The slumbering capital of Echo Bell, silent in bliss after a long day of festivities, found the peace turned upside-down. Both awake and asleep, the people of Echo Bell were roused from their homes as a blinding flash of light burst across the night sky and rained down a field of electricity that extended all across the city. The air was electric and tinged sparking yellow.

Beams of light fired down from the sky, blasting into the streets and buildings with reckless abandon. Rattled by the cascading attacks, turmoil erupted from the people as they ran out screaming from their homes as they came under fire from the brilliant light show coloring the sky.

As the electricity crackled wildly across the city, its electromagnetic forces acted upon the everyday objects. Barrels, carriages, and even the stalls of other carnival operators levitated off the ground suspended in electricity. Knives and other sharp objects spun through the air and chased down the panicking civilians, nearly hitting them as they escaped.

The skyward beams burned across the pathways of the fleeing masses, forcing them to flee another way. Dozens of lasers maneuvered through the city, cutting through buildings and nearly striking down those unfortunate enough to be caught near their path.

It was mass anarchy all happening at once.

However, if one were to listen closely, they could hear the joyous laughter of their tormentor dancing in the sky.

Ansaldo Serpico, balancing atop his Magnemite crew, spun on his foot and laughed with utmost pleasure as the city lit up in his electric aura. The Magnemite orbited around their master, firing off electrified Flash Cannons into the city. Big Boss the Magneton took a more passive approach to the chaos, scanning the streets and relaying information to its underlings via electrical signals.

Ansaldo skipped along the Magnemite, each one positioning themselves as his steppingstones as he spun and danced. "Just listen to that wonderful music! They're screaming over my performance! I told you all! I am the light of Virdis! I am your star!"

No one seemed particularly keen on paying attention to the mad lizard's ramblings as their priorities were on fleeing his destructive show. Explosions rang out and blew unfortunate bystanders into ruined buildings, trapping them under the burning wreckage.

"Oooooh, I was born to be in the light~!" Ansaldo praised himself.

Big Boss continued scanning the streets before spotting a group fleeing toward the capital walls. He relayed this information to Ansaldo, who merely laughed it off.

"Leaving so soon? I'm just the opening act. I can't have you all leaving yet, not until dear Iris puts on her big performance!" He whistled, signaling five of the Magnemite to circle above him. He opened his frills and channeled his electricity through them. "My loyal partners, show our fans the light! Starlight Imprisoning Stage!"

A ring of electricity channeled between the Magnenite and fired into the air. After reaching a certain height, it split off and arched over the city, striking down at ten points outside the capital's walls. With a clap of his hands, Ansaldo commanded lightning to rise up from the capital's perimeter and expanded into a barrier of solidified electricity.

Those who came in contact with the barrier were instantly repelled back into the city with harsh burns. Several Ground-Types attempted to break through the barrier with their ground-based attacks, but they were nullified upon hitting the barrier. They tried digging through the barrier with their bare hands instead, which seemed to work, but the barrier was too thick and repaired itself before any meaningful progress could be done.

The entire city was on complete and utter lockdown.

Ansaldo merrily spun and jumped between his Magnemite crew, eyes sparkling and face flushing with excitement. "My big break is here! Come, people of Echo Bell! Look upon your star, and let my performance be burned into your memories for the rest of your short lives!"

Castle Visconti

Evangelina and Romano stared down at the carnage racing through the city in horror. In the span of a few minutes, one insane clown managed to turn the entire city into a blinding light show of chaos.

"He trapped the entire city in seconds," Romano gasped. "What is the meaning of this?! What spurred this on?!"

"I don't understand," Evangelina muttered. "I should've had more time. Why are they attacking the city now?"

"Something must've spurred them into action. Do you suppose it has to do with the missing Froslass? Or is this revenge for all our snooping?"

Evangelina clenched her teeth and growled. "Of all the…they come into my kingdom making demands with me, and this is how they treat our deal?! I don't know what the bastard leader of Last Autumn wants, but he'll be dealing with me if anything happens to my city!"

Romano glared. "What is your command, Your Highness?"

