A/N - I am really sorry for the long hiatus. My mental health has been terrible, but I've got to a stage where I feel well enough to focus on writing again. I've been focusing on writing the fifth and final arc, and I'm a few chapters into that now. Which means Part 4 is finished and just in need of editing. I've also got two side-stories written and plan to write a couple more that fill out character history, and some of what has been going on behind the scenes of the main cast. With what I have written already, there should hopefully be no need for another hiatus.

Thanks so much for all reads, reviews, faves and follows! As always, I shall strive to answer all reviews in the closing chapter notes!

Part 4 - Fighting Fire with Fire

39 - The Village by the Lake

Cleo yawned and stretched until her back popped. The sun was rising over the mountains behind her, painting the sky orange and pink. She rubbed the rings under her eyes and yawned again. Harlequin shifted beside her, raising their head to sniff the air before climbing to their feet. The zorua hadn't had any choice but to stay at Cleo's side during her watch duties. Cleo and Spark had changed places twice overnight, grabbing short snatches of sleep. It hadn't come easy to Cleo. She was worried for Mischief and Faith. Even though they'd only been travelling together for a short time, she was feeling the sting of it being just her and Spark again. Something she'd never minded before. It had always been her and Spark. But Cleo couldn't deny she'd grown fond of their new friends, and travelling together in a group certainly made her feel safer.

Thankfully the night had been uneventful. Harlequin had remained awake alongside Cleo but hadn't made a single peep. They'd sat beside her, ears pricked, sapphire eyes sparkling and bright in the moonlight. Cleo had been fascinated how the assassin's inky-black fur and blue markings had made them blend into the shadows cast by the trees. If it weren't for the collar, Cleo felt she wouldn't have even noticed the zorua slip away.

A loud yawn came from the tent behind Cleo and she turned to smile at Spark stumbling from within. The dedenne scratched her healing side and smacked her lips, then she looked up at Cleo.

"Boy am I ready for breakfast," she declared.

"Ditto." Cleo opened her bag and pulled out their supplies. "We have a little left. It should do us until we reach Stonehaven."

"Reckon we're almost there?" Spark flopped into the grass beside her friend and grabbed an oran berry.

"It can't be too far now," said Cleo. She handed a piece of dried fish to Harlequin, and the zorua's eyes widened with surprise. "We should be there before noon I think."

Harlequin gave her a sideways glance and spoke with their mouth full. "We might be there already if you hadn't stopped to wait for Faith and Mischief."

Cleo and Spark both snorted then exchanged glances. Harlequin was right. Cleo's decision had cost them time, but she'd had to wait. If there was any chance they could continue their journey together… it would have been safer for everyone.

Cleo sighed and quickly gobbled a piece of fish before tucking the supplies away. She tossed her bag over her shoulder and turned towards the blue sheet draped over a low-hanging branch.

"I'll make a start on the tent," she said. "We need to make haste."

She stooped to tug the pegs from the floor but her eye went to the black shape moving around her. Harlequin dragged the pegs effortlessly from the floor with their jaws and dropped them neatly beside the tent. Cleo blinked a few times, trying to process what was happening. Then she shook her head and moved to the other side of the tent to drag up the pegs. Between them, Cleo and Harlequin had the tent down in very little time. Spark was licking her paws clean as Cleo folded the blue cloth into a neat square to fit into her bag.

"Wow," said the dedenne. "Talk about haste!"

Cleo smiled at her friend and tucked the tent and pegs away. At the rate things were moving they might actually make it to Stonehaven before noon. She crouched to allow Spark onto her shoulder, but Harlequin was looking behind her. The zorua's tail wagged gently from side to side and Cleo turned to follow their gaze. Her heart leapt as she spotted Faith and Mischief pushing through the brambles behind them. The mawile's face was split into a grin, and Cleo wondered if she'd been biting back the urge to shout for them. Cleo spotted another pokemon behind the mawile. A furret clutching a sentret in her arms.

"Good morning!" said Faith.

Cleo smiled warmly at her friend, but her eyes wandered to the two new pokemon. "You managed to catch up with us."

"Yes." Faith stopped and clasped her paws behind her back. "As soon as the sun began to rise during my watch I spotted a trail of flowers. They led us to you."

