13th Red Ash Moon, 908

The servants finished packing the last of King Penworth's supplies into the carriage. A squad of five knights stood by, two of them with their Rapidash steeds hooked up to the carriage. Despite Roscoe's initial protests, he relented to Sir Matthias' demands to be accompanied by a small unit to keep him safe.

Roscoe stepped into the courtyard, dressed in a long blue coat that hid his twin rapiers underneath. He looked back up the steps into the castle, where he saw Melissa and Charlie waving him off.

"Goodbye, Mr. Fletcher! Have fun on your trip!" Charlie exclaimed.

Melissa smiled casually. "We will take care of the castle in your absence, Father. You have nothing to worry about."

Roscoe sighed and waved back to them. "You two stay out of trouble. And Melissa, do not forget our agreement. I expect you to guide Charlie into becoming a suitable heir."

She curtsied. "Naturally, Father. He will become a prim and proper king worthy of the throne by the time of your return."

"Hmm, yes." He turned and continued toward the carriage. He stopped briefly upon seeing Matthias standing by. He glared a bit before approaching. "I trust there will be no complications with my absence?"

Matthias nodded. "You needn't worry, Your Majesty. I shall keep this kingdom protected with my life. As for you, your journey into Wick territory should go by smoothly. These are some of the finest knights who will be accompanying you. No Freak or criminal will get within an inch of you before being dealt swift justice."

Roscoe hid his grimace. "Great. Absolutely wonderful." He bowed to Matthias. "Watch after my children for me."

"Of course, Your Majesty." Matthias opened the carriage door and stepped back. "Good luck with the negotiations."

"Thanks…" Roscoe stifled a sigh before stepping into the carriage. The door closed behind him as he sat down. He felt the carriage shake some as the other three knights bordered the upper seating area. He covered his face and groaned. Yes, thank you SO much for complicating this, Matthias.

He checked through the rear window and saw his children waving at him. He smiled and waved back to them just the carriage started to move. Once they rode out from the courtyard, he leaned back into the cushions and massaged his temples, trying to settle the migraine itching at the back of his head.

He heard a hatch open from the ceiling and glanced up to see one of the knights peeking through. A Simipour, he believed. "Comfortable down there, Your Majesty?"

Roscoe forced a smile. "Oh yes, the carriages always prove to be the peak of quality."

"Wonderful. It'll take us a few days to reach the Wick Kingdom. Please inform us if you need anything during the ride."

He nodded. "Of course, thank you." Once the knight closed the hatch, he dropped the act and covered his face, sinking deep into the cushions "What I want is to get through this trip without being guarded twenty-four seven…"

He couldn't even fault Matthias for assigning him protection. Not only was it necessary to protect him, but the recent recovery of Melissa placed a lot of pressure on the knights to increase security measures. If Matthias wasn't the head knight himself or prioritized Melissa's safety first, he would've insisted on coming along. That would complicate Roscoe's situation further.

I need to find a way to ditch these five before I rendezvous with Last Autumn. But if I did that, we'd have another region-wide panic on our hands. Worst of all, with my disappearance, Charlie would be forced to become king. He would have Ortwin, but the kid's too young to be leading a kingdom. Roscoe glared to the side for a moment. That's the contingency plan, at least. Ugh, maybe I really should go to the Wick Kingdom. Wilkin knows a thing or two about manipulation. Maybe he can convince the Verde Kingdom I'll be absent for several months. Or better yet, war gets so bad that I'm forced to stay in Wick territory. Oh, wouldn't that be something.

Roscoe glanced through the rear window just as the carriage passed through the capital walls and headed into the forest. He took a deep breath and leaned back with his eyes closed.

I have a few days to think of a way out. Better use them wisely.


Upon returning to her chamber, JoJo sighed and shook off the stress in her body, morphing into a Nidorina. "Finally! I thought he would never leave!"

Hilda sighed, having finished making the false princess' bed before she stormed in. "Do try to keep your voice down, dear. Nathaniel is in the hallway, remember?"

JoJo rolled her eyes. "Yeah, yeah, I know," she said in a quieter tone. She rubbed her hands together and smirked. "But now that dear ol' pops is away, I'm free to raid the place for his dirty secrets. The possibilities are endless."

Hilda sat on the bed and crossed her arms. "Dear, you do realize there's still the issue of Nathaniel? Even if you are in charge of him, he's going to wonder why you're raiding your father's belongings."

She waved it off. "Bah! I'll just tell him I'm looking for something. Boom! Problem solved."

Hilda shook her head. "I'm afraid it's not that simple. You have been away for a long time with the Foresters, and Sir Matthias is working hard to increase security. I don't think Matthias assigned Nathaniel to you just because you needed extra protection."

JoJo paused for a moment and glared at the nurse. "What are you saying?"

