Ch.77: A Precious Soul! See Its Beauty Thrive!

"So Griffin, how's that hubris of yours? Still standing strong?"

"Sh-Sh-Shut up…" He sniffled a bit.

"Sorry, what was that? Couldn't hear you over the sound of your sniffling."

"I will…ugh…"

Team Ravenfield had trekked through the Snow Zone for roughly three days before taking a rest in a nearby lodge. While their motives were to find a nice warm place to stay in for a day or two, a secondary motive came from a sudden ailment befalling Griffin.

As expected, a Grass-Type or any Pokémon weak to the cold weather couldn't possibly survive the bitter winds without the proper clothing. Griffin ended up getting sick through their trip. They were thankful to find the lodge on their way through.

Griffin's nose was stuffed. His temperature was a little high, with his cheeks heated and red. He shivered on the main lobby's couch while a blanket was wrapped around his body. He sat near the fireplace while being checked by Gwyn.

Ella, meanwhile, was having her fun in berating the stubborn Grovyle. "I mean, it's almost like this could've been avoided if you had listened to a certain beautiful and refined Espeon who knew this would've happened-"

"Alright! I get the point!" Griffin growled, before rearing his head back and sneezing. "Agh…ugh…"

Tony rolled his eyes as he sat across from him. "So, when were you going to tell us this wasn't the first time this happened, Hothead?"

In Griffin's initial delirium, he accidentally spilt that he has gone through the Snow Zone on a number of occasions without proper winter wear. His argument was that he wanted to toughen his body to all the worst elements imaginable and has yet to conquer his vulnerability to the cold.

"I was hoping to make it the whole way through without making a scene…" he grumbled.

Tony smirked. "I think this just proves I'm smarter than you."

"I'll kill you," Griffin grumbled.

"You wish."

Ella clapped her paws. "Boys, boys, no fighting. We can mock Griffin later." He shot a glare at her. "Let us just take this time to relax. Take it as a sign…that we shouldn't be sleeping in the snow in the first place!" She groaned and ran her digits through her fur. "My fur feels so dryyyy…"

"Aww," Gwyn pouted before hugging her. "I can make you a special shampoo for that if you want."

"Pwease~," Ella begged in a baby voice.

Wes rolled his eyes and chuckled a bit. "Ella, you look fine, now and forever."

Ella smirked at him. "I appreciate the sentiments, but I'd prefer by fur kept to its usual smoothness."

Wes chuckled once more, then felt Tony nudging his side. His ears drooped at the knowing grin he was giving him. Now he was beginning to feel how Flint felt. Granted, he got off easy since the Flareon was tortured by both Tony and Ella, but still.

Speaking of the Flareon, he came back over with a carrier full of hot drinks. He set it down on the coffee table. "Okay, I got soup for Griffin." He nudged the mug over to the Grovyle, who muttered a 'Thank you.' "And hot chocolates for the rest of us." He passed them over to his teammates, saving Gwyn for last. "Here you go."

"Thanks, Flinty." She took her mug and noticed the whip cream on top was shaped to look like a rose. "What's this?"

Flint rubbed the back of his head with a light blush. "Heh…I asked the barista if she could make a little rose for you. You know, because you're…um…" He gulped and looked away. "You're…like a rose, you know…"

This was his poor attempt at flirting. Tony and even Wes bugged him on the way here before he finally cracked and decided to be a bit bolder with his advances. Now, he lacked any courage to ask her to be his girlfriend, so he wanted to start small with some flirting. He wanted to say she was pretty, or try for cute as an alternative, but his speech kept locking up whenever the word was at the tip of his tongue.

He thought he butchered his attempts, but it seemed to have some effect on the Mew. She stared at him with a light redness hidden in her cheeks. Her tail started wagging against her will. A sudden impulse came over her. She set the drink down and threw her arms around him in surprise hug, shocking him, as she wore a huge smile on her face.

"D'AWW! You're so sweet, Flinty!"

Flint's ears and tail stood on end, with sweat dripping down his face. He grinned nervously. "I-I-I-I thought you'd might l-l-like it…" 'Sweet Mew, how am I still awake?!'

She bounced back and took her mug in hand, giggling. "It's so cute!" she said, commenting the rose. She sipped her cocoa, sending delightful jolts through her body. The could hear her squealing with joy at the taste.

Flint smiled, but then was pulled back by Tony. He whispered, "Good move, Romeo. Next, why don't you sweep her off her feet and give her a smooch?" he teased.

Flint's face went bright red before shoving a pillow in the Dewott's face. "S-Shut up!"

Gwyn stopped drinking and looked at him. "Something wrong, Flinty?"

He went rigid with embarrassment. "Um…n-no, I'm fine. Tony was just saying something stupid, that's all."

"Same routine, then?" Griffin grumbled.

Tony shoved the pillow away and glared at him. "Alright, listen here, Edge Lord-!"

"Boys!" Ella scolded. "Shut up!"

"Yes ma'am…" they mumbled.

Wes rolled his eyes, mostly focused on the map. There was still some minor debate about which key they should seek next, though they were more or less agreeing on searching for the Key of Power. The real question was this mysterious challenge they'll have to take. There was mention that Benedict's challenge for the key was unlike anything the other mages held. They still weren't sure what that could possibly entail. For all they know, they wouldn't actually have to fight for the key, though that'd be odd for someone dictated as the Power Mage.

