Ch.44: A Witch Hunt Begins! Searching for the Greater Details!

Gwyn groaned quietly as she shook herself from her sleep. It took her a while to go to sleep last night after last night's scare fest, along with her tower of thoughts swarming through her mind busily. Thankfully, after finally going to sleep, she was able to mostly clear her head of her frights. Though, even with her mind significantly calmer, she still felt lingering thoughts of shame due to her cowardice last night.

She took on a possessed Floatzel, a lightning thief, a vicious bounty hunter, and an army of shadows, yet the sight of anything witch related is what makes her crumble into the fetal position. She wasn't proud for breaking down the way she did. Even considering the possibility she could be a liability, it made her feel worse.

It explained why a witch would seek her out. Is she really an important piece to a ritual? If so, she wanted no part in it. She didn't want her soul sacrificed to demons. She didn't want her life taken by anything remotely witch related. Witchcraft has plagued enough of her life already.

The Mew sighed tiredly, then decided it was best to get out of bed. She lifted herself up and scratched her head. She threw the covers off and went to slide off the bed when she noticed something on the nightstand: a plastic container.

She grabbed it and set it on her lap before opening. Inside was three pancakes, a side of berry bacon, a couple Grepa berries, and a small milk carton. The top lid on the inside read, 'Hope you're feeling better. Stopped by a café for breakfast. Enjoy.' It was signed by Flint.

Gwyn held her hand up to her mouth in awe, then smiled admiringly. She giggled quietly and said to herself, "Thanks Flint…" She slid back into bed, took out the plastic cutlery provided inside, then ate her breakfast.

After getting up earlier, the gang stood out at the docks where they fought the puppets. Wes and Tony, with their keen eyes, searched the platform for any unusual traces left behind from the attack. Fernando pulled out his notepad and took notes on the puppets, with help from Griffin.

"Interesting…so, the puppets can be upgraded with new seals that make them stronger," Fernando mumbled. "Definitely a unique skill to have on hand."

Griffin glared off to the side. "If you ask me, it's impractical. The amount of time needed to create a puppet is excruciating from what I've been told." He held his chin. "Which really enforces the question. Why would they make an army of puppets of this size? It just doesn't seem like a smart strategy if they can be improved upon."

Ella lay lazily on the docks with a lax smile. "Smart strategy? No, it wouldn't. But you're thinking in terms of combat. Maybe an ulterior motive is the case. What else is there to know about puppets?"

Griffin held his chin. "Complicated stuff, to be frank." He narrowed his eyes. "However, the Tangrowth I fought retained a lot of its strength. It wasn't like the rest. It was preserved and taken cared of better." He scratched his head. "Witches can pull the impossible off if they tried."

"How so?"

"Well, remember when I mentioned there was no way those things were summoned by a wizard? Witches are the loophole to that rule. If you know the right demons and have a mastery with your craft, a witch can bring someone back to life. The process, however, is tricky."

Flint walked over with a glare. "I'm afraid to ask."

"There's a reason Puppet Masters need bodies without souls. They can't control anything with a soul. However, from the books I've read, there are some demons that can draw souls from the afterlife or Underworld and have a witch place them into a body. Though, the particular demon I'm thinking of requires the entire skeletal remain of the deceased victim. Not something with easy access."

Flint crossed his forelegs. "And the witches are mass producing puppets because?"

"Who knows? Maybe to find the perfect body for the perfect soldier. Maybe to revive a dead comrade. I don't know."

"You mentioned a spell the other day," Ella brought up. "The Life for a Life spell?"

Griffin narrowed his eyes. "That's its common name. Its true name is the Sacrificial Soul Permutatio. As I said, it's forbidden because it'll bring death to the caster. One would say the witch route is the safer option, but working with demons can lead to trouble if you don't comply to their demands. In a way, the Life for a Life spell is the safer option since it grants the caster safe access to the afterlife. Break a pact with a demon, you'll be dragged straight to the Underworld." He shook his head. "Messing with the boundaries of life and death has serious consequences."

Fernando closed his notebook. "I'll make note of that once we're done here."

Flint looked at Fernando. "Wait, you're leaving when we get through this?"

He nodded. "I'm a busy man, Flint. I'm only sparing my time to help the citizens. Plus, this town does hold the clues to my latest lead."

Ella sat up and smirked. "Aww, that's too bad. It'd be fun to travel with you."

Wes stopped searching and shot his head up with a bright smile. "Can we?!"

Tony glanced at him with a raised brow. "Pal, we're already traveling with enough crazies. I think six is our limit." Wes groaned sadly.

Fernando laughed. "Tempting offer, but my profession doesn't allow help. My travels are likely vastly different from yours." He held his chin with a serious look. "I still have much to do…"

Ella raised her brow. "Who are you assassinating this time, anyway?"

Fernando blinked, then rubbed his head awkwardly. "Well, uh…funny you should mention that. I'm not exactly…"

"Hey guys, look at what I found!" They turned their attention to Tony, who held up the sword of the Tangrowth puppet. "Check out what I found on the blade." He turned it around and showed off a demonic symbol painted on the blade.

Griffin narrowed his eyes and walked over to him. He took the blade and examined the symbol. "…Curse of Blood Fall. Putting this curse on anyone would give them effects similar to hemophilia." He glared. "This is a highly advanced curse."

Wes glared. "They definitely want us dead."

