"Melissa, you shouldn't be moving."

The restless Buneary pulled herself out from bed and attempted to walk, but was struck by a wave of dizziness that collapsed her to the floor. She hung against the bed with one arm to pick herself back up. Though she recovered from Deadlock's Breathless Execution technique, her body was still in need of rest from the injuries she sustained.

Regardless, she couldn't find the will to lay still.

"The city is in danger, and…ugh, we need to find out more about Last Autumn's plan," she said. She pushed to her feet and leaned against the bed to catch her breath. "I can't rest knowing something terrible will happen if we don't intervene."

Jason sat up in his bed. "I agree, but nothing will be gained if you don't get some rest."

Lucient nodded. "You'd cause more problems in your condition. It's best you take it easy until your body naturally recovers."

She grunted. "But who knows how long we have until they decide to destroy the city? We can't just do nothing."

Avel shook his head. "I'm with Jason on this. We have to wait before we act first. Besides, even if we try something, we don't know how far along they've gotten with their plans. They could set the bombs off early if we tried hunting them down, and that's not even considering where they've been planted."

Melissa pouted and finally collapsed back onto her bed. "Ugh…"

Victoria sat down next to her and patted her back. "There, There, Master. Maybe Felix and I could—"

"Definitely not!" Jason interrupted.

She smiled weakly. "But we'll be super careful—"

"I can't have two rookies leading a solo mission like this. Unacceptable."

Felix rolled his eyes. "Come on, you make it sound like we're going to blow our cover at the last second." He shrunk back under Jason's glare. "Th-Though, I suppose this operation requires a bit more tact."

Jason sighed, gently shaking his head. "Let's look at the facts. The circus is one step ahead of us, we don't know where the bombs are, and acting now could cause more problems. On top of that, they're here to recruit one of the Visconti to take part in this heir system, meaning Last Autumn is planning something big. The way I see it, we have two objectives, but no grounds to start on. Acting without a plan is tantamount to disaster."

Lucient crossed his forelegs. "So, what do you suggest we do?"

"We need to break into the castle and dig up as much information on Grim's identity as possible. We need to figure out what the heir system is and the specifications for selection." Jason glanced warily at Melissa before continuing, "Riko Amano and Darby Tetrarch have been chosen, and Melissa Penworth was considered a candidate at one point."

Felix glared. "Why would anyone choose Darby?"

"For as vile as he is, the damage he caused to the Foresters speaks to his skill as a manipulator. That could be one reason."

Wyatt tilted his head. "But who's Riko Amano?"

"Lady Riko Amano," Lucient explained. "She is the granddaughter of Emperor Orochi, the former advisor of the previous emperor since Year 881. Emperor Orochi staged a coup against Emperor Kazuyuki. He and his infant daughter died in the flames, with only the former emperor's wife spared. Orochi assumed his position as the new ruler."

Wyatt's eyes widened. "Wait, this is known by everyone?! Why didn't anyone try to overthrow Orochi?"

"Because Orochi has some of the most powerful clans under his control," Jason answered. "Their strongest members make up his elite guard. It's easier to just accept the shift in power than try to fight back against it. That's what makes the Great Gate Empire so dangerous. Riko Amano is said to be ruthless, and she's destined to take over in her grandfather's stead."

Felix grimaced. "So, we have a vile manipulator, a ruthless warlord in the making, and potentially someone who is or has control over Grim Deadlock. And…" He glanced at Melissa. "She was supposed to be among the chosen candidates?"

Her ears drooped. "Don't make me feel more self-conscious than I already am."

Jason scratched his chin. "Last Autumn is looking for someone to take the throne of the Great Kingdom, but we still don't know how they plan to exercise that rule. Melissa is definitely the odd one out of the group, but she must've been chosen for a reason."

Melissa glanced to the side. "Or maybe because I'm the only princess. Maybe they just couldn't find my uncle and settled for me."

Wyatt scratched his head. "I thought your uncle was dead."

"I have…er, had two uncles. Just one now. Haven't seen him in a while. I think he became a traveling merchant. Or an inventor. Or both."

Jason shook his head. "Regardless, we have two objectives of varying importance. Stopping the circus is priority one, but we need to gather all we can on this heir system."

"But you and Melissa still need to recover from your fight," Lucient said.

"I should be feeling better later in the day. We can't hold off on this any longer."

Victoria shrugged. "Even so, how are we going to stop the bomb threat?"

Before Jason could respond, someone knocked on their door, startling them. The group stared at the door suspiciously, concerned as to who may be on the other side. Melissa extended her ears to get a read on the mysterious figure.

"I hear…two or three sets of breaths. Shifting on the floors. One is significantly larger than the other. I think I hear…tapdancing?"

