Ch.31: Fighting for the Sake of Power! Is There More to Your Goal?

One night passed for Team Ravenfield, as they enjoyed the luxury of the Lava Springs Suites. Some took advantage of the wondrous perks, specifically Ella and Gwyn, while others carried on with their own business, specifically Tony.

Flint has since gotten his nerves together after a good night's sleep. Wes, once again, assured him that he'll have everything under control while he's out searching for information on the hidden key. In the meantime, the Flareon chose to relax himself with a cup of coffee and the rest of the book he started.

He lay lazily on the couch, flipping through pages every so often. He reached out and grabbed his coffee, taking a delicious sip. He sighed contently. "This…This is nice."

"Well, I'm glad to see you're cozy." He looked over his shoulder and saw Ella. She was in a one-piece, blue swimsuit. She had a towel draped over her neck. "You just going to be chilling in the room all day?"

He shrugged. "For the most part." He smirked. "Are YOU just going to relax at the spa?"

"Ooh, touché," she purred. She laughed. "Technically, I booked Gwyn and myself another visit to the hot springs to get that special bath again." She rubbed her back. "I'm feeling much better after it. Another dip should do the trick."

Flint rolled his eyes with a light smile, then returned to his book. "Right. Well, you girls have fun."

"Aww, but Flint!" Gwyn cried from around the corner of her room. "I want to go sightseeing with you! You promised you show me around all the cities we visit!"

Flint bookmarked his book and closed it. "Oh yeah, I guess I did. Well, we can do that when you get back from the springs."

"Really?!" She jumped out from around the corner. "Aww, you're the best, Flint!"

His face lit up red upon seeing her. She was wearing a one-piece swimsuit, much like Ella's, only it was white with red polka dots. She had her towel draped over her body like a cape.

He reopened his book and covered his face. "Uh, YEAH! You know it! Hahaha…"

Gwyn tilted her head. "Flint, are you okay?"

Steam came off his head. "OH, I'm fine! I-I see Ella helped you pick out a new swimsuit. I-It looks nice."

She smiled. "Yeah, it's really pretty! Thanks!" She wagged her tail happily.

Ella raised a brow at the Flareon. "You're acting weird, Flint."

"What~?! No! I'm doing dandy!" He spun around so his back was facing them. "N-Now then, I'm going to continue with my reading! You girls have fun!"

Gwyn was confused by his behavior while Ella had a suspicious look. She tapped her chin, then smirked to herself. "I see." She smiled at Gwyn. "Well, best we head off!"

Gwyn smiled. "Right! See you later, Flinty!" She skipped off with Ella.

Once the door closed, Flint collapsed onto his back, panting. "Oh dear Arceus, what was THAT about?!" He pressed his paws against his cheeks. I feel warmer than usual. He felt his heart thumping against his chest. He held his paw over it. That…That was weird. He shook his head. I-I was just caught off guard, that's all. Yeah, that's it.

He sat up and picked his book up, which fumbled in his paws. "Wes was right. I need to relax more." He opened the book and resumed reading where he left off.

Tony walked among the crowds of Pokémon, slipping his way through the thick crowd like an unseen phantom. Hardly any, if not no one, noticed as he brushed pass them with keen awareness of his surroundings. The smoothness of his movement was unnatural.

He kept his head low, avoiding eye contact with the Pokémon. He glanced out of the crowd and saw a wealthy group of Pokémon perusing the open market stalls. The Dewott smirked and slipped out of the crowd.

One of the rich folk, a Hariyama wearing a suit and monocle, examined the fruit in the stalls. He scoffed. "I dare say, you call this ripe? I've seen fossilized relics younger than this garbage!"

The Pokémon running the stall, a Weezing, groaned. "Sir, I can assure you, those fruits are indeed ripe."

"With a gas bag like you picking them? They're probably tainted with poison."

Weezing raised a brow. "That insult doesn't really work since I don't have hands."

Hariyama rolled his eyes. "Forgive me for caring about my health. You don't know what slimy nuisance will crawl under your nose and ruin your day!"

Tony casually walked pass the Hariyama in less than two seconds. In those short couple of seconds, he expertly removed a sack of bits from his pocket, removed a golden pocket watch from his chest pocket, snagged some jewels he flaunted on his cuffs, and, just for laughs, took his belt. He pocketed the valuables and continued on his merry way with an innocent whistle, while throwing the belt into another stall.

Weezing groaned. "Are you going to buy anything or mock my livelihood?"

