Ch.99: Return to Quartz Plain Village! Settling Matters of the Heart!

"Oh, my baby boys~! How I missed you so much~!"

"Moooom…"

Ella snickered as she helped herself to some cookies that Vivian had pulled out of the oven. The team got themselves situated in the living room, as well as Morgan and Ava. Gwyn was looking around at the family photos on the walls while Tony and Griffin got themselves seated on the couch.

Wes pried himself out of his mother's feelers. "Okay, okay, Mom, we missed you, too! Please don't coddle me into an early grave!"

Vivian smiled. "I'm just so happy to see you two are alright!" She sniffed and rubbed her eyes. "I couldn't bear the thought of something awful happening to you!"

Flint flinched and immediately went to her. "Hey, hey, hey…Mom, nothing's happened to us, and nothing's going to happen to us. Sure, we got into a few fights here and there, but we're still kicking, right?"

Vivian sighed. "I suppose so…"

Ava smiled and stood up. "You have my word, Vivian, these two are as courageous as the rest of their team. You and Garret raised two fine sons, I must say."

Vivian smiled. "Oh…well, thank you, Miss…" She raised her brow. "Um…actually, I don't think I've got your name. Actually, I don't remember giving you mine. Have we met before?"

Ava chuckled behind her hand, then knelt down. "It has been a long time since we last met. You and Garret have been busy since you settled down." She gave a light bow. "Ava Young. I'm Garret's childhood friend, remember?"

Vivian narrowed her eyes, then gasped. "Oh my gosh, that's right! Ava! It's really you!" She held Ava's hands and smiled. "H-Hello! How are you? Oh my, I'm so sorry for not recognizing you!"

"It's quite alright. I understand I look like an old hag."

Vivian shook her head. "N-No, of course not! You are so youthful!"

Ava chuckled. "It's fine, Vivian. Anyway, I have been doing fine. I'm happily married with the ringmaster to the traveling circus outside, with three lovely children."

"Really? Do you have baby photos?!" Vivian asked gleefully.

Ava smirked. "I suppose we can share."

Wes and Flint grimaced. We made a horrible mistake…

Ella snickered and hooked her forelegs around their necks. "Good to be home! Right, boys?"

"Swell…"

Vivian looked over at Morgan. "And I'm guessing that's…ooh, it's coming to me…Morgan, right?"

The Hypno smiled and walked up to her. "Charmed to see you again, Mrs. Ravenfield."

Vivian giggled. "Oh dear, no need for the 'missus.'"

"Very well."

Vivian looked at Gwyn, Tony, and Griffin. "So, these are your new friends?"

Flint nodded. "That's right. Hey guys, get over here." They walked over so Flint could introduce them. "Mom, this is Griffin, Tony, and Gwyn. Guys, this is our mother, Vivian Ravenfield."

Griffin bowed. "A pleasure."

Tony flicked his shades down. "What up?"

Gwyn smiled. "It's nice to meet you, ma'am!"

Vivian smiled. "Aww! Aren't you three the sweetest? I take it my boys haven't caused you too much trouble?"

Griffin and Tony awkwardly looked away. More like the opposite…

Gwyn glanced shyly at Flint, then looked down at her feet. "Oh…not at all. They've been…great company." Flint smiled and looked away, face glowing red.

Vivian giggled. "I'm glad to hear that. You have no idea how much trouble these two get into."

Flint huffed. "Okay, let's be clear, Wes is the troublemaker in the family, not me."

Wes grinned weakly. "Guilty…"

"Oh, you got into a lot of trouble back when you first started out treasure hunting!" Vivian sighed. "Always got my heart racing waiting for you two to return."

Ella smirked. "Makes me wonder how you don't have high blood pressure yet."

Vivian rolled her eyes. "Very funny, Ella. Although, that does remind me." Ella raised her brow. "I believe your parents are back in the village. They got back from a business trip." Ella's face soured. "Perhaps you'd want to-"

"I-It's fine," Ella interrupted. "I…already saw them when I got back," she lied.

"Oh? Really?"

"First thing I did when we traveled on over…" she grumbled. The less I see them, the better. They're going to flip when they find out what I've been doing.

Vivian looked at her sons. "How long are you boys staying? Or did you get all those key things?"

Flint quickly glanced at his brother, spotting the nervous lip biting. He patted the Umbreon's back, then turned to their mother. "It's…coming along. We're actually taking a pit stop here to recuperate. We'll be staying for a month, actually."

"A month?" Vivian smiled. "That's wonderful!" She hugged them. "Oh! We should use as much time as we can to catch up! Maybe I can take your friends out to eat!"

Wes pushed his mother back. "I-It's fine, Mom. Actually, while we would like to spend time with you, we're using some of that time to train."

"Train?" Vivian questioned.

"You see, Vivian," Morgan spoke up, "these six will be competing in a tournament being held in Gelid Peak. The current champion running it is also the key's keeper. In order to get to him, they're taking this opportunity to train and fight for the rights to battle him. There will be a number of strong opponents fighting for the title, but Team Ravenfield needs to reach the top if they want any hope of getting the key before the shadows."

Ella narrowed her eyes. "Yeah…I suppose we have you to help with that…" Morgan frowned, then looked away. Tony narrowed his eyes, but didn't say anything.

"Oh…I see." Vivian frowned for a moment, then her smile returned. "Well…not what I hoped for, but…okay." She poked Wes and Flint in the chests. "But we are spending time together. Family bonding, no way out of it!"

The brothers sighed, deciding best not to argue with the Sylveon. Their mother was sweet, but she had a temper that was best left cool. "Alright…" they agreed with smiles.

Tony suddenly slid in and hooked his arm around Vivian. "Well, if you're interested, I could introduce you to my mother. I bet she would love to meet you, so long as you can handle an hour of terrible puns."

Vivian giggled while pulling his arm off. "P-Pardon?"

"Believe me, you'll hate every second of it." Tony stuffed his hands in his pockets. "So, best we get onto that training, yeah?"

Wes nodded, then remembered something. "Oh…right. Hey, Mom?"

"Hmm?"

"Would it be alright if these three crashed here while we're staying? I mean, they could stay in the caravan, but I figured you would like to get to know them."