Jason pulled his covers off and weakly slid out of bed. "Lucient." He pointed at the door while reaching for a hidden dagger.

Lucient nodded and treaded lightly to the door, forming a light-constructed bat over his shoulder. The others hid behind the beds, holding their breaths. Lucient psychically grabbed the doorhandle, unlocked it, and pulled it open.

"Did somebody say The Great Frediano!"

Everyone jumped as a flashy Weavile suddenly leapt over Lucient landed inside their room, performing an energetic tap dance. He spun and posed to the bewildered Foresters as his cape majestically fluttered on a mysterious wind no one could discern the source from.

"You are dazzled by my entrance, yes?" he asked.

Jason's ears drooped. "I'm…not sure how to respond to this."

Melissa perked up. "Wait, I know him. He was one of the bounty hunters I encountered last year."

"Gahahaha! Sharp as ever, shrimp!" Her eyes widened as another figure stepped through the door. The large, jovial Machamp stepped under the low doorframe and waved to the startled group. "Mind if we come in?"

Melissa gasped with a large grin stretching over her face. "You're…!"

"Heh. Long time no see, kiddo."

Underground Catacombs

After tending to Asterio's recovery, Evangelina headed down into the catacombs alongside Romano led by torch light. She had to double check he didn't leave a trail back to the castle in his hasty escape. The knights were already doing routine searches of the catacombs after the incident with the rogue Froslass.

She bent down, raising her torch to a drop of dried blood on the ground. "Ugh, of course." She pulled a cloth from under her cloak and began wiping it down.

The Swampert knight raised his own torch and peered ahead. "Perhaps no one will notice since a fight did break out down here, Your Highness."

"I can't take any chances with that. Besides, if anyone finds out someone was lurking this close to the castle, those circus freaks may set off their little scheme sooner than intended." She glared. "I can't let them go through with burning my kingdom."

Romano sighed. "I serve you faithfully, Your Highness, but we're putting a lot at risk agreeing to their terms. You would be betraying your family if you accept their deal."

She scoffed. "A small price to pay. The promise of this supposed treasure to unite all of Virdis would be worth the scheming and backstabbing. It doesn't matter what Father or Mother think. I was raised to bring this kingdom out from its dark age, and I intend to see it through. That's why Asterio and I try so hard to clean up crime."

"Yet you don't trust him in your plans with Last Autumn."

"Asterio was always an overly emotional coward. He would reject such an offer, especially now. They know I'm the only one who can see potential in this power. I'm always looking ahead to get ahead. I'm always listening to the people, their little secrets and insecurities. This world was built up on secrets and lies, and I chose to embrace the concept."

Romano sighed to himself and shook his head. "Cruelty incarnate."

"I could ask why you follow me despite my scheming, Romano."

He bowed. "I live to serve the Visconti family. When I was assigned to become your personal guard, I made a vow to follow you even to the depths of Hell. I saw your vision with my own eyes, and I believe you are the true ruler who will unite Virdis."

She smirked. "And that's why you're the only one I can trust, Romano. Every great villain needs a loyal right hand." She finished clearing up the blood and rose. "If the world wishes to continue living in ignorance, they'll need someone like me to govern them from the shadows. I can't help but wonder what that treasure is."

"You've been studying the church murals in the underground. Do you have a theory of this treasure?"

She crossed her tentacles and hummed softly. "I doubt it's riches or something of tangible value. Much of the Great Kingdom's history was lost in the invasion two hundred years ago. Who knows what Virdis was really like when the arbiters first discovered this land. Perhaps there are secrets left untold. In the mundanity of civil life, there may exist forces beyond our comprehension. That's the beauty of the unknown, Romano. It entices you to follow the clues. Once the secret is revealed, will it still hold the same majesty it once had before? Perhaps this treasure is something…ancient. Primal."

Romano nodded. "Perhaps so, Your Highness. Perhaps so. Does this mean you will take up Last Autumn's offer?"

"…" She closed her eyes and sighed. "I've given it some thought. I just need extra motivation to finalize my decision."

"Do you have any regrets for your actions?"

She opened her eyes into an icy glare. "Regret is for the weak. Every decision I've made was calculated and intentional. If I must crush lives to preserve my ideals, then so be it. That is what it takes to rule a kingdom in the end."

"Hmm. Well spoken, Your Highness." Romano pointed his torch ahead. "Shall we continue?"

"Yes. Let's." She led the way, her glare piercing through the stone floor as wisps of shadow fluttered off her eyes. I must always…live without regret. I must be cruel, focused, and logical. That is what it takes to lead.

