27th Festive Moon, 908
The month long voyage into the Umbra Clock Kingdom soon met its end as the traveling party of Foresters and bounty hunting duo trekked over a hill and gazed upon their destination within sight. Sitting under the hill's horizon stood a massive city of stone that stretched across the visible horizon before them, surrounded by high stone walls and manned by towers with guards scanning the land before them. The city was surrounded in a large moat with the point of entry via a drawbridge raised and preventing access.
Jason glared. "Seems they're not looking for visitors."
Casimir nodded. "No one is permitted to enter the capital without documentation. If you're not a citizen of the kingdom—"
"You won't be granted access," he guessed. "Makes sense if they want to keep out spies."
Melissa frowned. "Well, the plan falls upon using Tank to get their attention. Should we alert the guards?"
"…No, not yet. I want to get into the city first and see if we can find out any more information about the king. We still don't know who we're dealing with."
Shale stretched her legs. "Well, alrighty then! I'll sneak around and knock the guards out—" Casimir clasped her mouth shut.
"Absolutely not."
Lillia glanced at Petra, who was sitting on her shoulder. "Perhaps you could take a quick peek around the perimeter and see if there's anywhere we could sneak through."
Petra saluted. "I'm on it!" She fluttered her wings and burst off, staying low with the grass.
Tank scratched at his chin as he studied the guards manning the towers. He noticed some of them were moving sluggishly, yet maintained their stern exteriors as they kept an eye out over the landscape. "I could be imagining things, but those guards seem rather young. Inexperienced, even."
Melissa squinted at the guard towers. "Maybe they're running low on manpower."
"Or maybe all their strongest knights are maintaining control of their territory," Jason said. "Those guards don't look any older than us, maybe far younger. They must be hiring young blood to take up guard posts. If that's the case, I can't imagine how bad things have gotten in recent years…"
They heard the familiar buzzing of wings and spotted Petra flying back to them. "I found a weak spot we can use. One of the guards was dozing off."
Jason sighed. "Of course. Lead the way."
Castle Foirbeis
With the deep levels of the stone castle, accessible only to the royal family, was a luxurious and private hot spring. The walls and floor were made up of blue and white tile respectively with a fog of steam flowing through the space. There were at least five tubs, each filling with a constant stream of hot water from the Magikarp-shaped faucets.
Laying in the largest of these hot springs was a twenty-five-year-old Meowstic reclining against the edge as he let his lower half soak in the water. A wet towel lay over his eyes. Sitting on both sides of him were a Kirlia and a Buizel of similar age. The Kirlia had her arms wrapped around the Meowstic, lovingly nuzzling him, while the Buizel awkwardly sat beside him while keeping herself partially covered.
The Meowstic sensed the Buizel's discomfort even with his eyes covered. "No one's forcing you to stay in the spring, Leitis. If you feel uncomfortable being exposed next to me—"
Her cheeks warmed. "N-No. I…I am fine. I don't mind."
"…"
"I do mean that, truly."
"…Very well."
The Kirlia giggled. "Aww, you'll get used to it eventually, Leitis! I, for one, am enjoying myself!"
She glared at her. "You are shameless, you know that, Una?"
"Guilty as charged! Have you felt his chest? It feels like running your hand across chiseled marble."
"…" Leitis looked away, further hiding her embarrassed expression.
The Meowstic let out a yawn. "I'll stay for another fifteen minutes and thirty-nine seconds." He tapped his chin. "Hmm, then again…oh yes, but would that work? Fascinating…"
Una giggled. "A stroke of brilliance again?" Her words didn't reach the Meowstic for he had disappeared into his own little world mumbling to himself, but she didn't mind.
Leitis leaned her head back, sinking a little deeper into the water. Upon tilting her head back, she saw someone entering the hot spring. She yelped and fell into the water while keeping herself covered. Una just casually looked behind herself and smiled.
"Oh. Hello, Moira!"
Sliding up to the hot spring was a Brionne who wore a fanciful dark blue tunic with a white shawl wrapped around her neck. She glided smoothly over the wet floors and loomed over the mumbling blue cat. Annoyed, she pulled back the wet cloth over his eyes, only to find they were closed.
"Tadhg," she grumbled. "You've got work to do, remember?"
"Though, if the effects of Eerie Spell were slightly modified, I could attribute its stamina draining properties to the Salt Cure…" he mumbled. "If amplified by the effects of Corrosive Gas, I could…yes, yes, the picture is making itself clear to me—"
"Earth to Tadhg—" Moira raised her balled up flipper and swiftly bonked the cat atop the head, startling Una and Leitis. "WAKE UP!"
