"I swear, Windie assaulted me!" Duke Godric hollered.
Duke Antonio glared back with his arms crossed. "What proof do you have?"
"It must have been Windie. Who else is orange and tan and knows High Horsepower?" Duke Godric questioned.
"Many pokémon fit the description of his supposed attacker, such as Sir Raymond the Rapidash," Lothario said. He formed a Bone Rush in his hands, showing off the caramel energy. "Furthermore, it could have been any ground-type attack. You lack a sound argument," Lothario told Duke Godric.
"Windie would never betray me," Duke Antonio insisted.
"Is that so? Then tell me, where is your loyal little Arcanine right now?" Duke Godric demanded.
"He is probably resting in his village, as is the rest of my army," Duke Antonio asserted. "They need not slumber in an army camp when their homes stand a mere hour's walk away. My knights have returned to their estates too."
"Hmph. I have my eyes locked on you, Antonio," Duke Godric said.
"As do I on you," Duke Antonio retorted.
After Duke Godric left, Duke Antonio slumped, holding a hand to his forehead. "The nerve of that duke… He is twice the betrayer as I," he growled, curling his fists.
"At ease, Father," Lothario urged. "Save your vexation for the battle ahead."
"Curse Leinwig! Curse Skarmburg! Curse the Lunish nobles! Curse the peasantry!" Ludwig wailed in between spurts of electric rage and shoving slices of cake into his muzzle.
"Let it out, Your Majesty," Duke Qasimir soothed, patting the Luxray on the back. "We shall turn the war around."
"Why did you all refuse to leave Skarmburg?" Ludwig screeched, unleashing a Discharge, although the Quagsire was unbothered by it. "We could have saved my father and beheaded my wretched cousin in an instant!" He shoveled down another piece of cake and howled.
"Without conquering Skarmburg, you would not have the privilege to eat like a Snorlax right now," Duke Percival snarled. "Since we conquered Skarmburg, our supply chain is so safe that Kendrick permitted his daughter to visit the army camp."
"Well, I did not exactly permit it," Duke Kendrick grumbled. "She tagged along with a supply group and refuses to leave unless I personally drag her back to Waruvais. To make matters worse, someone taught her Superpower along the way, and now she thinks she can fly into battle. I have had to assign Sengupta to restrain her."
"You should permit her, Kendrick," Duchess Madelyn chuckled. "Combat builds character."
"My family is not your business, Madelyn," Duke Kendrick muttered.
"Enough chatter. Where are the others?" Duke Percival demanded.
"Ulysses is still unconscious from the battle. Those Smack Downs were vicious," Duke Kindrick remarked. "Last I saw of Brennan, he was packing tents-"
"Do you jest?!" Madelyn bellowed, standing up and cracking her arm fur.
"I am here," Duke Brennan huffed, just arriving at the group. "You folks better dictate a clear argument as to why I should remain any longer. The Lunish opposition stands too strong and united."
"We will form a strategy," said Duke Kendrick. "Now, has anyone seen Princess Helena?"
"Rumor has it she was captured. Let us carry on without her," Duke Percival said.
"Captured?!" Duke Qasimir cried.
"One more step towards departure," Duke Brennan remarked, turning away.
"Shame on your cowardice!" Duchess Madelyn shouted. "We have a duty to rescue our fellow Solardians."
"Do not be delusional," Duke Brennan said. "We left a quarter of our army at Skarmburg. We do not have the numbers to face the Lunish army again. We can pay a ransom for the princess-"
"I believe we still possess a superior force," Duke Percival stated. "We lack numbers but boast quality, and we command a superior supply chain. The fault is in our tactics and hubris. Rushing at the Lunelanders as we did this morning was a blunder. If we hold a defensive position, we can crack them and shatter them."
"What makes you certain they will attack?" Duke Kendrick asked.
"That is a simple matter. Your Majesty, would you believe your cousin will attack us if we maintain camp here?" Duke Percival asked Ludwig.
"Of course," Ludwig spat. "Leinwig most definitely froths at the mouth at the opportunity to capture me. I bet he has a reward set aside for my capture." The Luxray took a deep breath, thinking clearly for the first time in days. "I shall lead a scout team tomorrow and lure the enemy in."
"That is the spirit, Your Majesty," Duchess Madelyn hailed, whipping her arm fur. "I shall accompany you."
"Then it is settled," Duke Percival said. "Inform your knights of the plan and rest up for tomorrow."
"You cannot declare a plan without consulting the troops," Duke Brennan countered. "Pokémon are injured. Morale is low. Our knights do not desire another defeat. We obtained enough bounty and enough disruption from the sack of Skarmburg. Most pokémon would much rather head home."
"If that is what you believe, then how about I convey the riches that lie ahead of us and then ask your knights if they wish to depart instead of you making the sole decision?" Ludwig demanded.
Duke Brennan crossed his arms. "As you wish, Your Majesty. We shall see what my knights say."
Chadwyck sat still on a log far away from the army camp, nursing his head, sides, and stomach, all covered in bandages. Those damn rock types, he cursed. Stupid Lock-On, stupid Smack Down, ridiculous noodle of gravel posing as a tree…
"Chadwyck!" a melodious voice called.
Chadwyck craned his neck towards the army camp and spotted a Flygon gliding towards him with a Swoobat trailing behind. A grin formed over his snout, and he felt like his aches faded away. "Lady Florina!" he exclaimed, then covered his mouth with his claws. "He walked over to her and whispered, "Shh, we have to be quiet. Let's go somewhere else," leading her away.
The Swoobat was Sengupta, the knight Duke Kendrick instructed to watch over Florina. He was about to object to Chadwyck leading Florina away, but a powerful psychic force nearby frazzled his senses. It led him to spot the rest of Chadwyck's team a little ways away, and he quickly understood why they had to stay quiet and depart.
Max, Terry, and Lily were perched at the top of a tree, having gotten there with Chadwyck's help. Max had his eyes closed with his sensitive ears extended like antennae. A deep purple glow seeped out of his eyelids. Terry and Lily each held one of Max's paws, using Helping Hand to strengthen the Meowstic's psychic power, extending his telepathic range. Max's ears slowly swiveled across the landscape, trying to locate Helena. They had been at it for hours, ever since Max had woken up and recovered from fainting. The sun had nearly set; the sky was a gloomy purple.
