There was a sense of urgency about the group's departure from the forest. Bee-Bee was understandably paranoid, her eyes darting around at the shadows lining the path, never dropping her guard for a moment. Renard walked briskly, his expression stern and intimidating. Leaf and Shadow did their best to keep stride with the other two Pokemon, with Shadow keeping a watchful eye on their surroundings.

The forest was almost silent all around them, apart from the pattering of rain and the buzzing of Bee-Bee's wings. Occasional forks of lightning parted the sky, illuminating the shadows of the forest path, only for the light to recede in time with the roar of accompanying thunder. Water soaked into Shadow's thin fur, sending shivers along his spine. His fur was ill defense against the elements, and he was already dreading the eventual winter months, if spring posed this much difficulty for him and Leaf.

No one spoke, but this was almost a blessing, for it allowed the Espeon a chance to focus his train of thought. Something was nagging at the back of his mind, puzzling over the unknown significance of the Old Chateau. Once Thresher had mentioned the building, he had felt an odd sense of familiarity, but the meaning had eluded him. It wasn't until Renard had mentioned Pokemon taking shelter there that Plasma's name had risen to the surface of his recollection.

Plasma...that had been the name of the chipper electronics possessor that he and the others had met on this very path the previous week, accompanying Force and Iris. However, this understanding provided little information of consequence. At the time, Shadow's attention had been focused more intensely upon the suspicious Riolu, and he had paid the Rotom almost no notice in comparison. Soon afterwards, the Sigilyph's attack had separated the group, and more pressing and memorable concerns had come to light.

So what was bothering him now? So what did it matter to him if some eccentric little ghost Pokemon resided in the Old Chateau? That was the only time he had ever met the Rotom, and if it lived nearby to where they had met, it wasn't really a suspicious circumstance.

And yet...something he couldn't quite place loomed over his brain, like a long shadow cast down a corridor, its features blurred and lengthened, until it barely resembled the form that was casting the shadow. Maybe he was just tired. It had been a long day, and so much had happened all at once that his brain hadn't had time to process it all. This also seemed like something he wouldn't remember normally, but instead would randomly hit upon the answer in the middle of the night.

Bee-Bee's buzzing abruptly broke through the silence, and she gestured towards something to the side of the path. Even if she was speaking slowly enough to be heard, Shadow was too far away from her to comprehend her words, but Renard seemed to understand just fine, because he turned to look in the direction she was indicating. Concerned that she had spotted something threatening that he couldn't see from his current angle, Shadow picked up his pace, drawing level with the rest of the group.

They had stopped in front of a crumbling stone wall, just high enough to discourage trying to climb over it, and a gate set between the two sections of the wall. Rust clung to the surface of the metal bars, and the gate creaked noisily in the wind, as if the obstacle was in pain. Lightning split across the sky and Shadow felt his breath catch in his throat, his gaze drawn towards the silhouette of an imposing building standing beyond the gate.

A worn path marked the way from the gate to the front doors of the large building, more than twice the size of any of the buildings he had glimpsed back near Solaceon Town. The front yard of the property was overgrown and unkempt, while paradoxically giving off the vibe of death and decay. Broken twigs and mounds of brown, frayed leaves lay all around the yard, and wilting weeds sprouted from whatever narrow crevices they could worm their roots into.

The house itself was a foreboding ruin of a place, similar to the Solaceon Ruins. Ivy clung to the walls, slithering up like serpents rising out of a pit, and the windows were all blanketed with thick drapes, if one's eyes could even penetrate the fog of dust and mildew upon the glass. Shadow inhaled through his nose, half expecting a musty, decaying scent to invade his nostrils, and his gaze slowly focused upwards, upon the highest section of the structure.

Shingles were missing from the roof, and rain pattered against the rugged surface, yet something about the place...called to him, in some deeper, imperceptible manner. Something drawing his fascination, despite everything about the mansion chilling him to his core. Without conscious thought, he focused his energy, gradually expanding his awareness beyond his other five senses, and attempted to reach out to the house.

"Shadow?" Renard's voice shattered his concentration, and Shadow jumped, turning towards the Ninetales, who was regarding him with a look of concern. "What are you doing?"

"I...don't really know," Shadow answered, his cheeks flushing as he realized that this response was one-hundred percent honest. Unwilling to make eye contact, he glanced over his shoulder back at the mansion, a shiver racing down his spine.

