"Statement: That was adequately enjoyable."

"Yeah yeah! Beating that ninetales and zapping everything and zooming along when you smacked into him and Thoughtlight doing that thing he does to make us all fast! Well, more like you two. I'm fast enough!"

"Trick Room, Volt. I say the name every time."

Team Gazer was flush with victory, as they usually were. Beheeyem wondered if winning would ever grow old, but he doubted it.

After rescuing Sliggoo and returning her to her mother, they were back on the road. A group consensus to travel towards Blackstone Village to sniff around for Team Ion or any outlaws they could apprehend was reached, and the three made haste.

As fast as they could go, at least. Which wasn't actually very fast.

If Electrike's complaining was indicative of.

The easy-going chatter that filled their days was shattered, however, when an explosion up before them caused them all to jump in alarm and go on the defensive.

The explosion which, judging by the smoke, was caused by a powerful Fire-type attack caused Volt and Thoughtlight to edge closer to Cobalt, aiming to protect the beldum if it was needed.

However, then the talking began.

"Prepare for trouble!" a voice that could only be described as amused called out, from the smoke emerged a four-legged pokémon with a shock of hair a lot like a flame on his head.

"And make it double," a second voice, almost as amused, just a tinge of excitement, added to the presentation. Both pokémon were… singing.

"To protect the world from devastation!" the litleo emerged, doing a jump and kicking out with his forepaws.

"To unite all pokémon within every nation," the shinx emerged, doing a barrel roll and jumping up sparking with electricity. Team Gazer stared in mutual stunned silence.

"To denounce the evils of truth and luuv," the litleo purred, giving a wink.

"To extend our reach to the skies above!" the shinx called, shooting a bolt into the blue sky.

"Litleo!" Mane smirked devilishly.

"Shinx!" Rai smirked, falling into a prowling stance.

"Team Ion blast off at the speed of light!" Mane stood on his hind legs for a moment and might have committed a cardinal sin.

"Surrender now or prepare to fight!" Rai joined him.

"MEEEOWTH! That's right!" Scout did a jumping flip from somewhere and landed on his back legs, praising the very sun. Then he collapsed into laughter. Rai and Mane quickly joined him, and the three felines fell into a fluffy pile.

"I have now won at life," Scout giggled, wiping his face as a luxio also walked onto the road, a flat expression on her face. "I succeed. I win. Nothing can stop me now."

"I still don't know why you wanted to do that so badly," Mane said, trying to regain SOME street cred. "But I will admit that was kinda fun."

"Can we do it again?" Rai asked. "Maybe when we arrest someone?"

"Probably have to change it though!" Scout laughed. "It IS stolen after all."

"From US!" Beheeyem yelled, fuming as Beldum and Electrike struggled to hold him back from grabbing Team Ion and throttling them. "The idea of a motto is OURS!"

"Team Rocket did it first," Scout called, detangling himself.

"I DON'T KNOW WHO THAT IS BUT THEY SOUND STUPID!"

"Do NOT belittle the TRio in my house here, good sir!"

Beheeyem, who had calmed down enough to be released, rubbed his shoulders as Beldum floated up. "…Digression: Team Ion, are you… well?"

"That was pretty cool," Electrike added, Beheeyem nearly had a stroke at the word of approval. "But ours is better!" That downgraded him from a stroke to an aneurism.

"Funny as that… was," Ara said, frowning when Team Gazer glanced at her in perfect unison. "Creepy. Anyway, fun as this is… are we going to stand around talking or can we walk and talk?"

"Walk?" Beheeyem said, defaulting to repeating words until his brain rewired.

"Wellll, hello there," Electrike said, grinning as he began to approach Ara. He was knocked back with a bolt of electricity.

"Luxio!" Rai called. "You could have at least given a warning shot first."

"That WAS the warning," Ara said, as Electrike pulled himself back up.

"I like a girl who can play rough."

"My family was murdered by your kind," Ara snapped, and he closed his mouth.

A moment of awkward silence fell over the collective teams until Mane leaned to Scout and whisper-shouted. "She has NO chill at all, does she?"

That broke some of the tension, and Beheeyem cleared his throat. "Ahem. Understanding that you have had bad experiences with electrike's. Still." His eyes flashed, and he suddenly snatched Ara up from a distance, holding her in a powerful Psychic. "Do not attack unprovoked again."

Ara spluttered for a moment, psychic holds pressed down on everything. Including the throat.

Before Rai could do something rash and unthought, Beheeyem released Ara. Not exactly gently, but at least onto the ground.

She rubbed her neck but nodded. "That's fair enough."

"Wait?" Mane asked, blinking. "You're just letting that go?"

"I 'warned' his friend, he 'warned' me. It's fair play."

Mane nodded, a small measure of respect in his eyes. He never quite agreed with having to talk everything through and play nice and roll over for anyone who was upset or offended.

Scout was entirely lost to the silent machinations of pokémon and simply wanted to do damage control. "Uh, now that that is all… moved aside, hello!"

Beheeyem blinked but raised a hand in greeting.

"Hi-hi!" Electrike chirped, although he did refrain of running circles around them.

"Declarative Observations: Team Ion are alive, signs of previous injury, high spirits that don't appear to be deceitfully affixed to present a 'strong front'. Deduction: You arrested Pyroar?"

"That we did!" Rai said happily, after sharing a look with Ara to make sure things really were okay. He did admit it was fair, but he still would have protected Ara had things gone further. "He was nasty and tough and had help, but we still won!"

"As expected from the saviours of time," Beheeyem replied, smoothly. "Nevertheless, it is good to see you again. From your little… plagiarism from earlier, I suspect you are here for that promised bout we each agreed to?"

"Not just yet," Ara said, speaking over Mane who had gone to answer. "These three get into more trouble than they're worth and still have got SOME injuries, you're not doing any fighting until it's fair. Understand?"

"Then, why are you here?" Beheeyem asked.

"We've been given a little bit of a break after catching Pyroar," Rai answered, Scout, didn't look as happy as he and Mane did. "So, we decided to walk back to Treasure Town and do and see some stuff we didn't really get to see or do before."

"Is that so…?"

"Want to come with?" Scout asked. He received a few curious looks for the suggestion. "Well, I mean. We do have the standing offer of a match between us. And there's probably stuff on the way and in Treasure Town that might be coming up. Do you three have other plans?"

Beheeyem raised a hand. "One moment." Before he pulled Beldum and Electrike into the bushes.

"What do you think?" Beheeyem whispered.

"I think it could be fun!" Electrike replied, speaking quietly for once.

"Inquisitive: Do we have other plans?"

"No…"

"Inquisitive: What of this 'other stuff' Meowth mentioned?"

"I'll ask."

Scout was beginning to count his claws when Beheeyem emerged again, a few leaves falling off his head. "May I ask about 'other stuff' that is coming up?" he called.

"Team Charm might be stopping around Treasure Town sometime soon. I can't say for sure, however."

Beheeyem needed a moment. "O-oh. I will. Uh."

Electrike burst out, Beldum wasn't far behind. "WHAT ARE WE WAITING FOR?" Electrike did zoomies around everyone, besides Ara. "Let's GO!"

Far away, Team Thunder Crash sneezed. "Someone talking about us?" Eevee asked.

"Probably," Pikachu replied.

Back with the two teams, Beheeyem was trying to regain order. "He said he can't be sure!" he yelled, stalling the beatboxing Beldum was belting out.

"Declaration: Any chance of meeting Team Charm in person is a chance worth taking."