Max suddenly gasped. Lily's ear flicked in response. She faced him, about to ask what he found, but held her tongue to avoid breaking his concentration. She felt Max's paw shift. He formed it into a thumbs up.
Helena, can you hear me? Max thought.
Max! Yeah, I heard you! Helena answered.
Oh, thank Arceus! Max replied. What happened to you? Where are you?
I fainted underground while using Dig due to an Earthquake attack. A friendly Arcanine dug me up, brought me to Windswept Village, and gave me bandages.
So…you are safe?
Yup.
Max released a breath he had been holding for hours… then curled his paws into fists. Must you be so reckless, Helena?! You should have withdrawn from the skirmish with Lily! Have you considered what other fate could have befallen you?! We have been so incredibly worried about you! I have been scanning this entire damn province for hours!
Over in Windie's hut, Helena visibly flinched, gritting her teeth. Her head sank to plop on her paws. Windie, who was holding her paw and using Helping Hand, looked at her concernedly. I'm sorry. I thought I had the battle under control, Helena conveyed to Max.
Max sighed to himself. What are you doing now? he asked Helena. Are you coming back to our camp? Should we go and get you?
A small smile formed on Helena's muzzle. Hold off on that, Max. Listen to this. I came across an opportunity to win the next battle, maybe even the whole war! The Arcanine I met told me that many peasants in Luneland's army wish to break free of their nobles. They are organized and united in their goal. I think I can convince them to join our side by promising to provide food and supplies after we take over Denryushire. Soon, under the cover of dark, I'm going to meet them at their forest camp-
What the hell, Helena?! Max swore across the telepathic channel. Can you hear yourself right now? What part of "reckless" do you fail to comprehend?
Helena pouted. I have a good feeling about this, though.
If you go missing or, Arceus forbid, perish, do you know whose paws Kyukonais will fall into? Your hate-filled, hollow cousin! Windswept Village, you say? We are coming to extract you right now!
Max! Listen to me! I'm fine, Helena insisted.
I do NOT have a good feeling about this. What would your- Max paused. What would Count Ignatio say? he asked.
He'd tell me to seize the opportunity, Helena answered.
Max mentally sighed. I did not mean the question literally…
I know, and I get your point, Helena acknowledged. Okay, can you at least tell Terry and Lily about my next plan? If you really all feel that it's not worth a shot… then I'll abandon it. I'm contributing to the connection, so you can drop some focus to discuss with them.
…Fine, Max relented. He folded his ear fur and opened his eyes.
"Is Helena okay?" Lily whispered.
"She is comfortable," Max said. "Perhaps a little too comfortable. She is housed in a village in Denryushire." He explained Helena's inane plan to meet with supposed Lunish bandits in a dark forest to Terry and Lily.
"An Arcanine, huh?" Terry remarked, making eye contact with Lily. "We are in Denryushire…"
"Ooh! Ask Helena what the Arcanine's name is!" Lily asked Max. "We might have met him before!"
Max unfurled his ear fur to unshackle his full psychic power once more. A few moments later, he refurled them to protect his eardrums. "She said his name is Windie."
"Bingo!" Terry exclaimed. "He came to Kyukonais to escort Helena's aunt to safety. We gave him a brief tour of the city. He said he was an army captain and he ran from Kyukonais back here through the night to help his pokémon. That's dedication!"
"Hey, we told him about Helena, didn't we?" Lily recalled. "He really wanted to meet her."
"Why?" Max asked, crossing his arms.
"He wanted to know how Helena made Kyukonais the best province ever!"
"Do you not think it is at least a little suspicious for an army captain to secretly drag an enemy leader away from the battlefield?" Max questioned.
"Windie felt super sincere and caring to me," Terry said.
"Ooh, maybe he was so impressed by Helena's achievements that he decided to switch sides and help her!" Lily theorized.
Max cracked a smile. "Sometimes I worry you are a little too optimistic for your own good, my friend."
"It's not that far-fetched," Terry said. "Windie was one-hundred-percent not a noble. He was amazed by all the nice things every pokémon had in Kyukonais. Meanwhile, I'm sure the civil war has been terrible for the pokémon here. They just had a long siege here, right? That sounds like a recipe for an uprising to me!"
"We need to help those pokémon break free from their evil lords!" Lily proclaimed.
Max huffed, gazing across the dark landscape. "I take it you two approve of Helena's next reckless stunt?"
"Relax, Max," Terry said, patting the Meowstic on the back. "I think Helena's in good paws. Besides, if she gets in any more trouble, she'll just burn her way out."
"What's stopping us from joining her?" Lily asked.
"Lunish scouts, army obligations-"
"Scouts? We can handle them," Terry brushed off. "Army obligations? What's that?" He laughed.
Max looked between his two friends' encouraging demeanors and sighed. "Very well, I concede… I will convey to Helena our approval."
"Sweet, a new adventure!" Lily cheered.
Alright, Helena… apparently, Terry and Lily are already familiar with Windie since he once visited Kyukonais. They approve of your plan, NOT because you are a level-headed genius, but because they trust Windie. I… am obligated to comply, I suppose.
Great! Don't you worry, Max. Once we pull this off, we'll be unstoppable! Helena declared. The Lunish nobles won't know what hit them until it's far too late. We're going to win over Denryushire and win the war in one fell swoop.
Max smiled to himself. Heh, well, you have led us to prosperity in the past; I will not dispute that. Time to put in the work, as we always have. Now, can you give us directions to the forest camp? We will join you, one way or another.
Coming right up, Helena told Max. Helena reduced her psychic output and opened her eyes. "Okay, my friends gave me the okay," Helena spoke to Windie, who was beside her. "In fact, they want directions to the forest camp so they can join us."
Windie promptly gave Helena the directions, and she relayed them to Max. Can you bring a supply wagon full of food with you to the place? Helena requested from Max. It would show the pokémon here that I'm serious about supporting them.
That could entail some complications… Max responded.
