Ch.47: Revisiting Old Times and Dreams! Hope Before the Bad Future!

A quiet evening came before the Circus of Enchantment as their caravan rolled along the light, misty roads before them. It was a cool day out, the mist providing a delightful cooling effect to Vince and his Tauros pack as they drove along the path. They cut around a lot of towns and cities, only making stops at the bigger cities and the occasional village to put on their usual show. As pleaded by his wife, they were making a straight shot for Spring Wells City. Vince still wasn't fond of detracting from the usual plan, but at least they might make good business in Spring Wells since it attracted new faces every day for vacation purposes.

Vince pulled a map out of his jacket and checked to make sure they were going the right way. He looked at the Tauros and shouted, "You boys getting tired?" he asked.

One of the lead Tauros at the front snorted confidently. "No sir! We can keep going! We got a few more hours left it us! Right boys!" They threw their heads up and bellowed powerful cries.

Vince chuckled and stuffed the map away. "If you say so. Just keep going straight until I say otherwise." They bellowed once more in understanding. Vince gripped the reins lightly, then leaned back to rest for a moment.

"Hey, Vince!" The Hawlucha glanced at the wagon opening as Garland showed himself. Much to the ringmaster's surprise, the Simipour was covered in soot and ash while wearing his daredevil uniform. "Quick question: when will we be stopping?"

"Uh…a few hours, probably." Vince glared. "What happened to you?"

"Oh, I was trying to improve my act! Now, imagine this: I fire myself out of a cannon, loaded with tons of explosive powder and amped up with multiple Launch Glyphs?! Ooh, and for the best part, I'll be in a straitjacket while blindfolded! I have to get myself loose without knowing when I'll hit the ground! My only chance: a parachute under the straitjacket!"

Vince stared at him oddly, then deadpanned. "Garland, by any chance, did you attempt to practice this without a helmet?"

"Maybe!" he shouted with a wide grin.

Vince facepalmed and shook his head. "Garland…go to bed. Also, talk to Patrick to make sure you don't have a concussion…or any form of brain damage."

"On it, boss!" Garland slipped back into the wagon. Vince focused back on the road, then flinched when he heard the water monkey slam into something. "What a weird place for a wall!" Vince sighed and slouched his head over. The life of their circus in a nutshell.

It was normal for the circus crew to take these quiet trips through the zones at their own leisure. They were either practicing for their next act or lazing around to pass the time. It was to be expected since their room carts didn't offer much for activity.

Still, they made the best of it, especially Nebula as she sat at a table with a window view of the outside. She poured herself some tea, then some for her lunchmate for the afternoon: Angel. The Raichu thanked her and took a sip of the tea. She set her cup down and sighed with delight. "Oh my…this is wonderful."

Nebula closed her eyes and grinned. "Why, thank you."

"I take it this is a regular thing you brew?"

The Brionne sipped her drink quietly, then sighed. "Ah yes, I find it relaxing. Plus, it helps soothe my throat." She giggled. "Magic or not, I need to keep my voice in prime condition. Usually something the next stage of my evolution worries about, but I like to keep myself healthy while I can."

Angel smiled. "Believe me, I know how you feel."

Ever since leaving the Fire Zone, Angel has been feeling better as the days passed by. She didn't find any trouble breathing thanks to the refreshing change in air. And, thanks to Nebula, a lot of her stress has been relieved. The pinniped knew a lot when it came to maintaining and restoring help. She has been a big help in getting the Raichu back on her feet. While not feeling one hundred percent, she felt significantly better than before.

With their travels, she was provided with a new set of clothes. She tried to refuse, stating Nebula has been a great help already, but the magician insisted, if only because she was getting tired of seeing their guests wearing ragged clothing. So now, Angel wore a white dress that fit around her body comfortably. The material was soft and silky to the touch. Over the dress, she wore a black coat that kept her warm, as she experienced the occasional chill from time to time. Compared to her old clothes, these were divine.

Angel sipped her tea again, then smiled at her roommate. "I don't think I've ever asked you, Nebula, but why did you pursue a career in the circus?"

Nebula leaned back with a gentle smirk. "What? Not something you expect a lady of my beauty to take part in?" she joked.

Angel laughed. "Oh no, no, nothing like that. I'm simply curious. I mean, the 'quali-tea' of your skills are remarkable. I've been 'oolong' for the ride for a while and just felt curious to ask."

Nebula chuckled quietly behind her flipper. "You're such a card…" Nebula leaned back and looked at the ceiling. "Well, I suppose it dates back to when I started out in magic. I was influenced by my species and took an interest in perfecting my bubbles. I was never much for combat, so I took up an interest in performing." She shrugged. "Eh, it was alright. Performed weekly at a local joint and took to dazzling my audience.

"Still, it was pretty lonely. Never bothered looking for a partner or group to practice with, so I mostly stuck to myself." She chuckled. "That all changed when I bumped into these guys. Ava happened to see me practicing and wondered if I was looking for a job. I pried a bit before being offered a spot in their troupe." She exhaled softly and blew a bubble. She balanced it on the tip of her flipper. "The offer did catch me off guard, but I was generally interested." She bounced the bubbled up, then folded her flippers over the table. "I don't say this much, but I always thought the circus was full of a bunch of weirdos."

Angel raised her brow. "And now…?"

She snickered. "Still do, but not negatively." She caught the bubble, then chopped it down the middle. Both halves remained intact and retained their shape. She spun the dome shaped bubbles on her flippers. "We act silly and play games in this little troupe of ours." She grinned. "You're never singled out among the weirdos. We're all weirdos here."

Angel chuckled. "My, my, an interesting way of looking at it."

"No, it's true. We're all a bunch of wackos looking for a good time." She snickered through her teeth. "Seeing the crowds smile and clap makes my heart pump with joy. We just do what we do and make money off it. Living on the road, never staying in one place for too long. Life's good out here."

