Ch.89: Welcome to Ironworks Kingdom! Introducing Team Shatter Star!

"So…this is where Ironworks Kingdom is."

"Yep. This is the place."

It took a lot of grit and effort, but Team Ravenfield managed to brave the icy winds and climb the mountain leading to their destination. With Flint at the front of the pack, he held the map up, revealing the silvery blinking light that indicated the location of the fifth key. To the outside world, they stood before nothing but a barren flattop of snow. Technically speaking, that was the correct assumption.

However, what lied between them and their destination was an invisible space making up the very fabric of this mighty kingdom's existence.

Out of curiosity, Gwyn waved her hand around at the space the borders should exist. "I can barely feel a tingle of magic."

Flint smiled. "The alternate realms are pretty hard to find. Some believe once magic started flooding into Mysto, these spaces were created as a result. And Ironworks Kingdom took up residence in this space for their purposes. It's a great location to stay out of the snow, obviously. But it's also one of the most technologically advanced of all else in the region. More reliance of machinery than amulets and artifacts, though you will find some of those, too."

Griffin crossed his arms. "It's a nice place. It's also the prime hotspot for training. They have the finest equipment around."

Tony smirked. "About time I updated my wardrobe. I do like the vest look, but I would look super fine in some new threads."

Ella snickered behind her paw. "Oh, I know the feeling."

Gwyn jumped for joy. "Yay! More shopping!"

In the back of the group, Wes was keeping his head low, some lingering feelings of glumness hanging around. It might have been just his nerves, but he wasn't all that confident with this next key quest. He wasn't quite in the right mindset to be flying and kicking like he does. He was sure one of the others were more up to the task than him.

He knew he shouldn't be acting this way, but it was hard to break from his rare moods. That's why he hated feeling sad. Didn't do him or anyone else any good.

He snapped from his daydreams when he felt digits clicking in front of his face. He shook his head and gazed upon Ella. "Hey, Wes? You feeling alright?" she asked softly.

He blinked, then smiled weakly. "Never better."

She smiled back. "Well…you're the one who knows the spell, so we'd appreciate if our leader could do the honors."

"Oh! Of…Of course." He walked around them and positioned himself in front of the border. He took a deep breath and rubbed his paws together. "Okay…time to see what Ironworks Kingdom is all about." He held his paws out to the space and closed his eyes.

"Now! Gate of Foribus!"

A spark of magic burst from the center of his outstretched paws, then a purple swirling portal opened up before them. Already, they could feel a warm breeze passing through and filling them with comfort that haven't felt in a while.

"Oh, sweet, warm air!" Gwyn exclaimed, nearly making a dash into the portal.

Flint bit down on her tail and pulled her back. "Hehe…all together, Gwyn."

She grinned sheepishly. "Sorry! Got excited!"

Griffin clapped impatiently. "Alright, alright, hurry up. I'm a layer of ice away from frostbite."

Wes sighed and tipped his hat down. "Single file line." He gestured his team through, each of them taking their turn through before he was last to enter. The portal closed behind him.

Unlike passing through the portal back at the library, it was much easier to walk through this one. As they neared the end of the tunnel, they could see a light peeking through, the light of a sun. It was the beauty of Ironworks Kingdom, for being such a monumental land hidden in one of the worst environments to inhabit. It was a blessing in disguise for weary travelers.

Reaching the end of the silvery light, their feet touched down on a field of grass. Their eyes shrunk under the strong gaze of the sun hanging above their heads. It's been a while since they saw the big orb of heat in the sky. They could feel this great heat hitting them hard due to their winter clothes, which they immediately shed for their normal wear underneath.

After their eyes readjusted to a natural light source, they took note of the wide-open fields of grass surrounding them from all sides. It was like a dimension of endless groves and green. Who knows how far it went on? A few dozen kilometers? Maybe the size of their region? It was a mystery to them.

Despite the lush nature, it was offset by what they came for. True to its name, the famous Ironworks Kingdom was a kingdom larger than life. As they observed from atop a decent elevation, they noted its sheer size and grandeur. It was hard to get a reading on the exact size, but they can safely say it was bigger than Scorch Grave or the other large cities they've visited. It likely held a population of about four or five million Pokémon.

It was hard to capture everything from their elevation, but they could point out where the residential areas were located, right in the northwest corner of the square shaped perimeter. They could tell because there was a lack of larger buildings in that general area and houses, well, obviously never got that big.

What was interesting was the design choice for the buildings they could see. A lot of them incorporated large cogwheels that slowly, but constantly turned. It seemed like a standard design choice, likely to symbolize its advancements outside of the traditions of the rest of Mysto.

The border walls that wrapped around the entire kingdom could be seen with cannons atop the pathways and four main pillars. There were armored guards walking periodically on routine patrol. They doubted it was because of possible invasion (though it likely was ruled out), but to make sure no criminals inside the walls ever escaped. It looked intimidating, but the protective nature this kingdom exuded gave all within general comfort and safety.

However, the main attraction was the centerpiece of the whole kingdom: the castle. Like most of the buildings, it, too, bared cogwheels that turned periodically. What stood out about it the most was the design choice for the exterior. Maybe it was a trick of the eyes, but it looked to be mostly made of some type of metal. Iron or steel or maybe a metal only found in this dimension. Regardless, the castle glimmered in the sun without being too distracting or hard on the eyes. It, too, bared similar defenses atop its roof.