Hariyama sighed in annoyance. "Find, I'll buy some of your apples…just so I can throw them away. I don't want the common folk choking on such filth." He dug into his pocket. "I'm a generous man…like…that?" He patted his sides. "What the…?" He dug worriedly through his pockets.

Weezing raised a brow in curiosity. "Lose anything?"

"I could have sworn I brought money with me…" He looked at his wrists, specifically the cuffs, and gasped. "Where are my jewels?!" He looked at his chest pocket and gasped again. "Where is my priceless pocket watch?!"

Weezing narrowed his eyes. "Uh…were you wearing a belt earlier?"

Hariyama stared forward, wide eyed, as his pants fell to his ankles upon mention. He saw the 'commoners' staring in repulsion at the man in his underwear. He pulled up his pants and growled. "Someone robbed me!"

"No, you don't say," Weezing sarcastically said.

"Shut it, you!"

Weezing chuckled. "It's called karma, jackass. Have fun getting home."

Hariyama growled, then stomped away while keeping a tight hold of his pants. Tony watched from around the corner of a stall. He juggled the stolen jewels in his hand with a proud smirk. "This…This is a good day." He pocketed the jewels and continued walking along the market.

He scouted the area for anymore rich folk roaming around. He smirked upon seeing a Luxio wearing a fancy dress and walking with a stuck-up attitude. She wore a few priceless valuables around her person.

"Time to turn on the charm." He licked his hand and patted down a few hairs before walking over to her. "Excuse me, miss?"

She looked over her shoulder and scoffed. "Ugh, another commoner." She waved her paw at him. "Shoo, shoo, go away."

Tony walked around to face her directly. "Kind of odd to see rich folk like you walking among the so called 'commoners.' What, can't afford any help to handle your grocery shopping?"

She sneered in annoyance. "How dare you! Do you take me for some dainty, little girl?! I am more than capable of handling shopping!"

He held his hands up. "Yes, yes, of course. My apologies. I just didn't expect such beautiful girls to be out in public like this."

She narrowed her eyes. "Oh…I see what's going on here. Trying to seduce?" She held her head up and walked around him, flicking his face with her tail. "I have my standards, especially when it comes to street rats."

He chuckled, rubbing his face. "Heh, even here, I'm still called a street rat."

"Your clothing reflects poverty from how dirty and disgusting it is."

"To be fair, my dear, I came out of an ash storm not too long ago. Give me credit for keeping these clothes in such respectable condition." He held her chin in his hand. "As for the whole seducing bit, I just can't help myself. I don't see a lot of pretty girls around in my old village."

She pulled away and knocked him back with a light Spark. "Touch me again and I shall report you to the authorities!"

He held his hands up. "My apologies." He smirked. "Someone seems a little sassy."

She scoffed. "I don't waste my time with the lower class. When living in Scorch Grave City, you must separate yourself from the blemishes of our culture."

Tony barley paid attention as he counted the pearls on the necklace he swiped off her neck. "Uh huh, fascinating- hey, be honest, how much do these pearls on your necklace cost?"

She rolled her eyes. "I honestly don't know. It would be worth quite a…wait, what?!" She turned around, then saw he was gone. She clenched her teeth furiously. "You rotten thief!" she shouted at the top of lungs.

Tony, after escaping with his Light Speed spell, sat on the roof laughing and kicking his feet in the air. "Hehehehe…she wasn't my type, anyway." He held up the necklace. "But this beauty is truly captivating." He pocketed the necklace, then flipped onto his feet. "I should probably steal some nice clothes once she sends the police after me. That'll throw them off." He jumped off the roof and into an alleyway before rejoining the crowd of Pokémon.

Wes spent a bit of yesterday asking around about any possible magic tunnels in the area. None from what he could gather. Everyone he asked either said they know nothing about magic or have never come across magic tunnels in this area. That thought concerned him, because the map was being vague about the key's location.

It showed a red dot over Scorch Grave, but that's about it. No specific points for an exact location. He couldn't expand the map to narrow out the location for Scorch Grave. Perhaps that map was limiting certain areas of location to make it harder to track. It would make sense given that the Key of Earth had hazardous terrain to get through. Scorch Grave wasn't nearly as dangerous as Slab Blade Mountain.

Since he couldn't get verbal answers, he consulted with the local library to find books on Scorch Grave's history. Perhaps one of the books tells tales of old wizards and sorcerers doing secret work.

