Ch.24: Gambling the Entire World! Looking Beyond your own Perspective!

Outside the back of the pharmacy, Flint and Gwyn were hard at work preparing the antidote to counter the Curse of Sickness. However, the process proved to be difficult as the specific instructions in creating the antidote required a complex series of steps when combining ingredients. One might not understand the issue with this, but some of the ingredients didn't particularly mix well.

Flint watched one of the beakers as it bubbled over a Bunsen burner. As instructed by Gwyn, he was wearing a lab coat and safety goggles for protection. However, the tattered edges and various holes told him that she blew herself up quite a number of times.

He scratched his head. "Are you sure this batch is safe?" They may have only been at this for an hour, yet they've already taken cover numerous times from flying class and explosions.

Gwyn waved his concern off. "Oh relax, Flint! We'll be fine!"

"You said that about the LAST four batches!"

"A little trial and error never killed anybody," she assured.

"Maybe for something as harmless as baking, but not potions that could or will have strange adverse effects! How are you so calm doing this?"

She scratched her chin curiously. "Hmm…you know, I'm not sure. I guess I'm use to stuff blowing up in my face."

Flint groaned, face-palming. His eyes landed on the beaker as it started bubbling uncontrollably. Actually, the bubbling was overflowing from the edge of the beaker. His eyes widened. "Uh Gwyn, is that normal?!"

She flipped through her notes, then frowned. "Err…no." Without warning, she tackled him to the ground just before the beaker exploded, sending shattered glass across the back of the pharmacy. The glass pelted itself against the back of the building. As usual, the glass beakers Gwyn used were made so glass shards wouldn't stab anyone.

They lifted their heads and peeked over the table at the smoking remainder of liquid, then examined the bits of glass that threw themselves against the building. Gwyn groaned. "Good grief…that's five mixtures in a row."

The other four times consisted of remarkably epic failures in their own right. Due to the lack of practice in crafting such a potion, the first attempt resulted in the work station nearly catching on fire. The second attempt brought a geyser of smoke shooting in their faces. The third and fourth, less destructively, just fizzled out.

Gwyn stood up and scratched her head. "The timing on this potion is incredible. You have to boil and cool it in specific intervals. No wonder it's such a complex potion."

Flint pulled himself up. "Still think we can make it?"

She laughed it off. "Someone as brilliant as me sees this as a small obstacle. There's no potion I can't make!" She smiled brightly. "Heck, I may be good enough to become a Potion Master!"

Flint chuckled. "Don't get ahead of yourself. We're still struggling with this one."

"Details, details." She cleaned the broken glass off the table and dumped it into a waste bin on the side. "I'm gonna need to buy more beakers after today."

"When we leave, there should be some stores that sell them."

"Neat! Hopefully they also sell potion supplies because this stupid potion is going to bleed me dry!" She set a new beaker down, then started to ground up some leaves she took out of her bag. "I won't stop until I have this finished. I won't let anyone else have their life taken by a curse…"

Flint rubbed her back. "We will, I know you can do this. Besides, with any luck, Tony might sweet talk the antidote into his hands."

"Yeah, but…" She pouted. "Well, I just started on this and…it'd feel pretty stupid if I gave up halfway through."

He shrugged. "Fair enough. It would be good to have these on hand, anyway. Just in case we run into this curse a second time."

"I wouldn't count on it too much. This curse was only used to get Tony to cooperate with that weird mob boss he mentioned. While the Curse of Sickness is easier and quicker to make, the Curse of Disease, along with a myriad of other curses, are deadlier in their own right. I'm pretty sure anyone else we encounter will be a bit more bent on killing us."

Flint scratched his cheek. "Good point…"

Gwyn finished grounding up the leaves and dumped them into the new beaker. She pulled out a blue vial, extracted some liquid out with an eye dropper, and added two drops in. Next, she pulled out some seeds and used her magic to grow a couple of flowers with healing properties. She plucked the petals off and dropped them in.

"Flint, pour the water while I get the next item," she asked as she dug through her bag. "Also, remember to stir."

The Flareon carefully poured a water into the beaker, making sure to add the correct measurement in, not too much or too little. Gwyn made it clear potion making was an exact science. No screw ups, no mistakes, or no potion. He was glad he had her to guide him through the steps, making him a little regretful for trying to do this on his own without proper knowledge.

He triple checked the measurements on the beaker, perfectly on the line. He smiled at his accomplishment. He did this five times in a row, so he was bound to get it down. He grabbed Gwyn's notes and looked them over as she looked for…apparently a feather to be mixed in.

"Flint, I said stir!" she shouted.

He yelped, dropping the book by accident. "S-Sorry!" He quickly grabbed a glass rod and stirred at a moderate pace. He recalled the notes saying he had to stir like this for two minutes exactly before adding the feather, then stir quickly so it would dissolve into the liquid.

Just to make sure, he reached down at the ground for Gwyn's notebook while also keeping up his stirring. He wiggled his digits at the book before wrapping them around the edge and picking it up.