Tadhg briefly plunged into the water with a stream of bubbles rising up to the surface. After a few seconds, his head slowly emerged out of the water. Blinking twice, he looked up at the irate seal with a leveled glare. "Oh. Hello, sister. When did you get here?"
She groaned. "You've got a meeting with the royal council in less than an hour. Do you have all the paperwork read over and filled out?"
"Nope."
Her eyes widened. "NOPE?! What do you mean nope?!"
"I was busy."
"BUSY?!"
He nodded. "See, I came up with a new theory last week, and I just couldn't get it to quite work in my mind. I hypothesize that by combining the effects of Freeze Dry with—"
Moira facepalmed. "For the love of Lady Cresselia, how is this kingdom still standing with you in charge?"
He rolled his eyes. "I said I would get them done, and I will get them done."
"You have an hour, and you haven't done any of the necessary paperwork! You're supposed to be negotiating with the council about how to distribute the food and labor forces, yet here I find you taking a relaxing soak in the hot springs!"
"I wanted to take a soak, thus I took one. Simple as that."
She slapped herself again. "Unbelievable. Just get out of the water and get the paperwork done."
"Can't. I've got another thirteen minutes and twenty-six seconds to enjoy the hot spring."
"I am going to strangle you!"
He waved her off. "I'll get everything done. You stress out too much."
"How can I not be stressed out?! I have to deal with your nonsense while also taking care of Mother!"
"It will be fine. When have I ever said anything and not meant it?"
"…" Moira breathed an annoyed sigh. "You better get everything done." She turned away and scooted out of the hot spring, grumbling expletives under her breath.
Una frowned. "She seems a bit more wound up than usual."
Leitis sighed. "With New Chariot advancing their war efforts to the west, I think she's growing more and more frustrated with their reign of terror." She glared at Tadhg. "Don't you think you should've been a bit more sympathetic with her?"
He smiled. "You two haven't known Moira for as long as I have. That's how we show love for each other."
"By constantly harassing each other?"
"You've never had siblings, have you?"
"…Point made."
Tadhg waved it off. "Besides, you know me better than that. I have everything exactly timed out. I'll have everything done within the hour."
Una smiled. "That's why you're the greatest, Tadhg!" She kissed his cheek and went back to hugging him.
Leitis groaned and sank back into the water. "I…suppose it's fine."
"Aww, don't be like that! Come on, feel the muscle and wet fur!" Una clapped her hands, causing her and Leitis to instantly switch places.
"EEP!" the Buizel shrieked, feeling herself pressed up against Tadhg. "I-I-I-I—"
Una giggled and hugged Tadhg's other side. "Feel the love, Leitis!"
Tadhg smirked and wrapped his arm around the embarrassed Buizel. "Enjoy the water while you can. We've got work to do soon."
"…" Leitis succumbed to her fate and let herself lean against the Meowstic, still looking down at the water with an embarrassed expression.
Capital Streets
The group scaled the walls of the city, sneaking past the guard who only just woke up after Petra tickled him awake. He never noticed them jumping down into the city and making their way through.
As they entered the wider streets, their eyes traveled around and took in the rustic buildings around them. The streets were made of cobblestone that felt smooth to the touch. The buildings were made up of varying types of brick, a majority of them serving as either eateries or local businesses. The delectable scent of bread wafted through the air, nearly drawing Petra away with allure if Lillia hadn't grabbed her by the wings.
Further down the street, they saw a small crowd gathered around a Low Key Toxtricity playing on a fiddle, filling the air with energetic music that got some of the Pokémon dancing along with the beat of the crowd's clapping.
Melissa smiled. "They look like they're having fun."
Lillia giggled. "Perhaps we should join them for a dance."
"Heads up!"
The group jolted as a ball came flying at them. Melissa flinched and covered her face, but Jason caught it before it nailed her. She settled down and giggled awkwardly. "Uh, thanks."
A Galvantula, Sandshrew, and Natu ran over to the group. "Sorry about that, mister!" the Galvantula exclaimed. "Can we have our ball back?"
Jason rolled his eyes and tossed it back to them. "Be more careful next time."
"Right, sorry!"
The Natu tilted her head. "I've never seen you people before."
Lillia knelt before the children. "We're from Black Hollows. We've come to offer our services to the capital."
"Ooohhh. Neat!"
Casimir looked around and glared. "The city seems awfully quiet. Not a whole lot of people out."
The Sandshrew shook his head. "That's because all the adults and older kids have been working a lot lately. Most of the knighthood is off fighting on the frontlines, even some new recruits that had to be drafted, so everyone else here has to pick up the slack around here."