He threw down a stack of books on a table, then grabbed the first from the stack. He groaned at the number of books. "Maaaybe I should have brought Flint along. There's no way I'll get what I need in time." He rubbed his face. "You've brought this upon yourself…" He flipped the book open and skimmed through the words.

He had to give his brother credit, though: Scorch Grave's history was rather interesting. The books modernized letters that were written by the original settlers of Scorch Grave City. Personal encounters and experiences with this new land. There were even accounts of powerful sorcerers coming to the land to face the harsh lands of the Fire Zone, helping the residents of Scorch Grave to make a compatible home.

The Umbreon traced his digit across the text as he silently read through the letters. However, as he expected, wizards don't go blabbering about ancient artifacts. Not so much as a hint. No one should know about the Key of Fire, so even hinting at it was stupid. That said, even if he did find some form of lead, present times could sway his search.

It was fairly obvious that Randolph was not the first one to protect the Key of Earth. New mages are trained and tasked to guard the key with each generation. Unless one of the guardians is immortal, which is considered forbidden practice to pursue, a new guardian can change a slight clue.

Wes leaned back in his seat and tapped his paws against the table. Okay, let's think about this carefully. The key has to be hidden somewhere big, like a temple, to protect it. Take out all the buildings in Scorch Grave and you have barren land and a volcano.

The volcano was possible. It was dormant and, with the right care and molding, could be used as an effective base for the key. There was an issue he found with that, though. While it was a dangerous place to protect the key, it wouldn't be well-hidden. The volcano was off limits for a reason, but Slab Blade Mountain required you to get through the terrain and find a magic tunnel. Since the map wasn't directing him to an exact location, it had to be somewhere in their plane of existence.

The key could be hiding in plain sight. Then again, with a mage protecting it, the key was under constant watch and surveillance, so it didn't make acquiring it easier.

Scorch Grave, itself, would make an effective base of operations. If the key was hidden here before it became a settlement for Pokémon, the ground surface would easily sway travelers from trekking too close. Though, that didn't stop the eventual settlers, but the mages must be doing something right if the key has never been discovered.

Wes tapped his chin in thought. Hmm…well, different environments mean different places to hide out. He looked at the volcano once more. Slab Blade Mountain's magic tunnel, while out of reach, was possible to get to. Maybe there is a passage way through the volcano. It is a reasonable assumption. I mean, who would want to trek through a volcano, dormant or not? The Umbreon grinned with his eyes closed. Well, accept for me, of course.

It was worth looking into. He'll have to investigate the volcano once he was done looking over the books.

As he read through the material, another Pokémon entered the building. The Blood Moon Rogue himself.

Griffin narrowed his eyes on the Umbreon as he read. He got a head start in tracking Team Ravenfield down. He saw the Umbreon wandering around, like he was looking for something. He could have taken advantage of some spots to ambush him, but Holly insisted that he take more time into observing his target. She was still confident on the wanted poster being a fake. He could, and probably would, ignore her words, but the Lurantis was unwaveringly persistent in her pestering. It made almost as intolerable as Mack.

He stepped fully into the library and walked up behind the Umbreon as he flipped through the many books. He observed the back of his head judgingly.

Mack said this particular Umbreon was wanted in several other towns, but none of his wanted posters insisted on death. Not even a 'Dead or Alive' notice, just 'Alive'. He was nothing more than a petty thief.

Perhaps Holly had a point, but that didn't excuse another fact: this Umbreon managed to escape him. No bounty has escaped him before. He found that rather infuriating, but also noteworthy. Rarely does he come across strong foes like this Umbreon. It appealed to his competitive nature.

This was an opportunity he couldn't turn away from.

"You going to stand there or say something?"

Griffin flinched from his thoughts, then narrowed his eyes. "You're observant."

Wes smirked to himself. He closed his book. "You don't hide your magic aura much, do you? You want your target to know they're being hunted."

"It instills fear before the kill," Griffin said.

Wes spun around in his chair and folded his forelegs on the back. "Who wouldn't be put off by it? Your aura reeks of negativity." He narrowed his eyes with a curious grin stretching. "That's an odd quality. What kind of magic is it?" Griffin glared. "Secretive, eh? I can respect that. I, too, don't want to give away my best tricks. I like to leave the enemy guessing." The Umbreon rested his chin in his forelegs. "Enemies like you."

Griffin stared at him quietly, then walked over to the other side of the table. "What are you doing?" the bounty hunter asked as he pulled up a chair.

"Ah, so you're more than a sword wielding maniac?" Wes exclaimed. "You're not as crazy as you came off."

