his face. "What a worthless king, I am, that I cannot even round up the corruption that continues to plague our fair capital. I allowed too much freedom into this kingdom, and it brought upon so much strife."

"Your Majesty?"

The king ran his flipper down his face and looked down. "I have heard it all. The deaths of upstanding citizens, the assault against women, the involvement of children, and the fear brought upon by years of ignorance. Oh, how I allowed too much to spiral out of my control, and now everyone has to suffer for it. You give too much freedom, and some folks will seize their chance to take everything they can and more."

Luna frowned, then stepped from her post to approach the king. "I have heard a great many tales regarding the capital reaper. I…have to ask. Is he a necessary evil the kingdom relies on? Grim Deadlock, I mean?"

The king didn't answer immediately, and Luna couldn't blame him. That name was not said with honor, even by those who side with his act of vengeance. Luna didn't pretend she knew the depths of the king's anxiety regarding the matter.

Finally, the king drew a breath and faced Luna. "Grim Deadlock…is a necessary evil we never wanted. It is not that I am sad something is being done about the crime, and it is not that I wish for this vigilante justice to continue on. The problem is, how do you beat something composed of evil?"

Luna tilted her head. "I do not follow."

"He is a creature of darkness, veiled in a fog that swallows light. In our darkest hour, he came into existence. Grim Deadlock was born from the corruption, a consequence of my foolishness. I failed to reign in the root of the problem, but now we have a monster that controls the night. Crime still goes on because the superstitious are a curious lot that talk themselves up as brave. I had to employ a single gravedigger to collect the bodies because no sane person wanted to spend every day collecting the dead. He is vileness incarnate. Pure hatred for scum. He is just…" The king paused and massaged his face.

Luna stepped up to the balcony and propped herself over the railing. "So, that's what Angelo meant earlier. Grim Deadlock asserted himself as the law in this city, and there's nothing anyone can do to stop him. No one bothers to try."

"Believe me, we have tried to stop him," the king groaned. "I have not lost any knights in those searches, thankfully, but the lot of them are too scared out of their wits to commit a formal search. Perhaps worried they will come upon the time he is in a bad mood."

Luna glared. "Has anyone ever escaped him?"

"Escaped? A better question would be if anyone survived, to which I say the numbers are so low that I dare not think of the death rate. A unit or two shy of a perfect record."

"I see. So, the Foresters are pretty much…"

The king shook his head. "I try not to think about it. I have sadly become numb to his dealings, though the stress of being king finds a way to break the dam. At best, someone will find them alive in the morning, barely breathing." The king floated away from the balcony. "I do not believe anyone deserves this merciless treatment, especially the Foresters. I just…I have given up trying to get this kingdom under control."

Luna turned her head and watched the king excuse himself from his chambers. Angelo followed him, casting one last look Luna's way before closing the doors behind himself.

Luna looked back at the city, sporting a somber look. "For a kingdom all about celebration, I didn't expect to feel so blue." She lay her head in her arms and sighed. "What am I to do, then? If even a mighty king like him can lose hope, then were my efforts looking into the Crownless King for…nothing? Perhaps there's just some parts of history you can't fight, no matter how hard you try."

Luna reached under her armor and pulled out the only trinket obtained in her efforts, though not one she was aiming for. The silver locket she snatched off of Harlow earlier, and a rather fancy locket, too.

"What drives you, Harlow? A no-named thief suddenly rises up the wanted charts, blamed for the capture of Princess Penwroth and the bane of notorious criminals. I wonder…if you're anything like Grim? A force brought on because of the dark times?"

Her mind briefly flashed back to the opera, when Monica explained the dark age of Virdis? Her outrageous theory about a horrible event yet to come in their land that'll set off a chain reaction of misfortune to every kingdom at once. Monica even named Grim Deadlock as an example in her theory. Could Harlow be named as another example?

Luna glared down at the locket. A curiosity bubbled beneath her chest, though something told her she shouldn't open the locket. It was a hunch, but something told her she wouldn't like what she saw if she opened the locket. It was her stomach was twisting into a literal Gordian knot, tightening and churning her stomach contents. There was a weight behind the locket, one that made her heart race.

Luna clenched her teeth and growled. "Who…are you, Harlow?"

Against the warnings, Luna clicked the button and opened the locket.

Upon descending through the museum's secret passage, the Foresters trekked through the underground labyrinth of the Echo Bell capital, guided by a single candlelight. They traveled for about fifteen minutes, sticking close to each other as Fabrice followed the map provided by Melissa.

With their limited light source, there was very little they could make out about the catacombs through sight alone. What they could tell was that the catacombs were damp. Every so often, they would hear water dripping from the ceiling and plopping on the cold stone floors, echoing into their ears. Though not soaking wet, the floors were glossy and smooth. There was a dusty aroma in the air, as if no one had investigated the catacombs in decades.

