Chapter 18

Sociocide

That was that.

With this magical map in tow the guild had Xamao's movements and the location of the pearls and birds.

Everything seemed brighter, more hopeful. For the first time in what seemed a long time, everything seemed...ok. The Chancellor of Outer affairs offered a carriage back to Arceliaze, and from dusk all the way to deep in the night, Kipuuna, Vizon, Ganisus and Nivanee endlessly chattered about the events, though Rikzyod was more excited for whatever came next.

Jolvia, meanwhile, only sat politely, smiling at the energy of the group, basking in the high spirits.

The carriage rocked and swayed, crossing the country north, back to the capital city, down the steep valley, bumping on the hard cobblestone until at last it came to a stop deep in the market district.

Back home. Safe and sound. And successful.

"Gyah, finally...!" Vizon huffed, jumping out of the carriage to stretch, Kipuuna behind him, grabbing Nivanee's paw to help her down. "I was getting all cramped in there."

"We gotta get this map to Sarfallinus right away." Nivanee said at once, the map firmly in her satchel.

"Yeah, before any Dragonites come swooping down for it..." Vizon muttered, glancing at his partner.

"Oh please don't jinx it," Avery said, pouting at Vizon for a moment. "I've still got a dinner to go to tonight, and I can't very well have dinner from the clutches of a Dragonite!"

He turned to the others.

"Buuuut I really want to be here for the debriefing. I'm..." Avery paused and beamed at Ganisus and Kipuuna. "Aaaaahhh! I'm just...I'm glad that you guys are...y'know!" Avery gestured vaguely at them. "...You know! Aquashock! Aqua! Shock! Together...!" He laced his paws together to illustrate. "Not sure how Sarfallinus will take the one-prong starting over thing exactly but I understand and appreciate the symbolism of it so it'll probably be fine!"

Kipuuna seemed uncharacteristically excited. Even Ganisus had a giddy twinkle in his eye, even with his face otherwise neutral.

"...yeah...I can't wait." Ganisus said at last, giving a tiny smile, a smile that Kipuuna mirrored fivefold.

With that, they began heading back to the guild, and after such a hard mission, a harrowing mission -

...perhaps a mission that gave Avery more questions about himself than answers-

They did it. They were back.

The group continued chattering, returning to the guild hall, the visage of Castle Arceali across the bridge welcoming them into its safe embrace.

"And here we are!" Nivanee said, flinging the doors open. "Home sweet home...!"

The entry hall spread before them. Nobody there...but Avery could hear something, far-off, muffled, down the stairs to the right...

"Ow!"

It sounded like Lahnae. Nivanee took a deep breath, her smile wavering as she laughed.

"Yep...it's home."

"...Oh, Spade..." Avery sighed. "...Hope against hope that those are the 'ow's of victory...?"

The Plusle gave the others an uneasy smile and descended down the steps, everyone following close behind.

"...We're back!" Avery called down the stairs. "And we have, uh...Good news! A-a lot of it, actually...!"

"Well...that's one of ya'll..."

Sarfallinus's voice came first from the guild hall, exasperated. As everyone reached the bottom of the stairs they could see the Guild master kneeling in front of Team Spade, dabbing a rag on Lahnae's face as Loshjno watched.

The Squirtle looked fine, aside from a few cuts. His shell was majorly scuffed but he looked otherwise unharmed. Lahnae, however, looked like a train wreck. Bruises, cuts, a swollen eyebrow. Between the both of them, she looked as though she took the brunt of the damage.

"Heya Avery!" Lahnae cheered, chipper as ever despite her injuries. "What's u-OW!"

"Hold still." Sarfallinus muttered, dabbing her cheek. She groaned.

"Guildmaster, I can do it..." Lahnae huffed, Sarfallinus shaking his head.

"You've done enough." The Infernape said, shushing lightly. Vizon crossed his arms, shaking his head, Nivanee sighing again. Sarfallinus pulled away from Lahnae, putting more medicine on the cloth.

Lahnae looked back to Avery...then caught Kipuuna's eye, quickly looking away and back to her rival instead.

"Aha...yeah, things went...great for us!" She said, sheepishly. Loshjno chuckled to himself.

Avery's smile evaporated, and he quickly rushed over to her side.

The map, for now, was forgotten. Aquashock, for now, was forgotten. He'd...Never seen Team Spade hurt this badly. And even through that they were in high spirits.

'I...have to wonder where they got their soul from...'

"...Are they both going to be okay...?" Avery looked up at Sarfallinus in concern.

"Mm...nothing they ain't had before..." Sarfallinus grunted, standing up, handing the cloth to Loshjno. "Hold that to her cheek 'till I get back, need some more medicine..."

Loshjno nodded, watching the Guild Master dust himself off and return upstairs, leaving the group alone with Lahnae.

The Torchic...looked visibly worried. Avery stepped closer, putting a hand on Lahnae's shoulder and looking over her injuries as Loshjno held the cloth, making her wince.

"Good God what even happened-?" The Plusle said, looking over the Torchic closely. "Where did...Where did you go?"

"Oh well...you know...!" Lahnae laughed, puffing her chest. "We did our western sweep like we were asked! We Went through that Oasis Canyon place all the way up to Qease' and, ah, whatdya' know, they told us about some trouble they were having with the Treasure Guild..."

"What...the small-time treasure-stealers?" Kipuuna asked, Lahnae sucking in a breath.

"Y-yeah...but this time they had a bunch of goons with them! All throughout the lightning wastes, looking for, get this...the Lightning Pearl!" Lahnae said, hissing as Loshjno adjusted the cloth, the Squirtle patting her on the back. "I don't even think they know what they're messing with, they're just going after something rare and valuable..."

"But...you knew that, right?" Kipuuna asked, Lahnae humming uncomfortably.

"Yeah..." Lahnae said, looking away. "Of course I did...the Qease' villagers said as much. A whole squad of dangerous Poke'mon bullying them, threatening them, digging up their precious ruins..."

"And you...still went for it..." Kipuuna huffed.

Lahnae furrowed her brow defensively.

"Look I already know what you're going to say!" Lahnae fired, eyes starting to water. Loshjno sighed, rolling his eyes but saying nothing. "And you already know what I'm going to say right back, so why don't you just get it over with already so I can just get to feeling like trash tonight, alright?!"

Kipuuna frowned, the Torchic huffing and puffing at her outburst, closing her eyes, readying for the shout-down to come.

The Piplup stepped forward, Nivanee and Ganisus looking on as he only put a flipper on her shoulder next to Avery.

Lahnae cracked an eye open...to see his beaming face.

"Don't give up!" He encouraged warmly. "You'll get 'em next time!"

Lahnae blinked at Kipuuna.

She looked closer to tears than ever, only barely able to blink them away.

"Uh...?" She was at a loss, looking back at Loshjno, then to the rest of the group, everyone beaming as Kipuuna hugged her softly. "I...o-okay...! Th...thanks...Kip."

She was dumbstruck, looking back at Avery.

'...I know Kipuuna is a different person now. But...I almost can't believe it, myself. After seeing this exchange play out the same way, every single day... And knowing that it had gone a similar way for years prior... To see this now. It feels...monumental.'

"Yeah, uh... Ha, Team Aquashock kind of went through some, uh..." Avery scratched the back of his head. "...philosophical upheaval. But...jeez, Lahnae, you two really went up against them, huh?"

"Upheaval...?" She asked, unsure what to make of all this. She glanced back to Aquashock who offered no criticism, no put-downs. Just warm encouragement.

She sniffled. Loshjno got up to pat her on the back as she tried to recover. Avery sat down beside the two of them as Kipuuna stepped back.

"I guess it was like...I mean we weren't here." Avery said. "We were gone for...Two days. It was you or nobody. So...You did what you had to do."

He patted Lahnae's other shoulder.

"Your resolve scares me sometimes, rival. In the good way."

"Y-yeah...! We were gone for two days, also." Lahnae sniffed, eyes sparkling with joy. "We were supposed to come right back after Oasis Canyon but...we couldn't let the Treasure Guild just make off with the Lightning Pearl..."

"Perhaps we slowed them down, but I wouldn't bet on it." Loshjno with a chuckle. A brief look of discouragement flashed in Lahnae's eye as she sighed, leaning back and sitting down.

"But I guess that's it. We botched it, but at least we know where a Pearl is now...kinda." Lahnae shook her head. "We'll get shunted somewhere else while you run to Lightning Wastes and get it done right, huh?"

Lahnae spat out some blood into a rag, wiping her beak.

"If you think that means I'm gunna give up-"

"Not likely, we know better by now." Vizon laughed, Lahnae laughing with him.

The Plusle nodded...but then had a thought. He stroked his chin as they laughed, piping up at once.

"... Actually..." Avery said slowly, looking to Nivanee. "...Maybe... We could see if we could go with you,"

Lahnae's laughter stopped at once as she perked up.

"Team Aquashock is probably going to need a mission or two alone to re-find themselves, I think?" Avery continued. "And you guys have gone up against the Treasure Guild once already. We got a map that...Well, you'll see when Sarfallinus comes back. But knowing that the Treasure Guild is up against it is really important. If everyone says it's cool, I think having you and Loshjno around for if we go... That could be really helpful!"

'...was part of this because I was hoping that if they came with us they could consider that a victory? Absolutely.'

'But... I'm not wrong, right...? Team Spade is one of the biggest reasons we were able to solve the Old Wanderer mystery. If Lahnae hadn't seen those tracks in the forest, there's no way we could have tracked the rest of them down in such a wide area. And if it weren't for them, Vizon and I would have been ambushed by the Mud Boys and wiped out.'

"I owe a lot of our victories to you, y'know?"

Lahnae's eyes lit up as Avery spoke, sparkling warmly with every word, the Torchic bouncing more and more. Loshjno only gave a small, seemingly patient smile.

"Oh my gosh...you think-?! I mean...!" Lahnae smiled wide looking to Kipuuna. "You think I-?! With my rival-?!"

"Go for it!" Kipuuna encouraged, seeming to work off other people's script, but no less earnest.

Lahnae was ecstatic.

She JUMPED in the air!

"Yes! Mission with the rival! Mission with the rival! Mi-"

"What's all that ruckus?" Sarfallinus's voice cut the conversation as he returned to the hall down the stairs, a bottle of medicine in hand.

"Oh-!"

Avery stood up suddenly. The rest of the guild got to attention as the infernape approached.

"We...well, is now a good time for debriefing, sir?" Avery asked. "There's... A lot to go over."

"Debrief...oh of course." Sarfallinus coughed, setting the medicine by Loshjno to let him apply it to Lahnae, something the Torchic didn't even mind at this point, bouncing excitedly as she were. "Go ahead, Team Captains, give your report."

"Avery, want to start us off?" Kipuuna said, patting the Plusle's shoulder. The casual tone in his voice made Sarfallinus's eyebrow raise.

Avery nodded, stepping forward.

"The security systems in Dove Fo Uddjo were...still haywire when we went there. Kipuuna helped us last until the...decidedly less than helpful customer service turned them off. We were able to talk to Xonitus, the Chancellor of External Affairs. He set us up in a hotel for the night, and then told us that if we were going to find someone who could track Xamao...we'd find them in the Deep Dimension."

He looked to the others for a moment, debating whether they should tell the truth of what went down there. Malzena did say to try and keep it hush-hush...and while this was a debrief to our guildmaster, a small part of him worried that people like Sarfallinus were who the psychics there were worried about.

"There was...a lot that went on down there," Avery said with an awkward laugh, rubbing the back of his head. "...But we did end up securing a map that has detailed descriptions of the three pearls and how to get them - as well as a psychic heatmap of Xamao's recent positions, up until the second it was inscribed. We know where he's been recently."

"The pearls? A heatmap?" Sarfallinus looked flabbergasted, Nivanee producing the parchment to his amazement.

He eyed the map, scanning over it carefully.

"Look at this...this is amazing...I wonder how far back it goes..." Sarfallinus mused.

"The psychic we consulted didn't say...could be anything from a year to only three days? Who knows..." Nivanee sighed. "But it does show the places he lingers most of all.

"That gives us his bases...Seaking Pennisula, dangerously close to Yahneri Port...some place north of Steeljag Bluff...lots of activity on the western forest."

Sarfallinus nodded to himself, rolling up the map.

"I have to get this to Olistia right away. She'll know just were to pivot the elites. In the meantime, we can focus our efforts on more direct action."

"Direct...? You mean...?" Vizon began, Sarfallinus nodding.

"This map shows Xamao has been avoiding the pearls for some reason...and shows us where his camps probably are." The Guild Master began, his hands behind his back. "We can have the elites make arrests and ambushes to draw him away from his mission while we all work on securing the pearls. Even having just one of the Pearls will at least prevent Xamao from awakening the birds. All three of them are required to summon any legendary birds, all or nothing, if Olistia is to be believed."

Everyone nodded.

"Lahnae told me that she and Loshjno went up against the Treasure Guild, who are trying to secure the Lightning Pearl," Avery said, giving Lahnae beside him a quick glance. "I've never gone up against the Treasure Guild before, but...if they know the location of that one, we have to assume they're working with Xamao, and shouldn't be underestimated, right?"

His brow furrowed in thought.

"Should we focus our efforts on them next, do you think...?" Avery asked at last.

"That's what I'm suspecting." Sarfallinus replied quickly. "They could be getting their security from anywhere, but considering it's the Lightning Pearl, Xamao no doubt has a high price he's paying for the Orb...but that's just a guess. The Thieves Guild and Treasure Guild might not be collaborating at all."

"Considering we've all kept so hush-hush about the Pearls I don't know who else would buy a thing like that..." Nivanee thought aloud. "...we've never pinned down the Treasure Guild's buyers. Who knows who they sell all their stolen treasures to."

They all looked thoughtfully to one another, Sarfallinus nodding slowly to himself. He stood, tightly holding the map as he approached his office. Lahnae popped up excitedly, making noises as though she wanted to speak.

"Oh, oh, but-!"

"Sorry to cut this short, guild." Sarfallinus said, speaking over the Torchic as though he didn't notice. "Olistia will be drawing up our plans based on this, we're going to need the night to ourselves."

"But, but-!"

"Avery, be ready tomorrow. I plan on putting you and Aquashock together again for Lightning Wastes." Sarfallinus said, opening the door in a hurry. "Do good out there, and have a good night."

"Sarfi! There you are!" Olistia's voice came from the office. The Infernape sighed, stepping through the door.

"But-" Lahnae squeaked.

Click.

The door shut, leaving them all in silence.

Lahnae stood there, in the center of the hall.

Her wings dropped, a subtle slouch in her posture.

'...What just-'

They all just...kind of stood there numbly for a second or two. It almost felt like Avery had been slapped. Barely a conversation at all.

"... You... You didn't... Even let Kipuuna-" he muttered.

Everyone seemed to slump a little, and Avery even felt a little...miffed. They didn't get to say a word on what happened in the Deep Dimension. They didn't even get to ask for Team Spade to go with Azure to Lightning Wastes. Sarfallinus had just automatically assigned the same two teams again,

Averu's mouth hung open, head slowly shaking back and forth as his brain struggled to channel his aggravation into words. He began walking towards the door, a hand turning into a wagging finger.

...But he stopped.

"...He...he didn't even let either of you speak." Avery stood in front of the door, turning back to them, to Kipuuna and Ganisus. "... Did...Did he even notice? Did he notice that you two are...that you're...? He... He didn't even let you speak-!"

Avery felt something on his shoulder, a wing. Turning back, he saw Lahnae. Nivanee and Kipuuna stepping up as he spoke.

"Hey it's ok, Rival...!" Lahnae said...quietly. Kipuuna sighed, nodding with her.

"Maybe we can tell him when he's less busy?" Kipuuna offered helpfully. Lahnae unconsciously tensed at his voice but immediately relaxed again. Nivanee and Vizon came up, the Riolu looking less sure than the others.

"Busy...must be, huh?" He huffed, a deep frown on his face. "Oh well..."

"Aw...don't worry about Guildmaster..." Nivanee cooed, patting Vizon on the shoulder. "There's a lot going on right now...you know?"

"But... But Team Aquashock is going back to one-prong! They can't-" Avery paused, looking at Team Spade for a moment. "They're going back to one-prong by the way. They can't do that without him! It's big news, and he's... He's just... Agh...!"

Avery sighed a little bit.

'What am I doing? Sarfallinus isn't a family man. He's a guildmaster. A boss.'