"But why? We've only come into town," Flint pointed out. "How did we already get on their bad side?"

"Well, my friend, perhaps they know something you're keeping secret." Flint glared in annoyance, knowing full well who was coming up behind him. Reuben stepped up to Flint's side and grinned. "Good morning, everyone. Investigation going well?"

Fernando leaned against the dock post. "Not so much. All we found to trace the puppets back is this sword."

"Wes, hand me a piece of cloth," Griffin said as he examined the cursed sword. Wes pulled a piece of blue cloth out of his bag and handed it to him. Griffin wrapped the blade up tightly to prevent accidental cutting. "The witches intended on killing us with a cursed sword. The Curse of Blood Fall."

Reuben held his chin with a fascinated smile. "My, my, quite the issue. I wouldn't want to be scratched up by sword like that."

"It's not much of a lead, but we could probably trace it back to the original owner." He groaned as he looked the wrapped blade over. "However, I have no way of tracing the sword back. I have no clairvoyance spells."

"I don't think any of us do," Tony pointed out.

Ella tapped her chin and glanced off to the side in thought. She narrowed her eyes curiously before raising her paw. "Actually, maybe I can try."

Everyone looked at her confusingly. "You?" Tony asked. "You can't use magic."

Ella chuckled and held her paw against her chest smugly. "No, but I have the next best thing: psychic power. Maybe if I tune my psychic abilities enough, I can psychically trace the sword back to its original place or owner."

Griffin held the sword over his shoulder and raised a brow of skepticism. "Have you actually ever done this before?"

Ella sweat-dropped and rubbed the back of her head with a sheepish laugh. "Wellllll, I've never done anything outside of psychic blasts or telekinesis, but…hey, first time for everything, right?"

Griffin looked to Wes for a second opinion. The Umbreon held his chin and glanced up at the sky in consideration. He set his paw down and nodded. "Might as well. It'd take too long for any of us to find, much less master, a clairvoyance spell. With Ella, she just needs to find the right psychic frequency." He grinned. "Shouldn't be too hard for a genius like her."

Ella waved it off with an eye roll and a smug grin. "You flatter me~." She sighed. "Still, it might take some time. May have to read up about it if I want to get it right."

"We don't exactly have time," Griffin pointed out. "The longer we stay here, the more likely those witches will come back for Gwyn." He handed the sword to her, which she held in her psychic field. "It may be best if I help you."

She raised her brow curiously. "How?"

"I know some ways to enhanced one's mental concentration." He crossed his arms and groaned. "Don't exactly have the right materials to do so, but I'll make do with what I've got."

Wes clapped his paws together. "Okay, great! Now that we have that covered, I believe our next move should be surveying the town and questioning witnesses on these witches. Someone's bound to know something if they've come into town. Perhaps an identity we're not familiar with."

Reuben chuckled. "I say, that's a swell idea! Perhaps we should all spilt up to handle the searches." He pointed at himself. "It may be best that I take Ms. Belladonna along with me. I wouldn't want her getting scared if she's alone."

Flint glared at the Alolan Sandshrew. "You're going to keep her safe from the witches by dragging her along in a search for said witches?" He shook his head. "Absolutely not. The poor thing's frightened enough as it is. You'd just be putting her in danger."

Reuben held his chin with a mocking grin. "Oh, dear Flareon, are you perhaps threatened by my interest in the beautiful Mew?"

Flint's ears steamed with heat while his face glowed red hot. "Threatened by what?!" He pressed his digit against his chest. "If you're trying to pull something, it's not working! Besides, I'm the one who's watching over Gwyn! She's my friend!"

Tony glanced at Ella with a smirk. "Somebody's jealous~!" he whispered, making Ella laugh.

Reuben pushed Flint's paw away and patted down his suit. "Flint, you have me mistaken. I don't wish to cause any unnecessary tension between us. I wish to keep her safe." He winked. "Gwyn is quite the sight, don't you think?"

Flint's eye twitched, then he grinded his teeth together as his whole body glowed with heat. "Why you little-!" However, before he could explode with rage, Ella flung him over to her side with her Psychic.

Reuben narrowed his eyes, then turned away. He smirked evilly. Easy to fluster, he is. If he's tagging along with me and Gwyn, I'll have to get rid of him without raising suspicion. He chuckled. Ms. Callista will be pleased when I bring her the sacrifice.

After Ella brought Flint over, she slapped him in the face, instantly knocking him back to his senses. "Will you get a hold of yourself? You were a second away from scorching him."

Flint rubbed his cheek, then glared off to the side. "He started it…"

Tony hooked his arm around Flint, which made the Flareon rather uncomfortable. "Flint, pal, I get what you're going through." He held his hand over his heart. "Yes, it must be grueling to see another man with eyes on the woman of your dreams." He raised his fist and shook it. "But use that passion to win her heart, not eliminate the competition!"

Flint's face got even redder. "What are you talking about?!" He pushed Tony away and flailed his forelegs. "I don't have a crush on Gwyn!" He slapped his mouth shut and glanced gingerly at the others. Thankfully, they were too busy discussing the plans for later…at least, he hoped that was the case.

Ella rubbed Flint's back. "You're getting worked up over this. Maybe it's time you came clean and admitted you might have a thing for Gwyn."

"But I don't like her like that," Flint insisted.