Five Years Ago…

"UGH!" Evangelina threw down the scroll she was reading through and massaged her temples. "This is so stupid. Dead end after dead end! Why can't I catch a break?"

She hulled herself up in the royal archives, skimming through all the private records and information even remotely related to the Vermin Butcher case. She already hired someone to search the public records in the city for potential victims, but nothing came up. Her last ditch effort was to find something in the castle, but she knew for a fact the royal archive hadn't been majorly updated in the last year. There wouldn't be anything on the Vermin Butcher they hadn't already collected from the investigation.

"How can a serial killer possibly evade capture for this long? Nine victims, and not a single lead to his identity. At this point, we don't even know if it's a man or a woman or…someone!" She faceplanted into the table and groaned. "I hate this guy so much."

She peeled her face off the table and psychically tossed the scrolls back into their drawers before floating over to another. She pulled it open and traced through a collection of old newspapers.

"It doesn't make any sense." She closed her eyes in thought. "All we know for certain is that it's an organic creature based off the saliva samples found on the bodies. They're seemingly intelligent, able to erase concrete evidence of the killings. They have to be logged into the city records, so it's not a foreigner. On top of that, it has to be at least a physically capable adult to overpower the victims. At least eighteen. It'd also have to be someone who could move through the city without raising suspicion, or maybe someone who can blend in with the shadows. The killings happen late at night, too. Hmm…"

She fiddled with the newspaper collection, ready to shut the drawer, when her eyes locked onto a particular headline. Curious, she pulled out the article and unfurled it.

Feral Subterran Captured and Executed in the Streets

She squinted. "I vaguely remember hearing about this story. A Subterran somehow snuck into the city and was eventually killed by the knights." She skimmed through the text again. "Forty-eight years ago. Hmm…"

The Subterra Kingdom was always a prominent, hostile threat to the kingdoms. They were scavengers who stole resources and metals utilizing their advanced digging techniques. There wasn't a kingdom in Virdis they hadn't gone to war with. They were notorious for being distrustful of all who live above ground, capturing those who venture too close underground to work in their mines. They were seen by most as unintelligible brutes who failed to adapt to modern times or sophisticate themselves.

Evangelina used to believe this when she was younger, but she wised up as she educated herself. Though not sophisticated by the traditional standard, they were hardly brutish fools who only thought about food, war, and sleep. She learned they were quite intelligent. Their digging strategies have made them the most elusive of the ten kingdoms. They had territorial advantage over everyone. Few accounts from those who left the kingdom spoke of it as a mining kingdom that turned the underground elements into their tools. They were a force to be reckon with. Though they weren't impossible to fend off when they attacked, invading the Subterra Kingdom was a death sentence.

One thing Evangelina did learn from these old accounts was that the Subterra Kingdom abhorred the practices of the Savage Kin, hence why they were exiled to the upper layers of the earth.

All of this to wonder:

"How did a feral Subterran get into the city in the first place?" Evangelina wondered aloud.

She checked the article again and found the name of the knight responsible for the execution. It was a long shot, but perhaps she could learn more about Subterra from the feral killer himself.

"Maybe it'll give me an idea of what the Vermin Butcher is."

Accompanied by Romano, Evangelina ventured into the residential district of the capital in disguise. With a quick search through the public records, she found her way to the beast killer's house and asked to be let in for a chat.

The elderly Drapion hobbled into the living room with a tray of hot tea, handing Evangelia and Romano a cup. "I am…surprised to be visited by Princess Evangelina herself. It is an honor to be in your presence, Your Highness."

She waved it off. "You are too kind, Sir Vitale. How has retirement been treating you?"

The old ogre scorpion crawled onto his large coughed and sat down. He was missing his left hindleg. "It gets harder to walk around these days. My back is killing me, and I'm sadly without my wife. I think I plan on joining her in the next few years."

"My condolences."

"You are too kind yourself, Princess."

Evangelina smiled. "I…try to be. Though my brother will be taking the throne, I plan to be his advisor. My ambition is to revitalize the Echo Bell Kingdom's spirit."

Vitale chuckled hoarsely. "I've heard the rumors. You've been sticking your nose into the knights' criminal cases."

She smirked. "I do what I can to protect my people. Actually, I am glad you brought this up, Sir Vitale. It concerns the nature of my visit."

"Is that so? How may I assist you, Your Highness?"

She nudged Romano to speak while she sipped her tea. He set his cup down and leaned forward. "We've hit a dead end in the investigation. As I'm sure you've heard, the Vermin Butcher killings have stopped in the last few months. Longer than usual. It's scaring the people since there hasn't been an official arrest made. We do, however, have some leads we wish to pursue. The princess wished to consult you on your opinion."