"So...this is the Old Chateau that Thresher mentioned," Renard mused, speaking barely above a whisper, his own gaze passing over the house. "I can see how it acquired its reputation."

"There's something so...off about this place," Shadow said, apprehension gnawing at his stomach, yet he struggled to look away from the crumbling ruin. "I get such a weird feeling from it..."

"The vibes of negativity are definitely stronger around here," Renard agreed solemnly, and his eyes glowed with the same eerie, ethereal blue light that he had used earlier within the forest. Shadow watched the Ninetales warily, observing as the Ninetales' gaze passed over the house.

The reaction was almost instantaneous. Renard recoiled as if he had been stabbed, his expression twisting into a look of confusion and surprise, and his entire body stiffened. The light faded from Renard's eyes, and the Ninetales almost immediately buckled, struggling to get his footing in the immediate aftermath of using the ability. Shadow started forward, but Renard needed no assistance in righting himself, although his expression was more distraught than Shadow ever recalled seeing before.

"It is far worse than I feared," the Ninetales breathed, shaking his head.

"What is it? What did you see?" Leaf asked anxiously. Renard took a deep, cleansing breath, and then another. Only after the third breath did he fully regain his composure, his eyes again appearing numb to the world around him.

"There is an overwhelming source of negativity within the mansion," Renard answered solemnly. "It emits an ominous aura that spreads outwards, seeping into the forest around us. It is not the malevolent energy of a curse, as I originally suspected, but something far more potent."

The Ninetales gazed up at the mansion again, his red eyes narrowing. Seconds ticked by in silence, long enough for Shadow and Leaf to exchange uncomfortable looks, but before either of them could interject an opinion, Renard turned back towards them.

"In spite of this discovery, I must conclude our investigation here," he announced. The confusion must have been evident from their faces, because Renard smiled faintly. "It is unwise for us to linger in the forest any longer."

"But what's the next step?" Shadow wondered, perplexed. He certainly didn't intend to argue in favor of remaining in the forest, but he was nevertheless concerned about what the future might hold, now that Renard had confirmed that something about the Chateau was having a negative influence on the surrounding area.

"There is no next step," Renard said firmly, and the Espeon blinked, convinced for a moment that he had misheard the Ninetales.

"What do you mean?"

"I came to the forest only to assess the situation, with the initial impression that a curse or malevolent spirit might have been at work," Renard explained solemnly. "My assessment is complete. It is not the work of a curse, but of something far more powerful. It would be immeasurably foolish of me to pry deeper into the matter at this time."

"So...you're not going to do anything?" Leaf asked, sounding stunned, and even a little indignant. "If it's hurting the forest, and making the fighting worse, then-"

"Do not mistake my caution as indifference, little one," Renard answered sharply, and Leaf cringed away from the fox Pokemon. Renard took a soothing breath, and shook his head slowly, beginning to step away from the Chateau and back onto the path leading the way out of the forest, the others following in his wake. "You do not grasp this matter the same way that I do. The negative energy present here has a corrupting influence. It amplifies pre-existing negativity, but it does not create any."

Shadow's eyebrows shot up. "It's amplifying negativity?" he repeated, barely able to keep his voice from shaking. "With a corrupting influence?" he pressed, placing more emphasis on the key words of those statements, almost desperate for Renard to catch onto his meaning without having to say it himself, as if his conclusion was a jinx.

"Yes, that is the impression that I-" Renard abruptly stopped speaking, and Shadow could practically see the gears turning in the elder Pokemon's brain. Even his tails stopped fluttering, although Renard did not pause his stride. Nobody spoke, although the awkwardness of the silence was almost tangible. Finally, Renard glanced over his shoulder, his intense gaze focused upon Shadow. "Are you suggesting Diablos is within the Old Chateau?"

"I think it's possible," Shadow said, all but fidgeting beneath the Ninetales' piercing attention. "Last time we were in the forest, I felt something off about that area...an intense, gripping fear with no logical cause. Until recently, I've had a broken fragment of Diablos within me, and whenever I was close to him, it would resonate with him...and fear would overwhelm me."

"Forgive me for asking, but why would it trigger fear, specifically?" Renard wondered, slowing his walking pace so that he could talk more easily to the Espeon, but still leading them away from the Chateau, and nearer to the forest exit. Leaf quickened his own pace, listening and watching Shadow from his opposite side.

