Disclaimer: I own nothing here.

Peacekeepers

AN: A small part of this chapter was inspired by Shots by Imagine Dragons, and another was inspired by a pretty little Star Wars quote.3

Chapter Thirteen - Placate

The glade was sunny and peaceful as Metagross watched over his seven friends. Glaceon was playing tag with Lucario and Excadrill. Cradilly and Armaldo were sunning themselves. Milotic was napping in the shade. Spiritomb... hadn't moved at all since its master had disappeared, but Metagross thought that might be for the best for some reason.

The peace was suddenly shattered at the sound of some extremely swift paw-steps coming from somewhere in the forest encircling the glade. Seconds later, a huge Arcanine emerged from the shadows of the trees. Landing deftly in the clearing, it stopped to look around, regarding all seven Pokémon curiously before a trainer slid off its back and did the same.

The trainer appeared to be an adolescent male judging by his hairstyle and clothing. "Uh-oh," the boy said, gulping nervously and no doubt realizing with a glance the sheer power that surrounded him. "Nines, what have you gotten us into?"

His Arcanine whined in reply but then barked and wagged its fluffy tail, as if knowing the others wouldn't attack unprovoked. "What are you all doing here?" the boy asked curiously, having relaxed after Metagross and the others (except Spiritomb) moved to greet him; after so many days without their masters, seeing another trainer was sort of exciting for them.

While the others attempted to explain their situation in vain, Metagross focused its psychic energy to lift and move seven Pokéballs from the stash in the camp. Dropping everything at the boy's feet, the metal spider jabbed a clawed arm deliberately at the ground. "Meh-ta!"

It took a moment for the crude explanation to sink in, but the boy finally seemed to get it. "Ah, you all have masters but they had to leave for some reason and told you to stay here?"

The seven Pokémon all nodded and chirped affirmation. "I see!" the boy said with a nod. He laughed when Glaceon practically forced her head under his hand, begging for a pat. "You're all very loyal and obedient, aren't you?"

Suddenly a low rumbling caught everyone's attention and they all turned to see the Arcanine sniffing around Spiritomb's seal stone...

All seven Pokémon cried out at once, but it was too late. Spiritomb's hazy form burst forth with an unearthly howl of rage, thinking she and her friends were under attack. "Tomb!" She shot off a dark pulse at the Arcanine, causing it yelp and retreat to its trainer.

"Huh!?" the boy screeched in terror. "Nines! What have you unleashed!?"

Metagross and the other six immediately moved to intercept Spiritomb's rampage while simultaneously shouting at the Arcanine to take its trainer and run away.

The Arcanine didn't hesitate to obey as it picked up its trainer and darted out of the glade, leaving quite the chaotic melee behind.

Following behind Aaron and the attendant, Steven kept casting anxious glances back the way they had come, hoping to somehow check on Cynthia's location to no avail; it was too dark and they had turned down a row of tents that blocked his view.

Even by the time they reached their destination he still felt uneasy, and frankly, annoyed with Aaron's apathy. "Here is the sauna tent. You may use the towels in the changing tents at your leisure," the attendant explained briefly before bowing and dismissing himself. "I will go and fetch a clean change of clothes for both of you."

Once he was out of earshot and no one else was in the immediate area, Steven turned to Aaron with a frown. "Are you sure it's ok to split up like this?"

The other man sighed wearily but regarded his apprentice with a level gaze. "I sensed no ill will from neither Aya nor Kenshin."

"What was the point in the pretense of our marriage then?" Steven asked, feeling frustrated. "I thought the whole point was to stay together so that no one bothers her?"

"Oh?" Aaron raised a suggestive brow. "So you take issue with sharing a tent with her but not bathing together?"

Steven was sure he turned at least three different shades of red in that single instant. "Th-That' not what I meant!" he hissed back, at least mindful in his fluster not to cause a scene. When Aaron released a chuckle, Steven grit his teeth in irritation. "This situation just makes me really uneasy."

Suddenly he felt Skarmory's sharp metal beak preening at his hair, as if the bird sensed his anxiety and was attempting to comfort him. Steven smiled lightly at his avian and gave him a grateful pat, glad that he had brought him along.

Since Garchomp was in no mood to move around with three Munna's clinging onto her body and Aggron's heavy footsteps were just too disruptive when most of the camp was trying to sleep, they were both left to wait outside Kenshin's tent with Lucario to keep them in check.