The Sylveon tapped her chin. "Well…I suppose I could use the company." She smiled. "Oh, alright, they can stay here."

Wes smiled. "Thanks, Mom."

Vivian turned to the three. "The boys' bedrooms are free, so one of you could take their rooms."

Griffin plopped himself on the couch. "Sparks and Gwyn can have them. I'll crash in the living room."

Tony smirked at Gwyn, then raised his hand. "I'll take Wes' room." He elbowed Gwyn playfully. "Guess that leaves you with Flint's."

Gwyn's face turned bright red. "Oh…hehe…" Flint, himself, turned bright red, looking away from the Mew. Ella couldn't help but roll her eyes at this.

After they got everything situated back in Ironworks, Gwyn told the Espeon she wanted to tell Flint how she felt. That got interrupted when the kingdom got a little…on fire. Ella was like one of those hardcore shippers who really wanted her two friends to just get together already, especially with how CLOSE they were to confessing!

She was not leaving this village until those two were in each other's arms/forelegs!

Wes stretched out his legs and headed for the door. "Well, it's good to be home, but I need to check in on Hal. How's he doing?"

Vivian looked to the side, smiling dryly. "He's been better…"

Wes sighed. "Right…I'll be back a couple hours." He pushed the door open.

"Hey Wes, hold on-" Flint called out, but the door slammed shut before he could get another word out. His ears flopped. "Oh boy…"

Vivian narrowed her eyes in concern. "Flint…is Wes alright?"

Flint bit his lip. Wes pleaded with his brother not to spill a word about losing the keys to their mother. She meant well, but Wes didn't want to talk about it with her. It went against what Flint was trying to teach him, but he kind of understood where he was coming from. Their mom wasn't as involved in all of this as them, so she may not have been the best source of emotional support in this case.

Still, that wouldn't stop her from trying, right?

"He's…tired," Flint answered. It was a half-truth. Wes really needed to get some decent sleep soon. "He'll be back to his usual spirits soon. The long road's finally getting to him. Hehe…"

Vivian narrowed her eyes suspiciously, but decided to wave it off…for now. "Alright…" She smiled at Ella and Gwyn. "Well, I suppose I could spend the day with you two. How do you feel about some shopping sometime, Ella?"

Ella scoffed and flicked her paw. "Girlfriend, I'm always down for some shopping! For real!"

Gwyn giggled behind her hand. "Um…I suppose I'll take you up on your offer."

Tony rolled his eyes, then started for the door. "I'm gonna get some training in for the afternoon. Cooking anything good, Mrs. R?"

Vivian smirked. "I'll have to pull out my recipe book later and see. Anyone against dumplings?"

"I can already hear my stomach growling for sustenance." He gave a two-finger wave and started out. "Be seeing you all later. If you see any lightning, that's probably me." He closed the door behind him.

Vivian glanced at Ella. "Well, he's certainly something."

Ella rolled her eyes. "A bit of a Casanova, but a nice guy…so long as you keep an eye on your pockets."

Griffin cracked his neck, knuckles, and spine before standing up. "Sparks has the right idea, though. Since Holly and Mack are here, I should be using this time to get my own training in." He pulled Land Shift out of his arsenal and examined it.

Ella narrowed her eyes. "That thing is really powerful…"

"And dangerous. I barely managed to contain the quakes when I used it on the enemy." He placed it back inside the arsenal. "I'll probably practice with it outside of the village to avoid casualties. Try not to be alarmed by earthquakes in the distance." He let himself out.

Vivian huffed. "Is everyone going to be busy?"

Gwyn smiled. "I don't mind spending time with you, Mrs. Ravenfield!"

Vivian smiled. "Wonderful!"

Flint chuckled. "Heh. Well, I'll leave you two to bond. I have to head to the apartments and talk to the landlord to get my and Wes' rooms back…assuming he didn't already evict Wes for the late payments…" He sighed and started for the door. "I'll be back in an hour. And Ella…" He shot her a warning glare. "Don't. Try anything funny."

Ella smirked. "Whatever do you mean?"

"Just don't." He exited the house.

Vivian tilted her head. "Hmm?" Ella snickered behind her paw. "What?"

"I'll tell you later~." She gestured Vivian and Gwyn to the door. "How's about we swing by the pub and see how Lenny's doing? The place didn't crash to the ground while I was gone, right?"

Vivian chuckled. "Ella, I really don't drink…"

"A little wine won't hurt~. Come on~."

"…Welllll…I suppose I could have a glass or two…"

Gwyn scratched her cheek. "Um, Ella? I don't drink…"

"First time for everything!" She dragged Vivian and Gwyn to the door. "Come on, ladies, we're having some fun!"

The door closed, and all that remained was Ava and Morgan. Ava chuckled. "Yeah, this brings back memories." She looked at Morgan, then frowned at his despondent look. "Morgan?"

"…Did Ella sound a little cold when she looked at me?" he asked.

"Morgan…"

"They do trust me, right?"

She touched his shoulder. "They're still adjusting to the news. You can't expect them not to be a little put off by your…history. Just give it some time. They know you're not the enemy."

"How do you know?"

"Psychic, remember?" She shrugged. "But it's also a feeling."

"I'm more worried about Tony's opinion of me…" he admitted.

"He trusts you, don't worry." She patted his shoulder, then walked to the door.

Morgan stared at the floor, then followed. "…Right…"

Finding their way around the village was difficult, especially with how dense it felt. It took Griffin, Holly, and Mack a while to get to the village entrance before coming across the stretch of land before them. Out there, they were free to do as they please without endangering the people, which made Mack all the happier to cut loose.

Said Sudowoodo was spinning around his three sectioned staff in preparation for the sparring match. "Alright, so how we gonna do this? I was thinking I'd start with a little brutal maiming followed by a savage kicking to the spleen!"

Griffin pulled out Endless Regret. "Good to see our time apart hasn't tempered your nature, Mack…"

Holly sighed and held her face. "Just so you know, I'm a bit peeved you left me with him."

"I didn't hear any complaint when we talked over the orb."

"That's because I didn't want to bring my melodrama into your tragic play," she joked.

Mack smirked. "Ah, come on, you know you love my company!"

"Like a splinter in the foot."

"Exactly!"