'... He isn't our father.'

"You're right. We'll notify him at our next convenience." Avery said at last. "And... Lahnae? I'm going to ask him if you can come along instead of Aquashock - no offense, guys. I just... Y'know. I think they'd be helpful, and I... Wanna give you guys room to figure yourselves out too, you know...? "

"I was thinking the same thing." Kipuuna affirmed, nodding to Lahnae. "We need the time alone...and, heck, Lahnae's been dying to be on a mission with you, yeah?"

"Yeah!"

Ganisus nodded absentmindedly...though it was clear he was still listening as close as he could.

"You guys...mean it...?" Lahnae squeaked, her bounce returning. Kipuuna and Ganisus nodded again, the Torchic joyously jumping! "Alright! I'll do my best, Avery! We both will! I promise!"

"Oh, I have no doubt." Loshjno chuckled at the Torchic's energy, a small smile on his face. "But let's make sure we just have fun with it, too."

Nivanee's tail swished excitedly, watching Lahnae, the mood quickly recovering.

"But, for now, I'm glad to be home..." Kipuuna yawned, stretching. "My own bed...that'll be nice..."

"Yeah, I could use some rest, too..." Vizon muttered as everyone excitedly broke off from the group. "Let's all figure out something to do tonight!"

"Yeah!" Lahnae cheered.

"Mhm!" Kipuuna agreed. "I just need to get settled."

"Oh, actually..." Avery grinned sheepishly. "I'm going to be doing something tonight. I've got a dinner to get to soon...! But I do want to do something together with you all again. Maybe tomorrow...! And Kipuuna could join us this time, too...!"

As Kipuuna, Ganisus, Lahnae and Loshjno left the guild hall, Vizon and Nivanee looked back at Avery, the latter also idly rummaging through her satchel.

"Oh, yeeeah. You keep mentioning that, what's with that?" Vizon said, smirking. "You got a daaaate?"

Nivanee snickered, shaking her head.

"Well, kinda, heh," Avery said, shifting a bit.

'Should I tell him...? I mean...He won't like it. He'll give me a hard time. But...He deserves to know. And maybe this will change his opinion of them, just a little.'

"It's with the banker, Kellixae," Avery said. "She invited me to dinner back when we were preparing for the Breezy Plains mission, and we planned for today. I'm just glad I made it back...! I didn't want to stand her up."

A hush fell over the three immediately.

"Kellixae, the-...?"

Vizon stopped himself, eyes widening. Nivanee perked up.

"What?"

"The banker. You know, our team's banker." Vizon muttered.

The mood immediately thickened. Nivanee smiled.

"Oh that's nice! I don't think I met her. Is she nice?" Nivanee asked warmly.

"Well...first time I met her she scared the willies outta me." Vizon huffed, folding his arms. "Are you...sure, Avery? Like, really, are you for real? Where does she even live?"

Avery's smile faded a little.

"...She scared the willies out of you because she was thinking you were going to treat her like everyone else does," Avery said, crossing his arms. "We started getting along with the third visit. She's actually really nice...!"

The Plusle sighed a little, raking his paw through the fur on top of his head.

"...She lives in the Illaminian District. I went through there with Jolvia and Rikzyod before, it's just... I mean it's run down, but it's a place. Here, I'll..." Avery's eyes flitted to Nivanee for a second once he dropped that Kellixae was Illaminian. "...She's been really good to me. And I...I think she's really glad to have a friend."

Nivanee's face fell at once, Vizon looking back at her, gesturing at Avery with a look that screamed 'can you believe this'.

"Er...is that so?" Nivanee's tone changed immediately. "Um...Avery, that's kind of a shady part of town..."

"Of all places...!" Vizon rubbed his forehead. "Avery, seriously, this is sketchy, this-"

"It's just...oh, Avery, you're could get in trouble, you know?" Nivanee's explanation was softer than Vizon's. "Arceliaze can be a rough place at night out in the less savory districts..."

What remained of Avery's smile vanished.

'Her too, huh?'

"Like, how much do you know this banker lady really? Avery, she's not trying to sell you anything, is she?" Vizon squinted.

"I think he just means..." Nivanee sucked in a breath. "Avery, you've always been a very trusting Pokémon, you know, and that's good! Just...you know?"

The Plusle was quiet a moment, furrowing his brow.

"...I'm still going," Avery said, turning from them, his expression firm. "Frankly, I..."

The Plusle's gaze flicked between the two of them, trying to figure out something to say.

But...he couldn't.

'Nothing I say will convince them, will it? They all just...had their mind made up.'

"I'm going. I'll see you later tonight. Or tomorrow. Or something. I dunno." Avery turned to leave, took a few steps, and stopped. He didn't turn around to face them. "...I know you guys are just concerned about me. But...they live here, too. The Guild has a duty to Illaminians."

Avery looked over his shoulder at the two of them. Once again, he opened his mouth to say something...but thought better of it. He began to walk out of the guild.

At once, Avery felt a firm paw on his shoulder, pulling him back.

"Now, hang on, buddy!" Vizon spat, aggravated. Nivanee held a paw to her mouth, bounding over. "That's enough! Still going, indeed! I can't just sit and watch you stumble out blindly into the Illaminian district and sleep with a clear conscience. Like...c'mon, man!"

"Vizon's right, Avery..." Nivanee affirmed, padding up, ears folded back. She looked around to make sure nobody was listening. "...let's be honest...a tiny Plusle amnesiac...one that isn't even from this world...you'd be easy pickings, and that's assuming this Kellixae woman isn't tricking you, herself. You haven't lived in this city long and you can be...a little..."

"Naive." Vizon finished. "Look, you understand, right? We can't just let you go out there."

Avery looked at them, narrowing his eyes.

"You... You guys... I-I'm..."

Avery wrenched his shoulder away from Vizon, whirling around to look at them.

"I'm a guild member...! You guys have seen me fight...! I held my own against the Onix Brothers and the psychics! You think I can't handle my own against some hypothetical muggers? You guys are- you're just-"

Avery fixed Vizon with a hard stare.

"...Say it. Tell me why you're suspicious of her. Both of you. There's a reason you are, and you're both dancing around it." His eyes went to Nivanee. "You haven't even met her. And yet you seem to know her better than I do. Why? What's the reason? I want to hear you both say it."

"Because it's the Illaminian district, Avery!" Vizon yelled back, pushing him. "That's where the bad guys go and hang around! What're you even associating with Poke'mon like that for, huh? Since when did you suddenly go in for bad guys like that?!"

"Vizon-!" Nivanee hissed. "Oh, Avery, don't be impossible...any native Arceliaze resident knows to stay away from areas like that. And if she lives there, what's that say about her, hm? Don't tell me you're wanting a night with drunks, thieves and crooks instead of your friends..."

Vizon took a deep breath, trying to calm down. Avery stared at them.

"...You...You don't...You don't even know her. Neither of you even know her. What, just because...Because she's Illaminian? Is that why? Because she rolls her r's when she speaks?"

Avery grit his teeth, his face scrunching up, making Nivanee take a step back.

"...don't...use our friendship as leverage. Don't act like I'm choosing her over my team." Avery growled. "I can...I can handle myself. If they end up trying to attack or mug me or something, then I'll come back, I'll admit you're right, okay? I won't even bring my bag. Nothing to rob. Because you're so paranoid about that."

Avery lowered his shoulder, and his bag landed on the ground beside him. He reached into it and took an oran berry.

"... I'm going. If Illaminians are 'bad guys', then I'm going to learn that myself."

"Avery! No! I...I-! I refuse you to take another step!" Vizon shouted, Nivanee putting a paw on his shoulder.

"Vizon, c'mon, not in the guild hall.. " Nivanee furrowed her brow. "Avery, stop flinging accusations at us just because you want to visit this 'friend' of yours. Because between us saying not to go for your own sake and you steadfast refusing to listen, yeah, it does feel like you're taking her word over ours...!"

"You don't even know her...!" Avery hissed, trying to keep his voice down. "I have seen her five days in a row! I'm taking my word over yours right now, because I really feel like I'm better informed about who Kellixae is...! Don't you...don't you two trust me...?"

"Look, I..." Avery put a hand to his face. His eyes were starting to sting. "It's not a bad place...they're not bad guys, I just know it. I...just...just...if you don't trust her...trust me. Just...let me do this."

Nivanee squinted her eyes, gritting her teeth.

"Avery you can't-" Vizon began, but Nivanee tugged his shoulder.

"Ngh...fine. Fine, you wanna go off and do something stupid? Fine." Nivanee hissed. Avery lifted his head, yet felt a pit in his stomach.

The Eevee lowered her head, eyes burrowing into the Plusle. There was something in her eyes.

Something dark.

Scary.

"If anything happens to you." Nivanee growled low. "I'll arrest her myself."

That final statement, though quiet, seemed to roll over the old walls, chilling the air.

Avery shivered.

'I know they care about me. I knew they're doing this out of concern. But their concern...it's...'

"...Okay."

With that, Avery turned, and walked out of the guild. His eyes hurt. He could feel stinging at the corner of them.

'Why are...why are they like this...?

...and further down...are they right? What if they are right? What if...I'm going to be attacked when I go there? What if...Kellixae...

No. No, she wouldn't. I'll be careful. But ...I hope I didn't hurt Vizon and Nivanee. Whether they're right about this or not...I don't want to hurt them.

But...I'm going to enjoy dinner. I have to.'

The streets of Arceliaze were busy, even tonight, with Pokemon walking to and fro. Shouting, laughter and music rolled over the street, muffled from within the walls as the day's work was done.

But as Avery walked, approached the tall ivory wall, the streets grew dingier. Dirtier. Dimmer. Guards were less frequent as he approached the wall, replaced with groups of Poke'mon milling together on the side of the road, in the alley.

Many of them stared at Avery as he passed but made no move otherwise.

The guards that did stand at the occasional corner glared at Avery angrily, only averting their eyes when they saw the glint of his guild badge

Poke'mon in hoods passed through darkened alleyways. Other Poke'mon stood in open doorways on the sides of buildings, talking in hushed tones.

Everything secret.

Soon Avery passed the arch, back onto the narrow dirt roads of the Illaminian district. Many of the houses were dark, with nary a torch lighting the path. The only illumination came from the candlelight pouring from occupied houses.

Poke'mon that passed him always did so in groups, side-eying Avery before continuing. They were almost like...patrols. But they weren't guards, just normal Poke'mon.

A Poke'mon talked to a hooded Pokemon between two log cabin homes

Despite being so dark, so quiet, there was movement all around Avery as he waked through the Illaminian district.

Something told Avery that walking in groups was safer, late at night. Kellixae said she was bringing a friend to dinner too - someone from the market.

'Maybe...I could get them to walk me to the end, just in case. It was going to be later at night, anyway.'

Avery gave a couple of the patrols little nods as he walked, heading to Kellixae's house. If they weren't guards...well, Avery saw firsthand how the guards treated these Poke'mon. How...the guild treated them.

Avery looked down at his badge as he walked with a little frown.

'Should I take this off...? I'm nor going to do anything to these Poke'mon...but I might understand how they might want to make a pre-emptive strike, considering my...apparent background.'

Avery quickened his pace a little. He was already feeling residual stress from Dove Fo Uddjo and his confrontation with his friends. The way that Nivanee looked at him. The way...both of them did. They thought he was doing something stupid.

'But Kellixae wouldn't hurt me...right?

Please let this be okay...

Just...get to Kellixae's house.'

"Oi, break it up, on yer way. Back to yer homes."

Avery heard a gruff-voiced guard ordering a large group of six break up, the Poke'mon huffing but complying.

A hooded Pokemon darted away.

And though many stared at Avery, the glint of his badge kept them away.

He walked, his paws crunching in the dirt. Little bumps and noises quietly breaking the silence, until at last, Avery came to the address.

The street was a little wider here, with a scant few more Poke'mon milling in their front lawns. The house...Kellixae's house, was modest.

Very modest.

No decorations at the front, save for a string of wood chimes adoring an awning in front of the door, the wind letting them clack and make a gentle noise.

The light was on inside. He could hear faint voices inside.

With a sigh, Avery stepped up to the door, looking up at the wind chimes for a moment. It wasn't much but it was a bit of personality. He could imagine sitting inside, listening to them as the wind gently blew through the streets.

He knocked on the door.

"Kellixae? It's Avery. I'm, uh...here for dinner, if that's still alright?"

The voices hushed immediately. Avery could hear a sigh, a quiet command and a reply.

One of the voices sounded like a child.

"Tvu essowepfa!" A muffled voice called out...Kellixae's.

The door opened, warm light spilling onto the dark street followed by a gust of smoky hot air from a fireplace.

There, the Flaaffy, Kellixae, stood. Though her eyes still carried a deep exhaustion, she looked overjoyed to see Avery.

"Oh grracious, Averry! It is verry good to see you!" Kellixae asked, stelping aside. "Did you trravel safe? Anyone give you trrouble? Please do come in!"

Avery looked up at her...and immediately deflated in relief at seeing her expression. He hadn't realized how much stress he had been holding onto until it melted off of his shoulders.

"A few looks, but that's it," Avery said, turning to her after he stepped into the house. "...I think the badge kept people away."

Avery's thumb flicked against the wings of the badge, tracing its edge.

"...In any case, I'm sorry I wasn't there to see you yesterday morning. I was actually in Dove Fo Uddjo overnight...! I was worried I wouldn't make it back here in time for our dinner."

Kellixae nodded softly, stepping in with him.

"Yes, the badge will do that. I should think therre arre few Pokémon that darre to fight a member of the...Arrceliaze Guild." Kellixae mused, walking around him.

As Avery stepped inside and let his eyes adjust he saw the inside of her house.

A simple dirt floor, some hammocks, simple log cabin furnishings. To say there was barely anything to the interior was an understatement.

"But not to worrry, Avery. We would have delayed forr you." Kellixae admitted, going to the crate to fetch a satchel with some money inside. "I see you did not brring your satchel? Verry wise, I suppose, be you worried about being robbed."

"It was, um..." Avery sighed a bit. "...Vizon and Nivanee, they were worried about me coming here."

He decided not to speak too much about...the rest of the conversation. At least for now. Even if it was weighing on him. He glanced up...and noticed something peculiar.

Kellixae had frozen. She stood, simply holding the crate open and staring inside.

"Vizon and...Nivanee, hm?" She said quietly. Avery blinked, simply watching her stand there. Then, as though a spell had been broken, the Flaaffy chuckled, shaking her head, continuing to root around in the crate to fetch some extra effects for her satchel. "Well...in any case I have put my son, Taishavio to bed forr the night. He is a good child, verry brright."

"Taishavio," Avery said slowly...and his ears perked. "Right, you have a son...! And...I really like what you've done with this place. Believe it or not, it looks leagues homelier than my living quarters in the guild, ha...we haven't had much chance to go furniture shopping."

"Mhm, is that so?" Kellixae giggled, taking a seat at the table. "I do admit, Arcean furrniturre is not much to my taste. I do prreferr the look frrom my old home...but this is all one can buy, at least on what I make."

Avery looked down at the rug as he stepped further into the house, and turned around to face Kellixae.

"Is your friend coming, too...?" He asked. "I hope I'm not too early."

She hummed, leaning on the table.

"Well, no, we arre to fetch her at herr home. I cerrtainly would not have herr walking the strreets. Not these days."

"I see," Avery said with a little nod. "Then we can go whenever you like...! Though I guess I am pretty curious about what Illaminamo furniture is like. Or, really, Illaminamo to begin with. I'd only seen bits of it from atop the Rocky Hills, so I don't know the first thing about what it's like."

Avery's eyes traced the door, and he frowned slightly.

"Are the streets really so dangerous that you could be jumped...? There's that many muggers in this district...?"

Kellixae nodded, standing up from the table to let Avery out from her house.

"Muggerrs? Therre are a few, as any place. Poke'mon desperrate for money...how verry common. But not herre, no. What would any Illamini have to take?" Kellixae shook her head. "None would take like that frrom ourr own. So no, not muggerrs, it is not them that concerrns me..."

As they both stepped out, Avery could hear distant gruff shouting. A guard down the road glaring at Avery and Kellixae as they began walking the street. Unfriendly eyes peered at them from between buildings.

Kellixae hunched, looking scared, though her eyes weren't afraid. All at once she was...putting on an act of scared meekness.

Like she just flipped a switch.

"Let us go, I can show you to Sekura's home."