Melissa frowned. "Oh. That's…I'm so sorry."
Sandshrew shook his head. "It's kind of normal around here. Though, I do worry about my big brother and dad sometimes. They're out fighting on the frontlines, too. My brother didn't want to join the knights, but he did anyway to protect our family. I hope they're okay…"
"…" She knelt before him and patted his head. "I can't guarantee anything, but maybe if you hope hard enough, they'll eventually come home. Have faith in their strength."
He smiled a bit. "Thanks…"
Tank glared. "I'm guessing that's the reason you kids aren't in school at the moment. Your teachers are busy taking up other jobs?"
The Galvantula nodded. "Yeah, though some of us have jobs, too."
"Jobs at your ages?"
He nodded again. "We want to help support our kingdom, too, even if we're just doing the bare minimum."
Shale scoffed. "Well, doesn't look all that pleasant, if you ask me. There's practically nothing going on beyond a guy killing it on the fiddle."
Natu shook her head. "It's not fun, but we make the most of it. Besides, we want to work hard to make our king proud!"
Melissa frowned. "King Tadhg, you mean?"
"Yep!"
"And…how has he been running the kingdom since his ascension?"
Natu tilted her head. "What do you mean? Don't you know?"
"Oh, well…living so far out in Black Hollows, we only hear so much, heh."
Sandshrew looked up at a nearby clockpost and frowned. "Aww, I need to start my shift."
"We'll continue our game later," Galvantula said.
"Hmm." The shrew's eyes brightened before turning to the group. "Well, if you want to learn more about the king, you could always ask my boss."
Jason glared. "Your boss?"
"Yeah! Before he became the new king, Prince Tadhg would always come by for a drink at the local tavern. He was a regular for the longest time. Though, he…stopped coming for obvious reasons."
Petra licked her lips. "I could always go for a bite to eat!"
Jason sighed and slapped himself. "Well, it's the best we've got."
Melissa smiled. "Alright, little one, we'll take you up on your offer."
"Great! Follow me!" He grabbed Melissa's hand and led the way with the rest of the group following behind them.
Castle Foirbeis
As soon as his time in the hot springs was up, Tadhg exited the private hot springs, throwing on his white-buttoned shirt and blue pants and draping his purple coat over his shoulders like a cape in record time. Following close behind were Una and Leitis, both wearing black tunics and pants with armor pieces. Una carried a rapier on her hip while Leitis carried two heavy tower shields on her back.
The kingly Meowstic marched through the halls of the castle before coming up to a set of double doors. With a swift kick, they flew open, revealing a laboratory packed to the brim with scientific equipment on every available table and counter. The walls were lined with shelves packed tight with books of all kinds. The air had the unusual stench of peanuts for some reason.
"Dr. Yap!" Tadhg called out. "A moment of your time!"
Popping up from behind a counter was an Electabuzz, his face and lab coat covered in scorch marks. He pulled back his safety goggles and let out a maniacal grin. "King Foirbeis, what an honor! You're just in time for my latest—"
"No time! I've made a discovery! Quill and paper, now!"
The doctor threw his head back and laughed. "Brilliant! Renfield, take a note!"
In the corner of the lab, a defrosted Eiscue in similar attire was helping himself to a barrel of peanuts. Alerted by his boss' request, he scrambled to the nearest quill and paper and gathered some ink on the tip. "R-Ready, Your Majesty!"
Tadhg paced back and forth through the lab. "Artificial rust touch. By combining the degrading properties of Salt Cure, the corrosiveness of Corrosive Gas with amplification from Poison Jab, and the addition of Eerie Spell to further the effects of the degrading power, it should theoretically create an enhanced move that induces instantaneous rusting to any metal object one comes in contact with, perhaps spreading the effects to other organisms. Perhaps with further modification, it can be used to decay."
Renfield hurriedly scribbled down the king's findings before collapsing to the floor in exhaustion. "G-Got it."
Dr. Yap laughed maniacally. "Brilliant, my king! A truly diabolical skill! What will you use it for?!"
"Use it?" Tadhg asked. "Who cares if I use it? I just want to see if it can be done."
"Brilliant!"
"Hire a Smeargle to test the technique."
"We don't have a Smeargle on standby—"
"I didn't ask if you had one or not. I asked to hire a Smeargle."
Dr. Yap laughed even harder. "Of course, my king! I shall get right on it!"
Leitis stared at the twitching Electabuzz with growing concern. "Uh, doc? How much coffee have you had this morning?"
"HAHAHAHAHA! Silly girl, I've been taking pills packed full of caffeine! Much more efficient!"
"…Okay, but how many have you had?"
