Chapter 34

Decay

He felt...nothing.

Saw nothing.

All senses were gone.

No dreams came.

No relief or assurance.

Just those final grim thoughts and a haze of utter blackness.

And from there...he only floated. Swimming alone.

He could hear the waves as they rocked and swayed him. The cold feeling in this dark void. A deep weight upon him.

But slowly...slowly...

He felt something else.

Something...warm.

Something...glowed in the dark. Something glowed behind his closed eyes.

...The Sun.

The Sun was shining on you.

Avery's ears rung...but they picked something up. Something...a sound...no, not just a sound...a voice.

"...up...?"

...

"...wake..."

...

"...Avery..."

[[ CONNECTION LOST]]

"Avery, you okay...?"

He knew that voice...

...Avery stirred.

'Am I dead? Is this...Paradise? Or something else? Whatever happened after I died...?'

Avery's eyes twitched. Tried to open - but they felt heavy, like stone slabs. Everything felt like stone. He could barely move, even if he tried.

'...Who's there...?'

Avery felt a kick in his shoulder.

"Hey, get up, Avery."

It...was Vizon's voice.

He could hear something else...wind...rolling waves.

Avery felt...water. Sloshing up and around his body before receding away. He could feel his body lie heavy in...sand.

"Avery...? C'mon, I see your aura's alive and well, man."

The Plusle winced from the kick, trying to will himself to sit up. And...slowly, he did. His eyes were still closed. They still stung. Salty.

And he didn't want to face his partner yet.

"...are we dead?"

"Nah..." Avery could hear Vizon sigh, his paws crunching in the sand. "...you know as well as I do we don't seem to go down that easy..."

Vizon's chipper voice was long gone. But he at least wasn't outright hostile right now...

A cool breeze blew across Avery's face. The smell of the ocean filled his lungs.

"But I have no idea where we are..."

In a sad way, it was almost refreshing to hear Vizon like this. Avery curled his knees to his chest, and carefully opened his eyes.

It hurt, but...that was okay. The Plusle stared down at the frothy waves lapping at his feet, his reflection in scattered shards rippling through the foam.

An island, maybe. A beach. Alone. Away.

'Deep breaths.'

He wasn't sure they'd help right now.

"..."

He couldn't look at him. He couldn't look at Vizon. This person Avery pulled into all of this. From the moment he had said 'Riolu' in that void, his fate had been sealed. Avery had done it on a whim. A desperate answer to end the string of questions. A thoughtless answer that took this person who wanted so badly to do good for the world, and pulled him into heartache that he didn't deserve.

Avery didn't deserve this either, he was sure. But at least if he hadn't said anything...if he hadn't answered that stupid question, he wouldn't have brought anyone else into it.

Vizon was silent too, but Avery could feel the Riolu's crimson eyes burrowing into him. He stepped up beside him, standing firm in the sand, looking out at the sea.

That's when Avery heard the sound of distant thunder.

The Plusle glanced up, out toward the ocean horizon, and saw something notable: far in the distance was a swirling black cloud, flashing occasionally, holding in place.

The storm. The beast's storm, loomed far, far, far away. Miles out, even.

It was still out there.

Avery averted his eyes to the left...and there on the beach he could see the Peacekeeper...or what was left of it. The ship was mostly in tact but had run aground, with significant damage to the hull and mast. There was no way it'd be able to sail in that condition without hefty repairs.

At last, Vizon's voice cut the silence.

"The others went on ahead, to make a...camp, I guess. And find a way off the island." Vizon said, his voice flat. Unenthusiastic. "I opted to stay and watch over you, though."

"So...so they're here."

Avery almost felt...disappointed.

"They aren't...they aren't on some other island, they're..."

The Plusle's shoulders sagged. He was glad they were okay, he didn't want anyone to drown.

"Well...now that I'm up...what do you want to do?" Avery finally looked up to Vizon. Avery tried to hold his gaze. He wasn't very successful. "Now that I'm...now that I'm up."

Vizon's gaze...was piercing. Brow knitted. No extreme anger, but just...extremely pointed. His arms were crossed as he looked down at the Plusle.

"Yup...they're all here. Even...Heynia and Argus...and Diquarni." Vizon said. His expression didn't change a bit. "And guess who was the first to suggest they work with and help us?"

The question didn't need an answer. It was obvious who it was.

His gaze burrowed hard into Avery. He looked as though he could strike at any moment. But he didn't.

He only stared.

"Avery...there is a lot...a lot I see in other Poke'mon's auras." Vizon said. "There's so much that I see that I keep my mouth shut about...but trust me...I know exactly what you look like when you're lying."

A cold wind blew over the sand.

"So." Vizon said, not even giving Avery a moment. "Jolvia."

"...Jolvia." Avery sighed quietly, hugging his knees tighter to his chest.

Avery wanted to tell him. He wanted to tell him everything. Avery was about to ask what Jolvia herself had told him, but...she could probably argue that she didn't want them to be tied up on a sinking ship when she freed them. And what she did in the camp was also plausibly deniable, needing everyone to work together to get off the island, like they'd done with Quayslaan and Calladin.

But Avery didn't want to lie to Vizon anymore. It might have been ill-advised, and Jolvia might be mad at Avery for it, but...the Plusle was tired. His team was falling apart. And he didn't want to fight anymore.