He flipped the book open with one paw and discovered that the fall made him lose track of the page they were on. He attempted to flip through with one paw, while being mindful of how fast he was mixing. He got through a few pages when he landed on a peculiar page that caught his attention. A section that was labeled 'Naturae Fruits'. The next few pages consisted of pictures of strange fruits with recipes on the side, along with notes on what these apparent fruits do.

"FLINT! STIR!"

He jumped and saw that she added the feather in. As quickly as he could, he stirred the contents while not splashing the liquid out. This was the third time he had to stir like this, having taken breaks due to his arm burning from the work he put into the motions. That burning feel crept back up.

Gwyn rested her chin on the table, watching the swirling liquid with wide, observant eyes. The feather, thanks to the acidic properties of the leaves she grounded, slowly dissolved until it completely vanished. She slammed her hand down, scaring Flint and ceasing his stirring. "Perfect!" She grabbed the beaker and set it over the burner.

Flint rubbed his ears. "Are you always this bossy and loud?"

She stuck her tongue out playfully. "But you look so cute when you freak out!"

He blushed meekly, looking away. "I do not…"

She giggled, then patted his head. "Aww, don't be all grumpy faced~!"

Flint sighed. "Sometimes…I feel like you're worse than my brother."

"I'll take that as a compliment!" she exclaimed, pumping her fist.

He rolled his eyes, letting up a bit to give a light smirk. He shook his head before asking, "So, how long does it have to boil?"

"Just until it starts bubbling. We have to take it off ten seconds after it starts bubbling. If we don't…well, flying glass like before." She rested her elbows on the table. "After that, we have to add some other stuff, concentrate doses of the liquid, treat them, and a bunch of other stuff…" She slammed her head on the table. "Dear Arceus, this potion is too specific."

Flint chuckled. "Well, uh…since we're waiting, I want to ask you something." He handed back her notebook, asking, "What's this section all about?"

"Hmm?" She took her book and examined the page. She broke out into a smile. "Oh, this? These are just Naturae Fruits."

Flint blinked, then made a circular motion with his paw. "And…that is…?"

She giggled. "If you must know, these were something my mother was designing. Err…emphasis on 'was'."

"She never finished?"

"Not quite. She finished designing a few before she passed away." She pointed at the two pages before them. "She came up with these two years before then. The rest after that were designed by me. Though, even with the recipes, she never had a chance to…well, test them."

Flint narrowed his eyes curiously. "Test them? What are they for?"

She fiddled around with her hair. "Hmm…how to explain it?" She snapped her fingers. "Ah, I got it! It's sort of like Wes' Mystic Burst spell, only less…flashy and more…plant-y. These fruits operate like my Plant Assimilation spell, the one where I can fuse into plant life. The only problem is that it's only useful with trees. Using it on a field of grass would only fuse you into…a single blade of grass. Plus, in a combat sense, it has its flaws since I have to remain attach to the tree to effectively use my new form.

"These, however, get around that. Next to absorbing specific plants to use a myriad of spells, I can eat one of these to change up myself in the midst of combat."

Flint smiled. "Really? That's incredible. They change your body into that of a plant?"

"Precisely. For example, one of the fruits my mother designed turns you into a Toxic Hunter Plant."

"Toxic Hunter Plant?"

"Toxic Hunters are a dangerous vine that secrete poison from the surface. If one were to wrap around you…" She rubbed the back of her head, chuckling nervously. "Uh, well…unless you're a really good doctor or have access to healing spells, the next few hours aren't going to be pleasant."

Flint's eyes widened. "Death?!"

"Unbearable pain, uncontrollable burning sensations…it's not pleasant. They're called Toxic Hunters because the poison doesn't kill the ensnared prey. It just…leaves you trapped there…waiting for you to cut yourself down or wait for help…unpleasant experience, to be frank."

"Why would your mother make something like that?!"

She shrugged. "My mother's crazy like that. Anyway, to sum it up, the fruit turns my fur purple, my sweat will become toxic, and I grow some nifty vines out of my back that I can control."

Flint flinched as he got a mental image of monstrous vines sprouting out of the innocent Mew's back and attacking random pirates and thugs. "I, uh…doesn't that hurt?"

She shook her head. "Nah." She scratched her head. "Actually, I'm not sure. I never really ate them. I just know how they're made and what the intended effect will do to my body." She leaned against the table. "My mom always told me nature is one of the most powerful forces to harness. She always told me how dangerous the plant life in Mysto is compared to the rest of the world. It inspired her to incorporate those plants into her studies." She scratched her chin. "Kind of struck me as odd since she has never told me anything specific about her past."

The Flareon sighed, then smiled. "Well, it's nice to see that you're continuing her work."

She giggled. "Aw shucks~!" she exclaimed, squishing her cheeks.

Wes carefully carried two bowls of hot soup on his back up the stairs. He entered the medical room to see Ella and Morgan helped out the two sick patients. Ella was tending to Cheri, placing a wet wash cloth on her forehead, while Morgan placed a clean bucket next to Angel's bedside.