Tony rubbed his chin, then smirked deviously. "Somehow, I doubt that." He then placed a hand over his heart and raised the other with a dramatic flair. "But, I can't blame you. Gwyn's a gorgeous Pokémon! What guy wouldn't be attracted to an adorable beauty like her?"

Flint's eyes widened in alarm, then they sharpened into a glare. "Excuse me?"

"She's quirky, smart, bubbly, high-spirited, and, of course, absolutely adorable!" He held his chin with a confident grin. "Hell, if Reuben doesn't go for it, maybe I should ask Gwyn to be my girlfriend."

Flint's face was twitching with rage. "Excuse me?!"

Ella leaned close to his ear and whispered. "Something wrong, Flint? Are you getting jealous of Tony now?"

"No! I just don't want him to hurt Gw…" Suddenly, realization struck Flint like a meteor. He dropped his paws down and stared off into space in utter disbelief. "Oh…my…goodness, I am jealous…"

Tony laughed and rubbed the stunned Flareon's head. "There we go! That wasn't so hard!" He pressed his fist against Flint's cheek and gave him a light nudge. "Sorry for messing with you like that, though it was hilarious."

Flint looked down at his paws, then pressed them against his face and groaned. "Oh Arceus, I'm an idiot…"

Ella snickered. "Yeah, you kind of are, you big goof." She nudged his side. "Seriously, what took you so long to realize? You're so protective over her that you blended it with your own jealousy."

Flint sighed and fell onto his back. "I…I don't know. I just…Gwyn's been through a lot, so…I made it my job to protect her." He narrowed his eyes sadly. "She was alone for ten years, staying in constant solitude from everyone. All because a witch decided to ruin her life." He rolled over onto his stomach. "I know what it feels like to lose a loved one. I guess I'm…just worried about losing her."

Tony sat down and patted the Flareon's head. He smiled lightly. "Flint, I get what you mean. Whether it's a crush or not, you feel obligated to watch over her. That's…pretty noble of you, actually."

Flint smiled into his forelegs. "Thanks…"

Ella sat down next to him and rubbed his head. "But still, why were you so high strung about having a crush on Gwyn? Don't you like her?"

Flint held his face and sighed. "I…don't know. Gwyn's an amazing girl. We get along well together and…she's just awesome." He rested his chin in his crossed forelegs and sighed. "But I've had a long list of failures in my life. I lost a sacred jewel to an ancient civilization, I've never one in a fight on my own, and…I have the worst history with relationships."

Tony raised his brow. "Come again?"

Flint groaned. "I've…never been on a date. Like Ella said, I was socially awkward and could never get the words out right." He narrowed his eyes. "Wes was always the charismatic one, not me." He picked himself up and looked down. "I just gave up trying to pursue romantic relationships. They're not worth my time."

Tony narrowed his eyes. "Dude, come on. I may have teased you for being a nerd, but you're a pretty cool guy…when you're not boring us to sleep."

The Flareon simply shook his head. "I was never as lucky as Wes. I'm…" He clenched his eyes shut. "I'm just a coward who can't fend for himself…"

Ella narrowed her eyes sympathetically. "You don't want to admit you like Gwyn because…"

"…because I don't want a long line of failures coming back to ruin my life again." He shook his head. "I suppose…that's why I'm being hostile towards Reuben. I didn't want to lose something else in my life that I've grown attached to." He looked down sadly.

The Espeon stared at him in awe, then giggled behind her paw. "Sounds to me like you two have more in common than you think…"

"What do you mean?"

Tony shook his head. "Forget it." He grabbed Flint's shoulder. "Look, take it from me. Confidence is everything." He rubbed his knuckles against his chest with a prideful expression. "I'm one of the coolest people you'll ever meet. I don't let anything get under my skin. I'm cool as ice."

Ella snorted a chuckle. "Heh, yeah, until you start worrying about your mom and sister."

He glared at her. "Hey, I don't react that badly!" He crossed his arms with a firm expression. "I wouldn't even flinch if I saw Cheri walking across a tightrope or something."

Ella rolled her eyes with a smirk. "Whatever you say." She held Flint's shoulder. "Regardless, you may want to take a look at yourself and ask…am I happy with who I am?"

Flint looked up at her. "…is there something wrong with me?"

Ella shook her head. "Not in my eyes. Not in Wes' eyes. None of us think so, even Griffin…even though he won't admit it," she joked.

Tony lightly punched Flint's shoulder, making him wince. "The best thing you can do in a stressful situation is take a deep breath and find something to help you concentrate. Something to take your mind off the stress."

Ella nodded. "And, if you do have feelings for Gwyn…" She smiled caringly. "Just continue to be you, because that's the you she loves the most."

Flint looked between the two, then smiled lightly. "Yeah…right." He stood up. "I'll…try and keep that in mind."

"Ah, good morning, my dear!"

The three looked over and saw Reuben talking with Gwyn, who had just walked out from the motel. Flint narrowed his eyes slightly, then inhaled deeply to calm his nerves. He exhaled quietly, then made his way over to them.

Gwyn yawned and smiled tiredly at the Alolan Sandshrew. "Good morning, Reuben."

He grinned with narrowed eyes. "I take it you slept well?"

Gwyn looked off to the side with an unsure expression. "Um…sort of?"

He chuckled and held his hand out. "Well, we have a long day ahead of us and I certainly don't want to miss out on capturing those dreadful witches who've caused you so much strife."