Angel sighed and leaned back, swishing her tea around. "I never had the same luxury." She glanced out the window. "The Fire Zone was a dreadful place. My home for so many years, yet I grew weaker in its presence." She sipped her tea. "I've always wanted to travel and see the world. Hearing the grand tales from my ex about his adventures made me want to travel more." She sighed. "Never had the money or resources these days…"

Nebula raised her brow. "Hmm? Oh right, you mentioned you had a husband. You two divorced?"

Angel rubbed the back of her head. "Um…not officially, but it feels like that is the case." She looked into her tea, frowning. "Cheri never had a proper father figure to look up to. And my eldest, Tony, is…bitter towards his father. He has memories of him, but they've been tainted from the last eight years of poor living."

The Brionne narrowed her eyes caringly. "Sounds rough."

"Even if he did come back into our lives, I worry how Tony will take it." Angel set her cup down. "He holds eight years of resentment and anger against him. I doubt he'll ever find it in his heart to truly forgive him."

Nebula reached out and set her flipper over her hand. "Oh Angel, I'm sure it'll work out if it ever comes. I've never been married or went on dates, so I don't have much to contribute." She shrugged. "The only advice I can offer is don't take everything that comes your way for granted." She sipped her tea. "If I did, I might not be living the same cozy lifestyle I am today."

Angel smiled, then glanced out the window. "I suppose you're right." She narrowed her eyes. "…I'm worried about Tony…"

"You're a mother. Of course you're worried."

"Yes, but…I don't know." She closed her eyes and rubbed her forehead. "All that weird stuff Ava explained and Tony going on a dangerous quest…" She looked forward. "Do you know what's going on?"

Nebula finished her tea before pouring herself another cup. "Not a clue. When Ava mentioned we'd be trekking down a group of treasure hunters, though, I didn't question it." She looked the Raichu in the eyes. "Ava is a woman of many secrets. All I do know is that she was one hell of a fighter back in the day. Her eldest insists she's still got it." She smirked. "I think it's in your best interest to trust Ava and Morgan. They look like they've been at this for a long time. Trust them and your son that everything will be alright."

Angel gasped in awe, then smiled lightly. "I guess once I see him, I can reassure myself." She sipped the last of her tea, then held the cup out. "More please." Nebula grinned, then took her cup to refill it. Angel glanced over her shoulder. "Now that I think about it, I haven't see Cheri all day."

Nebula handed her cup back. "I saw her and Ava's kids following Faye earlier. Maybe they're hanging out with her."

"Oh." Angel giggled. "Well, as long as they are having fun…" She sipped her tea and sighed. "Aaahhh…so, any other interesting tales from the circus I should know about?"

Nebula smirked. "Where do I begin?"

While the adults were hanging out, the kids followed Faye to the cart that contained the props and supplies. It was fairly big, capable of storing everything used in the show while another cart carried the physical tent, stands, etc. Faye didn't like people playing in the prop cart without her acknowledgement, but she was more than alright with it for the kids.

Abby pulled out some juggling pins and tossed them around. "Hey, look at me! I'm a juggler!" One of the pins slipped out of her hand and bonked her on the head.

Carrie and Cheri held their guts and laughed while Faye quietly giggled. "I'd stick to wood carving if I were you," the Sliggoo advised.

Abby pouted in offense, then tossed the pins away. "Oh, whatever! Juggling's not my thing anyway!" She rubbed her hands together. "Now, what else do we have in here?"

Cheri pulled herself on top of a box and sat down. "You guys seriously are allowed to play with the props?"

"Of course we are! We do it all the time!" Carrie cheered. She flinched when she heard Faye grunt, making the Hawlucha chuckled nervously. "W-With Faye's permission, of course!" The Sliggoo smiled proudly.

Cheri grabbed an umbrella and spun it around her wrist. Much like her mother, she, too, was given new clothes to wear. She wore a cobalt blue top with bold, black print that spelled 'Respect My Awesomeness' and a white skirt. It was a little big on her since it belonged to Carrie, but quite comfortable, nonetheless. She also wore white bracelet with rhinestones on her right wrist. "It must be really cool that your mom and dad run a circus," she brought up.

Carrie dug through a chest and pulled out a rainbow wing. As she inspected it, she replied, "Yeah, it is. We're always traveling and seeing new places. We never stay in one town or city for too long."

"Downside is that we don't have many friends our age," Abby added as she plopped herself on a crate. "No school, either. We get most of our education from Andre."

Cheri scratched her cheek and thought through the list of circus folk she could remember. She snapped her fingers. "Oh, you mean that Tranquil?"

"He's the one. He's pretty smart and cool, but…ugh, I hate learning," the Medicham groaned, pressing her palms against her eyes and laying back.

Carrie giggled. "Well, it's not all bad." She grinned at Cheri. "We got a new friend to hang out with! Right Cheri?"

The Pikachu beamed in delight. "Of course! You guys have been so freakin' awesome!" She snickered. "Big brother's going to be jealous!"

Carrie placed the rainbow wig on her head and faced a nearby mirror. She posed in front of it. "Oh yeah, I pull this look off!" She stared at the mirror, holding her chin, then snapped her fingers. "Hey Cheri! Maybe you should join in on some of the acts!"

Cheri blinked and looked her way. "Me? A circus performer?"

"Yeah, why not?" the Hawlucha asked with a shrug. "Could be fun. I've performed in a couple of routines with my mom's permission. Sure, it takes a lot of practice to get everything down, but it's SO worth it!"

Cheri held her chin and stuck her tongue out to the side. "Hmm…well, it does sound tempting."

Faye slid over and leaned against a box. "I say go for it. You are our guest here and we wouldn't want you staying out of the action. You're a kid, I say try and have fun whenever you can."

Cheri stood up on the crate and crossed her arms. "Hmm…do I have to wear clown make-up?"

"If you want," Abby admitted. "The performers typically try their best to stand out for the audience, so being as extravagant as possible is a step in the right direction."

The Pikachu thought it over some more, then jumped around with a giddy smile. "In that that, YES! I want to be a circus performer!"

"You'll need your mom's permission first," Faye reminded with a sly grin. "The poor woman doesn't need an unforeseen heart attack coming her way."