The Hypno saw the Umbreon and the soup. "Ah, good. Does it have the herbs I gave you?"

He nodded. "Yep! Good ol' chicken noodle soup with extra healing properties!"

Morgan grabbed one while Ella brought hers over with her Psychic. She telekinetically lifted the spoon, blew on it to cool the hot liquid down, then hovered it near Cheri's mouth. "Okay sweetie, open up."

Cheri tried to push herself up, but she was too weak. Ella slid her paw behind her head and gently elevated her up. She placed the spoon against her lips, allowing her to slur up the delicious soup. Seeing she looked satisfied with the soup, Ella gave her another spoonful.

Morgan fed Angel her soup, asking, "How are you feeling?"

She swallowed the soup and smiled weakly. "Oh…you know…how one would normally feel if their body was being overrun by a wave of illness."

He sighed. "Not well, then?"

"Oh, I'll be fine…thank you so much for helping us, Morgan. You've been so much help to our family." She coughed loudly, holding her chest. "Ugh…listen to that…I'm so appreciative that I'm all 'choked up'."

Cheri shivered uncomfortably. "Mooooom!" she moaned weakly.

Morgan shook his head. "Glad to see the curse hasn't affected your sense of humor." He fed her another helping of soup.

After she swallowed, she asked, "Where's Tony? Oh dear, my baby boy's probably worried about us."

Morgan rubbed her forehead. "Tony had to take care of something. He'll be back to check on you two very soon."

Ella sat on her haunches, yawning. "I could use a nap. Maybe two…ten hours of sleep."

Wes scratched his head. "Well, we should get some dinner in first. I could cook some up if you want."

"What do we have?"

"Berries and meat."

She yawned tiredly, having no motivation or care to object. "Fine by me. What about Flint and Gwyn?"

They jumped as an explosion rang from outside the building. They blinked in unison before glancing at one another knowingly. Wes shrugged with a wry grin. "Err…good thing we're in a pharmacy, right?" He chuckled. "I'll just make food for them before they decide to come in." He walked back down the stairs.

Ella sighed, then glanced at the chuckling Hypno. "Something funny?"

He waved it off. "Nothing against you all, I assure you. We don't get a lot of lively travelers such as yourselves."

She shrugged. "Eh, guess we hate being bored, so we unintentionally cause all this ruckus and chaos." She stood back up and stretched her legs, then looked at Cheri. "Want some more soup, sweetie?"

She nodded weakly. "Yes please…" Ella psychically lifted the spoon and fed her the enriching broth.

Since cooking inside a wooden building was a massive fire hazard and that he didn't have an actual oven to cook with, Wes resorted to all his cooking via an open flame and some pots and pans. Since the Sapienti house was basically charred wood, he collected some debris that wasn't scorched, or partially charred at the least. He tried searching for any remaining goods or supplies, just to see if there was anything that survived the fire.

Nothing did. Just burned down wood and ash. Even some family pictures he found, which he could tell were few in number, were reduced to dust. Toys, food, bedding; everything they had was gone. All that remained of that house was…well, them. It was hard to look at for the Umbreon.

He shook his head and focused his attention on cooking dinner. He poked at some meat as the grease dripped off and sizzled peacefully.

He saw a figure walking up to him from his peripherals. Without even taking his eyes off the skillet, he said, "Glad to see you're back, Tony."

The Dewott narrowed his eyes. "Thanks…mind if I sit down?"

Wes gestured to the space across from him. "Ground seating is free."

Tony plopped his rear on the ground and sighed. "I've had a long day."

"Tell me about it. I never cleaned out a bucket full of vomit before and, let me tell you, it wasn't a pleasant experience." He tapped his nose twice. "Had a clothespin over my sniffer and everything, yet I could still smell that stuff. Ugh, that's the last time I'm doing that."

Tony stared at him in disgust. "…okay, if you ever tell me how YOUR day went again, leave out anything remotely similar to THAT." He looked down at his lap. His arms rested on his legs as he twiddled his fingers. "How are they doing?"

Wes crooked his neck around, looking at the top half of the pharmacy, before straightening himself up. "Well, they could be worse. Morgan and Ella are doing their best to keep them healthy…ish. On the plus side, they're awake, so you could see how they're doing for yourself."

Tony gripped his fists tightly. The cheery aura that radiated off Wes was unnerving to him. It felt odd that someone was putting so much of their time into helping random strangers. Especially when they fought on the same day hours ago. Dear Arceus, it has been a long day.

The thief looked into Wes' ruby eyes and asked, "…why are you helping me?"

Wes poked at the meat. "I don't follow."

"You're all traveling, right? You could have left us at any time. Nothing's stopping you from leaving. You have no business here."

The Umbreon picked up some berries and split them in half. "Well, you'd be right, but not anymore." He squirted Oran berry juice over the meat. "Our business here was to rest and restock on food. Now there are two things keeping us anchored in this village.

"One, you still have our key. Honestly, it should be more important than your family."

Tony glared. "Excuse me?!"