She sighed. "I do not think Matthias suspects any deception, but he's not the foolish brute you paint him as. Think about it. Melissa has been with the Foresters for a year. Without any context, what do you suppose could've happened in all that time she was captive?"

JoJo glared at the floor for a moment. "Being held captive by your enemies for…" Her eyes widened. "Empathetic attachment."

Hilda nodded. "It's not uncommon for those in captivity to develop bonds with their captors, sometimes as a survival mechanism." She closed her eyes. "From what you explained to me, she asked to join during her first day in their care. That tells me she always had this rebellious streak, but never had the strength to go through with it. I know the context, but Matthias or everyone else doesn't know what Melissa endured after all those months."

JoJo clenched her teeth. "He assigned me to Nathaniel to keep check of my emotional state."

"And to you're still you, whether in flesh or in mind." She glared. "If you intend to search through the king's belongings, I implore you to be extra careful."

JoJo grimaced. "But if I can't raid his chamber, what else do I have?"

"The archives always seem like a good place to start."

"I suppose…" She closed her eyes for a moment, then shot a glare at the nurse. "You've been in the Penworth's employment for years. How much do you know about Roscoe?"

Hilda tapped her chin and thought it over. "To tell you the truth, not much. I was hired to take care of Melissa when she first hatch. Queen Odolina had so many responsibilities that she couldn't always be there to raise Melissa. She was insisted on being there during her infancy. The king, however, was often busy with other matters and hardly took part in raising her."

"Tch."

"It's not uncommon around here. Women are expected to be the nurturing types. I've seen some nobles shooting the odd look or two whenever a father acted so lovingly to their infant child. I've only seen the rare glimpses of pride and love whenever Roscoe addressed Melissa. A part of me knew he cared about her, but he was always a mystery to me."

JoJo sighed. "So, nothing useful."

"Sorry."

She shook her head. "Nah, you're good." She stretched her limbs and morphed herself back into Melissa. "Thanks for the help, anyway. Looks like I'm starting my search in the archives."

Hilda smiled. "Good luck in your search."

"Yeah. Really gonna need it." JoJo slapped herself on the cheeks and made her way out the chamber.


Castle Talbot, Senbo Kingdom

"I found it!"

With renewed vigor and determination coursing through their veins, Erasmus and his guards spent the last few days researching in the castle library on anything pertaining to the identity of Copper Bluff. Though originally done in secret by the guards, Erasmus caught wind of their investigation and joined them when they mentioned it concerned uncovering Adenine's past. He put aside his own investigation into his suspicions around Melissa to aid them.

The few days passed with them combing through several texts regarding the history of Virdis and any information on the Wick Kingdom, a limited subject due their two centuries of isolation. Many of Erasmus' ancestors collected information on the western kingdoms and any of the eastern kingdoms for war purposes, likely a means to exploit enemy weaknesses or understand the terrain. Of course, much of the information was outdated as some villages and towns would undergo changes or different names over the years. The royal librarians were working with the Wick Kingdom and their other allies to update their information.

When it seemed like they wouldn't find anything of use, Serell discovered a breakthrough in the book he was reading.

Erasmus and the other guards put aside their books and joined the Togetic at the table. "What did you find?" Linota asked.

He set the book down and tapped on a passage. "This is one of the newer books donated to us by the Wick Kingdom. It details information about the development of the Outlands and how it became the lawless territory of the west. According to this, the Wick Kingdom has been working to reestablish control little by little."

Erasmus glared. "What does this have to do with Copper Bluff?"

"There was an old mining facility around eighty years ago. It used to be where the Wick Kingdom got their elementium from, but it was abandoned when the law started to collapse. It's called Copper Gorge." Serell glared. "And, as it turns out, there was an old mining town that presided over the gorge. It sits just near the border of the Outlands. And this town is called—"

"Copper Bluff," Gaufroi finished with a grunt. "Shit."

Rikmai gasped. "Adenine lives near the Outlands?!"

Serell nodded. "I've heard the town struggled with keeping bandits out of their land. Since it's so close to the border, criminals often try to ransack the place and absorb it back into a state of lawlessness."

"Does it say anything about its current state?" Erasmus asked.

Serell flipped to the next page and scratched his chin. "Hmm. Well, with how close it is to the border, it's officially unprotected. No knights preside over the town to fend off criminals. But the weird part? It's still classified as a part of Wick territory."

Rikmai squinted. "How can that be? If there's no knights protecting it, shouldn't it have been assimilated back into the Outlands?"

"Maybe the book's out of date," Linota guessed. "There's no way a mining town like that could defend itself."

Gaufroi sat down. "More importantly, this town has something to do with Adenine. The reason why she became a Forester…supposedly, at least." He glanced at Erasmus. "Did Adenine say anything to indicate something happened to her family?"