"You're not wrong, but."

"Interjection: There is no but."

"Yes, however."

"Interjection: There is no, however."

"Beldum…"

"Declaration: Yes. You are Beheeyem, I am Beldum."

Beheeyem felt that oh-so-familiar headache come about. "Beldum, by the legends I will SLAP you."

"Defiant Statement: There is nothing you can do to me! Do. Your. Worst."

Beheeyem slapped the shit out of Beldum with his mind before turning to Team Ion. "Yes, very well, we shall accompany you at least some of the way until we can have our battle."

"And flirt with Team Charm!"

"And flirt-" Beheeyem snapped silent. He turned to Electrike who grinned. He then slapped the shit out of Electrike with his mind. "And MEET Team Charm if the situation presents itself."

"Alright!" Electrike whooped, recovering well from the beatdown. "We're back off to Treasure Town! I can't wait to see Marill again."

"Declaration: Team Ion." Beldum turned to the group of kitties. "For the time being you, three are recovering from what likely left you needing urgent medical attention. We of Team Gazer aspire to help you regain complete and total physical wellness."

"Aww," Rai said, smiling. "Thanks, Bel-"

"Interjection: And then we will beat you back into needing urgent medical attention."

With that, they swivelled around and floated off out front, Electrike already running ahead to get a move on getting a move on Team Charm.

Beheeyem, who was floating back, sighed tiredly as Team Ion, plus Ara, reached him and gestured. "Well… let's go."

Far away, Team Thunder Crash sneezed again.

Armaldo's heavy footsteps were not for stealth making.

He was a cunning pokémon for sure, but speed, agility, and quiet were not his forte. So, by the time he finally reached his destination, the door was already opening, and Azurill was yawning.

"H-hello Mr Armaldo," he yawned, rubbing an eye. "Is Marill okay?"

"Currently, Marill is excelling," Armaldo answered. "Just yesterday he pioneered his team's mission to Apple Woods to acquire some Perfect Apples. An important task to be sure."

"Yup!" Azurill beamed but yawned again. It was quite early, but it had to be early because Armaldo was a busy pokémon.

"May I see your mother?" Armaldo asked.

"Yup." Azurill wandered back in and passed his mother, she had him go right back to bed and came out to her door. The house was much too small for Armaldo to risk going into. Even if he were to crawl, his large body and heavy tail would definitely damage something.

"What can I do for you this crisp, early morning?" Azumarill asked, suppressing a yawn of her own. Armaldo would have felt a little bad. Azumarill was never of perfect health, and interrupting her sleep wasn't going to help.

Still, he had to ask her some things.

"Wigglytuff is not going okay," Armaldo stated, not bothering with preamble or small talk. They weren't here to talk about the day or Marill, so Armaldo wouldn't bother wasting her time.

Azumarill nodded. "You're right," she said, a touch of bitterness entering her voice. Not due to anything personal, only the anger at being unable to help. "He comes, we talk, but it's not helping him."

"Why haven't you said something already?" Armaldo asked, needing to know everything he could.

"It's a privacy thing," Azumarill answered. "Pokémon have to trust that I won't speak of anything we talk about to others without their permission. And I have my doubts you told Wigglytuff you were coming here today." Armaldo nodded, Wigglytuff had no idea.

Azumarill hummed and closed her eyes, the lines under them deepening. "Honestly, I've feared your arrival, Armaldo. If you've grown concerned enough for Wigglytuff to come, that means he's breaking down so badly he's unable to hide it anymore."

That was alarming. "You've been anticipating this?" Armaldo growled. His normal speech was growling, but this was a touch deeper than normal.

"Again, Armaldo, I reiterate the importance of trust with my clients. If I wasn't deeply concerned, then we would not be having this conversation at all. Wigglytuff has been teetering, and I imagine he still is. Still, he's beginning to buckle under the strain of pain and guilt, and nothing I do is helping. Yes, I have been anticipating our meeting, but it's just a confirmation rather than an inevitability."

Armaldo sighed out a rough breath. "I understand well enough." He paused, suddenly not so sure of things. "There's nothing you can do?" he asked.

"If there was, I would have done it already." Azumarill shook her head. "All I can do now is to continue meeting with him and give you a piece of advice."

"I'm listening."

"Wigglytuff has lost nearly every person he has ever cared about. You. His parents. His friends. His partners. He's lost everyone in some way or another."

"Hmmm."

"You're here now," Azumarill said, emphasising the word. "But he still lost you for a long time. I believe it has been your presence, and company, that has helped him hold himself together, but you know Wigglytuff. He's always loved even more than he can hold."

Armaldo's eyes darkened, and he sighed. "You want me to contact Team Charm then?"

Azumarill smiled, like a moment of confirmation between them. "Unless you'd prefer to track down Team Raider?" Armaldo scoffed at the idea. "Or worse yet, Soothe."

Armaldo stilled, all amusement fading. "He's told you about her, then?"

"I met her; you know?" Azumarill replied. "All that time ago, when the team with no name first came to Treasure Town. I was younger, of course, but I still remember her. When they came back, neither of them were ever quite the same. He has the same look in his eyes now that he had when they returned from that terrible forest."

"She's very dangerous," Armaldo said, it was like his voice could darken shadows themselves with its tone.

"Yes," Azumarill replied, unperturbed by the warning in his voice. "And imagine how dangerous she could be if she finds Wigglytuff first? He…" she paused. "Well, that's too private to share. Point of the matter, get Team Charm here before something happens. Please. He needs to enjoy something again; he doesn't explore anymore, but Team Charm is something from before he knew Chatot and Audino. If anyone can help, it's them."

Armaldo nodded and stepped back. "Thank you, Azumarill. I'll leave you to your rest."

She nodded. "You should rest as well, Armaldo," she said softly.

Armaldo snorted. There was no time for him to rest.

She watched him leave with sadness in her eyes before quietly closing the door and going back to bed.

Scizor was restless, and it was putting Chimecho in a tizzy.

Being frozen for over forty years was not good for the body in any shape or form. His limbs were all fragile, his shell hadn't moulted for the entire time. It was flaking, he found himself out of breath from just eating, and she could record his blood pressure, with some difficulty, and it was lower than she knew was healthy for a scizor.

But he was also very, very, persistently annoying with his requests.

Chimecho had heard, as pretty much everyone had, that Scizor had proven to Lucario his devotion to training by keeping up with her for years.

She was now beginning to believe that he had nagged Lucario for years until she gave in.

And Chimecho, while she was a nurse and therefore formidable, was no Lucario.

"Okay," she said, cutting Scizor off halfway. "Fine. Just, let me ask if she will go with you."

"I can handle myself," Scizor began but Chimecho shot him a Look of pure death, and he closed his mouth.

She'd done it before, and he'd only remained quiet for ten minutes, so she knew it wouldn't last long.

Hurrying, Chimecho hovered out looking for the fated victims to sacrifice to this annoyance.

"Ah!" Chimecho said, popping her head into the mess hall. "Team Sunrise, exactly the… pokémon I was looking for."

"What do you need, Chimecho?" Sean asked as he was the only one not stuffing his mouth at the moment.

Chimecho paused, staring for a moment. Team Sunrise always ate with… vigour, but this was something to see.

Celebi had, probably, convinced the other two into an eating competition. She hoped Celebi had swayed them, at least, and this wasn't normal. Or Dusknoir's idea.

Still, the belly mouth gave Dusknoir quite the unfair advantage, not that he wasn't being challenged despite it.