But having a taste of Kyukonais right in front of them would be so much more powerful than words alone, Helena stated. Can you bring Darrell and some others along? Are they at the camp?
I believe Darell is here with some of his crew, but how will we move a whole cart across the province undetected?
Darrell and his crew move fast. And you can detect other pokémon, right? Darrell must have some other psychic types with him too.
What about dark types?
Terry's got excellent night vision.
Have you put any thought into where we are going after the forest meeting? Should we truly bring supply line pokémon deep into enemy territory? We do not know what will happen, and they might object-
You're good at being upfront with pokémon. You can tell them what to expect while also encouraging them. Come on, Max, enough worrying. Share the plan with Terry and Lily; I'm sure they'll plug all the holes in the plan. We can pull this off!
There was a long pause as Max deliberated with Terry and Lily. "Are you ready to go to the meeting?" Windie asked. "We should head out since it's dark now."
"Just a little longer," Helena whispered. "I need to hear back from them. If I go on the move, my friend will have trouble locating me."
"Understood," Windie nodded.
Alright, Helena… somehow, they convinced me to drag your fabled food wagon with us, Max relayed. We still must acquire the agreement of others to haul the wagon, though. I must break our telepathy, but I will reach out again when we set out.
I have to move to the forest now, Helena conveyed. We won't be able to connect again. Do your best, okay? I'm counting on you!
…Very well. Stay safe, my friend.
Helena opened her eyes with a smile on her muzzle. "I have some great news," she said. "My friends will bring a supply wagon of food with them for Denryushire's pokémon."
Windie gasped. "That'll be amazing!" he exclaimed, bubbling with excitement and squeezing Helena's paw. "My friends will appreciate it so much."
"Great! Then let's get going. Thanks for helping me make this possible with your Helping Hand for my Psychic." Helena stood up on three paws. "Um, you can let go of my paw now."
"Aw, you don't like my paw?" Windie said, letting go.
"Huh? I didn't mean that, just… I need my paws to walk to the forest," Helena mumbled, averting her eyes.
"It's okay; you don't need to make excuses. My paw has thick skin."
Helena cracked a smile, looking up and admiring the playful shine in Windie's eyes. In an instant, she reached for Windie's paw, brought it up, and kissed it on the back. "A little encouragement for this paw before the journey ahead," Helena giggled. "Lead the way!"
"Yay! We can finally get out of this tree and go on a mission!" Lily cheered, hopping up and down. "I've never sat still for so long in my life!"
Max clung to the thick branch they were on. "On the contrary, I am exhausted from all of the searching and long-range telepathy… please hold still, my friend…"
"Chadwyck! Take us down!" Terry yelled. He looked across the field around the tall tree. "Where'd he go? He was supposed to wait for us on that log."
"That was several hours ago," Max huffed.
"There's no time to waste!" Lily exclaimed. She scooped up Max with her tail and plopped him on her back. "Hang on!"
"What-!" Max spluttered.
Lily sprang off the top of the tree, her paws glowing sky blue as she activated Aerial Ace. Wind bundled beneath her paws, easing their descent and granting a soft landing.
"Whew," Max sighed. "Perhaps Chadwyck taught you Aerial Ace so he could further loaf around? Seriously, where is he?" Max complained, looking around. "We must rendezvous with Helena with haste."
They waited for Terry to leap from branch to branch until he reached the ground, then went on the hunt for Chadwyck. They spotted the glow of the Charizard's flaming tail further away from the army camp. He appeared to be talking to a Flygon while a Swoobat sat idly on the side with his wings tucked.
"And then I knocked him down for good with one punch to the chin!" Chadwyck boasted, flexing his arms.
"So masterful!" Florina praised, holding her hands together.
"Chadwyck! We found Helena! Let's go!" Lily hollered, dashing towards Chadwyck while still giving Max a ride.
"Huh?" Chadwyck voiced, turning away from the beautiful Flygon to see the distraction that was his teammates. "I'm in the middle of telling the tale of my greatest tavern brawl-"
"Time for you to reassume your bodyguard status," Max interjected. "Helena is headed to a dark forest deep in Denryushire. We must travel there at once with-"
"Will you all drop the act already?" Florina cut in, glaring at Max and Lily with her arms crossed and her wings stirring up dust.
"Act? What act do you speak of, my lady?" asked Max.
"All these mentions of the princess under capture," Florina scoffed. "I understand, my father does not wish for me to be present, but his ministrations do not faze me. I shall find my perfect warrior no matter the obstacle. Kindly return to my father and inform him to mind his own business."
"...Sorry, who's your dad?" Lily asked, shuffling her paws. "Um, actually, who are you?"
"Lady Florina Waruvial, heir to the province of Waruvais," Florina said with a curtsy and some graceful wing beats. "I am on a quest to find the strongest warrior of the land to one day rule Waruvais at my side, as was tradition!"
"And her father is Duke Kendrick of Waruvais," Sengupta added. "My lady, on behalf of your father, may I once again ask that you temper your pursuit?" he begged.
"No! All these imaginary stories about danger shall not turn me away."
"It is not a fabrication," Max glared. "Princess Helena did not return from the battle."
"Yeah! We spent hours and hours trying to locate her through Psychic and Helping Hand!" Lily added. "We finally found her, and now we need to help her convince Luneland's peasants to switch sides tomorrow!"
"Oh?" Sengupta voiced. "How would that be achieved?"
"Helena was 'captured' by a friendly Arcanine from Denryushire," Terry said, finally having caught up. "She found out how much the pokémon of Denryushire are suffering after the civil war and offered to help them if they help us win the next battle."
"There's going to be a secret meeting in the forest for them to decide, and we're going to bring food to them to show them we mean it!" Lily cheered.
"How fascinating," Sengupta remarked. "I aspire to partake in brilliant acts of espionage, but alas…"
"You may accompany them, Sengupta," Florina insisted. "I will be just fine."
"I am afraid not, my lady. You are my charge, and I must honor your father's decree."
"Lighten up, buddy!" Chadwyck boomed. "We should all go, and I can showcase my skills up close!"