He shook his head. "I have sensed the occasional quiver in her tone when she speaks of them, but it sounded more like she missed them than that they were…deceased," he said hesitantly.

"So, we can rule that out."

Rikmai tilted her head. "Maybe she robbed the lord overseeing the town?"

Serell flipped through some pages and shook his head. "Doesn't say anything about Copper Bluff being ruled by a lord or lady. It's likely the town was being governed by the kingdom at the time when it was still a mining facility."

Linota scowled. "Is it possible her family kicked her out over something? I've heard some terrible stories of parents disowning their children."

Erasmus shook his head. "She speaks nothing but love for her parents."

"You never know, she might be deluding herself into a fantasy—" Linota winced at the prince's glare. "…But I suppose you know her better than us."

Serell closed the book. "All we know for certain is that she lived in some dangerous territory. No wonder she came to visit you every chance she got. Dealing with stuck-up nobles sounds a hundred times better than a daily ransacking."

Erasmus crossed his forelegs and sighed. "To think the Tetrarchs would allow their own land to get so far out of control. It is disgraceful."

"It's also a reason why we can't trust them," Gaufroi pointed out, rising from his seat. "We should inform your father about this."

Erasmus shook his head. "I am already on thin ice with Father. Plus, accusing the Tetrarchs of terrible land management is not anything new. I am just now seeing it with a renewed fury."

Rikmai frowned. "Not to mention that Prince Darby is not an honest man. You said so yourself, and so did Gaufroi."

"He knows something I do not. I can almost hear him taunting me behind that smug grin. He is a hard read. He wears his emotions honestly, yet refrains from sharing the details of those emotions. He is someone who knows exactly what he wants and is not afraid to show it."

Gaufroi nodded. "Exactly. Always fear the ones that are always thinking ahead."

Erasmus glared. "Well, that makes two of us." He shook his head and looked to his guards. "This is enough information to work with. For now, I just want to figure out where Adenine is."

Linota bowed. "Of course, Your Highness. We will get to work making the necessary preparations for—"

"No." He pointed to Linota and Serell. "You two will be going to Copper Bluff on your own."

Their eyes widened. "WHAT?!"

Gaufroi raised his brow. "Your Highness?"

Rikmai tilted her head. "But didn't you want to go there and look into Adenine's background?"

Erasmus nodded. "I do, but it would not be wise of all five of us to go together. We cannot just go into unknown territory on official royal business. I do not know the ways of the Outlands and how they conduct themselves." He pointed at Linota and Serell. "You two, however, would blend in easier."

Serell frowned. "Us?"

"You both have experience living in rougher environments. If Copper Bluff really is dangerous, I trust you two to make rational decisions on how to conduct yourselves."

Linota crossed her arms. "No offense, Your Highness, but you are assuming a lot by sending us. Plus…" She scowled at Serell. "Why are you sending me with this idiot?"

Serell rolled his eyes. "Oh, like you're a joy to be around…"

Erasmus shook his head. "I cannot send Gaufroi or Rikmai. They wouldn't know how to conduct themselves in such an environment, having been raised in higher class most of their lives."

Gaufroi crossed his arms. "It's true."

Rikmai groaned. "Sounds awful."

Erasmus glared. "Besides, I see this as an opportunity for you two to learn respect. I am getting tired of the other knights complaining about your bickering, so I trust you can put aside your differences to do this for me."

Linota and Serell shared an unsure look. "Well…" They sighed and bowed their heads. "Yes, Your Highness."

He nodded. "Thank you."

Rikmai tapped her chin. "Out of curiosity, why exactly do you not want to go? You've blended into lower class settings just fine before."

"True, but that is where I require you two for assistance." He glared. "I have been suspicious of Melissa's return. I do not know what it is, but something felt off when I last spoke to her. She seemed…relatively calm about everything that happened. Her words, seemingly laced with a year's worth of trauma, felt hollow. Like she did not mean them."

Gaufroi glared. "What do you suppose that means, Your Highness?"

"I cannot speak as to what, but that is why I want to find out. I plan to visit the Verde Kingdom. Apparently, King Penworth will be out of the kingdom for some time, so I see this as an opportunity to speak with Melissa without her father meddling. He and I did not exactly get along last we met."

Linota smirked. "Right, because you called him out on not informing your fiancé of her own wedding. Makes sense." She frowned. "Are you sure it's a good idea for us to be doing this?"

Erasmus shook his head. "Not really, but it is not like I have anything important to do now that I have been kicked off the throne. I shall tell Father I simply wish to check up on Melissa, which I am sure he will allow. I will just leave out what you and Serell will be doing during our trip."

Serell sighed. "You play a mean game of deception, Your Highness." He saluted. "Even so, we will follow your lead to the end." The rest of his knights saluted the prince.