Gwyn laughed awkwardly. "Hehe, yeah…looking forward to it." Her eyes wandered off to the side when she spotted Flint walking over. She instantly lit up. "Flinty!" She sprinted over to him and surprised him with a big hug. "I saw the breakfast you left me! Thank you SSSOOO much!" She nuzzled her cheek against his own.

Flint blushed with a sheepish grin. "It's what…friends do."

Reuben glared at the two as they hugged. Definitely going to have some trouble keeping those two apart.

Gwyn pulled away and smiled at Flint. "So, how's the investigation going?"

"Poorly," Griffin stated aloud, having overheard her. He held up the wrapped sword. "This is all we have in terms of leads."

Gwyn blinked. "That bad, huh?" She smiled. "Well, I have full confidence in you all! I-In fact…" She raised her arms and flexed them as a show of strength. "I-I'm more than ready to help track the witches down!"

Everyone ceased conversing and turned to the Mew in surprise. Just last night, she was whimpering about being anywhere near a witch's puppet. This was a complete shift in mood all of a sudden.

Gwyn's eyes widened slightly, then she shrunk back with a nervous face. "Um…was it something I said?"

Ella raised a brow at the Mew, then made her way over. "Green, I thought you were afraid of witches."

Gwyn laughed nervously. "W-W-Well, I wouldn't want to be a bother to anyone, so…best I contribute in any way I can, right?"

The team exchanged questioning stares with each other while Gwyn tried to keep her composure. She hoped they don't find out she was listening in on their conversation last night. She doesn't want them thinking she thinks she's useless. She just wanted to prove herself as a valued member of the team, even if that means facing her fears.

Thankfully, Wes was the one to speak up. "Well, if you're up for it, who am I to stop you?" She smiled cheerfully. "However, because of circumstances, we're having Flint and Reuben keep watch of you. Regardless of your fighting capabilities, we don't want to risk a witch getting their hands on you. Understand?"

She nodded. "Yes, of course! I completely understand!"

Wes smiled. "Well, great!" He rubbed his chin. "We'll have to question the town and see if they've met any suspicious characters. Shouldn't be too hard. We'll meet back up at the motel and organize our findings before getting into the meat of the investigation."

Flint nodded. "Gotcha."

"And while you all are doing that," Griffin said as he held the sword up, "Ella and I will try and pinpoint the owner of this sword."

"Great! Flint, Gwyn, and Reuben, you three take the east side of the neighborhood. Tony, Fernando, and I will take the west side." The teams nodded, then split off to do their individual tasks.

Two hours of time had passed since everyone split up. While the others were questioning the town residents about any strange happenings related to the puppets, Griffin and Ella were hard at work trying to examine the sword. The process was tedious since this was the first time Ella ever had to tune her psychic abilities for more than just blasts and telekinesis.

Being a Psychic-Type gave Pokémon of the Mysto region an edge to match magic users, though the Espeon never really took advantage of her talents in psychic power. Again, this was the first time she ever attempted to use clairvoyance, making the process all the more difficult.

She sat with her hindlegs crossed and her paws pressed together. A thick psychic energy surrounded her that lifted her in the air. With her eyes closed, she focused heavily on the sword in front of her, which also floated in her psychic power. It spun around loosely as Ella attempted to tap into her mind's sight.

Though, she had some trouble concentrated, namely from the strong fragrance that was being produced in the air. Apparently when Griffin said he knew some ways to help her concentrate, he was referring to incense. However, it wasn't actual incense since he didn't have the right materials, so he stuck with using berries to heighten her senses.

It heightened one of them, though: her taste.

Her stomach growled from the strong berry aroma filling her nostrils. She groaned tiredly. "I'm hungry…"

"Focus," Griffin said as he sat on the floor in a meditative position. "You must achieve proper balance with your mind if you wish to use clairvoyance."

Ella opened one eye at him. "How is this smell not bothering you? It's…pretty delicious actually." She took a strong whiff of the air and sighed blissfully.

Griffin shook his head. "I've trained my mind to ignore all outside forces. I simply let the aroma enhance and sharpen my mind to new heig-" He was cut off by the sound of his own stomach growling. His neutral expression twitched a bit as Ella giggled through her teeth. "…ignore that."

Ella sighed and focused back on the blade, much to her grief. "Come on, can't we take a break? I'm getting bored."

"We will continue working until you track down the weapon's owner."

Ella groaned. "How do we know it didn't belong to the Tangrowth?"

"Even if it did, we will still track its movements. Since it's cursed, a witch has been in contact with it." He glared. "Therefore, we don't stop until we find the witch."

"You're a jerk, you know that?" Ella rolled her eyes and looked back at the sword. "Fine, fine, I'll keep working." She closed her eyes and breathed deeply. "Concentrate…"

The room door flew open, which made her lose focus and plop down on the bed. Griffin glared at the door and saw Tony walk in with some plastic containers, followed by Wes and Fernando.

"Hey, hey, hey! We're back!" Tony exclaimed with his charismatic charm. He spun on his foot and handed a container to Ella. "Back with lunch. Here you do, milady."

Ella sat up and giggled with an amused grin. "Why, thank you…Sparky." She laughed as his face dropped to a scowl.

"He told you that nickname of his, didn't he?" He shook his head as the Espeon kept on laughing, taking the container from him. He looked at the floor and saw the cloth wrapped sword. He slid his foot under the blade and kicked it up before catching it. He spun it around skillfully. "How's the psychic stuff going?"