Griffin sat down. "I am not a brute who kills for sport."

"No, you kill for money." Wes spun back around. "My friend told me quite a bit about you. You have a reputation for killing your targets. Criminals who are punishable by death. You go after bounties specifically requesting death." He raised a brow. "Does that make you some sort of vigilante? Or is there some underlying motive to your escapades?"

Griffin leaned back in his seat. "You're dodging my question. What ARE you doing?"

Wes closed his eyes and chuckled. "We have our secrets. Mine are for me and my friends to know."

Griffin glanced at the books stacked on the table. "You seem quite interested in Scorch Grave's history and geography."

Wes glanced at the books, then snickered. "Yeah, I guess I am." The Umbreon narrowed his eyes. "Maybe you could enlighten me. Why go after me? I'm not exactly a high stakes bounty."

"This bounty says otherwise." Griffin pulled out the poster and unrolled it.

Wes' eyes immediately bugged out in surprise. "Oh my Arceus! That's a lot of zeroes!"

Griffin raised a brow. "You're not concerned over the death request?"

Wes leaned back and waved it off with his paw. "Nah, not really. I've had people try to kill me before. Hitmen, other bounty hunters, pirates, murderous caves-"

"Come again?" Griffin asked.

Wes chuckled. "Long story. Point is, any bounty thrown my way is nothing news worthy." He rubbed his chin. "Got to say, though. A bounty specifically after my friends and me. Where did you get that?"

"I found it in Dust Bowl Town."

This surprised Wes. "Dust Bowl Town? I hate to break it to you, pal, but that poster can't be real. We never crossed the Desert Zone."

"You haven't?"

Wes shook his head. "Nope. Not together. Someone probably planted that." He scratched his chin. "Which is odd. Who the heck would know us in Dust Bowl Town?"

Griffin looked at the poster once more. So, Holly was right. There was something suspicious about this poster. He groaned and stuffed it back into his jacket. "Of course."

Wes shrugged. "Sorry for your loss, man. But hey, maybe you'll find a better bounty."

Griffin glared at the Umbreon. "I don't care about the bounty anymore. All I care about…is fighting you."

Wes' eyes widened. "Pardon?"

The bounty hunter folded his arms on the table. "Your friend is right. I do go after kill exclusive bounties, but not for the money. I want something more out of it. I want to find strong opponents to test my magic. To make me stronger." He growled. "No one has ever escaped my sights. Yet you and your team actually made me retreat. That cannot go unfinished."

Wes blinked, then narrowed his eyes. "Oookay, maybe you are a sword wielding maniac."

Griffin closed his eyes and scoffed. "I told you, I'm much more civilized than I let on."

"Yeah, I got that impression from the dagger nearly slashing my throat," Wes responded sarcastically. Wes chuckled. "You're a brutal fighter from what I've heard and experienced. There's no denying that. You seek a challenge to better yourself. I can't blame you for thinking like that. A good challenge is something I look forward to.

"Personally, whenever I enter a temple, I always look for the traps to see how well I can avoid them. As you can clearly see, I've evaded all of them mostly unscathed." He laughed. "Let me tell you, burning fur smells TERRIBLE! That smell followed me for days!"

Griffin opened his eyes into a narrow-eyed expression. The only one to ever escape my reach…and it was a hyperactive child? The Grovyle folded his hands together and leaned on his elbows. "You're a mon who seeks thrill and adventure. Why is that?"

Wes winked and stuck his tongue out. "Hey, it's what I do. Not much else to say other than that." Griffin glared. "Still scowling? You're not a very happy guy, are you?"

"I don't have time for happiness."

Wes snickered. "Hehe. You're lucky my pal, Tony, isn't here. He'd be mocking you for acting like an edgy reaper."

Griffin dug his fingertips into the table, baring his teeth with a snarl. "Is this some game to you? I told you, I don't care about the bounty anymore." His eyes flashed red. "All I want is to fight you."

Wes lightened up, presenting a simple grin. "You keep saying fight? I think the word you're looking for is kill." The Umbreon's expression went serious for a moment. "Why all the interest in killing? Why go out of your way to eradicate any and all evil?" Wes closed his eyes. "To be frank, you sound more like a villain than them."

Griffin scoffed. "Yeah? So what?"

Wes glared. "Well, good news for you: it gives me a reason to fight you, too."

The two magic users glared intensely at each other. Griffin's aura pressure rose, shaking the surrounding area. The stack of books next to Wes shook and teetered, then toppled over the side of the table. The tables and chairs around them cracked and splintered. The Pokémon gasped as they gave out from the pressure.