Wes didn't bat an eye as he just continued to give their dinner a nice glaze of Oran berry juice. "However, the will to help people in need is a strong feeling that burns deep inside my soul. So, even though that key is important, I didn't want to leave with a guilty conscience." He laughed sheepishly. "I've already got multiple wanted posters for my head. I don't want you putting a bounty out on my head." He tapped his chin. "Actually, how much would I be worth in this village? The economy here isn't that good, so…"

"Hey, hold on a minute!" Tony interrupted. "Did you just say this stupid key is more important than my family?!" he shouted, holding up the key.

Wes rubbed the back of his head. "Okay, wrong choice of words…" He paused for a moment, then swiped his paw at the key. Tony pulled back before he could grab it. Wes sighed with a lazy grin. "So close…"

Tony glared deeper. "Okay, now I really need answers, starting with what is so gosh darn important about this thing!"

Wes shrugged. "I told you, it's for a locked chest."

He shook his head. "I was tempted to believe you…until the mob boss I spoke with, Aeternus, got interested in this key, too."

The Umbreon's eyes slightly widened. "Uh…come again?"

"I showed him this key by accident and he wanted it." He gripped the orange key tightly. "You're hiding something and it's certainly not a locked box, chest, or crate."

Wes eased his nerves and sighed. "Good grief…" He scratched his head. "Tony…none of this is your concern."

"My family are in critical states and I'm out here making deals with the devil for an antidote. All of this is my damn concern!"

The treasure hunter crossed his forelegs. "Tony…I get that you're upset, but you're still thinking too narrow-mindedly." He narrowed his eyes. "Look, Gwyn's out back with my brother making an antidote. We have the recipe for it, but she says it has some complicated instructions."

"Meaning…you don't have an actual antidote?" Tony asked through his clenched teeth.

Wes shrugged. "Not yet, but I'm confident that she'll have one for us."

"You expect me to take your word for it? I barely know you people! I'm not putting my family's fate in the hands of a potion maker who may or may not get the antidote ready in time!"

"And yet, here you are, saying that you've been making deals with a mob boss who'll do anything to get you." Wes shook his head. "You're taking the easy way out."

"I'm taking the guaranteed route! That creep knows that if anything happens to them, all bets are off! He needs them alive to get me!"

"You claim that you don't trust Gwyn's expertise, but you're willing to put all your trust into someone else you don't know? All for an easy fix?"

"If it means getting them back on their feet, then yes!"

Wes stared at the thief for a moment, while the Dewott himself glared back at the lax Umbreon. Wes looked down at their dinner and checked the inside with a knife. Seeing how the inside was thoroughly cooked, he began plucking slabs of meat off the skillet.

"You don't trust us, do you?"

Tony's glare lightened up. "…to be frank, I don't trust a lot of people, especially ones I robbed."

Wes chuckled. "Fair enough. I can relate with a similar mindset." He set the meat on a plate and placed it to his side. "My brother's always reminded me about how brash I am, how I'm never thinking my actions through and not giving enough care to the major consequences. I just…go with the flow." He blew at the air lightly, simulating a 'whoosh' sound while gently extending his foreleg. "He can say it all he wants, but it won't stop me from doing it. It got me this far and I'm sticking with it."

The treasure hunter pulled skillet and cooking stand away from the fire and extinguished it with his Freeze Charm. He pocketed the small trinket before asking, "But if you don't trust anyone, then what's Morgan to you?"

Tony looked away. "He's just my boss and the local physician. That's it."

"I don't see that. The way he immediately ran to you when he found out your family was in trouble…I can tell you're all closer than just doctor and patient." He grinned impishly. "That means there is a trusting side deep in you. You're just naturally cautious…" He then frowned. "At least until you have to make a spilt second decision over something so drastic." The Umbreon gave the thief a suspicious look. "What did you do?"

"What do you mean?"

"You said this Aeternus fellow was interested in the key. You wouldn't bring up something so trivial unless it plays a part in all of this." He narrowed his eyes. "What exactly did you do while you were gone? You went to get the antidote and you clearly didn't get it."

Tony crossed his arms, looking away from the treasure hunter. Wes groaned. "You're a smart guy, Tony, I can see that. My brother may not think highly of your actions, but you were only using what you had. I can see someone who is clever and deceitful, but only when he's given time to think his actions over. Your rash thinking is what led you to become the sole protector and guardian of your family. You made a decision and stubbornly kept to it. And now you're doing the same thing all over again by not trusting us."

Wes walked around the thief so he could look him in the eye. "Gwyn is a skilled potion maker. I guarantee you she'll make the antidote for them. You have to take my word for it. I saw her do some complicated stuff before, so I have full confidence in her abilities. You have to trust us."

The thief bit his lip, turning away again from the treasure hunter. He gripped his arm as he replied, "…there's more to this than just my family…" Wes raised a brow curiously. "I made a bet with Aeternus. We agreed to have a battle, me against his men. If I win, not only does he have to give me the antidote, but his organization is never allowed to set foot in this village again."