He sighed and rolled the map up. "Well guys, I guess finding the Power Mage is our next move."

Flint glanced at him. "You sure?"

"Even Morgan and Ava said we should try and get it, just to see why Benedict's challenge is 'different,' whatever that means."

Flint scratched his cheek. "Uh huh…well, I'm on board with you. Even if we can't get it, the Key of Metal is still on our list."

Ella rested over the couch. "Yeah, but we're not going anywhere until this grump gets better." Griffin rolled his eyes and grumbled to himself, probably rethinking that bounty he had on them. "Guess we'll just have to hang out here until then."

Flint sighed. "We shouldn't be taking too much time. I'd feel comfortable getting the keys now than later."

Gwyn bounced onto the couch next to Tony. "Aww, we can still have fun, Flinty! I never got to play in the snow before!" She clapped her hands. "I heard snowball fights are most delightful! Can we have one?"

"Gwyn, I…" Flint was going to decline her offer, but he reconsidered immediately. Tony probably would kick him if he didn't take to the Mew's request. Plus, while there wasn't much to the Snow Zone, he promised to show her the history and even beauty of each zone for what it offers. He smiled at her. "You know what? Yeah, we can have a snowball fight."

"YAY!" she cheered.

Tony smirked and shook his head. "That's the spirit, I suppose." He leaned back and rested along the couch. "I think I'll just catch some Z's instead."

Ella sighed. "Don't have much to do here. Maybe I'll join in the snowball fight."

"I'll just stay here and die," Griffin groaned, sipping on his soup.

"I never took you one for the dramatics," Ella teased.

Gwyn sipped the rest of her cocoa, sighed in content, then exclaimed, "I'll get my jacket!" She raced off to their room in a flash.

Once she was gone, it was a full bombardment of teasing for Flint. "D'aww! Look how sweet you're being to her!" Ella gushed, shaking Flint likely as he stared ahead, deadpan expression with a notable blush. "I hear wedding bells~!"

"Will you cut it out?!" Flint shouted, smacking her away. "I'm just…trying to show how much I respect and care for Gwyn as a friend."

"Sure, sure, we believe you. Though, you might want to tell your tail that," Tony pointed out.

Flint's eyes widened as his tail was involuntarily wagging. Thoughts of the adorable green Mew kept playing through his mind. The idea of being hugged and complimented by her just filled him with a pride and joy he couldn't refuse. He pressed down on his tail. "W-W-Well…" The two laughed while he went red faced. "You two are the worst…"

"D'aww, don't be like that, Fluffy~!" Ella teased apologetically (if that was even a thing), then hugged him. "We don't mean anything bad."

"Sure…and don't call me 'Fluffy.'" He looked away and crossed his forelegs. His face heated up once more. "…Only Gwyn's allowed to call me that."

"D'AWW-!"

"Shut up!" he growled.

Ella chuckled and held her paws up. "Okay, okay, I'll stop teasing you for the rest of the day."

Flint sighed in defeat, but took what he could get. "Thank you…" He scratched behind his head. "But…seriously, does…Gwyn think I'm cool?"

Ella smirked. "She talks about you all the time with me, so I think you're pretty high on her list." Flint smiled happily. "You know what would really get her gushing over you, though?"

"What?"

"The girl likes lemon squares." She nudged his side. "Give her a batch of those and she'll be all over you. Maybe even give you a little smooch on the cheek."

Flint blushed brightly at the thought. "I'm not much of a baker…"

"She'd still love the sentiment."

Wes chuckled and pulled Flint aside. "I'm sure she would." He waved the map at Flint. "By the way, when you're done with your little snowball fight, want to practice some magic with me? I was thinking of some cool combos we could do."

"Combos, huh?" Flint looked up. "I may have a few ideas off the top of my head."

"Sweetness! Like what?"

"Well, I was thinking I could use my Verto spell while you do…your…" Flint's eyes wandered off to the side when he spotted another patron in the lobby, sitting on the other side of it. "Wait…is that…?"

"Flint?" Wes questioned as his brother walked off to the person. He looked at the others, who just shrugged.

Flint narrowed his eyes as he drew closer. That's when he picked up the familiarities. An Alakazam. Green buttoned shirt, khakis, and flipflops. The cane with the pink gem. The distinctive blue eyes.

'It is him!'

"M!"

The Alakazam looked up from the book he was reading. Flint couldn't make out what it was, though. It was written in some sort of text he couldn't read. It must've been written in the Ancient Text, the original writing. Maybe Ella could read it. Anyway, the elderly Alakazam glanced to his side, then greeted the Flareon with a kind smile.

"Ah, it seems fate has woven our paths to meet once more, my friend." He bookmarked his spot, then closed the book before turning himself around. "Enjoying the wonderful scenery today?" He picked up a mug of hot tea and sipped it delicately. "Beautiful weather, is it not?"

Flint looked at the raging snow, then grinned awkwardly. "Um…I'm sure it is." He smiled at the Alakazam. "It's been a while. How have you been?"

"Taking to my personal travels with an upbeat grace. I simply love the changes I come across every time I return to an old town or city. Progress and change, simply amazing." M sipped his tea, then set it down. "And you, young man? Hopefully you've been taking swimming lessons since our last encounter," he joked.

Flint chuckled nervously. "Um…sure, let's go with that." He waved his paw around. "Just…traveling with my friends. Things are going great."

"And how is your girlfriend?"