"We can't rely on Asterio with his injuries. I'm gonna have to take the fight to them." She rushed back into the castle, much to the shock of her guard.

"You? Fight?! Your Highness, wait!" Romano hurried after the royal Frillish.

It wasn't long before word of the attack reached the royal family just as they went to bed. Massimo and Corrina burst out from their chambers in their bed robes, looking around in shock as the night staff ran amuck with panic. Even through the thick stone walls of the castle, they could hear the deafening explosions going off in the city.

"What in the name of Arceus is going on?!" Corrina gasped.

"Oh, this is not good," Massimo whimpered.

"Your Majesties!" They turned as a Gholdengo knight rushed to them with Azelia, Jessica, and Giselle in tow. "You need to come with me immediately! I'll escort you to the safehouse."

"Sir Pietro, what is going on?" Corrina asked. "Who is attacking our city?"

"Reports are coming in about one of the circus performers going on a rampage. Your Majesties, your suspicions regarding their motives here proved true."

Massimo grimaced. "I thought we had them under constant surveillance. How did this escape our notice?"

"They're craftier than we anticipated." Pietro frowned. "We even recently found some of our knights' bodies in the canals."

Massimo covered his face and shuddered. "Oh no. W-What have I done?"

"D-Dad," Giselle whimpered. "Are we going to die? I'm scared."

"I'm too young to die!" Jessica screamed.

Massimo winced as his youngest daughters started to panic. "K-Kids, calm down. Everything's going to—"

Before he could get another word out, Azelia bent down and pulled her sisters into a tight embrace. She looked at them with her unwavering smile. "Don't worry! Your big sister will keep you safe no matter what! That's an Azelia guarantee!"

They sniffled, staring up at their older sister with shimmering eyes. "Y-You will?"

"Yep!" She grabbed their hands and pulled them along. "Come on, let's get to that safehouse!" Lifting them off the ground, they floated down the hallway at breakneck speed.

"Princess! Don't go on your own!" Pietro nearly ran after them, but Massimo caught him by the shoulder.

"Sir Pietro, where are Asterio and Evangelina?" the king asked.

The Gholdengo grimaced. "We're still doing a sweep of the castle, but we haven't seen any sign of them yet. We haven't found Sir Romano, so he's probably still in the princess' company, but Sir Michelangelo isn't with the prince. He's actually heading out into the city to quell the raid."

"I need this entire caste searched top to bottom. I cannot let any of my children—" His eyes widened. "Wait, did you say raid?!"

Pietro hesitantly nodded. "More bad news, unfortunately. It's not just the Heliolisk. It seems every single member of that troupe was in on the plan. They're raiding the city during the chaos."

Massimo shuddered behind his tentacles again. "I should've acted sooner. I shouldn't have tried to handle this situation so passively. If I had just ordered to have them brought in for questioning—" Corrina grabbed his flipper and patted it.

"Dear, you can feel guilty later. Our children need us." She pointed at the knight. "Sir Pietro, have a small unit guarding the main entrance while you look for Asterio and Evangelina. Send every available knight we have to quell the raid and protect the people. We will not let fear claim us."

He saluted them. "By your command, Your Majesty!"

Corrina then turned to the panicking night staff and shouted, "The rest of you, follow us to the safehouse! There's enough room for everyone! MOVE, NOW!" The firm and commanding tone of their queen startled the maids and butlers into compliance, fleeing in the same direction Azelia and her sisters went.

Massimo's eyes widened. "Uh. Wow—"

"Come on, you big lummox!" She pulled on her husband's tentacle and dragged him through the hall.

Knights rushed out from Castle Visconti and made way through the electrified streets, unaware of the thieves scaling the castle walls. They clung just under a window and watched as the chaos unfolded across the city.

"This is terrible!" Melissa gasped. "We have to do something!" She nearly jumped off the wall, but Jason pulled her back by the hood.

"It's out of our hands for now," Jason said. "He's too high up in the sky."

