Gerard couldn't focus on the investigation.
His eyes drifted through the streets, passing by for clues or signs toward the slave traders, but they were merely skimming his surroundings. His mind was lost in a deep sea of thought perpetuated by Luna's outburst. To think she had the nerve to talk down to him, throw him around, and call him a spineless coward. He wouldn't have allowed anyone under his authority to talk back like that.
But the most troubling part of it all? She had a point.
Hatred was like a drug, constantly feeding on the psyche until it wore down the spirit. Gerard felt nothing but hate for the Penworth family, though perhaps his anger was only directed at Queen Temperance. He held no ill will to the queen's granddaughter, and he certainly held no hate for Odolina. It was only Temperance that scorned him.
But having hated for so long, had he become blind to the good he did back in his service?
"I just feel the world would benefit from trust and understanding. There's simply too much deception in conflict."
Gerard closed his eyes. Artur. You tried to convince me the people of the east didn't deserve animosity, but those in power who thrust the innocent into warfare. You were ahead of your time.
"Then again, this region's history is soaked in bloodshed. I hope to make a difference when I become queen, and that means learning from the mistakes of our ancestors."
He shook his head. Queen Odolina. Even as a princess, you exercised your role as a leader through your optimism. There I was dismissing the notion of peace with unfamiliar land.
He stopped and gazed up at the sky, wondering how far he had sunk into his own thoughts. The times were changing faster than he expected. He could blink right now, and another thirty years would swallow him up. Everything was different. A new generation was being born, and they were learning from the sins of their parents and ancestors.
Was he becoming a relic of a different time? Outdated thinking still plaguing the world?
Was there room for forgiveness? A chance to accept those from the east who wish not for war? Did bloodshed have to be the answer?
Looking upon his own wings, he saw flashes of blood from past battles. The lives he claimed never haunted him, but did that mean they were undeserving of respect? He quelled the trauma of killing by pretending they were less than nothing. To not see the enemy as a fellow Pokémon fighting for their kingdom, it eased the pain of bloodshed.
"…Nothing's the same."
He curled his wings and sighed. As much as he wanted to deny it, he was in a new century with a new generation taking the reins from his own. They would be the ones to lead Virdis in a new direction. Or perhaps a better direction. Artur and Odolina died far too early in their lives. They could've seen the shining examples of their ideals take root and grow into mighty trees that'll strength the land.
"…Hmm." Gerard narrowed his eyes. "Melissa Penworth, she said? I wonder…"
Before he could contemplate, an explosion rattled off from the other side of the town, startling him. He spun around, spotting the fleeting signs of a smoke cloud rising over the rooftops. He could hear the faint sounds of metal clashing and cries echoing. A brawl had broken out.
He instantly knew what that meant.
"So much for letting the authorities handle it." He tucked his wings in and sprinted down the street.
BOOM!
Luna and Katsu looked up and saw the smoke cloud rising out from across town. Luna gasped. "What the hell was that?!"
Katsu paused to sniff the air. He glared. "There's a familiar scent riding on the wind. It smells like alcohol."
"So?"
"I know only one person who utilizes alcohol that liberally in a fight. Follow me!" He sprung up onto the rooftops and dashed toward the direction of the smoke.
"H-Hey!" Luna snapped a vine onto the edge, flung herself up, and followed after him.
Have I completely snapped?!
Even as she fended for her life against the angry New Chariot soldiers, Regina's mind was affixed to her sudden and unexpected act of heroism. Of all the crazy things she could've done, this was beyond the limits of insanity. She'd rather avoid fights the first chance she gets, but to willingly start a fight with no compensation or reward screamed the beginnings of a mental breakdown.
Upon deflecting a sword strike from the Bibarel, she gripped her head and screamed, "WHAT IS WRONG WITH ME?!"
Claudius ignored her manic screams and shouted, "Flank her!"
Regina spun around just as the Noivern descended from the air, brandishing Super Fang. She raised her battle claws and kept the empowered fangs at bay. She sensed the Dhelmise approaching from the rear and launching an Anchor Shot to take her down. She quickly deflected the Noivern's attack and dodged out of the anchor's way.
"Oh, screw this!" She took out the last of the alcohol she stole and poured it into her mouth.
Secundus the Seismitoad rushed her down with a Drain Punch, but Regina pushed him and the soldiers back with a Flamethrower, spraying out flaming alcohol that increased the heat and volume of the attack. He guarded against it while the rest of his team took shelter behind him. The flaming alcohol drenched his skin and clothes, setting him ablaze.
"Sh-Shit!" He jumped out of the way and worked to clean himself off with some water moves.
The Dhelmise rose high into the air. "Spectral Lockdown!" He fired out his anchor into a Phantom Force portal.
Regina spotted the anchor firing from the shadows behind her. She backflipped over it, but it led to the Noivern snatching and dragging her up into the sky. "H-Hey! Let me go!"
Noivern only tightened his grip over her and charged up a Dragon Pulse. Seeing he had no intention of complying, she wrestled her arm free and sent Night Slash through her battle claws, elongating them. She swung across the dragon's legs and drew blood. The dragon roared in pain, causing him to let go of Regina who plummeted back toward the street.
Thinking fast, she pulled out and downed one of her potions. She aimed toward the ground and expelled a vermillion Flamethrower. The force of the blast slowed her fall enough to crash onto the roof and fall onto the street with little injury. She didn't rest for wrong, dodging a sword strike from Claudius.
He wiped the blood trailing down his face before approaching her. "You should've just walked away."
She clenched her teeth. "Believe me, this isn't my idea of an afternoon jaunt." She glared. "But I suppose I'm too deep in to back out now." She tossed the last of her potion and fired Flamethrower.
Claudius ducked as the flames overtook the vial and exploded it into a vermillion explosion. The flames threw him back, setting part of his cloak on fire. He tossed it off and took a deep breath. "Amnesia." He closed his eyes and let his mind relax as blue aura surrounded him.
Regina pulled out another vial, drank it, and sprayed blue flames into him. To her horror, Claudius charged through them with a care and nearly took off her head with his sword. She blocked it with her claws, but then gasped as an orange aura enveloped the blade.
"Swords Dance."