Erasmus smiled. "Thank you. Gather all you need. Gaufroi, call for a carriage. Serell and Linota, try to bribe one of the steeds to take you to Copper Bluff. We set out in a few hours, understood?"

"Yes, Your Highness!"


Castle Penworth, Verde Kingdom

Finding information on Roscoe was surprisingly easy once JoJo started browsing through the archives. There were plenty of scrolls on him and his time as king the last twenty years. The problem, however, is that they were all completely irrelevant to what she was looking for.

The false Buneary groaned as she pushed aside yet another scroll that told her nothing of importance. It mostly recounted a charity event the king hosted several years ago, something about new books to an elite school or something. She wasn't paying attention and lost her place halfway through.

What was she even expecting to find in the archives? It was a semi-private space accessed by Penworths, knights, and archivist hired under the castle's payroll. Why would she expect the king's secrets to be stashed away in a place frequented by those who would execute him for treason? Maybe a part of her hoped something of use could lead her down the right track, but she didn't have the patience to comb through months of information.

She glanced at the stairwell leading out of the archives, where she knew Sir Nathaniel was standing guard. Having a guard on her heels alone proved bothersome, but she just had to be stuck with the one that could rat her out the quickest. She still couldn't come up with a reasonable excuse to ditch him. He'd sooner give his life than lose sight of her.

She groaned under her breath. This is so stupid. Why did the Foresters have to complicate things by breaking into the castle so many times? I can't even go to the washroom without being followed! Does everyone in this stupid castle thing there's a spy hanging around every—okay, considering who I am, I see their point.

She sighed and massaged her temples, changing into a Leafeon without thinking. "Calm down for a moment. Look at the details and try to find something you can use."

After cooling off, she picked up another scroll and read the label. She raised her brow, seeing it was a medical report officiated by Roscoe. Curious, she unfurled it and read a few lines to herself.

"…This details the passing of Queen Penworth," she mumbled. She sighed and shook her head. She recalled Melissa's cold exterior and rampaging a mere month ago. To think someone could love a parent so much that it'd send them on an aggressive march.

She read more of the text and winced. This was the first time she heard anything about this. Apparently, Melissa was found sleeping at her mother's side the morning she was found deceased. Melissa would be subjected to therapy for several weeks to cope with the traumatic experience. Even the king received some counseling for her death.

She traced her paw down the page. "Death date: 13th Festive Moon, 897. Cause of death: high fever. Examined by Doctor A. Underhill. King Penworth would go on to give donations to nobles working in the medical field, including Houses Freia and Noir. Well, at least he did something productive afterwards—"

CREAK!

Her eyes widened as the archive doors opened above. She looked at herself, gasped, and quickly changed back into Melissa. In her haste, she forgot to change her ears back to normal. She concentrated and tried to change them back just before someone came downstairs.

"Big Sis?"

JoJo forcibly smacked her ears and morphed them back into regular Buneary ears. She spun around and forced a grin at the Clobbopus at the foot of the steps. "Ooooh! Hey Charlie! Don't mind me."

Charlie tilted his head. "Were your ears green just now—"

"No!"

"…Okay!" Blissfully unaware of what he just missed, he hopped over to the table and sat down across from her. "Whatcha' doing?"

After catching her breath, she rearranged the scrolls and began rolling them back up. "Oh, just catching up on my studies. Being away for so long, I am dreadfully behind." She sighed dramatically. "The woes of being a princess."

"Sounds awful," Charlie said. "I would hate to catch up on all my work for my tutor. I never knew how boring learning was."

JoJo snorted and waved it off. "Eh, it could be worse. I learned everything I know from firsthand experience and trial and error. There is a right way and a wrong way to learn for everyone, and I know I am pretty dang smart!"

Charlie's eyes sparkled. "So cool~!"

JoJo chuckled. "Yeah, I guess I am cool. But hey, you got a good life here now. You are one of the lucky ones to get scooped up by the king and made into his new heir."

Charlie laughed. "I learned a lot from my friends when I was living on the streets. A lot of people back in the village were mean because we stole from them, but my friends taught me that acting cute makes them go easier on you. I just do this and…" He cupped his fists under his chin and widened his sparkling eyes.

JoJo's heart nearly melted at the sight. "D'aww! With a face like that, it'd be criminal to arrest you!"

Charlie sighed and dropped the look. "Though, I…still got in a lot of trouble half the time. I was usually in charge of distracting. I just talk to people while my friends stole food. Not a useful skill for a king, I guess."

JoJo shook her head. "Hey, if you can use it effectively, virtually any skill has some use. Like say, hypothetically, having a particular talent that no one in the region can do, thus giving you an unfair advantage in a hostile environment."

"You mean like when you were kidnapped?"