They ran out of the library in a fright as the vile aura expanded around the library, even scaring off the librarian. Wes was the only one remaining and unfazed by the loathing aura. He stared it down while his own aura paled in comparison to the expansion. He kept himself alert, ready to activate his Star Amulet should things get messy.

Griffin tried to intimidate the unwavering Umbreon. Wes wasn't reacting to his aura the way he expected. He actually stared it down with a fearless expression. He clenched his teeth and increased the pressure of his aura, physically shaking the building. Again, the Umbreon was unfazed. He remained adamant.

The bounty hunter groaned and let up the aura pressure. The after effects of his pressure shook the building for a moment before coming going still.

"You're not putting up a fight," Griffin said.

Wes raised a brow. "How so?"

"Raise your magic aura. I want to see how strong you are."

Wes closed his eyes and smirked. "Yeeeah, no can do. I told you, I keep my best tricks to myself." He opened one eye. "Maybe I'd tell you if you weren't acting so tough. Or maybe if you give me a little more reason."

Griffin narrowed his eyes. "Why would you want to fight me?"

"I told you, I'm not a criminal." Wes narrowed his eyes. "You, however, are a different story." Griffin glared as the Umbreon said:

"You're a wanted hero killer, aren't you?"

Ella and Gwyn had soon returned from the hot springs, with Flint having pulled himself together in that short bit of time. With the Mew dressed and ready, she practically ripped Flint away from his book and dragged him out the hotel without a proper goodbye to Ella. The Espeon chose to spend her alone time in the dining hall downstairs, as she wanted to try their breakfast menu.

Flint and Gwyn flew out the hotel doors, then the Mew came to a dead stop. Flint fell face first against the ground, groaning quietly. Gwyn bounced on her toes with a gleeful grin. "Come on, Flint! Get up! I want to check out the city!"

Flint pushed himself up, then shook his head. He rubbed his nose, saying, "Gwyn, please! We're just sightseeing! I don't want to get a concussion!"

The Mew giggled. "Sorry, Flinty, but I'm really excited! I love seeing all the cities and towns we pass through! Plus," she said as she lifted him onto his hind legs and gave him a big, warm hug, "I get to spend this time with my favorite, cuddly, best friend!"

Flint blushed. "R-Really?"

"Uh huh!" She held her finger up to her lips. "But, uh, don't tell Ella I said that." She grinned. "Don't want her thinking I don't enjoy our girl time together!"

Flint shook his head again, feeling a little bit dizzy. Whether it be from the impact to the ground or what the Mew said was a mystery. "Uh…sure, no problem," Flint promised with a weak grin.

Gwyn smiled brightly, then tugged on his mane. "Come on, let's go!" She lightly pulled him along, with him eventually matching her energetic pace.

First stop on their sightseeing trek was the shopping area. They passed by stores or open stalls that sold a variety of items. They passed by a pawn shop along the way, leading Flint to have an amusing thought of his brother racing inside and perusing the selection of magical items. How hasn't the Umbreon found it yesterday? He had a nose that led him to pawn shops.

Flint stopped and looked around. "Alright Gwyn, what do you want to see first?"

Gwyn looked at the many different stores. "So many options." She glanced to her right, then gasped in delight. "EEE! Flint, Flint, Flint! Look!"

Flint turned and saw the floristry she was looking at. The Flareon smiled lightly with a sweatdrop forming. "Why am I not surprised?" The Mew grabbed and dragged the Flareon into the shop.

Gwyn ran around the store like a small child as she looked at the wonderful, different types of flowers on display. The shop didn't only sell regular flowers and plants, though. She was drawn in by the magical varieties that were sold. She kept saying how she didn't have specific types of plants and listed off their different properties. She sounded like him, just more energetic.

Gwyn grabbed a pot containing a green petal flower with a red spiked bud. "Ooh! I heard these were good for liquefying berries!" She held the plant up to Flint's face. "If the berry goes bad, this plant sucks out the nutritional parts of the berry and leaves behind anything that's harmful." She smiled. "Isn't that cool?"

Flint chuckled and gently pushed the pot away. "W-Well, if you want, we can buy some seeds so you can have your own."

Her eyes shimmered gleefully. "Really?"

He smiled. "Of course."

"YAY!" She ran around the store. "I want this one! And this one! And this one! And this one!" She went on and on, pointing out all the plants she didn't own.