The force of the blade exploded with energy, throwing Regina across the street and crashing against a wall. She held her head, swaying in a daze. She glared at the Bibarel as he towered over her, waving his sword with a carefree attitude.
"I've had about enough of your interference."
She growled. Those boosts seemed way too dramatic. Don't tell me his ability is Simple.
Claudius snapped his fingers. The Chatot, Aeneas, fluttered over Regina. He took a deep breath and exclaimed, "Babbling RETORT!" He suddenly went on a tirade of utter gibberish that struck her in the form of dark sound waves.
"GAAAAAAH!" She covered her ears and curled up on the floor. "SH-SHUT UP! AAAH!" The noise got louder and louder the longer it went on, and she felt herself growing more dazed by the second.
Claudius snapped his fingers again, and Dhelmise and Noivern sprung into action. Aeneas retreated just as they launched forward with Steel Wing and Heavy Slam. Regina tried to dodge, but her worsened vertigo caused her to stumble. Unable to defend, she took the full brunt of the dual attack. They crushed the street under her with her coughing up blood.
Claudius snapped his fingers once more, and Secundus pounced through the air. He dove on top of Regina with a Drain Punch, further digging her underneath the street. Her eyes nearly glazed over, and she felt herself on the verge of passing out even as her energy was drained. She then felt the giant toad pressing her face into the rubble. His slime dripped onto her skin, feeling the effects of Poison Touch kick in.
"Well then." Claudius pulled out a handkerchief and wiped the last of the blood from his face. "I suppose that takes care of that."
"Should we kill her like you asked?" Dhelmise asked.
"A moment of frustration on my part." He scratched his chin. "She's quite old, but I suppose we can make some use for her. Load her up in the wagon and—"
"I…" Their eyes widened as Regina suddenly lifted her arms and pressed them against the street. "I'm not…OLD!" Despite her smaller frame, she overpowered Secundus' weight and threw him off in a fit of rage. "I'm in my thirties, you bastard!"
Claudius ducked under the flying Seismitoad and took note of the purple marks stretching over the Zangoose's body. He clicked his tongue in frustration. "Of course she has Toxic Boost."
"Swords Dance!" She rhythmically swung her claws, projecting eight swords that revolved around her. Upon completing her dance, a burst of orange light engulfed her. She pulled out a potion and downed the entire vial. "Okay, if I didn't have any reason to kick your asses before, I certainly do now. I think I'll be freeing your slaves just to spite you!"
Claudius growled. "Aeneas, stun her!" The Chatot raced toward the Zangoose and readied another round of Babbling Retort.
Right as Regina prepared a Flamethrower, a Water Shuriken curved through the air and sniped the parrot's head, taking him down. She gasped and looked to the rooftop to see Luna and Katsu landing beside her.
"No harm shall come to Lady von Elmnou while I'm here." Katsu pulled out his katana and raised it in a defensive stance. "Are you alright, my lady?"
She growled. "Your timing sucks!"
"I will accept that as confirmation."
She shook her head and pointed at the wagon sitting off to the side. "That's where the kidnapped kids are. They tried to use one of them to conceal the wagon."
Luna pulled out her sword and snarled. "Oh, that's just wonderful."
Claudius growled. "Oh great, there's more of them. Leave no survivors!"
Noivern and Dhelmise sprung forward with Steel Wind and Heavy Slam. Luna jumped at the dragon, coiling his neck with Vine Whip and forcing him to swerve over the buildings. Katsu struck back against Heavy Slam with his Leech Life-empowered blade and deflected it into the street.
"Lady von Elmnou!" Katsu yelled. "Assist with the children! Lady Freia and I will handle this!"
She nodded. "Right!" She raced toward the wagon.
"Secundus, stop her!" Claudius ordered.
The Seismitoad pulled himself back onto his feet and lunged after Regina. He didn't get far, however, as Luna grappled with Noivern's wings and caused them to crash down on top of the toad. She flipped through the air and landed with her sword brandished in hand.
"I won't allow any harm to come to these children!"
Secundus and Noivern picked themselves up and charged their small prey. Luna dodged from a sweeping Drain Punch and flipped over a close Steel Wing. She snapped a Vine Whip around the dragon's neck and shot herself back into him with a hard kick to the head. He collapsed forward, allowing her to dismount and spin through the air.
"Muddy Water!" Secundus slammed his hands down and conjured a wave of murky water thar rushed toward the Snivy.
Luna touched the ground and surrounded herself in a veil of leafy energy before springing forward. "Ironwood Break!" She activated Iron Tail and curled into a ball. She shot herself through the muddy wall and rammed her tail across the toad's stomach. The added power of Grass Pledge released and blasted him across the street with a leaf-shaped impression steaming off his gut.
Noivern picked himself up and fired out Dragon Pulse. She ducked it and snapped a Vine Whip around his ankle. "Earth's Wrath!" She plunged a second vine through the ground, and a geyser of Grass-Type energy exploded out from under the dragon.
Noivern's heightened resistance to Grass-Type moves, however, allowed him to push through the attack and lunge at her with Steel Wing. She barely dodged the sweeping wing, feeling it graze across her side.
"Iron Tail!" She spun on her hands and slammed her hardened tail down on the dragon's back, slamming in into the street.
Over with Katsu, he and the Dhelmise traded attacks through the air. He raced across the buildings' rooftops dodging surprise Anchor Shots appearing in and out of the shadows. He tossed Water Shuriken into the possessed anchor, but he pushed through the minimal damage.
"Anchor Away!" Dhelmise swung his anchor through the air, applying Heavy Slam, and dropped it toward Katsu's position.
"Leech Life!" His blade glowed red. He swung into the anchor, feeling the weight briefly smashing down on his body, and deflected it into the street. With the anchor sufficiently anchored, he raced up to the chain toward the ghost.
"Whirlpool!" The ghost's ship wheel spun and summoned up a vortex of water that traveled down the length of the chain.
Katsu held on tight as the water passed over him. He felt the harsh waves trying to throw him off, but he continued climbing up the chain. He steadied his blade as it fought against the water, and he lunged forward with Quick Attack. He braved the waters and delivered a quick blow to the possessed wreckage. Though he couldn't cut through the metal, the seaweed was still vulnerable.