The team silently agreed to gaze upon this wonderful kingdom before getting back to the mission at hand. They descended the elevation and walked for about five or ten minutes to reach the walls. They had to pass through a security check, though they thankfully didn't ask anything about criminal history, otherwise Wes would've had a little trouble getting through. If anything, with the kingdom's reputation, perhaps criminal activity was frightened off.

Now within the walls, they got a closer look at the area. Buildings were pretty close by, but the roads were wide and allowed crowds to move along undisturbed. The fashion was noticeably clean and stylish, though they noticed a repeating trend of belt buckles on vests and other clothes, and some jackets have pocket watches sewn into a sleeve. It was like some futuristic…past…style…or something like that.

All and all, they were impressed with the sites.

Tony whistled. "This place is huge. It might take me a few years to truly appreciation everything they've got here."

Ella smirked. "The fashion's not quite my style, though I wouldn't mind checking out some shops."

"I…think we could all use a wardrobe change," Flint admitted, pulling on his clothes. Tony could only do so much with sewing their clothes back together. There were ugly cloth patches on the Flareon's shirt made from old rags. "Though, I don't know my way around this place."

"I'll get a map," Tony offered. "Be back in a flash!" He raced off.

"Don't get lost! Or get distracted by any girls!" Ella shouted.

"No promises for either!" he shouted back.

Wes sighed and sat down, back pressed to a small restaurant wall. He gazed up at the castle of the kingdom, taking in its glorious splendor. He often imagined as a kid living in a large castle. Realistically, he wouldn't know what to do with all that extra space. Maybe used some rooms to store all his vast treasures. Who knows?

Even with his playful daydreams, it didn't do much to lighten his mood. He didn't want to act all moody around the others, but he took personal disaster pretty seriously. He still feared having to face the Shadow King. For once in his life, he felt legitimately scared about an adventure. That's not something anyone can accomplish against him.

He felt someone sit down beside him. He assumed it was Ella, but then caught shades of green fur instead. He faced the green Mew in confusion. "Need something, Gwyn?"

She smiled warmly at him, then reached into her bag. "You look pretty sad, so…" She pulled out her mortal and pestle, along with some herbs. "I know a great recipe for tea that'll cheer you up!"

He raised his brow. "You do?"

"Duh. Plant expert." She dropped some tea herbs into the stone dish and began smashing them up.

Wes smiled in a glum manner and raised his paw. "I appreciate the sentiment, but you don't need to-"

"Aww, but I insist!" She looked him in the eye with those adorable, sparkling eyes that Flint often mentioned. Wes admitted before that Gwyn was fairly attractive, but now he saw what got Flint all fluttery around the Mew. All her actions had a cute charm to them, especially her glee. "I like seeing my friends happy!"

Wes rubbed the back of his head. Now that he thought about it, when was the last time he and Gwyn actually had a regular conversation with each other? She was usually hanging around one of the others, with the exception of Griffin. Even there, they've probably had some of their talks, too. They have traded words, but…they weren't all that close, really. Huh…

Gwyn finished mashing up the herbs before pulled out her canteen and a beaker flask. She poured some water into the flask, then got out some type of paper similar to what teabags were made from. She packed the herbs inside, then dipped them into the water a couple of times until the water started changing to a golden brown.

She handed the beaker to him. "Drink up!"

He carefully took the beaker in his paws and stared at it with uncertainty. He got a reassuring nod from Gwyn before downing the drink. He didn't normally like unsweetened tea since he found the taste bitter, though this was surprisingly sweet without any sugar or honey. Rather refreshing, too.

He pulled the empty beaker away and smacked his lips quietly, then smiled gratefully at the green Mew. "Heh…that was actually pretty good. Your own blend?"

She grinned. "Yep! I've studied basically every known plant…that I know of!" she finished sheepishly. "Heh…being self-sheltered for so long and all that. Each brew is a little different than the last, so I don't always get it right."

"Well, it's delicious."

"Then I guess you're the lucky one. But, I could learn to brew some coffee for you guys if I had any coffee beans."

Wes snorted, covering his mouth to hide his smile. "Geez, if I knew you could make coffee, I would've ransacked a store and got you all the beans you need."

"I mean, I've never actually made coffee before, so I wouldn't recommend trying my first batch…unsupervised." Gwyn giggled. "Though, maybe with a little potion assistance, I could make an extra, super-duper, caffeinated coffee that'll REALLY get your blood pumping!"

"Oh good, I didn't need to sleep for the rest of my life anyway." They giggled amongst themselves.

Flint was keeping an eye on them while Ella and Griffin were discussing something about armor and equipment. He had a warm smile watching his little brother and crush bonding with each other. What warmed his heart more was seeing Wes being in a genuinely good mood. The childlike innocence of Gwyn was an infectious force.

He then yelped as Ella pulled on his ear and dragged him closer, inspecting his clothes thoroughly. "Hmm…Flint, would you object to battle armor?"

"Wha…Ella, I don't fight like the rest of you. Why would I need armor?"

She shrugged. "In case you get beaten to a bloody pulp or get shot in the chest with a magic laser." She jabbed him lightly in the chest. "Your little Guardian can't do everything for you."

He pushed her away while rolling his eyes. "I've gotten much better control of my Guardian. I guarantee it can protect me."

"A Celestial Guardian possesses enhanced physical capabilities that go well beyond a regular Pokémon's upper limits," Griffin reminded. "However, that isn't an excuse for not protecting yourself if it can't be called upon. Either you need new equipment or you need to awaken your Guardian."

"Awaken my Guardian?"