Flint blushed and pawed at the floor meekly. "Um…sh-she's fine…she wasn't t-taken by witches or anything. A-Also…she's not my girlfriend…"

M chuckled lightly. "Of course, of course."

"Hey, yo, Flint!" The Flareon looked over his shoulder and saw his friends joining him, with Tony asking, "Who's the old guy?" Griffin punched him in the arm, though it was a little weak. "Ow…"

Not fazed by the remark, M smiled kindly and stood up. "Ah, all your friends. Ooh, seems one is missing though."

"Found my jacket!" Gwyn ran back into the lobby- no, wait, she actually tripped while she was running and slid back into the lobby. She sprung up, unharmed. "I'm okay!" She blinked, then walked over. "Did I miss something?"

"Ah, all six of you are here." M chuckled. "Pleasure to meet all of you."

"Uh huh…" Ella leaned over to Flint. "Seriously, who is this guy?"

"Right, so, remember when I explained Reuben tried to drown me?" They nodded. "Well, this is the guy who revived me. Team, let me introduce you to M."

M bowed to the team. "Charmed. Any friend of Flint's is a friend of mine."

"You sure we can trust this guy?" Tony asked cautiously. "He seems harmless, but…"

"He's fine, trust me," Flint assured. "Oh, M, let me introduce you. This is-"

"No need, young man." He pointed between the six and, to put it simply, left Flint dumbfounded. "Griffin Everfall. My, that looks like a nasty cold you have there." Griffin responded with a sniffle. "This bold gentleman must be Tony Sapienti. Have a lot of wit to you, I bet." Tony chuckled with a wry smirk. "This lovely lady must be Ella Cipher. I say, you look positively divine, my dear."

Ella giggled behind her paw. "Why, thank you. Of course, I am."

"This must be your adventurous little brother, Wes Ravenfield." Wes grinned and tipped his hat. "And last, but certainly not least, this radiant flower of innocence, Gwyn Belladonna. Flint seems quite fond of you. Worried so much for your safety back in Ghost Cove."

Gwyn blushed with a small smile. "Really? Aww…"

Flint resisted the urge to blush, looking into a more pressing matter. "H-H-How…How did you…I never told you all my friends' names!"

"WHAT?!" his team shouted before jumped back and preparing to arm themselves.

M held his hand up. "Settle down, I am no threat."

"Then how the heck do you know who we are?" Tony questioned with a piercing stare.

M scratched his head with his cane, then looked down with a pensive stare. "Oh dear, she was right, perhaps I shouldn't be so forward in my greetings…"

"…Huh?" the team sounded.

"Apologies, I suppose your kind do not take lightly to such spontaneous greetings."

"…Your kind?" Griffin questioned.

Flint shrugged. "I don't know…"

"Let it be known, though, that you six aren't as unknown as you think," M then mentioned. "A good enough eye and basic research will tell anyone that you all are a magnet for disaster. Truly fascinating, wouldn't you say?"

"Wait, what do you mean?" Ella asked.

"Well, while it hasn't been discovered who was responsible for a certain massacre in Scorch Grave City, I was able to get some information about a certain group of treasure hunters on the scene. There was also a wanted poster of you, young man," he addressed to Tony. "I think you made a Luxio very mad."

Tony blinked, then grinned. "I have my own wanted poster now? Awesome!"

"And it is hard not to know of the infamous Blood Moon Rogue, the bounty hunter rumored to have slain countless warriors and take up their weapons as trophies." M picked up his tea. "As I've come to understand, the rumors are merely skewed. My guess is you take the weapons to avenge the fallen against their true murderer."

Griffin raised his brow. "Huh…and I thought Sparks here had an eye for skewed details."

M chuckled after taking a sip from his mug. "That's what amazes me about your kind. Whether we admit it or not, many of you wish to make your names in history known somewhere." He sat down. "I knew a young woman who was just like that…she had a charming spark that attracted me. She wanted to make her place in history and be immortalized throughout time."

"Did she?" Ell asked.

"Heh…depends on who you ask." He sipped his tea again. "I have many interests. I simply love to meet new people and learn more from them. I wish to know their motives, their dreams, their passions! I want to see what drives that soul to live."

Wes blinked, then narrowed his eyes curiously. "What's this talk about souls now?"

M smiled with a little excitement. "You all know what a soul is, right?"

Griffin glared. "Is…that a trick question?"

"Well, if you wanted to know about 'soles,' ask a cobbler." M slapped his knee and laughed.

Tony flinched with a short grin. "That almost sounds like a joke my mother would make…"

M sighed and swirled his drink around. "A soul…an internal force that exists within all living creatures. It is our life beyond the physical realm. The entirety of an existence, rolled up into a single form. A cycle of life and death, with a new soul born to exist a new life." M waved his book around. "I have a fascination with the soul, because, depending on the soul, it's a lot more powerful than the physical body."

Gwyn pointed curiously. "What's that?"

"A book I've been reading." He showed it to them.

Ella squinted her eyes at the title. "…hmm… 'The…Beauty and Nature…of an Eternal Soul.'"

"Ah, you understand Ancient Text?"

"I dabble. You?"

"Fluent." He smiled at the book. "Three thousand years old, much time before the integration of magic. It's my favorite book." He opened to a random page. "'A life once spent, enduring the times that strive, born anew when the cycle is complete. A new life is made. A soul that grows with the purest glows. The perfect soul.' What is a perfect soul?" He closed the book. "Perfect…what a strange word.