A trail of flowers… Cleo's mind went back to the story of Yveltal's fall, as Xerneas revived the fallen warriors. Before Cleo could respond, the sentret dropped from his mother's grasp and rose up on his tail, his eyes sparkling at Harlequin.

"Wow!" he declared. "Is that another assassin? You're a dark-type, right?"

The furret grabbed him roughly by the scruff and ducked back behind Faith.

"Let me go, Mum!" the sentret protested, wriggling like a trapped magikarp. "He doesn't scare me! I'll keep us both safe! I promise!"

The mawile chuckled and ruffled the sentret's head. "Harlequin isn't going to hurt you or your mother. Don't worry."

"But he works for Hydreigon!" the furret hissed.

Harlequin's hackles bristled and they looked away, ears drooping.

"Harlequin is detained," Cleo explained. "She can't do anything to any of you so long as you stay two feet away from me. Faith… who are these pokemon?"

"This is Sandpaw and Scout," Faith explained as she pointed to each pokemon in turn. "They found us last night. They need help. I thought they might like to travel with us for a while?"

Cleo didn't fail to notice the crescent moon tattooed to the furret's and sentret's shoulders. "Heretics?"

"Not anymore," Sandpaw choked. "The lab has disbanded since Enigma killed Rio. Scout and I…" She shook her head and blinked back tears. "We don't know where to go."

"Wait, what?!" Harlequin exclaimed, taking a step forwards. "Enigma was there? He killed that crazy scientist?"

Cleo had been rendered speechless. She stuttered over her words, turning to Faith for an explanation.

"Enigma was trapped in the lab," Faith explained. She raised a paw before Cleo could press her for more information. "I'll explain later. First, can you help Sandpaw and her son?"

Cleo made a thoughtful noise and looked to Spark standing by her feet. "I think we can take you to Stonehaven. Perhaps the Outcasts Guild can help you?"

"I thought Outcasts helped those in need?" Mischief asked.

"We do," said Cleo. "But they might be a little wary of the Heretic mark."

"I have it," said Mischief. "You took me in."

"You're an odd case," Cleo explained. "You have no memories. They might be worried about a trap."

"Please." Sandpaw drew Cleo's eye. "All I want is somewhere safe to raise Scout. I don't want anything to do with the Darkness. I promise you we won't be a problem."

Sandpaw stood huddled behind Faith with tear-streaked cheeks. She didn't look like much of a threat, and the child was too young to be one either.

"Okay," said Cleo. "I'll do everything I can to find you somewhere safe."

"Oh thank you! Thank you!" Sandpaw wiped a paw across her eyes. "You have no idea how much this means to us."

Cleo smiled at her warmly and turned to lead them away. "We need to make haste. We're already behind schedule."

"Hang on. I'm gonna get a better vantage point," said Spark. "See if I can spot anything now it's daylight. We don't wanna go the wrong way again, do we?"

Cleo couldn't agree more. They'd made too many detours as it was. She nodded to Spark and the dedenne clambered up a tree, scrambling over the ivy. She perched high above them and raised a paw to shield her eyes against the sunlight.

"I think I can see an end to this river," she said, glancing down. "It ends at a lake just ahead of us."

"Really?" Cleo asked, her heart pounding. A lake was a good place to erect a town. "How far? And can you see anything else?"

"A wall," said Spark. "A big stone wall right at the foot of the mountain. Could that be Stonehaven?"

Cleo's heart skipped a beat. Could it? Had they really been that close?

Spark bounded back down the tree and landed in Cleo's thick ruff. The meowstic wasted no time. She grabbed the medicine sack and tossed it over her shoulder and rejoined the river bank. Dry river weed clung to the incline of the river bank, clearly showing that the river was running much lower than normal. It made the drop into it quite precarious; a small pokemon would have a hard time climbing back out. A good rainfall was what Estellis needed.

Cleo lead the group along the river, breaking into a careful brisk trot. The bag of medicine bounced against her back, spurring her on. Faith followed behind, nattering to Sandpaw and Mischief. The conversation washed over Cleo's ears as she kept her full focus on reaching their destination. She hoped desperately they weren't too late.