Ella groaned. "Terrible. I haven't gotten anywhere close to sensing the witch. Just exhaustion."

Wes waved his paw in front of his face. "Have you considered clearing the air then? It smells like a fruit stand in here."

Griffin grumbled under his breath, "Didn't have incense." He held his hand up as Tony tossed him his lunch. "Guess a break is in order."

"Agreed," Fernando said as he sat on the couch. "Picking up information was difficult."

"How come? Nobody home?"

"Oh, they were home," Tony said. "But, they were too scared to cough up any vital intel."

Fernando shook his head. "They're still afraid of the zombies. It was troubling bringing up the witches without raising even more alarm." He opened his container and pulled out a plastic fork and knife. "Thankfully, we found some work arounds and some reasonable leads to work with."

"Well, I'm glad it went well for you three." They turned to the door and saw Flint, Gwyn, and Reuben enter. The Flareon threw himself onto his bed and groaned. "We got some of the crazy ones."

Gwyn sat next to him and patted his head. "Oh, it's okay, Flint. It wasn't that bad."

"You're just saying that."

She smiled. "Does it make you feel better?"

Flint glanced up at her, then looked away with a small blush. "Yeah…"

Fernando looked at Reuben. "How bad was it?"

Reuben chuckled and held his hips. "Well, one of the crazier individuals ran screaming out of their home with a broom after pestering them about the zombies. Another one threw lamps at us…a lot of lamps."

Wes sighed. "Great, these zombies caused an entire town's worth of paranoia. We've pretty much limited our chances."

Fernando looked down at his food. "At least we got some useful information out of the folks we questioned."

Ella lay down and folded her forelegs before resting her head in them. "Do tell."

Fernando set his food to the side and leaned back, fingers intertwined. "Well, after the twentieth house, we came across a nicer individual who was more than willing to talk. He spoke about the zombie increase over the last couple months. Nothing too serious to take care of at first, but it got worse as the days passed. Zombies getting more aggressive. New ones popping up every day. It didn't take long for the town to discover the missing graves at the cemetery."

Flint held his chin. "Right…then, did this guy know what was going on?"

Fernando shook his head. "For the most part, he's been trying to keep his distance from the zombies. Can't blame him, honestly. We asked if anyone strange came into the town, but no one came to mind. Then again, with everyone staying inside so much, it's hard to see new faces pop up."

Tony leaned against the front of Ella's bed and scratched his chin. "He did mention something peculiar. He noticed some of the fresher puppets were much more skilled and agile in combat. Every other night, new ones pop up that are more than your typical mindless zombie. I'm talking doing martial arts and even performing magic."

Griffin's eyes widened. "Magic?"

"That's what the old guy said," Fernando continued. "He didn't understand how that was possible, but…for us, it was clear as day." He narrowed his eyes. "The witches seem to be experimenting on the corpses."

Ella crossed her forelegs. "For what purpose?"

"I'm not sure. It's most peculiar. Though, I want to do more research into this." He then mumbled aloud, "If it's linked to my case, it might prove useful…"

Wes raised his brow. "Case? What case?"

Fernando blinked, then smiled at him sheepishly. "Oh, did I say that out loud?"

Ella smirked. "Kind of did, bozo." She narrowed her eyes seriously. "You actually mentioned earlier you were all the way out here for a reason. You never told us."

Fernando scratched his head. "Ah yes, well…again, funny story actually, I…" He glanced between all of them. "…you all are a team, right?"

Wes nodded. "Yes, we are."

The Monferno narrowed his eyes at them, then turned his attention on Reuben. "Reuben, my apologies, but could you step out of the room for a moment? This is a discussion that must be kept private."

Reuben chuckled and held his hand up. "My friend, I can assure you can trust me."

Fernando shook his head. "Sorry, but I'm under orders. Part of my contract."

Reuben glared slightly, then shrugged it off with a half-hearted attitude. "Very well." He got up and headed out the door, shutting it behind him.

Gwyn blinked, then raised a brow at Fernando. "Why did you make him leave?"

Fernando sighed. "Because what I'm about to say can't be said to anyone else. I was given direct orders from Hal to not divulge this information to anyone but Wes, Flint, and Ella."

The Eeveelutions' eyes widened. "Wait, Hal sent you?!" they exclaimed.

He nodded. "Captain Specter himself."

Gwyn scratched her cheek. "Wait, Hal? As in that pirate guy who helped us find the Curse of Sickness cure?"

"That's the one!" Wes exclaimed. He clapped his paws together and laughed. "Oh man, Hal's just the best! Back when we were little, he and my dad would tell Flint and me stories about their greatest battles against each other. Sometimes Hal won, sometimes Dad won. They were mortal enemies!"

Griffin raised his brow. "Okay, considering Fern mentioned his name was Captain Specter, I take it this guy was a pirate?" Wes nodded. "…why are you friends with a pirate?"

Flint chuckled awkwardly. "Hal's retired. He's atoned for all his crimes and now runs a magic pawn shop back in our home village. He's crusty and loud on the outside, but he's a hearty fellow on the inside." Flint turned back to Fernando. "Wait, why did Hal send you out to assassinate someone?"

Ella rested her chin on her paw and rolled her eyes. "Someone must have beaten him in poker and got him pretty mad."