"You've studied how Celestial Guardians operate. Surely you've learned the process of becoming one with your Guardian."

Flint scratched the side of his head and quickly recalled the spell book he used to research Celestial Guardians. "Hmm…yeah, I think so. Once I've achieved full mastery of my Guardian, I must…become one with it?" He blinked. "Made no sense considering it's literally tied to my magic."

The Grovyle sighed. "It means you have to connect with the inner workings of your Guardian and bring out your true desires into its form. It's a lot of mental and physical training, so…" He raised his brow. "How do I put this without sounding like a jackass?"

"Would it kill you to do a push-up?" Ella blurted nonchalantly.

"Yeah, that."

Flint's eye twitched. "I…I am perfectly in shape!" he shouted.

"Do a push-up."

"…Well, we just got done walking and stuff, so…" Flint grinned uneasily.

Griffin rolled his eyes. "At least learn some offensive magic. Aside from your Fire-Typing, all you really have is that Guardian."

Flint tapped his chin. "True…" He glanced over at Wes for a moment, who was having a second glass of Gwyn's tea. He stared hard at the Umbreon, then looked at his paws in thought. 'I wonder…'

"Hey, you, my pals!" Swiftly returning from his search, Tony slid next to Ella with a map of the kingdom in hand. "I have completed your quest," he said with eloquence, handing the map over to Flint.

"Great, thanks." Flint took it and opened it up. "Alright, since we don't know where the mage is, we might as well do Ella's thing first."

"You hear that, Gwyn?!" Ella exclaimed. "We're going shopping!"

"YAY!" Gwyn bounced to her feet.

Before anyone got too excited, Tony held his finger up. "Actually, before we get on that, mind if we check something out first?"

"Check what out?" Wes asked as he stood up and handed back Gwyn's beaker.

"Remember how Ironworks Kingdom is known for its training grounds? I passed by one when I got ahold of the map. It looks awesome. There's a training ground the size of a freakin' park. You rent equipment to do just about anything you want." He flexed one arm and patted on his muscle. "We have to try it out! If we're going up against the Metal Mage and the Power Mage's tournament, we need to do some serious hardcore training!"

Griffin narrowed his eyes. "Not a bad idea. You could use some muscle on that scrawny twig of yours."

Tony flinched, then bared his teeth into a furious, snarling smirk. "I think I found my training dummy…"

Ella held her paws up. "Boys, boys, no fighting or you're both getting a serious whooping." She turned to Tony. "But yeah, that sounds like a great idea. We might as well get a membership here. We still got a couple months until the tournament in Gelid Peak starts."

Gwyn grinned. "Great! I should make some new Naturae Fruits for the occasion!" She punched her fists together. "I'll be an unstoppable tank!"

Flint chuckled. "Yes you will, Gwyn, yes you will."

Wes shrugged with a light smile. "Well…I guess we're doing some training. Lead the way, Tony."

"As you wish, team leader," Tony responded in a grandiose manner, winking at the Umbreon before turning and leading them.

Wes rubbed the back of his head. Team leader…they were all trying to reassure him he was their leader. He had to remember that for himself. He took a deep breath and followed closely by Ella. The Espeon smiled and stepped a bit closer to Wes, making him feel comfortable.

"Eh, is that all you got, you stupid Breloom?"

"You have yet to face the full power of my Ultimate Fist!"

"I don't even have to use my hands! Bring it, toadstool!"

Two figures clashed, meeting fist to kick. The power of their tremoring attacks rumbled the very air around them, kicking up dirt and grass and wrapping them in a field of dust. They pushed back from each other, with the Breloom landing on his feet safely.

This Breloom was Oswald Meadowfist, and he was in combat with his teammate. She was a Buneary, bouncing on her toes with a mischievous glint in her black eyes. She wore a purple tank top under a black duster style jacket, with had two long, jagged tails suspended over the ground. She wore a pair of blue, baggy pants over her species' fluff. The standout accessory to her attire was the clothing bindings wrapped around her neck like a scarf, partially covering her mouth. She had her hands in her pockets, while her ears were pumping in anticipation for another clash.

Nearby was another familiar face, friend to Oswald, Saffiro Blazburn. He was gripping on his sword's hilt and facing a wooden dummy before him. He glanced through the corner of his eye. "Don't rough him up too badly, Ebony. You won't hear the end of it~," he warned with a dragged-out tone, like he was almost singing.

"Neh?!" Ebony responded before snickering deviously. "I'm going easy on him. I've just been fighting with my feet."

Oswald took a deep breath, then propelled himself straight at her. "This is a fight for honor! Do not think so low of ME!" He threw a rapid flurry of punches that could rival a standard Guardian's attack rush.

And yet, Ebony wasn't the least bit concerned. With a smirk growing and her feet firmly planted on the ground, she dodged every single one of his punches without leaving her spot. A dozen afterimages of the bunny indicated the speed of her static movements.

"Whaaaat? Aren't you honored to have someone like me to point out the flaws in your pitiful attacks? After all, if you can't hit me, then your Ultimate Fist really is just an unrefined martial art-!" She suddenly leaped back and avoiding an upward swinging kick that managed to nick her in the chin. She could feel the insane pressure coming from that one kick. There was so much weight behind it. She landed without removing her hands from her pockets.

Oswald dragged his foot across the dirt and assumed position again. "Last I recall, one of my 'pathetic' punches left you gasping for air when we first met. Only this time, I'm not aiming to pulverize you."