The land began to even out as they reached the end of the Glen. The slopes rose gently to her left, and the vast spread of oaks and sycamores were replaced by thick ferns that spread like a blanket around a group of willows. The slender trees bent over the river, dipping their long branches into the rapids. Cleo fought through the ferns, following the bend in the river. The water roared as it cascaded over a rocky incline to pool below her in a crystal lake. She paused at the top of the slope to search the land below. The mountains arced around them, bringing an abrupt end to the Glen. The harsh mountain slopes adorned with heather and brambles were a stark contrast to the drought-starved ground that nestled between them. A carpet of grass and moss spread around the huge lake which was protected by a wall of willows and bullrushes. The latter were already expired, still carrying fluffy white seeds waiting for a strong gust of wind to carry them away. The branches of the trees were void of their leaves, but a hint of brittle grass around the edge of the lake was the only clear sign that it had been poisoned. Poisoned, but bouncing back. After it finally rained everything would be lush again, reviving the little grassy haven hidden away in the small mountain valley. On the far side of the lake was the stone wall Spark had mentioned. Cleo couldn't see what lay beyond it, but she could make out a wide gate allowing entry. It was open, but there were no pokemon in sight.

"That has to be Stonehaven," she said. "Come on."

Beside the river was where the slope was at its most gentle, but it was still steep. Stonehaven had picked a good spot, huddled in the deepest part of the valley. Cleo slid onto her bottom a couple of times as she scrambled down the slope, her paws seeking out rocks as footholds. Mischief beat her to the bottom, drifting overhead on a gentle breeze. He held out his paw for hers as she hopped onto the grass, then he turned to help Faith and Sandpaw as they reached the end of the slope.

After treading over dry and brittle twigs and leaves for days the grass felt warm and comfortable under Cleo's paws. She paused to survey the town, her eyes trailing over its huge stone wall. Beyond the gate she could see stone houses standing along cobbled paths. It had certainly earned its name Stonehaven. The wall itself stretched up the mountain's steady incline, boxing in the grey slate rooftops of the town. Just above them, in typical Outcast tradition, the Guild's flag waved in the breeze displaying the familiar sun logo. The Guild's headquarters, standing proud in the middle of the town.

Voices rose from the town as pokemon bustled in the streets. A large gurdurr marched past, his iron girder resting on his shoulder. He didn't look towards the pokemon, but his posture suggested he was one of the guards checking the perimeter.

Cleo didn't encounter permanent dwellings like Stonehaven often. Most of the towns she came across were quickly erected to give travellers a break. They weren't ever named. Names sounded permanent, and caused those that inhabited those dwellings to form an attachment. Settlements didn't usually last long. In the south of Estellis, none of the old ones remained. They were all temporary, or destroyed. So names were never given. Naming them gave hope.

Stonehaven had clearly survived. But as Cleo looked up at it, drawing closer, she couldn't help but wonder if its time was ticking down, drawing closer to the inevitable attack from the Darkness. A wall was all well and good, but she felt it seemed pointless. Most of the Darkness could fly, or in Enigma's case slip right through a wall. But during the night, perhaps the wall provided shadows to cover the town? During a black-out it would be near impossible to spot. Cleo bit her lip as she looked up at the iron gate. How easy was it to escape the town? Were there more gates? There had to be, surely.

"It's nice to see an actual village," said Faith, strolling along ahead of Cleo.

Sandpaw nodded stiffly. "I can't say I've ever seen one before, but… yes, it is."

"Since I arrived here, I've seen pokemon living in shocking conditions," Faith went on. "Pokemon are meant to live out in the open like this. Not stuffed in some lab or hiding away in fe-ahh!"

Faith's voice cut off as the mawile vanished straight through the ground. Cleo spun on the spot, calling out Faith's name in alarm. The group gathered around the gaping hole that had appeared right beneath the mawile's feet. Harlequin crouched between Cleo and Sandpaw, lowering their head into the hole. A low whimper came from the zorua as their paws scrambled at the edge over the crumbling soil.

Faith rubbed her head and looked up at her friends. "Harlequin, stand back!"

The zorua pushed back from the hole, but their eyes didn't leave Faith.

"Are you all right?" Cleo asked.

"I'm fine." Faith winced as she pushed herself up. "Just a little winded."

"What's a huge hole doing here?" asked Spark.

"I'm guessing for defence," said Cleo. "Clearly it works."

"How do we get her out?" Sandpaw asked.

Cleo's ears hummed as she prepared herself to lift Faith from the hole. She worried the mawile might be a little too far for her to reach, but she needed to try.