Fernando shook his head. "Actually, it's nothing like that. This isn't an assassination mission, it's an information gathering mission."

Team Ravenfield stared at him with puzzled expressions. Griffin held a finger up and asked, "Uh…is this Hal fellow senile or did he forget hitmen are for assassination?"

Fernando crossed his arms. "It was a strange deal when he called me, but the contract he asked for told me this was a serious matter. No one pays with that kind of money unless they were serious."

Tony leaned forward. "What contract are you under?"

Fernando pulled the right side of blazer off and rolled up his sleeve, revealing the tattoo seared into his fur. "The Contract of Flames."

With the exception of Gwyn, everyone's eyes widened. "He put you under the Contract of Flames?!" Ella screamed.

"Maybe he did go senile," Wes questioned.

Gwyn, a little embarrassed to be asking a question that seemed like general knowledge, raised her hand. "Um…what's a Contract of Flames?"

Flint rubbed her shoulder. "A very dangerous contract."

Fernando nodded as he pulled his sleeve down and readjusted his blazer. "You see, Gwyn, hitmen are born into families. When they are born, they are bred to be strong and healthy. Not just anyone can become a hitman. It's typically a profession that runs in the family. Hitmen are expected to live full, healthy lives. That's why we keep ourselves in shape.

"We're given contracts to detail the mission we must complete. Certain contracts are ranked based on level of importance, judged solely by the buyer and the hitman you're hiring. If you reach an agreed, a deal is made." He tapped his right arm. "The Contract of Flames is the most expensive contract a buyer can afford, and for good reason.

"This contract binds to my soul and essentially becomes my sole mission to complete. There are benefits to the contract. It keeps me from dying from practical means. Should someone 'kill' me, the contract will heal me up in a matter of seconds. Though, this isn't a constant thing as it only works a certain number of times in one day. That's why hitmen rely solely on stealth and assassination." He scratched his cheek. "There have been a few hitmen in history that have gone in guns blazing. My grandmother is a good example…"

Gwyn smiled. "Well, that doesn't sound too bad."

"Maybe, but hitmen have to follow the rules of the contract without question. Should I disobey the rules of the contract set by my client, I'm inflicted with the contract's curse." Gwyn shivered lightly, to which Flint wrapped his foreleg around her to calm her. "You see, when I break a parameter, my life is shortened. A bit of my life force is taken."

"That's…That's horrible!"

Fernando shook his head. "It's nothing to worry yourself about. We hitmen are about honor and obeying the rules of the contract. It's been established in our history. Besides, that's why hitmen are born to live full, healthy lives. A year of life shaved off my life expectancy isn't that big a deal. So long as we obey the contract given to us, nothing bad will happen. Plus, it's the only contract that does this and, like I said, I have to weigh the importance of the mission."

"So…this Contract of Flames basically has control over your life?"

"Pretty much. Should I be killed through my lifesavers, though, my soul will be tethered to the mortal realm. Downside, I'd be dead. Upside, I'd essentially be a ghost who can still interact on the mortal plane. No sleep, hunger, pain, or anything like that." He chuckled. "Heck, some of my ancestors lived on the mortal plane for even longer than most because they never completed the contract. It's little things like that you can take advantage of."

"Wow…hitmen are really cool," Gwyn muttered.

Fernando wagged his finger with a teasing grin. "Just don't go trying to be one, my dear. It's not the life for everyone."

Ella crossed her forelegs. "That still doesn't explain why Hal ordered a Contract of Flames, or why you accepted it. If you're not killing anyone, why did he hire you?"

"Like I said, hitmen obey the rules of the contract. A bounty hunter, as he said, could be easily swayed for the right price."

The gang glanced at Griffin with judging eyes. He rolled his own in annoyance. "If you want to judge anyone, judge Mack. He was the greedy one."

They turned their attention back onto Fernando. "Okay, so I guess that makes sense," Flint admitted. "But what's so special about this mission?"

Fernando narrowed his eyes seriously. "Let's just say it involves you six and your apparent mission."

They jumped back with wide eyes. Wes grinned nervously, darting his eyes left and right. "Uhhh…I have NO idea what you're talking about! Hahahaha…"

Fernando shook his head. "Don't bother, Wes, I know exactly what you six are looking for. You're a team after the same goal. I can tell. All of you are looking the keys to the Idol of Origin."

It shouldn't come as a surprise to the Monferno when the team froze up in panic. They've been keeping the secret silent for so long, now this hitman that only half of them knew about just casually mentions their plan.

Wes shook with a contrastingly calm expression as he raised a digit up. "Uh…how…do you know about that?"

"Because Hal told me. He told me exactly what you three were up to. I'd only assume these three knew because keeping a secret like that silent with extra travel companions would be near impossible." Fernando crossed his arms. "Technically, I was only supposed to mention this to you three, but it's not exactly a parameter. More so a request. I assume he'd be fine with me telling all of you."

Wes calmed down, then narrowed his eyes solemnly. "I guess that means you know about the shadows."

He nodded. "Hard to believe when Hal first mentioned it, but the man is pretty convincing." He crossed his arms. "I'm not liking what I'm seeing so far. If the shadows are returning, we're on the threshold of starting another war. Only this time, we might not last fifty years."

Tony glared. "So, what exactly is your mission?"