"It's...complicated," Shadow answered honestly, but he doubted the Ninetales would be satisfied with such a non-answer. He frowned to himself, reflecting quickly on the different things he had learned today, from his meditation session, and how best to translate that information into an answer that could be better understood. "Maybe because, deep down, I knew that our parents were gone, and that he was the reason for it. I wasn't strong enough to fight him, but I couldn't bear the thought of losing the last of my family, the only one left in my life that I truly cared about..."

Tears stung at Shadow's eyes, and his voice cracked. The words had flowed so easily from him, without him even meaning for them to come out like that. The answer had come so readily, as if he had been waiting in anticipation to answer that question. Renard did not comment, and in the moment's silence, Shadow was acutely aware that Leaf was staring at him, his soft brown eyes practically a mirror, reflecting the same tearful emotion that Shadow felt within his heart.

The group emerged from the trees into an open area, in sharp contrast to the restrictive labyrinthine pathways of the Eterna Forest. Shadow exhaled in relief, feeling as though a massive weight had been lifted off of his body, allowing him better mobility and freedom. Much as he normally loathed being exposed within an open area, the forest had been worse. At least in the open, he could see potential dangers before they got close, whereas the narrow paths and looming shadows concealed potential ambushes at every turn.

The sky was solid gray, and a light rain descended upon them. The darkest of the storm clouds still hovered over the Eterna Forest, but from the direction the wind was blowing, those clouds were going to move towards the west, and away from them. The path they had been traveling upon split apart further ahead, one of the branches weaving its way to the north, towards what Shadow expected to be rockier terrain, and likely an entrance to one of Mt. Coronet's many caves. He had never traveled upon this specific route when coming from Eterna Forest, but he could see the outline of Eterna City's buildings, and Mt. Coronet itself was such a massive landmark it wasn't difficult to orient one's position based on that.

The other branch continued onwards in the direction of those buildings, but very little in the way in terms of shelters or possible Pokemon territories. If he had to guess, he supposed that most local Pokemon in the area either lived within the forest or up towards the caves, at least in this specific section of Sinnoh.

They continued to walk away from the forest, as if to put as much distance between themselves and the trees as possible, before Renard finally stopped and turned back towards them, and gestured for them to settle down across from him. With some reluctance, Shadow sat down on the grass, doing his best to ignore the rain trickling down his neck. There wasn't really any better spots to take shelter from the rain around here, and it was a light enough rain that he could endure the cold for now.

As if he was reading Shadow's mind, Renard busied himself with preparing a small fire, fueling it with a number of stray leaves and twigs in the immediate vicinity. Once a steady flame was burning, Shadow huddled closer to the fire, basking in the gentle warmth that it offered. Leaf followed his brother's lead, but was visibly more wary of how close he was to the flame. Bee-Bee hovered nearby, seemingly unbothered by the drizzle, and making no effort to get closer to the burning flame.

"I will be frank with all of you," Renard stated solemnly, making eye contact with each of them in turn, his focus lingering for the longest on Bee-Bee. "The situation at the forest does not bode well for anyone. Although I have determined where the negative vibes are coming from, confirming the source itself is a far trickier matter, and should not be rushed into."

Bee-Bee buzzed something in response, still speaking too quickly for Shadow to decipher her words, but Renard seemed to have little difficult understanding her words, because he nodded attentively as she buzzed and gestured.

"Yes, this excursion began as a means to confirm my suspicions about the forest unrest as of late," Renard explained formally. "I suspected that the ongoing territory war is a side effect of an unknown source of negative energy within the forest, such as a curse or a malevolent spirit inviting negative karma upon the forest inhabitants."

"A curse?" Bee-Bee repeated, her tone tainted with skepticism, and it took Shadow a moment to realize she had spoken clearly this time. "Meaning no disrespect, but that sounds like something my little brother would suggest."

Renard smiled gently. "No offense taken," he said, bobbing his head politely. "I am, however, a Ninetales, and my species is well-versed in the subject of casting vengeful curses. I went into the forest with the understanding that I might produce nothing of consequence or interest. I do not mean to simplify the undoubtedly complicated political and social motivations of the Hive or its enemies by labeling the conflict as the result of a curse."

Bee-Bee was silent for a few moments, then she buzzed in an affirmative fashion, gesturing for Renard to continue his explanation.

