Chapter Six: Brothers, My Brothers

"Brother, my brother,

Tell me what are we fighting for,

We've got to end this war." - Brother My Brother, Blessed Union of Souls

I hope someone's protecting them, too.

Fitzroy's Inferno melts the wall of ice between us and our friends. Pokémon cry out as it fills the halls, there are still enemies on the other side. Fitzroy's Outrage roars as it takes flight, and three armoured bodies hit the ground. I quickly pull a Persim Berry out of his bag, toss it to him, and run to the others.

"Are you all okay?" I ask.

"Struggling a bit," says Olivia.

"My flower's wilting…" Posy says weakly.

The sounds of battle have died down. There are a few cries, a few blasts of energy, but most of the noise is coming from the other rooms now.

"Dreigo and Zweil must have escaped with the other- with the criminals," Pro says.

"We can't search every single prison," Posy says, "there isn't time!"

"Olivia, try and detect where in the prison there's the most movement," I command, "that's where they'll be."

Roots spring from the Ivysaur's feet and dig into the ground.

"I'm sorry," she sounds panicked, "it's too hot, they won't grow any further!"

"It's all right," I say softly, "we'll find another way."

If the intel the Earthspringers gave Gaia is correct, next prison should be the Den: dragon-type.

"We'll try the next prison," I say, "it makes sense for any Varia soldiers to meet there. If my brothers are somewhere else in the prison, we'll just have to keep looking. There's no other way. Casper, find the door for us."

"No need," Fitzroy says, already walking off, "I've already found the way. Follow me."

I don't know what I expected. It's comfortably warm, though I know that's probably too hot for Olivia and Posy and Casper, too cold for Pro or Fitzroy. The walls are patterned like Kommo-o armour, I can feel it beneath my feet. I run my foot along the wall and feel a pattern like Salamence scales has been pressed in. The tusks along the wall are a nice touch, I don't appreciate walking face-first into three of them though. I think the most impressive part is the torch I found lying on the ground. It's dead, so I feel along its head and realise it was shaped like a dragon-type's mouth. I'm not sure which, but it had two horns with pointy edges, a long snout, and a smooth forehead. But it's weird, because the head is shaped upside-down, and it feels like two flames are meant to come out, one on each side.

The guards in the Den are still trying to fend off the prisoners. Someone's screaming for back-up. Someone cries out that communication lines have been cut.

"Prince Dei!" someone cries out, flapping over to me. They smell like apples.

"Alf!" I say. "You're alive!"

"Just about," the Flapple sighs. "Is it time? Are we taking it back?"

"Not today, but soon. Are my brothers here?"

"I heard Octavia separated them, I'm not sure where to, I'm sorry."

Something whistles through the air behind him. There are tiny bursts as something breaks against a Protect bubble, then Alf counters with a Grav Apple. I'm pretty certain it is a Grav Apple, because that's the only attack I know that smells like apples.

"I need you to gather the other Varias," I command, "bring them here where they'll be most comfortable. Send out scouts to find more if you can, we don't have a lot of time."

Alf bangs against the wall, three quick taps and one loud bang.

"I'll gather as many as I can, your grace. Thundurus knows how we're going to get Eggy out of here."

Alf flaps away, and the Den is almost quiet. I wonder if it's worth splitting up.

"Do you think it's worth splitting up?" Olivia asks. (Great minds think alike, like Zweil always says.)

"Posy, come with me" I say, "Olivia with Casper, Prometheus with Fitzroy. We'll meet at the doors."

"How will we know where to go?" Casper asks.

"The layout of all the prisons are the same," Fitzroy says, "you won't struggle."

"And you know this how?" Pro asks.

"We don't have time for this. Are you coming or not?"

Pro's upper lip twitches as he follows the Charizard down the tunnel. Olivia and Casper wish us luck before setting off. Posy leads the way and I follow her scent, past the empty jail cells, around a corner. She gasps and stops dead. I catch a familiar scent and my body starts to shake. A Garchomp. For a sickening moment I think it's him.

"I know you were behind this you little runt."

It's not the Treasure Hunter. This one used to be one of our guardsmon at the Temple of Nature. He's one of the 500 people that snuck away to join the Skarsgards when Dreigo revealed his plan.

"Hello, Gabe," I say.

"It's "Gar" now," he says, "I've evolved. Looks like that makes one of us."

His armour rattles as he walks closer. Posy moves in front of me.

"Stay away from him!" she yells.