"To track down, locate, and identify the Shadow King," he stated. "I'm searching for his tomb. Whoever released him practically doomed the planet." He sighed. "I've been searching for a long time now, but have come close to finding suitable leads. All I got was some possible information of shadow worshippers here in Ghost Cove." He narrowed his eyes. "With witches involved, I think I might have found my shadow worshippers."

Ella rubbed her chin. "I suppose that makes sense. With witches being so unholy and all, they'd pledge their allegiance to equally unholy abominations."

"However, that's all I have for the time being," he admitted.

Wes narrowed his eyes. "Well, I'm not sure how useful this will be, but we do know the name of the person who released the Shadow King. Someone named Alex Ghostwind."

"Alex Ghostwind?" Fernando repeated. He scratched his chin. "Not familiar with that name."

"We have reason to believe he released the Shadow King," Ella said. "Four or five years ago from what we've gathered."

"Not that long ago, huh," Fernando muttered. He drummed his fingers against his chin. He closed his eyes and sighed. "It's not much, but a name at least points me in a new direction. I'll have to look up Mr. Ghostwind at a later date."

Gwyn looked down. "So…I guess we're all looking for the same thing, just in different directions."

"It appears so." He narrowed his eyes. "It's important you all retrieve that idol before anyone else does. Or at the very least, make sure the keys are never recovered."

Tony folded his arms behind his head. "Well, destroying them is out of the question. They're unbreakable. So, we either toss them in a one way dimension to never be found again or we keep them on us." He smirked. "Personally, I like our odds better. It's the fun route."

Fernando rolled his eyes. "In any case, it's important that we find the pieces to this elaborate puzzle and end any trace of the shadows for good. The harm they could cause in vast numbers would be catastrophic." He glared. "Which is why we need to find those witches and make them talk."

Griffin raised a brow. "You said earlier that you, Wes, and Tony got some information out of someone."

Wes nodded. "Yeah, about the unique looking puppets. The ones with modifications." He tapped his chin. "Call it a hunch, but something about that doesn't seem right. Making a mass of useless puppets and only giving some modifications? Doesn't seem right or sensible."

Tony closed his eyes. "Almost like they're purposely resurrecting everyone corpse they come across to find a…suitable subject." He narrowed his eyes. "It's odd, really. It really is like they're experimenting on the corpses, but we don't know why."

Wes grinned. "Which is why we're heading to the town's local library to look up anything we can on Puppet Masters." He then groaned tiredly. "Yay, hundreds of books to read…"

Flint held his chin. "I guess that means Gwyn, Reuben, and I can continue scouting out the town. Maybe find some clues that'll lead us to the puppets and their master."

Griffin sighed. "That may be for the best. Ella and I are still working on the sword over there. Either we find something or you three find something."

Fernando glared. "Just remember, if you find anything, alert us immediately. Don't engage unless necessary."

Flint nodded. "Don't worry, there's no way I'm fighting a bunch of witches on my own."

Gwyn nodded. "S-Same here…"

"I'm only making sure." Fernando held up his lunch. "Now, let's finish up our meals and continue with our search. We need to get this figured out soon." The team nodded, then resumed eating their lunches.

With the team discussing matters prohibited to be heard by Reuben, the secret witch was having a telepathic conversation with his coven, curtesy of the Dark Medium. "They're hiding something," Reuben thought.

"I could read their minds, but one of them is bound to sense my presence if they're sharp enough," the medium stated. "However, I was able to read a bit from the Flareon and Mew. They have very good awareness to be woken up by my probing."

"Did you find anything else other than their strong admiration for each other?"

"They're searching for a powerful relic. I'm not sure what, but I could sense the weight in carried in their minds. Must be valuable."

"I do not care for a stupid relic!" Callista stated over the telepathic call.

On their end, the Ariados was pacing back and forth in sheer annoyance. "I'm more concerned about your progress, Reuben," she muttered to herself. "Why haven't you brought me the Mew yet? The minute she is brought here, we'll be out in a snap!"

Reuben shook his head. "Sorry, my master, but the Flareon is proving to be bothersome. I can't get Mew alone with me without him looking over my shoulder. There's nothing I can do."

"Place him under an illusion or something."

"Can't," the Dark Medium pointed out. "If he can be stirred by my telepathic snooping, an illusion would be difficult to cast on him without it breaking from his magical sensitivity."

"Then use a regular mind trick or something! I want Gwyn Belladonna in my clutches! I didn't spend years gathering materials for that demanding creation demon to lose now! I worked hard to become a Spirit Summoner and a Ritualist for centuries! I'm not losing now!"

Reuben sighed. "I'll figure something out, my master. Just give me some time and I promise you'll have Ms. Belladonna for yourself."

"Then I can begin the sacrifice." She chuckled darkly, positively delighted to have the Mew within her reach. In time, she'll achieve the power she sought for so long.

Reuben glanced at the door for a moment, then closed his eyes. "Probably worth mentioning that her companions will be searching for you all."

"Just keep them away from the church," one of the witches interjected. "Can't be that hard."

"It will be if they decide to investigate it. I'll try and bring Gwyn there, but I can't make promises."

"Might I make a suggestion then?" the other witch asked. "Check inside your pocket."

Reuben blinked, then dug through his pocket. He pulled out five small, diamond shaped stones. Seared black rock with purple markings. "What are these?"