Flint sighed, scratching the back of his head. Okay, perhaps Tony had the right idea. "Gwyn, I can't pay for all of them. You are allowed to buy five different seeds."

She frowned. "Aww…"

"I told you, we're on a budget. With the hotel and food for long trips, we need to save up."

She pouted for a moment, then smiled. "Oh, okay. Thanks, Flinty!" She ran around to decide which she wanted to buy.

Flint shook his head with an amused smile. Silly Mew.

The Mew spent quite a bit of time deciding what she wanted to buy. Some seeds were obvious picks while she got stuck deciding between two different seeds she wanted, debating meticulously. That went on for half an hour. Flint sat against the counter as he waited for her to decide. He nodded off a couple time, but kept himself awake.

Eventually, the Mew made her choices and came up to the counter, waking Flint from his near slumber. He paid for the seeds and they walked out of the shop with Gwyn staring at her new seeds with pure delight.

"Oooh! I can't wait to grow these later! I'm already thinking of new potions I can brew!" She clutched them and held them against her chest. "Now all I need is new lab equipment!"

Flint had to draw a line on the spending spree. He knew how much new potion equipment would cost. He held his paw up and said, "Ehehe…err, Gwyn? If you want to buy new equipment, I'm not stopping you. But I'm not paying for it. I only paid for the seeds as a nice gesture."

Gwyn's smile lightened up. "Hehe, sorry. Still, it was really sweet of you to get these for me. You're so thoughtful."

Flint chuckled and scratched behind his ear. "Well, I don't mean to brag, but I am quite the generous companion."

"Yeah you are!" Gwyn cheered, pulling the Flareon into another hug.

Flint laughed sheepishly. "Uh, Gwyn? People are staring," he whispered. The Pokémon they passed by were giving bemused or funny looks.

Gwyn's eyes widened, then she dropped the Flareon to hide her face inside her sweater. "O-Oh, uh…"

Flint smiled caringly. Still shy. He patted her back and led her out of crowd.

Once they were away from the staring, Gwyn pulled herself out of her sweater. She looked at her seeds again, then stuffed them in her bag. "So, what's next on our little tour?"

Flint chuckled. "Well, I figured we could wander around and see some stuff before we head out for lunch together."

Gwyn smiled. "Ooh, lunch!" She frowned. "Wait, are you paying?"

He shrugged. "Yeah, why not?"

"Oh, I can't ask you to do that. You already got me those seeds."

He held his paw up. "That's why I said we're on a budget. I like to keep things planned out. So, don't worry about it."

She sighed, then smiled. "Oh, okay." She poked his nose. "But I'm paying for lunch next time. AND getting you a nice gift!"

"Gwyn, you don't have to-"

"Nope! My minds made up!"

Flint opened his mouth to object, then sighed. He chuckled lightly. "Oh fine, fair's fair." Gwyn giggled with a cute smile. Flint looked away with a light blush. "So, about those potions you mentioned. How are you coming along with your fruit experiments?"

"Fruit experi…OH! My Naturae Fruits!" She grinned with glee. "I'm glad you asked! I'm almost done perfecting them!"

Flint smiled. "Really?"

"Uh huh! You wouldn't believe how long it took me to get the composition right! If I get this one finished, I should be able to figure out how to make the rest with ease."

Flint grinned. "Well, I'm proud of you. I figured someone as smart as you could finish your mom's work."

"Aww, you flatterer~!" she exclaimed happily. She grinned. "Hey, when they're done, you want to help me test them?"

Flint raised a brow. "Define test."

She chuckled. "You know, a quick little battle to see how effective they are."

The Flareon held his paws up in objection, smiling nervously. "Uh, no thank you. I'm not the best sparring partner. I'm sure Wes or Tony will help you out."

Gwyn smiled. "Fair enough." She bounced around him. "Now come on! I want to see more of Scorch Grave City!"

Flint laughed. "Okay, okay! Calm down!" They continued to explore more of the city.

"Where's my money?!" a fancily dressed Victreebel screamed in anger. "And my cane's jewels?!" He threw down a plain looking cane and bounced around in frustration.

Tony snickered from above, pocketing the stolen loot in his bulging pockets. Well, I say that's enough money to pay off the hotel. The jewels are a nice bonus, too. He gracefully leaped between the rooftops in the direction of the hotel. Oh sweet, sweet payback. You snobby rich folks had this coming for a loooong time.

"…until he destroys the whole city?"