Cheri ceased her jumping and landed on her rear, pouting. "Aww man, there's no way Mom'll say yes…"

Abby patted her shoulder. "Faye can explain everything to your mom. Trust us, safety is our guarantee in our acts."

"But I don't think I've seen you guys use safety nets or anything," Cheri pointed out.

"It's the illusion of danger~!" Carrie exclaimed in a mystifying tone. She chuckled and explained, "We do have safety measures if an act goes wrong. We just don't use traditional methods like nets or extinguishers. We take every little danger we come across and turn it into part of the act."

Abby nudged Cheri's side. "You know Garland, right?" She nodded. "Prime example, right there. He'll even go off script, which really bugs our dad, and do something completely unexpected. He…mostly comes out of it alright." The Medicham ruffled the Pikachu's head. "Point is, your safety is our guarantee."

Cheri beamed in excitement. "Awesome! Can I start now?!"

Faye tapped her chin and looked around. "I suppose I can set up a few hoops and a tightrope."

Carrie gasped suddenly, then shook Cheri. "Oh, oh, oh! We SO need to get you your own costume! We can ask Wallace to make one for you!"

"The Durant?" Cheri guessed.

"Yep! He loves designing new costumes!" Carrie clapped her hands giddily and squealed. "Oh, you'll look so awesome! Like you're truly a part of the troupe!"

Cheri squealed and grabbed the Hawlucha's hands, jumping around with her in circles. Abby and Faye covered their ears from the dual squealing, with the former visibly annoyed. "Cue the shattering glass," she muttered irritably. Faye merely laughed to herself.

While everyone was getting to know their new friends a bit more, Morgan and Ava were in the fortune teller's room, mingling over some alcoholic drinks. After persistent pestering, the Hypno finally convinced his old friend to cut loose a bit. Ava was hesitant, of course, but a few sips got her to ease up a bit. Though, she made sure to keep a level of awareness as she drank. Her youngest was in the room, napping in his crib. Thankfully, he's a heavy sleeper.

Morgan kicked his feet over the table and leaned his chair back, swigging his flask around. They were in deep conversation, reflecting on the old times in their adventuring days. "Ah yes, I can still remember when Garret got himself mixed up with those bandits. Boy, that was one hell of a day!"

Ava laughed, her face flushed lightly flushed from the drinks. "I…hehe…I told him to leave it alone, but you know how he gets. I can't remember what he wanted from all of that: their stuff or a fight."

"Why can't it be both?" Morgan threw his head back and laughed aloud, slamming his hand down on the table.

Ava chuckled behind his hand. "Fair enough." She held her glass up and swished the drink around. "He couldn't leave us all out of the fun, though. Alex was more than ready to pick a fight with those hooligans."

"HA! He would have got his ass kicked if Willow didn't step in!"

Ava narrowed her eyes with a sly grin. "You know Alex was drunk when that happened, right? Of course he wasn't going to be at his best."

"I was drunk, too, but I came out unscathed."

"Morgan, I don't think I've EVER seen you drunk. Seriously, how is that possible? You drink more than a packed bar. For as long as I've known you, I can't recall a time you've suffered from alcohol poisoning." She grinned in interest. "Tell me your secrets, you old Hypno."

Morgan took another swig of his flask and laughed, wagging his finger. "Uh, uh, that's for me to know and for you to figure out. I want to hold that record until my time comes." He folded one arm behind his head and continued to drink.

Ava laughed. "You're a real jerk, Morgan."

"Definitely not the worst thing I've been called." Morgan pulled his flask away and tipped it upside down, slightly disheartened to see it empty. "Never lasts as long as I want. Maybe I should get a bigger flask."

"Don't tempt fate," Ava warned with a large grin. "I don't want you pushing yourself over the limit, if you even have one."

"I'll manage." He capped his flask and stuffed it away. He closed his eyes and smiled. "Heh…I miss the old days when we fought as a team. It was good, real good."

Ava pressed her cheek into her hand, with her elbow against the table. "Those were some great memories we shared." She sighed. "And now it's just the two of us." She narrowed her eyes. "I wonder how Willow is doing…"

"I haven't seen her since the incident," Morgan said, sliding his hands into his pockets. "Still, I'm sure she's living well. I just hope Alex's…departure hasn't affected her negatively." He grimaced from remembering that day. "A lot went down in such a short time." He groaned and held his forehead. "I'm still not sure if Alex is dead or…still out there."

"Though, with the condition he came back in, he might as well be dead," Ava mentioned solemnly. She frowned sadly and lay her head in her crossed arms. "I can't imagine how he was feeling during the attack…if he could feel at all…"

Morgan scoffed. "If he truly is dead, his honor will be avenged once we put an end to this nightmare."

Ava looked forward. "How…do we go about killing the Shadow King?"

Morgan sat in his chair normally and folded his arms in his lap. He stared at the table's surface, contemplating. "Well, the prophecy states the six warriors will end the reign of shadows. However, if we're placed in an unwinnable situation, it might be best to use the Idol of Origin…" He looked into Ava's eyes and could see the reluctance to agree to such a plan. He closed his eyes and chuckled wearily. "I take it that's not an option for you?"

She clutched her robe tightly and breathed gently. "I'm…sorry, Morgan. It's just…that thing has caused so much strife between us. Back then, we were nothing more than your typical, run of the mill treasure hunters. Suddenly Garret gets an apprenticeship with a powerful sorcerer, then he discovers the idol's existence." She pinched between her eyes. "And, like the excitable oaf he was, he got us all roped into its secret."

Morgan narrowed his eyes and glanced off to the side. "…how do you think Wes and Flint will feel about their father's part in all of this? Do they even know what his consequences unleashed?"

Ava closed her eyes. "We have no one to blame for this dilemma. Nothing more than a series of unforeseen circumstances."

Morgan crossed his arms and glared bitterly to the side. "That idol has caused us more trouble than we can admit…" He shook his head and pinched between his eyes. "This conversation is getting depressing." He grabbed the bottle off the table and guzzled down the alcohol.