"…Uh, sure, totally what I meant." She crossed her arms and smirked. "Yeah, I basically ran the Foresters ragged while I was captive. They thought they could scare me, but I'm tougher than I look. In a matter of weeks, I was living in the most luxurious cell a Pokémon could ask for."

"So coooool~!" Charlie gasped.

"Yep, you have to be pretty tough to get by in this world, and that's what I did." She scratched her chin as a cunning grin began to form. "Hey, Charlie?"

"Yes, Big Sis?"

JoJo leaned forward, holding back her laughter. "You said you were good at distracting other folks, right?"

"Uh huh."

"Well, I was thinking of surprising Father when he gets home from his trip. He left his crown behind before he left. We could take it, decorate it so it looks super fancy, and return it before anyone notices. He'll be so surprised, he'll be bursting with joy knowing he had such loving children looking out for him."

Charlie gasped. "That would be a great surprise!"

"Exactly, but…oh darn!" JoJo exclaimed dramatically. "How could we possibly pull it off with Sir Nathaniel and Sir Ivone keeping watch of us all day? They would never approve of such foolishness. To ruin Father's surprise! If only there was a way to distract them so I can sneak into Father's chamber—"

"I can distract them!" Charlie exclaimed, waving his arms excitedly. "I want to surprise Mr. Fletcher!"

JoJo smirked. "I knew I could count of you, Little Bro. And I think I know exactly how you can keep them preoccupied…"


After leaving the archives, JoJo and Charlie wandered through the castle halls with their personal guards following behind dutifully. They did their best to make their movements casual, not giving away the impression they were heading for the king's chamber.

When JoJo saw it up ahead, she glanced at Charlie and winked, to which he winked back. Showtime, Little Bro.

Once they passed by the king's chamber, Charlie stopped and looked up at the knights. "Mr. Ivone? Mr. Nathaniel? I have a question."

Ivone bowed his head. "A question?"

Nathaniel grinned. "Yeah, sure thing, Your Highness. Is an important question?"

"Kind of." He tapped his hands together. "I don't know a whole lot, and my tutor encouraged me to always ask questions when something stumps me. You two must know a whole lot of somethings, right?"

Nathaniel chuckled. "Well, not to brag, but I was quite the smart lad back in my younger days. I could master mathematics faster than my peers." Ivone rolled his eyes.

Charlie nodded. "Well, it's not really a number question."

Ivone sighed. "Just ask your question, Your Highness."

"Okay." He took a deep breath and, with big sparkling eyes, asked, "Where do babies come from?"

Both knights staggered back in shock. "W-What?!"

"Is something wrong?"

"W-What, no! Uh…" Nathaniel gulped and laughed it off. "Oh, that's an easy one, kiddo. Babies come from eggs, just like all Pokémon."

"But where do the eggs come from?"

"…" Nathaniel placed his hands together and took a deep breath. "Y-You know, this seems like a question you should be asking your tutor…or someone other than us."

"Is there a book that could tell me?"

"Uh…Ivone?"

Ivone scratched behind his head and groaned. "Don't look at me, Master of Mathematics. You're the one who boldly volunteered us."

"Uh…" He grinned awkwardly. "W-Well, babies are delivered by Bombirdier, naturally! They…acquire the eggs and deliver them to loving families!"

"Don't they normally scoop things up in their aprons and drop them on people? Are you saying they drop eggs? Wouldn't that break them? And even then, that doesn't explain where the eggs come from."

Nathaniel winced while Ivone laughed behind his wing. "This kid's smarter than he looks, Nate," he whispered.

Nathaniel groaned. "I don't get paid enough for this. Uh, okay, um…"

As the knights were distracted with Charlie's loaded question, JoJo snuck around them. She lingered a moment to make sure they weren't paying attention to her, checked over her shoulder, and melted herself under the door. She reformed on the other side and snickered quietly.

Oh, that trick always works. She rubbed her hands together and began her search through the king's chamber.

She started first by raiding his wardrobe, pushing through racks of different cloaks and suits. She checked the interior for any hidden passages or mechanisms, as unlikely they are to be present, before moving on to the bookshelves. She pushed and pulled through each book, once more not finding any secret mechanisms. She considered checking the insides for any hidden messages but opted against it given her limited time.

She made her way to the bed next. She ducked down and morphed her ears into Chinchou antennae, lighting up the underside. Not even a speck of dust sat beneath the bed. She crawled under and pushed the underside for a secret mechanism, once again finding nothing of the sort. Then again, she was less likely to find such a mechanism in a bed.

Come on, there's always some secret cupboard or something. What kind of castle doesn't have secret passages and trapdoors?