"I think not," Sengupta stated. "Please take your leave; your team awaits you. My lady, pray return to the camp…"
"Goodbye, Chadwyck," Florina slumped, fluttering after Sengupta.
"Look out for me in the next battle, and you'll be in for a treat!" Chadwyck proclaimed, fanning his wings.
"So, fraternizing with the daughter of a duke, now? You don't stand a chance, you know," Terry snickered.
"Just playing the game at my best," Chadwyck chuckled. "You wouldn't know the joys."
"I have all the bundles of joy I could want right here," Terry grinned, pressing into Lily's side and nuzzling her.
"Aw, same!" Lily nuzzled back.
"Ahem. Let us make haste to the supply wagons, my friends," Max urged.
"I can't wait for my friends' food shipment," Helena said as she and Windie snuck their way across Denryushire to the forest. "I'm starting to feel the old hunger pangs…"
Windie bit his lip. "I'm sorry I didn't bring you anything," he mumbled. Some gentleman I am…
"It's okay," Helena reassured. "I imagine the rationing is very strict at your army camp. Besides, you needed your strength to go around the province earlier, and you've done a lot for me already."
"Are you going to be okay? If you need anything, just ask."
"Don't worry, I've done worse before," Helena laughed. "I've forgotten to eat while training day and night before."
"Whoa," Windie breathed. "I still find it so incredible that you were born rich and still choose to go through some of the pain we go through."
"Being born with a fortune only means expectations of me are higher. My aspirations must be higher. I refuse to live off of my ancestor's riches with nothing to show for myself."
"You certainly have something to show for yourself!" Windie commended.
"Aw, thank you!" Helena gushed. "My relentless training is paying off."
"I used to train day and night too," Windie said. "Tough times…"
"What drove you?" Helena asked.
"Bullies."
"Oh… I'm sorry to hear that."
"No need," Windie shrugged. "I can handle being pushed around."
"I'll help you become the pusher," Helena said. "We'll drive those corrupt Lunish nobles out of Denryushire and repair this province."
Windie smiled, gaining a spring in his step. "Thanks for proving me wrong."
"Hmm?"
"I used to think all pokémon were selfish, that all pokémon would steal for themselves and put down everyone weaker than them. I've been starting to understand pokémon more nowadays, but I still sadly thought that the rich and powerful were hopelessly mean. You're giving me a golden glimmer of hope!"
"You believe in me?" Helena asked.
"I sure do," said Windie.
Helena smiled and nodded. "We'll pull this off."
"Whoa, there's an army here," Helena remarked as she and Windie arrived at the bandit camp in the forest. "With so many pokémon, how can you keep this a secret?"
"I trust everyone here, even those who are skeptical of me," Windie asserted. "The pokémon here survived together through the hardest times."
Helena shook off her reservations and followed Windie's lead towards an Azumarill. She felt many eyes on her.
"I have Helena with me!" Windie announced. "Helena, this is April," he introduced. "She's the true force behind our survival; I'm only the handsome face."
April studied Helena with crossed arms. "Windie's been talking about you and your city a lot," she said.
Helena giggled lightly. "Good things, I hope?"
April shared a small smile. "Naturally." Her stoic expression returned. "Alright, Princess. Windie says you have a proposal for us commoners. Tell us all what you have to offer."
"I would like your help in taking down the Lunish nobles in the next battle," Helena said. "After we are victorious, I will be able to provide plenty of food to all of you, and I welcome everyone to move to my city, Kyukonais. I am happy to promise you all a better life!"
"And what's in it for you?" April inquired.
"Excellent question," said Helena. "I want Kyukonais to be the greatest province it can be. You are all hardworking and resilient pokémon who will make Kyukonais better."
Some pokémon nodded along, but one pokémon asked, "Why should we move? This is our home."
"Sounds like she wants to exploit us," someone else brought up.
"That is the mission statement of the nobles who control you here," Helena said. "But not me. In Kyukonais, you can afford as much food as you want, own your own home, own your own land, and run your own business."
"It's true!" Windie supported. "I saw the market in Kyukonais full of food as far as the eye could see. Pokémon were eating to their heart's content and living in cozy wood and brick houses."
Some pokémon voiced their approval of Windie's endorsement, mostly the serfs who knew him best. Some former "bandits" took the trust of their serf allies as enough, while others still felt skeptical. "I won't just take your word for it," someone said. "We've been burned by rich nobles in the past."
"I'll show you proof," Helena said. "My team is on the way with a wagon of food and medical supplies for you all. I will show you how I plan to support you." That got a lot of pokémon's attention.
"Have we all forgotten about the sack of Skarmburg?" someone cried. "This Ninetales is a leader of Solardie. If we side with her, the Solardians will demolish everything we have in Denryushire!"
"Eh, what do we have to lose?" someone else argued. "The fields are already barren. I don't care if the nobles' mansions get looted, do you?"
"We still have our huts… some of us, at least. It's something…"
"I don't want our towns' mills to be destroyed! And what about our wells?"
"I will protect you and prevent any harm to Denryushire," Helena pledged.
"How?" April asked forcefully.
"I will convince my cousin, King Ludwig of Solardie, to make Duke Antonio an ally because he protected Ludwig's father until the very end of the civil war. With Denryushire aligned with Solardie, we will forbid any looting and pillaging," Helena declared.
"Forget Duke Antonio. I say after we rise against the Lunish nobles, we kick them all out of Denryushire!" Scully proposed.
"You need to stay on good terms with Solardie if you want me to be able to help you," Helena said. "Helping win the battle is a good first step, but I'm going to be honest with you; the dukes of Solardie are not going to honor an alliance with commoners. Duke Antonio's past loyalty is your best shield for Denryushire's stability."
"So she wants to preserve the status quo and keep us as peasants? I say she's no different from the rest of them," someone scoffed.
"She's offering us a new life! She's not the same," someone else pushed back.
"I don't know… I was feeling some hope earlier, but now I have a sinking feeling. We're not going to end up any better under Solardie, are we?"
"I want to help Denryushire, and I'm sure my citizens want to pitch in too," said Helena. "Aid will not be possible if Denryushire is not accepted as part of Solardie. We must be able to move pokémon and supplies safely without any hostile forces in the way."