Ebony snickered through her teeth. "Are you and Saffiro still mad about that? Geez, it was just a little money…"

Oswald bent down and lunged straight at her, taking in another deep breath. Ebony removed her hands from her pockets and met him halfway. Once in range, Oswald threw his second flurry of punches. Ebony smirked and matched him at his pace, though not without a peculiar battle cry along with it.

"Ra-Tatatatatatatata!" Ebony chanted loudly with each of her punches.

Their furious punches rippled into small shockwaves with each collision of fists. It looked as if a couple dozen fists were being thrown at once. It was hard to keep track with. The two stared each other down with burning glares of passion and determination.

Saffiro sighed. "Those two…I swear…" He faced the dummy and resumed his position. "Well…can't be helped~." With a swift motion too fast to follow, his sword was drawn and sheathed in the blink of an eye. Once the sword was full concealed inside its scabbard, the dummy fell into six separate pieces. There were light singe marks across the separated pieces.

Saffiro leaned against his sword, with the scabbard supported by the ground, and admired his handiwork when he looked up to a gunshot overhead. A flying disc was shattered to pieces by a bullet followed by a blue trail. Ten more discs fired through the air, with a second yellow trail bullet flying into each of them, like it was ricocheting off the air.

The Hakomo-o whistled at the raining debris. "The turns are looking sharper. Nice shot, Cybil."

Lowering her sniper rifle was a Furret, who looked on with a stoic expression. She wore a gray sweater and, much like the fashion in Ironworks, a brown vest with buckles on the front, as well as pockets. She wore a pair of jeans designed for her species' body type. Around her neck were two items: a pair of goggles and a necklace with a silver cross wheel.

The sniper rifle was an interesting piece. Design wise, it was similar to a flintlock with a much longer barrel. It might have been longer than Cybil if she was fully straightened out. The rifle was made from an ivory wood, giving it a beautiful white color. The curved butt of the rifle had an attached blade, doubling the weapon as a scythe with a rather short blade.

Cybil pulled a bullet from out of her vest and inserted it into the rifle. "Three of the shots didn't perfectly strike the center. I have to readjust the ricochets."

"My child, seeking perfection is an admirable goal, but don't let it consume your training." She turned and looked to another member of their team: a Trevenant. He wore a black dress jacket over a white buttoned shirt, with the jacket neatly buttoned, and, of course, black pants made for his species. In addition, much like Cybil, he wore a cross wheel necklace, only his was golden. "We both know you take your training very seriously, and that can seriously damage your health."

Cybil sighed. "Apologies, Father Hugo."

Oswald and Ebony, having ended their clash, waved the tree ghost over. "Hey Hugo, how about you train with us? I can take you in a fight!" Oswald challenged, raising his fists.

Ebony smirked. "Come on, you Arceus-worshipping nutter! Get up and punch me in the face!"

Hugo rolled his single eye and returned to reading the book he had. "Children, as I have said before and will continue to say from here on out, I do not take to violence as a sport. I merely accompanied you five for your sakes. I know how rough you all can get."

Ebony snickered behind her scarf. "I'll have you know, fighting isn't just a sport! I think of it as my personal pastime…next to drinking!"

Hugo narrowed his eyes. "Ebony, have you been consuming liquor behind my back again?"

"Whaaaaat? No!" She straightened up. "I may have had a problem with putting down the drinks, but you set me straight, oh mighty herald of Arceus!" She slowly shuffled backwards to a recycling bin. "I have not had a single drop of that vile beverage in over seven days!"

"…Ebony, I know there is a bottle inside your jacket."

She raised her hands. "What bottle?" A bottle timely fell out of her jacket, rolling in front of her feet. "…" She grabbed her cheeks and gasped dramatically. "Oh no! I've been sleep drinking again!"

Hugo facepalmed. "Ebony, you have a problem…"

"It's called taste buds. They have a mind of their own." She kicked the bottle with her heel, perfectly knocking it into the bin. "And don't think you can get away with that 'I disapprove violence' shtick. I still remember the singe marks you gave me with your hope spotlight! Or when you helped us during the bandit invasion!"

Hugo settled his hand over his heart. "As a priest, I do not join in violence for sport and pleasure. I enact my duties as a holy warrior when the situation is dire. And, forgive me for this, but you were quite the unruly rabbit when you first came here."

Ebony shrugged indifferently. "Hey, a girl's got to make her living, even if she's being chased by a bunch of lunatics."

"Oh comrades, this isn't the time to be jabbing each other over the past!" Fluttering down from above was the team leader of their group, smiling proud and boldly at each of them. "We should be focusing on our training! We need to give it our all! One hundred and ten percent!"

Hugo covered his face and sighed. "Krystal, I admire your boldness, but I told you I don't want to take any part in that silly tournament. In fact, I didn't want to go on any of your silly treasure hunts, either."

The Delibird grinned teasingly. "Aww, but you always change your mind in the end, comrade!"

"That is because you keep pestering me…constantly…" He sighed. "By my own words, if I didn't care for each of you, you would've been seriously injured by now."

Krystal waved it off. "And that's why we can rely upon you." She rubbed her wings together. "Now then, what's say we practice on our combos!" She pointed at Ebony. "Blackberry Maneuver?"

The Buneary saluted. "Got it down, captain."

Krystal pointed at Oswald. "Pineapple Rain Maneuver?"

"I was born ready for it!" He punched his fists together.

Hugo raised his hand. "Were you eating a bowl of fruit when you came up with these names?"