The Medicham smiled warily, though feeling a bit better watching the old Hypno drink his problems away…in any other context, THAT would sound depressing. She held her face and shook her head. "You haven't changed at all, Morgan. In body and mind…"

Morgan emptied the bottle and tossed it into the bin behind him. "I age…" He quietly belched into his fist. "…I age gracefully." He leaned against the table with his elbow. "Let's not dwell on the bad parts of the past. We need to take our minds off all this gloom."

The Medicham raised her brow curiously. "What do you have in mind?"

"Well, we can gather some of your buddies up and play a rousing game of poker," he suggested before pulling out his flask. "Might give us a reason to break out more alcohol."

Ava face-palmed and chuckled quietly. "You have a problem…" Morgan found himself joining in her laughter.

However, the moment was destroyed when the cart jutted to a sudden halt. Ava and Morgan flipped out of their seats, but landed on their feet seamlessly. They stood up, then cringed as the sudden stop woke Charlie from his nap and made him cry. The baby Meditite flailed his arms as he wailed.

Ava picked him up and patted his back. "Shh, shh, shh, it's alright, baby. Mommy's here." It only took a few seconds to calm the fussy child. As she rubbed his back, she glared at Morgan, who shared the same expression. "That felt too abrupt to be a pothole…"

Suddenly, her kids and Cheri burst through the door with panicked expressions. "Mom, what was that?!" Abby shouted.

"Did we get hit with an earthquake?!" Carrie yelled.

Cheri gripped her top worriedly. "Are we in danger?!"

Ava shushed them and pointed to Charlie. "I just got him to calm down," she scolded gently before tending back to Charlie, who sucked on his thumb.

"But are we?" Cheri asked again, this time quieted.

Faye finally caught up to them and leaned against the doorsill, panting heavily. "Ah geez, that took a lot out of me…"

Morgan held his hands up with a neutral expression. "Kids, you might be jumping the gun a bit. A number of things could have caused that stop." It was a lie on his part. It felt like Vince had to stop the wagons immediately.

Cheri clenched her teeth with fearful eyes. "B-But…I'm scared!" She pulled down on her ears. "I just know something bad is happening outside!"

Morgan narrowed his eyes caringly. Poor kid has lived her whole life being threatened by the scummiest crooks in the Fire Zone. It'd make sense she'd be the most anxious of the kids.

Before he could say anything, Nebula and Angel burst through the door, with the Brionne shouting, "We got a problem! There's a lot of guys outside holding us up! And I don't think they're friendly!"

Cheri's eyes widened, then tears began to well up. Morgan and Ava glanced at each other, then nodded. Morgan crouched down and turned Cheri around. "Sweetheart, listen closely. You and your friends stay with your mother. Don't come outside. All of you stay in the carts."

"What about you and Mom?" Abby asked curiously.

Ava crouched down and handed Charlie to her. "We're going to talk to these people and…hopefully ask them to leave."

Cheri whimpered, but Morgan rubbed her head. "Hey, dry those eyes. Remember what I told you back when I was taking care of you?"

She sniffled and wiped her arm across her eyes. "T-That…That you won't l-let anything bad h-happen to us?"

"Still holds true now." He wiped a tear away from her eye and gently pushed her towards her mother. "Stay with your mom and don't come outside. We got this under control."

Angel held Cheri as the Pikachu wiped her eyes. The children and adults watched as the pair of friends mentally prepared themselves before stepping out of the cart.

The door shut behind them, then they marched towards the front. As they got closer, it became more evident Nebula wasn't kidding about there being 'a lot of guys.' What she failed to specify was the large number of Pokémon standing in their way ranged more than fifty or sixty. By their best guess, they were looking at a group ranging in the hundreds. All armed with deadly weapons.

And in front of their ambush was a faint Hawlucha who looked like he wanted to pass out in fear. Standing at the very front of the massive gang was a Crabominable. He wore black, grungy clothes and wielded a knife tied to his right pincer.

He aimed the knife for Vince's throat and snickered. "Hello there~! I hope we're not bothering you! We just happen to see your wagon and thought about greeting you lovely folks!"

Vince shivered worriedly. "Who…are you people?"

"Oh, where are my manners?" He bowed to him. "I am Pelton the Mad! You may recognize me as the leader of the Bandits 500!"

Ava narrowed her eyes curiously. "Bandits 500?"

Morgan sighed. "I recognize these guys. They're a wanted group of bandits who roam the region in search of helpless travelers. The reason they're so feared seems pretty obvious. Literally one guy and five hundred trained grunts at his beck and call. Just one of the many 'luxuries' to find on the road."

Vince tried desperately to back them off. "L-Look, you don't want to rob us! We don't have much money!"

"Bullshit!" the snow crab growled. "We know you have valuables and we plan on taking them! Maybe even a hostage or two for the black market!"

Vince waved his hands frantically. "P-Please, just leave my troupe alone! We don't want to cause troub-!" Pelton, having enough of his jabbering, smacked him off his seat and knocked him to the ground. The knife attached to his pincer lightly grazed the ringmaster's shoulder. "Ugh…"

Pelton scuttled down and raised his pincer. "Not the answer I wanted, pal…" He thrusted the knife straight for his back, only for his pincer to be caught in a web of string. "What?! What is this?!"

Morgan had his hand up, lightly stretching his fingers as the purple magic string swirled around him. "Okay, that's enough out of you." With his other hand, he twitched his pinky and pulled Vince out of the bandit's range.

Ava caught him in her arms and set him down. "Honey, are you alright?"

He winced from the cut, then smiled tiredly at her. "I…wish I was as brave as you, sweetheart…"

Ava smiled caringly and kissed his forehead. "Oh honey…" She helped him rest against the cart, then stood by Morgan's side.

Pelton growled and pulled his pincer out of Morgan's string. He rubbed his pincers together and chuckled. "Ooh, we got a couple of resisters, gang!" An audience of laughter was thrown the duo's way, though they remained firm and unmoving.

Morgan glared lightly and took a step forward. "Ladies and gentlemen, I'm sure you've all come a long way for a stealing spree, but I'm afraid the circus troupe is off limits." He shrugged. "You're more than welcomed to rob some other poor sucker, but I feel it's my moral duty to stop you first."