"...I...I'll tell you everything. But I just...I want you to keep two things in mind, okay?" Avery voice was weak, pleading. "One, I...I never wanted to hide anything from you. This was...it was sprung on me. I was put in a really, really tough spot, and...I didn't want to keep this from you. I-I've been as open as I could be about everything else, from Quayslaan to Olistia. And...and the other is..."

Avery bit his lip.

"...If I tell you this, Vizon...I-I don't want anyone to die, okay? I-I don't want anyone being...b-being...being-"

Flash. The gallows. The word escaped Avery's mouth with an almost terrified reverence.

"...hung."

Vizon stared down at Avery.

That word...'hung'...

...elicited no reaction from the Riolu. His face remained stony. Neutral, as he stared down at the Plusle, expecting Avery's explanation.

Something Vizon said a while ago...a long while ago...crept back into Avery's mind.

'Bad guys get what's coming to them.'

"...I don't trust Olistia," Avery said quietly. "...I don't trust her. I've...heard her in my dreams, she's known about me for a while, taken me from my home...I'm a replacement to Rikaerd when he just...died. He died, and she just...gets another human. Like we're disposable."

Avery frowned.

"I found out she lied to me about my memories. She gave me an excuse that she wanted me to have a new life here, free of all that. I didn't even know if my old life was something I wanted to leave. Just that I left people behind. I know that the guild covers up deaths. I know that Quayslaan hasn't touched his room since he left, and there was some brainwashing going on in there."

Desperation slowly crept into his voice.

"And I know that because...b-because...because look at how few people knew about Ganisus. Look at how they're treating Nivanee...! We have to use code to get in there, there's no saying her name, because they don't want people knowing that guild members can be hurt, let alone die. The elites are...they're weird, there's something off about them, and all the teams you seem to like just kind of broke off once they got up there."

Avery shook his head.

"I trust Sarfallinus. And the guild. Just...not the Conduicy, not fully. And I don't trust the Thieves Guild either. Olistia made the map, but Xamao stole it. They both want the pearls to awaken the birds or something. And...for a long time, I thought that nobody should have that amount of power."

Vizon's face didn't change. Avery took the stony silence to continue, rambling, babbling, trying to get it all out.

"...And then...on our day off...Jolvia asked me to let her go see Janus. She wasn't guild, I was, so...I let her in. And then she just...she confessed something to me. Jolvia said she's...kind of Thieves Guild. Apparently there's two of them. One is with Xamao, and wants him to get all three pearls. And one...is with...this other person, and thinks that they should be stalemated, forever, so nobody can ever use all three. Jolvia is part of that. They wanted Xamao to get the first pearl...and us to get the second. By any means necessary. And that way, it wouldn't matter who got the third, because the world would be safe. No more birds. No more pearls. She's...she seems convinced that no matter what, she's going to be executed, but...she's just...doing what she thinks is right."

Avery looked up to Vizon, crawling a little towards him, hoping to make him see.

"...I only knew about this after the Thunder Pearl thing. And I've only known about it since yesterday. A-and it's been tearing me apart. I-I keep...I keep...having these horrible thoughts of the gallows, of...of everyone just...b-being executed. A-and...and I was worried that if I said anything...w-with the investigations going on, I'd...I'd be killed. And maybe you'd be killed. And Jolvia and Janus would be killed, and..."

Avery's head returned to his knees.

"...I-I don't want anyone to die, Vizon."

Vizon's head tilted back, a pained, straining smile on his face. Like every word was a painful prank played on him. That every sentence uttered was a great practical joke that only he didn't find funny.

"Kind of...Thieves Guild...?" Vizon muttered, his hands on his hips as he turned away. His hand lifted as he wiped his face, sniffed...a curt chuckle escaping his lips. "Kind of Thieves Guild...is she or is she not Thieves Guild? Arceus...right in my own team...there really was a mole and I let myself think it impossible when it was staring me in the face the whole time..."

The tide rushed up the beach, splashing against his ankles before receding.

"It all makes sense...we told her about our trip to Dovve Fo Uddjo, she had plenty of time to warn Xamao of our intentions...so the Thieves Guild could move all those camps and make the heat map useless..." Vizon shook his head. "She probably knew Xamao was coming the whole time back in Lightning Wastes. Heck, just this mission, when Team Fottupebe duped us with that meeting with the High Captain, there's no way Jolvia didn't recognize Heynia and Argus and Diquarni in disguise and she didn't say one single word."

Vizon chuckled again, cradling his head in his hand.

"Now you tell me...brainwashing? The Conduit being evil? I just..." Vizon grunted, running his fingers along his forehead. "The elites, yeah, they were being jerks back at the port, but...even they, at least, serve the Conduit. Meanwhile I..."

Vizon perked up, pausing a moment.

"So why is Jolvia still here, huh?" Vizon said, his head turning to side-eye Avery. "You know she's a back-stabbing traitor and you still let her come with?"

Avery sank further.

"...She promised me she'd do whatever it takes to get the pearl, and then she'd quit the team. It made sense with what she wanted. A stalemate. You saw what she did to Diquarni. She...she said she wouldn't be part of the team past this, she knows I can't trust her past this anymore."