Melissa stuck by Klaus and held his hand. Though she wasn't necessarily afraid of the dark, pitch blackness was the major exception, and the dim light of the candle Fabrice was using hardly helped matters. The twins took up the rear of the group, both sporting superior night vision compared to the rest of their teammates. They continuously scanned the darkness for any signs of danger, if any.

Fabrice suddenly came to a stop, causing the group to nearly bump into him. "Something wrong, Fabrice?" Klaus asked.

"Nothing," Fabrice assured him. "There's three different paths in front of us. I just need to retrace where we are on the map before I decide on which one to take."

"Alright, but don't keep us waiting for too long. This place gives me the creeps."

Melissa shuffled her feet nervously. "These catacombs used to serve as a graveyard during the rise of the Echo Bell Kingdom. I cannot recall how many corpses are down here, but…well, it is as large as it is for a reason."

Klaus shivered. "Creepy."

"Trust me, there are worse areas. There is one room lined with…" Melissa gulped and turned away. "S-Skulls."

"Extra creepy." Klaus glanced at Melissa, then gave her hand a gentle squeeze. "Hey. Are you feeling better?"

Melissa sniffled and wiped her eyes. "No, but…I am trying."

Klaus frowned. "I'm really sorry about what happened to your locket, Melissa. I wish I could've done something."

"You did not know, and I did not know. It cannot be helped." Melissa's ears drooped over her eyes. "Do not fret over my misfortune, please."

Klaus opened his mouth to say something, but ultimately closed it as he read the despondency in her face. His ears perked up when he heard the twins whimpering, no doubt still shaken by Melissa's earlier outburst. He felt Melissa flinch from their whimpers.

Melissa took a deep breath and faced the twins. "Gold? Jewel?" They flinched and raised their arms over their faces. She frowned harder at their scared looks. "I…am sorry for accusing you of stealing my locket. It was wrong of me."

The twins peeked out through their arms, sharing a look with each other, and dropped their guards. They bowed their heads shamefully to Melissa. "We're sorry, too, Melissa," Gold said.

"Yeah. We're sorry for attempting to steal your locket before," Jewel continued. "We can't help ourselves sometimes. It's a compulsion. It was so pretty and shiny that we just had to have it. We never took your feelings into account. It was just another trinket for us to admire."

"We're really, really sorry!" the twins exclaimed, hands clasped together with tears in their eyes.

Melissa stared in stunned silence at their apology. Fresh tears brimmed from her eyes, but not like before. She gently wiped them away, then pulled the twins into a hug. "It is okay. I forgive you. Truly, I do. This was not your fault."

The twins smiled and hugged her back, snuggling their cheeks against her face. Their whiskers tickled Melissa's nose, causing her to giggle. "Thank you, Melissa!"

"You are welcome. You two are not as bad as I thought. Misguided, yes, but at least I know you both have empathy." Melissa parted, gave them a grateful courtesy, and turned away. There was a renewed vigor around the royal Buneary. It didn't quash her sadness, but there was a spark of hope in her eyes.

Gold sighed in relief, then leaned over to his sister. "So, does she know that the scroll she found in her pack was because of us?" he whispered.

"Let's keep that part to ourselves until we figure out how to get her locket back," Jewel whispered through a nervous grin.

"Good call."

"Alright, team!" Everyone turned their attention back to Fabrice. "We should take the path on our left. That will lead us to an exit closest to the walls. It'll be a tight window of escape, but it's our best lead to flee the capital undetected."

Melissa nodded. "Yes, that should be the exit I marked on the map."

"Great. It will be a long walk, but we can rest back in our camp before we head out in the morning." Fabrice paused to yawn, struggling to keep his eyes open. "I feel like I'm going to pass out any second now."

"Yeah, can we hurry along?" Gold asked as he started rubbing his arms. "It's getting a bit chilly down here."

Klaus shivered and wrapped his arms around himself. "Great, thanks for reminding me."

Melissa felt a chill pass through her, too, and let out a full body shiver. "W-Weird. I though these uniforms were made to withstand blizzards."

Fabrice narrowed his eyes and looked around. "Strange, indeed. Does anyone else feel a breeze?"

"I do not think gusts can pass through the catacombs like this," Melissa said.

Klaus glared, then pointed at the twins. "Do you two see anything around us?"

The twins turned with their backs to each other and peered down the hallways. "No, still nothing," Jewel said, with Gold nodding in agreement. "We're the only ones down here."

Melissa winced. "A-Are we being haunted by the spirits of the catacombs?"

Klaus shot her a deadpan glare. "You are the last person who should be coming to that conclusion."

"I have been living with a bunch of crazy Pokémon for the last eight months, do not tell me what I should or should not be thinking now!"