Pelton smirked evilly. "What? An old guy and some housewife? HA!"

Ava raised her brow with a deadpan stare. "Housewife?"

Morgan glanced to the side with a light grumble. "Well, old's sort of pushing it…"

Pelton waved his knife at them. "Unless you want to take on all five hundred of my bandits and die, stand down and let us raid you of your precious cargo." The bandits laughed evilly. Pelton expected the two to back down and cower like any sane individual would. Who has the guts the take on all five hundred of his bandits? Bandits who have razed entire villages to the ground?

Pelton was in for a surprise as he witnessed the two conversing with each other nonchalantly. "Ah geez, this is going to cut into our arrival time," Ava groaned in disappointment. "I want to be there as soon as possible."

Morgan shrugged. "I get what you mean, but…" He smirked at the bandits. "Let's…take advantage of this golden opportunity."

Ava crossed her arms and raised her brow. "What are you thinking?"

Morgan rubbed his fingers together and flashed a smug grin. "Weeellll, I didn't want to say anything, but I believe your skills in combat have…rusted a bit over the years."

Pelton stared in disbelief, then waved his pincers angrily. "Uh, hello! I have an army of bandits here! Pay attention to me!"

Ava ignored the crab. She held her hips and smirked exasperatedly. "Oh! Excuuuuse me?! The drunk bastard believes I'm the one out of practice? HA! That's cute and all, but we both know it is you who's loss their touch."

Morgan slid one hand into his pocket and eyed the bandits with a growing grin. "Then let's see who can take out the most guys the fastest." He stretched and contorted his fingers, cracking the bones and exciting the muscles. "Just don't feel ashamed when I beat you."

Ava smirked to herself and laughed confidently. "Oh! OH! So, that's how it's going to be?" She shrugged with a wry smirk. "Don't say I didn't warn you."

"Um, HELLO!" They brought their attention back to Pelton, who was jumping up and down. "Do you idiots really think you stand a fraction of a chance against my gang?! You are all IDIOTS! My gang is filled with the roughest, toughest bandits in the region! They can take trained knights one on one! Quit wasting my time and stand down!"

Morgan held his hand up and summoned his magic string, letting it gently wrap around his hand. "Oh, but I haven't had a good tussle in ages. Should make for a decent time killer, wouldn't you say, Ava?"

Ava curled her hand into a fist. Teal magic exploded from the closed hand and shaped into a double edge broadsword. The blade was curved in the middle. She spun the construct in her hand, then took a battle stance with the sword raised over her head. "I agree."

Pelton staggered back in disbelief. T-These fools have a death wish! He glared at his bandits. "Well, you heard them! They want a fight! Go give it to them!" The bandits roared and charged straight for the adults.

Morgan and Ava smirked at the charging gang. "There's five hundred of them, plus their leader," Morgan reminded quietly.

"First to two hundred fifty-one, I presume?" Ava asked.

"Just try and keep up."

The bandits leapt at the two and thrusted their blades forward. Ava jumped over them while Morgan stood still with his hands behind his back. The blades came near him, but they got caught in a web of string surrounding the Hypno. The string wrapped itself around their wrists and held them in place.

They stared in shock at the Hypno as he smirked at them. "You all better not be a disappointment like those other guys I tossed around." He raised his hand and flicked it up, causing the string to unravel and throw them all across the area.

Three bandits landed on their feet and rushed him once more. Morgan effortlessly dodged their slashes with an easygoing smile. He got behind one bandit and chopped him in the back of the neck, knocking him out cold. The other two sped around him and aimed for his back. Morgan stretched his fingers and pulled up a Grid Wall, absorbing the knife stabs. He spun around and delivered a sharp strike to the Clefable's chest. The bandit hit the ground and groaned agonizingly.

"That's three ribs broken," Morgan commented. The other bandit, a Cacturne, tried to grab him from behind, but Morgan threw his fist back without looking and knocked him out. "And you will be suffering from a fractured skull."

Ten bandits charged at Morgan with spears, which he found amusing. He extended out more string from his hands. "Stage Set: Theatre House!" The string expanded outward and hung around from the ground and air. He twitched his middle finger and disappeared in a flicker.

The bandits stopped and stood back to back to avoid sneak attacks. However, the surrounding string wrapped around their ankles and tossed them in the air. Morgan reappeared and gripped a bunch of string connected to the bandits and gave it a hard tug. They crashed into the ground with tremendous force.

Meanwhile with Ava, she clashed swords with the bandits and proved to be the superior fighter. She parried a strike and bashed the hilt into their face, then threw a kick back into a bandit's sternum, causing them to collapse in pain. She danced gracefully around the attacks, slashing through their weapons and taking them down with no concern for her life. Why should she? She hasn't had this much fun in ages!

Five bandits jumped above her and swung down maces. She stopped them with her sword before conjuring a second one. She slashed them all across the chest before knocking them away with both. She spun the blades between her fingers, then crossed them intimidatingly.

"I suppose that 'housewife' comment wasn't too far off," she brought up before smirking. "Taking out trash and cleaning up scum."

The bandits growled and charged once more. Fifteen bandits wielding swords and shields. Ava closed her eyes and manifested the third eye of energy over her forehead. She let the future guide her to victory as she dodged sword swipes with ease. She blocked a strike and incorporated her own psychic abilities into her fight, blasting them away with shockwaves. She held her two swords with her Psychic and created two more.

She clashed vigorously against the bandits before sweep kicking five of them and blasting them away with a psychic pulse. She leaned back and dodged a sword swipe flying overhead, then kicked the attacker across the face. She formed an energy knife in her hand and tossed it over her shoulder. It struck a Marshtomp in the wrist, causing him to drop his sword before getting kneed in the face.

The remaining, immediate bandits near her took out their own knives and threw them. Ava held her finger up and stopped the knives instantly with Psychic, before turning them around and firing them back at their owners. They stabbed into precise weak points of the body, causing them to collapse.