Tony picked up on a passing conversation as he ran. He stopped and jumped back a few roofs, looking around with curious intent. He looked between the passing Pokémon when his eyes spotted a Lurantis and Sudowoodo. The Lurantis said, "You're over exaggerating. He's a lot more sensible than that."

Mack scoffed. "This is the same guy who would kill over a beer."

"Mack, you would kill over a beer, not Griffin."

Mack rolled his eyes. "Oh sure! You try to kill a waiter one time and suddenly it's pinned against you for life!"

Tony narrowed his eyes. He concluded this was part of the conversation he accidentally heard, matching the Sudowoodo's voice.

The Sudowoodo continued, "All I'm saying is he's not going to own up to his word and kill those treasure hunters." Tony's eyes widened in shock.

They can't possibly mean…

Holly crossed her arms. "Griffin isn't going to kill them."

"Really? Because I think the row of dead bodies we came across speak for themselves. I'm telling you, the moment he finds that Umbreon, we're going to see quite the show. I can see it now: magic beams flying everywhere and killing thousands."

"Mack!" Holly scolded.

Mack turned away with his arms crossed. "Tsk, can't handle the truth, sweetheart?"

She wrapped her sickle around his scarf and pulled him close, giving him a death glare. "Griffin. Isn't. A. Psychopath."

Mack smirked lazily. "You expect me to take your word for it? After what happened to our village? After what happened to Griffin? You're gonna need a heck of a lot of evidence to prove to me he's not crazy." Mack laughed. "I like the guy and all, but I don't want to be around him when he lets his rage loose."

Tony narrowed his eyes. Lets his rage loose? Does he just mean when he gets angry?

Holly growled, then dropped the Sudowoodo. "You're a sick bastard, you know that?"

Mack flipped onto his feet and dusted his clothes clean. "I'm only stating the facts, don't get mad at me."

Holly groaned. "…look, I know Griffin can get violent, but I know him better than that. He can keep a tight lid on all that built-up aggression."

Mack shrugged. "Yeah, for how long? I haven't seen him go all out in years, but I know all that hatred boiling inside him is going to release one way or another."

Boiling hatred? Tony tapped his chin. Something about this sounds familiar.

"I'm telling you, the longer he doesn't keep his magic in check, the easier it'll be to release. He's already releasing that spiteful aura of his just to walk around. A conscious choice just to show off how powerful he is."

"Griffin was scarred from what happened," Holly reminded. "Who wouldn't be angry after something like that?"

Mack narrowed his eyes with a sneer. "If it were someone like you who was always angry, I wouldn't be making a big deal about it." He glared. "But someone like Griffin shouldn't have constant anger running in his mind. He has to constantly burn off magic just to keep himself going. Face facts, if Griffin doesn't learn to take a breather, he's going to kill himself." He scoffed, looking to the side. "Maybe if he released his limiter once in a while-"

Holly bonked him on the head with a sharp glare. "There are things we don't joke about and one of those things is the limiter! I don't deactivate mine. You don't deactivate yours. Griffin, especially, shouldn't deactivate his."

Mack smirked. "Why not? It be good for him to let off some steam."

"He could hurt innocent bystanders!"

Mack laughed. "Oh, that would be hilarious."

Holly snarled. "Like I said, you're a sick bastard." She glared down the street. "We should find him and make sure he's taking it easy."

Mack sniggered. "Are my words getting to you?"

She rolled her eyes. "In your dreams. I'm just going to check on him to prove you wrong." She marched down the street.

The Sudowoodo shrugged and followed. "Now you're the one dreaming."

As they left, Tony jumped off the rooftops and watched them leave from around a corner. He pressed his back against it and held his chin. Okay, either there's some other lunatic looking for us or the Blood Moon Rogue is here. He shook his head. I knew he was powerful, but they're describing him like he's a monster.

If what they said was true and not an exaggeration, he had to warn the others immediately. Especially if what he's hypothesizing about the bounty hunter's magic aura is true.

He sprinted onto the streets. "Light Speed!" He flashed off in search of his team.

Griffin stared quietly at the neutral face Umbreon. The black fox's digits tapped rhythmically against the table. His eyes were narrowed, but didn't reflect hostile emotion. They stared at the Grovyle as he patiently waited for a response.

Griffin eventually sighed, then crossed his arms. "What makes you say that?"

Wes raised a brow. "The weapons you used don't belong to you. They all belonged to warriors who were mysteriously killed over the years. The deaths signify a swordsman was responsible." He narrowed his eyes. "Kind of suspicious you own those weapons. The only one I don't recognize is the one with the black blade. I'm assuming that's yours?"