'...hm.'

Avery stood up a little straighter, giving the guard a nod. The guard made a noise, as though huffing, but relaxed the moment he saw the Plusle's badge. A proud guildmember. Kellixae was with Avery.

'...Acting scared. Unable to perpetrate anything. That's...guh...'

"Is there any specific way I should be acting?" Avery mumbled to Kellixae, stepping down onto the street.

"Howeverr you wish, dearr Averry." Kellixae assured, keeping her eyes to the ground, not even looking at the Plusle. "Only do wearr that badge of yourrs prroudly. It is...verry fetching on you, yes?"

The pair of them continued down the road, passing candy shops with lights on, locked tight. Windows broken. Deeper into the Illaminian district, Avery saw houses that were little more than charred rubble...but not recently, the burns were clearly wet and dirty and old, the ruins overgrown and silent. Some of the burnt homes seemed to have some words, all in Illaminian, carved onto them.

Thankfully, the deeper into the district they went, the more torches were present, dimly lit. Flickering shadows bounced at every corner.

All the while, Avery noticed more hooded Poke'mon. Skulking in the alleys...seeming to stare at him...he could have sworn he caught a glint under the hood in the torchlight. Was that his imagination? Avery was sure those hooded people thought him no different than those guards. But...he hoped that with time he could show them all that he was on their side. Maybe with...drastically more time they could come to trust these badges as a whole again.

'...maybe that's reaching a little too far.'

"Ah herre..."

Kellixae's voice broke him from his musing, from the uncertain energy of the district, to another, wider street with a small outdoor diner present.

There, a house stood. Different from the rest Avery had seen. It was still a log cabin, of course, but this one was painted. Decorated with bright and pretty colors. A weathervane spun merrily upon the roof. The grass was trimmed, a stone path laid, a small makeshift fence surrounding the property.

A small box sat by the lawn gate, books inside, with the words "Mocso Hsevaovo qis Vavvo o' Cencini~!"

Wood chimes clacked softly, strung up around the home, flowers swaying in front of it. And there, presented to the pair, was a green door adorned with a pattern much different from that of Arcean design: sharper, wing-like etchings festooned the colorful door.

The neighboring homes seemed to look similar but not exact. Etchings and chimes and furniture, all in the same style. Perhaps, even donated by the proprietor of whoever lived here.

"Ah, Sekurrae..." Kellixae smiled warmly, looking up and down the street. It was a pleasant sight compared to the rest of the ruined district.

"...Oh, what a pretty sight," Avery breathed, looking up at the house. "It's a very pretty house. Your friend has nice taste...!"

"She does. Everryone loves Sekurrae...or Sekurra or whateverr it is she calls herrself." Kellixae smiled, patting Avery on the shoulder. "A splash of styling from the old countrry, it makes this part of the distrrict feel like a little slice of Duphimevu, and prractically anyone frrom that rregion rremembers herr."

There was movement in the window, a flutter of a shadow. Kellixae waved, unlatching the gate and stepping onto the stone path as the home's door flung open!

"AAAAA~! I' dito' cimmu wifisvo, Kellixini!" A peppy voice called from the door, sing-songy in tone. From the bright light that shone on the pair, a Mawile came bounding out, throwing her arms around Kellixae. The Flaaffy laughed, hugging back. "Auughh, No tvewu qsiuddaqepfu...I' numvu vesfo. Oh...tio ommitu?"

"To', tvu cipi..." Kellixae laughed again, patting the Mawile on the shoulder. "Epdj'ou tupu duto' gimodi fo wifisvo."

The two women chuckled to one another before the Mawile looked Avery's way, pulling from Kellixae and leaning down to greet him with a smile.

"I djo i' raitvu~? Ap vau enodu, Kellixini?" The Mawile asked, eyes sparkling. It's then she noticed the Plusle's badge, her eyebrows raising. "Um...Kellixini...tio pio haeo...?"

Avery blinked a bit, shifting on the ground as they spoke. He couldn't understand a word they were saying...he just had to hope they were good things.

Kellixae chuckled to herself.

"It is funny you of all Poke'mon ask that." Kellixae said, switching to Arcean. The Mawile blushed, smiling as Kellixae continued. "No, this is Avery, my plus one forr the night. Avery, this is Sekurrae."

"Oh my goodness, Avery? Frrom the Team Azurre?" Sekura's eyes widened, putting her hands over her mouth. There was...an excited, almost fangirlish glint in her eye. "It is a pleasurre to meet you. I am, ahem, Sekura, and I-"

The Mawile cleared her throat.

"And I am so very happy to meet you. Are you a friend of Kelly's?"

"Oh! You...You work at the magazine stall, don't you?" Avery asked. "Vizon and I got the tabloids from you, because I was curious about what they'd say about me, heh... It's nice to meet you formally, Sekurae...!"

He gave a little bow.

"I hope that my being guild isn't...uncomfortable for you." He continued, looking back up at her. "... Oh, do you prefer Sekura or Sekurrae?"

"Oh, Sekura, please. It is what my friends call me, yes?" Sekura said, glancing to Kellixae who only chuckled, nodding. "But, no no, hardly uncomfortable! If anything I'm quite honored! I've had a love for the stories of the guild even back when I was a small girl in the old country. Those imported periodicals are how I first learned Arcean, you know!"

Sekura's voice seemed to...change. She did not roll her r's, now sounding like an only slightly off-kilter native Arcean. Avery stiffened when Sekura switched. He nodded at her question, smiling brightly.

"Mhm! And, yes, to answer your question, Kellixae is my banker!" Avery continued. "I get to talk with her every morning while Vizon does the shopping in the Kecleon Brothers' stall. She's been wonderful to work with... I'm still hoping I can come across her item stall one of these days though...!"

"Oh, have you both met beforre?" Kellixae asked, eyebrows raised and looking between he and Sekura. "Though I suppose it is no surrprrise. The bookstorre of hers is only a shorrt distance from the One Trruth square, mm? I do hope that fireplace kindle of a brochure was kind to Team Azure."

"Mm...it was as kind as it ever is to the guild, though..." Sekura sighed, smiling sadly. "It seems they've taken to making potshots at the new team. Bah, nobody takes those pamphlets seriously, I think. Were it they were not floundering they would have no need of such shocking journalism, yes?"

"Mmm, I suppose." Kellixae shrugged, the both of them already walking with Avery from the house and down the road. Where Kellixae kept her head and posture low, Sekura instead stood tall and walked with a confident gait...something that seemed to make Kellixae mildly uncomfortable, though the Flaaffy said nothing. "But yes, Averry has been visiting me every morrning the past few weeks, everr since he joined the guild. And all the while he has been a verry sweet and kindly sorrt."

"Oh I am sure..." Sekura said, looking back to Avery. "That adventure at the river delta...oh, so cool...! It made me feel a little girl again, lying upon her bed, reading periodicals. Still, to think you would like to have dinner with us!"

"Well, of course I would," Avery said, in almost mock offense. "Why wouldn't I?"

It occurred to Avery as he said it that many an Illaminian might have a few ideas as to why he wouldn't want to. So he decided to continue.

"Kellixae's been a good friend to me, and... Well, as I'm sure the periodicals have said, I'm...pretty new to Arcea." He explained. "A ghost, I think they called me? So I'm really interested to see what kind of food Kellixae makes."

"Oh no no, not me." Kellixae corrected. "I would harrdly trreat a frriend to my own cooking on a firrst visit. We arre going to the firre grrill. I believe Olkae is cooking tonight, yes?"

"That is what I saw when I was coming home!" Sekura confirmed. "Oh, Olkae...there is a model Illamini op Arceali, ey? Every day, throwing herself to that grill for her parents. And look at the house she has managed to make! Such a pretty thing in such short time. How long has she been here? Three or so years?"

"Mmm, I could not say..." Kellixae hummed, looking down at Avery.

"That does remind me though..." Avery began. "I haven't read the tabloids since that...Interview a couple of days ago. If you say they're taking potshots at me... I wonder what they've honed in on...?"

She huffed quietly at his question.

"Ah, yes, theirr 'potshots'. Hm." Kellixae sighed. "What else would they say of Team Azure's team captain other than 'disloyal capitulator'. A few mildly kind worrds towards blighterrs is all they rrequirre."

"Oh, Kellixae, need we talk of nasty things tonight of all nights?" Sekura smiled sadly, to which Kellixae only grunted. "We have a fun dinner at the grill ahead of us, yes?"

Avery grimaced at the words. Disloyal capitulator.

'I'm not even from here. How can I be loyal to a place I'm not even from? Ugh...'

"Oh, ha, a grill sounds good..." Avery said with a nod, accepting Sekura's offer to change the subject. "Olkae...I don't think I've met them... But Lahnae brought me to a sandwich bar the other day, run by an Illaminian Electabuzz. He served amazing stuff there...Lahnae was a regular there, I think...! "

"Oh, Banitus? Not many Illamini op Arceali keep space in the market district!" Sekura lit up hearing Avery. "He mentioned he had a guild member as a regular."

Avery nodded along with the conversation.

"Yes, Lahnae. She's the captain of Team Spade...!" Avery said excitedly. "She's the one who showed me the shop. I'm not sure I'd be able to navigate back to it from how twisty the streets are, but...I'm glad she took me! She and Banitus seemed to be on really good terms."

"Banitus is a very sweet man, isn't he?" Sekura said warmly, clasping her hands together. "He used to come by our bookstore back in Duphimevu before he moved out to Dsitdove. I was so happy to see him again."

"Mm, I have only met him in passing." Kellixae put in. "I took Taishavio to the sandwich shop in Dsitdove when he was but a young boy. That was well in the drroughts, trrying to just give him pleasant meals and fun things durring such harrd times. I had to hope the drroughts would end in time, but frrom what I hearr they'rre still going strrong."

"Nevermind, Kellixae." Sekura said warmly. "Everything will get better, you will see.!"

The three continued down the path, a few faces watching them pass from the shadows. Particularly, their eyes trained on Sekura as she walked merrily with Kellixae and Avery. The Flaaffy still had a tinge of worry on her face, trying to pretend to not notice.

Avery made a note to ask about those hooded figures later.

'Are they brigands or something...?'

Soon, Kellixae pointed to a lit alley between two wood buildings, a column of light pouring from betwixt them. Following her, the group moved between the buildings. The pathways here were cramped, the buildings a little taller. It was like a maze, this area, the alleys at times only one Poke'mon wide.

Lanterns hung overhead on cross-beams, lighting a path deeper and deeper into the secretive network of alleys, as though they were plunging down into some secret society or underground club.

It was hard for Avery to really keep track of where he was here, too - but as long as they went back to Kellixae's at the end of the night, he'd be able to find his way back out of the district, and back to the wall. Part of him was worried about being attacked, now that he knew that was a real concern - but maybe he could ask Kellixae about that before the night was out. Maybe when Sekura wasn't here...the Mawile didn't really seem to want to talk about that stuff.

They all continued, the open air above replaced with an awning nailed to the sides of the buildings on either side of the alley, as though trying to even further keep secret everything here. Kellixae stepped forward, opening a creaking wooden gate set up in the alley, Sekura stepping forward and holding it for Avery.

More and more it felt cramped.

Until at last, there was a sound. Muted. Echoing dully across the wood. A noise...a song. Louder with every corner turned. Sekura chuckled.

"Not much of prime real estate, is it?" She asked.

"In this city? It could not be betterr for Illamini op Arceali, hm?" Kellixae replied, laughing.

Louder...the music was...different from Arcean music. In the market district Avery would hear strings and soft music on the stone. But this, what his heard...

...it sounded like horns. Bombastic and blaring and fast paced, drums slamming jubilantly, strings plucked with reckless abandon. It was music that was all fun and nothing besides.

The group rounded a corner, coming upon a BRIGHT light in the alley, leading down to a medium sized court yard betwixt four buildings, an awning tightly affixed above.

And immediately Avery was BLASTED with the energy.

A band stood upon a patch of dirt, booming loud, thumping music that rattled the Plusle's skull. Poke'mon all around them cheered and clapped. Heat BLASTED out over the courtyard as the cook, no doubt Olkae, practically danced around a huge stone grill, an INFERNO blazing under a steel chimmey, smoke and delicious smells rolling over the ground.

The laughter roared, the singing, too. Poke'mon puffed at rolls of totter in leaves. Wood cups clattered to the dirt ground, empty. Indistinct shouts in native Illamini rocked the courtyard.

Avery's jaw dropped. This was...loud. Rambunctious. Almost a party.

No. No no, not almost. This was a party, through and through. No wonder this was hidden away! It had to be, lest it attracted the guards...! Just look at this place!

And at once, Kellixae relaxed, her posture straightening with Sekura. The Mawile beamed to them both.

"Looks packed tonight, just how you like it, huh, Kelly?"

"Love it~!" Kellixae let out a relieved breath, smiling wistfully. She looked more comfortable than Avery had ever seen her before.

"...Wow," Avery breathed. He almost felt intimidated to a degree. Being a guild member, he was used to things of this volume being dangerous of some sort - even the raffle house and chuckle bar hadn't been this raucous. But there was no danger here. So...there was a weird sort of dissonance in his head.

'Nothing I can't get used to though! After all...everyone here seems to be having a very good time. Kellixae especially.'

"How do you even approach something like this...?"

"Apprroach?" Kellixae hummed, smiling. "Just go with it. Ah, but..."

She tapped a paw to Avery's chest, gesturing to his badge.

"I think you may be able to lose the badge now."

A suggestion...or maybe a slight bit more. Sekura rolled her eyes with a smile, excitedly bounding towards a table. Immediately the men and women hugged at her, kissing her cheek as she was practically assimilated into their group, offered drinks.

"DOCU!" Olkae's voice ROARED from the front, the Raichu using a massive iron spatula to doposit smoking, charred mushrooms onto a massive bowl. "HSEPFO GAPHJO GSOVVO!"

A group of men, not even looking like workers, came and collected the bowl, dropping a MASSIVE mushroom on the big plate on each table, which every group picked at with skewers, filling their mugs with kegs set by each table.

"Oh, and Avery?" Kellixae continued. "Perrhaps it would be best if you remember your Illamini op Arceali parents, if anyone asks. Illamini born in Arcea are not uncommon."

Another suggestion. How to blend in.

Avery swallowed, taking his badge off as suggested and stowing it. He was...a little more uncomfortable than he'd have liked to admit. He was the leader of Team Azure, he'd conquered dungeons, braved the Deep Dimension! And the place his nerve faltered was a barbecue?

"I can't...really understand what anyone's saying though," Avery whispered, looking up at Kellixae. "Will I have to speak Illaminian...? Or make up names or something? I'm not from here, but...I'm not really from anywhere."

He was out of his element. But he wanted to have fun here, he wanted to try.

"Oh no no, no need forr that." Kellixae shook her head. "Avery is fine, so is Arrcean, just do not be put off if we speak ourr comforrtable tongue?"

"Ijo, tohpusope! Qisdji tveo tumu op qoifo? Woipo, apotdovo e puo!" A voice from the table shouted merrily. Sekura laughed and turned to Kellixae and Avery, waving the both of them over.

"Tdate! I me tae qsone wumve!" Kellixae called back, grabbing Avery's hand and leading him toward the table Sekura sat at, at least 4 other total strangers all around them, sitting shoulder to shoulder. Totter juice on their breath, smiles about. Avery could feel the music thrumming through the ground. Added to their group suddenly was an older Chatot lady, a Fletchinder woman, an Absol man and a Dewgong girl.

Each of them swayed in the torchlight.

"We cipi, vavvo!" A voice from the band roared happily. "Raimmu ise om si fo 'Swingini'! Qis gewusi, etdumve evvipvenipvi, qsiqese om vau dausi QIS RAITVU!"

Avery gave the others a slightly nervous smile. It...made him a little anxious not to know what they were saying, but...he trusted Kellixae. It'd be fine.

"Oh, but, do parrdon my frriend. He doesn't have much in the way of the old tongue." Kellixae said, switching to Arcean. The Fletchinder woman snickered, whispering to the Chatot.

"Aww, that is ok! Very ok!" The Chatot cooed. "He is verry cute. Werre you borrn here in Arrcea, cim gehoumu~?"

Avery jolted a bit, looking up at the Chatot.

"Ah, uh...yes?" Should he lie? He didn't know where he was born. "I think so, yes."

'I think so? What is that supposed to mean? Am I really going to just think up a story on the spot?'