"That's not important, but the answer is yes!" Krystal shamelessly admitted. She pointed at Cybil. "CyCy, how are we on the Double Cherry Maneuver?"

Cybil raised her brow. "Sweetie, we never came up with…a Double Cherry Maneuver? Seriously, why did you name our combos after fruit?"

"Forget that. Just get your explosive rounds out!" She formed an explosive orb in each wing. Cybil rolled her eyes and pulled out some rounds.

The team prepared to watch this combo go down when Saffiro and Oswald heard a familiar ringing from behind.

"Well, well, well…small world. There's two faces I never thought I'd see again."

The duo turned around, then smiled at the familiar Espeon back from the Storm Zone, along with Gwyn, Tony, and what appeared to be the rest of their team. Saffiro raced over, sword over his shoulder. "Hey~! Fancy meeting you here. Never thought I'd see you again."

Ella chuckled. "The feeling is mutual." She held her paw out. "Great seeing you again, Saffiro."

He shook her paw. "You too, uh…" He snapped his claws, trying to recall her name. "Liza…Elsa…El…El…Ella! Ella, that's it! Heh…yeah, same here." He gestured to Tony and Gwyn. "Nice to see you two as well."

Tony smirked. "Ditto."

"Hello!" Gwyn exclaimed.

Oswald sprinted over. "Whoa! Now this is what I call a surprise! So when you were getting snow gear, I didn't expect it was because you were heading here! Dudes, we could've traveled together!"

Tony laughed quietly. "Yeah, but…we kind of took a…very long detour…" he mumbled after.

Flint nudged Ella. "Wait, these are the two you met at the store in Gale Wind Village?"

She nodded. "They're the ones that recommended Willow's shop." She smiled at the two. "Thanks again, by the way. She really helped me out with my training."

Saffiro waved it off. "Eh, it's what complete strangers do."

Oswald gestured to the rest of the team. "So, mind introducing us?"

"Oh, sure." She pointed between the three. "The scary looking guy is Griffin Everfall. The fluffball right there is Flint Ravenfield. And that's his brother, our team leader, Wes Ravenfield."

Griffin shrugged. "Hi…"

"Nice to meet you," Flint greeted.

Wes grinned awkwardly. "Hello…"

"Oi, oi! What are you two up to?" Suddenly, Krystal came marching up from behind. "We got a schedule to keep!"

"Krystal, the tournament is a little less than two months away," Saffiro reminded. "Besides, we're just talking to some friends we met back in Gale Wind."

Krystal blinked. "Friends, huh?" She looked at the team, then smiled brightly. "Well, why didn't you say so? Any comrade of Saffiro and Oswald is a comrade of mine!" She reached and shook Ella's paw energetically. "Pleasure to meet you, folks! Always great to have some new companions around here!"

Ella retracted her now aching paw. "Heh…quite the handshake you got there…ow…"

Oswald chuckled. "Yeaaaaah, probably should've warned you."

Krystal extended her wing to the others, who rightfully backed away. She shrugged it off, not offended. "Well, if you want, you can join us in our training!" She narrowed one eye, half-playfully. "That's assuming you're not spying on us to get a leg up in the tournament?"

Flint held his paws up and laughed nervously. "Oh no, not at all. We actually came here to check the place out. We might be using it ourselves."

Krystal grinned. "Well good!" She gasped. "Ooh! How about you meet my team? You're bound to love them! Just a group of us oddballs!"

Tony smirked and held his chin. "Well, I don't see why not." Ella rolled her eyes. She could just tell he was checking out Krystal and the two other girls. She wasn't even surprised.

Krystal walked them over to her team, where she officially called a timeout on everything. "Alright team, breaktime! We just made some new comrades today!"

Ebony smirked. "Heh…should've figured. We can't go anywhere without you making friends."

"This is a normal thing?" Griffin asked.

Saffiro held up his hand and whispered, "Krystal's a little eccentric. She values friendship and comradery above all else. And she gets real pissed if you backstab her. It's her way of saying you broke a pact, now I break your face~."

"…Not even five minutes in and I already like her style."

Hugo stood up and walked over. "A pleasure to meet you folks. I do hope Ms. Krystal isn't giving you a hard time."

Ella waved it off. "Eh, she's alright, don't worry."

Krystal grinned. "I believe this is the appropriate time for our introduction!"

Hugo deadpanned at the penguin. "Krystal, please don't make us do the-"

"Sound off!" she exclaimed.

The tree facepalmed. "Never mind."

Team Ravenfield stared curiously as the team started to get into some sort of sequence, already imagining the epic music and spotlights dancing over them.

"I am the priest of this kingdom, who shines brightest among the wicked. I am Hugo Lightborn," Hugo introduced in an unenthused manner.

"Thief of the night with a talent for plundering and beating the shit out of everyone! I'm Ebony the Traitor!" Ebony shouted, leaning back and posing her with one hand to her hip.

"Skilled martial artist in the mighty Ultimate Fist! I am Oswald Meadowfist!" Oswald introduced, punching at the air.

"Master of the quick draw and wielder of the mighty Salamander~! I am Saffiro Blazburn~!" Saffiro sang harmoniously, holding his sheathed sword in a battle-ready stance.

"Skilled sniper of the team, capable of getting anyone from anywhere. I am Cybil Hawkeye," Cybil introduced casually, holding her rifle over her shoulder.

"And I am the leader of this team! Master of the kaboom and breaker of limits! I am the mighty Krystal Frostwood!" Krystal exclaimed, pointing her wings dramatically at the sky.