That...wasn't entirely right. It was true, but...it wasn't right.

"...And she was my friend. Even...even though she confessed...e-everything to me, I still...I still wanted to believe that she was a good person."

"SHE'S your friend?!" Vizon spat, spinning around. "She's THIEVES GUILD, Avery! You know?! The bad guys?! The bad guys we've been fighting the entire time we've been at the guild, yeah? Those guys?! Getting the pearls, stalemating - I don't CARE what their little nuanced divisions are! They're ALL Thieves Guild! They are all CRIMINALS."

Vizon took a step forward.

"Is that? Getting through to you? Is any of what I'm saying making sense? Cr-Mi-NALS. Opposite of the guild! We, the guild, that's us, go out, on a mission, to stop, that is obstruct, the cri-min-als!"

Vizon stopped himself, lifting his hands, cradling his head.

"I just-! Oh, Arceus...! What does it matter anymore? What does any of it matter!? We were duped!" Vizon, spun on his heel. "Jolvia just...played us for idiots, easily! Used us for whatever it is she wanted just to immediately run off!"

Vizon stopped again, looking down at his satchel. He lowered a hand, undoing the clasp and reaching inside.

There, in his hand, was the glowing Water Pearl. Its light shimmered on his scowling face.

"I don't care what Jolvia wants." Vizon said with an air of finality. "I am Arceali guild. I'm here for Nivanee, for Kipuuna...for Lahnae and Ganisus and Loshjno...for Sarfallinus...for Estaloni..."

He glanced back at Avery, his brow knitted.

"...and for Olistia. And if she wants all the Pearls...then I'm going to try my hardest." Vizon said, his crimson eyes returning to the Pearl. "...just like Nivanee taught me."

Avery's shoulders shrugged half-heartedly.

"...I mean...you're right. Jolvia tricked me. I don't think Rikzyod knows." Avery explained. "I was just...still attached to her from the rest of our missions. When I didn't know. When I thought she was completely on our side."

Avery was silent a moment, stewing on what Vizon had said. Avery's eyes traced the horizon towards the water. Towards the storm.

"But...that's good that you know why you're here..." Avery sighed. "It's good to have something to fight for."

Vizon was quiet, looking out toward the other end of the beach, not looking toward Avery at all anymore.

A chill wind blew. Vizon held the Water Pearl close to his chest.

Mission accomplished. Almost. So very close to getting one of the pearls.

"I really...thought this guild stuff would go different. I had it all...in my head. I knew exactly what kind of guild member I'd be, I..."

He trailed off. He almost hugged the pearl to his chest as he spoke his next piece.

"One last question, Avery..." Vizon growled.

Avery was scared, sure. He still cared about Vizon.

But...this felt...final.

The Plusle nodded. A non-verbal sign to go ahead with the question.

Vizon turned his head, slowly...slowly.

Avery could see it in his eye. Vizon was looking at the Plusle's aura.

Only now it dawned on Avery...Vizon was always looking at his aura. Even when Avery didn't speak, his aura spoke for him, loudly clearly, even beyond what Avery would ever say.

Always seeing it.

Always listening to it.

Yet he always kept his mouth shut about it.

But not now. No. He asked now.

"What's going on between you and Lahnae, huh? Buddy?"

"..."

It was what Avery wanted. On some level, he was glad it was all coming out.

No more secrets. No more hiding.

Vizon knew. He always knew. And now...and now, Avery got to tell him. Everything. As much as he knew.

"...She's a friend. A close friend. Rival, like she says." Avery laughed wryly. "...I can't help the way that my heart feels when I'm with her if that's what you mean. But I wouldn't abandon you. You're still my partner, Vizon. And I still love you, even if...even if things have been hard recently. She's comforted me when things were hard, the same way you have. I've told her a lot less than I've told you."

Avery's gaze returned from Vizon to the horizon. He thought out his next words carefully.

"...But I'm your partner, Vizon. Not hers. Yours. I'll be by your side...for as long as you want me there."

Vizon's gaze was steely, unchanging.

It made Avery wonder...

What...was he seeing now? What did Avery's aura look like?

"Just a friend...huh?" Vizon said, almost muttered, hugging the Water Pearl tightly to his chest...stroking it.

He let out a long sigh.

"Funny you say all that that...considering how often I feel abandoned. Left behind. In the dark." Vizon growled. "But, then, every time I'm clued in on things it's just...so uncomplicated. The answer is always so obvious. None of it's difficult to parse...I hardly find any of this stuff a dilemma...but that never seems to satisfy, so I'm kept in the dark again...like with Jolvia."

He clutched the water pearl hard.

From the jungle just off the beach, a bush began to rustle. Someone was approaching quickly.

Vizon then, at last...gave a quiet mutter.

"Whatever...bad guys'll get what's coming to them..."

The words stuck through Avery like he was shot in the back by an arrow. But this time, Avery didn't flinch. He didn't wince.

Whatever happened next...he'd take it. He felt broken. Defeated. Though...those were too negative.

Resolute, maybe.

Avery didn't turn to look at the bush. He just...kept staring out at the storm. His hand came to his chest, and he pulled off the Team Azure badge, fingers idly tracing along the engraved letters.