"Is there such a thing as the 'perfect soul?' A being so pure that no harm could ever be dealt to them? Life goes their way? Heh…sounds more like luck tipping on the side of the soul, but such magic exists nowadays." He closed his eyes. "Sounds like charisma. Sounds like a blessed soul of Arceus. Who knows?"

Tony looked up and smirked a bit. "Living the perfect life? That sounds like a dream come true."

M chuckled. "When a soul is reborn, many times a new life comes about. A new journey and life to take after all is said and done." He narrowed his eyes. "Though, is it some mystical force of the soul? Or a strong desire to thrive?" He smiled to himself. "A soul's power to thrive beyond life. Alongside the physical world, a strong soul can make the living stronger."

He smiled at Team Ravenfield. "Young ones…what desires do you have? How strong is your bond? Are you willing to go to the ends of the earth for each other's goals?"

Wes raised his brow. "What do you mean?"

"You see, another reason I love to meet different types of people is to also learn of their character. Those different aspects we all have in nuance. Perhaps my beliefs are simply quixotic passions that hold no real weight to discovery, but it's a wonderous thought. And the one aspect of character I have yet to properly analyze from your kind is…the value of teamwork."

Tony darted his eyes around curiously. "Are you…doing some sort of paper or something?"

M chuckled. "I suppose it's not something you come across daily. What does my fascination with souls have to do with teamwork?" He rested his cheek against his fist. "Perhaps it all derives from what I said earlier: the nature of a soul to thrive beyond life."

Griffin narrowed his eyes. "Are you perhaps referring to the notion of a soul's unlimited potential?" His teammates glanced at him funnily. "I think he's asking if becoming more in tune with our spiritual presence can help us perceive the world better."

M nodded. "Not just that, but also understanding…why we do things." He tilted his head. "Like…why do we seek thrills? Why do we put ourselves in danger for the sake of a loved one? Why do we endure and suffer so much to meet an end goal?" M scratched his chin. "A soul is the very essence of our characters. If we were to connect with one another and understand feelings through our souls, I bet we could understand each other as people better.

"And that's why I'm interested in the value of teamwork."

Gwyn smiled. "Is it like having friends?"

M chuckled. "A little more than that. I think you six are the prime example of what I'm talking about." He rested his arms in his lap. "You all have dreams and ambitions, don't you?"

Ella rolled her eyes. "Well, some of us are still looking…"

"And I believe you all want to keep looking for that goal…even if it means cheating death." The group blinked at him, making him chuckle. "Ever read any stories about heroes overcoming great challenges despite the odds being stacked against them?"

Wes and Flint nodded together. "Oh yeah, plenty," Wes brought up. "Our father used to tell us many legends of great heroes in myth."

"So, ask yourselves, why would anyone go beyond their physical limits? How could they? And how could one cheat death?" He chuckled. "Maybe it's not necessarily cheating death, but ignoring the consequences. A strong soul can make anyone forget the mortal limits you all share and achieve feats one didn't think possible.

"Many young souls want to live a good life. Many others want to be remembered for a previous life. And some will go beyond their physical limits to be remembered for the right thing." He smiled. "If we could understand the true feelings of each other, we could work together in ways that could defy that of gods and monsters."

Wes narrowed his eyes. "Defying gods, huh?"

"Mortal Pokémon defeating Legends. Sounds silly, but…nowadays, not so much." M flipped through his book again. "…We have many reasons to fear death, even if our souls go on to the afterlife. Never to see a loved one again. Unfinished business. A dream yet to be achieved. The kind of thing wandering warriors bet their lives on for the innocent. You have to admire their commitment, knowing that any battle could be their last."

Griffin's mind flashed to the dozens of weapons in his inventory. He clenched his fist tightly, scowling at the image of Voss in his mind. "I can understand that feeling…"

"A soul's strength comes from one question: 'Is this the end of my life?' Imagine you were trapped in a perilous situation. Say you were being held captive, tortured by the worst of the worst. All matter of torture, mental and physical, has been dealt to you, yet you still persist to live." M stopped on a page. "A common response would be 'That's it. This is the end of my path. There's no other road ahead.' Often, they'd be right. Situations of that kind seem impossible to continue after. But what of those who peer through the obscurity?

"Those of greater willpower deny such a notion and say 'This is where my path should end, but that's only because the enemy blocked my path.' Sometimes the inevitable is just another roadblock. Sounds contradictory, but…who said we were allowed to follow the rules of Fate?"

'Fate…'

That word echoed through Team Ravenfield's mind. Their fate was to defeat the Shadow King, even if it costed their lives. And if the Idol of Origin fell into his hands, it would truly be their inevitable doom. A failed prophecy and a doomed universe.

But…is the inevitable just another roadblock?

"Mr. M?" Gwyn asked, raising her hand.

"Yes?"

"How does one change their fate?"

M smiled. "Well, one of the more obvious options is divine intervention, but that's not always around to save the day. One could dabble in darker forms of magic to alter the universe itself so that a grim fate is avoided, though who knows if it only brought upon one far worse. But perhaps instead of relying on the gods or dark magic, one could always just change fate themselves."

Ella raised her brow. "Ah yes, changing an unchangeable force on our own. Why didn't I think of that?"

M shook his head. "Fate is told in stories to be inevitable. No matter how hard you try, it'll always come and fulfil its destiny. The more you avoid your fate, the closer it comes to meet you. Though, I suppose that's just drama to escalate the severity of the situation. Mortals don't deny fate because of this belief…but how many actually try to defy what is set in stone?"