"What's going on here?" The deep voice cut off Cleo's psychic and she raised her head to the speaker.

A garbordor shuffled from the gate, his milky eyes tracing over Cleo and her friends. Every movement he made caused a strong, putrid smell to rise from his leathery body. It forced Cleo and her friends back from him, and Sandpaw's muzzle creased with revulsion. A long tube that served as one of the garbordor's arms rubbed what Cleo guessed was his ear and he turned his head onto the hole.

"Outcasts, eh?" He grimaced and peered over the edge. "Ah, I'm terribly sorry, ma'am. Looks like you've gone and fallen in."

"You aren't kidding!" Spark hopped from Cleo's shoulder and placed her paws on her hips. "I appreciate you might need to set traps and all, but… well…" Spark trailed off and scratched her head, searching for the right words.

"Oh it isn't a trap, my dear." The garbordor looked up at the little rodent.

"No, it appears to be some kind of tunnel," said Faith.

The garbordor looked back down at her. "Ah yes it is. You see, the diglett dug us an escape tunnel but this area here was a little too fragile being close to an old nest under the lake. We didn't know it was there see, and we still need to secure this part. But oh dear, I can't believe someone's tumbled into it like this. You aren't hurt are you, milady?"

Faith smiled up at him, her violet eyes sparkling. "Oh no, I'm quite fine. Us mawile are pretty hardy."

"Oh you're a mawile, are you?" The garbordor blinked his milky eyes and leant a little further over the edge of the hole, obscuring Faith from view. "That's good then. Means I can help you and don't have to pester the guards. No risk of poisoning a steel-type, eh?" His body rippled with deep laughter. "Hang on, I'll have you out of there in a jiffy."

He lowered his long pipe-like arm into the hole, and Cleo tried not to grimace as a few drops of muddy liquid dripped from it. It was too late for her to offer to lift Faith out with her psychic, and the garbordor was being so polite and helpful it felt wrong to intervene.

The garbordor raised his limb from the hole with Faith dangling from the end of it. She smiled warmly as he placed her back on solid ground, and she smoothed out her fur.

"Thank you so very much," she said. "You are very kind, erm… Sorry, what do I call you?"

"You're welcome, milady. You can call me Mulch." He ushered her to the side. "You might want to step away from the hole in case the ground gives way again. It's pretty unstable as you've already noticed. Where are you all off to?"

His pale eyes traced over the group again, and Cleo found herself wondering how much he could actually see. Enough to tell him there was a group of pokemon, but perhaps not enough to realise Harlequin was with them?

"We were sent here by the Guild," Cleo explained. "We're bringing medicine for the poison, but we're a little late. I'm terribly sorry."

"Ah you're not late." Mulch waved a limb, spraying a shower of noxious water that narrowly avoided them and splattered the recovering grass. "Oh. Do pardon me." He flushed and tucked the pipe in at his side and motioned them to follow him. "Come on. I'll take you to Meridith. You can wash your paws when we get into the town too, we've a little spring that trickles from the mountain."

"Wait, what?" Spark trotted to catch up with him. "You have a spring? I thought you used the lake for water."

"The spring is a diversion," Mulch explained. "Unfortunately it also got tainted. It's taking us ages to clear it all up. I was actually on my way to draw more poison from the lake when I ran into you!"

The group followed Mulch through the gate as he continued explaining about the spring, and Cleo caught the eye of the gurdurr who'd been patrolling. He eyed them curiously, his eyebrow raising at the tattoo on Sandpaw's shoulder. Then he spotted Harlequin and opened his mouth to speak. But not to them. He caught a mienfoo and whispered something that set the small fox-like pokemon's creamy fur on edge.

"It won't be long before Stonehaven is on tenterhooks," Cleo muttered to Mischief and Spark.

Mischief looked back at the guards but said nothing. There wasn't much any of them could do. Harlequin was a known war criminal. Their presence in the town was bound to start a fire.

The cobbled paths weaved through the houses and shops that made up the town. Each one was made from hefty stone blocks, their unevenness adding to the towns rugged yet quaint appearance. Every now and then, Cleo spotted a wooden hut that had been thrown up at the end of a street or squeezed into a gap between buildings. New pokemon had moved in, desperate to escape the Darkness and most likely drawn to Stonehaven's high walls. They became less of an occurrence the deeper they moved into the town. Stonehaven was more built up in its centre, with the Guild's headquarters standing proud at the town's heart.