Griffin rolled his eyes, then held out his blade. "I need to get a better grip on my limiter. If I can push myself to access the reserves, I should be able to fight on par with Voss…" He narrowed his eyes. "At least, I hope I can…"

Holly glared. "What's with that doubt in your voice?"

"…I've fought Voss three separate times after I met Ravenfield. We've hunted down and encountered Voss many other times on our journey for vengeance. My time with Ravenfield, however, has been some of the most impactful battles." He stared at his reflection in the black blade. "…What's the distance between Voss and me? How much farther do I have to go?"

Mack folded his staff under his arm, then grunted. "You can't seriously think you might not be a match for him."

"The feelings have come up. He wants me to beat him…but I can't summon the rage to do so."

"Dude…he murdered our whole clan. If we die, that's the end of the Grim Ash Clan," Mack reminded with a rare seriousness. "Just what do you need to get angrier? You have the easy anima to fuel, for Arceus' sake! Do you know how hard mine is to empower with my fear?! I have to substitute it with my own depraved thoughts!"

Griffin held his head and sighed. "I don't know…I've felt raw rage several times fighting him. I don't know how much angrier I can get."

Holly crossed her arms. "We never did have time to look up some of the subtle information on our animas, did we?"

"I guess not…" Griffin stuck his sword in the ground. "Maybe I should've grabbed some of the scrolls when I stopped at the village…"

Mack sighed, then mindlessly spun around Eclipse. "Well, you better get pissed off about something worthwhile, because I doubt you'll have this lucky streak of not dying for very long."

Griffin scratched his chin. "…I do recall something when I spoke with the mage, Seraphina. My…rage was motivated by revenge." He glared. "…Could it be because my anger is misplaced?"

Holly held her hip. "Misplaced? I'd say it's perfectly placed."

"I don't know. Could there be something else to my anger that I'm overlooking? Should I be angry over something else…or should I change the way I project my rage."

"Well-" Mack started to say before his eyes shot to a rock in the field. He quickly whipped out Eclipse and extended the staff to latch onto something behind it. A sharp squeak came from behind. "Well, well, well, we got ourselves a spy! Come here and show your ugly face!"

He whipped the suspect in the air. Griffin immediately caught what was snagged on the end of the thieving staff. It was the prop master Sliggoo of the traveling circus, Faye.

"You idiot, that's not an enemy!" Griffin leaped into the air and caught Faye in his arms, detaching Eclipse off her back.

Mack retracted the staff and placed it on his back. "Yeesh. Sorry."

Griffin landed, then set Faye on the ground. "Are you okay?"

Faye stared off into space for a moment, then took a deep breath and exhaled a loud sighed. "Oh man, that was nuts!" She turned to Griffin and smiled awkwardly. "Uh…yeah, all good."

Holly and Mack walked up to them, with the former asked, "What are you doing out here?"

"Yeah, shouldn't you be scrubbing down a circus cannon or something?" Mack joked.

Faye huffed at him, then resumed speaking normally. "I saw you three leaving and I got a bit curious. I overheard what you did back in the kingdom," she pointed out to Griffin. "Got to say, I've seen some crazy stuff in my time at the circus, but that takes the cake. Did you seriously overturn an entire section of land just to wipe out a few guys?"

Griffin glared off to the side. "…It was a little more than 'a few guys…'"

"Well, regardless, that sounded like some powerful mumbo jumbo you pulled."

"Mumbo…jumbo?" Holly questioned.

Faye grinned. "Heh. I wasn't born with magic. Don't use the stuff all too much, either, unless it's something I have to add to the props. I'm use to practical effects that were handmade, not spell casting and reality warping."

"We can't warp reality," Griffin corrected.

"Could've fooled me. That's how stories usually depict the stuff."

"Before it was fully studied," Griffin reminded firmly.

Faye held her hands up. "I get it, I get it. Some of my friends have magic. I'm not judging."

"So, you came out here to watch us?" Holly asked.

"Well, that, and I was curious about this guy here," she, once again, pointed out to Griffin. "First time we talk, he gave me the cold shoulder after I handed out drinks. Although, you do seem livelier than I remember."

Griffin scowled. "Is there a point to all of this?"

Faye held her hands up. "Hey, I'm not trying to rattle your chains, I was just concerned. I even overheard what you were talking about before your friend there went fishing for me."

Mack snickered through his teeth. "Ah, that was fun…"

Faye crossed her arms. "I…have to ask, actually: when was the last time you relaxed?"

Griffin groaned and facepalmed. It was like talking to Ella, again. "Good grief—look, if you're going to say I need to relax more, I've gotten enough lip from the Espeon. I've gone to hot springs, meditated, and had the occasional drink, even though I prefer yache juice over alcohol," he added under his breath. "I don't need to-"

"Okay, let me rephrase that: when was the last time you had fun?"

Griffin blinked, then looked at his friends. Holly shrugged, but Mack was trying to contain his laughter with varying success. "Oh…she got you with that one!"

Griffin glared. "…I don't need to have fun."

Faye held her hips and cocked her brow. "You…sure about that? No offense, but you come off as a cranky grandpa who won't stop referring to the war."

The Grovyle flushed with annoyance when Mack busted out into laughter. Even Holly tried to hold back her own giggles. Griffin grumbled and turned away from Faye. "Annoying girl…"

Faye smirked. "Hey, don't get mad with me, you know it's true. Besides, you look like you could cut loose a bit without the training."

"I don't need-" Holly covered his mouth and continued on.

"What do you propose, exactly?" Griffin shot her the stink eye. "Hey, at the very least, you need to take your mind off Voss for a bit. You getting stressed out won't do anyone good."

"…" He sighed and covered his face. "…What?"

Faye smiled. "How about sometime this week, you stop by the caravan and join me for a game? You two can join in, too."

"A game?" Mack asked, rubbing his hands together mischievously. "If it's poker, I must warn you: I cheat like hell!"

Faye rolled her eyes playfully. "Well…it is a card game."

"Score!"

"How about this Saturday? Not like you guys have any other plans."

Holly nodded. "We'll consider it. Thank you for the offer."

Faye nodded. "Of course. See you then." She walked off back to the village.

Griffin, after the Sliggoo was out of earshot, covered his face and groaned. "Why…just why?"