Blinking and clearing her throat, and swallowing some revulsion, Chimecho said. "Scizor is… of… better health," she said, deciding to twist the facts just a tiny bit. He was really getting on her nerves. "And desires to go for a walk to stretch his legs. I'm not comfortable letting him go alone, so I was wondering if the four of you could either find Lucario or accompany him yourselves, ensure he doesn't get into any trouble, and just… watch him."

Perhaps it was a little bit of punishment for unleashing Scizor on her. Chimecho blinked and put that thought away in a little box in the back of her head. It wasn't Team Sunrise's fault Scizor was overly pushy. It was their fault he was here, but it was because of her Scizor was still alive.

She put that thought into a little box as well.

"Of course," Sean said, smiling up at her. Chimecho smiled back, and she floated off with Sean in tow. He also wanted an excuse to leave this show of gluttony behind.

Team Sunrise had issues. Azumarill helped, certainly, but they definitely had periods of extra quirkiness caused by that Dark Future trauma.

Chimecho concealed a smile at Sean picking at his fur and scuffing his feet outside Scizor's door. The little human-turned-riolu was honestly pretty cute, and there were times Chimecho forgot he was somewhat the youngest of the guild.

He didn't always act it, and certainly, chronologically Sean was actually older than a lot of pokémon here. Yet mentally, he was but a teenager.

Loitering outside of the door to the medical bay, Sean bit his lip. He glanced shyly at Chimecho before shaking the hesitation off and nodding to himself. He pushed the door, open himself, and Scizor looked up as they entered.

"Scizor, this is Riolu," Chimecho said as they entered. "He's the… a… this pokémon is in Team Sunrise, the very same who rescued you."

She gave Sean a slightly embarrassed look. No one was ever entirely clear on who the leader of Team Sunrise was. Some believed Sean, some Grovyle, and some others even felt like Dusknoir was really the leader.

No one bet on Saniya. Not even Electivire, who always went for the bad odds.

Sean was mostly oblivious to Chimecho's thoughts, and he stretched out his paw in greeting. "Good morning, I uh…" he paused, glancing at Scizor's very large and very dangerous pincers and lowered his paw in embarrassment.

Scizor, however, gave him a look of amusement, which really only pushed him further into the depths of embarrassment.

"Good morning, Riolu," Scizor said, warmly. A far cry from the whining, whinging, pokémon Chimecho had to suffer. "I hear I have a massive debt to you and your own."

"Not at all," Sean said, immediately waving it off to both pokémon's surprise. "You don't owe me or any of the others anything."

That threw Scizor a bit. It was a common practice among pokémon to give something in return for something. Scizor had his life returned to him by Team Sunrise, Chimecho and Chansey as well. He already planned on giving Chimecho something once he got out of here.

Deciding to drop the matter, because he knew painfully well that pokémon of Sean's species were impossibly stubborn, Scizor nodded. "Understood. I also hear you're going to be keeping an eye on me to make sure I don't trip over a log and die?"

Sean glanced at Chimecho, more than a tiny bit worried. Chimecho frowned and shook her head. "If you were that fragile, you would not be leaving this bed at all."

"It's sarcasm."

"Oooh," Sean and Chimecho chorused. Sean wasn't entirely sure if that was exactly sarcasm, but he got the meaning now.

He smiled. "To be honest, I haven't met that many pokémon who actually do that."

"When you spend more than five minutes around Lucario, you either learn to talk her way, or you take her words as literal and create some sort of cult. She disapproves of that, so I had to learn."

That sounded like a joke, but there was a strange tilt to his voice and a smile didn't reach his eyes. "Oh."

"I'm not kidding," Scizor elaborated before swinging his legs off the bed. "Anyway, I've had enough of being locked in place for one lifetime, so if it's alright with you two, I'd like to start my walk."

"You WILL be careful," Chimecho said as they began to make their way out of the room. "I won't be hearing of any situations that involve intervention. No running or sprinting or jogging."

"Those may as well be the same things," Scizor pointed out.

"No backtalk," Chimecho cut over him. "No goofs, gaffs, OR guffaws."

"What do you think we're going to do with him?" Sean asked. "Take him out back and beat him with a two-by-four?"

Chimecho was still unmoved. "There will be no beating."

"Well, those are my plans down the river."

"No boating."

"Well, that idea is sunk."

"No swimming."

"I'm drowning in these rules."

"No drowning!"

Sean and Scizor couldn't help but share a smirk.

"And no plotting."

"Yes, nurse," Sean said, bowing. "I promise this will be just a walk. The Treasure Townies aren't going to cause mayhem… well, probably."

Chimecho narrowed her eyes.

"Certainly not."

She nodded. "I'll go fetch the others, and you can begin your day. Stretch your legs, Scizor. Some movement will be good for you. Just not anything too strenuous."

"I understand," he said, and she nodded.

Once Chimecho was gone, Scizor glanced to Sean. "Is she always like that?"

Sean shrugged. "Not usually that strict. You WERE in really bad shape, though."

"So, no drowning then?"

"No drowning."

"Well, that idea is sunk."

"I already used that joke!"

"Well, imitation is flattery."

Sean gave him a quirked smile. It was odd how much he was already getting along with the strange pokémon. He guessed it was Scizor's attitude, it was very different from the vast majority of pokémon he had met. And much different to Lucario's.

For a moment Sean recalled the name Scizor had whispered when she was holding him and his expression flickered. Scizor seemed to notice it, but despite his attitude there was a muscle-deep exhaustion in him and he was already breathing a little hard from walking from the medical bay to the main room of the lower guild.

Soon enough, the others appeared. Being that Team Sunrise were in a bit of a mood, Saniya appeared with a teleport and a bang, while Guardian phased out from a wall.

Striker, always the rock of this little group, just walked up to them.

"YOU are SCIZOR?" Saniya gasped, flittering around him. "Like, oh my gosh."

"I wasn't aware you had become Sunflora," Sean said. Saniya smacked his nose.

Striker nodded in silence while Guardian greeted Scizor calmly. "It is good to see you in good health, Scizor. I am Dusknoir, this is Celebi, and that is Grovyle." He pointed to Saniya but planted his large hand right on Striker's head. Striker flicked his eyes up in a sharp glare until Guardian let go.

Scizor bowed back in time, sweeping one arm under his abdomen. "With you all here I can now give my thanks for the rescue. You saved my life; I am in your debt."

"You are?" Saniya said, cocking her head. "So, if like we ask you to do something weird for the debt you'd do it?"

Scizor paused, flashing her a wary look.

"Oi!" Sean snapped. "I already told him he doesn't owe us anything."

"Noooo!" Saniya cried and grabbed Sean's face and leaned in dangerously close. Staring into his eyes, she said just one thing. "Whhhhhy?"

"Because-" Sean began, but she squeezed the sides of his mouth. Undeterred, Sean continued. "Becaush hzee doeshn't."

"How are we supposed to conquer the world in my image if everyone we save just gets to go ladada ladadee?"

"We aren't aiming to conquer the world. In your image or not," Guardian said soothingly, pulling Saniya off Sean.

"Ohh. Right, I forget sometimes."

"Do not mind her," Striker said, nodding to Scizor who looked remarkably at ease with all of this. "She is merely an entity of pure chaos. She doesn't mean what she says."

"I've never said anything I don't mean!" Saniya said, curled up happily in Guardian's big hand, only her nose poking out between his fingers. "Buy gold! Your voice is almost as attractive as you! Time is an illusion!"

"You do have a nice voice," Scizor said.