Fabrice shuffled on his feet and pointed the candle down the left passage. "We shouldn't stay around for too long. Sooner or later, those knights may have to scour the catacombs, and we don't want to get turned around in this place."

"I doubt the knights will think to look here," Melissa said. "It took many hours for me to research the catacombs and find any information on a map. It does not seem like the kind of information readily available to just anyone. These catacombs were sealed off for a reason."

"Regardless, I rather not take that chance." Fabrice turned back to the left passage. "We're going down this…tunnel?"

Fabrice paused and lifted his candle further into the darkness. Just a moment ago, the candle showed the passage, alight with the soft orange glow flickering off the walls. Now, there was a pitch black void right in from of them. He waved the candle around, trying to find something for the light to bounce off of, but nothing.

"What the…?" Fabrice backed away. "I can't see anything."

"What?" Melissa squeaked.

"The light's not showing me the way ahead. Gold, Jewel, can you see the passage?"

The feline twins stepped forward and squinted at the dark hall. Though there was a light right next to them that should've heightened their night vision, they were also cursed with darkness in their vision. Nothing beyond their small circle was readily available to their nighttime sight.

"I…I can't see, either!" Gold gasped.

"Me either!" Jewel shrieked, clinging to her brother as their fur stood on end.

Melissa gasped. "Neither of you can see?"

"How is that possible?" Klaus asked aloud.

"No, it's not just that," Gold said as he looked over his shoulder. "I can't even see the path behind us anymore. We're completely enshrouded in darkness."

"WHAT?!" everyone screamed.

Melissa pulled on her ears and backed herself into the wall as she hyperventilated. Klaus stuck to the other side of the passage and gripped a dagger close to his chest. The twins, normally accustomed to seeing in the darkness of areas, collapsed on the floor and rocked side-to-side, whimpering with tears spilling out from their eyes.

Fabrice, as acting leader, remained calm and shushed the panicking group. "Everyone, calm down. I'm sure there's a valid explanation for all of this. The only thing we can do is not panic—"

The candle's flame extinguished.

Everyone fell silent as they became completely enshrouded in the impenetrable darkness, not even able to see their own hands in front of their faces. Melissa's panting, the twins' whimpering, and Klaus' clattering teeth were the only sounds echoing through the invasive darkness.

Fabrice reached inside his uniform and felt around for a match. "C-Calm down, everyone. It was probably just the wind. It's just the wind. Just the—"

A strong gust blew through the passageway, whipping through everyone's fur, hair, and uniforms. Melissa lunged in the direction on the twins and joined in their group hug as they screamed. Klaus dug his fingers into the wall and kept himself anchored.

Fabrice held his arm over his eyes and turned toward the wind as it let up. "What's going—"

SHING!

Everyone's eyes widened as a red blade shot through the darkness, briefly lighting up the passage. The silhouette of Fabrice flashed before their eyes as the blade cut through his body. They heard his feeble gasps as he stumbled backward toward them.

"G…G-Guys, I…I'm sorry…"

Fabrice collapsed onto Melissa and the twins, causing them to scream at the top of their lungs. Klaus raced toward the direction of their screams and touched Fabrice. "Fabrice? Fabrice!" Klaus patted around Fabrice's body, half-expecting to feel gallons of blood and ripped flesh.

To his confusion, however, he felt up a very whole, non-bisected body that was very much alive once Klaus found a working pulse. However, he could hear Fabrice struggling to breathe, and there was a thin line of blood in the uniform. Whatever cut him looked like it sliced through his body, but that's not what he or his teammates saw, right? Surely, they saw something cut through Fabrice, right?

"What…?" Klaus suddenly felt Melissa clutching his hand again. "Melissa?"

"G-G-G-G-G-G…" Melissa stuttered. Based off her jittering, she must've been pointing at something.

"Ghost?" Klaus guessed.

"G-G-G…Grim…Reaper…!"

That's when the twins and Klaus looked up, and their hearts just about nearly stopped. The perpetual darkness that enshrouded them took shape before their eyes as a spectral veil of black and purple formed from the ground and towered over the cowering Foresters. The faint image of a demon flashed through their minds as they stared into the red glowing eyes piercing through their souls.

From the darkness, a new shape extended. A long pole with a crescent blade protruding from the end. A scythe. A scythe with a red glowing wrapped around the edge of the crescent blade, an aura similar to the one that cut Fabrice down.

The foreboding force towered high above the Foresters, reaching as high as the ceiling. Aside from the scythe, there was no discernable shape beyond the cloak of shadows veiled over the figure, and even that shifted its shape at its leisure. It was nothing but darkness staring them in the faces.

The figure pointed his scythe at the group as the intensity of his red eyes burned brighter on their quivering souls.

"All scum of the earth…shall be judged."