"But—"

"The bounty hunters and the knights can take care of him. Right now, we need to stick to our mission. Finding out more about Last Autumn and their dealings with the Visconti family takes priority."

Melissa frowned. "But…"

Jason sighed. "The hardest part about being a leader is knowing you can't save everyone. You're just one Buneary, Rookie. For now, we need to do what we can to stop a larger threat. Just trust that the others have the situation under control."

"…" She took a deep breath and sighed. "Alright. I have complete faith in the others." She shook off her nerves and proceeded climbing up into the window.

Victoria and Felix hung back, looking at Jason with concerned expressions. "You sure this is the best decision?" Felix asked. "I'm all for risk taking, but only on my terms. This is way out of our league."

"Exactly," Jason said. "I can't put you two in danger, either. As much as I hate to admit it, there's not much we can do. We need to corner Grim Deadlock while we have the chance."

Victoria sighed, but saluted the Forester leader. "Wherever Master Harlow goes, we follow! Let's move it, Felix!"

"Right!" The apprentices hurriedly scaled after their team leader.

Jason looked back toward the city before pulling back his sleeve with his teeth. The electricity filling the air crackled through his fur. His Lightning Rod ability was syphoning off all the excess energy, fueling his power gradually. If it weren't for the aerial disadvantage, Jason wouldn't hesitate to hunt the Heliolisk and end his rampage.

"Right now, all I want to know is what this heir system is about." He clenched his fist tightly. "More importantly, figure out why Melissa was struck from their list." He dug his claws into the wall and followed his team through the castle window.

Cirque du Madness

Raiders fled from the circus and charged deep into the city armed with a trove of weapons, ready to make off with the city's valuables before everything was set aflame, if not destroyed by Ansaldo's chaotic performance. However, with the circus grounds left completely unattended, that left it open for infiltration.

Basil and Lucient scaled down from the rooftops, keeping a sharp eye out any stragglers, before making their way beyond the circus' boundaries. The stench of popcorn and booze was heavy in the air as they traversed through the reserved area, finding all manner of equipment and mobile trailers sitting about.

Basil leaned back and took a big whiff of the air. "Ah, even after so long, it brings back such pleasant memories."

Lucient raised his brow. "This brings back pleasant memories?"

"Well, my time in the circus wasn't always doom and gloom. For me, anyways. Everyone else, fifty-fifty." He rubbed his hands together and carried on ahead. "Now, let's go raid a crazy girl's belongings."

Lucient rolled his eyes before following along.

They stepped quietly through the denser parts of the grounds, peering through trailer windows to find the young alchemist's room. Basil believed it would stand out once they found the correct room. He was expecting scorched furniture and paintings dedicated to the Scarlet Flame.

He hopped on top a barrel and scanned his surroundings. He took a quick look up at the air as lasers continued to rain down on the city. "Where does Itzy find these people? He's collected another batch of oddballs to entertain the masses."

Lucient continued peering through trailers, shooting a glare at the Salandit. "If you gave time to reminisce, you have time to search. We're kind of on a time limit here."

He waved it off. "Bah, don't get your knickers in the twist. We got plenty of time."

A stray Flash Cannon whizzed above the circus grounds and exploded into a nearby building. Lucient promptly glared at the trickster. "Riiiiiight." He sighed and moved on to the next trailer. "You know, I'm curious. You seem to know a lot about the Scarlet Flame."

Basil laughed. "Well, I've had a couple of ganders at Itzy's old book."

"How much do you know? I'm quite curious how this flame came to be. Everything you've told us so far makes it sound like a fantastical gift from a demon. It sounds utterly ludicrous to think a flame could be filled by joy. That's not something that any Pokémon can just spawn into creation. I know very few ways something like that could be created through enhanced moves, much less passed down."

"…" Basil crossed his arms and sighed. "Well, there are just some mysteries waiting to be uncovered."

"Why won't you tell me?"

"What if I told you the explanation required you to suspend your disbelief further?"

Lucient glared. "You do know something?"

"Lucient, you are a man of science and knowledge. At what point does science and magic coexist?"