She pulled herself out from under the bed and tapped across the walls in vain. She even tried turning her eyes into Luxray eyes, though it wasn't nearly as effective as the genuine vision. Even then, she doubted she could find anything. Nothing about the room stood out of place or warranted investigation. The entire chamber, as far as she could see, was perfectly normal.

She changed back to normal and rubbed her chin. Maybe Jason's being paranoid. We don't have any hard evidence Roscoe's up to no good. What, all we have is Althalos' vague warning and an assumption? I hardly care for the man, but there's nothing in here telling me he's this manipulative jackass.

She closed her eyes and sighed. Think this through, JoJo. What do we know about this guy? He's a nobleman who married into royalty, he has experience in fighting, and…that's all I got. She glared at the floor. Working backwards to find the truth. Maybe I should look into House Fletcher. But after searching the archives, I didn't find anything on House Fletcher. Barely anything, actually. Where does his noble house even preside?

She perked her ears, hearing the tail end of the conversation outside. From the sound of it, neither Nathaniel nor Ivone noticed her missing. She scanned the chamber one last time before walking to the door and melting under it.

"…so, basically, the fairies impart these precious eggs onto loving couples who wish to start a family, thus continuing the cycle we all know today," Nathaniel finished, his facing contorting uncomfortably.

Charlie tilted his head. "So, when you say fairies, do you mean Fairy-Type Pokémon or—"

JoJo reconstituted herself and stepped out from behind the knights. "Alright Charlie, I think you've bothered these two enough." She turned the Clobbopus around and pushed him along. "How about I assist you with your homework now? Let your big sister show you the ropes and stuff."

Nathaniel sighed in relief. "You couldn't have stepped in sooner, princess?"

Ivone laughed to himself and followed the royal children. "Oh, I fear the day you have children of your own, Nathaniel."

He pouted. "Oh, be still." He shook his head and tagged behind.


"So, where's the crown?"

Right after JoJo closed Charlie's bedroom door behind her, she frowned. "The what?"

Charlie tilted his head. "Mr. Fletcher's crown? That's why you went into his room."

"…" JoJo slapped herself and laughed. "Right, the crown. Uh, no, wasn't there unfortunately. Oh well, some other time." She hopped onto the bed and lay back. "I need a moment to relax."

Charlie scuttled over to his seat and hopped on. "Well, since you're here, can you help me with my homework?"

"You know I was lying when I said—" She looked up and saw the Clobbopus flashing his cute eyes at her. She sighed and slipped off the bed. "Fine. Don't expect much from me. I don't know squat about nothing."

"I thought you were a good student for your tutor."

Her eyes widened. "Uh, right." Damn you, Melissa! Why couldn't you be a loser?

Charlie picked up a book. "Mr. Post wants me to research the beginning days of the Verde Kingdom and its development. I don't know how to write essays, though."

JoJo rolled her eyes. "Ugh, believe me, too much work. Wait, do you know how to read and write?"

"I'm…slowly learning. I struggle to read, though."

She frowned. "Right. Growing up on the street doesn't give you a whole lot of opportunity to learn. He's been teaching you?"

"I'm doing better, but it's difficult. The letters just…jump around a lot when I try to focus. It feels like so much."

JoJo looked away for a moment. She wanted to say she knew what he meant, but she wasn't herself now. She sighed and touched his shoulder. "Well, the fact you're learning after a few months is amazing. You're a sharp kid. Better than me."

He shook his head. "But you're super amazing~!"

JoJo smiled sadly. "Some may argue the opposite." She gripped the back of his chair. "Some may even call me a loser. A hapless nobody always causing trouble. Someone who won't amount to anything because all they're good for is lying and cheating. Sometimes I wonder if it's true. Maybe that's why I decided to run away…"

Charlie's eyes widened. "You ran away from home?"

Her eyes widened briefly. "Uh…" She glanced at the door quickly before kneeling beside Charlie. "Uh, yeah. I…was unhappy in the castle. That's what I meant. I wanted to run away, but I ended up getting kidnapped by that dastardly Harlow. B-But don't tell anyone I said I was running away. It's our secret."

Charlie blinked, then flashed a happy expression. "I promise."

JoJo softened and smiled back. "Heh. Thanks, Little Bro." She patted his head. "Alright, let's get this homework of yours finished."

"Thank you!" He hugged around her midsection. "You're the best, Big Sis!"

Her eyes widened, briefly stunned into silence. Even after he pulled away, she felt the warmth of his embrace lingering. She felt something wet coming off her eyes and running down her cheek.

"Big Sis?"

She blinked before quickly rubbing the tears away. "Heh, sorry." She smiled warmly and leaned over his history book to start reading. "Just…feels nice to be appreciated by family."


Castle Talbot, Senbo Kingdom

"Ugh, the one time that stupid train would've been useful, and we have to travel the normal way."

