Note: Here... I'm back with an early update because my schedule got mixed up somehow, so I'll update "What a Thief Can't Steal" on Saturday instead... Or tomorrow if I can get it done today. Well... I had trouble writing this chapter so I hope it doesn't stink "that" badly, my second notebook is also out of pages so I think I'll need LOTS and LOTS of scratch paper... Oh well, I guess I'll shut up now.

Normal POV:

Ikari smiled. Everything was ready. Everything to set her plan into action was carefully set. She confidently walked into Arashi's room, where his father was grieving his absence.

He's been like that ever since Arashi had escaped from the tribe. Arashi's sudden disappearance angered Ikari initially but she soon realized that with him gone, it could make things easier.

She smiled at the thought that with Arashi being gone, all she had to do was seize the throne from Arashi's father, Regius himself. Taking it from the old coot would be too easy for her.

She planned to have him give up his position and pass it down to her through "negotiation"... If that didn't work... Well... There's always violence!

"Sire," she called, "we have no news of Arashi so far."

He looked back with saddened eyes.

"'ow can this be?" he roared.

Ikari stood there unfazed by Regius's show of anguish. It didn't seem to affect her in any way now that she realized that she had no use for that idiot, Arashi, anyway.

"Sire," she tried to suggest, "don't you think you should just... quit? I mean, no offense, but what if Arashi is truly gone... Wouldn't it just be a waste of effort to tire out our troops?"

Regius looked back, his hardened eyes now softened.

"Ikari," he softly muttered, "whaddif 'e's still out there?"

Ikari controlled the urge to use force on him. Even if using force was definitely the easier way, it was still WAY more risky.

"Regius, my lord," she courteously said, "Even if he is still out there... You're in no good shape to look for him. Please, Sire... Please pass the throne to me so that I may use it to find Arashi."

Regius looked back at her, his eyes full of understanding. He knew that Ikari was probably right. But he so stubbornly wanted to find Arashi by himself. He wanted to show his son that he cared.

"Ikari," he continued, "yerr intenshuns're pure... But, what I'm sayin' 'sthat this's a father 'n son business. This's part of my responsibility."

Ikari took a deep breath. Apparently, Regius was a tough nut to crack. She faked a smile and tried once more.

"Sire," she continued, "Please let me try. I could be able to find your son. Remember... Arashi's may be your son, but he is also engaged to be my mate. So... Sire! Please let me have a say in this!"

Regius tried to smile.

"Ikari," he answered, "you'd make a great queen. But I can't give up the throne just yet. I have some unattended matters to fix. I hope ye unde'stand. 'sides, you'll rule soon 'nuff... Just wait."

Ikari gave up. She saw no use in trying to obtain the throne through peaceful means. She used her tail to signal the Sharpedo into the room silently.

"Sire," she sternly said, as if commanding Regius this time, "for the last time, give up the throne to me. NOW!"

Regius realized too late that Ikari had been meaning to get his power in the first place, not Arashi. He looked back only to quickly realize what was about to happen.

It all happened so quickly. The three Sharpedo attacked him relentlessly without giving him a chance to fight back or defend himself. Regius tried to resist but the three thugs just whirled around him, pushing him inwards with their attacks until he had no breathing space left. They stopped their attacks only to deliver a final blow from all three corners. Forming the three corners of a triangle (with Regius trapped in the middle), the three charged forward at the center with their strongest attack: Giga Impact.

The collision from three corners left Regius knocked out before he could even fully comprehend what was going on. After all, no one could surivive anything like that... Especially if he or she was trapped in such a situation.

The three Sharpedo turned to face their master. They humbly bowed as if to say that they have done as she commanded.

"He was a fool to oppress me," Ikari muttered, grinning sinisterly, "Don't dispose him yet. Let him be an example of what happens to those who cross me."

The three Sharpedo merely nodded, not eager to displease their master.

Ikari went out to the palace veranda, a small balcony that was carved out of the flat surface of the rock. She smiled, eager to see the faces of her fellow Gyarados when they hear the "good" news she has for them.