"…By relinquishing Fate's hold on the physical realm." The group looked to Tony, who had his arms crossed. He smirked at the old Alakazam. "Fate is unavoidable to a mortal because they are only in tune with their physical being. But a soul is the fate after Fate. What fate is for what is unbound by the mortal coil? You're saying that if someone were to be more in tune with their spiritual self, they can break the chains of Fate."

M grinned. "I figured you were a smart lad."

Griffin held his chin, after sniffling a bit. "Seems unusual if you ask me…"

"When a life is on the line, maybe even the whole world's, would you want Fate to be the only thing to hold you back?" M sighed and leaned back. "Some say that if they knew their fate, they could avoid death. But how confident are you to avoid fate if you know the answer? And some wouldn't want to know in fear of the paranoia. Perhaps that's why one shouldn't obtain the knowledge of all, otherwise they may be driven mad.

"Admittedly, we don't want to be told when our end comes. We want to believe we know when that time comes of our own account. And some can perform miracles of their own power to fight that fate. That is how warriors of legend and myth win in the end. Despite all odds, we wouldn't die happy knowing what we did was in vain."

Flint raised his brow. "You speak a lot of mighty challenges. Gods and monsters and all that…"

M flipped through some more pages before closing his book. "I feel it be a suitable example for you six." He waved his book at them. "Bringing me back to my previous point…I want to know how much you all are willing to go through to help each other. How well do you trust each other? Understand each other?"

The group looked at each other curiously, scratching their heads. It was no surprise that the Eeveelutions were pretty close, though Ella's secrets from her own childhood friends did leave doubts in the question. As a team, they've only been together for over a few months. Maybe longer. May have been almost a year since the Eeveelutions actually started their journey. The birthdays they must've missed out on.

As a team, how much did they trust each other? There was only one time where they truly fought as a team, even though Ella had to sit out near the end. In a way, they felt like they could've done more. They certainly trust each other, otherwise they wouldn't have gone this far together, but how deep could that trust go?

They watched as M set his book down and stood up. "Maybe we can get a better understanding of what makes you six so strong."

"How so?" Gwyn asked.

"I'm a good judge of character…and I know a thing or two of understanding the souls of others. Sometimes you may learn something about yourself you didn't even know."

Tony scratched his cheek. "What are you? A fortune teller?"

"Not fortunes." He got on one knee and faced the Dewott. "I can understand the feelings of others."

"Like an empath," Ella guessed.

"Exactly." He held his hands up to the Dewott's face. "If…you don't mind, of course."

Tony blinked, then sighed and gave a light shrug. "If you insist…"

M placed his hands on the sides of Tony's face. He felt a bit uncomfortable with the personal contact, but then eased as the old man hummed quietly to himself. The others stared at them with intrigued, wondering how such a process would go.

About a minute passed before the old Alakazam opened his eyes and looked straight at the Dewott. "You have…a soul filled with passion. Wild and fervent, yet also balanced with a strong awareness and sensitivity." He took his hands off Tony and stood up. "You are like a controlled storm with a brilliant mind others cannot see."

Tony blinked, then chuckled sheepishly. "Brilliant mind? I'm not that smart."

M smiled. "Give yourself some more credit, young man."

Griffin narrowed his eyes and stepped forward. "Alright, I need to see this for myself."

"I'm quite interested to see the story your soul tells." He held the Grovyle's face. "Oh my…"

"My soul?"

"No, your skin is just very cold." Griffin grunted while the old man laughed. "Get better soon, young man."

"Just read my damn soul or whatever."

M did his work, sensing the burning energy that surrounded the Grovyle. He could feel the heated power existing inside him. It was truly fascinating. "My, my…your soul holds quite a lot of rage."

Griffin rolled his eyes as the old man stepped back. "Gee, thanks, I would've never guessed that."

M smiled. "Anger is certainly a powerful emotion, but what else is to anger? I see more to your soul than just that. I sense desire, too."

"D…Desire?" Griffin asked, confused.

"Outwardly, you carry yourself as this menace of rage and fury, even in your soul. But you also desire what was once serene. You desire…something close to your heart. Can't quite tell what, but…you do want something that isn't tethered to your rage."

"Huh, so not every part of you is an angry fireball," Tony quipped, earning a glare from the Grovyle.

"You may act bitter on the outside, but I see that you do have a strong heart." M smiled at Griffin. "My advice…learn to live."

"Learn…to live?" Griffin narrowed his eyes, then stepped back.

Ella waltzed over. "Now you've got me curious. I'm ready for my soul reading!"

"Hehe, very well." He held Ella's face and closed his eyes. Every so often, there'd be a slight twitch in his face, possibly a reaction to what he was reading. "Hmm…Ms. Cipher, are you confident in yourself?"

"Confident? The MOST confident!" Ella narrowed her eyes. "What? Are you saying I might be self-conscious?"

"Far from it, actually. You appear to be capable and strong of mind." He crossed his arms. "And you certainly have a soul that strives to do more. Though, you also seem…conflicted."

"Conflicted?"

"Fighting against desire and…love. Almost like something in your life is…holding you back from spreading your wings."

"Desire and love, huh?"

"Specifically…familial love."

Ella narrowed her eyes. "Yeah…that…sounds about right." M held his hand out to her.