"Here we are." Mulch shuffled away from them towards the steps. "I'll go and find Meredith. You wait here."

"We're Guild members too," said Cleo. "Can't we just go inside and introduce ourselves?"

Mulch blinked at them over his shoulder, and narrowed his eyes as he tried to make the group out. "Warriors, eh? Well… if you've got the badge, then you might—"

The door opened at the top of the stairs, followed by voices.

"Send out another patrol." The loudest voice came from a red fox-like pokemon standing with one paw on the door. "If you sight them again, then take them out. We can't have Heretics just running through the mountains like that."

Sandpaw stiffened and gulped loudly.

"Do you think they're talking about your friends?" Cleo asked the furret quietly.

Sandpaw nodded but didn't take her eyes off the delphox. He turned to the stairs, shouting a few more commands over his shoulder, then let the door close behind himself. When he spotted Cleo his eyes widened and immediately went to her badge.

"Ah!" He trotted towards them, not failing to notice the zorua huddled between Cleo and Faith. "You must be the group Tinker sent. We expected you two days ago." He paused as he took in Sandpaw and Scout, and his brow creased at their tattoos. "I guess you encountered some problems?"

"You could say that," said Cleo. "I'm really sorry. We ran into members of the Darkness and they gave us a pretty hard time."

"Oh dear." Mulch's shoulders sank and he looked up at the delphox. "These poor kids. And to think I found them just by the lake cos the sweet mawile had tumbled into the diglett tunnel."

The delphox returned his sympathetic stare and turned to address Faith. "I'm terribly sorry, ma'am. I hope you didn't hurt yourself?"

"Oh no!" Faith beamed up at him. "I'm pretty hardy! Like most mawile, I guess." She laughed and shook her head.

The delphox smiled back at her and folded his arms. "I'm Meredith. I'm the Guildmaster here. You were meant to be delivering medicines?"

"Yes. Again, I'm so sorry we're late." Cleo grimaced as she held out the sack of medicine. "I hope this helps you."

Meredith took the sack and peered inside. His mouth turned down in a frown and he looked back up at her. "What is this? We ordered pecha berries."

"They got damaged in a battle with the Darkness," Cleo explained. "Harlequin told us about another cure for seviper venom that was more effective than pecha berries, and Faith confirmed it so we—"

"Harlequin?" Meredith flashed his canines at the zorua, causing them to flinch back. He clasped the sack shut as if he feared its contents might leap out and attack him then rounded on Cleo. "You took advice from this criminal? These… things… could wipe out our entire village!"

"Please, Meredith!" Faith stretched out a paw towards him. "We use milkwort root in cooking back where I'm from. I can assure you it is very healthy and will fix those poisoned pokemon up in a jiffy!"

Meredith met her violet gaze. "Then why would an assassin suggest it?"

"Because she's trying to change," Faith explained.

Harlequin lowered their head and looked away. "Forget it. I shouldn't expect him to trust me. He has enough of a reason not to."

"So you're confirming this is toxic?" Meredith held out the sack at arm's length.

Harlequin bristled and bared their canines, but a sharp tapping sound drew everyone's attention to the Guild headquarters. High above them a blue face peered out of a window.

"Tinker?" Cleo gasped.

The riolu rapped on the window with a paw to get Meredith's attention. "Is there a problem?" Tinker's voice was muffled by the glass.

Meredith motioned for him to join them, and the riolu vanished from sight. It wasn't long before he strolled out onto the cobbled path. He cast a curious glance at Sandpaw and Scout, then stopped beside Meredith and folded his arms.

"What's going on?" he asked. "And why are you so late, Cleo?"

Cleo didn't want to have to explain again. She was ready to relay their events with the nikkit and her gang when Meredith explained to Tinker exactly what was bothering him.

"This isn't pecha berries." The delphox frowned at Cleo and her friends. "Instead they've taken the word of that assassin and brought us something I can't even begin to identify."

"It's milkwort root!" Harlequin snapped. "If you want to confirm it, then ask any zangoose. They lived on that stuff for years! That's how they built up an immunity to seviper venom!"

Meredith and Tinker stared at them silently, while Mulch stood aside and rubbed his head. The garbordor watched Harlequin curiously as a look of realisation crossed his face.