"I stopped counting after twenty! HAHAHAHAHAHA!"
"…" Una tilted her head. "Can I have some—"
"No." Leitis grabbed her arm and dragged her out of the lab. "Ugh, I hate coming in here."
Tadhg nodded. "See to it that we test my theory as soon as possible. I won't rest until I've seen it in action."
Dr. Yap wrung his hands together excitedly. "Very good, my king, very good!" His grin grew. "While I have your attention, I wish to showcase my latest project. You see, I've been doing extensive experimenting on my vast collection of peanuts, and I've created something with the power to wipe out entire civilizations! It's my most diabolical creation! Mass extinction beyond your wildest dreams—"
"Tell me some other time." Tadhg turned and marched out the door. "That's all I needed you for. Carry on." With that, he slammed the doors shut behind him.
"…" Dr. Yap threw his head back and laughed once more. "BRILLIANT!"
Renfield picked himself off the floor. "Uh, I'm…just going to help myself to some more peanuts." He waddled back to his corner and continued gorging on the barrel of peanuts.
River Spirits Tavern, Umbra Clock Capital
"Grant! Order for Table Four!"
The Sandshrew ran up to the bar counter, collected the tray of drinks, and ran to the designated table. Seated at the counter were the Foresters and bounty hunting duo, each with their own drinks and taking in the sleepy atmosphere of the tavern. Much like outside, activity was scarce with only a few patrons taking up the tables, one of them just passing the time before he went back to work. The only lively one in the tavern was the Grafaiai bartender jumping between shelves and grabbing bottles.
"Just as depressing in here," Tank commented, sipping on his mead.
"Aye, it be true," said the bartender as he landed back on his chair and poured a tankard of water for Melissa, sliding it over to her.
She caught it and took a brief sip from it. She set it down, resting her hand over the top, and gleamed around the tavern. "How long has this been going on?"
The bartender scoffed as he picked up an empty tankard and started wiping it down. "When hasn't it been like this? Years, lass. Aye, but the mood dipped significantly after the death of old King Ruaridh. He was a man of great conviction, fighting against those tyrants with sword in flipper and a battalion of his finest knights charging into battle at his side. The knights returned with the grave news last year, saying he was slain in battle by their lead commander, a dastardly Charizard wielding a spiked mace. Took the king's head clean off, he did."
Melissa grimaced. "Oh…my."
"Aye. A harsh blow on our kingdom. We nearly lost the will to fight, but Prince Tadhg took up the throne without question. He has been leading us ever since."
Jason glared. "Must've been quite a shock to all of you, losing your king and having his son take the throne so soon."
The bartender nodded. "It was an adjustment, but that's what happens when a warrior king charges into battle. King Ruaridh would rather die in battle than sit back and let his men be slaughtered. He fought for his kingdom even at his own expense."
Lillia cupped her hands under her chin. "Is that when the town had to double down on work?"
He nodded. "Finding time to breathe is a luxury now. I used to have rooms to rent, but now I'm just making a couple dozen gul to keep this place afloat. Feed the people, and back to work they go. I don't get much shipments of food these days, but it's not like I get many customers or renters."
Petra downed her entire tankard of juice in one go and slammed it down on the counter. "Another, please!" The bartender grabbed her tankard and poured another helping of orange juice.
Casimir leaned back against the counter, take occasional sips out of his tankard as he scoped out the main floor. "All these people working their rears off to keep this place afloat, and I bet the king is living it up in his castle. Typical."
That made the bartender smirk. "Heh. You're not from around here, are you? You don't the lad like we do. He's less of a prince and more of a local nuisance, and that's putting it friendly."
Melissa frowned. "What do you mean?"
"Calling Tadhg lazy is laughable. The lad can barely sit still without something catching his interest. He's a whirlwind of ideas and madness constantly muttering about whatever obsession he has going on. He's a lad driven by greed, and his greed knows no bounds. If he wants something, he takes it." The bartender snickered. "Anyone outside the capital views him as a lunatic with too much power in his hands. The truest embodiment of selfishness. All true, by all means, but he was never a bad kid."
Lillia raised her hand. "So, the rumors about him being greedy are true?"
"He once demanded to have his own private ship. When refused, he just went out and got it anyway. Hired and assisted with its construction. He never uses the damned thing for sailing. He just liked the novelty of owning a ship. He once upended the royal library in his castle because he liked the aesthetic of a library in another town more." He laughed. "Oh, but that's not even the craziest thing he did."
"Why do I believe you?" Melissa mumbled worriedly.
"Marriage is very sacred to us in Umbra Clock. Faithfulness and such." The bartender smirked. "So, imagine everyone's surprise when the prince decides to not only court one of his servant girls, but two of them?"