"You're a strong young woman, Ms. Cipher. Whatever conflicts rage in your mind, have faith in yourself. Your words can make your beliefs shine true."

The Espeon smiled awkwardly. "If you say so…" She smirked at Flint and pushed him over with a bit of Psychic. "Come on, bookworm, you're up."

Flint gulped. "Um, sure…" He closed his eyes as M held his face. "How…are you able to do this, anyway?"

"Hmm…just a little talent I picked up. Could say I've had this trait my whole life." M chuckled. "Perhaps it's what inspired me in my research." He narrowed his eyes. "Ah…fascinating…"

"Fascinating? What?"

M stepped back and held his hip. "You…have a particularly strong soul. A kind spirit and a brave nature."

The group blinked, completely blank-faced at the Alakazam. Wes pointed at his brother and asked, "Brave? Flint? I'm confused."

M smirked. "Don't let appearances fool you. As I said, some parts of you even you aren't aware of yourself. And I say that Flint's soul shows he is courageous, perhaps by instinct alone. It'd make sense. Above all else, you were willing to run into danger to save your friend."

Flint looked away. "Nearly costed my life…" Gwyn frowned sadly.

M bent down and patted the Flareon's head. "Would you do it again? For your friends?" He nodded his head at Gwyn. "For her?"

He took a brief glance at his friends, his stare lasting on Gwyn, then faced M with a small smile. "…Yeah, I would." This brought Gwyn's mood back up, with a small blush in her cheeks.

M closed his eyes and grinned. "Have more faith in your confidence, boy. Deep down, you have a strong heart to protect everyone you care about."

Flint nodded. "Okay…thank you, sir." He stepped back, with Gwyn jumping up into view.

"Me next, me next!" she demanded cheerily.

M chuckled and bent down. "Alright, young one, come here." He held her face. "Now, let's…" However, he paused for a moment and stared at the Mew closely.

Gwyn blinked curiously, noticing a slightly difference in his face. His eyes and smile…they looked sad to her. His eyes looked glossy, too. She noticed his touch was soft and gentle, like he was holding a small child in his hands. He laughed quietly under his breath. It, too, sounded sad.

"Mr. M?" she questioned.

He blinked, then rubbed his eyes. "Sorry, my dear…" He chuckled much softer. "You just…remind me of my daughter. I…I haven't seen her since she was a baby. Some…things kept me from seeing her more often."

"Aww…" She patted his hand caringly. "Are you okay?"

He smiled to himself. "Yes…I am. I just…" He stared at her with light eyes. "I just know she's doing well…that's all that matters."

Gwyn smiled. "That's good."

"Yeah…it really is."

The group stared at the man with some amount of sympathy. Tony, while sympathetic, couldn't help but raise his brow at the Alakazam. 'Hmm…'

M closed his eyes and concentrated on Gwyn's soul. Gwyn wagged her tail patiently, feeling a little tingly with excitement. The smile on M's face told her it will be.

"Heh…why am I not surprised?" He stood up and looked down at her with a bright smile. "Your soul is almost completely pure. Such innocence and sweetness. You are someone who is easy to get along with. Someone with a positive nature that makes you well loved by all who are graced by your presence."

Gwyn giggled and held her cheeks. "D'aww, really?"

Ella chuckled behind her paw. "Yeah, that sounds about right. Gwyn's our cutie of the group." Gwyn giggled bashfully, wiggling from the compliment.

Griffin raised his brow. "You said…almost pure."

M waved his hand around. "Aside from priests, no one soul is completely pure. Gwyn's soul, however, is naturally clean of impure thoughts and sinful natures. She's naturally sweet and innocent. I'd say she's the closest to pure of any being that isn't a priest." He narrowed his eyes. "There is a bit of a…darker nature buried deep inside you."

"Darker nature?" Gwyn repeated with a tilt of her head. Her eyes widened, recalling some of her…brief episodes. "O-Oh…that…darker nature…"

"Completely separate from you on a normal basis, but…it's definitely there."

Flint stepped up and patted Gwyn on the back. "I've seen Gwyn get mad a few times and…she did seem completely different. We…figure she got it from her mother."

M closed his eyes. "A pure heart is strong…but darker emotions aren't always a bad thing." He smiled at Gwyn. "I'd say if you understand those emotions, they'd make you even stronger. Regardless…never lose sight of that heart of yours, Gwyn. You have a spirit many don't have. And for a Mew, no less." He smirked a little. "How unusual, if I must say."

Gwyn blushed bashfully. "Heh…I get embarrassed whenever it's brought up."

"Don't be. You should be proud to be born as a mortal Mew. I can sense you are strong, in heart and magic." M grinned. "My advice, my dear: never change. You bring a certain joy that lights everyone's world." Gwyn closed her eyes and gave her beaming, adorable smile.

Wes smiled at his teammates. "I'm happy to have these guys as my friends."

M waved him over. "Well, step forward, young man. Let's see what story your soul has to tell."

Wes chuckled and stepped up to him. "If you find any sins tainted in my soul, it's probably a lot of greed. I've stolen quite a bit in my younger years."

"Wes, you still have a bit of a stealing habit," Flint brought up.

Wes stuck his tongue out at him as M held the Umbreon's head. "What is one sin to many virtues?" He closed his eyes and focused on the Umbreon's soul.

The group waited patiently for his reply, for about a minute or two. M seemed to be taking his time with Wes, though. He was really focusing and studying the Umbreon, which made him curious to what could be written into his soul. Something important, perhaps?