Gar laughs. Fairy Wind twinkles, the sound reminds me of Asa's Gem collection. A Sandstorm howls towards us before the attack hits him, I feel a thousand tiny pricks all over my skin. Gar's feet came banging down the corridor, making little shockwaves with every step.

His footsteps die and his shouts are lifted up to the ceiling. He's being twisted round and round by a whirlwind. It sounds like about a million petals rustling around him.

Gar roars. Something with four hooves lands on the ground and charges towards us. Posy's scent was drowned out by the mystic smoke from the dragon-type attack. It must have been a direct hit. I hadn't even heard her scream. The roaring dies down, and I wait for the Garchomp to turn on me.

"What the-"

Something explodes in his face. He goes rolling down the corridor, armour banging and clanging. That twinkling sound again. I feel something sharp and stinging left in the air, but the Sandstorm has died. I shake out my fur.

"Oi, watch it!" Posy laughs.

"Sorry. Is he out?"

"He took a Moonblast at point-blank range, I should certainly hope so!"

"I thought you were a grass-type," I say.

"Hah, that's what they all think."

We reach the door to the Aquarium. The others are still fighting their way through. I hear a voice I recognise coming towards me. Jag the Jangmo-o, one of my childhood friends. Sir Jag, I should say. He was caught fighting on the front lines.

"You've saved us!" Jag cries, nuzzling up to me. "You're a hero!"

I hope Posy doesn't see me blushing. She's giggling. Aw, nuts.

"Alf's rounding up the other Varias now," I say, "I need you to find him, bring anyone else you meet along the way."

I hear Jag salute. "I passed by Dione and Bonita earlier, I'll let them know. You're a real leader now, eh?"

"Aha, I guess so."

"I'll see you on the other side." Jag gives me a playful boop on the head with his tail and runs off.

"Aw, bless," Posy says.

"Let's focus on the mission, please," I say sternly.

"All right, all right," Posy says. "I'll save it for after."

Suddenly "the Icebox" doesn't sound so bad.

The Aquarium. This is where most of the fire-types criminals are kept. Were kept. Most of the guardsmon have been knocked out by now. A lot of prisoners, too. We split off again. This time Olivia asks to come with me, I know this is because she wants to protect me from the water-types. I agree.

Down the corridor, I hear a Poliwhirl gasping her last breath. I approach her.

"Dei, don't," Olivia says, but I ignore her.

"I'm so sorry," I say, my voice squeaking, "I'm so, so sorry."

"Come…" she gasps. "… come closer."

"Dei, no."

She can't tell me what to do. I'm the Prince, and if I want to comfort an enemy in their last moments, I will. I come closer, the Poliwhirl leans against my ear.

Her hands grab my head and she's twisting my neck. Seed Bomb breaks us apart before she can snap it. The guard slumps to the floor and I know she's dead. Olivia runs to my side and I cry quietly into her shoulder. I want to stay there for longer, but the sound of rushing water interrupts me. We turn a corner, and Olivia shoves me back. Three voices at once let out a battle cry, three bodies hit the ground.

"I see you there!" a voice barks. "Come out and face me like a real soldier!"

Oh Gods. I remember him. He was one of the Skarsgard's guardsmon, he fought in the Battle of the Crown and the Battle of the Dragons. We kept him in the Aquarium when Dreigo was in charge, I remember because Dreigo was complaining that he was one of the hardest Pokémon to cage. The Samurott, Ren Waters.

Olivia steps out to face him.

"Lost your friends?" Ren asks.

"What makes you think I'm here with friends?"

Ren laughs.

"Come on, kiddo, we both know you didn't do this on your own. But I don't mind taking you one-on-one." A sound like bugs scuttling over something hard, like a shell. "I'm gonna catch you all."

Footsteps come charging down the hall. Two Grass Knots rustle and snap as they trip the Samurott over. There's a sound like a rattle shaking. Ren growls, slices through the knots, and something sharp and heavy swings through the air, once, twice, a third time—

"Aahh!"

"Olivia!" I cry.

"Stay back!"

Seed Bombs fire from her bulb, they bounce off something hard and explode against the walls. Water's being sucked up from the ground, pooling somewhere down the corridor. Something terrible's coming. Olivia's not running, maybe she's badly hurt, oh Gods, oh Gods, I have to save her!

The water bursts free as I jump in front of my friend. I hear it rushing towards me, I'm ready for it, as long as Olivia's—

Someone's singing.

No, that's just what it sounds like. Like a voice singing a high note, and something else like water hitting a stone wall. I feel spray on my back but the rest of me is dry.

"What the f—" Ren begins.