"HUH?!" the group gasped.
He threw his head back and laughed. "You heard me right! Married both servant girls! They're still married, too! Those girls weren't even from the Umbra Clock Kingdom originally." He wiped his eye and quieted his laughter. "Lovely lasses, too. That Buizel's a tad skittish, but she knows how to hold her drinks. And there's also merriment to be had with the Kirlia girl."
Melissa stared at the bartender in shock. "I…I didn't think polygamy was a thing in Umbra Clock."
"It isn't, but do you think he cares? Heck, not only did he marry them, he also made them knights. Trained them himself because he figured he was the best one to tutor them. They're not only his wives, but his personal bodyguards. They're some of the toughest lasses in this kingdom, and they'll kill anyone who threatens his life."
Lillia giggled. "Aww, how lovely."
Melissa covered her face in shock. "This guy sounds crazier and crazier the more I learn about him…"
Jason glared. "But how is he as a king?"
The bartender smirked. "Heh. Curious, aren't you? In truth, while things have been tough, I was trying to make a point about the boy not being lazy. He dedicates everything to keeping this kingdom afloat. Half of us wouldn't even have jobs to support the kingdom if not for him. He manages everything himself just to make sure we're being productive and living the best we can." He then frowned. "Sometimes I wonder if he's holding too much on his shoulders. He was always a workaholic even at a young age, but it's just business for him these days."
Melissa settled down and narrowed her eyes. "What is King Tadhg up to?"
He shrugged. "Who knows? We're placing our faith in him to free this kingdom from New Chariot's terror. He promised us salvation will come, but who knows when that will happen? And now with the west feeling our pain, we wonder if the lad truly does know what he's doing."
Shale lazily twirled her tankard in her hand. "In other words, he doesn't have a plan."
Again, the bartender shrugged. "Perhaps not, but we're not ones to lose hope."
"Why's that?" Tank asked.
He smirked. "If you know anything about that lad, you'll know exactly why we've placed our unquestioning trust into him. That greed of his may seem scary, but that same greed is going to win us this war. We can feel it."
"…" Melissa looked down into her tankard, staring at her rippling reflection. "King Tadhg. What kind of person are you truly?"
Meanwhile…
"I-I only dozed off for a minute, Sir Lister, I swear! I'm so sorry—"
"Forget that. You said you saw someone jump over the wall?"
"W-Well, no…I mean, yes, well…ugh, I feel like something happened, but I'm just not sure. I'm sorry, I'm not used to standing guard and—"
"I'll have someone take over your shift. Hold strong for a little longer."
Leaping out from the guard tower and spreading his wings, a Staraptor coated in lightweight armor and an X-shaped scar over his right eye glided over the capital with a steely gaze.
"But before I do that, I need to do a quick sweep of the city."
Castle Foirbeis
The day-to-day routine was pretty standard for Una and Leitis, both having grown accustomed to the madness that was their husband. Not a second was wasted between leaving the hot spring or paying the mad scientist a visit. As soon as they left, they returned to the king's room in a whirlwind of papers and books.
They stood within the center of the psychic cyclone, passively watching all manner of material revolving around Tadhg several dozen times a second. Through the brief glimpses they got of his face, they saw his eyes flickering between the papers flying past his face. A quill hovered by his side, occasionally dipping itself in ink and splattering his signature of the many, many forms caught in the whirlwind.
"With the war efforts, we'll have to redouble our supply chain of rations to the soldiers by cutting back on meals in the castle. Switching to more pedestrian meals and sending out our resources to the soldiers on the frontlines—of course, by using the power of Ion Deluge with Hidden Power's natural type changing ability, combined with Will-O-Wisp—Una, review page 76 for me—reconstruction will need to be done on Craydon…"
Una ducked as a book came flying near her head. Leitis caught and handed it to the Kirlia. "Do you have any idea what he's saying?" she asked.
Una giggled. "Nope!" She opened and flipped to the desired page. "Uh, let's see…" She squinted at the text. "Oof, that's a lot of big words. Tadhg, what am I looking for?"
"Moira will probably kill me for reducing the variety of our meals—I need a reference to my theory on the explosive properties of Hidden Power—but that could be too heavy a burden with the taxes. We'll have to pull from the treasury to fix the roads—ah, but the addition of Psychic would add more precision to the firing mechanism—Leitis, order these for me—the physician's medical bill needs to be paid…"
Leitis raised her arms and caught a bunch of papers that neatly ordered themselves into a stack. She walked over to a table and smacked the edges down a few times until everything was nice and even. "You've got a half hour left until your meeting, Tadhg—"
"Twenty-seven minutes and thirteen seconds, I'm aware—ugh, of course that old buzzard would want to pull this in the middle of a crisis—oh yes, I'm seeing the technique come alive. I just need to—Una, burn this—we'll send a shipment of meat to the frontline forces, about sixty percent the kingdom's supply should do…"
Una yelped and caught a flying form while keeping the book balanced in one hand. She squinted at the form. "Okay, that says…oof, five percent increase on taxes? Am I reading that right?"