He sighed shakily. "I am doing this for my mother and Cheri, but there are others here who have to suffer from the likes of these thugs. I thought on the behalf of the village, not just for my own wellbeing. Maybe I do need to think my decisions over, but how can I at such stressful points in my life?"

Wes laid his paw on his shoulder. "Taking a moment to breathe is a start."

Tony chuckled weakly. "Easy for you to say, Mr. Go-with-the-Flow."

He shook his head. "I'm serious, Tony. You're a clever guy, but you always rely on yourself to ask the big questions in moments of high risk. In those moments, you make a decision that you feel is the only option." The treasure hunter scratched his head. "Now, to be fair, I can't say reasonably negotiating with heartless thugs will always work. Even so, taking on the entire gang here? Seems a little brash."

Tony smirked lightly. "They're weaker than you four and I handled my own just fine."

Wes rolled his eyes with a grin. "Give me some time and I'll find a way to counter your little speed boosts."

The thief laughed a bit, then frowned. "I wanted to show Aeternus that he can't muscle me around. Taking on his goons felt like a way to break down his pride. That creep needs to be taught a lesson."

Wes raised a brow suspiciously. "What was his response to that?"

"…he doesn't care what happens to them…" Tony growled, then shouted, "But that's beside the point! That freak of a Mr. Mime has done horrible things to many innocent lives! I want to assure myself that my village is kept out of his deathly grasp."

"Just YOUR village, though? What about other towns or cities? You said he was a big time crime boss all around the region. If he doesn't care about his men, he's not going to put in the effort to care. There could be other people suffering, being broken down from their lives. The only thing he can take from your village is their moral standings."

"Well, what am I supposed to do?! Take on every single one of his branches and bring them down before finishing off with him?!"

Wes shrugged. "That's what I would do."

"Why?"

Wes shook his head. "As you suspiciously pointed out, our quest has a large burden weighing upon its success. If we don't complete it or succeed, the whole world could perish from a frightening power."

Tony narrowed his eyes. "And yet you still refuse to tell me what is so important that the entire world is at Death's door?"

He nodded. "That key holds a lot more weight than you are led to believe. That's why I said it's more important than your family. The risks are much greater if we lose. It won't be just them that perish…but the rest of the world, too."

Tony waved the key at him. "Well, why can't you spill the beans to me? Aren't I obligated to know?"

Wes sighed. "Tony, we're trying our best to keep this information as limited as possible. We can't have anyone knowing, lest mad panic will ensue. It's too great of a risk to take."

Tony gripped his fist around the key tightly. "I really wish you brought that up sooner…"

The Umbreon blinked in confusion. "How so?"

The Dewott sighed. "So…remember how I said Aeternus was interested in the key? Well, seeing as how I had an opening…I may have…bet him the key if he wins."

Gwyn carefully dropped five green drops of liquid into the potion after having taken the beaker off the burner. "Okay, I'm not sure if that was the right mixture, so as long as nothing agitates it, we can move on to the next step."

Flint sighed. "I'm getting tired."

"As I said, trial and error." Gwyn observed the beaker closely. "We just need to wait for a reaction, then we can…"

"YOU DID WHAT?!"

The two bookworms jumped in the air in surprise. Flint knocked himself against the table, causing the unfinished potion to slosh around before glowing brightly. They both looked at each other with wide, shocked eyes before hitting the dirt in terror.

Tony raised his hands, trying to defend his case. "Look, just hear me out!"

"Oh, fantastic!" Wes shouted with a crossed expression. "I could use one after you practically doomed the world!"

"Hey, now hold on a second, I-!"

They stopped their brief argument as a loud explosion blasted from out back, the thundering boom hitting their ears with deafening sounds. They covered their ears quickly for the fleeting moment of noise. They blinked in the direction of the explosion, taken by surprise.

Ella came out from the front door with an annoyed expression. She had soup dripping off her face. "Perhaps making volatile potions near the pharmacy WASN'T such a good idea." She levitated a dishcloth over and dried her face off.

Morgan came out worriedly. "Is everyone alright?"

"We're…" Loud coughing followed. "…fine." Gwyn and Flint walked out from behind the pharmacy, limping slightly. They were covered in ash and had glass in their fur. Thankfully, they avoided having glass being thrown into their eyes or mouths and were merely covered in harmless shards.

Gwyn brushed some glass off her shoulder with her tail. "And THIS is why you should always wear safety gear when handling potions."

Flint pushed his safety goggles up, which left a space around his eyes free of ash. He glared at Wes. "Wes, you messed up our…" He counted off his digits. "I-I don't know, EIGHTH potion!"

Wes shrugged. "Sorry bro, but…" He glanced at Tony. "Apparently Tony was speaking with that mob boss, Aeternus."

"Oh! How did that go?" Ella asked, having cleaned off her face.

Tony scratched the back of his head. "Well, I, uh…sort of got him to agree to giving me the antidote."

Gwyn pouted. "Aww, I wanted to make it myself!"