Avery could hear someone step out of the bushes, onto the beach, their footsteps crunching on the sand. Vizon turned his head to look at the newcomer, his gaze turning harsh.

"You..." The Riolu growled.

The newcomer stopped, standing a ways from you both.

"Is Avery awake yet?" The Plusle heard her voice speak. That Nidorina. "We have a camp set up, some shelter for tonight."

"...I'm awake," Avery said quietly. He didn't turn around. "I'm just...tired."

The words, like the last ones he'd spoken, were carefully chosen.

He heard her footsteps again as she stepped closer, paws crunching in the sand to come up next to him.

"I was relieved to see you alright." She sighed, crouching down a little to look at Avery, even if he still didn't look at her face. "There's plenty of food on the island, we've found. If we work together, we can get back out to sea and take on the Yahneri cave beast again and-"

"Who's all there?" Vizon asked, cutting off Jolvia. The Nidorina perked up.

"Everyone that was on the Peacekeeper, of course?"

"Your little Thieves Guild pals having fun seeing their best friend Jolvia around again?"

Avery heard Jolvia give an exasperated huff.

"Vizon, I get it, but I implore you save the heroic upbraiding for when we're not stranded on an island."

There was a brief silence...and in it, Avery just took the chance to answer the Nidorina.

"...Sorry, Jolvia," Avery said, that same quiet level voice. "I'm...not hungry at the moment. I'll help with efforts soon, I just..."

Deep breath.

"...I need to think about...what I'm doing. Going forward."

Jolvia lowered her gaze to Avery...and sighed again, looking between him and Vizon. The Riolu still held the Water Pearl like a precious child.

"And you, Vizon? Going to eat?"

"Not with BAD GUYS."

"Alright...going to bed?"

"NOT WITH BAD GUYS."

Jolvia let out a long, drawl-out, dreary sigh.

"Going to help with repairing the Peacekeeper?"

"NOT WITH BAD GUYS."

"Gathering supplies?"

"Nope, bad guys."

"At the very least staying out of the way-"

"Let me think about it oh yeah BAD GUYS."

Jolvia's frowned deepened. Avery would be hard pressed to recall any point he saw the Nidorina so exhausted and annoyed.

"I'll, um...be up soon," Avery said quietly. He took a breath to say more, but...his mouth just hung open for a moment before he shut it again.

Avery wasn't really sure his opinion mattered much to anyone present, anyway.

Jolvia sighed and nodded, patting Avery's shoulder.

"DON'T TOUCH HIM!" Vizon hissed, making the Nidorina recoil. "Your corrupting aura has POISONED him!"

"You're unhinged." Jolvia grumbled, patting Avery's shoulder now in sheer defiance. She stood, shaking her head. "I'll leave you be, Avery."

She lifted her head, backing off from the Plusle, eyes affixed to Vizon.

"And what about you?" She asked, a hand on her hip. "You're going to have to grow up eventually and come help us if you want to get off this island."

"Ohhhh no. No more of that." Vizon said. "Between Quayslaan and Janus planting seeds of doubt and Diquarni being a two-faced jerk, I think I'm done capitulating and working with you Thieves Guild mooks. Yeah, I know all about you, your affiliation, how you used us!"

Jolvia folded her arms, unfazed.

"Well?!" Vizon shot. "What do you have to say for yourself?"

"Nothing that'd matter." Jolvia retorted. "We'll be in the center of the island when you're quite done making a fool of yourself."

"Nu-uh! Ain't happening! Not this time and never again!" Vizon said, turning at once. Without another word, he bolted, his sprint kicking up sand as he bolted down the beach, slowly disappearing from sight.

Jolvia didn't even make a vague gesture at going after him.

"Hm...how in the world have you put up with him this long? I swear." Jolvia muttered, both to Avery and herself. "It was hard enough at first back after River Delta. Now? I've had about enough of that boy."

"I've put up with him because he's my partner," Avery said softly. No change in tone, no hint of annoyance or indignation. "He's my friend. Like you are."

Avery's ear twitched. He wasn't sure if either of those things were true at the moment. But at the end of the day, that was up to Vizon and Jolvia.

Jolvia glanced down the beach, the Riolu now completely out of sight.

"Hm...that's fair...I suppose. In some respect there's something to be said in that adventurous spirit, the uncomplicated sense of justice...there's just a time and place for it..."

Another awkward silence. Avery, again, was the one to fill the void.

"...Sorry about losing nerve. On the boat. I think that's when he caught on...fully. And..." Avery's shoulders sunk as he exhaled through his nose. "...And for falling for Diquarni's trick and losing the pearl in the first place. I was being..."

Too trusting?

"Too trusting."

Too naive?

"Too naive, I guess."

Something like that.

A sad look of realization came over Jolvia, hearing that.

"Ah...so that's what happned." The Nidorina sighed, scratching the back of her head. "Diquarni's fake tears."

She was quiet for a moment, then laughed a little.

"I can see why you were so angry. Having you good nature exploited is a disgusting feeling, isn't it?"

Avery hugged his knees a little closer to himself. His gaze traced the storm clouds far in the horizon.

"...It's not the first time it happened, I think. It's just...the first time someone admitted it."