"This is just another noble scheme for power," Scully dismissed. "You want Solardie to take over, but nothing will change."
The ragtag gathering broke into smaller discussions, with Helena and Windie going around to speak with groups of pokémon more closely. Helena felt quite nervous after gauging less than half support but maintained a confident demeanor on the outside. Finally, her friends showed up, rolling in the famed food wagon.
"Windie?" Terry asked, walking up to the Arcanine with Lily.
Windie smiled, recognizing the Torracat and Leafeon within the light of Terry's flame bell. "Terry and Lily, right?"
"Yep! Told ya we'd visit you in Denryushire!" Lily chimed. "So, you got to meet Helena?" she asked. "You really wanted to meet her last time."
"Yeah! I knocked out one of Luneland's dukes to get the chance to meet her!" Windie recounted.
"Oh, so that's what happened! Thanks for taking care of her," Terry said.
"Helena gave me and my family exciting new lives! I don't see why we can't do the same for you and your neighbors!" Lily said determinedly.
"Wow… Yeah, she's the strongest, boldest, most caring noble I've ever met. I will do anything to help her. She's so inspiring…" Windie gushed.
Terry snickered. "You think so?"
"Hey, you two!"
The group spotted Helena approaching, and Lily dashed forward to tackle Helena with a hug. "Helena!"
"Thanks for making it here," Helena said, hugging Lily back. "And with the food shipment too! It's perfect."
"Amazing…" Windie breathed, his eyes shining as he looked across the camp. Darrell and his crew were handing out food, preparing small cooking pots, and getting to know the pokémon of Denryushire and the forest. "I can see hope on the horizon," Windie smiled. "Thank you so much. You are incredible, Helena!"
"Aw, thank you!" Helena giggled. "But it's not just me, but my whole team from Kyukonais," she said, wrapping her tails around her friends. "By the way, I heard you met these two goofballs already?" Helena smirked.
"Yeah, they gave me a tour of Kyukonais after I escorted Princess Nina there."
"Ah, my aunt," Helena nodded. She suddenly frowned, slumping her shoulders. "Oh crap, she must've heard the news about her husband by now… I need to check on her when I get back to Kyukonais, on top of all the other things…" She sighed and shook her head, taking a look around. "Where's Max?" she asked.
"He's asleep in the back of the wagon," Terry said.
"Asleep? That's not like him. Is he okay?" asked Helena.
"He's fine, just super tired after all the hours of telepathic searching."
Helena looked down, shuffling her paws. "Well, I guess that delays me a lecture…"
"It's fine, we're back together again, right?" Lily said, patting Helena on the shoulder. "And now we can help all these pokémon instead of having to fight them!"
"Right," Helena smiled, looking forward. "I'm going to go ask the crew to start sharing stories."
As the Kyukonais crew cooked for the Lunish peasants and talked about their successes in Kyukonais, the crowd's opinions changed more. They spoke of how Helena gave them food and jobs away from their nobles' farms and taxes and how everyone was prospering in Kyukonais. One crew member even said how he used to be a bandit in Caenhaulais but was accepted in Kyukonais the moment he arrived and has thrived ever since. If words were not enough to turn heads, sustenance was more potent. Helena's crew boiled plenty of rice imported from across the world and offered spicy Petaya berries or sweet Mago berries from Kyukonais, giving pokémon a flavorful experience many had never experienced before.
Many more pokémon wanted to move to Kyukonais and felt confident in supporting Helena, but there were still some holdouts going around and speaking the contrary. "One little stunt should not be enough to put our faith in a foreign noble," Scully tried saying to the optimistic peasants.
"This is noble cuisine around Luneland, but it's plentiful in Kyukonais!" Windie proclaimed. "What future do we have if we're stuck in Luneland? If we fight with Helena, we can move to Kyukonais for a better life!" A lot of pokémon cheered in agreement.
"But what about Denryushire? This is our home," someone cried.
"We won't leave Denryushire in ruins," Helena promised. "Denryushire is important, and your support will be critical to Solardie. I'll bring in building supplies and some pokémon to help replant your fields. I can't afford everything myself… but I'm sure the pokémon of Kyukonais will be happy to help."
Scully clanked over to April, who had been talking with Darrell. "April, what do you think about this plan?"
April set down her bowl, licking her lips. She glanced over the friendly supporters from Kyukonais and her invigorated comrades. "I'm feeling cautiously optimistic," she smiled.
Scully sighed, settling down. "Okay, then I'll fight alongside the rest of us. I hope this works out."
After the full-bellied pokémon agreed on the plan to turn against their nobles, the serfs of Denryushire made their way back to their villages for the night. The bandits slowly trickled back to the army camp, sneaking around in the night and approaching from different directions. Helena's team from Kyukonais stayed in the forest overnight, resting for part of the next day. They used Psychic and Helping Hand throughout the day to monitor Luneland's army, sensed mass movement in the afternoon, and headed out to the battlefield.
"We can't lose today," Chadwyck stated, curling his fists and flexing his wings. "This time, I've got a lady to impress!"
"Oh? Who might that be?" Helena asked.
"Lady Florina! She's a Flygon."
"Duke Kendrick's daughter? I think you're a little outclassed, Chadwyck," Helena chuckled.
"She wants to see the strongest warrior of the land. I'll catch her attention with a glorious blanket of fire across the battlefield that'll send the enemy army packing!" Chadwyck proclaimed.
"Does it really count if all your strength comes from my Drought?" Helena smirked.
"She doesn't need to know that."
"Let me remind you of how much we all fainted in the last three engagements," Max spoke up. "We must employ a far more cautious approach today. Stick together. No reckless solo pursuits of glory or attempts to take on more than we can handle," Max demanded, pointing his fingers at Chadwyck and Helena.
"Understood, Max," Helena nodded.
Max zeroed in on Chadwyck. "Flying over our adversaries is a sure way to get knocked out right away."
"So I have to stay grounded and out of view?" Chadwyck grumbled.