"And together…we are the one and only…Team Shatter Star!"

An explosion went off behind them as they posed to the newcomers.

To describe Team Ravnefield's expressions? They were completely baffled by the over the top introduction, wide-eyed and jaws hanging. Gwyn, however, stared with her usual enthusiasm, eyes sparkling at how freakin' epic it was.

"SO COOL!" she squealed. "We need an epic introduction like that!"

"NO WE DON'T!" Ella and Griffin shouted, leading Gwyn to stick her tongue out sheepishly.

Flint laughed awkwardly, slowly coming to terms with what he just witnessed. "W-Well…that was certainly…flashy."

Hugo groaned and held his face. "Why do you make me take part in this?"

"Because Team Shatter Star's motto is all about passion and enthusiasm!" Krystal answered. She pointed at Cybil. "Take notes from her! She was full of burning passion!"

"She had the exact same tone as me," Hugo argued.

"Yes, but she did it…WITH PASSION!" Krystal shouted. Cybil blushed and rubbed the back of her head.

Wes smiled. "You all seem pretty interesting."

Griffin crossed his arms. "More like strange."

"Wouldn't be the first time we got that kind of response," Oswald admitted sheepishly. "But it's our thing and we have fun doing it, even this buzzkill," he motioned to Hugo.

The priest rolled his eye. "I am not a buzzkill. I prefer a more reserved manner of approach."

Wes chuckled, then gestured to Krystal. "Well, I happen to be the leader of my team, so it's nice meeting someone else in my position." He rubbed the back of his head. "Though, truth be told, I'm not all that great at it."

Krystal waved it off. "Oh please! It takes real courage to trek through the Snow Zone! You're all still in one piece, so I say you're doing a fine job!"

Wes laughed to himself quietly. "Heh…thought that counts…"

"What brings you folks to Ironworks, anyway?" she asked.

Griffin held his hip. "Well, funny that you previously mentioned a tournament. We're planning on taking part in the Gelid Peak Tournament. I assume that's the one you all are entering?"

Krystal grinned. "Ah! New comrades AND new competition! I humbly look forward to it!" She pounded her chest. "I must warn you, though! You're up against a real pro!"

Cybil smirked lightly. "It's true. Krystal's been in more tournaments than all of us combined. I say she's one of the most talented fighters around."

Krystal waved it off bashfully. "Oh CyCy, stop!"

"She's right," Oswald admitted. "She said her parents were real pros back in their day. She's pretty tough, trust me."

Tony smirked. "You've piqued my interest." He took Krystal's wing in his hand. "Beauty and brawn. You are a shining diamond of explosive passion. I like that about you." He took Cybil's hand. "Although, not to say you aren't a charmer, Ms. Hawkeye. You have a subtle grace and beauty of your own, matched only by the skill of your sharpshooting."

The girls blinked twice at him, then retracted their limbs. Krystal laughed wholeheartedly. "You're certainly a charmer yourself, Mr.…"

"Sapienti. Tony Sapienti." He bowed to them. "Perhaps one of you could give me a private tour of the kingdom. I'd much appreciate it." Griffin and Ella facepalmed.

Cybil awkwardly looked away. "Um…"

Krystal laughed and held her wing up. "Maybe a couple of years ago, we would've said yes, but we're already taken."

Tony raised his brow. "You are?"

Krystal suddenly wrapped her wing around Cybil and pulled her close, cheek to cheek. "Yep! Happily taken!" Cybil waved awkwardly with a small smile.

Tony's eyes widened, then he facepalmed. "Darn it!"

Ella burst out into laughter and fell onto her back. "That's one way to get rejected! And by two girls at the same time! HAHAHAHA!"

Tony glared at her briefly, then smiled slyly at Ebony. "Well, what about you? I have a thing for thieves, so-"

Ebony smirked and held her hand up. "Yeah, that ain't happening, Casanova."

Tony face-faltered glumly. "Seriousllllly?" Ella tried to contain her laughter as she patted him on the back.

Griffin pinched between his eyes. "Good grief."

Gwyn bounced over to Krystal and Cybil. "Aww! You two look so cute together!"

"Why thank you! We've been dating for about two years." Krystal nuzzled her cheek against Cybil's. "She's a little shy about it, but I like teasing her anyway."

Cybil deadpanned. "You are the worst…"

"You know you love me!" Krystal looked back at Team Ravenfield and suddenly noticed the torn state of their clothes. "Yeesh! What happened to all of you, anyway? You look like you were caught in an icicle shower!"

Gwyn shrieked. "That's a thing?!"

"I don't know, maybe."

Flint scratched his cheek. "Um…yeeeeah, how did we get torn up again?" he asked quietly, signaling one of them to make up an excuse.

Tony recovered from his glum state and snapped his fingers. "We were attacked by some bandits. Roughed us up pretty good, but we beat them down better!"

Saffiro leaned against his sword. "Dang, that's rough. Bandits typically don't hang out in the Snow Zone, though it's also the perfect cover for ambush and escape."

"No kidding," Ella mumbled. She shook her head. "We were actually stopping by here first to check out the grounds before we went shopping. Maybe some new armor pieces and stuff."

Saffiro snapped his claws. "Luckily for you, we've hung out around Ironworks for a while and know all the best shops. Cybil and Hugo lived here their whole lives, so they'd may give you some tips."

Hugo nodded. "Despite my aversion to fighting, I'm always willing to lend a hand to the kind hearted."

Cybil pulled away from Krystal and pointed at Ella. "If you're looking for weapons, there's a shop downtown. There's also a nice place where you can buy some new clothes."