"The Old Chateau appears to harbor the source of some...alarmingly intense negative vibes. As I mentioned before, the energy I detected has a corruptive influence. It is not producing negative energy of its own, but rather, latching onto those within its range and amplifying their pre-existing emotions. The longer one remains within that field of effect, the more they can be influenced, and the more noticeable the effects may be," Renard continued seriously.

"How long might it take to affect someone?" Shadow wondered, frowning to himself. He hadn't really felt like his emotions were being tampered with when they were standing just outside the Chateau, although he had felt uneasy and uncomfortable, but nothing stronger than these basic vibes.

"An excellent question, and one I am in no position to answer," Renard answered. "I gathered only a glimpse of the energy source, and that is not long enough to uncover every detail of its functions. Longer than a few minutes, that is for certain. Even curses and malevolent spirits rarely take effect in drastic doses, because the caster of a curse, or a wicked spirit wreaking havoc, takes greater pleasure from uncertainty surrounding their methods."

"Am I missing something?" Shadow asked, his forehead creasing in uncertainty. "Didn't you earlier agree that it could be Diablos inside the Chateau?"

"I consider your theory to be credible, but as it has not been confirmed, I do not wish to prematurely label him as the cause," Renard answered. "It has been roughly two centuries since Diablos has last surfaced in my lifetime, and I cannot immediately recognize the signature he leaves behind. Just a few minutes ago, Shadow, you said you had carried a broken fragment of his power within you?"

"Um...yeah," Shadow answered, puffing his chest out defensively. "He apparently put it in me when he attacked me originally, but it didn't bond properly or something. He removed it last time we were in the forest, though."

"I did not sense it within you when we first met within your territory," Renard said somberly. "That concerns me just as much as the idea of Diablos lurking within the Old Chateau. To think that a fragment of his power completely escapes my ability to expose unnatural energy...he is not an enemy any of us can afford to take lightly."

"I don't understand," Bee-Bee interjected, looking at each of them blankly, her wings droning noisily. "Are you saying there is someone else affecting the territory war?"

"Rough theories at best, I'm afraid," Renard sighed, shaking his head. "Diablos is...what I understand to be a Spiritomb, with a fascination with the darkness within a person's heart. That is to say, the most primal and intense desires that drive a person's ambitions and goals, and push them to overcome adversity in dire moments. It is power inherent to an individual's soul that carries the risk of corrupting and twisting a person's desires if they do not master control of themselves. If Shadow is correct, and Diablos is the source of the negative energy within the Old Chateau...then it stands to reason that his influence has been gradually corrupting the desires held by the forest denizens."

"By amplifying pre-existing negativity," Shadow added.

"...such as hatred for our Hive?" Bee-Bee wondered. Renard and Shadow exchanged looks, and Leaf looked up, his eyes widening in sudden understanding.

"Quite possibly," Renard conceded. "He is not the spark igniting the fire of rebellion...but his presence might be fanning the flames."

"So what do we do now?" Bee-Bee demanded, her wings buzzing urgently. Renard cocked his head at her curiously. "I want the war to end, for the sake of the rest of the Hive, and the lives that have been lost in the conflict thus far. If there is something prolonging this war, I need to do something about it!"

Renard studied the Beedrill intently, but then sighed and shook his head. "I fear that this is a matter beyond your capabilities."

It was immediately obvious that Bee-Bee did not care for this particular opinion, because she immediately reverted to indecipherable buzzing sounds and forceful gestures, her red eyes narrowed with anger. Shadow cringed away from the Beedrill, and Leaf's ears drooped, but Renard did not even flinch, merely listened to the hornet's aggressive tirade in silence.

"I do not doubt your resolve, miss, but you are clearly a young, relatively inexperienced Beedrill," Renard said calmly. Bee-Bee settled down a little, but she was still giving the fire fox a death glare. "Like I said to your young Leafeon friend before, do not mistake my caution as indifference, or my criticism as being condescending. Diablos is an enemy unlike anything you've ever faced before."

"I've faced him before," Shadow pointed out. Renard shot the Espeon a dirty look, and he cringed. "Not saying you're wrong, just...inaccurate."

"I fought him, too!" Leaf added with a hint of a scowl.