"I'm not happy about this, Cleo," said Tinker. "You've been making a lot of questionable decisions. I gave you one task - to deliver pecha berries to Stonehaven. And instead you bring a sack of roots advised to you by the pokemon you're meant to be keeping prisoner? And don't think I've not noticed you've brought Heretics in here with you. I'd love to hear your reason for that!"

Cleo rubbed her paws over her face, deeply wanting to be anywhere else. She let out a low groan and Mischief placed a paw on her shoulder.

"The pecha berries got squashed in a fight," Cleo explained. "We needed to find something! Besides, Harlequin has… well… changed since her experience in the Fairy Garden."

Tinker rolled his eyes, but Meredith turned his gaze onto the zorua.

"Believe me, I was sceptical," Cleo went on. "But when Faith confirmed the roots aren't toxic then I was willing to take this chance."

"Well." Tinker looked up at the mawile. "Since Faith here just appeared out of nowhere, I'm not sure how certain we can be of that fact."

"There's one way to be certain." Meredith reached into the sack and Tinker watched curiously as the delphox removed one of the roots. He held it out to Harlequin. "Here. If it's not toxic then eat it."

Harlequin's sapphire eyes flitted between the root and Meredith's face. "What?"

"If it's not toxic," Meredith repeated more slowly, "then you won't be afraid to eat it."

Harlequin snorted and narrowed their eyes at him. "Fine! If it'll put your mind at ease."

The zorua clamped their jaws around the root and gulped it down in two bites. Their lips curled back and they grimaced, shaking their head so violently their ears flapped around.

Meredith recoiled back, his muzzle creasing. "So there is something wrong with it?"

"No." Harlequin stuck their tongue out and stifled a cough. "It's just horribly bitter."

Faith chuckled and placed a paw on Harlequin's back. "It is pretty bitter. That's why we roast it with sugar! And, funnily enough, it goes very well with pecha berries."

Meredith peered back into the sack. His expression had softened, as had Tinker's. But the riolu still watched Cleo and her friends with a raised eyebrow. His gaze kept wandering to Sandpaw, still clearly wanting an explanation as to why the two Heretics were with Cleo.

"Well." Meredith closed the sack again. "I guess all we can do is try. I'll see if any of our patients will be willing to give it a go."

"If you do, grind it into powder," said Harlequin. "At least that way you can put it on something sweet to take an edge off the bitterness." They flicked their tongue out again and grimaced.

Meredith gave a single laugh and frowned at the assassin. "Noted."

As the delphox turned to walk away, Tinker watched after him. "You're just taking his advice?"

"Many pokemon in this town are horribly sick," Meredith explained. "If these roots might offer even a glimmer of hope then I'll take it. Besides… what fool would willingly consume poison to trick an entire village?"

The two fox-like pokemon looked back at Harlequin. The zorua's sapphire eyes sparkled at his words. With another nod, Meredith turned to carry the sacks to the pokemon who needed it. Mulch shuffled after him, stopping to chat with a guard beside the Guild.

That just left them with Tinker. The riolu stood with his arms crossed, his gaze going to Sandpaw and Scout.

With a deep breath, Cleo prepared herself to finally explain the presence of the two Heretics. She motioned for the two to join her, and Tinker didn't take his eyes off the furret. She cowered beside Cleo, dodging the riolu's probing stare.

"These are Sandpaw and Scout." Cleo's voice came out stronger than she'd expected. "They've broken free from the Heretic lab that kept us prisoner. Apparently it's now disintegrated, and these two are looking for somewhere safe. I thought you might-"

"So you brought them here?" Tinker spat. "To one of the few remaining Outcast villages?"

Cleo's mouth flapped open, all her previous confidence shattered in an instant.

"Please, sir." Sandpaw tried to meet Tinker's eye over the head of her hatchling. "We no longer have any allegiance with the Heretics. We just want somewhere safe. That's all we've ever wanted."

"And how can I trust you?" Tinker asked. "After everything your lab has put my warriors through?"

"I hated what they were doing," said Sandpaw. "If it'll prove my loyalty then I'll tell you everything I know of Rio's plan."

Tinker tapped his foot rapidly. "Why didn't you escape sooner if you were so unhappy there? Or did the lab have to break apart before you realised you were no longer safe? If you ask me, the same thing could happen again!"