Ella smirked. "Ooh, a fellow enthusiast for shopping?"

Cybil rolled her eyes. "That would be a 'no.'"

Ebony leaned in and smirked. "Oh, but I am! I wouldn't mind leading you all…after I swing by the bar first-HEY!" Hugo suddenly picked her up by the ears. "Let me go, you holy jerk!"

"Ebony, I told you that you need to stop drinking so much!"

"Lay off, choir boy! I'm the pinnacle of health!"

"I am trying to help you!"

"You can help me to a few dozen cases of scotch!"

The two argued back and forth with each other, leading the others to slowly back away from them. Tony chuckled. "This normal?"

"Ebony has a drinking problem," Oswald stated. "Hugo keeps trying to help her cut back, but it hardly ever works out." He shrugged. "Though really, it's hard to tell when Ebony's drunk or not. She has that look in her eye that's never really in focus. It's weird."

Flint scratched his cheek. "Wait…she said her full name is 'Ebony the Traitor.' Um…what does that…?"

"It's a long story," Krystal answered. "Let's just say it's a nickname she had for a long…long time." She chuckled. "Though, don't let the name fool you. She's pretty chill nowadays."

"Heh…I'll take your word for it."

Griffin's eyes wandered down on Saffiro's Salamander, eying it out of curiosity. Saffiro noticed, then smirked to himself. "Impressive piece, is it not?"

"I sense great potential within it."

"Yeah. This sword has seen some battles in its time." He gripped the hilt. "I'm hoping to take after my great-grandfather when he first used it. He was a skilled and mighty fighter with Salamander."

"Salamander, eh?" Griffin rolled the name around in his head for a moment before snapping his fingers. "I recall a warrior who wielded a sword by that name. Vitale of the Sapphire Winds?"

Saffiro smirked. "Guess my great-gramp's reputation still lives on~."

"I make it my business to learn about all famous weaponry in history."

"Well, I know you guys will be entering the tournament as well, but I wouldn't mind having a spar with you." He unsheathed Salamander a bit, showing off the blade. "What do you say? Think you can match my speed?"

Griffin closed his eyes and smirked. "You'll be sorry for challenging me."

"I'll take that as a yes~."

Krystal clapped her wings together, gathering everyone's attention. "How about we split up and give our new friends a tour of the town?"

Oswald grinned. "That sounds great!"

"What about training?" Cybil reminded. "I thought you wanted to work on this Double Cherry Maneuver you failed to tell me about."

"Oi! No sass from you, girl!" Krystal smiled. "It'll be fun! Consider it our way of welcoming you folks!"

Ella shrugged. "Well, I don't see why not. Thank you."

Ebony slipped out of Hugo's grasp and stuffed her hands inside her pockets. "We can swing by the liquor store first."

"I like the way you think," Tony commented.

"Still won't date you."

"You know you find me charming." He wiggled his eyebrows.

Ebony held her hips. "Ooh! We got ourselves a classy Casanova."

Hugo held his face and groaned. "Arceus, give me strength…"

The groups split off into groups of six, three per team. Wes, Ella, and Gwyn went with Krystal, Cybil, and Ebony. The penguin pointed around the town. "The kingdom isn't too heavily reliant on magic, though we do use the excess magic in the land to power most of our belongings. Other than that, you won't find many children riding on broomsticks."

"Oooh," Gwyn awed. "So, the giant cogwheels are for…?"

"They represent the flow of power around the kingdom," Cybil answered. "Since we're the most technologically innovative of Mysto, we show off our status with pride. We have plenty of stuff here that's automated. We're not as reliant on magic for daily tasks."

Ebony smirked. "Eh, doesn't beat cooking food with a Flame Charm."

"Didn't you burn our food when you tried that?" Krystal reminded.

"And it was delicious!" Ebony rubbed her stomach. "Speaking of which, I could go for some charred fruit."

Her teammates rolled their eyes while the other girls laughed. Wes smiled awkwardly and pulled down on his hat a bit. He felt a nudge to his side and glanced at Krystal. "So, you're team leader of this ragtag group of yours? What's it like?"

"Um…" Wes bit his lip, feeling brief flashes of the hectic events they had to go through. He could still feel the Shadow King's cold stare against his skin. "…Stressful, to say the least."

Krystal crossed her wings. "Huh. Never got that feeling when leading a team. Then again, I'm not the most strategic leader. That honor goes to my girl!" She smacked Cybil across the back, nearly knocking her down. "Cybil's one smart cookie!"

Cybil straightened up, not the slightest annoyed by the pat. "I mean, I'm not all that great…"

"Oh, don't sell yourself short!" She ruffled the top of her head. "I may be good at fighting, but you have a level head that keeps me from doing something stupid!" She rolled her eyes. "Which…says a lot about me as a person."

Wes sighed. "Well, it hasn't been all that luxurious with me…"

Ella glared. "Wes…"

Krystal smiled sympathetically. "Times got you down, comrade?"

Wes rubbed the back of his head. "I don't want to dump my emotional baggage onto a stranger, so…"

"Then we can spare the talk!" Krystal hooked her wings around the three. "Tell you what! We'll treat you to lunch after we check out the stores!"

"S-Seriously?!" Ella gasped. "H-Hang on a minute, we just met you like…twenty minutes ago! A little early to start treating strangers to a meal!"