Linota rolled her eyes as she adjusted her bag over her shoulder. She and the rest of Gaufroi's unit headed for the courtyard where they would be waiting for Erasmus. He had already called for a carriage, and Serell managed to persuade one of the steeds to carry him and Linota to Copper Bluff (granted, it costed a hefty sum of both their weekly pay).

"Quit complaining, Serell," she retorted. "The train wasn't meant to stop in the Outlands or anywhere near the border, unless you planned on jumping out."

He aggressively fluttered his wings. "I can fly."

Rikmai sighed. "Not having to listen to you two bicker's going to be a weight off my shoulders."

"Oh, who asked you?"

She smiled sweetly. "Can't hear you! Too busy planning out my week in Verde." She plucked a map from her saddlebag and balanced it in her paw. "I haven't had a proper vacation in months. This detailed map of the capital has a list of possibilities to explore."

Linota glared. "You know this isn't a vacation, right?"

"The prince's bringing us because standard procedure. Not much I can offer to his mission, so I am using my time wisely."

Linota groaned and pinched between her eyes. "You are such a spoiled rich kid, it hurts…"

Serell whimpered. "Great. She gets a free vacation, and we're stuck with each other in some Arceus-forsaken hellhole for who knows how long."

Linota sighed and looked to the Togetic. "Alright, look. We don't like each other. At all. That's an irrefutable fact."

"Yeah?"

"But we're also being entrusted by the prince to carry out this assignment." She frowned. "He's putting a lot of faith in us to get to the truth of Adenine's past and understand why she joined the Foresters. If we can do that, maybe they'll be able to reconcile."

Serell relaxed and looked ahead. "She was rather sweet. Shy, but good company even if we hardly interacted with her."

She nodded. "So, for the sake of the prince's happiness, let's just try and cooperate with each other. No pointless bickering or…you being you—"

"Hey!"

"—and just try and focus on our assignment. Whatever it takes."

Serell, though annoyed by the light jab a second ago, sighed and held his hand out. "Alright. Truce?"

"Truce." She gripped and shook his hand. "Let's make it through this next week or two without any problems."

"I think I can manage that."

"D'aww!" They glared at Rikmai. "Look at you two being all friendly and not trying to kill each other~!"

"Oh hush!" they shouted.

She snickered and resumed skimming through her book. "I don't envy your position. Bring me back a souvenir when you…return?" She paused and gleamed closer at her map. "Hmm…"

Curious, Linota and Serell leaned over the Vaporeon's shoulder and saw what she was focusing on. Almost immediately, their expressions soured. "Mai, why are you looking so intently at that forge?"

Her eyes widened. "EH?!" She hastily crumpled the map back into her saddlebag and laughed. "What map?"

Serell glared. "Okay, even you know that Tank fellow isn't in the capital, right?"

"I know that! I just…" She stroked one of her ears as a blush crept over her face. "W-Well, you guys are always mocking me for being spoiled, so m-maybe I want to try looking into a new profession. Something to really get that hardworking experience."

"The knights aren't enough?"

"W-Well, you can never learn too much about hard labor, am I right? Heh…"

Linota crossed her arms. "Mai, the reason you joined the knights was just to get attention from more guys. Now you're thinking of becoming a blacksmith?"

"These are…totally unrelated scenarios?"

She groaned. "Why must every decision you make involve impressing a guy?"

"I'm not trying to impress Tank! I am…legitimately curious about metalworking!" Rikmai insisted. "It looks fun, I swear!"

Serell rolled his eyes and marched on ahead. "Ten coppers say she bails out after the first day."

"Twenty coppers say after the first hour," Linota added on, following behind the Togetic.

Rikmai pouted. "Oh, now you two are ganging up on me. I liked it better when you were yelling at each other! Hey, don't you turn your backs on me!" She chased after them. "Oh, I'll be laughing when I show off just how awesome of a blacksmith I become! You'll see!"


With the hour of departure fast approaching, Erasmus decided on a small detour after packing his supplies. He knocked on the bedroom door before letting himself in, seeing his ailing brother tucked away under the covers. Dr. Sappington was nowhere to be seen, likely taking a break.

He wandered over to Dimitri's bedside and sat down. He placed his paw on his brother's shoulder. "Hello, Dimitri."

The dark-furred Glameow didn't respond or move, still seemingly snoozing. He looked better than Erasmus last saw, though was clearly still suffering from the poison.

Erasmus patted Dimitri's shoulder. "I am going to be away for a while. I am heading to the Verde capital to handle some business." He looked away sadly. "Do not tell Mother or Father, but I am also going to pursue a lead on Adenine. My…beloved, as you remember her as. You would have liked her. She is the sweetest lady I ever let enter my life, and I would do anything to have her back in it. She means the world to me. I understand if this hard for you to comprehend. You would probably hold this against me if you knew the truth.