"Huh…"

"Huh?"

M took his hands off him and stood up. "Young man, may I ask you a question?"

Wes shrugged. "Shoot."

"What do you inspire to be in your life?"

Wes grinned. "Easy! To be the greatest treasure hunter of all time! To tower over the greats and reign as the best! To be recognized for amazing discoveries!"

M held his chin. "A dream like many others. And it holds truth in your own soul. You seem to have a strong fascination with discovery and adventure. Although, I do sense some…underlying emotions."

Wes blinked. "Hmm? What do you mean?"

"While I don't see you placing an act for anyone's benefits, I do see that you have some feelings that you've been trying to…suppress. A bubbling…anger deep inside you."

Wes and his teammates blinked. "Anger?" he asked. "I…don't have anything to be angry about, honestly."

"A soul doesn't lie. This seems only fairly recent, maybe over the last few months." He narrowed his eyes. "Is there anything that may have come up in your adventure that may have brought these emotions on?"

"I'm not sure there's anything particularly spiteful I could mad at, save for…" Wes blinked, then narrowed his eyes. "Well…maybe…" He shook his head. "N-Never mind…"

M raised his brow. "Too personal to say?"

"Um…sort of." He looked at his friends. "It…concerns some…information we got regarding how my father…" He looked at the ground. "Like I said…it's nothing…"

The group blinked, then Flint narrowed his eyes. "Wes…you're talking about what happened to Dad, aren't you?"

Wes turned to the group. "I…try not to think about it too much. I mean…we were told how he…you know, from some people who found is body in the snow. We all thought he was in a terrible accident." He glared. "I…you know how upset I was when we learned the truth. What…really happened to him." He sighed. "I just…tried to move the thoughts aside and focus on our mission."

"Guess that explains why I didn't sense any immediate rage in you," Griffin brought up.

Flint's ears flopped. "Wes, you…keep hiding your emotions away without…at least trying to talk to one of us. Or me."

Wes closed his eyes. "Look, it's…not that big a deal, alright? What's…done is done, I suppose. I just want to focus on getting what we need done…done."

M took hold of his cane. "If I can offer my own two bits to the discussion…" Wes faced him, as did the team. "You all have a lot of potential to grow. Some of you have faults that you need to overcome. And Wes…" He looked down at the Umbreon. "I can tell you're a passionate young man who wants to do what he thinks is best. From what I can tell, despite your extroverted behavior, you're very reticent. You don't want to worry anyone and prove you can stand tall on your own.

"I ask that all of you, down the line, do some soul searching yourselves. You all have bright futures ahead. It'd be a shame to waste such wonderful talents along the way." M finished the last of his tea and set the mug down, then placed his book in a bag by his side. "I can sense big things coming for you six. Just don't lose your way along the ride. You're still young." He swung the bag over his shoulder. "Appreciate the friends you have. You six will only grow stronger and closer as you continue down the line. Help each other grow, because it might help you overcome future obstacles." He walked to the door.

Flint's ears rose. "You're leaving?"

"I only meant to stay here for an hour, to do some light reading." He pressed his hand to the door, then casted a warm smile to the group. "It was wonderful to meet you all. Please take care."

"Oh! Uh…" Ella waved with an awkward smile. "You, too, sir!" The group waved goodbye to him.

M smiled, then pushed the door open and walked out into the snow. The winds were so strong and thick, it was almost like he vanished a few feet away.

The group stood together in silence, taking in the strange conversation they had with the equally strange man. Tony crossed his arms. "Not how I expected this day to go."

"It was kind of interesting, though," Ella admitted.

"Good point."

Griffin sighed, arched his head back and sneezed. "Ugh…I still think something's off about him. I don't like it when complete strangers happen to know my name."

"Guess we're in agreement," Tony muttered.

Gwyn smiled. "I thought he was nice."

Ella smiled to herself. "Of course you did…" She flinched as Griffin sneezed again, close to her ear. "Ugh, gross!"

Tony started pushing Griffin back to the couches. "Come on, Hothead. The sooner you get better, the sooner we can move on."

"Ugh…fine."

Ella chuckled and followed them. Gwyn smiled at Flint. "So…still up for that snowball fight?"

Flint smiled and raised his paw. "Maybe in a little bit. I…need to have a word with Wes for a moment."

She looked between the two and nodded in understanding. "Take your time." She skipped off after the others.

Flint smiled her way, then frowned as he turned to Wes, who adverted his gaze. "…You're still upset about what the Shadow King did to Dad…"

Wes narrowed his eyes sadly. "…Aren't you?"

Flint wrapped his forelegs around his brother. "Of course I am…" He closed his eyes. "I didn't want to believe it, but…"

Wes leaned his head against his brother. "I felt so…angry when they told us. All my life, I thought my father was this amazingly awesome treasure hunter that no one could beat. First I thought some accident took his life…" He gritted his teeth. "Now I hear it wasn't an accident at all…that someone took him from me…"

Flint patted his back. "Wes…why don't you tell me these things? I only just found out you still have feelings for Ella. Why…do you bury your emotions like this?"

Wes sniffled, but did not shed a tear. His ears drooped. "I…" He closed his eyes.

Flint narrowed his eyes. "…When Dad died…you completely shut down. You were in your room for weeks…" He sighed and pulled back, making Wes look him in the eyes. "You didn't want to talk about it…you just wanted to be alone…" He looked down. "I'm starting to think you…don't want to open up with your emotions."