"Nonsense! What kind of friend would I be? I can feel it in my gut!" She pounded her stomach. "This marks a brand-new day of friendship that will last a lifetime! I don't want to sully this day with meager words and exchanges! A show of my goodwill!"

The three tried to object, but Cybil just raised her hand to them. "Don't bother. We've tried…trust us."

Ebony snickered. "Eh, you're getting a free lunch, so I wouldn't complain."

Krystal grinned. "We can all get a table for both our teams, once the others are done showing your friends around!"

Ella tapped her digits together. "Well…if you're offering, how can we refuse?"

"Aww, but I'd feel guilty having you pay for our food!" Gwyn cried.

Ebony rolled her eyes and slugged Gwyn in the arm, spooking her. "Relax, weirdo. We can cover for it." She glanced at Cybil. "And by we…"

Cybil narrowed her eyes dryly. "You conniving leech…" She glanced at Krystal, who gave a sheepish grin. The Furret sighed and scratched her cheek. "Fine, I can cover the charges."

"You sure?" Wes asked.

"I may not look it, but my family's pretty loaded, so I can cover a meal easily." She shrugged. "I don't mind, really. Better than having the bunny cover for our food, especially after last time."

"Hey! How was I supposed to know the money I took belonged to a notorious street gang?" Ebony asked in a tone that was both irritable and mischievous. "Sure, they got a little ticked off and…chased us down with knives and guns and such…but we technically got a free meal out of it." Cybil facepalmed.

Krystal chuckled, then wrapped her wing around Cybil's hand. "Either way, thank you, Cybil."

"I'm only doing it because it makes you happy."

"D'aww. See, you can be sweet."

Cybil rolled her eyes, smirking off to the side. "Can we just go shopping already?"

"Can do!" They continued their march ahead.

Wes gestured for Ella and Gwyn's attention and whispered, "We could probably use this to our advantage."

"What do you mean?" Gwyn asked worriedly. "You don't mean-?!"

"No, no, no, nothing manipulative. Look, we still don't know anything about the Gelid Peak Tournament, so they could give us some tips that'll put us ahead of the game, hopefully. They don't look like folk who can easily fall for tricks. Besides, it may be good to have some friends this far out."

Ella nodded. "True. And maybe we can find out more about the Metal Mage from them. You know, somewhere that the key could be." She tilted her head. "What about the map? It usually pinpoints us in the right direction."

"I actually checked a little while after we came through." Wes shrugged. "It's not detecting the key's exact location. It keeps displacing over the entire kingdom."

"Intentionally throwing us off track. Very clever." Ella sighed. "Hopefully one of the guys will come up with something. Until then, let's just enjoy this day." They nodded in agreement, making her happy that Wes was feeling a bit more like his usual self.

Gwyn mulled something over in her head, then tapped Krystal on the shoulder. "Krystal, I have a question."

"Oh, anything, comrade…except secret battle tactics, of course!" she quipped.

Gwyn giggled. "Nothing like that. I was just curious. Your team name, Team Shatter Star. Why are you called Team Shatter Star?"

Cybil and Ebony facepalmed. "Oh no…" Gwyn tilted her head in confusion, then was suddenly wrapped into a one-armed hug by Krystal.

"I'm glad you asked!" She stretched her wing out over her head. "It's a grand tale of adventure, action, betrayal, and utter chaos! It was a serious time for us as individuals, but it marked the beginning for six proud warriors who sought the right to be free! Why, I could write a book about our origin story!"

Cybil looked at the Ravenfield team and mouthed 'I am so sorry…'

They got the impression they were in for a very, very long story.

"So, where to begin? I suppose I'll start with myself. So, there I was, getting ready to leave home on my epic journey to compete in the high tier tournaments of Mysto…"

With all the commotion going on, Team Ravenfield's presence was bound to be discovered. As their reputation grows for the Mages of Origin, so does their interest. Warriors of legend waiting to be tested by their finest. As such, one would have to wait until their paths cross.

For Margo, she wanted to cut to the chase.

"Queen Margo." A knight walked up to a dining hall table, where sat the queen of Ironworks Kingdom. He took a knee and bowed his head to the princess. "The people you sought. They have arrived in Ironworks Kingdom."

Looking up from the tea she was having was a youthful Mawile, essentially in her mid-twenties. She wore a silvery dress with a hoop skirt. Around her neck was some golden accessories, most notably a cogwheel emblem. Atop her head was the crown that symbolized her power.

"Is it definitely them?"

The knight nodded. "Three Eeveelutions, a Dewott, a Grovyle, and, unmistakably, a green Mew."

Margo set her teacup down, then leaned back in her chair, hands clasped under her chin. "I was wondering when Team Ravenfield would get here. I'm glad…" She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "I've been waiting for this moment for a long time."

"What are your orders, my queen?"

Margo snapped her fingers. "Send the knights to retrieve them. I wish to speak with them in private." He nodded and stood up. "Oh…and make sure the cooks prepare a feast before their arrival. I wish to be civil about my intentions."

"Of course, your highness. Will there be anything else?"

"Make sure the orb is ready for when they arrive." Margo clenched her fist, cupping it with her other hand. "I'm not wasting this opportunity to test myself, so I only want the best out of their strongest."

"Very well, your highness. It shall be done." He took another bow before stepping out.

Once the door closed, Margo took a sigh of relief and pressed the back of her head to the chair. She snapped her fingers and materialized a sword into her hand. She held it vertically and examined her reflection in the blade.

"I need to prove to myself I'm up to the task…I can do this. I am the Mage of Metal…I will prove my position as a Mage of Origin."