A bright flash of lightning cascaded across the swirling storm cloud far in the distance. Several seconds later came the thunder, rumbling quietly. Jolvia, was quiet. Avery could feel her staring at him, the atmosphere between the two a little more...sad.

"Most likely. Many Poke'mon see profit in another Poke'mon's kindness. But I've seen first hand how other Poke'mon find relief and comfort in it, too..." Jolvia sighed. "The answer, I suppose...isn't callousness...just judiciousness. Even then, there will be mistakes and errors..."

Avery could hear her...shift. It was a wonder how she looked. If her body language and facial expression changed when he wasn't looking, when she wasn't being actively observed.

"Do you need a moment, Avery?"

It was almost nice, giving her that freedom. Having this little bit of distance between them. Even as they spoke, Avery felt...half-present, half in his own mind.

"We're going to be here a while," Avery murmured. "I'll have plenty of time for moments, I think. Do you all need help with anything?"

Avery could hear Jolvia sigh, maybe in relief.

"Right at the moment? Maybe just setting up the last of the shelters." Jolvia said. "Apparently Captain Manikas is already forging plans to repair the Peacekeeper. 'Fifth time run aground on a deserted island', he says. He's, ah...certainly an eccentric one."

The Nidorina chuckled good-naturedly, stepping closer. She crouched, offering a hand to Avery.

The Plusle took one last look at the ocean. He suddenly felt lethargic, his body unwilling to move after sitting there for as long as he had. But wallowing in one spot wasn't going to do much for him. He could think and work at the same time.

Avery took Jolvia's hand, pulled himself up to standing, and finally allowed himself to look at her. Her crimson eyes were friendly, a smile across her face as the Plusle finally stood from the sand.

Avery's eyes felt empty. He still felt hollow. But that was okay. He'd have time to recover.

Jolvia gave him an encouraging pat on the shoulder, nodding.

"There, that's better." She said warmly, flicking her head toward the jungle. She began making tracks for it, not even waving to follow. "We're just about finished our set up, mostly thanks to Manikas."

She stepped to the underbrush, lifting a fern, letting Avery step upon the path of crushed foliage and grass that weaved between the palm trees.

"The island thankfully isn't that large. Unfortunately, it is totally devoid of any other Poke'mon."

"I'd count that as good, I think," Avery said, taking a breath to steady himself as he followed her. "At least we don't have to deal with loyalties right now. That's all...a bit precarious at the moment."

Jolvia looked back at the Plusle, flashing a small smile.

"You and I both, Avery." Jolvia laughed, though she didn't elaborate.

Because, well, she didn't need to.

"Ah! I think I hear the TRAITOR now!"

Jolvia rolled her eyes, huffing quietly and pulling back another bush.

There, just in front of her, Avery could see a sizeable clearing in the jungle. Much of the foliage had been crushed or uprooted, the dirt patted down with a fire pit built with stones in the center.

Around the camp, Avery could see a few small structures made of sticks and palm branches, the bare minimum of shelter, with leaves and grass spread under each shelter...bedding.

Around the camp he could see other Poke'mon, all of them familiar faces. Manikas, the massive Pangoro captain, was finishing tying off the last of the shelters while Rikzyod held stacks of firewood in each arm.

There, off to the side, he saw Heynia, using her talons and beak to weave the cut plant fibers into string and Argus uprooting a few more plants to give her plenty to work with.

And there...in the center of camp, carrying a stack of crates...

...she towered. The dark-furred Poke'mon, her enormous hair bouncing behind her. Her eyes were closed and her pointed nose was turned up and away from Jolvia.

"Hello to you, too, Diquarni." Jolvia said, unfazed as she stepped into the camp.

Avery looked to all of them for a moment, accounting for everyone that was on the Peacekeeper in his head. With Vizon, having rushed off, that was everyone. He gave Diquarni a blank look, and turned to Jolvia.

"So what should I help with?"

"Well, to start, we've been moving boxes from the Peacekeeper t-"

"YOOOOOOUUU!"

The crates in Diquarni's hands DROPPED to the ground, TUMBLING. Jolvia winced as the Zoroark JUMPED the gap, landing with a thud in front of Avery.

The Zoroark bent, coiled, twisted like a snake, her pointed snout getting right up next to Avery, her crimson eyes STARING into his blank eyes.

Diqaurni whipped her head toward Jolvia, aggressively jabbing a finger on the top of Avery's head.

"JOLVIA! What is...this doing here?!"

"Er..." Jolvia blinked, frowning. "He washed up with us, remember?"

"First you KNOCK ME UPSIDE THE HEAD, which, by the way, OW." Diquarni shouted, spit spraying on Avery and Jolvia. "Then you lead the guild RIGHT TO OUR DOORSTEP!?"

"Uh...yes, that was the plan."

"HEYNIA!" Diquarni shouted, gesturing to you and Jolvia harshly. "Can you believe this?! Can you fathom it?! Can you comprehend what's TRANSPIRING HERE?!"

Heynia glanced up, eyebrows cocked, a faux smile upon her beak.

"Oh, Diquarrni...honey...sweetie...darrling..." The Mandibuzz cooed in her thick Illaminian accent. "I do imporre you do not be stupid."

Argus snorted, looking away.