"With the help of our new allies from Denryushire, we should have a huge numbers advantage, but we need to play it safe and secure our allies first," Helena said. "Besides, if you think Florina will fall for merely the appearance of strength, you're better off performing flashy stunts once the enemies are weak, anyway."
"Hmph. You're not afraid some of those ruffians will spill the beans?" Chadwyck asked.
"They've hit rock bottom and we've offered them hope. They have nothing to lose and a lot to gain. I don't see a reason any of them would turn us down. What would they gain from continuing to fight for their nobles?"
"I don't know. Poor pokémon sometimes do crazy stuff," Chadwyck remarked.
"Perhaps you have found your incentive to fight cautiously, my friend," Max said. "Chadwyck does bring up a good point," he said to Helena. "Someone may divulge the coming treachery if they perceive a reward for doing so, or our opponents may have caught someone and learned of the plot."
"Windie said he trusts every pokémon he invited to the meeting," Helena said.
"Are you sure you can trust someone you met only yesterday?" Max asked.
Helena smiled and looked off to the battlefield they were approaching. "I have a good feeling about Windie."
The group from Kyukonais approached the Lunish army from one back corner as the Lunish army pursued a group of Solardians retreating to the Solardian camp. Helena narrowed her eyes as she got closer. "Is that my cousin on the front line?" she wondered aloud, making out some midnight blue fur. The next thing she knew, a glowing brown Stone Edge flew out of the Lunish army and arched down towards the Solardian vanguard. The Stone Edge stabbed Ludwig in the back, sending the Solardian king to the ground. The Lunish knights roared and jeered, charging at the Solardians. Duchess Madelyn, Duke Qasimir, and the knights formed a defensive formation, and the rest of the Solardian army advanced to clash with their opponents.
"It's go time!" Helena declared, leading her friends and the accompanying supply crew towards Luneland's army. She raised her tails to the sky, activating her telltale Drought.
Windie made a concerted effort to stay away from Duke Antonio, Lothario, and the knights from Denryushire as the battle broke out. His absence worked out since they didn't want him commanding the army anyway. Windie pretended to fight the Solardian knights, running away from attacks and slinking towards Duke Godric's contingency. When Helena's sun bathed the battlefield in light and heat, Windie abruptly pivoted away from the Solardians and ran at Duke Godric from behind, who was obliviously aiming his back cannon at some flier. Windie used High Horsepower, covering his body in caramel energy, and leaped into the air. However, before he could crush Duke Godric into the ground again, Duke Godric's Dragonite knight swooped in front of Windie with a roar, using Outrage. Unaffected by the ground-type energy of High Horsepower, the Dragonite rammed Windie away with ease.
"Gah!" Windie cried as his back crashed against the ground.
Duke Godric whipped around. "Windie! I knew you were an Arceus-dammed traitor!" he growled, creating a Stone Edge in each hand.
Windie scrambled to his paws and sent power to his legs, making them glow white. "The only traitor is you," he spat, then zipped away with Extreme Speed as Duke Godric threw his Stone Edges.
Duke Godric glared and started focusing on the rogue Arcanine with Lock-On. He lost his focus when an attack struck his back, sending him stumbling.
"My lord!" the Beartic knight shouted, moving to cover the (Alolan) Golem.
Duke Godric picked himself up and looked around for Windie and whoever attacked him. "What madness is this?" he snarled upon seeing a portion of his peasants turning their backs on the Solardian enemies and assaulting his knights. (He thought they were peasants from Golenshire, but in reality, they were bandits from other provinces across Luneland who had blended into his food-providing ranks long ago.)
Windie glanced towards Denryushire's forces, seeing nearly the whole army target their knights! Across the rest of Luneland's army, around a fifth to a third of the pokémon made surprise attacks on their knights before running to group up with Denryushire's force. Windie circled back to Duke Godric, stopped his Extreme Speed, and redirected his power to his muzzle, igniting his Flamethrower. A massive streak of fire launched towards the Beartic and Golem, empowered by the sunlight above. Duke Godric's Rhydon and Sudowoodo knights raced in front to stave off the flames.
A horrible sting trembled across Windie's fur as the Dragonite caught up and blanketed Windie with Dragon Breath. Windie cut off his Flamethrower and scrambled away. He was relieved to see Scully glide over him carrying April on the back. April hopped off the Skarmory with her whole body glowing pink from Play Rough. She fell straight through the Dragon Breath and slammed into the Dragonite, taking him to the ground with a roar. She held the dragon down and fired Ice Beam up close.
Windie spotted a Rock Throw hurtling towards him and ran away, but the rock followed him and knocked him in the back of the head, making him trip. "Ow…" he groaned, rubbing his head with a paw. He gasped as he saw the Probopass hovering towards him, wielding three Stone Edges pointing at him, one out of each mini-head. Before he got up on his paws, however, a huge Flamethrower passed by his side and roasted the Probopass, who dropped his Stone Edges and plummeted.
Windie gasped at the decisive attack on his opponent. He glanced behind him and was greeted by a Ninetales in front, followed by a Leafeon, Torracat, Meowstic, and Charizard.
"Ready to win this, Windie?" Helena smirked, offering a paw to help him up.
"Yes!" Windie exclaimed, springing up on his paws. He finished off the Probopass with a Drought-powered Flamethrower of his own.
A sharp Stone Edge from Duke Godric's cannon came flying at Windie and Helena. Windie braced himself and prepared a Flamethrower, but his new Torracat friend fearlessly leaped in front. "Wait-!" Windie cried, but it was too late. The Stone Edge crashed into the Torracat… who faded away.
Windie heard a triumphant laugh to his side; He turned to see Terry grinning. "Whew! You're okay!" Windie smiled.
"I've got the tricks to handle anything!" Terry contended. Terry saw Duke Godric aiming at them with Lock-On again while his remaining knights formed a tight ring to guard him. With a smirk, Terry started making smoke puff out of his ears. His fire bell flashed reddish-gray as he spat out a Flame Burst. The Rhydon knight stood in front with Stone Edges in hand to block it, but the moment the Flame Burst made contact, it exploded in several directions. The smoky flames struck everyone, bounced off, and struck everyone more from all sides. The knights roared and split away from each other.