"Well, we don't have much choice anymore. Tony got their boss to agree to a little competition. His entire gang versus him. If he wins, he gets the antidote and the thugs kicked out of the village."

Morgan narrowed his eyes. "I'm sensing some bad news from the other half of this agreement."

Wes glared. "Hit the nail on the head." He looked at his friends. "Aside from forcing him to work for his organization, the price for losing is also the key." He pointed over his shoulder at Tony. "Tony bet the Key of Earth for if he loses."

Their eyes widened in horror. "You did what?!" they shouted at the thief, who looked even more annoyed and guilt-ridden than before.

"Yeah, yeah, keep making me out like I'm the bad guy. It never gets old…" he muttered dryly.

"That's our freakin' property!" Flint yelled angrily. "How can you possibly bet our key like that?!"

Tony glared back. "Maybe I would've put more thought into it and not shown it to that crazy bastard if you all weren't so darn secretive! Seriously, like I was supposed to believe this key was important?! Aside from the magic around it, it's worthless out here! How was I supposed to know?!"

Flint jabbed his digit against his chest. "Don't act ignorant, you lousy thief! You knew very well that that key was important to us the moment we ran back into you!"

The thief threw his hands up in the air. "I've seen people one the streets fight over a toothbrush! Forgive me if I react to everyone's high strain problems like they're CRAZY!"

"Are you even aware of the ramifications of your stupid move?! If that guy wants our key, that means he knows what it's for!" Flint's eyes widened in horror. "Oh dear Arceus, someone knows about the key…"

"Am I the only one still in the dark here?! What's so significant about this stupid key?!"

Flint resumed back to glaring. "That is NONE of your concern!"

"Kind of is when I'm apparently betting something dangerous!"

"If you haven't stolen from us, we wouldn't be in this mess!"

"If you were more open as to WHY you wanted this back, I may have returned it!"

"Oh, for what? Ten thousand bits?!" Flint retorted.

Tony clenched his teeth together. "You're getting on my nerves…" His arm sparked with electricity.

Morgan got in between the two and pushed them back. "Alright, enough! Both of you! I think we can all agree this mess could have been solved with better communication! That said, what were you thinking, Tony? Weren't you even aware of why Aeternus wanted that key?"

Tony narrowed his eyes calmly, after taking some breathes to relieve his stress. "I did. Even a blind man could see the shift in his behavior when I brought it up. I knew something was up with him, but…" He looked down at the key. "This was the only way I could get the antidote for sure."

"But we're working on an antidote right now," Gwyn brought up.

"I didn't know that. I'm grateful for your help, but the explosion I heard tells me that the process is slow."

She scratched behind her ear. "I mean…well, maybe a little…"

He sighed. "This is exactly why I needed this key for the bet. If I can drive off his goons, I'll never have to worry about them harming anyone again. I can finally get some relief from having to protect my mother and Cheri. I will never have to watch them get hurt like that again…" He tightened his fist. "I don't know why Aeternus wants this key…and I know for certain that neither of you will tell me…but I'm doing this to protect my village. I'm gonna show that creep what happens when you come between family."

He held the key up at them. "I'm knocking that freak off his throne and showing him the true extent of the Sapienti family."

They stared at him with narrowed eyes, ones filled with contemplation. The exception being Flint, who was still scowling at the thief for what he has done. Ella was putting a bit more care into her gaze while Gwyn could only muster a look of confusion.

Wes drummed his digits against the dirt ground, trying to come to a decision for what to do. This Aeternus fellow he kept speaking of might prove to be a problem. Even if they get the key back from Tony and flee the village, the thugs would soon get wind of it and inform their boss. That would mean they'll have an evil army of shadows hunting them down, plus a gang of criminals with a corrupted, immoral leader. Heck, he wasn't even sure if the Desert Beasts were still after them.

They've gone too deep into everything to fallback now. Spinning a lie would only lead to more hate if this keeps up. But would telling the truth solve anything? Should Tony be involved in their plight? He inadvertently pulled himself into their mess, now he was facing the consequences for it. Leaving him out now wouldn't feel right, despite the scale of their quest.

Tony was a thief, but he didn't feel like someone who would use the idol for evil. Well…maybe for personal gain (he wasn't THAT innocent), but he wasn't a heartless crook out for power. All he wanted was peace for his family and him.

Somehow, the Umbreon knew he'll not only regret this, but also feel accomplished doing so.

Wes stepped forward, drawing everyone's attention to him. "You really want to know what that key is for?"

Everyone's eyes widened in surprise, especially Flint's. "Wes, what are you doing?!" he asked worriedly.

He faced him for only a moment, saying, "Getting this mess under control." He turned back to Tony. "Tony, I want you to take what I have to say with absolute seriousness. What I'm about to say might come off as a joke, perhaps even a lie, but I can assure you what I'll say will be one hundred percent true. Do you understand?"

Tony narrowed his eyes seriously, nodding with an open mind and crossed arms. "Hit me with your best shot."

Wes cleared his throat, then said, "Well…what you're holding in your hand is one of ten keys to the fabled Idol of Origin."