One second passed.

Two seconds.

Avery looked up at the Zoroark, her fiery expression, her jabbed finger poking into his head.

He turned to Jolvia.

"The Peacekeeper is back on the beach, isn't it? I'll head over there and get some crates."

Without another word, Avery began to walk to where he'd seen the wreckage, barely giving Diquarni a glance past that.

"Whatdjuh-?! HEY! Come back here!" Diquarni shouted as Avery left, stamping her feet, waving her arms. "That first epic showdown didn't count! There was outside interference! I demand a rematch!"

"OI, LASS." Manikas bellowed. Diquarni's body froze, the Zoroark going stiff as a board. "Are you moving the boxes or JABBERIN' USELESSLY?!"

"-aye sir." Diquarni meekly muttered, gathering the boxes back up, face going flush. Argus was snickering again. Heynia, too, couldn't stifle her quiet giggles.

Jolvia grunted, hissing something to Rikzyod, the Geodude nodding at once, floating over to follow Avery as Jolvia stayed behind.

"Ah, good to see you still yet live, boss!" Rikzyod said merrily as he floated beside you. "Did the stupid one come back with you? I did not see him."

Avery gave the Geodude a glance as he settled at the Plusle's side.

"Yeah. He ran off. Down the beach. He didn't want to work with Jolvia."

Avery's eyes wandered up for a moment in thought.

"...or with me, possibly."

"Huagh...ran off?" Rikzyod repeated thoughtfully, a cocking an eyebrow. "How odd. I enjoy the quiet one, eehh...Jolvia. She hits very hard, uh?"

He chuckled in his deep, guttural voice, swiping a hand to clear away some foliage.

"Well, do not worry. You and I more than enough for this job! Puny boxes stand no chance against Poke'mon like us!"

His encouragement...was rather divorced from the context.

Rikzyod swiped his hand again, the bright sun shining on the pair as the beach came back into view.

This end of the beach was much more rocky, with large boulders rising from the water. There, tilted and smashed against the rocks, was the Peacekeeper. The hull was filthy and splintered, its sails hanging limply upon broken poles, and the inside was clearly fill with far too much water rushing in from massive incursions. Several barrels and crates were already extracted from the wreckage and placed on the beach.

"I'm glad that everyone made it here okay," Avery said, moving towards the wreckage, and picking up a couple of boxes he could manage. "...This is...a little bit like the ruins, isn't it? Just...less injury up front."

"The ruins? Bah, nothing like the ruins." Rikzyod scoffed, waving a hand dismissively. "The water stung but nothing more. The loud, tall one looked as though she were trounced soundly. Nothing to write home about, very disappointing."

He didn't seem to catch on to Avery's meaning, lifting a few crates into his arms, humming a merry tune. He glanced at the Plusle, cocking an eyebrow.

"Though perhaps I am just unlucky? Tell, Avery! Where is your most grievous injury? Though I'm unscathed, as you seem to be...you act as though you weathered a massive blow! Hah! Broken arm? Another shattered rib? I've seen you walk off what would break weaker fools, uh?!"

He gave a hearty laugh, the chatter encouraging him to take even more boxes, his floating now sagging as he perhaps bit off more than he could chew, inspired as he was.

"I think my injury was more, uh...up here," Avery said, pointing to his head before picking up another box. "...Mentally, I mean. Not...physical injuries. I'm sore, but that's all."

"Hm! An injury in the brain...what a thought..." Rikzyod mused, swaying to keep the crates he held balanced. "Is that what it is? These strange times when I see you writhing in pain yet I find neither gash nor bruise upon your body?"

He laughed, shaking his head.

"What incredible strength! A pain like that and you whether it all the same!" Rikzyod laughed a bellowing laugh, looking at the Plusle almost excitedly. "Were it I could hurt more in the head like you! THAT is the strength I have promised follow into Oblivion, Avery! The very same you showed me all that time ago in Rocky Hills shows itself here again!"

Another little smile.

"I'm not sure this is the kind of pain you'd be a fan of, Rik." Avery said. "And...that's saying a lot. It's not the kind of pain that you can power through with physique. But then..."

He hoisted one last box into his hands, and began walking back.

"You've always been one for being challenged, so...hey, maybe you'd like coming up against a new kind of wall you don't know how to overcome. Figuring that out could be a fun process."

"And perhaps you can show me how it's done, boss!" Rikzyod said with a song, barreling through the foliage. "With how often you face this pain...the number of things you fear must grow smaller every day."

He flashed Avery a wide smile.

'He's a lot like Vizon. Uncomplicated, but in such a different way. Grounded...so disconnected from the drama...not from ignorance, only disinterest.'

"Nevermind the rest, Avery!" Rikzyod cheered with a nod. "We will get through this little ordeal as we have the others, then on to the great adventure, grander and more dangerous. What is a spat and a few harsh words compared to felling a god of storms, hm?"

Avery could hear shuffling just beyond the brush as they both approached camp again...and the sound of raised voices.

'...Oh boy.'

Avery retreated a little bit into himself, and stepped into the clearing - hanging back, so as not to interrupt too much.

Rikzyod stopped, looking back at the Plusle, an eyebrow raised.

"Hm? Why do you shrink back so, boss?"