"Magic is merely a descriptor given to phenomena that cannot be explained due to a lack of understanding. There is always an explanation for every mystery, even if one needs to be found first. Hundreds of years from now, science will progress in such a way that it will look like magic to us."

Basil chuckled. "As a man of faith, I agree with you."

"You hold faith, yet you agree with me?"

"I hold a certain opinion that this world can be explained, but at what point does the world need an explanation that transcends logic?" He pointed to the moon. "For example, why are we here? Why are we aware of our surroundings? Why is existence?"

"Don't you mean what?"

"No, I mean why."

"…" Lucient glared. "Out of curiosity, how long have you been on your own?"

Basil laughed. "Forgive me. Even as a child, I often slip into introspection when I have to quell the dark thoughts of reality. My point is, the world will continue to progress, and we will be long dead before this world becomes something else entirely. So, I ask you, what do you suppose magic would look like today?"

The Espeon paused to give it some thought, but then immediately shook his head and glared. "Basil, we're on a time-sensitive mission. Stop distracting me." He turned and continued searching through the trailers.

He shrugged and followed the scholar. "Here's an easier one: how many different species of Pokémon exist in our world?"

"Basil, even I don't know the answer to that. There are thousands of kilometers of water that could house a whole kingdom or region of its own."

"Do you believe in Arceus?"

"Basil, I'm not getting into a debate about religion with you."

"I don't hold any real preference to an answer, personally, though that doesn't stop me from asking the bigger questions." He grinned. "There is something the king of Arcania once said that stuck with me all the way to now."

"Seriously, not the time—"

"He said to fear the power of the unknown."

"…" Lucient glared back at him. "What?"

"Have I captured your attention?"

"You're persistently annoying, you know that?"

Basil laughed. "I admit, I know a few bits and pieces about the Scarlet Flame's origin."

"I thought you said you didn't know the full history."

He smirked. "Lying is my specialty. It's a bad habit, I know."

Lucient sighed and shook his head. "I can see why Jason doesn't take kindly to you. So, what do you know?"

"I know that the Great Kingdom wasn't as pleasant as the history books make it sound."

"…Huh?"

Basil threw a glare at the Espeon. "A kingdom built up and recognized for hundreds of years of peace. Something like that doesn't stay in effect without some kind of contingency. There are some secrets that were buried after the invasion two hundred years ago."

Lucient frowned. "What do you—"

"Oh, look!" He followed the Salandit's finger and saw him pointing at a door splattered with paint and burn marks. "That looks like her trailer." Basil skipped along, humming to himself.

Lucient could only stare at the trickster in utter disbelief even as he followed behind. What was all that about? Why was he so invested in having this conversation now? Why lie to Jason, but be all chatty around me? What is going on in that head of his?

Basil quietly snapped his fingers, causing the door's lock to explode. He kicked the door open and gestured Lucient to step inside first. They entered and found themselves in some sort of makeshift, not to mention cramped lab. Shelves lined with ingredients, a barrel of shattered glass sitting off the side, a bed splattered with even more paint, and more. Though, what really stood out were the hundreds of paintings of fire plastered over the walls and ceiling.

Basil whistled. "Called it."

"She has a serious case of pyromania. It's borderline obsessive," Lucient mumbled.

Basil glared. "Almost scary how perfect she lines up with the Scarlet Flame's principles. There's no way he found her by chance. I wonder if there's another reason Itzy took her in. She's a talented alchemist, sure, but why…" He paused and scratched his chin. "I wonder…"

Ignoring the Salandit's pondering, Lucient made his way for the desk and psychically ripped out every piece of equipment in or on top of it. His eyes flickered about as he scanned the floating materials for the alchemist's notebook or any notes on her compound. He extended his reach to further parts of the trailer and gathered all he could into the vortex of knowledge.

"Are you positive she wrote the formula for her compound down?" Lucient asked. "I'm not finding anything in these materials."

Basil snatched a book out of the vortex and flipped through the pages. "Any good alchemist, crazy or not, always keeps a detailed record of their research. I doubt she took it with her, but I was sure she would leave it in her room."