Aaron's face slowly sobered and he let out another sigh. "This is the best outcome we could have hoped for. It would have been much more complicated if she had to use the sauna."

His words gave Steven pause and he winced with realization. "I... hadn't thought of that." The fact that it was a community sauna meant that they would have had to chase all the soldiers away just so Cynthia could take her turn with some level of dignity.

"This is all besides the fact that she is under Lord Kenshin's immediate protection," Aaron went on. "Should something happen to her, it would bring shame to his entire clan."

Steven frowned again; he was less concerned about retribution than he was for Cynthia's immediate safety. He nodded reluctantly and finally let the matter drop, following Aaron's example by choosing a changing tent and proceeding into the sauna after that.

He found that the only way he could cope with being surrounded by a bunch of other (half naked) men was to cross his arms and close his eyes. He tried to imagine himself taking a nice shower in the comfort of his own home, attempting to ignore the claustrophobic, suffocating feelings with little success.

It couldn't have been more than ten minutes and he could take no more of the exceedingly awkward experience. Exiting out into the cold without a word, he found and quickly donned the dark blue clothes the attendant had left beside his former clothes.

The pants were comfortable enough, though the tunic seemed over-sized and cumbersome and he resolved to wash and change back into his ninja attire as soon as he got the chance.

"For so desperately needing a bath, you sure didn't stay in there very long," Aaron remarked as he emerged from another changing tent in similarly provided clothes, having apparently followed Steven out.

"I'm just hungry." It wasn't a lie, and he didn't feel like complaining about how uncomfortable he had been, although he did at least feel a little cleaner. His stomach grumbled loudly then, furthering his claim. "How soon will we eat?"

They both started walking back the way they came as Aaron looked up in thought for a moment and smirked wryly. "Hmm, probably as soon as your wife returns."

Steven's gaze narrowed. "Now you're just being obnoxiously facetious."

Aaron did not seem the least bit offended by the claim. "Funny, how you don't seem to mind it when it's her playing along."

As much as Steven wanted to reply with some kind of smart retort, he found that he couldn't, realizing just how closely his earlier behavior with Cynthia had been observed. It wasn't a nice thought to know that others had seen through him so well.

Although, he would admit to quite thoroughly making a fool of himself after she had so unceremoniously thrown a Steven dear in his face. Despite a part of him knowing she had just been acting, the rest of his mind had become completely frozen by her words, as if he had been experiencing the effects of a Confuse Ray.

Her touch thereafter had only sought to make his condition worse, that same electric charge making any urgent thoughts feel so far away and unimportant.

He desperately needed to find a way to tell her to keep her hands to herself, because his willpower was swiftly draining away from him. That was an unlikely and unreasonable stipulation however, with their marriage pretense constantly requiring physical contact.

Then at some point, after taking liberties and kissing her hand but before parting with her, he had nearly lost all sense of himself, whether it was due to her soft touch or her voice, or both.

I can't have you, but I have to act like I already do, he had thought towards her, having felt maddened by the whole situation. It seemed he was simply fated to suffer.

"Master," Lucario's mind voice called once they had returned to Kenshin's tent. Cynthia hadn't returned yet, which wasn't surprising, since she was probably enjoying being pampered. "We have a problem." The Aura Pokémon winced just as one of the Munnas started wailing plaintively. "These little ones have started crying terribly and they won't stop."

"Hmm." Aaron moved to place a hand on the one attached to Garchomp's stomach. "I think they're just hungry." The dragon regarded him with a withered look and a frustrated whine; she was probably hungry to.

The male attendant from earlier was standing by the tent entrance and stepped forward to assist. "Would you like me to have food brought for all your Pokémon then?"

Aaron nodded, cringing a little as the three Munnas all began crying in unison. "Yes, please do. Otherwise this noise is going to wake the entire camp."

Gingerly, Steven moved to touch the one on Garchomp's hip in an attempt to calm it down, but he only seemed to accomplish drawing the dragon's wary gaze; the Munna continued to cry.

He met Garchomp's eyes with a curious interest. "They might quiet down if you reassure them a little."

Garchomp growled her displeasure at the idea, but she quickly changed her mind as the incessant crying seemed to grate on her nerves. With her snout and a claw, she gave each Munna a nudge and a gentle grumble. Seconds later, they all ceased their wailing and started cooing quietly in response.

Garchomp chirped with surprise and fascination while Skarmory and Aggron both sighed in obvious relief, as the noise had been wearing on them as well.