"I got dibs on the stupid tree guy!" Chadwyck declared, stomping forward.
"Remember, he's a rock type!" Terry hollered.
"I figured it out!" Chadwyck growled. He channeled his rage into his wings and tail; they glowed green, and energy rose above the battlefield. Chadwyck lurched forward with a downward flap of his wings, sending his Solar Beam at the Sudowoodo. The Sudowoodo scrambled out of the way as the Solar Beam hammered the ground, sending dirt flying everywhere.
Terry ran to the opposite side and let loose a Roar. The Sudowoodo smacked his "branches" over the "twig" on his head and stumbled backward, right into the thick Solar Beam.
Lily rushed past Terry, leaped, and brought her Leaf Blade down towards the Beartic. The Beartic held up an icicle formed with Icicle Crash to block her strike. Lily bounced off and charged again. The Beartic's icicle melted under the sun such that it shattered beneath Lily's second strike.
Helena moved forward and fired a Solar Beam at Duke Godric and his last knight, the Rhydon. The two of them dived away from the Solar Beam, and Duke Godric released a Discharge, sending sparks all around him. Max's teal blue Light Screen appeared to protect his friends from the electricity. Duke Godric seethed and turned to the Rhydon. "Hold them off!" he commanded, then he closed his cannon, tucked his limbs into his body, and started rolling away.
"No you don't!" Windie hollered. He chased after Duke Godric with Extreme Speed, whizzing past the Rhydon as Helena's team piled attacks on the abandoned knight. Windie overtook Duke Godric, ended Extreme Speed, swiveled around, and activated High Horsepower. He kicked off with his hind legs and rammed his forepaws into the oncoming rock with a battle cry. As the dust cleared, Windie limped away from Duke Godric, who was two-thirds buried in the ground.
"Oh yeah! Time to raise some hell!" Chadwyck cackled, finally taking flight. He soared towards retreating Lunelanders with his wings glowing a sinister red. With several harsh flaps of his wings, he softened up the enemies below with Heat Wave before swooping down to scorch the battlefield with Flamethrower.
"Windie! Are you okay?" Helena asked, hurrying over.
"Yeah, I'm fine," Windie breathed, cracking a small smile. He looked around them at the battlefield. Denryushire's forces and their allies made in the forest stood strong, which lifted Windie's spirits. A lot of the Lunish army lay defeated while the rest were racing away. Unfortunately, not all the commoners at the battle were in on the plan, so they had to strike down some innocents; Windie hoped they could be cared for too.
"Where is your duke?" Helena asked.
"My duke?" Windie repeated. He sucked in some dusty air, grimacing. "The Ampharos on the front lines," he said, pointing towards the edge of the fighting. "Why?"
"I need to present him to my cousin for Denryushire to join Solardie," Helena said. "I hope he has not fainted yet… come on!"
Windie trudged after Helena and her friends, his insides churning with every step. He kept his head partly down along the way.
"What's the matter, Windie?" Lily asked.
"My lord will hate me for betraying him," Windie mumbled.
"There's no shame in standing up to injustice!" Terry encouraged.
"That's true," Windie nodded, adopting a glare. A few moments later, though, he slumped his shoulders. "But what will my friend think of me after stabbing his dad in the back?"
"Oh… you can stay back if you want," Lily offered.
"I don't know," Windie sighed, slowing down and squeezing some dirt with every heavy paw step.
Helena fell back and draped a tail across Windie's scruff. "Don't cower from the hurtful truth. You know how you feel, and you won't regret confronting it."
Windie exhaled a puff of embers. He faced Helena, absorbing some of her fiery determination. "Okay," he nodded, stepping ahead and zeroing in on Duke Antonio.
"Windie!" Duke Antonio hollered, waving his stubby arm frantically.
Lothario stood at Duke Antonio's side with a Bone Rush at the ready, monitoring the Solardian knights on one side and the apparent defectors on the other. "Father, I have a bad feeling about this," he uttered as Windie limped towards them.
"Thank Arceus you are here, Windie," Duke Antonio breathed, slouching forward with his arms on his knees. "I require your assistance to flee-"
"I am sorry, my lord," Windie interrupted after a deep, shuddering breath, "but today… you are the puppet."
Duke Antonio's tail light dimmed. "P-pardon?"
"I don't want to fight you, so please stand down."
"You are asking me… to stand down?" Duke Antonio stammered. When Windie gave a firm nod, Duke Antonio whimpered. "I-I held you in such high regard, Windie. I let you around my daughter and introduced you to noblewomen. Who is forcing you against me?"
"No one but myself," Windie said. "Listen to me, my lord. You pledged to defend Prince Ludwren until the end and Denryushire faced devastation because of it. But your loyalty will earn the favor and protection of Prince Ludwren's son, King Ludwig of Solardie. If you pledge loyalty to King Ludwig, we can get help from Solardie and all our suffering will not be in vain!"
"No, do not utter those words. The Duke of Denryushire has always served the King of Luneland. I must not defect!" Duke Antonio cried.
"You do not have a choice today," Windie growled.
Lothario closed his eyes briefly, the black aura sensors on the back of his head quivering. The Lucario sensed a bizarre mixture of determination, guilt, and joy coming from Windie, but not a trace of malice. He opened his eyes and pointed his paws at the small, battered Arcanine he knew as a friend. Windie's legs tensed, getting ready to dash, but what emitted from Lothario's paws was not an attack, but rather a Heal Pulse.
Windie sighed out the breath he was holding, starting to feel rejuvenated as the Heal Pulse took effect. He rested his eyes for a moment, but a loud blast nearby caught his attention. Windie saw Helena use her Flamethrower to intercept several attacks from the Solardian knights headed for Denryushire's peasants. "Stop!" she hollered at the oncoming Solardian knights, taking a wide stance in front of the peasants and fanning her tails out. Windie gasped at the gesture, his eyes shining.
"Princess Helena?!" Duchess Madelyn exclaimed, stopping her charge. "What are you doing?"
"These folks from Denryushire are helping Solardie!" Helena proclaimed. "Do not attack them. Where is my cousin? I must speak to him."