"To think, I was worried about Mother and Father rejecting Adenine because of her social standing. A lower-class girl who I have learned lives on the border of the Outlands. Now we know she is a Forester. A thief, and an enemy of the region. A shame, is it not? The perfect prince is more flawed than he cares to admit. How you always try to break down my perfect façade. I do not know if it was jealousy or resentment, but…I am sorry if I ever made you feel lesser. I am not perfect, but I try to be to give the people hope. If I am confident in myself, everyone else will be, too. I cannot falter. That seems like all I have been doing for the last several months. Just stumbling along trying to maintain the façade."

As he spoke, one of Dimitri's eyes cracked open weakly. Though his vision was blurry, he could see the guilt in Erasmus' face.

"I am a failure of a prince. I let my loyalty to Father blind me to what was in front of me. I worked to maintain the status of the Talbot family, and now Father is dealt with shame for our failures. Adenine's background, the assassination attempt on your life, and the train disaster. Ever since we opened the borders, things have been falling to pieces." He closed his eyes. "I guess I am too soft-hearted for my own good."

Dimitri's brow dipped into a glare. He flexed his muscles and attempted to move.

"Maybe we should have stayed isolated from the region. Maybe I should have never contacted Adenine. Maybe we were better off relying on ourselves. It is like how our ancestors predicted: getting involved with the woes of the other kingdoms will only bring disaster to us. How much longer can this go on before something worse happens. What else is there before—"

Erasmus gasped as Dimitri suddenly leapt up from bed and grabbed him by the collar. Dimitri scowled at his brother, teeth bared and lips quivering to maintain the expression in his weakened state. He struggled to stay aloft, but pushed through the pain coursing through his body to look his brother in the eyes.

"Shut…up," he growled.

Erasmus' eyes widened. "Dimitri—"

"You…nothing…wrong." He paused to catch his breath. Erasmus could hear the strain in his throat. "Sick…tired…your…self-righteous…"

"Dimitri…"

He took more time to catch his breath and swallowed. "You are not…infallible. None of us are. Stop…looking so pathetic. I…only wanted…Father to acknowledge me…" He shook his head. "I never…resented you. Not truly."

Erasmus softened up. "Brother."

Dimitri clenched his teeth, his strength beginning to wane. "D-Darby…"

"W-What? Darby?"

"Darby…lied. Rotten. Evil." He pointed at himself. "Silence. Me." His strength faded. His eyes glazed over, and he passed out back onto the bed.

"Dimitri!" Erasmus leaned over his brother and checked his pulse. It was beating fast, but he calmed down as it returned to a normal beat in a matter of minutes. "Dammit Dimitri. You should not be pushing yourself like that."

He pulled the covers back over Dimitri and stroked his head warmly before departing from the room. He closed it gently before picking up his bags and heading down the hall. As he walked, he thought back to Dimitri's last statement. What on earth could've prompted him to speak of Darby?

"Lied. Rotten. Evil. Silence…Dimitri?" He narrowed his eyes. "Darby…lied. He is rotten and evil. He…tried to silence Dimitri? What does that…?" His eyes widened. "Wait a minute—"

"Dimitri! Are you saying Darby was trying to r—"

"NO! M-Maybe. Yes? I don't know, alright? I didn't know what to do. I couldn't risk busting down the door and accusing him of something without proof, but I couldn't leave in good conscience under the threat of something like that."

"I saw the whole thing before my eyes. Dimitri put up a good fight against the Fairy Knight. You should have seen him, claws swinging and everything. He was not going down without a fight. Though, you know Foresters. They do not fight fair. Next thing I knew, the Fairy Knight chucked his sword into the chandelier and severed it. I must have passed out after that."

"Perhaps the Foresters needed to silence him."

"Perhaps he got too close to some information they were keeping secret from us, and they needed to make sure he did not spill it."

In an instant, Erasmus' whole world came crashing down around him. He stared ahead, eyes overwhelmed in horror, as all the pieces started coming together. Every little thing Darby did, every accusation made by Dimitri, and all the suspicions gathering in his mind. Every collided together, exploding into a picture that shared the whole truth. The truth he was so ignorant and blinded to, he felt nothing but shame in not seeing it sooner.

All that dread, however, would soon fade. In its place, an insurmountable rage bellowed from deep within his chest. His eyes sharpened into slits, and his claws dug into the rug under his paws. To think he was so foolish to not see the truth because he refused to see anything, all for the sake of maintaining peace with the Wick Kingdom. His suspicions toward Darby transformed into an unquenchable wrath that boiled his blood red hot like the fresh lava of an active volcano ready to swallow the poor, unsuspecting village who could do nothing against the natural disaster.

"Darby Tetrarch. When I get the chance, you will know nothing but the pure, unrelenting torment of vengeance."