Striker, without missing a beat, said. "Ah, so you ARE one of them."

Guardian nodded sadly as Scizor looked confused. "A what?"

"Sean refers to them as creatures of terror and famine of sense. A fanboy/fangirl."

"I'm Sean, by the way," Sean said, as Scizor's confusion was only growing. "Used to be human, not anymore."

"I see," Scizor said, nonplussed. "It feels like three weeks and four days ago that Lucario was complaining about the very same thing. Well, let's be off."

Team Sunrise followed quickly. Which wasn't difficult as even with Scizor's restlessness, he was still weak from his long stint in the ice. His steps were slow but purposeful.

It took about five minutes to reach the steps leading down from the guild, but it was there that the conversation continued.

"Did Chimecho already mention Sean to you?" Guardian asked, not understanding why Scizor was taking this so well. Most pokémon had been quite surprised to learn ANYONE was human. Wartortle and Gengar and Dewott had created QUITE the stir.

Even now, the old ninetales legend still made a few pokémon wary of humans.

"No, I've heard very little about the world as it is," Scizor answered, taking a careful step down each stair. "Lucario informed me of the time I have been gone, which was difficult to hear, but besides a bit of reading material I have been supplied with, I know very little."

"Oh, okay."

Scizor gave Sean a keen side-eye. "Were you expecting a bigger reaction?"

"Kinda?"

Scizor laughed. It was the kind of laugh that carried for miles. "It's hard to be surprised by anything anymore," Scizor said, answering without actually answering. "First, I've heard of a human around here. I must say you are definitely a great deal furrier than what Lucario described your species as."

Sean blushed a little and gave an awkward laugh. "Ahh… hahaha. Yeah, I'm a riolu now. But I WAS human."

"That's a very strange thing to hear," Scizor said. "Where did you come from?"

"My own world," Sean answered. "There's still millions, if not billions, of humans there."

"Quite a few. Are there pokémon?"

"There are, yes. Just as many, if not more."

"Wonderful to hear. A world without pokémon is difficult for me to imagine, although I suppose a world without humans would have been the same for you."

Sean nodded. It was difficult at times. "I'm not the only human-turned-pokémon around though. Wartortle of Team Go-Getters is one too!"

"Scout thought he was Sean too," Saniya commented, but Scizor didn't know who or what she meant.

"Other humans? My, there has been a lot happening since I have been gone."

"I could explain some of it," Guardian offered. "There is a great deal to tell about current events and what you have missed, but I researched a great deal of it before coming here, so I could recount some of it to you?"

"That would be kind of you." Scizor smiled. "Reading is one thing, but hearing it is second only to living it." He chose not to mention that Lucario had already told him about Team Go-Getters and Paradise.

"Well we can tell you a bit of that to," Saniya said. "We're part of the most recent history stuff going on! The world nearly ended, well it did, but I sent pokémon back in time to undo that. The third time was the charm!"

Scizor's expression could only be described as WTF. She hadn't mentioned this yet.

"There is… a lot to go over," Guardian said, a little laboured. They'd get to the messy stuff later. Or never. He would be fine with never. "First things first, the story of Team Go-Getters. It was… oh, around eighteen years ago now and a meteor was approaching the planet…"

Scizor had walked quite slowly. Slowly enough that the time it took for Guardian to explain Team Go-Getter's story, mostly just the important parts he knew of, took from the stairs to the guild to the entrance of Treasure Town, just slightly past the crossroads.

But he also walked tirelessly and without complaint. No one would believe Chimecho if she were to complain about him.

"Certainly," Guardian said, happy to put off any further talk for later. Much later. He wasn't entirely clear on the story of Paradise anyway. Knowing as much about Team Go-Getters came from asking them to clear up details than any record-keeping he had from the Dark Future.

And the things he had learned there were a little foggy regardless. He knew Kyurem was involved in some fashion…

"To give Dusknoir a break, who wants to gossip about the town?" Sean asked. It was almost a rhetorical question, as only one pokémon would immediately raise a hand to spill all the tea.

"Me!" Saniya said, leaving no room for discussion or debate. She fluttered to Scizor and put an arm around his neck. As her arms were very short, this effect was not as great as she had envisioned. "Imagine a place," she said.

"Okay." Scizor closed his eyes.

"No, don't close your eyes when you're walking!" Saniya chastised. He opened them. "Chimecho would turn us into soup if she heard about that. And every bit of information in this whole place goes to Sunflora. And who rooms with Sunflora? Chimecho. Therefore, Chimecho knows everything."

"You don't know that for sure."

"We know she could know," Saniya replied. "It's… the thing." She glanced at Sean. "With that dead meowth? Ya know… Chodinger?"

"…Schrödinger," Sean said.

"That's what I said. Explodia."

"That's not possible," Sean scoffed. "No one can escape him."

Saniya stuck her tongue out, and then they both giggled. "Anyway. If you die. The blame will be on us. And if the blame is on us, then I'll be in trouble. And if I'm in trouble, then Armaldo risks being right. And I will never allow a gross bug to be right."

"Hey!" Scizor gasped. He gestured to himself with his pincers. "Hello?"

"Hi!" Saniya beamed.

A flash of utter despair went through Scizor's eyes, and he looked to Sean, who just let him suffer for that moment.

"You were going to tell me about Treasure Town?" Scizor said, pushing it all down where it couldn't hurt him anymore.

"Oh yeah!" Saniya said, slapping her forehead. "Okay. You like the one-two punch description of stuff? So, I've got Saniya's brand of pokémon descriptions to give!"

"That's a terrible advertisement."

"You're a terrible advertisement!" Saniya snapped, sneering down at Sean. "Yet we let you talk to strangers."

"If you were a responsible adult, you'd tell me NOT to talk to strangers."

"Yes, but that would require me NOT wanting you to be kidnapped."

"Oh please, you'd shrivel up and die without me." Sean and Saniya glared at each other for a moment until she broke.

"Yeah," she giggled. "You're right. Anyway!" She turned back to Scizor, who was still successfully following all this. "I'll name them and shame them as we pass by." They put the pedal to the metal and began walking at a breakneck pace of one step every two seconds.

"That's Duskull. He dresses up in Reaper Cloth's to taunt poor kitties in their dreams."

"Guilty as charged. Hee-hee," Duskull giggled, waving to Guardian.

"Down there lies Marowak's Dojo. He threatens to bone everyone who comes by, I wonder why he doesn't have as many customers as you'd think."

The dojo stood proud and defiant.

"Down there is where Chansey lurks. She cares for unwanted children. Which I think explains the whole blood sacrifice they tried to do to us that one time."

Scizor raised a claw. "Could we stop by? That is the same Chansey who assisted in saving my life, correct?"

"Sure. Why not?" Saniya pointed them down that way. "Fair warning, she's entirely callous and will probably say something like." Saniya put on a snotty, squeaky, voice. "You're not made of revival herbs. Get lost."

"Still haven't let that go?" Striker asked.

"I will never let it go."

Approaching Chansey's chansey-shaped abode, they could hear naught. Still, the shrieks of the youth emanating from within like a multi-headed hydra of childlike wonder and destruction.

They all fell silent when Scizor knocked, and Chansey tore the door open. "What?"

Scizor blinked. "Hello. I'm Scizor."

"I know who you are," Chansey snapped. "Say what you want and get lost." She noticed Saniya floating there. "You again. Get the rest of the revival herbs yet?"

"I will end you," Saniya growled, being held back by Striker and Guardian together. She was small but strong and feisty.