"AGH!" Dhelmise shook Katsu off and retracted his anchor. He swung at the airborne Accelgor, dealing a decisive blow to the head. However, much to his surprise, the brief second he took his eyes off the bodyguard allowed him to switch places with a Substitute clone, causing it to disperse into water. "What?!"
"Dissolving Shuriken!" Turning toward the sky, the possessed anchor saw Katsu hovering in the air, throwing down a barrage of purple Water Shuriken. Each one exploded across his body and released a corrosive substance that seeped into the seaweed.
"AAAGH!" Dhelmise lost his concentration and fell out of the sky.
Katsu landed on the roof and cleaned off his blade in a single stroke. "Regardless of whatever brotherhood our two empires spawned, I will show no mercy to anyone who harms Lady von Elmnou."
Claudius growled. "Useless, all of you!" He looked toward Regina as she tore open the wagon covering. He reared his sword back, firing a jet of water from it, and launched toward the unguarded Zangoose. "Even if I have to leave the lot of you buried in my tracks, so be it!"
Luna nearly missed the Bibarel's assault on Regina and fired out a Vine Whip. She caught his ankle in time and reeled him away from the wagon, throwing him across the street. "Sorry, but your fight's with me!" She drew her sword and rushed him down.
Claudius sprung to his feet and blocked her strike. Still under the effects of Swords Dance, he effortlessly overpowered and knocked her back. "Streaming Slice!" He fired water from his sword and rocketed toward Luna.
She raised her sword to block it, but a glaive suddenly flew in between them and knocked Claudius' sword out of his hands. Immediately after, a surge of water flew over Luna's head and barreled into Claudius, kicking him across the street before dismounting.
The water crashed down beside Luna, and Jet emerged from it. "And this is why we don't go running off without prior warning."
Zephora hopped over and pulled her glaive from the ground. She balanced it over her shoulders and snickered. "Looks like we didn't miss much."
Luna smirked. "Perfect timing." She looked back just as Noivern and Secundus were picking themselves up. Aeneas had also just recovered from Katsu's surprise attack. "I'll take care of the Bibarel. Can you two hold those three off?"
Jet and Zephora turned toward the trio of soldiers. "Oh, I've been waiting for something to crack my knuckles against," Jet said, activating his Razor Shell. "Aqua Jet!" Water burst out around and launched him forward, taking the toad through the street.
Noivern aimed at Zephora and fired Boomburst from his sonar ears. The Maractus vaulted over the sound wave with her glaive and came down on the dragon with the blunt end to the back. She knocked him down and sprung through the air.
Aeneas chased her down as she flew. "Chatty Chatter Chat!" He wailed a babbling sonic blast.
"Spiky Shield!" Zephora projected green energy needles from her body, shielding against the sonic attack. She crashed and landed on the street before rolling her sleeves up. Seeds poked out from her skin and sprouted vines. "Eternal Sentencing!" Streams of glowing vines shot from her arm and snared the Chatot.
"Wha—" Aeneas suddenly recoiled and screamed as the vines dug into his skin and started draining his energy. "C-Cut that—"
Zephora spun him around a couple times before slamming his body on top of the Noivern's head, smashing it back into the street. She detached the vines and picked up her glaive. Vines sprouted along the pole and wrapped around the blade. The blade reflected green light.
"Autopsy of Torment." She lunged at the pair, swiping with the glaive.
Noivern quickly sprung to his feet and sucked his gut in, barely avoiding the blade's edge. "Y-You're insane! Boomburst!" He fired directly on top of Zephora, but the living cactus proved swifter than looks showed with a timely dodge.
"Chatty Chatter Chat!" Aeneas fired off another sonic blast of nonsensical ramblings at Zephora, who again intercepted it with Spiky Shield.
"Acupressure." Zephora stabbed herself in the chest, sending a sharp boost of power through her nervous system. Her arms expanded with newfound muscle, or the equivalent of muscle to a Maratus. She took hold of her glaive with both hands and smirked. "Let the autopsy commence!"
She catapulted forward, swinging and striking Aeneas dead on with a single strike. The Chatot went sailing backwards, smacking across Noivern's face and knocking him back. This left him open for Zephora to jab his chest with the blunt end of her weapon, throwing him against the walls.
Over with Jet, he proved too swift and tenacious for Secundus. The Seismitoad chased the sea otter down relentlessly with a flurry of Drain Punches. Jet either dodged or deflected with Razor Shell, showing no wavering or hesitance in his movements. He could only scowl at the toad, seeing him as nothing more than a punching bag.
"Muddy Water!" Secundus struck the ground and sent forth a surging wave of murky water.
"Endless Ocean—" Jet's eyes glowed in a silvery light. His water blade shifted and elongated into a giant saber. He raised it over his head and sliced down the middle of the wave, splitting it around him. "Rogue Blade!"
Secundus stormed forward with another Drain Punch, fusing it with the Venoshock he secreted from his skin to turn it a toxic green. "Fist of Toxins!"
Jet's water blade shrunk and coiled into a razor-sharp drill. "Typhoon Fury!" He met with Secundus attack, striking back with all his might. The water drill broke through the toxic punch and wrapped around the toad's arm, shredding through his sleeve and skin.
"GAAAAAH!" Secundus staggered back, gripping his arm. It was covered in hundreds of tiny cuts. "Y-You—"
Jet wasn't done. With a flick of his wrist, the drops of water dripping off Secundus' skin reacted and raced up his arm, slicing across his skin all the way to his shoulder. The toad hollered in pain and tripped back over his heels.
"People like you…disgust me," Jet growled.
"…Those kids are insane."
Gerard found the source of the commotion, but never expected what would turn up in the conflict. Luna, the Foresters, and the bounty hunters all working together to fend off against the New Chariot soldiers. No concern for their safety at all, focused primarily on putting the threat to rest and rescuing the children. They wouldn't hesitate for a second had they stumbled across the scene by mistake.
He shuffled back behind his cover and massaged his face. "Kids shouldn't have to be subjected to these kinds of horrors. What kind of world are we living in where behavior like this is acceptable? Children fighting battles brought forth by our sins." He closed his eyes. "Why did I become a knight in the first place?"
He peeked around the corner again and saw Luna keeping the Bibarel distracted while the Zangoose (Regina, he believed her name was) tore through the wagon to get the kids free.