Vitale glared. "My opinion? It's absolutely dreadful, but I haven't been keeping up with the investigation. I wouldn't know how to help you find your man."

Evangelina set her cup down and glared. "Not necessarily. See, I spoke with the coroner in charge of the case autopsies, and he proposed the possibility we are dealing with someone from the Savage Kin."

Vitale nodded slowly. "Ah. I see where you're going with this."

"Naturally. You were responsible for hunting down a rogue Subterran forty-eight years ago. Could you tell us more of what led up to the investigation? For instance, were there rumors of a Savage Kin in the city, or was this a matter of probable cause?"

Vitale leaned back into his couch and sighed. "That was a hectic week for us. Your powers of observation are astounding, Princess. Indeed, we were made aware of a Savage Kin a week prior to his capture. There were rumors and concerns, and we did eventually find a body. It was mutilated. I imagine that incident was fresh in the minds of my generation, hence why so many of the elderly are particularly concerned about this case. We spent the next three days after that searching for our killer."

"And you eventually found him."

He nodded. "It was a feral Arbok. It matched some of the damage we found on the body, like broken bones and bruises found across the body. It tried to escape us, but I eventually caught him. Since the death penalty was a bit more lax in my day, I was full authorized to executed him on the spot. Rest was history."

"How did this Arbok get into the city undetected?"

"We never did find an entrance way made from underground, so he couldn't have dug through the ground. It is possible he somehow snuck past our notice, which would be a shame on our pride as protectors. Still…"

Evangelina perked up. "Your thoughts?"

"…I had a sneaking suspicion he was in the city for much longer than we theorized."

"How so?"

"When the coroner performed the autopsy, we discovered remnants of food in his stomach. Any flesh he ate was digested by then, but we found he was eating a perfectly normal diet of faux meat and vegetables. I can't speak for how long, but it had to have been for a while. He was somehow still able to gain access to regular food like everyone else."

Romano glared. "That's impossible. Unless he stole the food, he wouldn't have been able to feed himself outside of…well, the obvious."

"I was as perplexed as you are, believe me. We didn't care much at the time since the problem was neutralized, but I've had time to think about it since I ended his life." Vitale closed his eyes and sighed. "The funny thing is, he didn't try to put up a fight when we hunted him down. He was trying to escape, yelling something in his tongue."

Evangelina glared. "That does not match up with what we know about the Savage Kin."

"Perhaps even they are starting to quell their instincts now that they realize how alone they are in this world," Vitale said. "Thing is, before I killed him, I…could've sworn there was some regret in his eyes. He obviously knew why he was being punished. When I caught him, he…stopped struggling. Like he was accepted his fate."

"…You think the Savage Kin are trying to turn their lives around?"

"I can't speak for them, and I can't speak to knowing what I saw was truth or my imagination. I saw what I saw."

Evangelina cupped her flippers under her chin, gazing down at the floor. "If that is true, I wonder if the Vermin Butcher is having similar thoughts. Do they also fear their hunger?"

Romano sighed. "Unfortunately, this doesn't narrow down our search."

"It was worth a chance." Evangelina bowed her head to Vitale. "Thank you for your time, Sir Vitale. It was educational."

He nodded. "Aye. You're welcome, Princess—" He paused for a moment, scratching at his chin. "Actually, Princess. There is something that…hasn't been officially made public that might narrow your search."

She glared. "Oh?"

"I just remembered this, but…there was a second investigation performed after the Arbok's execution. We were told to keep secret regarding questions of his undocumented time here. We never found conclusive evidence, so the investigation was eventually dropped."

"What were you investigating?"

"…There was evidence suggesting the Arbok was in contact with another civilian. Traces of fur in his clothes that didn't belong to the victim. In fact, it furthered my belief that he was in the city far longer than we thought. But we lacked much of the medical techniques developed today, so we couldn't pinpoint who the fur belonged to exactly. The case went cold after that."

"Sir Vitale, what are you implying?"

He clasped his claws together and took a deep breath. "Tell me, do you believe the Vermin Butcher is someone within the city records?"

"It is the only explanation we have. It has to be someone who lives in the city."

"Then, I propose this. The Vermin Butcher is someone who has an inexplicable taste for flesh that hasn't been seen in the Echo Bell Kingdom since its founding. If they are truly a civilian of the Echo Bell Kingdom, then it means they picked up those untamed cravings from a parent. One who wasn't raised here."

The gears in Evangelina's head turned, and her eyes widened in disbelief. "Are you suggesting the Vermin Butcher is…?"

He nodded. "…the child of that Arbok. A non-Subterran Savage Kin."

Present Day, Echo Bell Inn

"Armant!" Completely forgetting her injuries, Melissa bounded across the room and leapt onto the larger Pokémon with a hug. "It's so good to see you!"