Ava smirked in Morgan's direction. "So, what are you up to now?"

"Forty-two!" he shouted as he had twenty bandits trapped in his string, suffocating them before passing out. "You?"

Ava smirked at a group of bandits and quickly counted them down. She raised her swords and blitzed through them in an instant. The bandits stood in stunned silence before collapsing. Slash marks appeared across them. She spun her swords and boasted, "Forty-three."

Morgan chuckled with an annoyed glare. "Show off." A bandit went in to smash his head in, but Morgan jumped over the mace and landed on some string suspended in the air. He pulled his hand back and slashed downward, cutting the bandit up. "Now we're tied." Ava rolled her eyes and laughed.

While all of this was going on, the others were looking on within the safety of the carts. Cheri pressed her face against the window and gasped happily. "Mr. Morgan is winning!"

Angel smiled. "He sure is, sweet pea."

Abby pumped her fists in the air, laughing. "Oh yeah! Go Mom! Kick some bad guy butt!"

Ava barely overheard this and looked her way. She chuckled in embarrassment. "Oh sweetheart, you're making me blush. I'm not as strong as I used to-Oh, hold on a second!" She dodged and grabbed a chain flung her way before pulling the bandit towards her and slamming her palm against them. They collapsed immediately.

Morgan wrapped string around multiple bandits and slammed them into each other before shouting, "Didn't I tell you all to stay out of this?!"

Cheri opened the window so she could be heard clearly. "We were worried, Mr. Morgan!" She smiled and flailed her arms excitedly. "But not anymore! This is so awesome! You're really, really cool!"

Morgan scratched behind his head. "Well, I don't mean to brag, but…" He glared to the side before catching a punch and breaking the attacker's hand. "Just stay in the cart. Last thing I need is for them taking hostages and thinking they have us beat." He slammed his palm against the bandit's face before heading towards a larger crowd of bandits.

Ava slammed her fists on both sides of a Gliscor's head, making his head rattle, then grabbed him by the tail and bashed him against the other bandits. More bandits rushed her from all sides, to which she smirked as her teal aura expanded off and took on a new shape. "You boys are in for a real treat."

They were suddenly kicked away by a crystal foot sent them flying. They gasped as something moved around them and delivered a flurry of powerful, crippling punches. They staggered in pain, then collapsed to the ground.

The rest shook in horror as Ava stood next to a teal colored Celestial Guardian. It had its arms crossed as it glared down at them with piercing red eyes, reflecting an attitude of calmness. Both it and Ava radiated with a thick, powerful magic aura that scared the bandits that could sense magic.

Pelton's eyes widened in fear. A Celestial Guardian?! You have to be highly educated in magic to summon one of those!

Morgan pulled his attackers towards him and slammed his foot and palm against them. He saw more bandits running up from behind through his peripherals, so he spun around and pressed his middle finger and thumb together. String was tightly wrapped around both digits. He flicked his finger and fired a concentrated purple bolt that pierced through a bandit's shoulder.

Morgan smirked as he rapidly flicked bolts at the bandits, knocking them down one by one. He raised his other hand and flung it forward, binding ten bandits together. He coiled the sting around both hands and contorted his fingers. "Deadly Dance of the World!" He crossed two fingers and pulled.

The bandits were suddenly flung in the air and spun wildly. The energy swirled around them, resembling a massive, spiraling ball connected to a string. Morgan skillfully maneuvered the large attack, even performing a couple of tricks (highly resembling yo-yo tricks), then slammed the spiraling ball down on a group of bandits, grinding them into the ground. He dragged the sphere across the ground and pushed down a whole row of bandits.

Morgan could not stop the grin stretching on his face. "Hahahaha! Oh man, this takes me back!"

Ava and her Guardian punched through a whole row of bandits, with the Medicham laughing. "Let me guess! You're thinking about that time we raided the Onyx Coat Gang!"

"Oh, we left that place in shambles!" Morgan exclaimed as he slammed the sphere down and finally unraveled the trapped bandits, who looked beyond sick and disoriented.

As the two repeatedly tore through the bandits, Pelton was left cowering in horror. I…What have I gotten myself into?!

It was late in the afternoon back in Quartz Plain Village. Normally at this time, most Pokémon would be awake to get down to business. This, however, did ring true for Jonathan Geno.

The Scrafty lay in bed, tossing and turning as he slept. Scattered all around his bed were books about mythology and anything related to the history of the shadows and the Idol of Origin. He has spent countless days looking up all he could on the subjects, trying to find the answers he needed to make sense of it all. But so far, he's come up with nothing.

And now his mind rattled with confusion.

The professor clutched his head desperately as he faced down in his bed, muttering snippets from his nightmare. "…not happening…their destiny is…it can't end like this…"

Jonathan ran through a dark labyrinth of hallways, trying to find his way to Team Ravenfield. He stopped for a moment to catch his breath. He panted worriedly and gazed around the multiple hallways lined in his sight. He stood tall and shouted, "Wes! Flint! Ella! Where are you three?!" He clenched his teeth tightly. "What's going on…?" He picked a random hall and ran down it.

He could hear the laughter growing all around him. It was maddening to listen to. It echoed from all around him, even sounding like it came from inside his head. He held his ears and ran aimlessly through the labyrinth.

"Ravenfield, where are you?!" Jonathan shouted desperately.

The endless hallways melted into the darkness, making Jonathan stumbled forward and fall on his face. He grunted and picked himself up. He looked ahead, then recoiled as flames nearly hit his face. He jumped to his feet and stepped back in horror.

He stood over a cliff side and gazed down at the flaming landscape before him. Homes withered away in the flames. Pokémon screaming terror as black masses of fog chased them down. He turned away from the deathly screams that followed. Clouds of ash and smoke flew through the sky.

Jonathan clenched his teeth in fear as the black fogs took on monstrous shapes. The shadows. They threw their heads up and cackled as another town crumbled under them. They stared down a cowering group of Pokémon with sinister glee before divebombing them.

Jonathan forced himself to look away before the blood was drawn. He held his mouth, feeling physically sick. He tried to walk away, to continue his search for the young treasure hunters…when a dark voice spoke by his side.