Instead of responding right away, Avery nodded to the edge of the clearing, peering past some leaves at the campsite.

"Seems like there's something loud going on over there."

"Feh, more shouting. Weak." Rikzyod scoffed with a smirk to Avery. "Again and again with the shouting and the arguing. Such weak mental damage should hardly even scratch your brain at this point, yes? What's say we face it head-on, like we would any limp punch or half-hearted kick we face on adventures?"

There it was. A determined, wild glint in the geodude's eye, that hard-headed attitude he carried from all the way back at Rocky Hills.

"What do we have to fear?!"

Avery paused and...pondered that a moment...

He gave a little nod. No sense in eavesdropping.

With a quiet...well, Avery wasn't sure if he'd call it 'confidence', but he walked into the clearing, setting down some of the boxes.

"There's only a few boxes left. Shouldn't take more than one or two trips."

"YUAH-HAH!" Rikzyod cheerily grunted, TOSSING the boxes up and over to the center of the camp. It was a stack that towered over the pair. Manikas whistled, a large grin on his face.

"Atta, boys! That's what I want to see! We-"

The Pangoro was cut off by Jolvia.

"Diquarni, as the Intelligence Officer for your bloc I've always tried to be patient with you." The Nidorina said, glowering up at the Zoroark who had her arms folded, looking away. "But going rogue with Xamao? Getting these pearls against the Guild Master's wishes? Not to mention all the downright foolish moves you renegades pull. Who put the Onyx Brothers up to that debacle at the Rocky Hills, hm? Don't tell me that was your plan."

"Blah blah blah, I don't listen to double-crossers!" Diquarni said, stone-walling the Nidorina like a child would.

"Hm...how funny." Jolvia said, folding her own arms.

"If the guild master doesn't wanna listen to Xamao that's not our problem!"

"Even if we did agree with Xamao's theory, which is only a theory, mind you, the way you're going about it is...!"

Jolvia stopped herself, glancing in Avery and Rikzyod's direction as they both deposited their crates. Diquarni glanced over as well, her scowl returning in full force as she looked at the Plusle.

"More than anything, though-" Diquarni said, turning her head away haughtily. "I'm not going to be consorting with a bunch of bad guys like Azure. You can't make me!"

"Diquarrni..." Heynia's voice came.

"No!"

"Diquarrni, sweetie-"

"NnnnnnNO."

"Diquarrn-"

"nnnnnnNNNNNNNNNO."

Avery looked at the Zoroark curiously, leaning up against one of the crates. He tilted his head to the side, studying her.

And a faint smile played on his lips.

"You're a little like Vizon, Diquarni."

"WHAT?!"

Diquarni recoiled at once, jumping in the air as though she had just been shocked. She leaned forward, eyes furious, scowling like a kid having a tantrum.

"I'm nothing like that guy!" Diquarni insisted. Jolvia looked away, trying to not show her laughing face. The Zoroark looked most offended. "I'm not!"

"And what makes you say that...?" Jolvia said behind her hand, trying to keep herself composed.

"Because...! I'm in the Santurini Guild and he isn't! I don't go around hurting Poke'mon and then laughing about it later!"

Heynia and Argus glanced to one another but said nothing.

"...I remember you laughing a lot after that routine in the cave," Avery said, keeping his tone level. "You know the one."

Part of him was a little confused at himself. Avery figured he should be boiling mad at her. He was before!

But right now...he just didn't have the energy to be.

"Yeah well who cares what happens to you jerks!" The Zoroark said combatively.

"Diquarrni!" Heynia gasped in horror, furrowing her brow. "The show-boating afterr ourr rroutine was rrude enough but surrely you can have the decency to say sorrry for it?"

"Buh-? Wh-..." Diquarni deflated, sagging her shoulders, her face like a hurt puppy. "Why're you guys taking his side...? Azure's the enemy, remember...?"

"Mmm...it seems...they have the Pearrl now, hehe." Argus snickered. "So...allies now. Otherrwise, this will be the final rresting place of the Waterr Pearrl!"

"I know there's some subjectivity to it all," Avery said, prying open one of the crates to start unpacking it. "...But I think that taking advantage of how I feel about a group that's...in a really hard spot in Arceliaze...that's a bad guy move. Especially when you have an Illaminian on your team. Two, even."

"Well to be fairr we actually had been prracticing that rroutine forr a while beforrehand." Argus snickered, stepping over to help Avery pry open some boxes. The Krookodile looked over his shoulder. "And Heynia, my love, the way you so pathetically currled up to Diquarrni was magnificently done."

"Oh, Arrgus, you sweet~" Heynia giggled with a blush. "But who could forget the way you looked upon Diquarrni with so much adorration, almost looking as though she should nit speak."

"And I would say yourr sleight of hand with the oran berrry while prretending to stifle a cry, I was awed."

"Oh Argus~!"

Diquarni huffed, turning away and refusing to help.

"S'not a bad guy move when you're on the good guy side." The Zoroark muttered.

"You're using Illamini op Arceali as game pieces, though." Avery didn't look up at Team Fottupebe. Just continued with his task. "...They've been through a lot. Gambling with their reputation isn't good."