He laughed and patted her back. "Glad you haven't forgotten about me, shrimp. If I knew you were here, I would've brought some candied apples to share."

Jason and the others stared at the two with increasing bewilderment. Jason, still cautiously holding his dagger, stepped forward. "Harlow, you…know this guy?"

She grinned down at him. "Yeah! He's the guy who saved us from Grim Deadlock the last time I was here. Oh, and him, too."

Frediano waved. "The Great Frediano was happy to assist!"

"I…see," Jason mumbled.

Armant grabbed the back of Melissa's shirt and pulled her off. "Gee, what happen to you, shrimp? You look tired."

She giggled awkwardly. "Uh, that's a bit of a long story."

"One you are not inclined to share," Jason interjected. "Put her down."

Armant shrugged and set Melissa back on the bed. "You seem tense, little guy."

Jason scowled. "No offense, but I don't take kindly to bounty hunters storming in on us." He pointed his dagger at the Machamp. "Perhaps you care to explain why you're here or how you found us."

"J-Jason, calm down," Melissa said. "He saved me. He saved Fabrice, Klaus, and the twins. He doesn't mean any harm."

"Harlow, in my experience, you don't trust kind deeds as a judgment of moral character. Forgive me if I can't put my trust in the honesty of a bounty hunter."

"Jason!"

Armant raised his hand. "It's alright, shrimp. I understand where he's coming from." He knelt close to Jason's level, resting his arms on his knee. "Believe me, if I meant to do you or anyone harm, this entire inn wouldn't be standing. I've come to speak with the Foresters regarding a shared dilemma we've found ourselves in."

Jason raised his brow. "Shared dilemma?"

"You're looking into the circus and the bomb threat, aren't you?"

His eyes widened. "You know about that?"

"I saw the operation myself. I stole the remainder of their explosives, but they've likely planted a few dozen by the time I stopped them. I also had my lady friend check out the circus for me. When we met back up earlier, she told me an Alolan Marowak was running back in a panic. It was the same woman I saw planting the bombs."

Jason narrowed his eyes. "That so?"

Frediano then added, "We also know the circus is being run by members of the Ritual of the Scarlet Flame. We believe their ringmaster is the Lord of Shadows himself."

Jason's eyes widened. "The Ritual of the Scarlet Flame?! Lord of Shadows?! That's who's running the circus?!"

Melissa winced. "I'm…afraid to ask, but who is that? And what's this about a ritual?"

"You're asking the wrong guy for that information, prietene. Fortunately for you, I'm the one with all the answers."

All eyes slowly turned to the back of the room where a familiar Salandit was leaning up against the wall. He flicked a berry off his digit and caught it with his tongue. He munched on the berry as he stared at his allies' bewildered expressions (or, in Melissa's case, shocked).

After swallowing, he smiled and waved. "Hey everyone! Enjoying the carnival—"

In the blink of an eye, Basil found himself slammed up against the wall by Jason, who pressed his arm against the Salandit's throat. Everyone gasped while Melissa covered her eyes.

You pick the worst times to show up, Basil.

"What are you DOING here?!" Jason snapped.

"D-Dying, apparently…"

Jason eased off his throat, but kept a tight grip of his shirt. "What part of house arrest isn't sticking to you?! Is Marie here, too?!"

"N-Nope, just…me," he mumbled as he caught his breath. "Man, no wonder you're the leader. You are efficient at instilling the fear of death…"

"How long have you been here?"

"What day did you leave again? Because it was that day. By the way, Pandora makes the most uncomfortable traveling crates."

Melissa blinked. "I thought we had one too many supplies in the wagon…"

He shrugged. "Hey, at least I wasn't cramped in like you and the girls were. That sounds absolutely horrible. Then again, it was either that or hanging off the underside of the wagon, and let me tell you—"

"Basil…" Jason growled.

"Right, right, no joking around." He raised his hands in surrender. "Look, I'm not playing games with you. I'm the one who tipped those two off about the bombs."

Jason glared. "And why do you know about this?"

"I never told you the full story of my background when I first joined the Foresters, you know." He gently pushed Jason off and smoothed out his shirt. With a deep breath, he looked to his team and the bounty hunters and said, "I was actually a member of the Cirque du Madness."

Their eyes widened. "You were what?" Avel gasped.

"You're kidding!" Wyatt exclaimed.

"…Basil joining a circus? No, I can see that," Lucient mumbled.

Basil grinned. "Oh, I was one of their best acts. I learned all sorts of neat tricks, and I got really good at stealing—"

"You were a Scarlet Flame member," Jason accused.