"I've been here as long as I can remember, anyway...though I've never seen a place like this before...! It's...it's so lively...!" The Plusle's eyes wandered to the flaming grill, then back to his conversation partner, giving her a smile. "My name is Avery, it's very nice to meet you all...!"

"Ooooh, Mao i duto desopu~!" The Dewdong girl giggled, Sekura shoving her playfully.

"Aw, that is okay-dokie. Averry, yes? Did you parrents give an Illamini name, as Sekura here?" The Chatot asked, her Arcean clearly less fluent than Sekura or Kellixae. The Flaaffy stepped in for him.

"No, no, they just gave the Arrcean name, just to let him be...ah, what is the word..." Kellixae clicked her tongue in though, shaking her head. "You know...opvihsevu?"

"Ah, integrrated." The Chatot nodded.

"Baaahhh." The Absol cut in, taking a swig of totter juice. "Good of you...to come to this place. Get taste of HOME. Your OLD COUNTRY, yes?"

Kellixae took a skewering rod, poking into the big steaming mushroom on the big plate. The big plate also had some meat plant roast and berries and bread sticks and sauce all in a big cacophony of food dumped onto a shared plate. Nobody ordered anything, the food simply came.

"DOCU! GUSNEHHOU GSOVVU!" Olkae's voice roared again, the Raichu loudly scraping a bunch of fried and breaded cheese into a massive bowl. Sekura perked up excitedly.

"Oooh, my favorite!" She squealed, clapping her hands together. A wood cup of totter juice was set in front of Avery. "Avery, you must try the fried cheese!"

The Plusle looked down at his reflection in the totter juice, then turned to face Kellixae, who was...more or less making up a past for him. He was very appreciative of her for helping him blend in...! He wasn't sure he'd be able to do it himself. Avery took a polite sip of the totter juice, his ears perking when Sekura said his name.

"Fried cheese...?" Avery asked, trying to follow what was happening. "Okay...! I...hm. Right. My satchel."

He bit his lip.

"...Kellixae, I'm sorry, I didn't bring my satchel. I can pay you back tomorrow morning, I promise...!"

"Oh no need, om nou gehoumu~!" The Chatot lady cooed, producing her own satchel. "I get big payout today. I pay forr you, yes!"

"Aww, that is sweet of you." Kellixae smiled warmly, leaning over to kiss the Chatot on the cheek, the woman giggling warmly.

Everyone sat close together, banging on the table as the band SHRILLED the final note. Cheering ERUPTED from the crowd of Poke'mon at the grill. Two men were stood in the middle, singing and dancing with one another, much to everyone's amusement.

"So...is little Arrcean-in-trraining enjoying self?" The Absol gruffly spoke, smirking. Sekura scooted over to let a man walk over, leaning over to deposit a glob of fried cheese into the group's bowl. Kellixae leaned on Avery.

"Do not crrowd the boy, now." Sekura giggled, her fake Arcean accent slipping, waving a hand as she rolled some cheese for herself. "Let us talk of you. Was your name, ah, Finae?"

"To! To!" The Dewdong replied. "Nou nesovu, rao, to djoene Kissini."

"Oho, Kisso, good to meet you, yes!" Sekura said, leaning over to hug and deliver a cheek kiss to the Absol, the Absol returning the gesture. The Mawile was, thankfully, helping to take pressure of Avery.

Kellixae grinned as she leaned into the Plusle. Avery looked down at her as the others continued talking, Kellixae whispering.

"What do you think...?" Kellixae asked, her voice quiet but audible over the noise.

"It's a lot," Avery whispered, looking back at her. "...But everyone seems really friendly...! I'm going to try and take everything in stride, but...if it's alright with you, Kellixae, perhaps..."

Avery took a bit of the cheese, trying to figure out...exactly how to eat it. It smelled good, and looked good, but...was he just meant to skewer it?

"I think maybe...I'd like to learn a bit of your-er...our native tongue." Avery said. "After all, if I'm going to be here every so often, I'd like to meet people where they're at...! And...I think learning new languages to make new friends is always a good thing, right?"

While he said this, he was trying to keep track of names, and words in his head. Finae was the Dewgong, as far as he could tell - and Kissini, or Kisso, was the Absol. They seemed to kiss on the cheek for greeting, and...he had to assume 'To' meant 'yes'. At least...he thought so.

Kellixae smiled, leaning over and kissing Avery on the forehead. The table felt so warm with everyone so packed together, especially with the Flaaffy nestled so close to Avery. It seemed like that was a common gesture.

"Of courrse, Avery, I would be happy to teach when I can." She said softly, her smile bright and sunny. Kellixae was like a different Poke'mon here. Radiant, welcoming, kind. This must have been the real Kellixae, the woman as she was before she crossed the border, back home in old Illamini.

"Avery, will you have any?" Sekura called out. The Plusle could see her twisting the skewer in the cheese, tearing a bit off the main glob. A skewer sat by him. "Do trry! Olkae has outdone herrself!"

Kellixae smiled, taking a bit of mushroom and twirling it in cheese, biting into it.

"This is how it always was in the old countrry." Kellixae whispered, glancing around. "None of the awkward distance frrom Poke'mon. Oh-so-rreserved music. And the modesty, always having to hide. Bah, not to my taste, no."

'...I know it was a gesture. I know it's common, just a greeting, I know that...But I can't help but flush a bit from the kiss.'

Trying to dismiss it quickly, he followed Kellixae's lead, skewering a mushroom piece, just like she had, and twirling it in the cheese. He had just popped it into his mouth just as the Chatot spoke up again.

"Qoddumu gehoumu!" The Chatot lady piped up again, addressing the Plusle. "Averry! May I ask place you worrk? I worrk at librrarry! It is easy worrk, so long as only putting books on self."

The others laughed, the Fletchinder patting the Chatot on the back.

"Mmmanagerr call you 'stupid'?" The Fletchinder scoffed, the Chatot hand-waving her.

"Not so bad! It is not so bad! Keep quiet and it is verry nice!" The Chatot was kindly speaking in Arcean for Avery'sr sake, even as it was difficult for her. The Fletchinder rolled her eyes, snickering.

"Mmph-!" Avery pulled the skewer out, quickly trying to chew and swallow so he could answer - but the conversation was already moving on...sort of. "I didn't know this city had a library, I don't really get to go out much in the city - I just live a week at a time. I travel quite a bit though, for my job. Went, ah...went to Taeriana recently. And Souljraan before that."

He took another bite.

"Out and into the city a lot, every day."

Avery figured that lying as little as possible was probably going to be good for him. He didn't know enough about this city, Illaminamo, or the culture of either to lie convincingly. He'd just...try and speak vaguely based off what he did know.

"AAAA SOULJREINI!" The Fletchinder bounced, recognizing the word. "Jeo duputdoavu Paulini? Mio i ap Pidgeotini!"

The Chatot giggled.

"She say: Did you meet friend 'Paulae', she is a Pidgeotto." The Chatot said, scooting closer.

"Hmm...I don't think I met a Pidgeotto there," Avery said, shaking his head. "I wasn't there long, just delivering news to the Duke before heading to the Rocky Hills for a spell."

He took another little sip from his drink, starting to get a little more into the groove of everything here as the Chatot spoke up again.

"Ah! Paulae...she is fresh Illamini op Arceali." The Chatot said merrily. "Ran from Duphimevini."

"Oh oh? How is Duphimevu?" Sekura asked, mouth half full, requiring her to take a long swig of totter, something Kellixae matched. Both women were looking more and more inebriated as the night rolled on. "I might have met Paulae. She, too, was a hard working girl, loved seeing her."

"Mmm, you and yourr 'harrd worrk'." Kellixae giggled, locks swaying, taking another drink.

"Kellixae, you know what I always say. Nothing in Illamini nor Arcea is out of reach with a little hard work." Sekura said proudly. "My family had no money for furniture so what do we do? Make it! Our house is in shambles, we fix it! We take our money from Souljreini and get a beautiful stand in the market district. How is that for Illamini op Arceali?"

"Bah, brag brag brag!" The Absol cut in, dismissive. "Sell books and cook food and make furniture and you thrive! Mm! But we do not. No, we are farmers, yes? Kellixae?"

"Mm?"

"You have a farmer body. I see it. Strong." Kissus the Absol said, sipping his totter drink and nodding to the Flaaffy.

"Oh yes. I kept it rrunning a long time. Sucked the grroundwaterr dry and still no rrain." Kellixae shook her head with a sigh. "All that harrd worrk forr nothing. Now to herre I have rrun, tail between my legs and no plot of land to grrow on. No, now I worrk a bank stand and an item shop, hah!"

Everyone at the table snickered. Seems they were all in the same boat. That was new information to Avery, Kellixae working farms before coming here. Others had mentioned droughts before...was that why there was so much migration happening, from Illaminamo to Arcea?

'That might make sense...'

"Oh, but! But! Averry!" The Chatot said. "That sounds good worrk! Like...what is the word...one who deliverrs things."

"Courier?" Sekura offered, the Chatot nodding emphatically.

"To! To!" She affirmed. "I have friend that runs 'courier' jobs in Yahneri port!"

"Courier, yeah," Avery said with a little smile. "Oh, but, I've never actually been to Yahneri Port...! I've heard a lot of things about it, I know someone who's from there. I'd really like to see more of the world - it's why I think I'm really lucky doing what I'm doing. Maybe someday I'll get to see Illaminamo..."

Avery leaned forwards on the table.

"Though I think I ought to learn some of the words before I visit...! Can't very well go there if I can't even ask where the nearest restaurant is without slipping into Engl- Arcean...!"

"Well, no, you should not be speaking pit pillock in the old country!" Kissus laughed heartily, the others joining in, even Kellixae giggling a little.

"I do not think I have been to this 'Yahnerri porrt', either." Kellixae said. "Therre is not much time forr trravel these days, hm?"

"No! Not with the qosunepo wandering around!" The Chatot lady put in with a huff. The Fletchinder grumbled, taking a long swig of her drink. Kellixae's expression darkened for only a moment, though Sekura looked none the wiser.

"Bah, no morre." Kellixae waved away that conversation topic right away. "Let us just eat. Look!"

At the front, Olkae's fire FLARED into a massive searing ball of flames, everyone clapping and shouting excitedly.

"DOCU!" Olkae shouted, dumping a BUNCH of multicolored, cooked berries into a massive saucer. "CEDDJI TEMEVI!"

"Oooo!" The Chatot clapped her wings together. "I think I am still hungry for that!"

"Nnnno more for mmmmeeeee..." The Fletchinder huffed, leaning back, rummaging in her satchel. The Absol took another drink of his totter, Sekura leaning on him. The Dewdong finished up her fried cheese.

Even though he didn't know much better, Avery found himself laughing along with them. The totter juice, the meals, the camaraderie, it all felt so warm. Or maybe that was the fire.

"This Olkae really seems to enjoy her job, huh?" Avery laughed a bit. "It's a wonder she doesn't yell herself hoarse...! Glad for it though, the food's delicious so far."

The Plusle managed to get a few of the berries, even dipping a few of them in the fried cheese from before, catching a few pieces of the cooked mushroom underneath. A group of 3 walked into the courtyard, cheering loudly, everyone cheering with them as they settled into a table with a group of five strangers.

Sekura laughed, leaning on the table.

"Olkae...she has a set of iron lungs, as they say. She can out-shout a thunderstorm." Sekura said, skewering a few salted berries from the bowl. "Oh, to say nothing of the food. Was she from Ushuhmou originally? Poke'mon from the big city always have loud voices."

"Bah, I can not say, no." The Absol drawled. "But she has Ushuhmou feel to her, yes."

The band kept playing loudly, the poke'mon shouting and cheering, the space under the awning feeling so warm as the night went on and on.

Kellixae was still leaning on Avery, clearly a bit tipsy, swaying a bit to the thrumming music as the others talked. She looked over at Avery with a little smile.

"I am...verry glad you came, Averry..." She whispered softly. Avery sat up a little, pushing himself up against Kellixae just a bit as the multitude of berries were added to the platter on their table. Avery's hand found Kellixae's, helping support the Flaaffy as she leaned on him.

"I'm glad I came too." Avery said. "It's...still a little overwhelming, but...I'm having a lot of fun here...! It's nice to get out and meet new people."

Kellixae smiled softly.

"That is how it is in the old countrry..." Kellixae whispered, sighing wistfully. "I do wish to rreturrn one day...when things are betterr...if they everr arre."

Avery nodded with a sigh and a smile, nestling in and taking a moment to just bask in the atmosphere of the late night grill.

How late was it, anyway? This place seemed to never sleep. It was only until the Chatot got up with the Fletchinder that Avery noticed how much time had passed.

"Ok ok, nou fumdi gehoumu!" The Chatot cooed, leaning over and planting a loving kiss on Avery's cheek. "I must go now. It was so nice meet you, Averry! I hope I will find you at Arceali library!"

Once again, Avery's face flushed...and, riding the moment, he leaned forward and placed a kiss on the Chatot's cheek back. Maybe it was the totter juice making it easier, but...it felt natural, here, like this.

"...You know...you never did give me your name, miss," Avery said with a little chuckle. "But yes, if I ever have the free time, I would love to visit you at the library...! Take care, okay...?"

"Oh oh! You can call me Wilae. My friend is Tikovae, here!" The Chatot said merrily, holding Avery's shoulder and introducing him to the Fletchinder woman who looked to be about the Chatot's age.

"Qoedisi fo duputdisvo." Tikovae said, stepping up to kiss Avery's cheek as well. And so he kissed hers. It felt...more natural now. Better. "It hasss been a nnnnice night. Thank you very."

Wilae giggled to herself, Kellixae patting the Plusle's shoulder.

"Hopefully, next time we meet back here, I'll be able to speak some Illaminian, ah? Maybe I could find a book on it in the library." Avery gave the two of them a smile. "Have a nice night, the both of you...!"

The both of them smiled merrily, waving as they left. The Absol sipped the last from his cup, just as the band started another thrumming tune.

Kellixae sighed, taking one last roll of mushroom, salted berries and cheese, Sekura doing the same, finishing her drink.

"Ahhh...it is not often we get to go out like this and so late." Sekura said, patting Kellixae and the Absol on the shoulders.

"Mm...the strreets feel saferr in grroups of thrree, yes?" Kellixae cooed, slurring slightly as she nuzzled into Avery. "But we should perhaps think of going soon. Wilae kept herr worrd, she paid for herrself and you, mhmhm..."

Avery nodded, moving to slip off the stool - though he stopped when he felt Kellixae leaning up against him. Avery gently put a hand on her leg to balance her.

"I should be getting back soon, too." Avery sighed. "But... Thank you both. All of you, really, tonight has been... It's been amazing. I think I needed this more than I realized."

He looked up at Kellixae.

"... Should we head back?"

Kellixae leaned back, stretching as Sekura gathered her payment for the front.

"Mmmmhmmm..." Kelly quietly yawned, standing up from the stone table, taking Sekura's hand.

"Aw, that is good, Avery." Sekura laughed, stepping up beside him, waving goodbye to the Dewdong and Absol couple. "Have things been stressful for you...? I can only imagine with the stories you have told."

The group walked back out into the alley, Sekura depositing something around 200p into a collections dish, for her and Kellixae. At once, the loud music was behind them again. The three had to side-step another group going the other way towards the grill. Arceliaze sounded alive as ever as the group emerged from the maze of alleyways. The music of the grill was completely muted by the thick labyrinth of buildings and awnings, a well kept secret.

"... The last mission was... Very tough. Emotionally." Avery faced Sekura. "... It turned out alright. You might end up seeing stories of Aquashock turning a new leaf...or, more likely, 'throwing away years of work' or something soon. But...It was taxing. And... "

He deflated.

"...I shouldn't unload on you both too much, you've been so kind to me. I just...I wish that..." He hesitated. Sekura seemed to...deflate a little, hearing that about the guild, but perked up all the same as the Plusle continued. "... My team didn't want me coming here tonight. They...it seems like they're like everyone else. I just... I wish I could introduce Vizon and Nivanee to you, that I could show them the wonderful things here. But...not yet-"

There was faint shouting echoing over the district.

"No." Kellixae said at once. Sekura perked up, looking at the Flaaffy. Kellixae stared at Avery with glazed eyes and a hardened expression. The look gave Avery pause but it quickly melted, Kellixae shaking her head with a sigh. "Ah, I mean...that does not surrprrise me, I admit. Such is the way of Arrcea. I apprreciate your company all the same...perrhaps morre than I would with yourr guildmates."