Sandpaw screwed her eyes shut and buried her nose in Scout's fur. He turned his head to look at her, his large eyes wide. Faith placed a paw on Sandpaw's shoulder and muttered something Cleo didn't catch.

Tinker narrowed his eyes at the shuddering furret and tutted. "I've seen enough. I want them out of this village before nightfall."

"Tinker!" Cleo caught the riolu's arm as he turned away. "Are you really going to just send her away like that? She's alone with a child! Isn't helping pokemon like her what we do?"

"No, Cleo. We help Outcasts." He met her unimpressed stare then fired a look at Sandpaw. "She can leave and find some Heretics to help her."

"But she's left them," Cleo implored. "She came to us for help, and no trouble has followed. That's proof that what she's told us is true. Just because she has a tattoo doesn't mean anything."

"No, it doesn't," Mischief spoke up, silencing Cleo and Tinker. They both turned to look at him. "I have one myself. Does that mean I'm still a Heretic?"

"Whereas I'm still hazy about you," said Tinker slowly, "you were a victim."

"You don't know that for certain," said Mischief. "Even I don't. I have no memories of my time in that lab."

Tinker stared at the whimsicott for a long moment, then turned back to Cleo, meeting her steely gaze. He clicked his tongue as he considered what he'd just been told. He glanced back up at Sandpaw, then his shoulders sagged as he let out a sigh.

"Just hear her out," said Cleo. "You can make a decision afterwards. Please?"

"Fine." Tinker's expression softened as he met her eyes. "If it'll make you happy."

A smile spread across Cleo's muzzle and she stood aside.

Tinker turned to address Sandpaw. "Come with me. We'll talk in the Guild. There are warriors stationed there, so if you try anything…"

Sandpaw shook her head sharply. "I won't try anything! I have no reason to. Oh thank you so much."

Scout flew from her grip and landed beside her, rising up to his full height. "No other pokemon is gonna hurt you, Mum. Trust me."

Somehow, that statement made Tinker smile. He stared down at the sentret for a moment, then turned to address Cleo.

"You are free to look around the village," he said. "Perhaps get something to eat. Since there are no cells to hold Harlequin, I cannot allow you access to the Guild. Meredith will arrange shelter for you."

Cleo nodded and motioned for her friends to follow her. Mischief was last. His gaze lingered on Sandpaw for a moment. Cleo wasn't sure if the look he gave her was of sympathy, but Sandpaw mouthed the words 'thank you' in response before following Tinker into the Guild Hall.

"So where shall we start?" Faith asked, breaking Cleo out of her thoughts.

Spark poked her head out of Cleo's ruff. "Lunch, duh!"

Faith placed a paw over her mouth and chuckled. "Oh of course! How silly of me."

Spark raised a claw. "There must be a pastry shop around here somewhere! I've had nothing but berries for days now!"

"We're all in the same boat, Spark," said Cleo. "I second the pastry idea."

"Well if it helps…" Mulch shuffled over to them, casting a wary look at Harlequin. "I know a great place. Shall I show you?"

"Oh please!" said Faith. "And then perhaps a tour?"

"A tour would be great," said Cleo. "After everything we've been through lately, I'd love to see more of your town. It's nice to be somewhere that feels so…" She didn't want to say 'permanent'. Like every other pokemon, she dreaded such places wouldn't last indefinitely.

"Homely," Faith offered.

Cleo nodded, and Mulch gave a hearty laugh that shook his insides.

"Well, follow me!" he said. "But please bare with me. I'm not as fast as I used to be."

As they fell into step behind the nattering garbordor, Spark spoke close to Cleo's ear. "Do you think that Meredith is the fire-type we're meant to find?"

Cleo's whisker's twitched with surprise. In all the confusion, she'd not considered that. She exchanged a glance with the dedenne.

"That's possible," she said. "We can ask him when we next get chance."

For the first time since they'd been assigned the quest, Cleo found herself wondering how they'd even know if they'd found the right pokemon. She wasn't sure if it was Meredith or not. As the leader of one of the Outcast Guilds, he would certainly be a strong pokemon. But somehow, she'd assumed it would be a lot more obvious.

...

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Lurker - Thank you so much for your lovely review! I'm sorry it's been so long since I last updated. I hope you continue to enjoy =D

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