Mack snickered. "Eh, come on, the girl's offering. At the very least, you should humor her."

"What about fighting Voss?"

Holly crossed her arms. "That's a later deal. Besides, that Seraphina lady might've been onto something. If anything, maybe it's time you took your mind off the revenge plotting. We want to kill Voss, too, but…it's been a while since you've legitimately had fun. Actually…ever since you met these Ravenfield fellows, you've seemed…different."

Griffin looked at the ground solemnly. "…That so?"

Holly patted his back. "Come on, let's get back to training, then we'll see what this Faye girl has in mind for fun." She pulled out Last Breath and took her stance, as did Mack.

The Grovyle stared at the ground for a moment, then sighed and pulled out his sword. "Right…"

Outside the limits of the village, Tony was also taking to his own training in the rockier regions of the area. The Earth Zone was plentiful with barren land, free to blast at as he pleased. He especially loved the field of spires, which were perfect for working on his agility.

"Ha!" Tony fired a Lightning Shot upside-down, then he kicked off a spire and raced after his own spell with Quick Step. Improving his weaker speed spell felt essential, since it didn't have as much of a limit as Light Speed.

Tony bounced off spires without losing momentum, racing after the straight shot spell that aimed for a single spire in the distance. To him, it felt like he was racing for a minute, but the race lasted no longer than five seconds.

The Lightning Shot ultimately reached the spire first, with Tony reaching the target a fraction of a second after. He flipped off the side, crossed his legs in midair, and landed on the ground, perfectly seated.

"Phew…nearly beat my time there." He wiped his brow, then leaned back on his hands. "Then again, since there was a that slight delay before I actually started running, maybe it was a near even tie." He smirked and held his chin. "As expected of me to be so talented…"

He settled onto his back and looked at the sky. With a moment of reprieve, Tony had to think back to the battle in Ironworks. Hard to forget, only happened yesterday. They just couldn't take a break, could they? First day in a new village and they were off ready to get some training done.

…Tony knew he didn't take things seriously, always cracking jokes or making a fool out of himself for the laughs. Maybe he got that from his mother. Sometimes you had to not be serious to truly get through serious times. If anything, it was the only thing he had to keep him going. When it came to true danger, like losing his family, he could lose himself.

Thinking back to Indigo, Tony had to glower at the treatment being done to the Desert Beasts. It was plain as day they were being suppressed under the Shadow King's thumb. What could they do, fight back? The Shadow King seemed like the type of guy to use his minions until they've exhausted their purpose. That sounded like what the Desert Beasts were experiencing. Pirates caused havoc, but they did it their way, not someone else's way.

That made Tony think about the reasons why someone like Aeternus got under his skin. Aeternus seemed like the brains of the Tribe of Shadows. He could probably pass as the Shadow King himself. A cruel leader who knew how to motivate his underlings. He would use the dirtiest tricks to get what he wanted, and he wasn't a man you could easily escape.

The Dewott scowled lightly, then sat up. "Tsk. Good for nothing clown…" He stood up and cracked his knuckles. "Your first mistake was not killing me, Aeternus. You play around with your food for too long, it'll find a way to bite back." His fur crackled with electricity. "I just need more time and I'll be the one laughing in your stupid face. You better wait and see."

As the thief reached the end of his self-motivating speech, his eyes caught a flash of light streaking across the sky. He narrowed his eyes and zoomed in the on the magic, detecting that it was a bolt of Storm Magic…coming off the user.

Tony covered his eyes as he watched it sail through the sky. What on earth…who is that?

Suddenly, the bolt turned at a sharp angle and darted straight down. Tony only then realized that it was careening right in his general area. Quickly, he flashed over behind a rock with Light Speed and grabbed hold of his scalchop. He covered his eyes as the bolt hit the ground and exploded out with light.

While his eyes were blinded, his magical senses were able to detect the nuance feel of the magic aura…and it made him grimace in disgust. You've got to be kidding me…

The light died down. The Dewott took his hand off his scalchop, then stepped out from behind the rock, no longer putting his guard up. Although, speaking personally, he'd rather be fighting a shadow or some strange enemy of the week instead of dealing with his actual guest. Though, in retrospect, he should've expected this visit eventually.

He just wished eventually wasn't today.

He huffed an annoyed sigh, then glared at the smoking figure. "What the hell are you doing here, you shitty old man?"

A foot stepped forward from the smoke. Just as Tony thought, it was his less-than-welcomed father, Leroy Sapienti. The Samurott made his presence known with the proud way he stood.

The way he carried himself annoyed Tony, mostly because it reminded him too much of himself. Like he needed another reason to be related to his father.

Leroy glared down at the Dewott as he got within arm's reach of him. "…Still as foulmouthed as before, son?"

"I'm not your son."

"We are bound by blood."

"And you are a flaky bastard who left your wife, son, and unborn daughter without even trying to support us. You really do suck at the whole parenthood thing, don't you?"

Leroy glared. "I didn't come here to be lectured by you, boy."

"You sure? I've got eight or so years of pent up rage I'd like to dish out on you. Shall I start with the A's or should I just go based off which make me especially pissed with you?"

"I thought we moved past this in our fight."

"Well, if you were around more, you'd know I don't give two shits about letting people off easy." He crossed his arms. "Unless you came here to make up for years of lost time with a game of catch, I suggest turning your sorry ass aro-"

Tony stopped talking, but didn't flinch with Leroy's seamitar pressed up to his neck. It served to intensify both their glares. Leroy held the blade up to his son's neck for a moment longer, then pulled it away. Tony grunted and rubbed his neck, still glaring at him.

"I'd refrain from acting smart. You can have your petty insults, but none will erase the consequences you and your team brought onto the world." Leroy pointed at Tony and stated, "You've brought shame to your word. All of you did. You were to protect those keys with your very lives, yet we get informed by Margo that three of them were stolen. I'm especially upset that one of them was the one I handed to you."

Tony scowled. "Don't got blaming me! Wes was the one-!" Tony stopped himself and bit his lip. He was saying things without thinking again. He shook his head and drew a breath. "Tch…look, we were under a little pressure given we had to help some other people NOT die yesterday. Cut me some slack. I wasn't even there when the keys got swiped. You should be happy Wes kept two of them safe."