A compliment. A suggestion.

"Aw, but...that is fine! They are smart and kind Poke'mon at the guild, especially Nivanee. She is a long-time idol of mine, you know!" Sekura beamed. Kellixae only huffed silently at the peppy mawile.

Back outside, Kellixae sighed and hunched her posture again, just as a nearby guard was side-eying her.

"I do wish yourr optimism was infectious..." Kellixae mused, looking away. "It is harrdly a surrprrise to hearr Vizon and...Nivanee would trry to barr you like a lost child, Avery."

Avery nodded a little with a sigh, following between the other two as they weaved their way through the alleys. Banitus's shop was like this too. He glanced over to Kellixae, feeling a little odd how the Flaaffy seemed to act when his friends were brought up...and feeling even stranger watching Kellixae begin her hunched gait again, especially after seeing her so relaxed at the grill.

Proud Illaminians had to hide.

"Mmph..." Sekura squirmed, breaking the awkward silence that fell over the group. "They were...emotionally tough on you, Avery...? Oh dearr..."

"...It was because of my amnesia," Avery said. "Or, partially. They were worried I'd be attacked on the way here or back."

He decided not to tell them about Nivanee's threat. Not with Sekura here.

"From what I've heard that's a danger...does it have to do with the Poke'mon in hoods I keep seeing?" Avery whispered. "I know there's guards around..."

"The hooded Pokémon...?" Kellixae asked, glancing around quickly, spotting one as they darted off. "Oh, no, not them. Nothing to fearr therre."

"Who...?" Sekura glanced over, trying to see. Kellixae shook her head.

"Just a few good Pokémon helping us Illamini op Arceali herre..." Kellixae whispered. "But do not tell the guarrd of them. I do not think they even live here in Arrceliaze."

Sekura looked completely lost at what the Flaaffy was saying. Kellixae continued.

"I norr anyone knows where it is they come from, only that they sometimes...keep us safe frrom the Arrceali guard."

"Safe...?" Sekura blinked, hands on her hips. "Why would you need be safe frrom guarrd?"

Kellixae sighed but did not reply.

Avery nodded a little.

"Okay. That's good to know," He said with a little smile. He quickly changed the subject, turning to the Mawile. "Sorry, Sekura - ah, I should ask...! Do you have two jobs as well...? I know you work at the magazine stand."

"The bookstore, yes! That is my patents' bookstore which I now run. It is just like the one we had in Duphimevu. Some of the books we sell are even from our collection back in the old country, whatever of that collection we could take with us." Sekura nodded warmly. "As for that 'service debt job', of course, proudly! I am a warehouse worker by early morning and running the bookstore about by the time the guild wakes up, yes?"

"I rrememberr I visited you, once, beforre worrk. Dawn had not even brroken yet and you alrready had your scarf on." Kellixae softly laughed, keeping close to Avery as the group passed a guard. The Flaaffy only relaxed once they passed another large patrol of citizens. Avery laughed, too, trying to keep the atmosphere warm between them.

The streets were more narrow here, softly lit by lamps. Another shout sounded off in the distance.

"Again, thank you for tonight." Avery sighed. "Maybe we could do it again sometime? I have a friend who I think would love to go to a place like that. She's all for fire and food and friends - the, uh, Banitus's regular! Lahnae, she's great."

"Gracious, was it really Lahnae all along that was Banitus's regular?" Sekura beamed excitedly. "She absolutely struck me as that sort of Pokémon!"

Kellixae frowned, a gravelly hum escaping her lips.

"Hmmm...again, I do wish I sharred in yourr optimism, but I suppose meeting herr would not hurrt." Kellixae whispered quietly as Avery passed another guard. "Perrhaps a visit to the bank? We could...always..."

Kellixae paused. Sekura stopped with her, looking back.

"What is that smell?" Kellixae asked, eyes darting upward. Avery saw something in her eyes.

Fear.

Terror.

As though she were seeing something he could not.

"Kellixae?" Sekura began, looking worried. "What is it? Are you ok...?"

"Smoke." Kellixae breathed in terror. "Smoke, again, smoke. Wherre? Wherre?!"

Sekura's eyes widened in concern as she stepped forward to hold Kellixae's shoulders.

"You are scaring me, Kellixae. Do you smell..."

Avery could smell it too. Smoke. Wood burning.

There was a shout in the distance.

"I must get home!" Kellixae hissed, pushing at Sekura. "Taishavio...Taishavio...!"

Avery's heart dropped. It took a moment for him to get its scent. But he nodded, setting himself.

"Let's go, quickly-!"

He didn't know where the fire was, but from Kellixae's urgency...It could be very close to her own home.

"Now, now, you two...Avery, Kellixae..."

"I must...! I must...!" Kellixae was hyperventilating, Sekura tried holding her but she was shoved aside, the farmer's strength barreling over her.

"It could just be spring kindling! Some twigs and leaves for a pyre, you know this!" Sekura called as the Flaaffy stumbled forward. "You simply had too much Totterr! Please, contrrol yourrself...!"

Kellixae's face looked side to side...up. staring at something invisible. Seeing something that terrified her.

The shouting increased in volume.

Sekura grunted, running after her, waving Avery along.

The three made haste through the district, smelling smoke the whole time, following Kellixae as she made a desperate beeline for her house.

Avery could hear Sekura's sigh of relief as they all rounded the corner to find Kelluxae's house. Untouched. Okay.

The door was wide open, the Flaaffy already inside. Avery looked up at Sekura, panting.

"What...a...are there... A-are there fires... O-often? S-she..." The Plusle heaved a breath.

"Plenty during winter...even in spring. To get rid of fallen branches and twigs and warm the streets on occasion!" Sekura replied, huffing as she moved to the house. "I do not know why it makes her panic so..."

Sekura stepped into the doorway, peering inside. There, in the hammock, Kellixae was already curled and cradling her confused Mareep son who looked at two at the door with a quizzical expression.

Kellixae said nothing, only burying her face in Taishavio's fluff, holding him tight.

Shouts outside still echoed. Sekura sighed deeply, relieved to see them both okay.

"...I... Would hazard a guess that she's experienced losing something in a fire before," Avery whispered. "...I'm glad that the smoke is normal though - hopefully that means everyone is alright."

The Plusle stepped up to the door, but didn't walk inside.

"... Kellixae...? Would you want me to bring Sekura home...? Or... I could stay here a little longer if you need someone."

Kellixae was silent, lost in her own world, shaking her head. It was unclear if she even heard him.

"Gaudu! I ap gaudu!"

A voice roared from the street. Sekura turned her head. Kellixae gave a muffled cry, curling tighter. Footsteps thundered past the house, a large group of Poke'mon rushing past.

"Mjeppu gevvu!" another voice shouted from farther away. "Hmo tvsupbo tupu epfevo i mjeppu gevvu!"

"Cetvesfo Arceali!"

Now it was Sekura's turn to look worried as she stepped back out into the street. Kellixae rocked back and forth with her son, securing him in her arms, the Mareep looking scared, too.

"... Wh-" Avery almost found himself clinging to Sekura, the unfamiliarity of what was happening frightening him.

'But...'

He was a guild member. He had to keep strong.

"... S... Sekura...?" Avery asked, looking up at the Mawile. "What's... What's happening...? What are they saying...?"

"Fire..." Sekura muttered. "S-something about fire..."

The voices and yelling reached a fever pitch in the distance. Sekura led Avery into the street, looking toward where the Pokémon ran.

In the alleyways, hooded Poke'mon ran in the same direction.

There, over the line of homes...they saw an orange glow. Much too bright for kindling.

Sekura put a hand over her mouth, her eyes widening.

"NENNE! QEQE!" She shrieked in her native tongue, stumbling forward with the thundering crowd...toward her own house. Avery gasped, giving Kellixae a quick look behind him, and then ran after Sekura.

'That... That couldn't be. It couldn't be. Right?'

'What... Nobody would do that, right? Not to Sekura. People like Sekura! She's positive, she brought her home culture here, she...'

'No no no-'

Sekura ran, never once taking her eyes off the glow in the distance.

"Sekurini! Sekurini!" voices cried out in fear, rallying others to suddenly break away from their homes, joining the stampede toward the fire.

Closer and closer.

The shouts! Yelling! Intensifying! Angry!

Sekura stumbled, rolling into the dirt, panicked, crawling.

'That... That was her name, wasn't it...? I-'

Avery darted past her when she stumbled, taking a moment to notice that she'd fallen. His paws skidded against the dirt as he stopped, pulling back and offering himself to help her get up.

"Here-"

'That was her name.

... Please let her house be okay-'

"Nenne-!" Sekura choked out, panting, gripping Avery's hand. She looked at the Plusle pleadingly before letting him pull her up. "Qeqe-!"

She coughed. Ash billowed around the street. Smoke rolled over the path. The ground shook and tremored with footsteps.

Sekura held tight to Avery's hand as the both of them ran forward. They turned a corner.

Another.

Another.

One last corner.

Sekura wailed in horror.

There, at the center of the road, beyond the crowd, beyond the guard that shoved the angry crowd back, beyond the Simisear holding the sobbing Megamawile...

Sekura's once proud home was ablaze, an inferno that kissed the sky, cascading harsh orange light over the street. The fire lit them up from the front, the heat driving over them in waves.

Avery's grip on Sekura's hand tightened. His other paw found her.

He didn't make a sound. He was in...complete and utter shock.

'...I knew...I knew, on some level, that something like this could happen. These houses are wood. If the right spark caught in the wrong way...

But Sekura? Sekura didn't deserve this'.

Avery wanted to rush forward, to try and put it out - but there was nothing he could do. He wasn't equipped for this. He could do nothing but watch helplessly and hold Sekura.

That house, that colorful, cherry house...it was going up in flames.

All around Avery, angry voices, Illaminian, shouted and jeered at the guard that kept them from the flame.

"Stop prrotecting them!"

"It was a crrime! I saw it!"

The Escavalier guards roared, striking aa Ursaring back.

"You lyin' blighters didn't see nothing! Just a house fire!" He yelled. The crowd surged, another devasting strike from the guard. "Back to your ruddy homes! I said get back! You lot'll mind me EVENTUALLY."

"Ruddy Arkon! You arre with them?! Huh? Huh?!" A voice shouted. "Say 'blighterr' one morre time! I darre y-"

A shriek. The Escavalier stabbed into the crowd, the hoard backing off. The yelling ERUPTED louder!

Sekura pushed past the Poke'mon, many of them looking furiously sorry for the Mawile girl as she called for the Simisear and Megamawile, her parents.

"Let herr thrrough!"

"Nobody gets through, minmin!"

The crowd SURGED again.

Avery's heart raced.

'There was no way that guards would set fire to a house, right...? That couldn't...'

The Plusle found himself stumbling forwards with Sekura, putting his badge back on almost on instinct.

"Th...this is her house, let her through- please-" Avery said, coughing a little in the smoke. Were they even trying to put it out...!? "Is there a fire brigade...?!"

'What can I do...? What should I do...? Could...could I help with the fire...? I don't have access to anything water-based. I don't know if they have equipment to put it out.'

Avery tried leading her to her parents, his badge on. He knew that it made people in this district nervous - but if he could use it to at least get Sekura to her parents...

The guard shoved back at the crowd, looking down at Avery.

"Oi, what-!"

Another guard stopped him, seeing the Plusle's badge. The guard stood by only long enough for Avery and Sekura to go through. Another tried to squeeze by only to be THROWN back into the crowd.

Sekura stumbled away from the Plusle, throwing herself into the Simisear.

"Qeqe!" she cried, hugging him tight. The Simisear hugged back tight and firm.

This close up, the inferno BILLOWED intense heat on all four of them. Sweat formed on Avery's forhead only to immediately evaporate. Ash stung his body, swirling with a grand display of smoke.

The roof collapsed with a thunderous crack. And everyone only watched. The guards did nothing. The crowd was held back from helping.

"Why...why is the guard doing nothing...?" Sekura sobbed, staring at the slowly crumbling ghost of the once colorful house.

The crowd angrily roared, the guards only pushing back.

"SEKURINI!"

"SEKURINI!"

"SEKURINI!"

The crowd shouted her name over the roars of the guard, the Mawile sobbing as the Simisear held her.

"Shh, shh, Sekurini..." the Simisear cooed, squeezing the girl tight. "Pup fotqisevi...we are all safe, we are ok..."

"I SAW IT! I SAW WHO DID IT!"

"SHUT UP!"

"YOU ARKON FILTH!"

Sekura looked back at Avery, her eyes both sad...and thankful.

Yet, there was no question.

This was no accident.

Avery stared down at the family, his eyes flicking towards the towering inferno of Sekura's home, squinting at the bright blaze.

He..wanted to help. So badly, but...

"C...can one of you get help?" Avery looked over at one of the guards. "This should be put out before it spreads or does more damage, s-shouldn't it...? We have to act quickly! I...I can go, I can get someone-"

He almost didn't want to believe it. Part of him knew this wasn't an accident. But...but that couldn't be true, right? Who would do this? Who would hurt Sekura...?

"I can get someone to help with the fire. Where do I go-?"

The guard paid him no mind, only shouting doen the crowd.

"BET YOU SAW THEM! THAT CHARRMELEON AND PIGNITE AND YOU JUST LET THEM WALK!"

"THAT'S ENOUGH OUT OF YOU!"

The guard SHOVED someone down.

The house's northern wall collapsed, a billow of ash and soot swirling in the air.

The Megamawile mother's expression was blank, a hard stare affixed to the crumbling home whilst the Simisear only looked sadly to Avery.

"It is the way of things..." the Simisear said, stroking Sekura's head, a sad chuckle crossing his lips. "No firre brrigade forr a few blighters like us, and the culprrits rrunning off scott frree as everr, hm?"

The Megamawile's gaze turned to her husband, her brow furrowed. Sekura, meanwhile, curled as the blaze strengthened, demolishing the house. The fire reflected brilliantly in the mawile's eyes, all her confidence from the night gone.

Now she hunched.

She hid.

"I...I can..." Avery buckled with the wall. It was...it was too late. The house was gone.

He couldn't look away. But still, to the Simisear, he spoke.

"Please, don't...don't call yourselves that, you're...you don't deserve this," Avery whispered. "Nobody deserves this..."

Far beneath him, Avery could feel an...anger bubbling, roiling like a pit of lava, waiting for its time to burst.

But for now, it lay dormant.

For now, Avery just felt devastation, a despair that seemed to hollow him out from the inside.

"...This shouldn't...be the way of things."

Avery snapped out of his trance, at least a little. He couldn't afford to phase out. The fire, the edges - he tried to squint through the light, to see if it was in danger of spreading.

The inferno weakened. Slowly dying.

There, he could see it. Steam. Billowing from the charred wreckage. In secret, as though trying to not be seen, Avery saw them.

The hooded Pokemon. Spraying small, concentrated bursts of water, trying to not attract the attention of the guard. Sekura nor her parents seem to notice, only that the fire was losing its power.

The guard was backing up. As the danger vanished, so did their need to hold back the crowd.

The hooded Pokémon skulked in the shadows between houses, their faces concealed.

And one, further down the road...seemed to be staring at Avery.

Avery made eye contact with one of them. He realized quickly that they were trying to remain secret. That the guard might stop them.

So he just...gave them a quick nod and mouthed 'thank you'.

He turned away from them, moving closer to Sekura - though keeping a respectful distance, for her parents' sake. So not to smother her.

"...I'm sorry, Sekura," Avery said softly. "...I'm sorry that this happened. I...I'll try and find who did this. If I can, I'll find who did this. Nobody deserves this. Nobody..."

Even now, Avery's eyes wandered back to the smoke, billowing up into the night sky. The flames, the flickering embers. Sekura looked up at him as he said this. The Simisear gave a small smile at Avery's promise.

"...is that so...?" The Simisear muttered, stroking Sekura's head.

The Mawile stared, her expression vacant.

Before her brow knitted, her teeth gritting.

"Avery..." she muttered, shaking, tear streaked face both sad...and angry. "Do not...let them get away with this..."

The crowd made another push towards the smoldering house, shouting at the guard what they'd seen.

Meanwhile, the hooded Pokémon stared from afar...watching Avery with interest. But Avery wasn't paying attention to the hooded figure - not right now.

He just...hugged Sekura. Quickly - not too long, not to overwhelm her.