"…Right, I suppose there's that minor issue." He sighed and bowed his head in shame. "Alright, you got me. Yes, I was a member of the Scarlet Flame. I…helped with some of the rituals."

"You WHAT?!" Jason roared.

"Easy, easy! It's not like I had a choice. It was either that or be the next sacrifice. You may find this hard to believe, but I value my life and self-preservation."

Melissa frowned. "Basil, how did you end up with these people in the first place? That doesn't seem like you."

Basil scratched behind his head and sighed. "Well prietene, things…don't always go your way. Sometimes life throws you an unexpected curveball and turns the world upside-down. Or on fire. Mostly on fire."

"…The Arcanian Massacre, wasn't it?" All eyes turned to Victoria, her normally optimistic expression falling as she stepped toward the Salandit. "That was when the Great Gate Empire attacked us. So many of our clans were wiped out, including…the Dawnblite Clan."

"…" Basil shoved his hands in his pockets and looked away.

"Oh my gods…" Victoria covered her mouth. "You're Wisteria's son, aren't you?"

He sighed and grinned awkwardly. "Guilty as charged."

"Everyone thought you were dead. I…I never realized you were a Dawnblite."

He shrugged. "I…haven't used my last name in forever, so I don't blame you."

Melissa gasped. "I didn't know you still had a family, Basil."

"Well, I wouldn't consider just my mother as my whole family."

"Oh. Oh…" She frowned. "Basil, you…I'm so sorry."

He waved it off. "It's fine. I've gotten over it. Yeah, I'm from the Dawnblite Clan. When my family was attacked, my mom was fending off the leading general. Dad tried to save my siblings and me, but…well, they didn't make it far. I'm alive because of Mom. She told me to run away, and I never looked back. That's how I eventually wound up joining the circus."

Jason, though his posture relaxed, continued to glare at the shifty lizard. "Why didn't you tell me any of this?"

"Heh. If I told you I was strongarmed into helping cultists, what would you have done to me?"

"…"

"Exactly." Basil looked at Victoria. "Actually, how is my mom doing? I haven't seen her…well, in forever."

Victoria smiled a bit. "She's doing fine. She's…" She gulped and looked away. "Well, she's still traumatized by the invasion. She had to retire from the mages, especially due to her injuries."

He grimaced. "Right. I heard about that. Saw them before I ran, actually." He shook his head and glared at Jason. "Look, yell at me all you want, but I came here to prevent another tragedy from taking place. I lost touch with my old boss, but I learned his circus was performing at the carnival. This is way bigger than all his other shows, too, so I suspected he would try something like this."

"Why didn't you tell us? You could've saved us a lot of time by informing me in advance," Jason said.

He grinned. "Well, it would've ruined Harlow's heist. I thought I could handle it on my own, but I was too busy keeping an eye on you idiots. You should really thank me. I'm the reason you weren't turned into fresh corpses last night."

His eyes widened. "Wait, that was you?! But Harlow said—" He paused before shooting a deadpan glare at Melissa. "You knew he was here, didn't you?"

She grinned sheepishly. "Uh, about that conversation we had about keeping secrets? Uh, call me a hypocrite, I guess." She bowed her head and groaned. "Sorry."

Jason sighed, shook his head, and turned his attention back onto Basil. "Alright, so you came here to try and stop it on your own, but things got out of hand."

"Pretty much. Between Junko's little ice parade and…Paride's death—" He paused a moment to massage his arm. "Well, I guess I've been out of it all week. Memories of the past cropping up and whatnot. Though, like any great thief, I had a backup plan." He pointed to Armant and Frediano. "I got a glance of Harlow's mission report from last time, and these two matched the descriptions of the bounty hunters she encountered."

Frediano snapped his claws and laughed. "Aha! And you knew I was looking for the Lord of Shadows!"

"Correct!"

Jason glared. "So, you're telling me the fifth most wanted man in Virdis has been secretly running a circus under everyone's noses?"

Basil snickered. "Itzy's always been one for dramatics. He's never shown himself to the public, hence why he's only known as a shadow. His real name is Itzal Abasolo."

Jason's eyes widened. "Abasolo?!"

Melissa frowned. "Something wrong, Jason?"

"…" He shook his head. "Uh, nothing. It's nothing." He pinched his nose and sighed. "This is absolutely insane."

Armant raised his hand. "You mentioned knowing something about the Scarlet Flame."

Basil nodded. "Ah yeah, that little tidbit. Truth be told, I don't know the full history, but I have glanced at the book Itzal owns once or twice. The Scarlet Flame is an ancient ritual from long ago said to be the rebellious spirit of heretics who despised the rule of the Great Kingdom. Their whole thing is that they want to purge the internal grief from the people's hearts and give light to true joy and happiness."