"Even if one key remained in your possession, it doesn't excuse the fact that there was a crack in their protection." Leroy jabbed Tony in the chest. "Wes Ravenfield may have had them, but you are just as responsible."

"I'm sorry, I think your hearing is going out in your age. Did you miss the part where I said I was busy keeping families from having to pay for their own funerals?" Tony scowled. "What did you expect me to do, be in two places at once? I hardly knew what was going on over there, much less couldn't do anything at the time."

"As a team, all of you have equal responsibility to protecting those keys. The lives of the entire Pokémon race are on the line if they get that idol."

Tony threw his hands up and smirked. "Well, would you look at that? The so-called 'Storm Hero' doesn't mind if a few kids and families get skewered. Ladies and gentlemen, I give you your hero!"

Leroy glared. "I did not say-"

"Really? Because you sure do sound like it!"

Leroy took a deep breath and pinched between his eyes. "If…you could cease with the snarky attitude for a moment…" Tony complied, but still gave the Samurott a spiteful glare. "…Let's assume for a moment the Idol of Origin falls into the hands of the Shadow King. At that point, it's pretty much impossible to defeat him. The idol has very few flaws to capitalize on. I'm sure you've been told of its mechanics."

Tony glared off to the side, recalling such a thing. One particular flaw to using the idol did stick out to him, regarding the whole 'one sound mind' thing. "Vividly…"

"While it is nearly impossible, the Idol of Origin did match wits with the dark warlock that challenged Apollo. Their battle lasted for seven days. We can only assume a few things: Apollo held back from using the idol's full power, he wasn't of soundness, or the warlock was able to match him at the current skill level he possessed. Not much is even known on the hero, Apollo, whether he was a warrior or farmer before. It's anyone's guess."

"And your point…?" Tony asked.

"The dark warlock was at least able to fight on even footing with Apollo, long enough before Apollo used the idol's true power to rid him from this earth. That means that, if strong enough, one could match the idol. Or rather, match the wielder. Do you get what I'm saying?"

Tony rubbed his chin and thought it over quickly. "…Yeah, I do. Despite how powerful the idol is, it's still a tool. You can give any ol' joe a sword that rips souls apart, but that won't teach them to swordfight."

"Exactly. We don't know how much knowledge the Shadow King has on the idol, so our only hope is that he can't use its full power. The better option would be to keep it away from him at all costs."

Tony smirked. "Maybe I should use it to banish him…and maybe score some hot chicks. Chicks dig a hot god, right?"

Leroy glared. "…You are NOT allowed to use that idol, especially for your own selfish purposes."

The Dewott groaned. "Buzzkill…" He glared at his father. "So, what exactly are you trying to tell me? That I need to become a warlock by the time we find the damn thing?"

"You need to step up in your Storm Magic. You're fairly skilled, especially given our last battle, but you're still an amateur to the finer arts."

Tony glared. "Finer arts, eh?"

"I told you before, I'm on a completely different level of Storm Magic than you. Frankly, out of all your teammates, you're the only one who hadn't properly beaten a mage. The battle was close, and I knew my defeat was certain, but you still have a way to go."

Tony crossed his arms. "And…?" His eyes widened as Leroy extended his hand out to him. "Huh?"

"Tony Alonzo Sapienti…will you allow me to be your teacher…and expand your knowledge on Storm Magic?"

Tony stared at his outstretched hand, giving the mage a befuddled grimace. Hard to forget this man blasted him unconscious into a freezing ocean some weeks ago. It didn't help this very man was his own father, someone he had come to resent for most of his life. Why would he accept such an outlandish offer? He got this far on his own merits. He could do it himself.

On the other hand, what would his mother think? Tony always went back and forth wondering how his mother could love a man who left his family into unstable financial trouble before ultimately falling into poverty. Actually…should he even tell his mother that her husband was in the general area? Cheri hasn't even seen her own father's face yet.

Tony could've just slapped his father's hand away and decline the deal…but that would be the unwise choice, wouldn't it?

Like it or not, Tony knew he had a long way to go before he could match Aeternus and the Shadow King. Maybe a prophecy said the mages would perish if they faced the Tribe of Shadows, but that didn't mean learning under one was the same thing. The Dewott had a goal to achieve: to surpass his father and live a life without regret.

He won't succumb to fate. None of his team will.

Their gazes were locked with tension. Not a single one moved once the deal was proclaimed. It could've kept up like this for hours, maybe days. Both were stubborn enough.

Tony, however, wasn't going to let the dislike of his father influence his decision. This was the most logical choice.

The Dewott grasped the hand and shook, sealing the deal.

"Do your worst."

"I plan to."

"Lenny! My man!" Ella exclaimed as she kicked the bar doors open.

The Emboar looked up from a drink he was preparing, then bellowed a deep, jovial laugh. "Well, well, well, if it isn't my favorite employee?" He got some disgruntled grunts from nearby waiters. "Hey, you know it's true!" Some murmured in agreement, then carried on with their work. Lenny turned back to the Espeon and smirked. "What brings you back here already? Got what you need done?"

"Call it a pitstop." Ella gestured Vivian and Gwyn to the barstools and sat down. "Have you met Wes' mother?"

"Don't believe I see you here often, ma'am." He gave a polite bow. "A pleasure to have you in my fine establishment."

Vivian giggled. "Well, I'm not much of a drinker, but I'm willing to make an exception today."

Lenny then turned to Gwyn. "And who's this lovely lady?"

Gwyn looked away bashfully. "I'm…Gwyn, Mr. Lenny."

"She's a friend we picked up along the way," Ella added. "Sweet girl, kind of sheltered."

"I'm guessing she's not a drinker?" Lenny asked. Ella shook her head. He laughed, then looked at Gwyn. "Don't worry, little lady, we've got non-alcoholic options. And the finest food in this here village!"

Gwyn smiled. "Thank you, sir."

Lenny pointed at Ella playfully. "You are going to come to work while you're here, right?"

"If I feel like it," Ella teased.

"Then you're fired."

"Please! We both know I bring in the most customers!" She cupped her cheek and grinned flirtatiously. "Who can resist beautiful ol' me?"