"...I won't. I'll...I'll do my very best."

Sekura hugged back, softly whispering a thank you...a thank you full of hope. Hope in Avery. Hope in the guild he represented.

With that, the Plusle backed off.

"...Someone in the crowd knew who did it, I...I should get to them before it disperses too much. Will you three be okay...?"

"Yes...we arre all together..." the Simisear said softly, Sekura nodding with him. "We will be ok."

The guard line began to slack, Poke'mon coming closer to leer at the wreckage, cursing the city, the people in it.

Avery nodded...and went into the crowd. Avoiding the guard, keeping his voice low. He knew he'd probably be sneered at. But...he had to prepare for that.

"...Excuse me..."

"Who the?"

Avery moved amongst the crowd, looking up at the different Poke'mon.

"I'm sorry, did you..."

"Guild...!"

"Oh, cack, guild?! Wh-whats he doing here?!"

Each question was to a different Pokemon.

"Someone said they saw who did it."

But if he could just find someone receptive enough to point him in the right direction...

"How darre you show yourr face herre?!"

"Hold, hold, hold, he is asking after those two that burrnt miss Sekura's home!"

"Would you know who that was...? I need to know who did it too."

Avery kept pressing, grilling all the information he could.

"Sad he did not get firrst lick on the haughty blighterr's house?!"

Accusations were flying from the angry crowd...but none dare make a move nor tussle with Avery. The Plusle was tired. Tonight was taking its toll.

But he had to at least get a lead tonight. He'd chase more later. But...he couldn't leave these Poke'mon alone. They were citizens of Arceliaze, just like anyone else. They...they deserved respect.

From the shadows, the hooded Pokémon watched Avery work, watched him investigate.

"Shush, shush, you arre not helping." A Glaceon hissed, swatting at a Golem who only sneered at Avery. The Glaceon glanced back at the Plusle cooperatively. "Yes, I saw it. I was herre when it happened."

"Go on, tell him!"

The crowd of angry Illaminians rumbled, many cursing in their native tongue. Many lamenting the attack on Sekura, someone everyone liked. Avery perked his head, listening close to the Glaceon, trying to pick her voice out amongst the rumbling chaotic mix of voices.

"A Pignite...and a Charrmeleon came herre, stumbling in, probably on totterr, and set 's home on fire."

The crowd's mood flared at the recounting. Many in the crowd shushed one another to let the Glaceon talk.

"They ran for the west gate. They surely cannot be far."

"Rrunning like cowarrds!"

"It's that Convention! Everrytime they gatherr therre's trrouble when they let out!"

"Raio guvvavo peboupemotvo! Dussisi senqepvo, gesi raimmu dji hmo qesi!"

Avery nodded. He was so tired. Sleepy.

'But...if they aren't far...'

"Thank you." Avery called to the crowd in a loud voice. "I'll...I'll see if I can get them. They won't get away with this if I can help it."

He looked at the others. The people sneering at him. He knew why. They couldn't expect any different from the guild. From Arceliaze. But Avery was here to protect people. Protect everyone. He was on their side. He was here for Arceliaze. And they were part of that.

"Stay safe," Avery called to everyone, even as they jeered in their native tongue. They clearly expected nothing from him, none believed in what he said. None but Sekura, who stared at Avery with the same hope as before.

Without another word, he turned to run for the west gate. He didn't even know what he was going to do. He was tired, could he really apprehend them...? Would he have the authority for that? Avery had to be sure that they had done it. But...

Avery had to at least see them. Just in case...even if he couldn't do something tonight...he could find them tomorrow. Or another day.

They wouldn't get away with it.

Down the road led to the west gate, back into the lower market district...

These are the nights our true selves are shown.

'...Out.'

Avery's gaze fell to the ground, looking for tracks. Most guards and Illaminian Poke'mon would have gone towards the fire. A Pignite and Charmeleon would have distinct footprints heading away from it in this direction.

The Glaceon said that they were on totter juice. So they'd be inebriated. Uneven steps, probably easy to spot this late. And there they were. The exact tracks. Uneven, staggering. One wide and heavy set, one clawed set. Stuck in the still damp dirt path, leading to the west gate.

And following the tracks, coming to the west gate...

The dirt path continued, the dilapidated buildings of the lower market district on either side, a stark contrast to the log cabins that surrounded Avery just a moment ago.

Poke'mon loomed in the alley. No guards here.

And the tracks continued down, westward. He tried to not let himself be plagued with doubts, but would anyone else take this seriously? Surely if he told them they'd...see his desperation as something. Even if he didn't like it, they could listen to Avery more than an Illaminian. But...

'What can I do? Even if I sent them to prison, there's no warrant out for them. I'm not filling a request. They might just get out scot-free.'

He knew it. He didn't have the tools to bring justice now. But he'd have to go to someone he could trust. Someone he hoped would take this seriously, who could do something.

He couldn't just get angry and lash out again, like back in Dovve Fo Uddjo.

He'd struck against Kipuuna and rightly paid the price. He had endangered his entire team, jeopardized the whole mission. That wasn't the conduct a guild member...a team captain...was supposed to have. No, he had to keep calm. No matter what, keep calm.

Stifle his feelings.

Be professional.

For now, he had to build a profile. A Pignite and Charmeleon. Inebriated last night from totter juice. Exited the Illaminian District through the west gate after suspected arson of a civilian's home according to eyewitness testimony.

It was late. Sanshiyad had already peaked long ago and was on track to set a few hours from now. The streets were barren, the torches dimly giving light. The only ones out at this hour were the vagrants, the drunks, the criminals.

A tottered Marill and Growlithe passed, singing and cheering, their voices echoing over the stone buildings.

The tracks Avery followed were steadily getting more and more fresh.

They were going slow, not running. They had a casual gait after their crime.

After all.

It was just a few blighters, wasn't it?

Avery's brow furrowed. That anger was coming back. But he had to keep it quelled. Not again.

'Deep breaths. Deep breaths.'

Avery wouldn't do anything tonight. He couldn't do anything tonight. But tomorrow morning...he would wake up, and if Olistia wasn't in the guild for the briefing...he would go to her about this. Her or Sarfallinus.

He was only a single prong team. He was still new. He'd barely been here a week. It was out of his jurisdiction.

But these were people with their home gone. Everyone loved them, and their home burned to the ground on a whim. Even someone like Vizon had to know that...this was bad, right?

He focused on 'bad guys'. He was convinced Illaminians were bad guys. But these two...they could have burned down someone's house. Unprompted.

The dirt crunched under his feet, the imposing, dark building rising at either side of him.

...they were here, too.

In the shadows. On the roofs of buildings. Staring at him. Silently watching.

Those hooded Pokémon.

They did nothing but watch. Watched as Avery trudged on, only cobblestone paths where the mud was tracked further on.

Just as Avery nearly lost the trail...

...he saw them.

In a small plaza, Avery saw the Pignite and Charmeleon. They were swaying, drinks in hand, looking angry, eyes darting around. Their voices were loud, like all the Totter juice had ruined their ability to talk in a low voice.

"I knew it I knew it, did you see em?!"

The Pignite burped, hitting the Charmeleon's arm, almost like in a panic. The Charmeleon seemed hyped up, shaking, smiling.

They weaved through a small crowd, a few Pokémon milling about here with sleepy guard. Avery hid, just out of sight of the two of them. Wrote down their physical descriptions. Where they were. Any names he could get. Any implicating words they'd say. Anything that would warrant investigation. He'd do it himself if he had to, he'd get a warrant and do it himself.

"What's the panic? What's the worry?" The Charmeleon slurred, pushing back at the Pignite. "We're back safe with our folk, we-"

The Charmeleon was interrupted by sudden sickness, doubling over to upchuck onto the pavement, making the Pignite back up. The guard didn't even look his way.

"Armies! Patrols! All those hooded spooks milling around." The Pignite hiccuped, tossing a wood cup at the ground. "Exactly like Fovius was sayin' at the convention!"

"Right under our noses! Desert dags ready to strike, I know!" The Charmeleon spat out the last giblets of his dinner. "Don't...don't you start goin' yellow on me. A cocky gait like that mawie had today, whole city's up in flames tomorrow, you know that...!"

"Aye, as I live and breathe on Arceus's own land!" The Pignite replied fearfully. "I was sure I'd die."

Avery bit his lip, feeling a heat in his chest, a thrum in his head. This was all but a confession. It took a lot of willpower not to crush his notes in his hand from what they were saying.

"Yeah, that-...hrk..." the Charmeleon swallowed another vomit. "...group she was with...bodyguards or summat?"

"They've been whisperin', I know they have." The Pignite slurred, wringing his hands together. "One stroll through the lower market district and it's nothing but Illaminian babble that stops the moment you look at 'em. Now important Poke'mon getting escorted around, armies patrolling...! Why's the guard just...just standin' around?!"

"Didn't I say quit yer panicking?!" The Charmeleon hissed. "Look, hard part's done, we're already out of there. Pulius was talking about that one's bookstore, right in the Market district, not a stone's throw from the One Truth Square, right?"

"What...? You and I...we're going there, too?"

"On Eunia's blood you had better believe we are!" The Charmeleon said forcefully, picking up a brick by some construction scaffolding. "Blighters Having a run of the Lower Market District is bad enough, but right in the Market District? No, no no, no sir."

The Pignite nodded solemnly, picking up a brick of his own. As Avery followed, the crowd thinned, more and more.

Nobody watching.

Nobody but the hooded Pokémon upon the roofs.

"Haughty rotten blighters...see how tall she's walkin' in my city with no store..."

Avery bristled.

Maybe he couldn't arrest them. But...

"Hey." Avery spoke, loudly, clearly, stepping out into view.

The pair stopped, stumbling. The Charmeleon dropped his brick as he tried to turn around. The two looked bleary eyed at Avery, brow knitted as though they couldn't see him very well.

Avery steeled him and hardened his expression as he spoke.

"You two." The Plusle said. "I hope you're not planning on going back into the Illaminian district tonight."

Avery puffed his chest, clenched his fists, his position on clear display. The Pignite noticed the glint on Avery's golden badge, brightening up at once.

"Oh, thank Arceus...it's a guildie!" the Pignite sighed with relief. "I thought you were one'a them night skulkers."

"Well! Pride o' the Arceans and all that! Oh, sir, out on a late patrol?" The Charmeleon slurred with a smile and a stumble. "Keepin us safe from all those crooks and bad guys, ey?"

Avery's expression didn't change.

"...It's late," the Plusle said. "You two should be getting home. If there's crooks and bad guys on the street, it's the guild that protects, yeah? You two shouldn't be putting yourselves and other people in danger. You should both head home."

Avery...tried to keep himself level. He couldn't lose his cool now. If he got them riled up, then it'd be harder to resolve this part of it without making a scene.

'...If I get in trouble for this it wouldn't be helping anyone. But Arceus how I want to turn them in early.'

"Oh pahh, naught wrong here, sir! Just living an' protecting Arceliaze as Arceus would have us do!" The Charmeleon quipped.

"Oi...!" The Pignite hissed, batting the Charmeleon on the shoulder.

"We just got out of a convention with some other boys from NAM." The Charmeleon said, nudging the Pignite back. "We were a little inspired t'night, yeah?"

"...I think you two should go home," Avery said, in a more serious tone. "There was an arson incident just outside the east gates of the Lower Market district. They could still be out and about. A family of three lost their home. There's dangerous people around this night. You should both go home."

'

"Oh...! Blighter district?" The Charmeleon said, smirking up at the Pignite who just sighed and kept quiet. "We might've heard. That rickety shack must've lit like a bonfire and by Arceus it'll smolder like one."

The Charmeleon perked up.

"Hey!" He said, pulling the Pignite close. "You should come with us for a lil' bit of 'community correction' tonight, like Fovius said! Guild goes in for that kinda thing don't it?"

Despite it being painfully obvious that Avery knew who the culprits were, it was clear to see...neither of them were at all worried. It was plain to see they assumed the Plusle was on their side.

Avery's ear twitched. He balled his fists up.

'Control yourself. Deep breaths.'

"I'm sorry, what are your names?" Avery asked, fighting to keep his voice level. He couldn't attack them on the street. He couldn't do it. He hated to admit it but...

Avery was scared. Scared of what would happen, what this town would think of him.

He might be run out. And then what? These people would keep doing this with nobody to stop them.

"Whhhat, don't you know us? Gonzus and Yortzi? NAM officers? Inspectors for the Merchant's Guild? Cmoooon, everyone knows us!" The Charmeleon laughed, swaying into the Pignite.

"What of your name? Oh no...wait wait, you're that uhhh...that uh...Avery one, the new one!" The Pignite said with a wide grin.

"Oh, wow, Avery? Quakin' Avery?" the Charmeleon laughed. "Awh, I read about you in the pamphlets! Heck, there was talk about you at the convention! All that stuff they've been sayin' ain't true, is it? You ain't a capitulator, yeah?"

All around, the hooded Pokémon watched with interest.

Avery was quiet a moment, taking a deep breath through his nose.

"...Gonzus and Yortzi," Avery said, his expression growing grave. "It is late. You have both been out. I am going to ask once more that you two return home and go to bed. Do you need to be escorted? Or can you make it there yourselves?"

'Deep breaths. Stay calm. Stay controlled.'

The Pignite made a face, looking back at the Charmeleon who only folded his arms with a hardened expression of his own.

"Or else...what?" The Charmeleon began. "It ain't illegal for two NAM Officers to be out and about, doing as they would, whatever that may be."

"...Sirs." Keep level. Keep level. "NAM officers or not. You two do not have legal authority to do as you please. Especially not what's happened in the Illaminian district. I'm letting you of easy here...but this all ends now. Home, or Prison. Pick one to go to."

The pair stepped up, looking more and more angry.

"Hey...! D-Do you have any idea how many guards in this city I'm friends with? The prison guard in castle Arceali is my direct subordinate in NAM." The Pignite added, trying to not falter after the Charmeleon's initiative. "You try anything and we'd walk before you finished writing our names in the prisoner directory...!"

"What happened in the Illaminian district was a public service." The Charmeleon growled back, spitting in Avery's direction. "Lemme turn it around: Guild or not you better watch your tongue about our business, blight-kisser."

"Is this what I can expect from Officers of Nam? Call me a blight-kisser if you damn well please, but I'm sworn by this badge to protect the people of this city. And that district is in this city." Avery said, clenching his fists. For all his bravado, he was swiftly losing his nerve. His desperation to hold back his anger was leaving him terrified inside. "Whatever you both believe, what happens to those Poke'mon isn't up to you. Especially not when you are drunk."

"Oh for Arceus...-just leave 'im, Yortzi." The Charmeleon grunted, turning away. "All posturing and guff and naught else. Everyone knows guild's got no teeth n'more anyway."

The Charmeleon snickered, bending down to pick his brick back up and leading his friend. The Pignite grunted, running after him, the pair heading in the direction of the one truth square.

Towards Sekura's bookstore.

"You have a good night, Guildie Avery." The Charmander called. "And tell yer sand worm girlfriend we're comin' for her next!"

Avery stood and watched them go.

Bristling.

As their backs turned, a momentary lapse of control sent sparks of electricity dancing down his shoulders.

But he regained control.

He kept...control.

His eyes went up to the rooftops. Where the figures had been.

This couldn't wait.

He began making his way to the guild with haste, having written down the names and profiles of the officers. Maybe they were bluffing about their friends.

'...but if they aren't...I have to trust that Sarfallinus or Olistia can do something about it. I can't stand for this.'

Avery ran quickly, darting down empty streets, darkening as more and more torches went out.

The hooded Poke'mon no longer followed him, only staring at him from afar as he moved quickly, the figures turning the opposite direction and darting away.

The torches were now little more than quiet embers. Oil lamps running low. Sanshiyad low in the sky.

The streets of Arceliaze were dead. Cold.

Silent.

The only sounds were a dull wind and the sound of Avery's own paws.

"...Please keep them safe where I can't," He whispered, looking up at the rooftops. "Please..."

He was running now. He couldn't waste time. He just had to hope that someone at the guild would be on his side with this.

'Someone...'

He put his head down and ran, even as his lungs ached. He couldn't afford to dawdle. Lives were on the line.

The streets were dark. Both looking familiar and...twisted in the dark. Warped and strange. Proud statues now loomed like beasts ready to strike. Pillars and overhangs hung over like teeth, jaws.