Wyatt smiled. "Oh, that doesn't sound too bad—"

"By literally setting everyone on fire."

"Never mind!"

Basil crossed his arms. "But here's the spooky twist in it all. That flame they keep mentioning isn't exactly a symbol or metaphor. It's an actual, tangible thing. Itzal once told me that he found a pyre burning underground with embers still crackling in its pit. It's said to be this immortal flame that grows in power with joy. The more joy surrounding it, the more fuel to burn. Of course, that joy can range from childish innocence to bloodlust, so pick your poison."

Lucient shook his head. "Impossible. There's no such thing as a flame fueled by joy."

Basil wagged his finger. "Don't be so closed minded, Luke. According to Itzal, the head cultist needs to be a Ghost-Type that has an affinity for fire. Supposedly, an ancient Typhlosion was the one who started the Scarlet Flame. I don't know exactly how it got its power, but the flame was brought into existence because of this."

Lucient scratched his chin. "Hmm, I suppose when taking Ghost-Type abilities into account plus the myriad of different enhanced moves created through their tricky arsenal, one could theoretically create such a flame by utilizing spectral energy to harness the emotional—" Felix reached out and clapped in front of the Espeon's face. "GAH! Uh…thank you."

"You're welcome."

Jason glared at the floor. "Does that mean Last Autumn recruited him for that flame?"

"Who knows? He always has it on hand within his scepter," Basil explained. "Potent stuff, too." He sighed. "There's also another reason I couldn't tell you guys about this sooner. Fact is, there's some other things the Scarlet Flame can do. Like, for example, place curses upon former or current members."

Jason's eyes widened. "I'm sorry, curses?!"

"You're…joking, right?" Lucient asked. "Curses?"

"Yeeeeeah. Like I said, the flame was created by Ghost-Types, so previous leaders might have found ways to modify it. For instance, Itzal made me swear not to divulge his plans to you lot. If I broke my word, my head would've burst into flames."

"WHAT?!" Melissa screamed.

He grinned. "Eh, don't worry. I've always screwed around with the wording of those curses. That's why I had Armant and Frediano fill you in before I showed up. But yeah, the Scarlet Flame can grant some scary benefits to its followers. Hence why I had to get rid of Paride's body as soon as possible…" he muttered under his breath.

"What?"

"Nothing~!"

Lucient massaged his head. "This is…way too much for me to handle. Everything you are saying sounds like it's coming out of an ancient myth."

Basil shrugged. "You'd be surprised what is or isn't myth once you examine the world at large." He pulled out a tarot card, flipping it between his fingers. "Anything can look like magic if you don't know the trick behind it. That's why I always hold my cards close."

"…" Jason closed his eyes and sighed. "Good grief, Basil."

"Look, I'm sorry, but I just couldn't sit by and let Itzal get away with another ritual. I have a lot to atone for already. I…guess that's really why I couldn't tell you the truth. I felt like this was something I had to do on my own."

Jason stared at the Salandit for a moment, taking in his slouched body language and regretful expression, before sighing. "We'll talk about you breaking house arrest later. I suppose I can't complain about the extra labor."

Basil grinned. "Well, thank you very—"

"You're still in trouble."

"I'll take it!"

Jason turned to the bounty hunters. "I suppose this means we'll need your help."

Armant bowed. "I will do everything in my power to protect this city."

Frediano spun and posed. "The Great Frediano will not allow any harm to befall this fair city of ours! You have my word that these villains shall fall to my might!"

Jason nodded. "Alright. In that case, we have a lot of planning to do. Once Harlow and I are rested up, we'll need to plan accordingly for both our missions. Stopping the circus and figuring out Last Autumn's game."

Armant glared. "Last Autumn, huh?" He looked away for a moment before saying, "You said you two were injured?"

Melissa nodded. "Yeah, we…kind of ran into Grim Deadlock the other night, so…"

"Say no more." He unhooked his travel bag from his waist and set it on the bed. "I treated Fred's injuries from last time. I should have some potions that'll get you up and moving."

She smiled. "Aww! You're so thoughtful, Armant."

"Heh, I try." He looked at her for a moment before laughing.

"Something funny?"

"Nothing. You…seem different since I last saw you. A good different."

She smiled bashfully, twirling her ear around her hand. "Oh, uh…thanks."

Jason sighed and gestured everyone forward. "In that case, let's get to strategizing. We've got a tough battle ahead of us. Let's do our best and save this city!"

Everyone raised their fists/paws and yelled, "RIGHT!"

Cirque du Madness

"Paride's…dead?"