They saw something wrong and took action. Gerard glared. That's what a knight would do. Isn't that why I took up the sword and shield? Every Farfetch'd when they are born has a natural desire to become a leek master, to hone their skills to perfection. Why do we do this? To uphold justice? To test ourselves?
Gerard pulled his wing from his face and glared. "The world is changing too fast, but this old bird wants to see how the new generation heals it. Just this once, I want to believe some good is left in the world."
With a fire burning in his chest, the old Sirfetch'd turned and ran from his hiding spot.
It was time to come out of retirement.
Regina hooked her claws through the last of the kidnapped children's bindings and cut them loose. She grabbed the back of the Croagunk's shirt and dropped him onto the street. "Alright, you brats, I'm getting you out of here. You lag behind, it's your funeral."
The Zoroark sniffled. "Th-Thank you, miss."
"Yeah, yeah, whatever. Move it!" She jumped out of the wagon and pushed the kids along.
"AAAH!"
Regina turned just as Luna went flying through the air, crashing against the wagon. She gasped as Claudius rushed toward her with water bursting out from his sword. She stood in front of the kids and blocked the Bibarel's strike. Her feet skidded back on the street, but she kept a firm stance.
He growled, pushing back against her claws. "Do you have any idea how many hours of planning you wasted?"
Regina growled back. "Oh, boohoo! I ruined your little child-snatching operation. Cry harder!" She pushed him back and swiped at his face.
He ducked her swing and fired water out from his sword, accelerating the force of his strike. Regina barely blocked it, but the impact knocked her back into the children. Claudius lunged forward, swinging down at the Zangoose's face, but she caught the blade in between her claws.
"Miss Zangoose Lady!" a Sandaconda cried.
"Quit standing around and run, you brats!" Regina yelled. She reared her legs back and kicked Claudius off. She flipped back onto her feet and pulled out a potion. "As for you—" she directed at Claudius as he picked himself up. "Maybe if I'm lucky, I can collect reward money for you morons wasting my time!"
Claudius pointed his sword at her. "You don't even care what happens to them. Why are you so adamant about opposing us?"
She swallowed the entire vial and wiped her lips. "I don't know anymore, but I suppose I should finish what I started." She charged Claudius down. He swung at her neck, but she parried his strike and slammed her empty vial across his head, smashing glass into his skin.
"AGH!" He staggered, covering his bleeding face. "You bi—" From his blind spot, Luna swung back into the fight, kicking him across the face.
"Watch your tongue!" she snapped. "There are children present!" She threw a vine around Regina's wrist. "Throw me!"
Regina twisted her arm back, swinging Luna all the way around the street, and threw her back into Claudius. She kicked him square in the face and knocked him flat on his back. After Luna bounced off into the air, Regina retaliated by expelling vermillion flames that encompassed the path before her.
The flames parted around Claudius upon activating Aqua Jet. The water hissed against the intense heat, barely staving off the damage. He clamped the hilt of his sword between his teeth. "Streaming Charge!" He curled into a ball, spun in place, and pushed through the flames. His sword glowed in an orange light, spinning so fast that it resembled eight swords protruding around the rolling Bibarel.
Luna gasped. "Regina, grab the kids!"
They leapt for the children. Regina scooped up the smaller Pokémon while Luna dug her vines through the ground and catapulted the remaining group with a weakened form of Earth's Wrath. Claudius barreled through the street, cutting through the energy vines in one strike.
"Witch's Cursed Grove!" Luna plunged her vines through the opposing buildings and created a net of grass that caught the falling children.
Claudius spun back around and charged toward Regina as soon as she landed. She dropped the kids behind her and crossed her claws to intercept his attack. However, just before he reached her, the Dhelmise came crashing down on top of him.
Katsu flipped off the buildings and landed in front of Regina. "Excellent work, Lady von Elmnou."
She growled. "Praise me after these jerks have been dealt with."
Claudius pushed the Dhelmise off and snarled. "You're less than worthless! Quit getting manhandled by these inferior lowlifes and do your job!"
Dhelmise rose up, its attached compass glowing an ominous purple. "Uncharted Depths." He lowered his anchor into the street, causing a viscous purple whirlpool to open up and spread under Regina, Luna, Katsu, and the grounded children. As the anchor sunk below the vortex, they found themselves being dragged under.
"Wh-What the?!" Regina yelled. She tried pulling her legs out, but the waves nearly toppled her over. "I-I can't get out!"
Luna tried to move, but felt herself sink an extra couple of inches instantly. "Me neither!"
Katsu slashed into the vortex, but nothing happened. "It's some sort of combination of Phantom Force and Whirlpool."
"We're doomed!" the scared Croagunk teen cried.
"No, you're not!" Luna sprouted Vine Whip and grappled the remaining children. Tugging with all her might, she plucked them out of the shadowy water and tossed them into the grass net above. On cue, they were caught and pulled up by their peers.
Claudius sneered. "Sacrificing yourselves won't save them! Pull them down faster!" Dhelmise nodded and sped up the sinking process.
Katsu impaled through the vortex in desperation, but there was nothing below them other than an empty abyss. The water had already reached up to his waist, and Luna was halfway up to her neck. "I can't find a way out!"
Regina reached inside her cloak for another vial. "Dammit all! And where the hell is that scar-riddled brute and stupid brat at?!"
Right as she said it, a Grumpig bound in rope and decorated in bruises fell out of the sky, crashing down on top of Dhelmise.
"What the—" Right as Claudius spun around, a red fist hammered into his face and sent him skidding across the dark whirlpool.
Casimir and Shale landed on the edge of the whirlpool, brushing dust off themselves. Shale stuck her tongue out and laughed. "Sorry we're late! We got caught up interrogating this one. So, what did we miss?"
"HELP US!" Luna, Regina, and Katsu screamed.
Casimir quickly identified the problem and grabbed the downed Dhelmise. "Going up!" He threw the possessed anchor over his shoulder, pulling his chain and anchor from below and ejecting everyone out from the whirlpool.
Claudius stumbled back onto his feet, massaging his bleeding and bruised face. "Alright, now what?" His eyes widened upon spotting the Hitmonchan. "W-Wait a minute! You're—"
"Yeah, yeah, I know." Casimir rushed him down, his fist vibrating at high speed. "Here's an autograph!" He slammed his fist into the Bibarel's chest, feeling bone break on impact, and threw him against the walls.