But Seed Bomb doesn't let him finish. I hear splashing, he's trying to get back to his feet. I charge at him, head lowered. He's turned his head to try and spear me with his horn and I know he has because when I side-step and ram my Headbutt into him I get the soft part of his neck. Sometimes I think people don't realise that I know I'm blind, too.

Olivia ties his legs and neck to the ground.

"That should keep him for a while," she says.

"How did you do that?" I ask.

She hesitates.

"My brother taught me."

"You must miss him."

"He was a traitor—"

"It's okay. You can still miss him. I know how it feels.

Olivia gives me a nuzzle.

After a few minutes we reach the door. She holds out a vine.

"There could be a trap."

"Can't you use your magic to find out?" I ask.

"It's a different kind of magic," she says, "they don't connect."

"What does that mean?"

"It's like trying to use a Dawn Stone to evolve a Sunkern. It's the right idea but not the right element, so to speak."

"Would the magic, like, explode in your face?"

"No. I don't think so. I'm pretty sure it'd just do nothing."

"… You ever wanna try?"

"Why would I want to do that?"

"Because it sounds like fun!"

"Only if you're a crazy person!"

The door opens. Fitzroy's standing on the other side. He grunts.

"Took you too long enough."

Water's pooling on the floor. The Icebox has melted. There are no guardsmon left awake, Fitzroy tells us. His ability's taken care of it.

A Varia Altaria flies over to me.

"Is this it?" she asks. "Are we back on top again?"

"We're working on it, soldier," I say. "Are King Dreigo and Prince Zweil here?"

"They're probably in—"

"Are they here?" Fitzroy interrupts.

"I haven't seen them," the Altaria says, "but you're best bet is the Hovel. You'd better get there fast, a lot of criminals here have it out for Dreigo and Zweil and…" she stops herself.

And me. Yes, I'm aware.

"The other Varias are gathering in the Den," I say, "the Aquarium is clear, if you carry on through the doors behind us you should make it."

She salutes: tap-tap-tap, thud.

"Godspeed, Prince Dei."

We carry on down the tunnel, and I hear Fitzroy chuckle.

"Godspeed indeed."

The Graveyard gives me chills down my back. It's cold, but a different kind of cold than the Icebox. It's like the cold is coming from inside you. The walls are rough old stone. The others tell me there are no guardsmon left awake, but I feel a presence around every corner, and from the way their voices shake I think they can do, too. Fitzroy's the only one who doesn't seem to care.

The Void is complete darkness. I know this, because the others complained about it the entire time. The walls were lined with stone and round-leaved bushes. Small trees grew here and there. I wondered if anyone could smell them expect for Casper and me.

Okay I'm going to warn you right off the bat, the Circus is going to sound kind of weird. First of all, there were a lot of spoons. Just… an unreasonable amount of spoons. All floating in the air and hitting me in the face. Did the guardsmon use them as weapons? As decorations? To see criminals sneaking up behind them? I don't know. A cool covers the floor that smells a bit like Sleep Seed powder. Also, any time someone complains or sighs or makes any kind of unhappy noise, something furry but hard flies out of the walls and hits them in the face. The weirdest part was definitely that there were eyes covering every wall. I know this because I now know what it sounds like to hear a hundred eyes blinking all at once. I didn't want to know what that sounds like, but now I do, and I really don't think I'm going to forget it.

Finally we reach the Hovel. I smell small trees and mushrooms. The ground beneath us is covered in crunchy leaves, and past the brass doors we walked through jewel-bead curtains. They sound pretty when the others go through them, but when it's my turn they sting and burn my skin. No one else hears it, but I swear I heard voices giggling.

I want to call out for them but as soon as my mouth opens Casper warns me to stay silent. He tip-toes ahead in front of me, whisper-quiet. He gives a signal and we follow. We turn one corner, another, a third.

Voices. My heart's beating faster. Is it…?

Casper turns the corner. The voices stop.

"Well hello there," one of them says, "are you one of us?"

"Dreigo!" I scream, bolting down the corridor. "Zweil!"

A crowd has gathered around them. They step aside as I run through.

"Dei!" all three of my brothers' heads cry at once.

I'm crying but I couldn't care less. I jump into Dreigo's arms and let myself sob into his chest.

"I can't… What are…?" Dreigo chokes. "Did you do this?"

I can't speak.

"Dei," Zweil says, "you've saved us."

I swallow hard.

"I love you guys…"

"We love you too," said Zweil.

Dreigo hugs me close. He chokes on his words a little:

"We love you so, so much."