Yet Chansey was unperturbed. "Try me."

Scizor decided it was best to do this quickly. "I would just like to thank you for saving my life."

"You're welcome." Then she closed the door. As that was all Scizor said he wanted.

He blinked and glanced back to Team Sunrise, silently questioning.

"Yeah," Sean sighed, tugging him away. "She's like that."

Returning to the walk, Saniya shook off her all-consuming rage and continued. "Vigoroth is the hyper guy who likes to talk about the deals everyone is offering here and there. He's cool, we like him."

"He's like a can of soda that's been shaken up in pokémon form," Sean said, deciding to add his part to it.

"Whatever he said." Saniya waved the interruption off. "Electivire is over there. He's loud and boisterous, and I think he has a gambling problem."

Electivire was not privy to this judgement, he just continued helping a staraptor do some kicks and wing blows.

They reached the bridge separating the town in two, and Saniya had words to say on this as well. "This is the bridge. It's old and probably needs to be rebuilt before it breaks, and someone falls into the water and drowns."

The bridge creaked ominously as they passed over. Which took a while, because Scizor was slow.

"Chimecho said no drowning," Scizor said, a little nervously. The bridge continued to creak.

"Down there is Xatu, who is a bitch bastard with really funny riddles." They didn't really see Xatu much, but Team Ion had words to share on him at one point. "Seems like he'd be a good daddy."

She then rotated them in the exact opposite direction. "In there is the mini-market which is odd because it's bigger than the Kecleon Market. It's where pokémon just set up days shops. You can get knickknacks and gewgaws and sometimes even actually useful stuff in there. Don't hold your breath, though. Suffocating is probably something Chimecho would end us for as well."

They moved further. "This is capitalism in person," Saniya said, before glancing to Sean. "That's how you say it, right?"

"Right." He nodded.

The Kecleon Brothers waved politely.

"And lastly." Saniya zoomed forward and waited around the final large pokémon-shaped shop of the marketplace. Everything else was filled with nothing, just the occasional house, or went into even more obscure things than the mini-market and exploration teams didn't often bother going there.

Scizor did not pick up the pace, and Saniya floated impatiently with Kangaskhan busy with a customer. She regretted being so fast and awesome as it took time for the less fast and far less awesome to catch up and entertain her.

"THIS!" Saniya declared, grandly, once he had finally reached her. "Is Kangaskhan's Storage. She's basically everyone's kindly grandmother. You do not sass Kangaskhan. No one does. For you answer to us if you do."

"Plus she's too nice to sass," Sean said as Kangaskhan saw off her customer with an additional gift. "She let us work for her a lot when pokémon here were being a bit… much."

Scizor nodded, having taken it all in. "I had noticed the five of us received a few curious looks. Curious as in the expressions given, rather than actual curiosity."

"You waste NO time," Saniya said, before reconsidering. "Well, you waste a LOT of time walking yourself on those trembling little legs of yours. But not in talking."

"Trembling little legs?" Scizor snapped. "I do not know what word was more offensive there."

"Oh." Saniya blinked. "Sorry. Weak little sticks." She said this was an entirely straight face. Still, She couldn't maintain the look of distant understanding after glancing at the pure flatness of Scizor's expression. She ignored any jabs at her own ability to walk unaided, lies that they were. Lies and slander.

Scizor raised a pincer and snapped it. Saniya was unmoved. "Clack all you want. I don't take things back."

Scizor held her gaze for a moment before nodding. "Fair enough. Anyway, is this all to see, or is there more that way?" He gestured forward to where the sea could be distantly seen.

"Oh, there's a bunch of this town yet to see," Saniya said, floating forwards without looking. "But a lot of that is just boring town." She floated back, heading back into town. "Sharpedo Bluff is neat though, but I've just described a couple of the shopkeepers! I have so much more judgement to share on the other residents of Treasure Town."

"I'm sure you do," Scizor said, raising an eye. "I have no doubt of that. Before you continue, may I ask a thing or two?"

"But of course."

Scizor gave Team Sunrise a very serious look. "So. I know there is something you are avoiding talking about. And I want to know what it is."

Sean managed to conceal a very guilty look before Scizor continued. "Where is the alcohol of this town?"

Then he blinked. That wasn't anything close to what he expected from Scizor. Sean breathed in relief as Saniya deferred to Striker on the matter of the selection Spinda's Café would offer at night.

Scizor, however, watched him out of the corner of his eye. He was no fool. Who else had been lost trying to find him?

He knew he was captive to a froslass. The worst of which could drain your very soul until you were nothing but a husk. He was still alive, yet, despite being held captive for many, many, years.

He shuddered to think of what that could mean. But couldn't find the words to ask. Part of him wanted to know, so he could just know and understand. But part of him didn't want to know for the same reason.

For now, however, he was fine to just recover from his ordeal and listen to this odd team of pokémon.

Team Sunrise were pleasant, and he was happy to listen until something caught his attention.

"Ah," Guardian said when Scizor asked. "Well… that has to do with our role in the more recent events of the world."

"We can skip over the boring stuff about Paradise," Saniya suggested.

"That was hardly boring," Guardian protested. "I… think."

"You don't even remember! Must have been boring."

"Or my memory is affected by the changing of time!?"

"Let's explain before we confuse Scizor too much," Sean suggested and so, the story has begun.

It was quite a fascinating story. One of danger, of time travel, of the risk to the world itself.

Nothing like the adventures Scizor had lived through, where only the fate of towns hung in the balance. Not a small thing at all, but not quite the scope of the entire world and beyond.

Guardian was the one to explain his role in the Time Crisis, he did so with shame evident in his voice, but also a sense of… not pride, but there was no hesitation in detailing his own crimes against pokémon and the world itself.

Yet, by the end of Guardian's story, and he was the one to finish describing what had happened, Scizor really only had one question to ask.

"The pokémon here… of Treasure Town," Scizor began carefully. They weren't close to anyone, but if someone wanted to eavesdrop, they could. They were free to, he wouldn't whisper this. "They simply believed you?"

Guardian blinked.

"Even after you admitted your deception and revealed the fact that no one could really and truly prove your word as truth. It was simply taken at your word to take three pokémon into custody, one of which being a resident of this town and guild for several months before this?"

"Thank you," Sean sighed, almost yelling with a sense of vindication.

"Yes," Guardian answered, nodding. "It wasn't difficult, either. The situation was straightforward. Time Gears had been taken, that was shown to have an effect that pokémon knew to be bad, and the fact that Team Ion had been in the centre of the loss of three of them made spinning a distrustful tale about Scout to be disturbingly simple indeed."

"That still…" Scizor scoffed and shook his head. "That is very painful to hear." He glanced out at pokémon wandering about. "No trial. No argument is given to the accused. The pokémon here simply allowed you to take three prisoners to another time altogether, believing that to be the case without hesitation as well."

"It WAS true," Saniya pointed out.

"That doesn't matter! Illusions. Tricks of the eye and mind. Even then, even at the most base fact. No one should have been taken to another place and time until determining that returning the gears would fix the problem. I mean, yes. I've heard the same thing. Do not disturb Time Gears for any reason. Say if Grovyle was the enemy, what if he had damaged a gear and no one knew how to fix it?"

"It's weirdly relieving to hear someone else say that," Sean said. "No offence to anyone around here but the whole town is stupid."

"You don't mean that," Striker said.

"Yes, I do! It really frustrates me how… mareep in a field pokémon can be!"

"I mean, you don't mean no offence. You mean all the offence."