Luna plunged her vines back into the buildings and gently lowered the children. "Get them out of here, now!"
Katsu sheathed his blade. "Lady von Elmnou, I'll assist with the evacuation."
"Whatever! Move it, brats!" Regina ordered, stirring the kids into following Katsu. She followed behind, but stopped when she saw Shale shooting her a cheeky grin. "What?!"
"The old lady has a soft side~."
"I will literally kill you!"
"Love you, too~!" she responded with a wink.
"UGH!" Regina continued after Katsu and the children.
Luna massaged her hands. "Alright, one crisis averted. Now…" She glared at Claudius as he pulled himself back up. "The rest of the crisis."
Casimir and Shale turned toward the Dhelmise as he picked himself up, too. "Leave this one to us," Casimir said.
"Good luck." Luna pulled out her sword and charged Claudius.
Casimir cracked his knuckles while Shale bounced on her toes, taking mock jabs at the air. "This one looks tough. First to knock him out gets free lunch from the loser."
"I'm not playing games—"
"One, two, three, GO!" Shale sprung ahead first, leaving a trail of fire behind her.
"Why do I bother?" Shaking off his frustration, he joined behind her.
Dhelmise recovered from his daze just as they approached. "Deploying Anchor!" Wrapping his anchor in a silverly light, he unfurled the chain and swept it across the street.
Shale leapt over while Casimir slid under. Shale flipped over the possessed anchor and immediately rebounded at greater speed, striking his back with a well-placed kick. It threw Dhelmise into Casimir, who fired back with a barrage of Bullet Punches. This led to the soldier being thrown back into Shale, who formed a Pyro Ball and kicked it blank-point into his back.
"YAAAAAH!" he screamed.
Casimir ducked as he flew over him, twisted his body, and struck with an uppercut that sent him flying into the sky. "Shale!"
Understanding immediately, she cartwheeled over to Casimir and bounced onto his awaiting fist. The second she landed, he fired a punch that propelled the Cinderace after the airborne anchor. She tossed a rock up and raised her foot as high over herself as she could. Once she reached the zenith of her flight, she slammed her heel down on the rock with the force of High Jump Kick and fired a careening Pyro Ball that struck Dhelmise like a close-range meteor. It exploded with fiery power, catching the ghost wreckage ablaze, and blasted him into the street.
Casimir blocked the rogue rubble flying into his face and approached the flaming crater as Dhelmise lay motionless and out of commission. "Nice work, kid."
Shale landed on a roof and snickered. "What a loser!"
Zephora dodged round after round of sonic blasts from both Noivern and Aeneas. The more she dodged, the more frustrated they got, thus throwing off their aim more. She ducked under Noivern's Boomburst and struck the blunt end of her glaive into his chin. A fang broke loose from his mouth.
"I'm hardly breaking a sweat here," Zephora taunted. "Maybe you two should stop taking it easy on me."
"Silence, woman!" Aeneas fired off another sonic blast.
She sidestepped and tutted disapprovingly. "Oh, the follies of New Chariot's soldiers. Is this seriously what the west is supposed to be afraid of? What a joke." She sprouted vines around her glaive and lit the blade in green light. "Autopsy of Torment!" She thrusted the polearm at them.
Noivern guarded behind Steel Wing and briefly stunned the Maractus for Aeneas to blast her with a sonic cry. It threw her back, but she immediately flipped back upright. However, Noivern didn't waste a second and charged her with Steel Wing, ramming her across the stomach.
She spat up green blood, but smirked. "Dehydration Eulogy!" She punched and jabbed her needle fingers into the dragon's back.
Noivern's eyes widened as he felt his water content being sucked away. "W-What the—"
Aeneas, seeing the immediate danger, rushed down Zephora before she could take too much water. He dug his talons into her arm and ripped through her skin. It didn't deter her as she just kept stealing water, even healing off the damage just as fast. Desperate, he stabbed his beak through her shoulder and—
"KACAW!"
He released a sonic blast from inside her shoulder, causing her arm to explode off.
"GAH!" Zephora cried.
Noivern, though feeling drained, worked up the strength to throw Zephora off and strike her with a Steel Wing. She skidded across the street, but rolled with the momentum and jumped back onto her foot. She gripped her right side as her blood spilled from the wound, which had soon sealed itself.
She looked at the torn remains of her arm scattered across the ground. "Oh, come on! Do you know how long it'll take me to grow that back?!"
Noivern rushed her down with Steel Wing. She ducked under his swing before reaching under her shirt and plunging a hand into her stomach. She ripped a dagger out from under her skin and sliced across the dragon's chest. He swerved over the street before crashing and tumbling.
Aeneas tried to attack from behind, but Zephora spun and rammed the butt of her dagger across his head. The small parrot went sailing into a wall.
Zephora deftly juggled her dagger and laughed. "It pays to be prepared."
Over with Jet, he continued to evade the frustrated Secundus, who went all in with a flurry of Drain Punches. Jet deflected and threw the Seismitoad around despite his smaller stature, effortlessly maneuvering around him to land stinging blows with his Razor Shell.
"Endless Ocean: Rapid Wave Passion!" Water burst out from his scalchop like flowing ribbons, and he charged into Secundus.
The large toad tried to crush Jet with a Drain Punch, but he dodged around and whipped his scalchop. The water stream wrapped around Secundus and sliced him from multiple angles, leaving behind a myriad of cuts. Secundus, wracked with pain, tried to swing around and clobber the Oshawott, but he was once again assaulted by dozens of cuts.
Jet landed atop the toad's head and scoffed. "Such putrid scum deserves nothing but the lowest form of torment. How long until you finally give out?"
"Muddy Water!" Secundus punched the ground and summoned up murky water around himself, pushing Jet away.
Jet landed smoothly on the street and brushed some droplets off his face. As the Muddy Water surged toward him, he aimed his scalchop and fired Ice Beam into it. It froze the entire wave in an instant. However, Secundus came crashing through the frozen wave with his Fist of Toxins. Jet shielded himself from the ice fragments flying into his face and barely blocked against the toad's poisonous punch.