Leitis leaned over and nodded. "Yep."
Una summoned miniature orbs of psychic energy and shredded the paper apart. "Destroyed!" She skimmed through the book again. "Con…Con…flaaag. Confloger…"
"We'll have to shorten the meat supply and recommend a shift in menus—conflagration, Una—Leitis, use this to tie those together—but what should I name this technique?"
Leitis caught a flying elastic band and wrapped it over the stack of papers. "Done."
Una smiled. "Alright! Hidden Power should be reactive to…whatever it is you're talking about!"
Eventually, the maddening whirlwind of papers and books ceased. Books flew back onto the wall of shelves, scattered papers stacked themselves onto a nearby desk, and Tadhg's writing utensils organized themselves neatly back onto their usual places. He finished sketching out a diagram of sorts with the words Explosive Tracking Field (Name in Progress) and pinned it to a board on his wall.
"Twenty-five minutes and forty-seven seconds to spare," Tadhg commented. He turned on his heel and marched out of the room. "Let's grab some tea."
"Uh, Tadhg? You've got—" Leitis tried to say, but the Meowstic psychically retrieved a handkerchief and wiped a splash of ink off his cheek.
"Thank you for pointing that out, my dear." He tossed the handkerchief aside and marched out into the hallway.
She groaned with an exhausted smile. "Sometimes I wonder if his brain ever overheats."
Una giggled. "Guess he knows how to keep cool under pressure."
"That was terrible."
"Nah, I'm funny."
"Uh huh."
Capital Streets
With all the information they could acquire at hand, the Foresters and bounty hunting duo exited the tavern and made their way toward the castle, though with questions still looming over their heads.
Melissa, holding her chin with a puzzled expression, said, "Maintaining the weight of responsibility must take a lot of effort to endure. Would he even have time to meet us?"
Jason glared. "We don't have much choice. We're betting everything on this meeting. We need to speak with him."
"Even so, you heard what the bartender said. Once Tadhg sets his mind to something, it'd be practically impossible to change it. If he says no to our request—"
"We'll find a way, but I'm not losing faith in your plan."
Tank looked around the city. "I have to admit, I like the look of this place. If we do get him on our side, I wouldn't mind staying here."
Petra nodded. "Agreed! They've got some great food here, too!"
Shale yawned, folding her arms behind her head and gazing up at the sky. "You all talk too much. I would've just barged into the castle and demanded to speak to the king."
Casimir rolled his eyes. "Annnnd wind up in the dungeon afterwards."
"Oh, like they can hold me~."
"Push your luck, kid. Just try it."
Lillia let her attention wander around for a moment when she spotted something sailing through the sky. She stopped and squinted to get a better look. "What the…?"
Jason stopped and turned toward her. "Something wrong?"
"I see something shining in the sky. It…looks like a—" Her dual-colored eyes widened. "Oh sweet Arceus, DUCK!"
Everyone dropped to the ground as a Staraptor knight sailed directly over their heads with a powerful gust following after, blowing their fur and clothes into knots. Upon recovering, they braced themselves as the knight crashed down in front of them, his armored talons clicking against the cobble street.
He breathed a heavy sigh through his nostrils and glared down at the group. "Halt."
Jason reached under his cloak for his dagger, but Melissa stopped his hand and smiled nervously. "O-Oh, uh…hello, good knight. Is there a problem?"
His glare darkened. "You're not residents from the capital, are you?"
"Well, um—"
"Do you have the appropriate identification documents?"
She gulped and backed away slowly. "See, the thing is—"
He took one step forward, making her flinch. "One of our guards mentioned something about potential trespassers. I know for a fact you people aren't from here, so I ask again. Do you have the appropriate papers permitting you to enter this city?"
Melissa's lip quivered as she tried to speak, but calmed down as Lillia placed her hand on her shoulder and took the lead. She curtsied to the intimidating avian and said, "Greetings, Sir Knight. We are but humble travelers seeking an audience with King Foirbeis."
The knight scoffed. "You admit you're not from this kingdom?"
"We are not, but the nature of our request is of dire importance. We entered your capital with strict urgency. We must speak with the king at once."