Lenny sighed with a tired grin. "It's either you attract or scare off my customers. You're like an angel's trumpet."

"Aren't those extremely poisonous flowers?" Gwyn asked.

"Exactly. Here's your menus." He handed them three menus, then went to tend to another patron.

Vivian smiled slyly at Ella. "Well, I see why Wes says you're quite the catch around here."

Ella smirked. "What can I say? I can't help it if I want to flaunt my stuff to cheat people out of their money. That's what you get for coming into this dump."

"I heard that!" Lenny shouted as he mixed drinks.

Vivian giggled, then patted Ella's shoulder. "It's a real shame things didn't work out between you and Wes. I thought you were the one for him."

Ella rolled her eyes. "Vivian, we talked about this…"

"I'm just saying, you two were so cute together. Maybe it wouldn't hurt to consider it…"

She sighed. "I made up my mind. Besides, I've moved on." She saw the raised brow the Sylveon was giving her. Ella darted her eyes casually, then held her menu up to her face. "…I did, really."

"Is that so?" Vivian asked pressingly. "Ella, I've known you ever since my boys were in grade school. I know you cared about Wes." She frowned. "…He did tell me what happened, you know. How he got you admitted into the hospital by accident."

"I forgave him for that…"

"Ella…you didn't break up with Wes because you felt pressured to, right?"

"…" Ella pressed her face deeper into the menu.

"…I see you don't want to talk about it." Vivian sighed. "Forgive me, I…I just really thought you two were good together. You were so cute and sweet…and I want grandkids…" she added under her breath.

"Vivian!" Ella exclaimed with a flushed face.

"Well, it's true!" she retorted, throwing her paws up. "I want to spoil my grandchildren one day! And I do want to see my sons happy with the perfect girls!"

Ella sighed and set her menu down. "…Look…I'll admit…I really didn't want to break up with Wes. He was an amazing guy." She frowned. "…I just felt like he never showed it…"

Vivian frowned, then patted her back. "Oh Ella…Wes did love you…"

"Never said it to me…" she mumbled sadly.

"Wes isn't the romantic sort, you know this. I do understand how you're feeling, though. It must've been hard not hearing him say those words, especially for how long you two have been together."

"…If Wes does still have feelings for me…he's gonna have to try extra hard to show it." Ella took a deep breath and rubbed her eyes, not wanting to show tears over it.

"Do you still love him?"

"…There may still be some flames left…"

Vivian smiled. "You two deserve each other, I know that."

Ella sighed, then smirked tiredly. "Good grief…you really want those grandkids, don't you?"

"Well, I'm not trying to push you towards marriage, but…"

"And this is why you're my favorite person ever, Viv," Ella said, giving the older woman a light shove.

"Aww, you're so sweet." Vivian sighed and pressed her face into the counter. "I just wished Flint had the same luck…"

"What'll it be, ladies?" Lenny asked as he came back to them.

Ella looked down at Vivian, then at Gwyn, who shrugged. Ella sighed and said, "Red wine for us, apple juice for the Mew. Oh, and I guess we'll split some sweet potato tots."

"You got it- wait, did you say Mew?"

"Now, Lenny!" Ella ordered.

Lenny huffed, giving her a wry smirk. "When did you become the boss? I'll be back with your drinks and tots in a moment." He walked off.

Ella pulled Vivian up. "Still worried Flint's going to live alone?"

Vivian sighed. "You know Flint hasn't had the best confidence when it comes to dating. I tried to help him, but nothing worked. And…well, after what happened to his father, I think that shattered his confidence. If Garret were here, he'd probably help Flint out."

Gwyn frowned. "Was Flint really that disliked?"

"I wouldn't say disliked, but…I don't know, most of the girls in his high school didn't think he was…datable."

"Very few girls actually liked Flint, but they were already dating at the time," Ella added. She shrugged. "Flint just gave up on dating ever since he went to college."

"Ah…" Gwyn looked down at the counter. "Does…Does that mean…?"

Ella shook her paws. "No, that doesn't mean you don't have a chance. I know for a fact Flint likes you. You two just…need a moment alone or something, where nothing catches on fire and interrupts it."

Gwyn pouted. "I'm still peeved about that…"

"Wait, what did you two say?!" Their eyes widened at Vivian, who was clasping her cheeks and gasping at Gwyn. "You…You like Flint?"

"Um…" Gwyn mumbled awkwardly.

"My baby boy has a girlfriend!" Vivian squealed and hugged Gwyn. "Oh Gwyn, welcome to the family!"

Gwyn's face flushed bright red. "UH?!"

Ella smirked and tapped Vivian's shoulder. "Uh, Viv? They're not dating."

"…Oh…" Vivian awkwardly let go of the flustered Mew.

"…Yet," she then added.

Vivian grinned. "Oh. My. Stars! I told Flint he would find the right girl one day! And just look at you! You're perfect for him! Oh, you two would look so cute together!" she squealed.

Gwyn shrunk back, suddenly feeling embarrassed. "Um…th-thank you…"

Ella waved it off. "Don't hold it against her, Green. Viv's a bit of a romantic when it comes to Wes and Flint's love lives. She practically called me her daughter-in-law when Wes and I started dating." She smirked. "She really wants to be a grandmother one day."

"I need something to do in my old age and that's spoil my grandchildren!" Vivian exclaimed shamelessly. She pressed her paws together and grinned at Gwyn. "I just can't get over this! I knew Flint would find the perfect girl in his life! Oh, how long has my darling boy been on your mind?"

Gwyn rubbed the back of her head. "Um…a while now? Maybe less than a couple months…six weeks…I don't know…" She tapped her fingers together. "Flint…has been a really great friend ever since we met. He…helped me come out of my shell…and taught me things about Mysto that I never knew. He likes to learn about my plant experiments and…he really seems to enjoy it. I like spending time with him, too, even when he's having a geek moment…" She smiled cutely. "I think it's adorable."

"Aww!" Vivian gushed.

Gwyn frowned. "Does…Flint not want a relationship?"

Ella shook her head. "No, no, no, he does. I've told you, Flint really likes you. He just…gets worried whenever he tries to be romantic. I don't think there's ever been a time where he had this big of an opportunity to find the right girl in his life."