Wes looked down sadly, rubbing his foreleg. "…It was a hard reality I had to accept. I hated feeling like that. Miserable, lost, depressed…I try my hardest to avoid those emotions." He sighed. "But now learning what really happened, I can't help but feel…fury at that monster. Not just for what he did to Dad, but…hearing all the horrible things he did to others. During the Grand Imperium Age, to Willow…" Wes closed his eyes. "That whole prophecy didn't help my mood either."

"So…why don't you ever talk about it with us?"

"…We all have enough problems to get through. Griffin's vengeance, Gwyn being a target for witches, Ella's whole thing with her family…" He sighed. "We all know the Shadow King can't be revived, at all costs. I just want to prove I can fight through my own issues."

Flint glared. "Wes…you shouldn't bottle up your feelings like that."

"But I just don't know how'd I feel if something worse happened." Wes' ears drooped. "What if…I lost you?" Flint frowned. "…I'm worried about what I'd do if that dam burst open. I'm not sure how'd I react if I ever faced the Shadow King." Wes gripped his sleeve. "He took Dad away from us…you know how I can get. If something happened to you, I…I think I'd lose it. Lose my mind. I'm already stressed enough thinking about fighting him."

Flint rubbed the back of his head and sighed. "I…I suppose I can see where you're coming from." He closed his eyes. "Still…you're my brother. I should have a right to know about this stuff." He placed his paw on the Umbreon's shoulder. "You're also our team leader. You need to show that. You've always been the reckless goofball since we were kids. If you want to step up as team leader, you got to show these guys you trust them. A…strong bond between allies and friends."

Wes looked down. "…I'm still scared of confronting the Shadow King…"

"You have us. And you'll always have me." Flint smiled warmly. "I'm proud to call you my little brother, after all."

Wes smiled, then threw his forelegs around his midsection. "You're the best older brother ever."

Flint patted his head. "I'm your only older brother."

"Good point. That technically makes you the worst, as well."

"Hey!" Flint jabbed him in the foreleg, leading the boys to laugh aloud. Flint pushed Wes off. "Wes…try and be a little more open with us. You don't have to shove away your feelings just to make yourself feel better. We've still got a long way to go. I need to be sure you're with us all the way."

Wes smiled lightly, then nodded. "Sure…bro."

"How about we leave training until tomorrow and have at that snowball fight?"

"Heh, sure…can we be teammates?"

"I was kind of hoping to pair up with Gwyn."

"Why? Fantasizing about taking a snowball for her like a hero?" he teased.

Flint rolled his eyes and jabbed his foreleg again, with a smirk. "You are the worst little brother."

"Technically the best, too!"

"Yeah, yeah…" The brothers laughed and went to regroup with their friends.

The Desert Beasts, with their boat stationed within the destroyed village, went about their evening as normal. Well, as normal as they could get when being forced into servitude by the deranged shadows. Once again, Lyra was trying to keep their spirits up with her musical stylings, which did get everyone out of their crummy mood.

The shadow had apparently ordered them to stay put in the village, as it would make traveling a bit easier. For what, they didn't know. Nightmare has yet to inform them about where they are going.

As Lyra played on her concertina, the shadow appeared by her side with a sinister glare. "I thought I ordered you to cease with that incessant music. It makes my ears bleed!"

Lyra glared at him, then made some hand gestures, ending with her playing with her ears.

"…What?"

"She said 'How is that possible? You don't have ears,'" Banama translated as he walked by, shoveling snow off the main deck.

"Ugh! Will you speak for once?!" the shadow growled, with Lyra smirking and shaking her head. "Do you even speak?!" Lyra shrugged. "Do SOMETHING that I can understand!" Lyra rolled her eyes to the side, then held her hand up, flipping her claws up and pressing them close together, almost like they were one claw. "…What is this? What gesture are you making?"

Just then, Arid marched up behind the shadow. "When is your boss getting here? You said he had important news to share."

The shadow smirked at him. "Oh yes, Boss Nightmare had the most wondrous news he had to share in person. I'm sure you all will appreciate it once you relinquish your foolish grasp on the mortal coil and submit to the darkness. It's quite liberating."

Arid rolled his eyes. "Uh huh…"

"Captain!" Malcolm called out from the crow's nest. "Shadowy portal opening up behind you!"

Arid huffed smoke from his nostrils and turned around, greeted by the rising shadow from the floor portal. Nightmare rose to full height and glared down at Arid with his villainous grin.

"Captain Arid…I take that my shadow has kept you in good company."

"Oh yes, we just so want to show him our gratitude by firing him from the cannon," Arid grumbled.

"Amusing." He floated around the deck. "We have big plans coming up. You'll soon be meeting the three active Heralds of Darkness. We have a special mission to take up soon."

Arid narrowed his eyes while the crew gathered to the main deck. "What sort of special mission? Another delivery run for us?"

"No, no…I'd say you've proven your commitment to power. For that, you shall assist us with a little…ceremony we will be making. As an honorary member of the Tribe of Shadows, you and your crew will have the glory of witnessing a legend reborn from failure."

Tyrone's eyes widened. "A legend…"

"…reborn form failure?" Indigo finished.

Arid bared his teeth. "You mean…"

Nightmare smirked darkly. "Very, very soon…we shall see the revival…of the magnificent Shadow King."