The knight raised his wind defiantly. "None may speak with the king without invitation from him personally. Besides, he has no interest in speaking to the likes of foreigners in these critical times. You will come with me immediately for questioning and—"
Tank finally stepped forward and glared up at the Staraptor. "He'll speak to us if I'm with them."
"…" The knight settled down and glared at the blacksmith. "I see you're familiar with the king's interest in your kind. However, I am not one to allow such frivolity to sway my judgment. You still illegally entered the capital, and such crime will not go unnoticed by me."
Tank's brow furrowed deeper. "You would've shooed us away regardless. We came here because we require the king's help. He'll speak to us if I'm with them."
"And what matter of importance would a group like yours propose?"
Jason stepped forward and pulled his hood back. "Saving all our kingdoms. Look, I'll cut to the chase. Yes, we're not from here, but we are well known over in the west."
"…" The knight narrowed his eyes. "Wait a minute, I recognize your face from the wanted posters." He glared at Melissa. "And yours, too. The second and tenth most wanted criminals in Virdis, Jason Stormbreaker and Harlow. You're the Foresters, aren't you?"
Melissa laughed nervously. "Still having trouble processing that little change in my reputation."
"You reveal yourselves as an infamous guild of thieves and expect that to sway my decision? What trickery is this?"
"It's no trick," Jason explained. "We traveled from the west because the Foresters are in desperate need of help. Our resources are running low, and our base is barely sustainable. We cannot protect the people of our kingdom for much longer. We came here hoping to seek an alliance with King Tadhg and the Umbra Clock Kingdom. We want to help fight back against the New Chariot Empire and save our region from total annihilation."
"…" The knight glanced over the group (including Petra, who hid away inside Tank's hood for some reason). Ignoring the familiarity of the bee fairy, the knight sighed. "This is highly against regulation. The crimes you thieves have committed cannot be overlooked—"
"Then let your king decide that," Jason pleaded. "We swear we're not here to cause trouble. We desperately need his help if we want to win this war." His glare deepened. "And based on the current state of things, you need our help, too."
"…How cheeky of you."
Melissa finally collected herself and stepped forward. "Good sir…"
"Hmm?"
She gulped, but hardened her stance. "I am the one who orchestrated this trip. I am the one who wishes to speak to King Tadhg about an alliance. I understand you don't trust our intentions, but we came here in belief we could help each other. Whatever we did in the past cannot compare to the travesties committed by the empire. We stand with many able-bodied thieves with great skill ready to serve the Umbra Clock Kingdom and lend support wherever needed. Even if by chance, is it not worth sparing a moment of his time to humor our request?"
"…" The knight closed his eyes and contemplated for a moment. He folded his wings behind his back and hummed. "I must admit, you're quite bold coming all the way here with such an insane demand. I've been fighting New Chariot for quite some time, and I know they would never attempt such a brazen ploy like this."
"Does that mean you trust us?"
"No. Not the slightest." He sighed with a shake of his head. "However, you are correct about one thing: we do need help. If you are true to your intentions, then King Tadhg will decide what to do with you once you've made your case."
Melissa bowed. "Thank you, sir knight."
"Sir Neil Lister, Captain of the Umbra Clock Knighthood." He bowed to them. "Please wait here. I shall deliver your message to the king at once. We shall see what he decides." With that, Neil spread his wings and took off toward the castle.
Shale whistled as Neil flew off through the air. "Wow, and here I thought I was gonna have to turn him into cooked chicken. Sweet, we get to go into the castle!"
Casimir facepalmed himself and groaned. "I'm keeping a close eye on you." He glared down at Melissa and Jason. "Well, we got this far. I hope you know what you're doing."
Jason glanced at Melissa. "Are you ready?"
"…" She took a deep breath and glared determinedly. "Ready as I'll ever be."
Castle Foirbeis
"K-King Foirbeis, these demands are absurd!"
Arriving at the meeting room to meet with his advisors, Tadhg didn't waste a second slamming down the papers and issuing the procedures he wanted implemented immediately. The elder council, consisting of a Carbink, Dragonite, Pyroar, and white-feathered Squawkabilly, looked upon the young king in horror as they skimmed through the forms he approved.
Tadhg leaned back against the meeting table, waving off their shocked expressions. "My word is final. I've already decided."
The Squawkabilly picked up the shredded remains of the document he proposed. "My king, the point of raising the taxes is to compensate for the repairs to our territory. You're suggesting pulling directly from the treasury without any leeway to—"
"We have plenty of funds to spare. I already did the math in my head on cost and material. I also fixed some of your documents. A lot of the numbers were way off."