"Well… yeah."

Scizor shook his head. "I could only imagine what Lucario would have to say about all that. She would be making endless jokes at the expense of everyone around which, if history has proven to be a guide, no one would realise were insults."

Guardian, a little flummoxed but also deeply relieved at this turn of events, couldn't help but ask. "I have avoided asking out of respect, I'm sure you've been inundated with such things before. But. Would you mind if I asked you a few questions about Lucario?

"I…"

"I studied the past before I came back, there was even a place with a frozen pokemon believed to be Lucario. She was still worshipped even in that dark time."

He remembered few things clearly, but the town that had been built around the frozen lucario was one of the largest in that time. Myth and legend that one day she would awaken and save them led to a cultish community around her.

So, he was curious. "Is she actually as old as pokémon believe, is she really so powerful? There have been many pokémon who claims she is the strongest, smartest, and mystically wise. The details are foggy, but there was a settlement in the Dark Future that was built around her, legends woven, it was one of the largest left in the world, all bound by that security."

"Oh yeah, I remember that," Saniya said, Sean and Striker nodded as well. "Very weird place, building your whole town around a single frozen pokémon."

Scizor, reeling a little from these questions thanks to being phased by the story of Guardian's manipulation hissed. "Please keep your voice down."

Team Sunrise paused as one and Scizor said. "As far as anyone knows here, I'm just a random scizor, and I would really like to keep it that way. Look, I'll answer your questions but not in the middle of town."

Nodding, they followed him out to Sharpedo Bluff. More deserted than the beach, while still being a place Scizor had not yet seen.

If the five pokémon had hoped it would be entirely deserted, however, they were to be sorely disappointed.

"At least the ocean will never leave me," Dugtrio sighed, staring out into the crashing waves. "Right Ocean? Why don't you ever answer me, Ocean?"

"Uh…?" Saniya cleared her throat.

Dugtrio didn't jump, as that would be illogical. "How long were you there?" he demanded.

"Long enough."

"You heard me talk about why my love is deep yet forbidden and now understand my all-consuming draw that will one day consume me?"

"…We just heard you asking the ocean why it doesn't talk back."

"Ah." Dugtrio bobbed in place, no one said anything for a moment. "Um… I didn't need to say what I just said."

"No. No, you didn't."

"Don't repeat it?"

"Already mentally repressed." Everyone nodded in agreement. "So." Saniya blinked. "Oh! Dugtrio? I didn't know you were here, probably should have expected it," she giggled.

He giggled as well. It was high-pitched and horrifying.

"Repressed again. Let's go a third time. Hi Dugtrio, we're taking Scizor for a walk, and now he's going to tell us about Lucario!"

"Lucario?" Dugtrio asked, thanking the sea for a distraction so he wouldn't talk about the sea. "I am always up to learn."

"Join us then," Saniya said, opening her arms as if she was saying she caught a fish thiiiiis big. "We can grill him together!"

"Very well."

Everyone got sorted. Scizor sat down to give his legs a rest and Sean and Striker joined him. Saniya rested on Guardian's shoulder, and Dugtrio kept a good meter and a half between him and anyone else.

"Alright," Scizor sighed, getting ready for the headache that normally came. He had a constant one since coming off from the ice, but this was a more familiar one. "Let's get the questions out of the way."

Guardian raised his hand first. "Clearly this is an uncomfortable topic for you… if it is a stressful endeavour, I can control myself."

Scizor blinked, a little surprised. "Ah, no, it's not that. I've just… there is a lot to say about Lucario, and I have a feeling she's eavesdropping." He looked around suspiciously. "I can never be certain if she isn't behind me."

"Not at the moment!" Saniya chirped.

"We'll see."

"Well, if you don't mind," Guardian said, lowering his arm. "The image that so many pokemon have of Lucario seems quite… at odds with the personality Team Ion and ourselves encountered."

"The first thing you should know about Lucario," Scizor began, "is that she hates that 'image' other pokémon have made of her. Hate isn't a strong enough word. I don't think there IS a word strong enough to describe how she feels about it."

"Deplorahatred!" Saniya said, chiming in immediately.

"That… well." Scizor nodded his head in consideration. "What do you think of deplorahatred?" he called out. There was no response. "I'm going to assume she approves."

A stick hit him, somehow despite not being seated near any trees. "Definitely likes it."

"So, Lucario does not like her fame, then?" Guardian asked, glancing around warily. It felt odd, was she really listening?

Scizor snorted. "It's… more complicated than that. It's more the hero worship that she disdains. Pokémon viewing her as some sort of pokémon to be worshipped. She thinks of the moniker 'Legendary Lucario' to be. I quote 'The stupidest shit that has ever been applied to me, and I've been called the Child of Arceus', and that's with a great deal of cursing removed."

"Is she really that OLD?" Saniya asked, unable to hold the question in any longer. "I've heard she's super old and, sure, pokémon like ME are immortal to the cruel sands of time, but Lucario aren't."

"I don't exactly know how old she is," Scizor answered. "She, herself, doesn't actually know. She'd give estimations of anywhere between three hundred to five hundred years. And, well, that was over forty years ago now."

"Is she as strong as they say?" Sean asked, thinking of the cool stories he'd heard.

Scizor smirked. "Those stories don't do her justice." And he left it at that.

Striker was last of Team Sunrise to ask a question, each deciding to only ask one out of respect of how tired Scizor seemed even with one question about Lucario. "It's difficult to believe one pokémon could have shaped civilisation," he said. "Even one as long-lived and… apparently, powerful as Lucario."

Scizor nodded, that was a fresher question than he was accustomed to. "It's a disservice to say it was only her," he said. "I've asked her the same kind of thing and her answer was always along the lines of 'The boat was already there, I just pushed it out to sea' which I think translates to…"

He considered the words for a moment. "Communities certainly existed before her. Pokémon working together against the wild and dangerous world around us. She helped shape those communities further. Gave a clearer order, designed a better system, she provided the concept of money rather than just bartering with items and such. Which could be seen as good OR bad."

Sean snorted at that.

"And she's gone across the entire world, spreading this sense of order among the chaos of the world. Rescue Teams to find pokémon lost in hazardous dungeons soon developed into exploration teams to find more as well as find new communities of pokémon. Lucario never told me much about what the world was like before she started her 'Fucking ordeal' but I do know a couple things."

Scizor nodded back to the town. "Buildings like that? Communities like that? Didn't exist. Communities would be a couple dozen pokémon at most, just surviving together. She has said that she's made mistakes in how she build order and rules to things. Outlaw hunting teams came up after exploration ones when pokémon grew greedy. When their needs were met, they turned purely to wants. But… I think the way things are is a great improvement over what there was before."

He sighed then. "But does that mean she should be worshipped for it? Hardly. Lucario would be the first to tell you that. But pokémon don't listen. Ironic that they hang on every word she says except for the most important."

Scizor rubbed his head, the headache had come back. One built of hundreds of pokémon asking him questions of the great Legendary Lucario.

"We have a question if you do not mind?" Dugtrio asked, still there himself.

"Go ahead," Scizor said, almost sighing.

"How did you prove yourself to Lucario so that she took you on as her student?" he asked. "To our knowledge, no other pokémon before or after you were ever taken on by Lucario."

Scizor's expression flickered, similar to what Sean had noticed earlier.

He turned to Dugtrio, waiting quietly. "Lucario absolutely loathes the attention she receives from pokémon. And I'm aware of the tale of Scizor the Great, proving his mettle to Lucario over months and years of hard work, proving he was strong enough, diligent enough, worthy enough to learn from her."