A stretch of silence followed the reveal to the thief, who went from serious to shocked in less than a second. Wes kept a straight face while his brother was pulling down on his hat, completely horrified that his younger brother gave him vital information that was supposed to be kept secret.

Tony uncrossed his arms and looked at the key. "I…this is…what?" He shook his head. "This can't be true."

"I told you that you wouldn't believe me," Wes reminded.

"But…the IDOL of ORIGIN? As in, the idol told in bedtime stories! That exact same one?!" Wes nodded, leading the thief to hold his face in disbelief. "That…That can't be true…"

Morgan narrowed his eyes. As I suspected. These four are hunting for the idol themselves.

Tony looked at the key a second time. "I can't believe…all that power…and I'm holding a key to it…?" He clutched his head. "This has to be a dream or something…"

Wes sighed. "This is why we're keeping the idol to ourselves. Do you know how many people would die to get their hands on it? If they found out there was a map leading them to the power of the gods?" He placed a paw over his chest. "As I said, that key is far more important than your family simply because of the risks that comes with gathering all ten."

Seeing as how they were spilling all their secrets, Ella continued, "We're on our way to Scorch Grave City to claim the second key. We've been at this for about a month now."

Still staring at the key, Tony's eyes were wide in shock and amazement. "This…I don't know how…I…"

Wes narrowed his eyes. "We can't fault you for betting the key. It's our fault for not giving a straight answer from the beginning." His eyes sharpened into a glare. "However, you unintentionally placed the entire world at risk for betting that key up. If Aeternus does know about the Idol of Origin and its existence, we can't afford to let him have a single key in his possession."

Tony bit his lip, guilt building up in him. "Oh great…way to go, me."

"There's more," Gwyn added. "As it turns out, before I met these guys, they were protecting the key from the shadows. I only recently learned more about them, that they're-"

"-creatures of unknown origin that led the Mysto region into a bloody, fifty year war," the thief finished for her, catching her by surprised. "I've read the occasional textbook when I was a kid." He looked down at the ground before asking, "So…you're saying they've returned?"

Ella nodded. "That's right. They have their eyes set on the idol. We plan to claim the keys first and take the idol for ourselves."

"And…you're all telling me this why?"

Flint rolled his eyes with a low growl. "You know, I was just wondering that myself…"

Wes rubbed his brother's back. "We're telling you because we feel you have a right to know by this point. Despite my brother's…discomfort towards you, I don't believe in thinking down on others, especially those that I see have a good heart. Even with all your deceptive ways, I still think you're a good person." He smiled friendly. "You just need to learn to swallow your pride and accept that things can't go the way you believe. You need to see pass the obstacles rather than inferring your own conclusion.

"Like it or not, you're in this just as much as we are."

Tony stared at them, then back at the key. He narrowed his eyes, feeling anger towards himself. He should have taken better consideration of the situation, regardless of his own dilemmas. This key was the push he needed to rid himself of Aeternus, but at what cost? Despite his confidence in taking on Aeternus' men, it was still a gamble. There was still that unforeseen chance of one of their attacks doing fatal, or at the least staggering, damage that could cost him the bet. In that moment of loss, he not only loses his morals…but also endangers the world.

The Idol of Origin. He remembered his mother telling him that old story back when he was a child. The hero, Apollo, taking on the dark warlock for seven days straight in a battle of pure magical power. Back then, he would have never believed a day like this would come, when travelers would confirm the existence of the reality warping idol.

If Aeternus were to get his hands on it…he didn't want to imagine the end results. The man was a mass murderer. Giving him that much power would be catastrophic.

Tony's arms went limp, freely hanging against his sides. He stared directly at Wes with a firm expression. "Well…what should I do? The moment Aeternus realizes I break off the deal…" He shook his head. "I don't even know what's going to happen. He could order his men to slaughter the whole village."

Wes sighed, then scratched behind his ear. "Well, at the moment, there's not much we can do. Leaving with the key isn't much of an option for us, either. This guy probably knows the purpose to that key." He shook his head. "Guess the bet is still on."

"Are you crazy?!" Flint shouted angrily. "If Tony loses, we lose the key!"

"I mean, we could always take it before the tradeoff happens…"

"And make enemies with an entire gang?! Yeah, no thank you!"

"We'll figure something out tomorrow. There isn't much option avoiding this fight, so we might as well see it through."

"We?" Tony echoed in confusion.

Wes jabbed his chest. "You didn't say anything against YOU having back up, right?"

"Well no, but…you guys have no place in this matter! I'm the one who screwed up! It's my responsibility to set things straight!"

Wes shook his head in defiance. "Nope! You're getting our help! This is our problem, too!"

"But I-!"

"Anyway, enough chitchat! I got steaks!" He placed the plate of meat on his head and walked into the pharmacy, followed by Ella and Gwyn. Flint joined them, not before glaring questioningly at Tony before disappearing through the door.

Tony stood there, frozen in disbelief. Morgan patted the thief's head, making him untense. Tony sighed, then gripped his arm. "What have I done?"