Itzal, leaning back into his throne, stared at his main followers who looked to him in collective shock. Iris covered her mouth and turned away to hide her tears with Jasper and Gasparo, her Alolan Sandslash brothers, patting her back. Ansaldo pulled on the brim of his hat, cursing under his breath. Benvenuto leaned against his cane and sighed.

"He will be missed dearly," Benvenuto mumbled.

"But his sacrifice will not be in vain, I assure you," Itzal said. "I failed to anticipate Grim Deadlock acting out. Or rather, I underestimated Evangelina's ability to keep a tight hold of his leash." He shook his head. "These are troubling times we find ourselves in."

Ansaldo groaned. "I knew it was a bad idea to follow after the Fairy Knight, but now we have two-thirds of the storm targeting us. Junko's still missing, Paride's dead, and now we have bounty hunters gunning after us. I hate to say it, Itzal, but we might have to skip town before the worst comes."

Iris whined. "And I was looking forward to seeing the city burn…"

Itzal straightened up and smirked. "Now, who said it was hopeless?"

Benvenuto glared. "No offense, Master, we've been put into an impossible situation. The ritual is only half complete, and we could be ambushed at any minute. Besides, we've already tempted Evangelina with our offer. We did all Terrowin wanted. Isn't that enough?"

Itzal gripped into his armrests and growled. "I don't take orders from that withering mass of decay. He wants his precious kingdom back so badly? I'm doing him a favor by reignited the flames of those times. If Evangelina refuses, then there's no harm in erasing the evidence. She already knows too much."

"We've already lost Paride! Staying around could mean the death of all of us, including the Scarlet Flame!" Benvenuto yelled. "Why must you insist on this?"

"Because I didn't get this far by chickening out at the last minute!" Itzal slammed his scepter down, igniting the flame housed inside. "If things don't go as planned, we simply up the ante. Change our course of action entirely. We can even kill two birds with one stone."

Ansaldo glared. "What are you suggesting?"

"Speeding up our plans. Tonight."

Their eyes widened. "Tonight?!"

"We'll find a way to unload all the barrels in one night and set the ritual off. We'll force Evangelina to accept Terrowin's little deal even if we have to traumatize her to do it. We can just explain to Terrowin that our hand was forced. We didn't have a choice."

Benvenuto glared. "You're playing with too much fire, Master."

"You all took the oath when you became my loyal followers. This is everything we've dreamed of. This is the culmination of our efforts!" The flame in his scepter glowed brighter. "I will not stay on the sidelines when there is fuel to burn. This is our time to act while the flames are hot. You can follow me, or you can burn with the rest of this pitiful city."

His followers looked at each other unsurely. They held no fear of his threats, but their concerns still lay with the retaliation of the city. All of them had some reason to join the Scarlet Flame, whether as a true believer or as a consequence of their goals. Were they ready to attempt a counterattack of this scale?

Before words could be shared, the trailer door quietly creaked open. Everyone spun around, ready to attack, but stopped when Chihiro came stumbling into the room. He shut the door behind him before collapsing onto his knees.

"Chihiro!" Iris gasped. "What happened to you? Where's Ponzio and Giotto?"

The assassin caught his breath before glaring up at them. "Jail, most likely. Me? Hanging off the edge of death." He pulled himself against a wall to rest against. "Those bounty hunters are tougher than I thought. They'll tear this place apart once they get the chance."

Ansaldo staggered. "Are they on their way now?!"

"I doubt it. Too many people in the open. They'll probably attack once the carnival closes for the night."

The Scarlet Flame followers turned back to their malevolent leader, who drummed his fingers against his armrest. "Well, well. Remember what I said about speeding our plans along?"

"…" Benvenuto sighed before bowing to him. "We await your orders, Master."

Iris, Ansaldo, and the Alolan Sandslash twins bowed as well. "Master Itzal."

"That's what I thought." Itzal pointed his staff at Iris. "Concoct as much of your potion as you can. You, Jasper, and Gasparo will be delivering it across the city in a different manner."

She frowned. "Different? How?"

"Iris, you know how to use Rain Dance, right?"

"Yeah?"

"That's perfect. I'll fill you in on my plan later. Get to mixing!"

"By your command, Master!" She waved her brothers over, and they raced out of the trailer.

Itzal pointed to Ansaldo and Benvenuto. "As for you two, I'm expecting both the bounty hunters and the Foresters to strike back. We'll need to divert their attention."

Ansaldo adjusted his hat and grinned. "Well, I did say I was going to shine brightly across the capital. I'll put on my best performance yet."

Benvenuto glared. "Just the two of us, though?"

"Oh, worry not about that." Itzal lifted his scepter and stared into the flame swirling inside, grinning to himself. "One of my strongest followers will be joining you soon enough."