Gwyn scratched her cheek. "…So, I should try again?"

"And this time, I'll make sure you two have the privacy you need. No annoying teammates, no massive invasions, no hardcore battling."

Gwyn tapped her fingers together. "…That'd be nice." She frowned again. "Um…but I still don't know much about being in a relationship."

"That's the beauty of love, Green: no one does! They just go in and hope for the best!" Ella reached over and patted her friend's shoulder. "You got this."

"Yeah…Yeah, I got this!" Gwyn raised her fists. "Nothing will stop me this time! I'm going to tell Flint how I feel!"

"Atta girl!"

Vivian sniffled and wiped her eyes. "Oh…I just know you two are going to make each other happy!"

Gwyn grinned. "Thanks, Mrs. Ravenfield!"

"Please…call me Vivian."

"Okay, Vivian!"

"Here's your drinks and tots." Lenny came back and set their food down. "Enjoy."

"Ooh, sweet potato tots!" Gwyn took a handful and shoved them into her mouth, munching happily.

Vivian giggled as she took her glass. "She's certainly adorable."

Ella chuckled. "She doesn't even try to." She sipped her wine and sighed. She narrowed her eyes at her reflection in the glass, twirling it between her digits. Do I still love Wes? Like…really love him?

"By the seven seas of old! Wes, me boy! It's good to have ye!"

Wes, with his forelegs crossed over the counter, smiled sleepily at the Krokorok pirate. "How have you been, Hal?"

Hal slammed his fist down. "Where do I even begin?! For one thing, it's really hard finding a replace artifact hunter that isn't a damn brat! What's with this generation and disrespecting their elders?! I'd have half a mind to kick their asses!"

"Maybe that's why they're willing to give you a hard time," Wes suggested, slipping himself off the counter.

"Bah! I'm a great boss! Ye know that!" He crossed his arms smugly and waited for the Umbreon to agree with him, but no such praise came. "…AGREE WITH ME!"

Wes chuckled and turned his head away. "Surrrre…you're a great boss, Hal. One of the best."

"That's what I thought!" He turned his snout up proudly, then resumed polishing a crystal skull in his possession. "I take it travels have been going well."

Wes frowned. "…Not so much as of late…"

Hal frowned as well. He faced away from the Umbreon, unwilling to show his own depressed mood. "I, um…know…ye're upset about what happened with Geno…"

The Umbreon's ears flopped down. "…I don't even know anymore…"

"I hate seeing ye like this, boyo. What happened to that adventurous spirit of yers? Ye were so full of life and vigor. I've never seen anyone with yer sense of adventure…except for yer father…"

Wes pulled down on his hat and sighed. "…I've been taking too many bad turns lately…I'm starting to wonder if I can make a difference. I never wanted to be some hero or leader…I just wanted to find treasure and look cool doing it. Is that wrong?"

"Ye're asking a former pirate these questions." Hal looked at his prosthetic arm, twisting his wrist a couple times. He flexed the fingers. "Everyone says at some point that they're not being selfish in their pursuits…sometimes we don't want the responsibilities that are too much of a burden on our shoulders. And yet, ye seemed enthusiastic about getting the idol, even knowing that the shadows might've become a formidable enemy."

"That was before I realized the stakes…I wasn't looking at the bigger picture…" Wes covered his face. "…I went into this like it's a game…I'm an idiot…"

"Ye're not an idiot, boyo. Ye act before ye think, sure, but that's not the marks of an addle. Why are ye being hard on yerself, anyway?"

Wes gritted his teeth. He couldn't show his face to the old pirate. "…Hal…I screwed up…badly…"

"Do tell."

Wes reached into his jacket and pulled out the satchel that contained the remaining keys. "…I fought the Shadow King."

The pirate's eye widened. "Blimey! Ye did?!" He nodded. "Me boy, that's incredible! To survive such an encounter twice, even! How's this bad news-?"

"Because I lost, Hal! I lost!" Wes shouted, covering his head after throwing the bag to him. "I got out with my life, but I left with emptier pockets! I failed my team!"

Hal caught the bag, then peeked inside. He pulled out the Keys of Earth and Metal and gave them a quick glance over. He frowned in realization. "Oh…oh me…"

Wes covered his eyes and collapsed to the floor. "How can I possibly show my face knowing I screwed up this badly?! How can I even get them back?! I can't beat the Shadow King! It's impossible!"

"Boyo, pull yerself together!" Hal ordered, stepping out from around the counter. "The word 'impossible' is a sinful word among pirates, especially with me!"

"But I lost the keys, Hal! I lost them!"

"Ye still have-!"

"I know, I still have two, but that's not the point!" Wes pulled down on his hat. "I can't keep going like this! Someone else should be looking for those darn keys, not me! I shouldn't be held responsible for saving the world! None of my friends should, either!"

Hal gritted his teeth. "Boyo…what kind of stress have ye been dealing with? Are ye saying ye're not fit to be a hero?"

"I never wanted to be a hero…and now what little confidence I had as a leader is dwindling down. Maybe Ella should be the leader…she's always keeping us on track…she's much more competent than me. She's the hero, not me…"

"What makes ye say that?"

Wes picked himself up and scooted up to the wall. "She's much more charismatic than me. Levelheaded, witty, always knows how to keep calm in any situation…really good at making the best out of people show…that's how she got Griffin to help us out…she's always thinking about the next best way to keep us safe…same for Flint…" Wes closed his eyes. "Why was I picked to be the leader? Why does everyone think I'm 'The Hero' in legend?"

Hal narrowed his eye, then rubbed the back of his head. He wasn't totally up-to-date with the prophecy, or anything detailed about it, but he knew what it was like to feel stress as a leader. That's what captains had to go through. Wes' woes weren't unheard of.

Still, the old pirate wasn't good at the whole 'sensitive topic' talk. He'd probably make the Umbreon feel worse with his blunt anecdotes. He'll have to think of something else later on.

For now, there was one thing he knew that always helped.

"Hey…boyo…" Wes looked up at the former pirate, who had his hand out to him. "How's about I closed down shop for the day and get ye something to eat? Ye look like ye could use a sandwich."