"You're becoming quite the nuisance, Mr. Geno." Jonathan spun around fearfully, but saw no one. His heart raced frantically as the voice continued, "Digging and digging for the answers. How valiant of you to help Team Ravenfield with their cause. Not that…your efforts will amount to victory."

Jonathan clenched his fists. He swallowed his fears and asked, "Who…are you?"

The voice chuckled. "You're a smart man. I'm sure you can figure it out for yourself."

Jonathan narrowed his eyes and breathed heavily. "…don't tell me…you're…"

The voice laughed once more. "You've been depriving yourself of sleep. How unfortunate, but I can't allow you to continue."

Jonathan held his held and paced around. "I'm not hearing this…I'm not hearing this…"

"Team Ravenfield will never see the end of their journey. And your involvement will only add fuel to the fire." The voice laughed. "Only I know how this will all end. If you continue down this path, you will only bring misery."

Jonathan growled furiously, in spite of his trembling fears, and searched around for the dark spirit. "I don't know what you want with me, but I know Wes and his friends will find the Idol of Origin and keep it out of your clutches."

"You don't even know the trouble that idol has caused in that few millennia. They aren't the only ones to learn of its existence. Many others have learned of its existence, and they all died with its secret because of its potential."

Jonathan's eyes widened. "What?"

"Absolute power corrupts absolutely. It brings promise to the weak-willed. It ends with misery." Jonathan stepped forward and tightened his fists. "Many have resisted its tempting power, but what hopes can be said for a group of young, immature adults?"

Jonathan pointed at the sky and shouted, "You listen to me! They're not going to be corrupted by the idol! They're strong! They will find it and make sure you and your shadows never get their hands on it!"

"You hold a lot of faith in that claim. I wonder how long it'll take you to break?"

"What does that mean?" Jonathan never got a verbal answer after that. Instead, his attention was brought to an explosion just over the landscape. He gasped and ran towards the source. "Ravenfieids! Ms. Cipher! Anyone!" He trekked over the land, then instantly recoiled in horror.

He…He didn't want to believe what he was seeing before him, but…the imagery was too graphic to deny. Scattered over the ground, laying lifeless, were the corpses of the team he praised so much on winning.

A Grovyle laying against a pillar with his own sword jammed through his chest. A Dewott, who he believed was Tony, lay in a pool of blood with both arms and legs broken. The Mew, Gwyn, had her upper half crushed under a mountain of stone, covered in bloody scratches.

The two that really horrified Jonathan were Flint and Ella. The Espeon herself was barely recognizable, as he saw a charred body with patches of pink fur remaining. Flint was riddled with scorched holes, like he was shot endlessly by beams. His eyes were fogged over and lifeless.

Jonathan adverted his eyes from the massacre, shaking in sheer terror. "No…No, this isn't…this isn't real…"

"AAAAHHHH!" Jonathan flinched, then turned his head with a sharp gasp. There, he saw Wes being clutched by the throat in the grasp of a darkened figure. He wore a cloak and armor, with the mask of the Tribe of Shadows. Wes, who was covered in blood, glared furiously at the killer. "You…You won't…get away with this..."

The figure chuckled darkly and held his palm to his face. "So much for destiny. Now…begone." A dark energy swirled in his palm before engulfing Wes in a powerful beam. The Umbreon through his head back and screamed in agony as he disintegrated into nothingness. His cries echoed endlessly through the land, trapped in Jonathan's traumatized ears.

The Scrafty dropped to his knees and stared at the ground. He paled with horror. His eyes shook as the scene replayed endlessly through his mind. "Wes…Flint…Ella…everyone…"

A foot stepped in front of him, causing him to look up and face the masked man responsible for all of this. He laughed mercilessly. "You can't stop me. Very soon, I shall return to this world and exact my revenge. You will perish along with them."

Jonathan clenched his teeth down and growled. "You…will never win. You've lost once. What makes now different?"

The Shadow King laughed, then aimed his palm at him. "Now? Now I have the Idol of Origin mere stepping stones away." Magic built up in his hand. "You don't even know what I've done to ensure my victory. You will die if you continue to meddle in my affairs." He fired the beam, then everything went dark.

Jonathan shot out of his bed and screamed. He clutched his covers in a death grip as cold sweat dripped down his body. He looked around with a paranoid stared. He pressed his back against the backboard of his bed and shivered apprehensively.

He felt around his face to make sure it was all a dream, then sighed with relief. It calmed his nerves down, just a bit. Not enough to make him forget the horrible things he was subjected to. He checked his wall clock and, through the light of his window, saw it was past three o'clock.

He glared down, lightly panting, crossed his arms into his lap. He held his face and grunted quietly. "Who…are you, Shadow King? What do you want with me?" He glanced out the window, watching as Pokémon walked around in the streets. "…I can't keep this up forever. I…I need answers, now."

Pelton shook in terror as he watched his gang get taken down before his eyes. Sure, he may have suspected one, two, maybe ten, guys would get taken out. However, the large body count piling up in front of him quickly dashed his confidence as the Hypno and Medicham drilled through his men, without a single hit being inflicted on them.

Morgan had a large group tied and restrained by his string. He flung everyone up, then grabbed the string as he retracted, slamming the goons into each other. He smirked and snapped his fingers, triggering the string to form an energy tornado that threw the bandits everywhere. "Two hundred forty-five!"

Ava and her Guardian slashed through rows of bandits, with her Guardian wielding a magic sword construct as well. They both sweep kicked the bandits, then slammed them into the ground. "Same!"

They glared forward, frightening the ten remaining bandits. Fearing for their lives, they turned tail and ran. Morgan smirked and slammed his hand down, sending string through the ground. "Gordian Trap!"

Five of the bandits found themselves bounded by the string as it surfaced. Their movements were frozen as they were dragged back to Morgan through the ground. Morgan swiped his leg across their heads and slammed them into the carts.

Ava glared at him. "Hey! Watch the paint job, buster!" She pointed forward, ordering her Guardian to chase the other five.