Lucient tilted his head as the explosions echoing outside the trailer grew louder. He grimaced, flicking his paw and sending everything back to its rightful place. "I can't waste any more time here. As much as I would love to get my paws on that notebook, I can't allow that madman outside to terrorize these innocent people." He moved around Basil and made way for the door.

Basil tossed the book over his shoulder. "Suit yourself. I'll keep digging around the circus grounds—"

BAM!

"Ow!"

The Salandit craned his head back and saw Lucient outside the trailer, rubbing his nose. He sauntered over, hanging by the doorframe. "Not in good form to trip on the way out, prieten."

Lucient grunted. "I think I ran into something."

"Ran into something?" Basil hopped out and extended his hand. Moving cautiously, he stepped forward until his fingers pressed into an invisible surface. "Eh?" He knocked twice against the surface, seeing slight ripples off the air. "Oooooh no. That explains it."

"Huh? Explains what?"

Basil suddenly snapped his fingers and sent a wave of fire around the trailer. Lucient ducked, but watched as the flames curved around the trailer, bouncing off more invisible surfaces until the light revealed they were trapped inside an invisible box.

"W-What the?!" Lucient gasped.

Basil smirked. "Benvenuto~. You stayed to welcome me?"

A flickering of light appeared on the other side of the barrier. Appearing from nowhere, the fancily dressed Mr. Mime appeared to the caged duo. With a tip of his hat and twirling of his cane, he grinned at the Salandit.

"Basil. So good to see you again~." He skillfully knocked his hat off his head with his cane, producing a notebook with a paint-splattered cover that fell into his open hand. He caught and twirled his hat atop his cane. "How could I possibly not give you a warm welcome?"

Castle Visconti

"Your Highnesses! Your Highnesses!"

Sir Pietro Balistreri and a couple of knights scoured the upper levels of the castle in search of the two missing royals. They had already searched Asterio's chamber and found no sign of the gloomy prince, a concerning find given his reclusive nature. The training hall proved to be a fruitless search.

Pietro threw the doors of Evangelina's chamber open and scanned inside. "Princess! We need to leave for the safehouse immediately. Princess!"

Try as he might, the Gholdengo saw no trace of the princess in her room. He held some hope she was within Sir Romano's care given he rarely leaves her side. The disappearance of the prince proved troublesome. There were very few parts of the castle he would be hiding in, and it wasn't becoming of the prince to just disappear in a crisis.

"Why do we even bother with safety procedures if they're going to make our jobs difficult?" Pietro slammed the doors shut and continued with his search. "Your Highnesses! We need to evacuate immediately!"

Unknown to the Gholdengo knight, the prince was far closer than believed. As soon as the doors closed, a dark mist rushed out from under Evangelina's bed and took shape back into Asterio. The injured Frillish doubled over and suppressed his coughing, holding himself up by the bedpost.

He had yet to recover his strength since the last fight, and he wasn't sure where to go about explaining his injuries or why he didn't report them sooner. He couldn't let anyone see him in this state.

However, a more pressing matter caught his attention as he gazed out the bedroom window. He could see the electrified city being bombarded by the mad performer in the far distance. Twisting in horror over the display, he could only watch the devastation unfold while still combatting the internal bruising and burns across his body.

Dealing with the Fairy Knight was an experience, but to take on someone who had the entire city on lockdown with electricity? He'd be cooked if he thought to set one tentacle outside in his condition.

Though, that was the rational part of his mind talking. In actuality, his hatred boiled deep within his soul as he tightened his grip on the windowsill.

"Who dares?"

With a grunt, he floated toward the door and passed through the thin gaps as a dark fog. He peeked out from under the door, getting a quick scan of the hallway, and funneled out until he was on the ceiling. He reformed and took a moment to catch his breath.

"I…need to find my scythe." He clenched his eyes and grimaced from another flash of pain. "Medicine. Need. First. Dull the pain."

After collecting his thoughts, he took a deep breath and floated stealthily along the ceiling in search of medicine. Once he numbed the pain, he was going to introduce the crook of his scythe to that Heliolisk's neck.