A moment later, the same attendant returned with a Ponyta pulling a wooden cart full of berries. "Your Pokémon may eat as much as they like." With joyful cries, Garchomp, Aggron and Skarmory all swarmed the cart and started gorging themselves with gusto, Lucario following suit with much more restraint.

It was only at that point that the Munnas finally detached themselves from their guardian and began eating as well. "Make sure you all leave something for Togekiss," Steven told them sternly; at the rate they were eating it would be a miracle if there was anything left by the time Cynthia and her avian returned.

The Pokémon all seemed to be munching happily until one of the Munnas drifted a little too close to Aggron, who was naturally territorial and even more so when it involved food. He snapped and barked a warning at the small pink blob, causing it to recoil with a terrified squeal.

Steven moved to correct him but Garchomp was faster, letting loose a fierce snarl, causing Aggron to rear his head in surprise and return her thunder angrily.

Steven cringed at how much racket they were making and moved to intervene before it got out of hand. Whereas he could at least control Aggron, without Cynthia to reign in Garchomp, things could turn ugly real fast. Meanwhile, both Lucario and Skarmory continued to eat, only mildly concerned by the disturbance.

"Hey, take it easy guys," he said, holding one hand up to placate Garchomp and placing the other on Aggron's flank, drawing the metal beast's gaze. "They don't mean any harm, ok? Cynthia said they're just babies, so they don't know any better. Try to be a little more careful and maybe apologize?"

Aggron hung his head in response and nodded with a compliant huff. Then he turned and offered Garchomp a grunt of apology, to which the dragon's gaze merely narrowed, as if to say, Fine, but I'm watching you.

"It's alright," Steven murmured as he reached with one hand to guide the still scared Munna close to Aggron. "Here, try again."

Trembling with fear, the Munna started whimpering until Aggron hesitantly moved his head to give it a gentle nudge with his snout, careful not to jab it with his spike and horns and grumbling out what constituted as a reassuring purr for his species.

A few tense seconds lapsed before the Munna squeaked in confusion but then quickly grew relaxed and touched its nose to his curiously. Aggron's entire demeanor seemed to shift in that instant and he blew out a warm puff of air at the pink thing.

Suddenly feeling all eyes on him, particularly Garchomp's careful glare, Aggron raised his head and snorted dismissively, as if the whole exchange meant absolutely nothing to him.

Steven knew better, watching with a knowing smirk as the metal monster forfeited the rest of his meal to curl up on the ground with a huff.

With him out of the picture, Garchomp appeared to physically relax and resumed eating, only to be swarmed by the three Munnas latching onto her face affectionately. She whined plaintively but seemed to be completely at their mercy.

Watching the comical scene unfold, Steven had to pull a hand to his mouth to stifle a chuckle.

"Well if that isn't the cutest thing I've ever seen!" Cynthia's voice cut through the darkness as she and Aya stepped into the torchlight.

Steven turned to stare at his forged wife in astonishment, noting how she too had been provided with a new outfit, a dark purple kimono with a lilac sash, much like the one Aya wore.

Cynthia's hair, aside from her long bangs, had been tightly braided and was draped around her neck and down her front like an elaborate ornament. She had indeed been pampered to an extreme, making it abundantly clear how very different their bathing experiences had been.

Blinking at her, utterly captivated, he could not bring himself to feel bitter about it.

"Well? What do you think?" she questioned with a confident hand-to-hip pose and a cute smile. "I feel like one of those fancy Ecruteak dancers."

Steven smiled back and held out his hand for her to take. "My dear, your beauty is like the sun, returning after a dark night to grace me with your warmth." He hoped he hadn't gone overboard with such an elaborate compliment, but the words spilled out of his mouth before he could stop them.

A new, lavender scent threatened to overwhelm him as she moved to accept his hand, a somewhat strained element sneaking onto her smile. "Oh, how you do go on, Steven dear."

Yep, definitely overboard. But as he took in her stunning beauty up close, from the glow of her golden hair, the light blush on her cheeks, to the sly gleam in her ashen eye, he quickly realized that he didn't regret a word of it.

AN: "Hope is like the sun, if you only believe in it when you can see it, then you'll never make it through the night." - Holdo from The Last Jedi

/o/o/o/ Bonus scene:

Munnas: (latches onto Gar's face) Mama...

Garchomp: (tired sigh) So this is my life now?... Master, help?

Cynthia: (distracted by Steven)

Garchomp: Right. No, that makes sense.