"A Spiritomb is said to have one-hundred eight souls imprisoned within its base," Renard deadpanned, but his tone got increasingly cold, as if he was repressing a surge of rage. "You've had experience fighting ONE of those souls inhabiting the body of an unevolved Pokemon, and my understanding was that you've always been on the losing end of that match-up. Less than one soul was enough to kill Echo and Rio at the same time. They were loving parents, fighting to protect their kits from harm. Can you honestly say any of your motivations is more powerful right now than theirs was? Or that any of you are stronger than two fully evolved Pokemon, one of which was trained by the same one who trained Thresher and Astrid?"

Renard growled quietly and turned away from them, his breathing shallow and ragged, and he was holding his head nearer to the ground than normal, as if all the confidence and pride had been torn from his soul, right in front of them. Shadow, Leaf, and Bee-Bee awkwardly gazed around at their current surroundings, avoiding one another's eyes, and especially trying to avoid looking at Renard directly.

Minutes passed in awkward silence, but finally, Renard straightened up, regaining his composure, but pointedly avoiding their gaze.

"I apologize. This is not the first time in my life I've had those close to me taken away," he said softly. "I always hoped the pain of loss would lessen in time, but it never gets any easier. Try as I might not to cling too tightly to the past, my wounds endure the passage of time. That is why I cannot permit Diablos to roam about Sinnoh unchecked, but I would be little more a threat to him than you are."

"I understand," Shadow said weakly. "But if you aren't able to beat him, then what can any of us do?"

"That, I'm afraid, is something I cannot answer for you," Renard said with a sigh. "I urge you all to avoid the path of vengeance and hatred, for the abyss will devour you. If you seek to become stronger, do so for the sake of your own passions and desires, and not in pursuit of fighting Diablos. If your first instinct in hearing that Diablos may be in the Chateau is to confront him, then you have lost before you even started."

"Can anyone fight him and win?" Leaf wondered. Shadow watched the Leafeon from the corner of his eye. This conversation was again reminding him that he may eventually need to address the events of the last forest confrontation with his brother, as Leaf definitely remembered fighting against Diablos, but it seemed that the outcome of that match escaped his recollection.

"I have no idea," Renard said solemnly. "I am not familiar with the full extent of Diablos' capabilities. Even if his powers remain sealed to some degree, confronting him carelessly can easily backfire. Forgive me for cutting this discussion short, but it is starting to get late, and it would be best if we made headway on our destinations before dark. Considering our present location, did you wish to return to the territory with me, or would it be of greater benefit to start towards your other destination...Solaceon Town, if I'm not mistaken?"

Shadow bit his lip and looked towards Leaf inquisitively. They originally hadn't planned on traveling until tomorrow, in case Frost returned, but this plan had been made before they had journeyed through the Eterna Forest, and Renard had a point in noting that their current location made starting out towards Solaceon a more practical option.

"Um...where's Bee-Bee going?" Leaf wondered, looking over at the Beedrill. She tittered in amusement, her response the usual indecipherable buzzing and gestures. "Aww, you're not coming with us?"

Shadow rolled his eyes at his brother's protest, but found himself smiling faintly in spite of that. The Beedrill had already made comments indicating her concern for the forest's situation. Even if she was paranoid and wary of lingering within the forest right now, it was unlikely she would willingly abandon her family, friends, and home to travel aimlessly with them.

"It occurs to me, miss, that I could offer you some assistance in using that stone you're carrying," Renard said, nodding his head towards the Beedrillite hanging from Bee-Bee's foreleg. The hornet glanced at the dangling bauble, then focused upon Renard again.

"How so?" she wondered, her words spoken slowly enough to be understood.

"As Thresher said earlier in the forest, I am in possession of a Key Stone," Renard answered, touching his paw to his chest. For the first time, Shadow noticed a pale, almost translucent chain around the Ninetales' neck, and a small, marble-like stone attached to the end of it, resting upon the fire fox's chest fur. "It will allow for safer application of your Mega Stone's power. That is not to say it will be an easy process, but the risks of its use will be minimized until you have better control over it."

Bee-Bee's only response was a humming sound almost indistinguishable from the droning of her wings, but her body language suggested she was seriously considering the offer. Shadow lightly nudged Leaf, reminding his brother that they still needed to make a decision about their own destination.

"Huh? Oh, um...I guess we can start traveling early," Leaf mumbled.

"Okay, sounds like a plan," Shadow said, his forked tail twitching. "Just don't forget to say a proper good-bye to your friend."