"A little something to get rid of the Flareon once you three are on your own. Then, once he's out of the picture, you can lead the little Mew over to us and we can leave this stupid town."

"What about the experiments?" He glared at the door. "They're starting to wise up. I'm not sure how long until they realize why we've been resurrecting so many corpses."

"If they do, it's not our problem. Regardless if they know or not, we will eventually find the right mix of seals to complete the plan."

Callista brought herself back into the conversation. "It's imperative that we finish. I still need you to perform that surgery if we are to please my master."

Reuben leaned back against the door and narrowed his eyes. "I get that and all, but you haven't really explained why this surgery is so important."

"The payoff will be worth it, I assure you. Just make sure not to get yourself caught or killed."

Reuben nodded. "Understood." The doorknob suddenly twisted. He narrowed his eyes. "Got to go. We'll continue this discussion later." He adjusted his blazer and stood with his hands behind his back, smiling casually.

The team, save for Griffin and Ella, and Fernando walked out. Fernando smiled apologetically. "So sorry about that."

Reuben raised his hand and waved it dismissively. "Oh, it is quite alright. I understand the importance of secrecy." He folded his arms behind his back. "So, I take it we'll be continuing with the mission?"

Fernando nodded. "Yes. You, Flint, and Gwyn will be sweeping the town again for any suspicious activity."

Excellent. "Very well." He winked at Gwyn. "I'll be sure to keep you safe, my dear."

Gwyn giggled. "Why thank you." Flint rolled his eyes and grumbled under his breath.

"Ella and Griffin will be continuing tracing the sword to its original owner. Wes, Tony, and I will be doing research on witches to see if there's any document studies or theories circulating the literary world."

Reuben smirked lightly. "Ah. Good luck with that." He walked up to Gwyn and Flint. "Best that we head off, I suppose." He nodded at Flint. "Let's hope nothing too exciting happens."

Flint narrowed his eyes. "…yeeeeah…" He smiled at Gwyn. "Okay, let's move." The three headed out of the motel with the other three close behind. Both groups went in separate directions to their destined locations. "I suppose we can start searching around the neighborhood again, to see if we missed anything."

Gwyn nodded. "Good idea."

With Reuben lagging behind a bit, he smirked sinisterly as he wrapped his hand around the charms in his pocket. Let's see how capable you are at defending yourself, Flareon. If you do care so much for this Mew, you might actually survive to see tomorrow.

Back in the abandoned church, the witches were preparing for their departure once Reuben returns with the Mew. They were packing away their supplies and getting themselves in line.

One of the witches, who was wielding a wooden staff with a bulbous tip covered in glowing purple markings, struck her staff down and faced their coven leader. "Callista, everything is in order."

"Excellent," she muttered as she got her supplies together. "We can't stick around here for too long. Once we escape, they'll have no way of tracking or locating us before I complete my ritual." She pulled her hood down and hissed. "That Mew was a lot of trouble to get."

"Couldn't you have just kidnapped her over the last decade?" the Dark Medium asked.

"I can't do much on my own. Besides, if I were to summon a demon to fight her, I would've drawn an audience." She shook her head. "Honestly, if I've met you all sooner, this wouldn't have been an issue. Regardless, everything is falling into place."

A witch with a knife hooked to his waist crossed his arms. "Question. Where are we going?"

"Somewhere," Callista mumbled. "I have a few hideouts we can work with. They aren't much, but enough to sustain us before I gain the power I seek." She crossed her front legs and hissed sinisterly. "And once Reuben perfects his craft, my other plan will fall into place."

"Assuming you can find your master," the witch with the staff pointed out.

Callista rolled her eyes. "Five years in this world and he hasn't bothered to come in contact with me. All this work I'm doing for him and he doesn't even bother looking for me."

The Dark Medium paced around the room. "Now Callista, do not think so pessimistically. We will find your master soon. It will take time, but I'm sure we'll-" She ceased walking as she ended up stepping on something. "What is this?" She bent down and scooped the item up.

It was an envelope with an 'A' wax seal pressed on the envelope lip.

She tilted her head in confusion. "How remarkably odd. Callista, come look at this."

A web thread shot from Callista's mouth and flung the letter over to her. She held it to her face and glared at the wax seal. "I recognize this seal…" She tore the envelope open and pulled the letter inside out. She unfolded it and quickly scanned the neatly written letter.

Her coven stared at her in silence, still pondering the appearance of the letter. From the multiple facial expressions Callista exhibited, be it anger, curiosity, more anger, and surprise, this letter seemed personally addressed to her.

"Coven leader?" the staff wielding witch asked aloud. "What is that?"

After finishing the letter, she tore it apart and threw the pieces to the ground. She pulled off her cloak and clicked her mandibles in laughter. She pulled her signature scarf out and tied it around her neck.

Briefly seen on the back of her neck before being covered was the glowing symbol of the Tribe of Shadows.

Once she tightened the scarf, she shook her head in laughter. "Puck, you bastard…" She faced her coven with newfound excitement. "Well, my coven, it seems there's been a change of plans. We will not be heading to the old hideouts, at least permanently speaking."

They narrowed their eyes in confusion. "What do you mean?" the knife wielding witch asked.

Callista laughed. "Oh…I've just been invited to rendezvous with…an old friend of mine." She clicked her mandibles in delight. "Oh, things are starting to look up for me. Soon eternal power will be in my grasp and I get to share that power with my master, the Shadow King."