Wes sniffled, then rubbed his eyes. "Y-Yeah…that'd be…just fine…"

"Alright, up ye go." Hal pulled the Umbreon up and walked him out. "…Ye know, Wes…people often look up to unlikely leaders because they possess a trait unlike the norm of leadership."

"And I'm that abnormality?"

"Don't think of it like that. Look, ye just need time to cool off. This all happened just yesterday, right?" He handed Wes back the key bag. "Ye need a stress reliever. Take ye're mind off things for a day or two, then we can focus on how we'll get the keys back."

"I don't know…"

"Do it for yer team, then. Ye can't pretend ye're the only one feeling burdened by this loss…"

That was a familiar tune. Wes recalled the same thing being explained to him by his own team. Guess he was taking it hard because he was partially responsible the keys got stolen. A part of him knew it was wrong to blame himself, but…it's that unavoidable guilt that any normal person would get.

He pulled his hat over his eyes. "…You've always been a good friend, Hal…"

Hal frowned, looking on ahead in a distant stare. "I have to…ye remind me too much of yer bastard of a father…hated him like no other…" A tear poked out from under his eyepatch. "But he helped me find meself…and I'll return that kindness onto ye…"

The Shadow King looked over the three keys orbiting above his palm in a dark haze. He rested upon his throne, fist pressed into his cheek, staring at them in silence. There was no greater joy he could express than knowing he was three-tenths of a way complete to obtaining his goal.

His heralds, Nightmare, and Zaros stood before his throne, bowing to him. "My king, I trust that you are satisfied," Aeternus asked.

The Shadow King glared. "Most certainly. However, I am disappointed I could not retrieve the remaining two from Ravenfield."

"There will be other times, my king," Callista assured. "We should focus on hunting down Ravenfield and his team, then we can resume looking for the keys ourselves."

The Shadow King narrowed his eyes. "…We may have to keep our distance."

Voss looked up. "Distance? What do you mean?"

"While it's true we were victorious in our battle, I've come to realize that I'm not as immortal as I once believed. This new world of magic…fifty years of waging war in the past and I felt myself undone by that accursed warrior from the mage tribe. His face is forever burned into my eyes…his courage, determination, wit…it reminds me too much of…" He took a deep breath, then snatched the keys in his hands. "It doesn't matter. I want to take this time to study magic properly. Until then, we'll just have our minions handle acquiring the keys."

Nightmare crossed his arms. "Sir, the last time we tried that, they were dispatched with ease. And we don't even know where Team Ravenfield is. They're certainly not still in the Ironworks' ruins."

"True…but I think I know where they might be going next." The king tapped the side of his head. "I've been accessing Ghostwind's memories for some time, trying to find anything on the mages. Fortunately, Ghostwind has seen some of them before, thanks to Garret Ravenfield's involvement with them. One stuck out to me…a fellow name Benedict."

"Benedict?" Zaros asked.

The Shadow King turned to Aeternus. "If you would…"

Aeternus floated in the air, legs crossed. "At the king's request, I went over anyone named Benedict that was remotely relevant, as well as determined if they were a sufficient candidate to protect the keys. One came up: Benedict Stonefist, a Beartic with quite the reputation. He's a tournament champion…and presumably one of the key wielders."

"You sure?" Voss asked.

"It's a total guess, but it doesn't hurt to find out. Says the guy hops from place to place, which seems appropriate for someone protecting a key. And, since Team Ravenfield was just in the Snow Zone, would it make more sense to travel back to this tournament to get it? Especially since it's in a month."

Callista narrowed her eyes. "So…what? Are we going to take part in a tournament? No offense, but there's no way we can get within sight of that place without being found out. It's only a matter of time before everyone's on alert for us. We weren't exactly subtle when we made our entrance."

"That's…where you and Puck come in, Callista." The two looked up at the Shadow King, with his hands clasped under his chin. "Puck had proposed an idea to me and he needs you to make it happen. We have a month? That'll be plenty of time to enact our plan."

"What…plan?" Callista asked cautiously.

Aeternus snapped his fingers, summoning a shadow to his side. "I had one of the shadows go out before the invasion. I needed something…or rather, five somethings." He smirked at Voss. "I have to thank Voss for the inspiration! I would've never came up with this idea had it not been for his history with the Grim Ash Clan!"

Voss glared. "What?"

Aeternus held his hand out under the shadow. "Callista…didn't you say that you have a contract with a demon who can convert organic matter of a dead creature into soul energy?"

Callista rolled her eyes. "Useful if I don't have time to extract it from a living creature. Not as potent, but…"

"Can you do the same with magic?" Her eyes widened as five different types of bones landed in the Mr. Mime's hand.

"Puck…what are those?"

"Bones…Bones from the gravesites of the five councilmen of the once living Grim Ash Clan. Each from a different member, each with a different Emotion Anima." He smirked villainously. "One of my minions, Edwin, was more than willing to volunteer for a little experiment of mine. The tournament needs at least five competitors…so he's going to be one of them."

"You're going to…infuse that magic into another living creature?" Callista asked.

His smirk widened. "Who said it was just going to be a living creature? I need Edwin as the brains of the group. I have four others in mind, but they won't need as much convincing. I just need to cultivate this magic until all five are capable of using the anima to their peak."

Voss glared. "You plan on having them fight the champion?"

"Even better…I'm hoping they tear Team Ravenfield to shreds." Aeternus clutched his fingers around the bones. "This will be a test to see what I can do with my studies…because if this works out, I have…a few other ideas in mind. Kehehehe!"

The Shadow King glared. "Then see to it that it gets done soon."

Aeternus bowed. "It shall be done, my king. Come along, Callista. In fact, bring Reuben along as well. I want to get his opinion on this."

The Ariados sighed and followed him out. "This…is going to get real weird."

Zaros narrowed his eyes. "…My king, please don't think I'm overstepping my boundaries…but I think you don't want to go after Ravenfield yourself."

The Shadow King glared. "…The Ravenfield bloodline is something I must destroy…but it's also my demise if I'm not careful. I'd rather they be dealt with without me being directly involved, otherwise I'll be playing into Fate's hands."

He glared down at the keys in his hand. His destiny was in his grasp. This was only the beginning of his conquest to glory.

"Fate once said I was destined to perish…now I'll be the one who will master the cogs of time."