The sea otter flew across the street, tumbling and skidding on his feet until he stopped beside Zephora. Briefly acknowledging each other, they stood back-to-back with their weapons raised as the three soldiers closed in on them.
"Guess they're not complete dunces," Jet said.
"Stay on your guard," Zephora warned.
Secundus growled. "Enough of this. Boys, let's give them a performance!"
Jet and Zephora's eyes widened as the Noivern, Aeneas, and Secundus released multicolored sound waves directly at them. Upon being struck, they seized up and covered their ears against the bombardment of sound. It was growing exponentially louder by the second. It was unbearable, assaulting the inside of their heads with its ear-bleeding noise.
"Th-They're using Round!" Jet yelled.
"On top of…E-Echoed Voice!" Zephora cried.
The three soldiers belted their voices at a greater pitch, increasing the speed and volume of their combined attack. Jet and Zephora collapsed onto their knees, both swaying on the verge of passing out.
"Oi!" Just then, however, an anchor swept the air and clobbered all three soldiers across the heads, throwing them into the walls. Casimir dropped the dazed Dhelmise on the ground and yelled, "Save your failed musical performance for the deaf!"
The two Foresters stumbled back onto their feet. Jet, in a fit of rage, recovered the fastest and rushed down the soldiers. He activated his Razor Shell, channeling a dark blue edge over it. "Razor's Wrath!" He sliced into the trio with explosive force, smashing down the wall and throwing them into living room furniture.
Zephora grimaced. "Excessive much?"
"Oh shut up."
"HA!" They took their eyes off the trio and spotted Luna dueling against Claudius.
Luna used her agility to her advantage, dodging around the Bibarel's killer strikes having further been amplified by Swords Dance. She snagged the edge of a roof and flung herself over his head before grappling his neck and slinging herself in for a kick to the head.
Claudius didn't fall quite as easily, whipping his arm around and decking her across the side. "Streaming Slice!" He rushed her down with a jet of water shooting from his sword.
Luna, laying on her back, braced her arms and blocked with her swords. The water grinded into her blade, steadily cutting through. Right as she felt her sword nearing breakage, she fired a Vine Whip at a streetlamp and pulled herself away. Her sword snapped in two upon her escape.
"Earth's Wrath!" She rolled to her feet and plunged her vines into the ground. Spots of grass energy opened up around Claudius and fired empowered Grass Pledges.
"Aqua Jet!" He coated himself in water and flew through the beams of grass energy. He flexed his arms, increasing the definition of his muscles. "Superpower!" Bursting with a light blue aura, he charged straight down onto Luna and slammed his fist into the ground.
The resulting shockwave threw Luna across the street and into the streetlamp, bending it on impact. "AGH!" She collapsed, trembling in pain.
"Luna!" Zephora gasped.
"Hang on!" Casimir yelled.
He and the Foresters tried to reach her, but were blindsided by Noivern's Boomburst and blasted into the wall. The trio pulled themselves from the wreckage and clambered back onto the street.
Shale bounced off the rooftops and dove toward Claudius. "High Jump Ki—" An anchor shot out from behind and wrapped around her. "Ooh, failed immediately—YAAAAH!" Dhelmise pulled her out of the air and slammed her down onto her allies.
Luna pushed herself up against the dented streetlamp and looked wearily at Claudius, who was suffering from major fatigue due to Superpower and Simple. He shook his head before standing. His sword still gleamed with remnants of Swords Dance's influence, and he pointed the blade at the fallen Snivy as he approached.
"You really have no idea how badly you messed up," he said. "You'll have to serve as compensation for ruining our plans."
Luna lifted her broken sword and glared back defiantly. "I did what I had to in the name of justice—" Claudius smacked the weapon out of her hands and pressed the tip of his sword to her neck.
"You're nothing but a small, insignificant woman shamefully parading herself as a soldier. Your precious kingdoms will be crushed under the might of New Chariot, all a result of the west's inferior blood. You should be grateful we see you as worthy specimen to work under us, lest your lesser blood be fertilizer for the earth."
She growled. "Is that how you view us?"
"It's simple fact. You have no idea what New Chariot is capable of. We've subjugated our enemies and became the dominant power of the east, and soon the whole of Virdis." He pressed his sword harder to her throat. "We take because we can. We've braved the harsh climates and overcome weakness. Your very existence is just proof the west will become another milestone in our emperor's glorious conquest."
"…" Luna's glare deepened. "Don't underestimate the west. We'd gladly lay down our lives to protect our people."
"And so would we. That's the nature of war." Claudius reared his sword back, motioning to bring it down on her neck. "We just make sure no one can fight back."
"LUNA!" Zephora cried.
"Dammit!" Jet pulled himself to his feet and launched forward with Aqua Jet, but Dhelmise intercepted his path with Phantom Force. "Get out of my way!"
Luna stared Claudius down without a shred of fear in her eyes. She reached for a dagger clipped to her waist, stating, "I'll die knowing I fought for what I believed in."
Claudius merely glared and said, "Then you'll die a fool." With water bursting from his sword, he brought the blade down on the Snivy. She stared down the blade as she whipped out her dagger in retaliation.
CLANG!
However, to both their shock, Claudius' sword flew out from his hands and clattered across the street. Both hyped up on adrenaline, they didn't immediately registered what happened…until they saw the figure of white feathers standing beside Luna.
"You don't give the fool enough respect."
Claudius staggered back in shock. "What the…?"
Luna's eyes widened. "Sir…Gerard?"
The Sirfetch'd stood confidently beside his fellow knight adorned in armor pieces thrown on in haste. To Luna's shock and amazement, he wielded his signature leek sword and shield, both shining brilliantly under the sun's majestic glow.
Gerard pointed his sword at Claudius and glared. "A man who believes himself to be wise is the true fool. A fool who pursues their ideals regardless of what comes before them? I consider that true wisdom. Without fools like them, how can we ever progress as a society?"
Luna pulled herself up and stared at the ex-knight in awe. "You're…"
"…" He glanced back at her. "You were right, kid. Maybe it's time I got out of my own head and give hope a chance."
Her eyes shimmered with tears as a smile broke out over her face. "Sir Gerard…thank you."
The old duck nodded, then glared down at the New Chariot soldiers. "It's my job to protect and guide the new generation. You lot! Get a move on. I'll take care of these invaders!"