The Carbink glared. "You mean the documents you left unsigned with your maddening scribbles plastered over them?"
He shrugged. "Passing off those decrees wouldn't serve any purpose to the kingdom."
"You've also been cutting down the castle's food supply," the Pyroar stated.
Tadhg wagged his finger. "No, no. I simply limited the extravagance of the meals you gentlemen are used to. No more fanciful meals for any of you. You're eating like the rest of the people and me: pedestrian."
"You can't just—"
He glared over his shoulder. "You wanted me to increase food supply to our frontline troops, so I did. They get all the exotic stuff while we stick with the cheap food. I am king, and my word is final."
Dragonite slammed his hands down and growled. "You can't just make demands without our input! Your father couldn't handle the weight of running a kingdom on his own—"
"Yes, but I'm not my father. I am me. Try to keep up."
"Y-You, I…GAH!" He collapsed back into his seat and covered his head.
Una and Leitis stood guard by the doors, trying to withhold their snickering. "He's getting them riled up again," Una mumbled.
"Do you think one of them's going to throw their tea at him again?" Leitis whispered.
Pyroar crossed his forelegs and glared down at the young king. "You can't just go upending everything without our approval. No one man should have that kind of power, not even a king. There are procedures and regulations to follow—"
Tadhg rolled his eyes. "Just because you can't handle that responsibility doesn't mean I can't. I've already discussed the pros and cons of my actions with myself, and I trust my opinion more than yours."
"W-Why you little—"
"Anyway, back on topic, I want to also increase Dr. Yap's funding for his projects—"
"You want to do WHAT?!" Carbink yelled. "Y-You can't just—"
"I already did the math. A four percent increase in his funding will be more than enough."
"You're going to bleed this kingdom dry of—"
Tadhg groaned. "Look, I understand that you're not good at math, but try and keep up with me."
"Y-You…GAAAH!" In rage, the Carbink lifted his teacup with Psychic and hurtled it across the table.
Tadhg smoothly caught the cup and telekinetically placed all the liquid back inside before taking a sip. "Ah, thank you, I was feeling parched." He heard the girls snickering behind his back, making him smirk a bit. He sighed and spun the cup on the tip of his finger. "Honestly, why can't you fellows be more innovative like Lord Blackwood? He'd be calling you out for your stubbornness."
Carbink settled back into his seat and huffed. "Where is that lout anyway? He said he would be riding in to discuss the new bills."
Pyroar shrugged. "Got caught up with something, last I heard."
Tadhg sighed. "A problem for another time. If you men would kindly cool your fires for a moment and let me explain myself, I'm sure we can come to a consensus."
"…" Dragonite sighed. "Speaking on behalf of the council, we shall let the king speak. Any objections?" The rest of the council grumbled, but obliged to the request.
Tadhg nodded and kicked up his papers. "Excellent. Now, in regards to my plan for dividing up the food supply—" A knock sounded off the council doors. "Enter."
The doors parted opened, and Sir Neil entered with a bow. "I'm sorry to disturb you, King Foirbeis. I bring an urgent message regarding undocumented travelers entering the capital."
Tadhg flipped through his papers. "I've carefully divided up how the food should be prepared for long term storage—yes, yes, what is it, Neil—and devised a working schedule to ensure all parties who receive regular shipments in mass quantity—"
"These travelers wish to have an audience with you."
Squawkabilly glared. "Bah! How brazen! You come here bothering the king over such a trifle matter? See to it that these travelers are detained so they can be questioned. The king has no time for—"
"Among them, a Smeargle offers his services to the king in exchange for a meeting with his group."
Upon hearing the magic word, Tadhg threw his papers into the air and turned to the doors. "Send a carriage and have them transported to the castle immediately."
The council gawked as the papers went scattering over the table. "Y-Your Majesty!"
Tadhg waved them off. "I already wrote everything you fellows need to do. You can follow instructions just fine." He, Una, and Leitis walked out of the council room with Neil flying off ahead, leaving the befuddled council staring at the fluttering mess of papers.
Una matched the Meowstic's brisk pace and frowned. "What do you suppose these travelers want with you?"
Leitis glared. "The fact one of them is offering himself up in exchange seems a tad suspicious. You sure having these strangers in the castle is—"
Tadhg smirked. "Now Leitis, what did I tell you? When I decide I want something, I don't let anything tell me otherwise. I want to see this for myself."
"…" She sighed and shook her head. "You are so reckless."
"Shamelessly so." His smirk grew, and his eyes twinkled with mischief. "Still, I don't often get such volunteers coming to my doorstep. Undocumented travelers during these warring times? What greedy proposition led them to coming here?"