Echo Bell Streets

It happened so fast that Monica barely had time to catch her breath.

The walk to the castle seemed normal enough with the night sky and the cool breeze, but everything turned sour in a flash when a wave of electricity encroached over the ground and buildings followed by explosions going off everywhere. The night sky was blocked out by a field of electricity that seemed to extend over the city, and people seemed to be screaming in the distance.

She considered running back home to hide with her family, but more trouble came her way. Maniacs armed with weapons charged out onto the streets and started smashing up windows. They robbed shops and made off with sacks of money and valuables. Some took to the air while others scaled the walls to reach higher windows.

Monica hid herself behind a trash barrel with her hands clamped over her mouth. Beads of cream dripped down her face as she heard the brutes skulk near her hiding place. She stiffened as she heard one take a prominent whiff of the air.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa! Something smells sweet. What is that? Frosting?"

Monica felt a scream bubbling up her throat, but she summoned up all her willpower to keep the deafening shriek at bay. Oh, why?! Why were Alcremie cursed to have such an enticing aroma?!

"Hey, is anyone stealing cake? I want a piece."

"There's no cake, you knucklehead! Just focus on swiping the loot!"

"I'm telling you, there's fresh cake nearby. And it's really close. Kind of smells like it's coming from behind the garbage."

Monica could barely suppress a frightened squeal as the trunk of a Donphan reached over the barrels, searching for her sweet aroma. She bent closer and closer to the ground until she was as flat as possible. The trunk worked its way around the barrels, inching closer toward her. She grew cold as the trunk came within mere millimeters of grazing her body.

"Oi! Cut that out, you weirdo!"

Monica's eyes widened as the trunk suddenly retracted, and the offending Donphan seemed to wheeze from hitting the ground.

"C-Come on!"

"We're trying to get rich here, and you want to eat cake that's been laying out next to the garbage? Was that all your mother could afford for dinner?"

"Don't insult my mother! She was an amazing cook!"

"Yes, I'm sure garbage was her finest cuisine."

"I don't eat garbage!"

"Then what possessed you to sniff around in the trash for cake?"

"It smells fresh! Look, take a look and—"

"I'm not smelling garbage, you idiot! I don't care how delicious it smells. I'm not dragging your sorry ass through this city just because you caught the plague eating rotten cake."

"It's not rotten!"

"It is literally sitting next to a barrel full of people's chewed leftovers. It's garbage!"

"Oh, I can't eat cake off the ground, but when you eat our rotten leftovers, it's perfectly fine and normal?!"

"I am literally a Garbodor, you twit! I can digest trash! You would catch a disease if I let you do that!"

"Such a hypocrite!"

"Listen to me, you little shit—"

Monica found her chance to slip away as the two raiders argued and raced down an unoccupied street, finally letting out the breath she was holding. Too close! Too close!

Finding her way home was going to be trickier than she thought. The streets sounded like they were crawling with raiders. Even if she did find her way back, her parents mostly likely fled like the rest of the city. She didn't have many places to take shelter in.

…Except the castle.

Oh please, oh please, somebody be there to let me in!

Doubling her scooting speed, the Alcremie rushed toward Castle Visconti in hopes of securing herself from the impending nightmare.

Cirque du Madness

Despite both him and Lucient being trapped within an invisible box, Basil couldn't help laughing at the situation. He casually leaned on the barrier, drumming his fingers against it. "For a master of ceremonies, you know how to deploy subtly. You've gotten better at catching your prey."

The entertainer flicked his hat back atop his head and paced in front of the duo. "When Itzal told me you were around, I knew I had to stay behind to…keep an eye out for your tomfoolery." He held up the notebook. "I had a feeling you were sniffing around for this."

Lucient gasped. "Iris' research notes!"

"You were going to create the agent that neutralizes the compound, weren't you?" Benvenuto laughed. "Oh, if only I could destroy this book in front of your faces to spare you the search, but alas we do need her notes. For as much as I don't care what befalls this city, keeping the flames under control is still crucial. Iris can burn herself to a crisp for the sake of her obsession, but I prefer to keep my smooth skin from turning ashy."