Jet, Zephora, Casimir, and Shale scrambled onto their feet and ran around the soldiers while they were distracted. Claudius stumbled away as Gerard advanced toward them, waving his sword around as if beckoning them to make the first move. Even with their bias against the west, they could tell Gerard carried himself with unwavering confidence in his skill.
"I'll take all of you on," Gerard said. "Let me show you the fighting style that made me infamous." He swung his sword with such power and speed, the soldiers could feel the pressure hitting their faces. "My Honored Wind Style, crafted in the name of my greatest students."
Claudius growled. "I don't care what or who you are! Eliminate him!"
Aeneas, Secundus, and the Noivern stepped ahead of the Bibarel and inhaled. "Three-Way Serenade of Delusion!" They let loose their combined Round attack, blasting into Gerard full blast.
Gerard raised his shield and charged through the soundwaves with no hesitance. Though he felt the assault on his eardrums, it didn't slow his approach. He charged the soldiers down as he reared his sword back, channeling a dark purple energy through it.
"Second Form: Dragon Bending Current!"
His sword flowed forward like a whip cutting across the air, its movements bending and wrapping around the three soldiers in the blink of an eye. Before they could even register what happened, several dozen strikes landed across vulnerable areas of their bodies. Each impact steadily increased in damage whether from a power boost or from damaging raw skin. The strikes beat down on them from different angles, making it impossible to defend against whatever direction they came down from.
The trio were thrown back from Gerard's attack and collapsed in front of their peers. With little time wasted, Gerard continued charging toward Claudius and the Dhelmise.
Dhelmise lurched forward, unfurling his anchor. "Anchor Deployed!" Applying Heavy Slam, he swept it across the path ahead, aiming to break Gerard's neck.
"Iron Defense!" Gerard stopped and raised his shield. It hardened with a reflective silver sheen. He stood his ground the moment the anchor struck into his shield. The ground cracked under his feet, but he held up against the attack.
Claudius ran around Gerard during the attack and retrieved his lost sword. "Streaming Slice!" Water rushed out from the blade, propelling him toward the old duck's flank.
Gerard knocked the anchor away and placed pressure on his heel. "Fourth Form: Turtle Bunker Whirlwind!" He pivoted off his heel with incredible speed and swung his sword.
A ring of pressurized wind encircled him in a two-meter radius. Claudius felt himself being pushed back by a sudden force followed by several cuts ripping through his clothes and skin. It threw him back violently into the buildings.
Secundus picked himself off the ground and charged Gerard down while his back was turned. "Fist of Toxins!" He reared up his poison-covered fist and struck down on the old duck.
Gerard intercepted with a timely Iron Defense with his shield and parried the attack. Secundus was knocked off balance, allowing Gerard to rear his sword back and aim for the toad's exposed stomach.
"Fifth Form: Hound Hunting Bite."
He thrusted the sword with incredible speed, a flurry of green light with dark purple trailing off the weapon. He struck into the Seismitoad several dozen times in the span of five seconds. He ended with one final strike to the chest that sent the soldier flying down the street and crashing into Dhelmise.
Noivern collected himself off the ground and took to the air. "Boomburst!" He fired down the destructive soundwaves on top of Gerard.
Gerard shielded himself under his shield and braced for impact. The sounds barreled down on his shield while crushing the street around him. He grunted, feeling the pressure slamming through his wing and into his weak back. He bent onto one knee to circumvent the downward force.
"Shit!" Casimir yelled. "The old man's not looking so good."
Luna, however, objected with, "Don't lose hope on Sir Gerard! In the Verde Kingdom, he had no equal. He is Sir Gerard the Righteous!"
Overhearing Luna's praise through the destructive sound, a smirk stretched over his beak. "How can I lose…with encouragement like that?!" He dug his webbed toes down and kicked himself out from under the Boomburst. He dragged his shield down to catch himself, then leapt into the air with a single flap of his wings.
Noivern turned and aimed his Boomburst, but Gerard overwhelmed him with a sudden attack. With a single swing of his blade, three purple slash marks trailing in orange light ripped into the dragon's chest.
"First Form: Tiger Rending Gale!"
With blood spraying out from his chest, the dragon lost flight and crashed back down into the street. Gerard landed on the downed dragon and quickly scanned his environment. He spotted Aeneas fluttering around, readying up an attack.
"Babbling Retort!" He screamed out dark soundwaves in an effort to stun the old duck.
Gerard activated Iron Defense and raised his shield to stave off the attack. He pulled his sword back and twirled it until the blade started twisting. "Third Form: Serpent Seeking Gust!" He thrusted the blade around his shield, manipulating it in such a way that it curved around Aeneas' attack. It even seemed to extend further than the length itself.
Aeneas, who was caught off guard, took a direct hit to the head and flew back into the walls, ricocheting off and crashing into the street.
Gerard pushed away the lingering soundwaves just as Dhelmise pulled himself off the ground. "Anchor Away!" He threw his anchor into the sky, applied Heavy Slam, and sent it crashing down toward the old duck.
Gerard jumped ahead of the falling anchor and charged down Dhelmise. He swung his sword back so hard that it started to bend and rippled with dark energy. "Sixth Form—"
Dhelmise quickly called back his anchor. He's going to try another multi-strike on me! I'll defend against it!
He readied his anchor and bunkered behind it as Gerard swung into him with his bending blade. However, at the last second, he tightened his grip and sent Iron Defense and Night Slash through the blade, canceling out Brutal Swing. This resulted in the blade suddenly straightening out and hardening. The sudden hardening causing it to snap back into form gave it a sudden burst of acceleration that hammered into the possessed anchor's flank. It crushed his ship wheel in a single blow.
"Fox Trick Crosswind!"
"GAAAH!" Dhelmise, with pieces of his body falling off, flew into an unsuspecting Noivern as he tried to get up, nailing him square in the face.
"RAH!" Gerard spun around just as Claudius came down on him with a Streaming Slice. He blocked it with his Iron Defense shield and traded glares with the enraged Bibarel. "You have no idea who you're messing with!"
Gerard scoffed. "Try me."
"You think you'll win after together? You have no idea what's coming soon! Even if you defeat us, you won't win in the end. The west will soon succumb to the thralls of our glorious empire! Your inferior blood will be spilt over the land!"