"In my eyes, nothing. You wanted to avenge your family, even if you ignored the long-term consequences of it all. I don't blame you for what you did."

The Dewott's eyes narrowed worriedly. "But what if I fail? What if Aeternus gets the key? What can I do about it?"

"Well, with those four out on their journey to retrieve the other nine keys…" He chuckled as he headed into the building. "I'd say Aeternus will have some trouble getting the rest."

Tony stood outside of the building for a moment, contemplating his thoughts. If anything were to happen to the key, the fault would be his. That much is true. He could understand why Flint was mad at him. He didn't consider their side of the story, even if they didn't give him the best of reasons for the key's purpose originally.

These four were selflessly traveling around the region to locate the rest of those mystical keys, and here he was getting worked up over the safety of his family and the future of this village. Even if he won and got rid of the Anguis Organization here…

…what then?

"How could I live with myself knowing something that powerful could be taken by a powerful enemy?" He narrowed his eyes. "Something this big and…I'd be doing nothing about it. I'd just be here…taking care of Mom and Cheri…even after how I've felt."

He looked at the second level of the building, where his beloved family was resting and suffering. He tightly clenched his fist. What was he supposed to do?

"No! Please! You can't do this!" Pinsir shouted as he was thrown onto a table. Before he could scramble off, two thugs fastened him down with restraints around his torso, fastening them under the table.

Night had finally fallen in the village, giving the Anguis Organization the right time to complete their boss' dark deed. While everyone was onboard with the plan, as they continue to remain loyal to the man who provided them with homes, Pinsir was the only one having second thoughts about…everything!

"Look guys, you don't have to do this! I'm completely useless in this state! I don't even have a hand anymore!" Tears welled up in his eyes. "I don't want to go through with this!" He looked to Dusclops for assistance. "Please, talk some sense into them!"

Dusclops shook his head. "Sorry buddy, orders are orders."

"What's even going to happen to me?! What did Lord Aeternus mean when he said I'll be liberated?!"

The ghost held up the jar, which had arrived to them a few hours ago. The sludge thrashed angrily in the glass containment. "Guess we'll find out in a moment." He grabbed the lid and carefully unscrewed it.

While still putting pressure on the lid so the sludge wouldn't escape, Dusclops held the jar upside down over Pinsir's face. He took a moment to compose himself before quickly removing the lid, letting the sludge plop down just under Pinsir's mouth.

The stag beetle's eyes shrunk in horror as the sludge stood tall. Goopy tendrils dripped out from the sides as it felt up its new host. Pinsir panted fearfully, yet quietly as he watched the mysterious sludge examine him. The thugs stood back, far away from the table.

The top of the sludge tilted down to face Pinsir, like it was staring at him with its own eyes. The stag beetle held his breath as it shifted closer to him. His eyes shook in terror as it stared at him, unmoving. The other thugs stared at the silent exchange in anxiousness.

Suddenly, the sludge waved its tendrils wildly with a loud screech, making Pinsir scream. His horrorstricken cries were cut off as the sludge jumped into the air and dove into his mouth. He choked loudly as he felt the sludge slithering through his throat. He contorted in disgust as he felt it worming around inside him.

Nidoqueen gulped, then looked to Dusclops. "What's it doing?" she asked worriedly.

"I…I'm not sur-AAAHHH!" he screamed, as well as the others, when he saw something bulging out from beneath Pinsir's exoskeleton and moving around. The sight of the sludge moving around just underneath his skin made one of the thugs run out in disgust, feeling the absolute need to vomit in horror.

Pinsir hyperventilated fearfully as he, too, could see the sludge moving through his body. It felt disgusting and nerve-wracking. "Make it stop! MAKE IT STOP!"

The bulge disappeared, leaving everyone to assume it stopped. That is, until Pinsir's body contorted once more, only this time the movements were complete unnatural. If it weren't for the restraints on his body, he could have bent his back and arms into very unconventional positions.

Pinsir screamed in horror. "WHAT'S HAPPENING TO ME?!"

The thugs gasped as they saw his eyes going bloodshot for moment, before the red veins in his eyes with black. Black sludge was invading his eyes. The sludge continued to invade his eyes until they turned completely black and empty. Pinsir continued to thrash and scream as body slowly became darker in color. His body pulsed with his energy, forcing his muscles to expand. The sudden bursts of expansion cracked through his exoskeleton, which sprayed black sludge out.

The thugs stepped away in fear as Pinsir began to cough up blood. A lot of blood. His screams slowly died out, reaching the point of a silent scream of air being forced out of his lungs. Sludge poured out of his right arm's stump in large quantities.

The thugs could only stare in horror, huddling up to each other as a large shadow casted over them, as their former ally began to expand in size. His shadow gave the image of a monstrous creature breaking out of its binds. The massive pincer of the shadow snipped with thunderous claps. The creature bent his head back and let out a ferocious, nightmare inducing roar that could pierce the mightiest of heavens.

Standing before them was no longer a Pokémon. It was a monster reborn from the purest depths of demonic evil.