Basil smirked. "Oh, just admit you're here because you wanted to kill me."

"…" The entertainer sighed and twirled his cane playfully. "Oh Basil, you were one of our best performers. Always knew how to draw in a crowd with spectacle and pizzaz. Always, always, always aiming to have the spotlight on you." He leaned down and glared at the Salandit. "You're even more annoying than Ansaldo."

"Aww, I'm touched."

"Still, I'm a professional, and I keep all judgments of my fellow coworkers to myself. You, however, aren't with us anymore." He tapped on the invisible box and laughed. "So, I hold no guilt from saying…I hate your guts, Basil. I truly despised you and the havoc you caused in between shows. The pranks, the mischief, the lies—"

"You drive one alchemist insane with spiked drinks, you get labeled for life," Basil joked. "What can I say? I was a screwed-up kid dealing with trauma."

Benvenuto glared. "Maybe at one point, that would've been true. At some point, I started to wonder if that was the whole story." He knelt and tapped on the barrier. "We all know how much of a conniving backstabber you are. Always thinking ahead and manipulating everyone for some greater purpose."

"…" Lucient glanced warily at Basil, who just continued to smile nonchalantly.

"So, what's your latest scheme this time? What did you trick the Foresters into doing for you?"

Basil laughed. "I get a roof over my head and three meals a day. No tricks here."

"There you go again. You once told me that everything you say and do has an intended purpose. You never speak unless there was a point."

"You wound me, Benvenuto. You make it sound like I'm some kind of compulsive liar. Or even a psychopath." He smiled warmly at the Mr. Mime. "I'm just as honest as any other fellow."

"Hmph." Benvenuto stood up and turned his back to them. "It matters not. You'll be here to witness the downfall of the Echo Bell capital. Our time as a circus will be over, but we'll live like kings in a scorched world."

Lucient glared. "You're willing to kill everyone just for power?! What good is living like a king if everyone's dead?"

"Pokémon are…chaotic. Untrustworthy, even. Pointless." He looked over his shoulder and grinned. "I truly do despise the creatures of this world. War, violence, complete disregard of decency, deception, conquest, and so much more built up by thousands of years of progress. It's the ultimate certainty that the existence of two creatures in a world will result in war."

"You truly believe the world is above goodness? There is so much good people have done in the last thousand years—"

"—that has ultimately proved fruitless against the greater constant," Benvenuto interrupted. "Virdis is just one example of how the world operates. It's disgusting."

He growled. "Yet you willingly side with a cult? Doesn't that go against what you believe in?"

"Not necessarily," Basil interjected, grinning at the entertainer. "After all, it's not hypocritical if he's a slave to his own perception of the world. He's just self-aware enough to acknowledge it."

Benvenuto smirked. "I acknowledge who I am. Itzal just provides the means to satiate my hatred. I admit, I've grown fond of my little family in the circus no matter how much they irritate me. I speak harshly, but they are some of the few people I would shed tears for in death." He glared. "As I did in silence after what befell Paride."

Basil glared. "You brought that upon yourself coming here."

"Perhaps. Still, a few people I do like doesn't change my beliefs. We'll aim to have this world burn, and we'll live off the ashes until we bite the dust as well."

Lucient glared. "And go against the will of Last Autumn."

"Hm?"

"Our allies overheard your scheming in the catacombs when you met with Grim Deadlock. Was that whole thing about a time limit a lie? I thought you were trying to resolve this matter with Deadlock peacefully."

Benvenuto smirked. "I'm just following Itzal's orders. Whatever happens to him is out of my hands." He hopped onto a nearby barrel and sat down. "In the meantime, I'll keep you two contained until it's time for the execution. I'm sure Itzal will love to get his hands on you, Basil."

The Salandit smirked. "Oh, simple-minded Benvenuto…" With hands his arms folded behind his waist, he started rubbing his fingers together and producing sparks. "You know I'm a master at the waiting game."