Morgan smirked. "You're just upset I have more points."

Ava's Guardian appeared before the bandits, scaring them. It cracked its knuckles, then delivered mighty blows against them. The shocks of its punches blasted through their bodies. The Guardian ceased and vanished, letting the bandits pass out. Ava smirked at the Hypno. "Looks like we're tied."

"Not quite." They both glared at Pelton, who froze up.

O-Okay Pelton! Play it cool! T-They just took out a-all f-f-f-five hundred of your guys! N-N-No reason to PANIC! The Crabominable raised his knife and aimed it 'threateningly.' "H-Haha! S-So you took out all my guys?! Y-You think they were the r-real threat?! HA! Now you get to face the big boss! All while you two are completely exhausted!" He continued with his forced, confident laughter.

Morgan and Ava deadpanned at him. Morgan whispered through his teeth, "Does he seriously think he's a threat?"

"I almost feel bad for him," Ava whispered back. "Do you think one of us should be his hostage just so we don't shatter his pride?"

"Sounds pretty demeaning if you ask me."

Pelton couldn't hear anything they were saying, but their calm demeanor sent nervous shivers throughout his body. T-They're not even cowering!

Ava sighed and held her hands up as she walked over to him. "Okay, play time's over, you creep. We're gonna have to turn you all in."

Pelton waved his knife threateningly. "I mean it! I'll kill you and everyone in those damn wagons if you come closer!"

Morgan walked by Ava's side, hands in his pockets. "You bandits get more and more desperate each year. A little overkill to have five hundred bandits by your side, but I can't say it isn't effective."

Pelton growled, then pulled his pincer back. "FEAR ME!" He threw the knife at the Hypno.

He stepped out of the way, though it did rip through the upper part of his left sleeve. He glanced at the tear, then stared at the snow crab with an amused smirk. "Oh, would you look at that? You ripped my sleeve. Guess you really are the toughest of your gang."

Pelton quivered, then gasped as Ava grabbed him by the jacket and lifted him to eye level with a harsh glare. "Apologize for hurting my husband, now," she ordered coldly.

The snow crab shivered. "I-I'm s-s-sorry-"

"Louder!"

"I'M SORRY!"

Ava smiled and dropped him. "There you go." She held her hips and sighed. "I better get Patrick so he can drive the wagons."

The doors to the cart burst open and Cheri leapt onto Morgan's arm, hugging it. "That was so FREAKIN' COOL!" she exclaimed.

Morgan rubbed the back of his head and chuckled. "Thanks, kiddo."

Angel stepped out with the others. "Are you both alright?"

Ava waved it off. "Oh, we're fine." She rubbed the back of her head and groaned. "Man, we're both pretty rusty. That should have lasted three minutes at worst."

Morgan chuckled. "We were fooling around a bit."

Abby and Carrie ran up to their mom and jumped excitedly. "You really are an awesome fighter, Mom!" Carrie exclaimed.

"Yeah, those were some sweet moves!" Abby praised. Charlie opened his eye and waved his arms around at his mother.

Ava kneeled down and took her baby in her arms. "You girl are too much." She glanced over at Vince. "Both of you, help your father into the cart. He's gonna need his rest."

"Right!" They ran over to Vince, with Abby doing most of the work getting him up. "How are you feeling, Dad?"

Vince held his side. "To be honest, pretty sore…" He chuckled. "And that kids is why you don't upset your mother…" They laughed a bit and helped him back inside.

Morgan pulled Cheri off and set her down. "Feeling better, kid?"

Cheri rubbed her eyes a bit and smiled. "Yeah, I am…" She blushed in embarrassment. "I was being silly, wasn't I?"

He patted her head. "You're used to having your big brother protect you. No reason not to be scared. Besides, these guys were chumps." He looked at his sleeve and groaned. "Darn it, this is one of my favorite shirts, too."

Ava held her hand out. "I can have Wallace sew it up for you, if you want."

He smiled. "Thanks." He pulled his vest and shirt off and handed it to her. He wore a white tank top. There were some visible scars peeking near the shoulder. On his left arm was a white bandage wrapped snuggly on the upper arm. After handing his shirt to Ava, he stretched his arms. "Heh, I missed fighting alongside you."

She cradled Charlie in one arm, threw the shirt onto her shoulder, and held her hip with a smirk. "Would have been nice if we had the whole team together, too."

"Not sure how I feel about that. Garret or Alex would have gotten greedy and taken them all out in an instant," Morgan joked.

Angel rubbed her head with a tired smile. "Dear me, when you said you were a bounty hunter, you weren't kidding."

Morgan stretched his fingers with a smirk. "I'm a natural."

Nebula and Faye walked to the front of the carts. "We'll check up front to see if any damage was made," Faye said over her shoulder.

Ava nodded, then guided Angel and Cheri back to the cart. "Alright, that's enough excitement for one day. Perhaps an early dinner."

"Can we have pizza?!" Cheri exclaimed as they stepped in.

"I'm sure we can work something out," Ava said with a smile.

Morgan was left standing outside, hands in his pockets. He took a moment to look at the fallen bandits and the cowering Crabomiable. He closed his eyes and smiled. Heh, I do miss the old days. His eyes then opened as he frowned. Heh…the old days…life gets better and now this shit is brought back into my life.

He glared up at the sky. All that talk about the old team made him miss them. Garret and Clara are gone. Alex is somewhere, not right in the mind probably. Willow's on her own. It's just him and Ava. Back then, his heart would race at the thrill of a real fight. He hasn't had one of those in a long time. Even today, he couldn't get his heart to race. He just never felt that same spark of passion he once had, even if he's having fun.

He rubbed the back of his head and faced the carts. Maybe he'll get back into the groove when the time comes. Right now, they needed to focus on getting Team Ravenfield ready for the dark future ahead. They had to be ready. They had to be better than them. Better than the old Team Ravenfield. Even with two keys collected, the shadows were not a threat to take lightly.

He sighed tiredly and walked towards the carts. One thing was certain for the Hypno, though.

I really need a drink.