"…Then I'll be there to stop it." Gerard twisted his shield, locking the sword through the gaps on the edge, and threw Claudius over his shoulder.
The Bibarel soldier tumbled over the street before rolling onto his feet. His fellow soldiers picked themselves off the ground and bared fangs and charging attacks.
Gerard took a deep breath, steadying his blade at his side. "Don't underestimate our people! Seventh Form—"
Gerard kicked off the ground, sprinting at full power. Yellow, purple, orange, and green light crackled off his sword until it set ablaze into a glorious flame. He launched off and torqued his body, rushing forward into a tight spiral of multicolored might that eclipsed the street in front of the soldiers.
"Monkey Fury Storm!"
Claudius roared, "Take him down!" He and his soldiers fired off a combined Streaming Slice, Round combo, and Anchor Shot into Gerard's attack.
The attacks landed, giving the soldiers the briefest feelings of hope thinking they countered the opposing attack into a stalemate. However, it was the most fleeting of hopes, a mere trick of the eyes born out of desperation. Their attacks did little to nothing to impede Gerard's advance, instead finding their moves utterly ignored with the Streaming Slice dispersed and Dhelmise's anchor being ripped clean from the chain.
The drilling formation blasted through the street and ripped through the soldiers with hundreds of cuts as their bodies grazed its surface. The overwhelming stimulation of pain combined with the damage they suffered previously sent their bodies into shock instantly.
Gerard dispersed his attack and dragged his feet into the ground to stop. The sudden dispersal threw the soldiers away and bashed their battered bodies into the walls before collapsing unconscious to the ground with little a scream or grunt afterwards. Their bodies smoked from the close encounter with Gerard's final attack, even cauterizing what would've been lethal damage to their bodies.
Gerard, feeling the recoil of his attack, collapsed onto one knee and took a breath. "Ugh. That's going to be murder on the spine tomorrow…"
After catching his breath, he looked back to see not only had he defeated his adversaries, but the shocked awe of his small audience, especially Luna. Regardless of their argument earlier, she got to witness a legend in action, and she could barely contain her glee.
"Damn…" Jet mumbled.
Casimir grinned. "Not bad, old man."
Shale pointed and laughed at the soldiers with tears bursting from her eyes in hysterics. "They got absolutely wiped by an old geezer! Priceless!"
Zephora crossed her arms and smirked. "Seems you were right about him after all, Luna."
Through sparkling eyes, the Snivy nodded proudly. "Yeah…"
Gerard smiled back at them. Fighting through the pain, he pressed his fist over his heart and nodded. "A knight's job…is never done."
The authorities, who were alerted to fight previously thanks to Casimir and Shale, kept concerned bystanders at bay before being given the all-clear. They arrested and gathered the soldiers into a transport wagon, shipping them out of town to the nearest prison.
Once the commotion settled, everyone gathered around to watch as the kidnapped children reunited with their parents. Tears and cheers were shared from all of the community, with parents and child alike smothering each other in relief that the nightmare was over.
The Foresters, the bounty hunters, and Gerard stood by to watch the reunions unfold. Gerard took a deep breath and sighed. "One rule among the knights: our job is to protect the smiles of their people."
Luna smiled. "Mission complete, then."
Zephora laughed. "We sure showed them! High five!" Luna laughed and raised her hand. However, they hung on an awkward exchange when Zephora attempted to raise her right arm…which was still missing. She groaned and facepalmed herself. "Why couldn't they have just cut my arm off like a sensible person?"
Luna laughed awkwardly. "Oh, it'll…grow back before you know it."
Regina groaned. "All this cheering is giving me a headache."
Katsu patted her arm. "You did a good thing today, Lady von Elmnou. You should be proud of yourself."
"But I didn't even mean to…" She shook her head and sighed. "You know what? Forget it. I'm…glad I could do something useful."
Katsu nodded. "You make your father proud."
She scoffed. "Like that jackass gives a shit what I'm doing with my life."
"Hmm…"
Shale stretched her limbs and laughed. "Well, I can cross off stopping an illegal slave trade off my bucket list."
Casimir glared. "You have a bucket list?"
"Doesn't everyone?"
"…" He shook his head. "This is nothing to celebrate over. We stopped one operation. I can't help but worry about how many more are going on under our noses."
She patted his back. "Bah! Worrying's for doomsday preparers. This is cause for celebration!" She poked his cheek and snickered. "You deserve a little time to unwind, Caz."
"…" He sighed. "I suppose so."
As Luna watched the children and their parents embrace each other, her eyes wandered over to Gerard. She noted how relaxed he looked compared to the last few days. She never imagined him looking so at peace. He was the spitting image of how he was described to her by Sir Matthias, a man who sought justice for the good of his kingdom.
"So, what now?" Jet suddenly spoke up.
Luna turned and blinked at him. "Come again?"
He shrugged. "Well, there's not much left for us to do here. No information about the ruins or Last Autumn, so…"
She frowned. "Oh, right." She looked back at Gerard, who had turned his gaze toward them. "Well, we don't leave for a few more days or so. If you need any help with anything, you know where to find us, Sir Gerard. We'll just take the time to relax."
"…" He raised his brow. "You're not going to ask me about the ruins?"
She shook her head. "It's a sensitive subject for you, we understand. We'll just find some other way to acquire the information we seek."
"…Right."
She curtsied to him. "Thank you for all your help. I'm sorry we got off on the wrong foot before. I do hope we can kindle a better friendship in the future."
"…Right."
She sighed and turned to Jet and Zephora. "Let's head back to the inn and get some rest."
Zephora stretched her one arm. "Sounds like a plan." She hopped on ahead.
"Whatever." Jet followed behind sluggishly.
Luna looked back at Gerard and waved. "We'll see you around, Sir Gerard. Oh, and good luck with that potluck." She hurried after her teammates.
"…" Gerard looked down, his eyes showing remorse and conflict.
The wounds of that day were still as fresh as the day he received them. The horrors he experienced in the ruins and…what he discovered. It all left him petrified of a future he wished not to be unveiled. Secrets like that, untold histories lost to time, made the world they lived in feel that much smaller by comparison.
But seeing what Luna Freia and her allies were capable of…
Should he take the chance and trust them with the knowledge he obtained?