Everything was still in the heavy shadow, nothing much more than the dull red glow of Sanshiyad.

Nobody was here.

Avery passed a familiar street. Another.

And there...there was the guild. On the far end of the silent canal.

Lights off. Sleeping.

He ran into the guild, wheezing from the effort of running. His paw went to his chest as he looked around the guild.

'I have...I have to tell someone.'

'Sarfallinus. Estaloni. Somebody.'

The guild hall was dark, the candles long since gone out.

'Please...please do something about this, Sarfallinus. Please help me-'

He raced across the carpet, flying down the spiral staircase to the main hall. There, across the tile floor, under Sarfallinus's door...a faint light flickered. Voices echoed from within as Avery ran up.

"I'm not doing this again. I can't. I have to search him. Tear this whole city apart if I have to!"

Nivanee, her voice panicked.

"Nivanee you can't-"

Sarfallinus was cut off.

"Arceus it's happening again. Why did I say anything. Stupid. Stupid! Why can't I shut up?!"

"Look...!" Another voice...Vizon. "It's only one night, we...we can still find him. Maybe Rikzyod or Jolvia saw him?"

Avery let off a breath, knocking hard on the door, pounding on it desperately. The door rattled against his fist, ringing in Avery's ear.

"Sarfallinus!" He called, coughing and panting. "Sarfallinus, I need to report something...!"

"What-?!"

"The door...!"

There was a scramble, a shuffle.

The door flung open, a blinding light SHINING onto Avery all at once. Avery grimaced, bringing his paw up to his face to shield himself from the light.

And there, standing in the glow of fire, stood Nivanee, tear-streaked faced staring at the Plusle in desperation, pleading.

"...Avery..." She squeaked, throwing herself forward, hugging him tight, burying herself into his fur.

Vizon stood by Sarfallinus, a deeply relieved look on his own face. Sarfallinus sighed, folding his arms to take the hard-line guildmaster stance he always had to, even if the relief was evident on his face.

"I'm sorry...I'm sorry..." Nivanee muttered into Avery, squeezing tight as though he'd slip and vanish if she ever let go.

A part of Avery tugged at his heart.

'They were...they were this worried...?'

But Avery had more pressing matters. Avery wrapped his arms tight around Nivanee to hug back but lifted his head to look at Sarfallinus seriously.

"S...Sarfallinus, there was arson in the Illaminian District." Avery panted. At once, Vizon and Sarfallinus looked shocked. "The suspects have confirmed that they're going to attempt more...vandalism in the Market District...! They're inebriated and...and they're NAM officers w-whatever that means but we need to act fast before something terrible happens-!"

"H-huh? What?!" Nivanee pulled away, a look of fear in her eyes. Vizon's face fell as well. Not a word of reprimanding crossed Sarfallinus's lips.

"Arson?" Vizon piped up, running up to them both. Sarfallinus furrowed his brow.

"NAM officers..." The Infernape muttered. His folded arms...tightened. Nivanee looked back to Vizon then to Avery.

"Arceus, I knew that place was going to be dangerous-" Nivanee was cut off.

"Did you get them?! Where are they now?" Vizon said at once, rushing past, patting Avery's shoulder as though to lead the Plusle from the office. "Where's the guard, didn't they do anything?"

"Th-They told me when I confronted them that they weren't afraid of guards. Gonzus, one of the NAM Officers...said that the prison warden was his direct subordinate and he'd be out of there before I could blink...and none of the guards moved to help." Avery said, following Vizon. "Not in the square where I confronted them, and not in front of the building. I don't know when they're planning on striking, but they had bricks and-"

Avery looked back outside.

"Please...please, I know you don't like Illaminian Poke'mon but...we can't just let brigands burn the district to the ground...!"

"What's the matter with you?!" Vizon snapped, looking offended. "You keep saying I hate Illaminians, Avery! Stop that! I hate bad guys! The Illaminian district is full of bad guys! And look, was I wrong? Here's two right now about to do even more bad stuff!"

Nivanee bristled, nudging Vizon.

"Vizon, please...I'm just glad he's unhurt...but-"

"But nothing!" Vizon grabbed Avery's hand. "What are we doing here, Avery? Aren't we supposed to be heroes?! We've got to get back out there!"

"They...they weren't in the Illaminian District," Avery said. "They came from outside, in the Lower Market district. I...I didn't know what I was allowed to do. I didn't want to get in trouble and...and lose what I had to protect those people."

Vizon furrowed his brow at Avery's explanation, pulling him close...visibly upset.

"Heroes give up everything to get bad guys..." He growled, Nivanee frowned at the Riolu.

"Vizon, real life is not a fairy tale story. Avery acted perfectly sensibly." Nivanee huffed. "If we don't act in accordance to Arcean law then we may as well be the same as the bandits we arrest!"

"That's not true!" Vizon snapped, pulling Avery along. "Who cares who these guys are, we're guild! We got to go after them!"

Sarfallinus perked up, his brow firmly knitted as he looked to their group.

"But..." Sarfallinus's voice...squeaked. Uncharacteristically...meek. "Well, now, let's...think about this."

Vizon shot a look back.

"I already have." Vizon said, squeezing Avery's hand, grunting. "And whoever these bad guys are, they're the same as any bandit on Windscorch, any mud Poke'mon in a swamp, any royal on a delta, any mercenary on Rocky Hills!"

Sarfallinus frowned, a dark look crossing his face.

"...but they weren't NAM..."

Nivanee bit her lip looking from Sarfallinus, to Avery, then back to her guild master. There was a tension, a fear. Something so thick one could cut it with a knife.

But finally, with a huff, Nivanee bounded toward Avery and Vizon.

"Let's go, Avery. Off-the-record non-warranted arrests fall within guild scope...and carry implicit court sentence." Nivanee said at last.

Avery glanced at Vizon and Nivanee as they took their places at his side. Slowly, the Plusle looked to Sarfallinus, the Infernape fidgeting uncomfortably.

"...Who is NAM? W...what do I need to know...?" Avery asked. "They said they were above the law. Is...is that true...?"

Sarfallinus seemed to freeze at the Plusle's question, looking back towards his office.

"The Nationalist Arcean's Movement, they...Arceus, where do I even begin?" Sarfallinus huffed. Nivanee and Vizon looked to him worriedly. "...maybe they'd allow two that are over-stepping like this to be shaved off, just this once. Avery, if you're serious about going after these guys...I need to write some letters, pull some strings, I mean..."

He snorted, fire billowing from his nostrils.

"...these guys...are a bit higher-level than a boy's club of angry Poke'mon."

He didn't seem comfortable saying much more as he stepped back into his office. He took a deep breath, Vizon squeezing Avery's hand tight.

"...if this is what you think is right, Avery..." Sarfallinus stood up straight, trying to regain his composure. "...then...alright."

Avery was quiet again, looking towards Vizon, then Nivanee.

"The house they burned down was of someone that was universally loved," Avery began. "In and out of the district, as far as I could tell. Sekura is a good Poke'mon, positive and upbeat, and these people just...They can't be allowed to just roam freely and do as they please."

"Then we can't just stick around here...!" Vizon shouted, tugging at Avery's paw. "We gotta go! Now! Which way were they heading?!"

"R-right-" Avery said. "They were...they were going to wards Sekura's stand, the magazine stand- they had bricks, I don't know what they were planning-!"

"The magazine stand...the bookstore by one truth square?" Vizon nodded emphatically.

Vizon and Nivanee led the Plusle forward, a desperate scramble back towards the stairs. Sarfallinus sighed deeply as they all left, the group bounding up the stairs, bursting out into the darkened streets of Arceliaze.

It was slowly approaching early morning. A dull blue glow was in the sky, the buildings all vague, shadowy silhouettes.

Nivanee kept close, striking a blast seed at the tip, the fiery explosion controlled to spew from the small incision, like a torch. She held it in her mouth as Avery and Vizon led, back toward the One Truth Square.

It was eerie, stepping out into the normally bustling square and seeing it so empty. Silent. Lifeless.

The three Poke'mon quietly padded over the stone, looking around the dark shapes that loomed over them.

Then, a noise. Vizon stopped, an ear perking. Avery halted, his own ears swiveling to try and hear it, too. The noise echoed over the stones of the city, hollow and distant and muffled...

A shout. Shouting. Small. Only two voices. Echoing from the west street off of the empty One Truth Square. Towards the bookstore.

"...There," Avery said, picking up the pace. "D...do you hear that? That might be them-"

Avery was still scared. Sarfallinus's expression was incredibly grave. But...he couldn't think on that now. Nivanee said this was under our jurisdiction. Which meant...that they had to stop them before something terrible happened.

They all moved quickly, Vizon cracking his knuckles as they moved closer and closer to the bookstore.

Nivanee sucked in a breath.

Papers littered the streets. A broken stool lay in the center of the road. A handful of pamphlets blew lightly in the cold breeze that rolled over the stone.

A pile of shattered glass littered the street in front a nearby window.

Glistening oil trailed from the stand into the center of the street, its rainbow sheen primed and ready to be set on fire, to put the stand ablaze.

And yet...

No Pignite.

No Charmeleon.

A hollow, bassy wind moaned between the towering buildings on the silent, empty street. A chill wind blew.

The sky brightened, the dark silhouettes that surrounded them lit more and more in a faint blue light of early morning.

Avery clenched his fists.

"...What...what is this...?" The Plusle looked down at the trail. "It's...it's a trail, it's a fuse, it..."

Vizon carefully walked over, paws crunching in the soggy pages that lie in the puddles on the street. The riolu knelt down, examining the oil.

"...They were headed here." Avery sighed, shaking his head. "I...I must have taken too long getting to the guild."

'Maybe I can still figure out where they are. If they left anything...why did they just abandon this clearly primed explosion spot...?'

Nivanee padded over to the stand itself.

"Vandals were here, alright..." She muttered, looking inside. "They were busy..."

"Is it a decoy...?" Avery asked. Vizon shook his head.

"You said they were tottered, right?" The Riolu said, looking back at Avery. "There's no way two stumblers are going to think ahead enough for a decoy..."

There was a shout. Nivanee and Vizon nearly jumped out of their skin, whipping their heads around.

The shout was close. A shout for help, muffled, scared.

Above them.

Avery stiffened...and his eyes turned upwards.

"...L...Look-"

Vizon and Nivanee craned their necks upward, both of their eyes wide.

Above...were the Pignite and the Charmeleon. Steel wires curled around them, both of the Poke'mon hung upside down from the stone archway looming above. The struggled, shouting through the gags tightly pressed in their mouths.

The chimneys on the roofs moved.

No, not chimneys.

Them.

A chill went up Avery's spine.

'Talk about vigilantes...At the very least, they didn't seem...hurt. Just...incapacitated.'

"...That's them," Avery said lowly. "...Let's get them down and bring them in."

Vizon stared up in amazement...but his face twisted in confusion, looking at Avery.

"What...who did this?" Vizon stammered, flabbergasted. Nivanee leapt upwards, striking at the iron ropes to drop the Pignite and the Charmeleon.

"Vigilantism..." Nivanee huffed, lifting the Charmeleon onto her back, the tiny Eevee supporting the larger Poke'mon's weight easily. Vizon frowned, following suit with the Pignite.

"Isn't that...illegal?"

"Very illegal. Just the same as vigilantes that burn down houses and vandalize shops." Nivanee affirmed, securing the Charmeleon.

Vizon looked up and down the street, the sky above slowly turning orange as the sun cracked over the horizon.

"...but where...? Who?" Vizon asked. "I don't know of any vigilantes in Arceliaze."

Avery silently watched as his teammates took the pair.

'This seemed nonviolent. Just...seeing what needed to be done. Maybe I'll say something later. But for now...I don't know who they are. No names, no organizations, nothing.

Maybe it was better that I didn't know, if I worked with the guild.'

"The only two vigilantes I looked into are these two," Avery said, looking up at the NAM Officers. "If there are others..."

He looked down at the oil slick.

"...Maybe what they did is illegal. But their timing was impeccable." Avery sighed. "A few minutes more and this stand would have gone up in flames too...This is a really tough situation."

Vizon sighed, looking up at his prisoner.

"Maybe...if it's taking out bad guys..."

"It's still a crime, Vizon." Nivanee said. "Good that they did the right thing, but we can't rely on them always doing the right thing, whoever they are."

The both of them continued on, walking down the stone street ahead as the city lit more and more.

Until...

"Psst..."

A voice, small, off to the side.

"...mm...?" Avery looked over to the side. He was about to speak about the same thing Nivanee said, but...

As the shadows cascaded over the street, a Poke'mon stood. Covered in a thick cloak that concealed their face, they stood in the dark shadow of the building.

"You are...incorruptible, aren't you?" She laughed warmly.

Above, the hooded Poke'mon departed. As the cloaked woman near him lifted her head...Avery saw a glint under her hood. Faint.

Her voice...was almost familiar.

Avery shook his head to clear his thoughts. He had to deal with these two for now.

"...Nivanee," Avery said, looking over at her as they brought the two vigilantes along. "...What's NAM?"

Nivanee looked back, the hooded Poke'mon having long vanished into the shadows.

"NAM...the Nationalist Arcean's Movement?"

The Pignite and Charmeleon squirmed. Vizon looked quizzically at Nivanee as she softly shook her head.

"I don't...really know." She admitted. "Far as I know they're just some...I guess, cultural enrichment club or something for Poke'mon in Arcea. They fund Conduicy advisors and some guilds for things like...teaching Arcean history more in schools or maintaining statues in the one Truth Square...uh...they fund the Free Poke'mon's Commission...you know, the one making the pamphlets, but that's about all I know."

"...Nationalist Arcean's Movement," Avery repeated, looking down at the two of them. "...When I was talking to them, they made it sound like being captains of the NAM meant that they couldn't be punished."

Avery lowered his voice, so that they couldn't hear.

"...From the sounds of it...Sarfallinus said something similar." The Plusle said, hushed. "But...thank you both for coming with me for this. I...I'm sorry that I was out so long. I would have been back a few hours ago, if this arson attempt hadn't happened. It...I know you guys were worried about me. But up until the end...I really did have a nice night."

"If it's all the same, Avery...?" Nivanee said, her voice soft...yet also firm. "I'd rather we just not talk about you running off despite our warnings and getting in danger anyway."

Avery flinched from her words. Soft as they were delivered, they felt harsh.

'Don't you see though?' He thought to himself. '...Whether I was there or not that house would have gone down. I helped. I was able to find who did it because I was there.'

Vizon huffed, hoisting the struggling NAM officer on his shoulder. He didn't say anything further, even though he looked like he wanted to.

If anything, he looked lost in thought.

Avery's shoulders slumped a little lower, but he said nothing. If Nivanee didn't want to talk about it, then they didn't have to talk about it.

The trio carried the officers toward the castle, just as the early morning light shone on the city, Poke'mon starting to fill the streets.

Many eyed the group as they passed with struggling, tied up Poke'mon in tow.

But the glint of their badges averted their eyes.

Soon, they reached the front of the guild, Nivanee and Vizon already moving toward the castle to take the arsonists to prison.

Avery just followed the two of them. They seemed to know what they were doing. The Plusle's mind was replaying...everything that happened tonight over and over in his head.

The sleepy guards at the front perked up at their approach, Nivanee giving a nod to the both of them.

They looked as though they were about to greet her...until they saw the prisoners she and Vizon carried. A look of...recognition crossed their face.

"Wh...Nivanee, are you-"

"Two for the dungeon. Field arrest, charges of arson against a citizen of Arcea." Nivanee sniffed, huffing. "...and public intoxication."

"Arson?!" One of the guards sounded surprised, the other only shaking his head.

"Nivanee, you realize those two are-"

"Criminals." Nivanee finished for the guard, moving toward the portcullis. The other guard swiftly moved to open it. "It's a guild verdict and sentencing. Final word. Considering my sister is in the dungeon I'll be visiting often to be sure they're serving their sentence."

The guards looked to one another as the gate lifted.

"Well...whatever you say, Nivanee." The guard sighed. "Not my problem either way."

'...So they weren't bluffing. They really do have recognition in the dungeon.'

That...made Avery nervous. If they got out they could cause a lot of trouble for him. And... For the guild.

Avery was feeling worse and worse about this. He knew that it was what had to be done. He wasn't about to let them walk free after what they did to Sekura.

But...why did doing the right thing feel so bad...?

Why did it seed a dark pit in his stomach?

Why did it scare him?