"Puny ants, I mean, humble members of the Gyarados Tribe," she paused for extra effect, "I am very pleased to announce that we now have a new ruler despite Arashi's absence."

The crowd below murmured apprehensively. They had expected Arashi's return to be synonymous with the term "new ruler" but what Ikari said only made them confused.

"Then who is it?" one of the Gyarados rudely shouted.

Ikari didn't mind the lack of manners. She just smiled knowing that they would soon show respect after she answered that question... And if they didn't... The consequence would simply be death.

"That would be... me," she cackled.

The whole crowd fell silent. They all knew Ikari. They knew about how cold and militaristic she could be. They knew only one thing after she said that... They knew that they were doomed to die.

"Are you sure that Regius passed down his throne to you?" one of the Gyarados asked, not buying her story. The whole crowd heard him and they all began discussing and considering if what Ikari had said was true.

The crowd became noisier as they barbarically discussed about whether Ikari had truly been made queen or if she was just lying. Ikari impatiently slammed her tail on the ground causing everyone to become silent.

"Silence!" she hissed, "In fact, I can assure you all that I have been appointed as leader."

She signalled for the Sharpedo behind her to take Regius out into the palace veranda where she stood. The whole crowd gasped at the sight and several of them prepared to attack.

"Halt!" Ikari scornfully yelled, "I can assure you... Regius is alive... But I cannot assure you that he will stay that way if you do not follow my orders."

The whole crowd fell silent again. The silence soon faded into grumbling but none of them attacked... They had no choice but to bow in discipline, symbolizing that they were willing to cooperate.

"Fine, we'll cooperate. But when Arashi comes back... We'll make sure he becomes king and your reign will be over!" the same Gyarados yelled back.

Everyone hearing this cheered at the positive thought.

"I'm afraid that's not going to happen though..." Ikari smugly answered, "Because my first act as ruler of this tribe is to have the Sharpedo capture Arashi and take him prisoner, dead or alive."

"But... That's CRAZY!" several protesters yelled.

"Silence, fools!" Ikari snapped back, "Because it's not as crazy as my second act."

"Which is?" one of the protesters nervously asked.

"While the Sharpedo hunt for Arashi... The rest of you must get ready for war," Ikari answered casually, as if everything she said was just normal.

"WHAT?" the crowd of Gyarados exclaimed, "Did you say... War?"

"Why yes... Yes I did," Ikari replied with a crooked grin.

"SERIOUSLY? We don't really need to wage a war... The neighbouring tribes are all peaceful!" a rather elderly Gyarados objected, "Wait... You don't mean that tribe... Do you?"

"The time has come," Ikari solemnly said, "to take our vengeance on the Milotic Tribe. We once used to be part of them, but we were shunned for defending ourselves! It is only right we take back what we own. All these years, now we fight for our cause!"

The elderly Gyarados opened his mouth to speak, "But we are clearly at a disadvantage. And besides, attacking them won't help our reputation... It was why we-"

"You are all given three days to prepare," Ikari scowled, drowning out the voice of the elderly Gyarados, "We attack at dawn on the fourth day. Got all that? Then start preparing NOW!"

The whole crowd fell silent. After a short moment of silence, they dispersed to unwillingly prepare for the war.

Ikari grinned. This was what she had dreamed of. It was going to finally come to fruition. All she had to do was to wait for her desired results.

"Err... Ikari," a Sharpedo asked, "What do we do with Regius?"

Ikari turned around.

"Regius?" she mumbled, deep in thought until a sadistic grin came about her face.

"Oh! Regius!" she snickered, "I have plans for him. There is much to be done... Much to be done, indeed..."

Note: That's it for now... I hope you're all anticipating the boss fight-ish scene that I'm gonna prepare for the next chappie! Oh wait... An urgent notice... My exams are gonna start next Saturday so I'm not sure about getting this updated for the next two weeks, but please bear with me for there's always Christmas vacation after the exams... There's a really small chance that I'll manage to update next week though... Though I'd say it's a 25% chance... That's all for today... Please leave a review! Thanks! Bye then~