The Grovyle bared his teeth. "Yeah, so?"

"Did you kill those warriors?" Wes asked with a glare.

Griffin sneered. "You won't tell me what's on your agenda. Why should I tell you?"

Wes smirked. "Well, aside from some pretty damning evidence against you, you aren't in a position to be negotiating with me. You tried to kill me and my friends. Kind of a no-no where I'm from."

Griffin dragged his fingers into the table again, peeling the surface like paper. "Even if that bounty is fake, I am curious by its demands. All that money just for a key."

Wes' eyes widened. The key?

"Either someone's pulling my leg…" He examined Wes' subtle change in expression. "Or there is some worth to this bounty after all."

Wes held his paws up. "Okay, let's talk this out within reason. I'll admit I'm not an innocent mon, but I can confidently say I don't deserve a death sentence."

Griffin glared. "…let me ask you a question. What does life mean to you?"

Wes raised a brow and lowered his paws. "That's…an odd question. Why?"

Griffin stood up. "All my life, I've had to question exactly who I am as a Pokémon. As a child, I thought I knew what I wanted to be. But now, I'm not sure anymore." He cracked his knuckles. "So, what does life mean to you?"

Wes narrowed his eyes as he pondered the question and the cryptic reasoning behind it. This guy had a story to tell. It made the Umbreon curious. Anyone this bent on killing has a past they either want to forget or wish they could accept.

Wes closed his eyes and sighed. "…Life has its ups and downs. Sometimes it gives you a reward for your effort, sometimes it gives you hell for laughs. Truth be told, I don't want a life that's all good or all bad. I take life's punches and move with the flow. That's all I can say. Life is precious and I choose to preserve it."

"…I see."

Griffin raised his hand. His pocket storage opened and ejected his black bladed sword. He spun it around, then aimed it at the Umbreon's head.

Wes opened his eyes. "We're really doing this, huh?"

"In order to redeem myself, I must carry out my purpose without hesitation: to grow stronger with each defeat. With each kill." He narrowed his eyes. "If you wish to live, then prove to me you value life over death."

Wes kept a neutral face as he stared at the Grovyle, then shrugged. "Alright, guess there's no point in saying otherwise." Wes placed his hand over his chest and pressed on the Star Amulet under his shirt. His fur turned purple. He grinned in excitement. "Besides…you still have a lot to answer for."

Griffin scowled. "Then don't hold back and show me your true strength!"

Flint and Gwyn, having seen some of the city, decided it was the appropriate time to get some lunch. They walked to a restaurant. Gwyn smiled with her hands behind her back. "This was fun, Flint! I can't wait to do this again!"

Flint laughed. "I'm looking forward to it, too."

"D'aww!" she expressed with a squeal afterwards.

They went up to the doors and were just about to enter when a blue flash of light zipped around in the air. It made a sharp U-turn when it flew directly over them and landed. The light dispersed and Tony ran over to his friends, slightly out of breath.

"Huff…Huff…do you know how long I've been looking for you two?!" he shouted, holding his knees as he bent over.

Flint narrowed his eyes in confusion. "Tony? What's wrong?"

"Why were you speeding around like that?" Gwyn asked.

The Dewott straightened himself up and got a hold of his breathing. He then explained, "I was running around and stealing loot when I overheard two Pokémon speaking to each other. I would have passed it off as nothing, but they were talking about a friend of theirs going after treasure hunters. Sound familiar?!"

Flint and Gwyn's eyes widened. "WHAT?!"

"The Blood Moon Rogue is in the city with us! He's looking for us as we speak!" Tony sighed, then said, "And unfortunately, I think I know what type of magic he's using."

"Is that bad?" Gwyn asked nervously.

"If I'm right, then yes. I'm not sure what this guy wants, but he's dead set on fighting us, maybe even killing us." He narrowed his eyes. "We need to find Wes and make sure any and all confrontation is avoided. The minute they start fighting, we could put many Pokémon in danger."

"Tony, what kind of magic is he using?" Flint asked.

Before the Dewott could answer, a loud explosion interrupted him. The three treasure hunters jumped and turned towards the sounds. Rising in the air was a column of smoke with red and purple energy mixed into it.

Tony glared. "Huh…guess my avoidance plan went as well as before."

"Wes, you idiot," Flint grumbled under his breath before running towards the explosion. "Come on, we need to help him!" They nodded and followed the Flareon as the dueling magic users continued their battle, with only time telling how far it'll go.