Part of Avery wanted to reach out to Vizon, but...he was probably still mad, too. He and Nivanee...and the Guild Master. Maybe even the rest of the guild will be, too, once they heard what Avery did. Not to mention the town, the entire town might be against him now.

'If this delayed the search for the pearl maybe even Olistia herself will disapprove. And that'd mean Arceus himself will-'

Avery felt sick. That dark pit in his stomach was starting to roll and roil...

It was anxiety, it wasn't realistic, he knew that, but it wouldn't just go away.

'Focus on the here and now. Deep breaths.'

The trio kept walking, following the path they'd taken when Avery first saw the dungeon. Opening the old door, down the damp steps, it was all familiar.

The dungeon air was musty. The unpleasant taste of it...helped ground Avery. At least a little bit.

They passed the guard in the dungeon. He seemed to stare a long time. Too long.

Nivanee approached the first empty cell she saw, cracking it open, she and Vizon dumping the Pignite and Charmeleon inside, still bound.

With a clink, the door shut and locked, the gagged pair of Poke'mon angrily shouting...muffled.

"There." Nivanee said, stepping back. She took a deep breath. "Put away. Intentional arson is a hefty sentence if you're not behaved in prison."

"No trial?" Vizon asked. Nivanee looked at him, almost confused.

"We're guild. No need."

A cold wind gently blew through the dark hall. Nivanee's gaze wandered towards the other end of the hall...

...where she would still be.

That sent a shiver down Avery's spine too. He knew they did it. They all but admitted it to him, over and over...and expressed intention of doing more.

'But what of people who were wrongly suspected?

How many Illaminians found themselves in here?'

"... Do... You want to talk to her?" Avery said, his voice quiet, almost meek in the dungeon hall.

Nivanee made a motion towards her cell...then glanced at the window, seeing the orange rays of the morning sun.

She bit her lip.

It'd be rollcall soon.

Her gaze looked back toward the cell.

Guild...or Janus.

Family...or Janus.

She looked frozen. Indecisive.

Avery looked out of the window. He had to snap out of this. He had to help. Even if she was...

"...If you want," Avery said quietly, "...Vizon and I can handle getting ready today. You can visit her during our prep. Is... That okay...?"

"I...I..."

Nivanee hesitated, turning around.

"Tonight...t-tonight, I swear." Nivanee promised, quickly walking towards the exit. "I...I'll see you in the guild hall, Avery..."

Her voice wavered...but kept its firmness.

Vizon watched her dart off, grunting, looking back at the Plusle.

"You stayed behind last time, didn't you? You...want to catch up later?" The Riolu asked.

Avery looked at him for a moment, a long moment...and sighed.

"It's...probably pretty lonely for her here," Avery said finally. "...Do you think I have time before roll call...? I, heh... I think I could probably hear the gong from here."

Avery cracked a little smile at that. He was still a little nervous talking to Vizon after...everything that happened. He wanted to talk to the Riolu, at least, about this...

But part of him...Felt like he needed an outsider's opinion. Someone who spent time away from the guild, from Arceliaze. Everything.

"... I'm sorry for worrying you, Viz," Avery said. "...I'm glad I was there to help them, but...I don't like scaring you two like that either."

Vizon stared back at Avery a while. Silent.

Then, he stepped forward, hugging the Plusle tight.

"I love you, Avery..." Vizon muttered softly, squeezing him, nuzzling into his neck. For that one moment, the dungeon felt less cold. "Niv and I will stand in if you miss anything, okay?"

He let go, sighing and stepping back. But when he tried to step back, Avery didn't let go. At least for a little bit.

"Just...whatever else you think of me just remember that. I do love you..." Vizon said.

"... I love you too, Viz." Avery whispered. "I...I'm really sorry I scared you."

Finally, the Plusle separated too.

"...They're not all bad guys. I just...I hope I can show you that sometime." Avery gave him a little smile. "...They make really good food, if that'll motivate you~"

Avery gave him a gentle tease to round it off.

"... I'll try and make it back for the roll call." the Plusle finished.

"Alright...see you soon, buddy."

Buddy.

Avery was still his buddy.

The Riolu gave a small smile, patting Avery on the shoulder, before turning around and leaving, going back up the stairs.

Leaving the Plusle alone in the dungeon.

There was a little bit of warmth in Avery's heart rekindled from that. Vizon...Vizon was still on his side. Even if he wasn't on theirs yet...there was still hope.

But for now, he couldn't waste time. He had to be quick before roll call-

A yawn escaped him. He hadn't slept all night...He shook his head to clear it, and walked to Janus's cell.

The stone was cold as Avery walked, the tap of his footsteps echoing dully on the walls.

Soon, he came to that familiar cell...

There, on the bed, the Pikachu sat, feet together, hunched over, ears drooping over her face.

She looked to be very lightly snoozing.

Avery took a deep breath as he looked in, stepping up closer to the bars.

"...Uh...Hey, Janus," Avery said, tapping lightly at the bars. If she was fully asleep, he would go, but...he had to wonder if Niv had visited her at all since she was put in here. She seemed... Almost nervous to talk to her.

The Pikachu snorted, jostling a bit at the sound of Avery's voice. Bleary-eyed, she lifted her head, sniffing and wiping down her face.

"Wh...oh, you again." She muttered, rolling her shoulders, looking up at the window to check the time. She hummed mysteriously, jumping off the bed, landing upon the stone floor with a thud.

"Ha, yeah," Avery said with a little awkward laugh. "...Sorry I haven't been here more often, there's... A lot going on with Xamao and stuff. I can't stay long, since...Address is soon, but...Thought I'd come and say hi."

Janus stared at him intently, her sunken-in eyes almost intimidating in a way, even with bars between them both. Still, she seemed to have a smile on her face...

"Xamao, huh?" Janus chuckled, folding her arms. "He's really giving you lot the run-around, hm?"

Avery paused.

"Oh, uh... Aquashock is doing a lot better...!" He added. "They're like... Getting along now."

The corner of her smile twitched, a small sparkle in her eye at the mention of Aquashock.

"Better...?" She muttered. "Those two always had so much tension back then...I always hoped to see them get along better..."

"... Well, uh..." Avery sat down against the bars. "It got worse before it got better. Ganisus kinda...snapped a bit, threatened to join Azure instead since I was..."

He shook his head.

"Maybe that's their story to tell. But...they went through a lot. They're, uh..." He turned around. "They're actually going to be doing real missions now...! Kipuuna wants to go down to one prong to earn the second one the right way."

Janus stared at him, listening close to his tale.

Then...she laughed. It was a small, quiet laugh. Tired, punctuated with a yawn. Yet even here he could see it...that glint of nostalgia in her eye. She looked like a Pikachu having just been roused by Sarfallinus...

"To think...I thought if it ever got that bad then that'd be it..." Janus sighed, shaking her head. "Kippy...Gani...real missions..."

She hummed. There was pride in her voice. Genuine happiness to hear they were doing better.

"That's going to be real inconvenient for us if they start being an actual threat." Janus said, smirking, arms folded.

"Ha, yeah..." Avery said with a little laugh of his own. "Did you...want Kip to visit you here? I could tell him you asked after him, if you want. Though, uh..."

He sighed a little, looking back out at the wall.

"I admit, part of why I came...is a little more selfish. I...I don't really know if you know, but...I'm getting a bit of a reputation, I think." He turned his head back toward Janus, furrowing his brow. "...What's...what's your opinion on Illaminian people?"

That question jolted her awake.

All at once the tired posture in her vanished, the Pikachu standing upright, looking Avery dead in the eye with an...oddly suspicious look. She frowned.

"Dunno...what answer are you looking for?"

There was...a measure of distrust in her voice.

Avery shifted.

"...An honest one, I guess," he said, looking away. "I've...I spent last night with some friends from the district. It...it was a really nice night, but...the NAM burned down one of their houses. And...and she was just, the nicest Poke'mon, and...I don't...I don't know why so many people seem convinced they're a plague or something-"

His shoulders slumped again.

"...Even people close to me thought that I'd be mugged and left to bleed out just for going to see some friends there, or something. I just...I dunno, I thought maybe the viewpoint of someone who's...spent so long out of Arceliaze might...help. I dunno."

Janus eyed Avery up and down...carefully considering him...carefully choosing her words.

"Nivanee...has never been too trustful of that distract. And neither was I, as a kid." Janus replied. "Two girls from Yahneri port in the big city, somebody had to tell us it was dangerous. And someone probably told that person before, and then that person heard it from someone else...on and on. Forever. Not that muggings don't happen. Of course they would. One look at the squalor of that district and it'd be no shock a Poke'mon might stick up another just to eat tomorrow."

Janus frowned, pausing her speech to consider Avery. She looked like there was something else she wanted to say. But she was being so...careful.

"NAM burning down a house is no surprise. Cruelty becomes sport for Poke'mon who genuinely feel they're doing nothing wrong so long as it's done to the right Poke'mon."

"...They're..." Avery looked her over. He could see the apprehension. And he knew why.

'Maybe...'

"...Should...should I be less vocal about this...?" Avery asked quietly. "Lahnae's the only other one I've seen in the guild who...isn't put off by them at all. And, uh...and Jolvia. But when I asked her she gave me the same look you are. Like...like she was trying to figure out if I was trying to trick her or something. I'm not...from here. All I know is that those Poke'mon are having to work two jobs to live in a run-down district and be treated like pests by what feels like the entire city. And...and that doesn't seem fair to me."

Janus jumped, double-taking, brow furrowing immediately.

"Lahnae and..."

She paused a moment...then shook her head, sighing.

"You know, the more you insist you're 'not from here' the more it sounds like a trick. I mean, consider: The only time I've seen you outside of this jail cell is when you arrested me. I can't be certain of a thing about you, who you really are, what your motives are. Who you'd report all this, too." Janus paused, bitterly chuckling. "Maybe that...'Jolvia' woman thinks the same."

She took a breath, taking a moment to consider her words again.

"...but fine, yes. You're right. That isn't fair, is it, when you put it that way, hm?" Janus said. "Illaminians have been the pests of Arcea for centuries. Houses in the Illaminian district have been burned since even before the days of Adelaide..."

"...Adelaide...?" Avery repeated. "Who's..."

He brought his head back, clanging slightly against the bars.

"...Janus I wish it was a trick. I don't even have the days of the week memorized. You can think about how 'not from here' I can possibly be, and I guarantee you I'm about twice as 'not from here' as you're thinking. Impossibly not from here. Maybe as 'not from here' as a person can get."

His hands slid down the bars, a desperate look on his face.

"And every time I think I'm starting to get the hang of things, starting to really get this world, something happens that just rips me out of it. I don't know who Adelaide is. I don't know why the Arceans and Illaminians fight when they seem fine with the Quayoffi. I don't know why Dove Fo Uddjo's in a bubble, if there's anything on the red planet I see in the sky every night...I was just asked some questions, told some stuff, and then woke up in the Breezy Plains alone. Somehow didn't get poisoned, was found by Vizon as a creepy kid standing in the middle of the road in the dead of night..."

He took a breath, sighing with a laugh.

"...But I know that, unless there's some huge conspiracy to take me specifically in on some con or something, Sekura and Kellixae didn't lead double lives." He said. "They aren't secretly evil masterminds of some organization to overthrow Arcea. They're just two women trying to earn their keep in an actively hostile town. One was trying to provide for her parents, one for her kid, and..."

He paused, squeezing the bars.

"Maybe I shouldn't talk so much."

Janus only frowned at his constant insistence, and not a shred of belief flickered in her eyes.

"You can say anything you like, Avery. Talk is cheap. I'd have to have it confirmed by someone I trust. And the only Poke'mon I trust would only come to this place in chains, you understand." She shook her head, hand-waving the topic. "But, fine, let's leave it."

She took a breath.

"No, obviously, there's no conspiracy...they really are just Poke'mon trapped in a bad situation." Janus said. "I imagine a lot of them would rather be home than here...if home wasn't so inhospitable as it is now..."

She paused a moment, looking at Avery.

"...is this all you came for?" The Pikachu asked. "You just need my...perspective on...what, exactly?"

"...I dunno," Avery sighed with a shrug, making Janus cock an eyebrow.

'It makes sense she wouldn't believe me. And...I can't really do much other than talk. I can't exactly turn back into a human on a whim. And if I did I'd end up here in chains myself.'

"When I talked to you about the guild, you gave me a viewpoint I hadn't heard before." Avery explained. "But...it made a lot of things make sense. It's a broken place. It's getting better, but...it's a broken place. I just...I wanted to know if you thought...Arceliaze is broken, too."

Janus listened to his question.

And she thought. She thought long and hard. Avery could see it, something dark crossing her face. The grip on her crossed arms tightened, her eyes trailing to the floor.

"Arceliaze is beautiful, huh...?" Janus began. "The beautifully cut stone statues and rising buildings, surrounded by the ancient brick of working Poke'mon...then the farmlands, rolling hills...in the center of it all, a sparkling castle with its shining guild."

Janus's lifted, looking at Avery. Her expression was serious. Deathly serious.

"But that's not Arceliaze. You've seen it. You probably know it, the ins and outs, if you're lying to me." Janus said. "Not far under the surface you see how poisoned this city is. The way it's rotting from the inside, every part of it corroding into something ugly and cruel."

She took a breath. It was almost like she was saying this out of defiance...but Avery could tell she meant it.

"The way the guild holds the full power of law arbitrarily, how close they are to Olistia. The churn of workers, farmers, armorers, running to the big city from failed small villages. No money, no food, but give them work. Bring 'em in droves put them to the grindstone, then shove them out when someone cheaper comes. Tell a disenfranchised population, slowly cracking under the pressure, that it's the blighters. We need only scrub the blighters from our city and all will be well again, all will be as the golden years your grandfathers told you of."

Janus stepped forward, footfalls heavy as she pressed against the bars.

"Say to the nobles of the guilds, fund the love for Arcea. Polish the statues and clean the roads. Make the guild nice and sparkly so that every Poke'mon would happily lie upon the stones and bleed to death for lines on a map. Imprison refugees where Arceans used to work and make those now broke and starving Arceans their wardens. Have the schools teach of how Illaminamo wronged Arcea, how only the noble guards and soldiers saved the land."

Janus's expression changed. Her eyes seemed to fall away, as though she couldn't even look at him. In her eyes flashed so much...so fast...but what Avery saw that chilled him the most...was shame.

"Recruit a child into a guild and have her call the Conduit 'mother'. Tools, one and all, always waiting for our masters to wield us for their bloody ends."

Janus huffed a breath. It felt...cold on Avery's face. Her eyes burrowed into him, back hunched.

Finally, she released the bars, eyes half-lidded, shrugging.

"But, hey. It's just a bunch of conspiracy nonsense." She said, eyes half-lidded. "Who'd believe it?"

Avery swallowed a lump in his throat.

"...Nivanee said something." Avery said slowly. "When I brought in the NAM officers who did the arson. I'd...I'd heard them confess myself. I'd heard them say they were going to Vandalized a stand. But...Vizon asked if there'd be a trial. And...and she said 'of course not, we're guild'."

Avery was quiet a few moments.

"...I knew they did it, Janus." He said. "I knew...they did. But...if they don't get a trial...who does? What if I hadn't been sure? Or made a mistake? Or the tip had been wrong?"

"If you made a mistake..." Janus frowned, sighing. "...then the law says you didn't. What else?"

Avery felt his heart sink. Slowly, he stood up and turned to her.

"...I don't know if I'd have the guts to do what you did, Janus. But...your actions make more sense to me every day. I...I don't know what being the Hero of Arceus means, still, but...I'm scared that one day I'm going to learn, and I won't like the answer."

His fists clenched against his sides, and he looked up to face her.

"...I should get back to roll call, but...thanks, Janus. I'm...I'm sorry to bother you with this so early in the morning."

She matched his quiet, listening to him, looking away. She said nothing further about what his said, only nodding a little.

"Sure, Avery..." She said, her voice...had something behind it. She looked at the Plusle, her expression...strange. "Do good out there, alright? For me."

Averu gave her a little nod.

"...See you later, Janus."

With that...he made quick tracks back to the guild.

Janus said nothing as he left, the dungeon finally being put behind him.

The cold stones were now at Avery's back, the sunlight shining through the stain glass windows of Castle Arceali here to greet him as he left, rushing back to the guild.

Orange still hung in the sky...

He hoped he'd still have time.

Chapter 18

Sociocide