He shook his head. "Not the truth in the least. To be entirely honest, Lucario took me in as her student because I badgered her into it. I followed her, for years, asking until she gave in. I was one of those fans. The fanboy, yes. I tried to hide it at first, which is what caused that myth, I think. Following her to 'prove' myself? No. I just annoyed her until she gave in."

"Oh." Dugtrio's six eyes blinked. As did all seven of Team Sunrise's.

Scizor gave them an amused smirk. "She removed me of that sentiment towards her swiftly. At first, I saw it as a test of my worth, her behaviour towards me, but no. I really did just badger her into giving in. I'm not exactly regretful of that," he said, somewhat amused as another stick hit him. "But it is a little embarrassing to see stories about myself taken so far out of context."

"Kids learn about you in school," Sean muttered.

"A novel concept, school," Scizor said. "Lucario was never actually a fan of it. Said it's boring."

"Is she from the human world?" Sean asked seriously. Scizor had broken what little ice remained between them completely with his fanboy admittance. So, Sean just went for it. "Because of everything I've heard. Money, civilisation, school… I mean… is she like the first human-turned-pokémon but not?"

Scizor raised an eye. "I suppose you would have the context to guess something like that. But it's not my answer to give." Which was an answer in of itself. "Now, mind if that's the end of the questions? I have a headache."

Nodding, Team Sunrise got up as one. "We'll escort you back to the guild," Sean said, happily.

"Fuck that," Scizor said. "I'm not going back to the bed again. Where else can we go to stall?"

"The beach!" Dugtrio declared, fifteen times more dramatically than was needed. "The beach is nice," he continued, blushing. "The waves are… beautiful."

"Okaaay," Scizor said, edging forwards. "To the beachit is."

"I shall lead you there!" Dugtrio said and began to bob his way forwards, going through the ground as if it was water.

Scizor gave Team Sunrise a concerned look, but they did not share that sentiment, so he shrugged and went along with it.

On this fine day, trouble came in the form of a team that had retreated largely from the eye of Treasure Town. Since Grovyle had been proven to be a hero and their actions nearly ending his life, Team Flame had avoided Treasure Town to some degree.

Not entirely, this was their home after all, but to a degree. Today, however, Team Flame came a-knocking.

"Um, excuse me?" a soft voice called out just as they crossed the bridge. Glancing back, three pokémon came walking over it: a bellsprout, camerupt, and ponyta.

Striker frowned just a tiny bit, but he didn't hold grudges. A complete lie, of course, but still, he'd be polite.

"Yes?" Scizor asked since they were all looking at him.

"I hear you are the famed explorer Scizor," Ponyta said. "A rumour is already crossing through Treasure Town at your sudden revival."

Chansey had mentioned it to Kangaskhan and Sunflora had been unable to put a stopper in it before it could spread. She saw the pokémon all facing each other and decided to just go on a mission today as that endeavour was already a failure.

"Is this true?" Bellsprout asked, a little nervously. There had been pokémon who claimed to be Scizor over the years and Lucario was not known to take such claims well when she found out.

"Team Flame," Dugtrio said, popping his heads out. "We ask you to do this elsewhere or step aside. We are heading to a glorious place."

"The beach?" Ponyta sniffed.

"But of course."

"We will see you there," Ponyta said and raced off, Camerupt was the slowest to follow, and Bellsprout waddled along with him.

Scizor sighed. "Would it be rude to just go back to the guild and leave them waiting for nothing?"

Saniya found that hilarious, just too funny, so it was decided it would be too rude.

Scizor was no faster now than he was before, so it took them a fair while to reach the beach. Nearly an hour.

Camerupt was napping, Bellsprout was making a sandcastle, and Ponyta was complaining about sand in his hooves when they arrived.

"Oh, by the wings of Moltres, FINALLY!" Ponyta gasped upon sighting them. "Tally ho my companions, they have arrived."

"I'm not sure what is so important about this," Scizor said. "Yes. I am the very same scizor that was a student of Lucario. That Lucario." It was only noticed now by Team Sunrise, as they weren't accustomed to hearing the reverence themselves. Still, Scizor said Lucario like any other word.

"Lucario," Bellsprout said, and there was the reverent gravity to the name others used.

"I demand proof!" Ponyta called. "Many have made such a claim, and all have been proven to be fraudsters, imposters, charlatans even! And the wake of such incidents after Lucario learned of this is best left to the imagination. If you are as you claim, prove it."

"He's asking for a battle in his pompous, roundabout, way," Camerupt snorted. He couldn't care less who Scizor was, but he could always go for a battle.

"Right," Bellsprout added, nodding. He was braver now, stuttered far less as well.

"You want to battle him?" Sean gasped.

"Team Flame I strongly advise reconsidering," Guardian added. "Scizor has been frozen for decades, we FOUND him in Blizzard Island, frozen by a Froslass. This IS Scizor, but he is still in recovery."

"Okay," Scizor said, ignoring Team Sunrise.

All four of them spluttered a little. "Chimecho said no battling," Sean said. He may joke around, but he did not willingly invite the wrath of Chimecho upon himself.

"This will be hardly a battle to death or dismemberment," Scizor soothed, waving them down with his pincers. "I'm hardly fragile."

"You nearly died," Saniya protested. As much as she wanted to see violence and mayhem, she too feared the chimecho's wrath. Dinner would be abysmal, she was certain.

"Whatever doesn't kill me, makes me stronger," he said, turning back to Team Flame. "As long as this is just a nice, pleasant, sparring match. I don't want to hurt you, after all."

His confidence ticked at Ponyta's nerves, and he snorted, "I promise I'll hold back."

"This is two Fire-type's," Striker pointed out. "It's your only weakness."

"Heh," Scizor scoffed. "Many pokémon have thought the same thing. He opened his pincers. "I accept your challenge, Team Flame. I've wanted a proper workout. And, hey, Lucario herself may be watching and she'll be most annoyed if you hold back."

Dugtrio, who was still here, looked up from staring at the waves. "The beach is a sanctuary of peace! And also still technically part of the town."

"I promise to treat the sea with respect," Scizor said. Dugtrio considered it before nodding, he too wanted to see what Scizor could do. "Some fire might warm me up as well, I still feel chilled."

"To the bone?" Saniya called.

"I don't have bones," Scizor corrected.

Striker began stepping forward. "If you insist on fighting, at least let me make it even."

Scizor reached out with a pincer and pressed him back. "I assure you I will not be hurt," he said. "I am confident in myself as well as the control of these pokémon. I am not helpless."

"It's more we're afraid of Chimecho than afraid of you getting hurt," Saniya helpfully said. "Just to make things clear."

"Comforting," Scizor said dryly. "Now." He turned back to Team Flame. "To make things fair and 'safe,' we'll go for three good hits, and you're out."

"Does multiple hits with a Razor Leaf count as one hit or multiple?" Bellsprout asked.

"Just one," Scizor said. The terms were agreed upon and Team Flare all shared a nod. There were three of them, one attack each and they would win.

"Alright," Dugtrio said, deciding to officiate. "BEGIN!" He ducked underground as the battle began.

Bellsprout immediately extended his arms underground, forming them into Vine Whips that burst out from the sand, snaring Scizor's legs with ease. It wasn't exactly a 'hit', but it did bind him to prevent him from dodging the attacks from Camerupt and Ponyta.