Ludwig limped forward with bandages applied and knights flanking him. "What are you doing with the enemy?!" Ludwig snarled.
"Not the enemy," Helena said. "Duke Antonio of Denryushire fought for your father and defended him until his last breath. He was the only duke of Luneland to stay by your father's side for the entire duration of the civil war while every other duke abandoned your father without a second thought. I suggest you reward him for his steadfast loyalty by offering him a place in Solardie and sparing Denryushire from harm."
"Duke Antonio…" Ludwig muttered. The troubled Luxray tended to steer clear of the past, but weaved between the countless recollections of his insidious cousin, Ludwig managed to fish out a memory of his father introducing him to Duke Antonio when he was still a Shinx.
Duke Antonio wobbled forward with Lothario pushing him. "King Ludwig," the Ampharos breathed. "Please forgive me for failing your father…"
"We served Prince Ludwren dutifully, believing in his vision for Luneland," Lothario spoke up. "Even after the other dukes mercilessly turned on your father, we stood firm, unwavering. My father gave your father sanctity in our castle for weeks, holding your murderous cousin at bay until the very last morsel of food within our walls depleted. Allow us into your domain, and we shall serve you dutifully. We shall join the fight against your murderous cousin."
Ludwig teared up. "My father was in good paws."
"Duke Antonio is our friend. You must reward his sacrifices to your father by welcoming him to Solardie and keeping Denryushire free of any looting," Helena urged.
"Yes, we shall cease all aggressions towards Denryushire. There shall be no looting or pillaging in this province!" Ludwig proclaimed to his army. "Furthermore, I hereby anoint Antonio Denryu a duke of Solardie, and grant him a seat in the Universalis!"
"Your Majesty, this Ampharos fought against us as our enemy a mere minute ago," Duke Percival growled. "You cannot simply bestow a title to our adversary!"
"And what is this folly of 'no looting?' We fought two horrific battles on your behalf! We require our spoils of war!" Duke Ulysses squawked.
"King Ludwig said we may raid the coffers of his father's enemies," Helena interjected. "Denryushire holds no such enemies. Besides, we simply do not have the numbers to leave another quarter of the army in Denryushire to quell the locals after a looting spree as we did in Skarmburg. If we are to capture the ultimate prize - the royal coffers at Rentoshire - we must accept Denryushire onto our side."
"Hold no more qualms with the army of Denryushire, and let us pursue my cowardly, fleeing cousin and all who dare to defend him!" Ludwig commanded, leading the way. "We will hound them all the way to Rentoshire if we must!"
"Yes, Your Majesty!" several Solardian knights shouted, marching after the Lunish knights.
"Antonio, you shall accompany me and show your place in the Universalis of Solardie," said Ludwig.
"...Yes, Your Majesty," Duke Antonio complied, giving a deep bow and following with his son in tow. The Solardian knights flanking King Ludwig eyed Duke Antonio warily and made him keep his distance, but Ludwig only had his attention on the enemy Lunish knights and his cousin.
Other, more reluctant knights cast suspicious looks at the peasants from Denryushire before following their king. "Where is our reward for the last two tumultuous battles?" others demanded, staying put. They started clamoring to loot the province as they did with Skarmburg. Denryushire's peasants tensed up in turn.
A Druddigon started stomping towards the nearest village, but Helena stood in his way and blasted him in the face with a Flamethrower. "Stop! The pokémon of Denryushire will help us reach Rentoshire. Like it or not, King Ludwig has made his declaration of friendship. I will not allow anyone to desecrate this battered province any further."
"At ease," Duke Kendrick spoke up. "I believe Princess Helena is correct. There are far greater spoils ahead should we honor His Majesty's decree."
"You have decided your stance already? Take some time to consider the situation more deeply," Duke Percival implored.
"I heard of the plan from my strategist last night. We have considered the options and agreed that this is a sound move," Duke Kendrick pushed back.
"What if our future prospects collapse?" Duke Brennan asked. "It would be a far better move to take what we can get now with our current victory and head home than risk marching any deeper into Luneland."
"Perhaps we can gain some immediate spoils by demanding ransoms for the knights we defeated here, and then we can continue the assault," Duke Kendrick suggested. "And to maximize our ransoms, we should give chase." Some of the remaining knights reluctantly agreed and followed Duke Kendrick after the Lunish army. They all eventually trickled away, leaving Denryushire's pokémon alone.
Helena turned to the peasants with a triumphant smile. "As promised, I will ensure your safety and the safety of your villages and fields. My supplies are over there at the Solardian army camp," she said, pointing her tails past the Solardian side of the battlefield. "Help yourself to as much food and medicine as you need and spread it to your families. A crew will be headed to Kyukonais tomorrow morning to restock; I invite all of you to accompany them and experience all Kyukonais can offer."
The peasants slowly started cheering, unsure if their fortune was real. They headed to the supplies, trying to stay orderly. Helena's team and Darrell's crew helped distribute the food and bandages. Windie watched the scene with an indestructible smile on his face and a soft warmth in his heart. He sought out Princess Helena of the glorious province of Kyukonais, and now she was passing out food from her tails to the paws of his neighbors. Her golden-cream fur was a mess from the battle, yet Windie had never met a lady more stunning than Helena.
Scully woke up later in the evening, having fainted in the battle while taking down Lunish knights. April brought him food and bandages and told him what had happened. "Wait, so that yellow bastard got off scot-free?" Scully hissed. "We cannot accept that!"
"We can worry about the duke of Denryushire later," April soothed, patting Scully's wing. "We can keep up our guard and enjoy this little victory at the same time."
A/N 9/26/22: I was originally going to give Windie the move Superpower to covertly take out Duke Godric in one blow since I remembered having an Arcanine back in HeartGold with Superpower. Turns out I remembered wrong; Arcanine learns Close Combat instead. However, I wasn't sure how to describe Close Combat, and it didn't feel like a one-hit sort of deal, so I settled with High Horsepower instead. Now, Arcanine also doesn't learn High Horsepower, but it's close enough! Straying a little from the in-game learn sets allows for some much more fun creativity.
How will Denryushire's elites feel about Windie assuming control of the strings? Find out soon!