Camerupt exploded fire from his volcano at Scizor while Ponyta galloped across the sand, wreathed in embers.

Ponyta was shockingly quick and reached Scizor just a moment after Camerupt's flames enveloped him, slamming hooves first into an impenetrable shield and getting knocked back from his own impact

Scizor smiled from behind the Protect shield, glinting green stopping every ember and flame. A little bit of heat had gone through, and he popped his neck. "Much better. Lucario says Protect is cheating, but she's pretending she's not here."

He dropped it right as Ponyta caught his hooves and struck the equine with a closed pincer, striking with enough force to knock him flying up and past Camerupt.

Scizor's wings revealed themselves and began a droning buzz, sending a painful buzzing wave across the other two. Neither could exactly shield their ears from the Bug Buzz and were already feeling a little dizzy from the vibrations.

Scizor then began to stride forward, carefully stepping along the sand and rocks and approaching Bellsprout. Not to be outdone so easily, the leader of Team Flame unleashed a barrage of Razor Leaves.

The leaves slammed into Scizor with abandon, the former not even attempting to dodge even though this was a point against him.

Bellsprout's Razor Leaf wasn't the real attempt, however. It was a distraction. Not being entirely happy with just a victory by default, Camerupt rocked the beach, shaking the sand and bringing down part of the sandy cliff.

Dugtrio yelled out in anger as the waves rippled from the movement.

Despite his surety of steps and willingness to fight, Scizor was not healthy, and the shaking of the sand did throw his balance out. Stumbling right as Ponyta leapt up, fire blazing and rotating around him like a wheel.

He burned part of the sand to glass as he sped for the stumbling Scizor. One hit with the Razor Leaf and another with Camerupt's Magnitude, one more and he was out. Scizor was both too slow and far too unagile to avoid Ponyta's attack.

He knew this. So, he didn't try to avoid it.

He caught it.

"What can I say?" Scizor asked as Ponyta gasped, being held back by two flashing blade-like apparitions. "I was a good student."

Shining blue, translucent blades began to appear around Scizor. It was a Swords Dance and yet it had caught Ponyta, proving to have a degree of physicality to it the move was not supposed to have. This was his legend, the proof of his identity.

More blades flashed into existence around him, and Scizor slashed out, striking Ponyta three times in rapid succession. He stepped forward to the stunned pair and with several more flashes, Bellsprout fell in kind.

Camerupt tried to explode with fire for that moral victory, but dozens of the blades flashed around his own body and contained the blast with ease.

Team Flame wasn't exactly unconscious, but they were definitely defeated. This was just a friendly match, nothing serious.

"Okay," Ponyta panted. He flinched a few times, feeling like a blade was going through him. There was no cut or slash, just the disturbing sensation of it which faded after a few moments. "I am inclined to believe you, now."

Scizor smirked and went to talk but coughed instead. The cough turned into a coughing fit and Team Sunrise, pleased and relieved at his ease of victory, grew concerned.

Very concerned.

"Chimecho will end our very lives if she finds out we let him fight and got injured!" Saniya shrieked. She turned to Dugtrio and flew so far that sand was blown up from her movement. She grabbed the middle head and leaned in. "You won't tell her, right? Old buddy, old pal, old friend?"

"We would sell all four of your lives for a bucket of sand," Dugtrio replied without hesitation. Saniya's grip began to tighten, but Scizor pulled himself together.

"I am fine," he said. "Maybe making the swords wasn't the best of ideas, but I had to prove it somehow! No one else can do that."

"He is right," Bellsprout groaned from the sand. "That's pretty damning evidence that this IS Scizor."

"I was hardly even touched as well," Scizor said, to calm Team Sunrise not to insult Team Flame. "I can pull a fast one on Chimecho."

He would be wrong about that.

Leaving Team Flame to pick themselves up, perhaps it was their pride that was the most damaged, Team Sunrise decided they were taking Scizor back to the guild now before anything else happened.

But Guardian, ever the curious soul, couldn't help but ask. "I've never even heard of what you just did," he said, eying Scizor. "Forming those blades. Was that Sacred Sword?"

"Nope," Scizor said, popping the p.

"Er… Secret… Sword?"

"Uh-uh."

"Then, what was it?"

"Swords Dance," Scizor said, grinning.

Guardian gave him a dour glare. "No, it wasn't."

"Yes, it was."

"Swords Dance increases your strength temporarily. It is not an attack."

"That's what I thought too." Scizor nodded. "After Lucario mastered her aura blade, she started talking about some scyther she once fought who could use Swords Dance as a physical shield of sorts. I am entirely certain she was either bullshitting me or trying to get me to do it myself so we could have sword fights. And she got what she wanted."

He flexed an arm and clacked a pincer, a shining blade of white appeared at the tip. His gaze was focused, but he softened it, and the sword began to rotate around him before disappearing into his body and causing his carapace to glint for a moment.

"I can still use it for the normal idea," Scizor said. "But if I focus hard enough, I can control them. Not very strong things, they are barely a step above an illusion, but they can be surprisingly powerful. It is called Move Mastery"

Guardian's eye widened, he'd heard of the concept but had never seen a fully realised mastery in person.

Striker nodded, impressed. "I also did something Dusknoir never could understand." And he wiped off a quick Leaf Blade that flew off his arm and impacted on a tree, shaking it briefly and cutting a shallow slash into the bark.

"Very impressive." Scizor nodded back, quite impressed. "Is it mastery?"

"Not quite yet." Striker shook his head.

"So cool," Sean whispered.

"What was that?" Scizor asked.

"Said it's getting a bit cool, let's hurry up."

He shared a smirk with Striker and followed off as Sean led them back to the guild, Striker smirking, Saniya off with the fairy's, Guardian perplexed, and Sean still reeling from the cool.

The cold, of course.

It was a suspicious meal that night for Team Sunrise. It seemed like all their least favourite foods were on their plates, but Chimecho only smiled serenely during mealtime.

Dugtrio avoided their eyes completely and slunk off with Diglett after dinner was done.

It was an unsatisfying meal followed by a restless night, but Scizor slept well. Very well.

The night passed slowly, but eventually, the dawn beamed its way into everyone's eyes and woke them up. Team Sunrise were still fine to take a break, something they looked forward to as yesterday was not a break.

Chimecho was not kind enough to allow that, however.

"So, I guess in the end, it was better I stretched some muscles."

Scizor and Team Sunrise were out again that same day. Scizor was making the argument that he was walking better and had more energy, the benefits of yesterday's battle with Team Flame.

Team Sunrise, who were hungry and tired, did not agree.

"Stop looking at me like that," Scizor said, crossing his arms. "I don't know what you're yawning about, I slept great."

Perhaps he was taunting them, they wouldn't know as another voice reached them. The five pokémon, having reached the crossroads and walking into Treasure Town to find something to eat, all paused when someone called.

"Well, good to see you're on your feet."

Lucario strode towards them, a glint of something in her eyes. She walked straight up to Scizor and they stared at each other for a long time.

Carapace made a half smile. "You look bored."

"I've been bored for forty-fucking years," Keira replied. She took three steps back.

Cara sighed. "Second day on my feet and you already want to beat me up again."

She cracked her knuckled. "Two fights a day, that's about 16,000 fights I've missed. I want to start making up for that."

He gave Team Sunrise a 'Would you look at this crazy person?' Before turning back to her. "Alright. I'll soften you up, then they can fight you."

"Excusemewhat?" Saniya squeaked.

Keira the Legendary Lucario grinned broadly. "I've missed you, Cara."