"Maybe if we did that forr any ol Arrcean." Argus snickered. "But you arre harrdly any ol' Arcean, hehe."

"I feel as though if we did it forr 'any ol Arrcean' they would not even bat an eye at the routine." Heynia sighed with a roll of her eyes. "They care little for the borrderr-hopperrs already."

Jolvia had stepped over, taking some of the lids off the crates as well, setting them aside, Rikzyod doing the same. Manikas, meanwhile, was building watch looked like a hatchet from stone and wood.

"Thbbb, as if you'd care about Illamini op Arceali anyway..." Diquarni scoffed, sticking her tongue out at you. She turned away, taking a few steps towards the edge of the camp. "All talk, talk, talk! Poke'mon like you want to just not feel like a bad Poke'mon while still letting yourself be in The Arceali Guild!Oh how very CONVENIENT for you!"

"Convenient?" Avery frowned. He felt a pang of anger in his heart at that. "I'm trying to make things better, working to help everyone I care about..."

He nodded slowly.

"...and all you accomplished was making me feel stupid for trusting you."

Avery fixed them with a stare.

"...If I hadn't trusted Quayslaan and Calladin down in the ruins, we all would have died down there. If I met you three first, I don't know if I would have trusted them them."

"Hmph! Sure love how conditional you are." Diquarni huffed. Avery broke eye contact, going back to his task.

"Mean-spirited schemes just might not have an outcome you'd like...could just make things worse." Avery replied simply. "...That's all."

"Hehe, well when next we hatch a scheme we will be sure to run it by you for approval first!" Argus snickered, giving Avery another good-natured nudge.

"Arrgus, honey, do not instigate. You know yourr jokes rrarrely land." Heynia advised as Diquarni disappeared into the brush.

"Hehe, I suppose...and where is ourr brrave and stalwarrt team captain going?"

"AWAY FROM THE ARCEALI GUILD STENCH!" Diquarni's muffled voice echoed from the underbrush.

Avery didn't really react to the joke or nudge nor Diquarni leaving, continuing on with his work.

He still felt upset about it, thankfully. So that part of him wasn't dead. But it was clear that he and Fottupebe were in disagreement about the scheme they pulled, and he probably wasn't going to be able to convince them.

'Choosing my battles might be wise.'

"Sorry Vizon isn't here. He didn't want to associate with bad guys."

'...It feels nice not having to argue, though.'

"Pfffff!" Argus could barely contain his laughter. "In anotherr life he could have been Diquarrni's best friend...!"

Heynia giggled softly.

"Quite an understatement..." Jolvia muttered, rolling her eyes as she undid a few more crate lids. "As long as neither he nor Diquarni get in the way we can leave them to their tantrums and fetch them when we're finished."

Everyone nodded, the atmosphere...casual. So strangely casual. Despite being 'the bad guys', Argus and Heynia and even Jolvia mingled so casually with what was supposed to be their enemy.

The work continued. Collecting crates, taking the wood and supplies. Manikas managed to fell a few trees already, testing their bark.

Vizon didn't come back. Neither did Diquarni.


In short time, nighttime fell upon the island.

The Darkness was absolute, every corner of the island utterly, utterly pitch black...

That is...except for one little clearing in the center.

In the clearing the group camped out at, the fire pit was alight with a bright and brilliant fire that lit the entire clearing in a warm and soothing light. With nobody else on the island, there was hardly any danger. Nothing but the sound of waves and the cool ocean breeze flowing betwixt the trees.

A few of the ship rations cooked in a stew over the fire which Manikas stirred, the scent welcome after going so long without a meal. Argus and Heynia sat snuggled together by the fire. Jolvia drew idly in the sand while Rikzyod busied himself by sitting much too close to the blazing fire, basking in the licking hot ashes.

And all the while...all was calm.

Avery knew he was outnumbered here. Manikas and Rikzyod were at most unaligned. Vizon was gone. And everyone else was, in some way, loyal to the Thieves' Guild. Or an offshoot of it.

And somewhere in the back of Avery's mind was the worry of what happened at the end of this when the Peacekeeper was fixed.

But for now, the Plusle was seated around the campfire, knees curled to his chest, letting himself quietly enjoy the warmth of the fire and the experience of company.

"Alright, alrright, how about another joke?" Argus said.

"Shoot." Jolvia replied, sketching a picture of the island in the sand.

"What do you get when you combine the Duke of Souljraan with the High Captain of Yahneri Port?"

"What?"

"Nothing done!" Argus belted out a hearty laugh at his own joke. Even Manikas huffed a laugh as he stirred the stew. Avery's hand idly traced letters in the soft dirt, wiping his palm over them to clean them away before starting again. Just as an idle fidget while he thought, and listened.

"Alrright, alrright, tell me if you heart this one. A machop goes to a fighting type convention trrying to hone his skill..."

"Uh-huh...?" Jolvia said half-heartedly as Manikas lifted a ladle to her bowl, pouring in some stew.

"...so get gets a ticket frrom the frront window. Now, the thing is that he does not have enough money to get the ticket, comes up just short. Poorr guy, it has been his drream to actually attend one of these."

"Uh-huh..." Jolvia said again. Manikas reached over, filling Avery's bowl next. The strew certainly looked nice, filled with onions, mushrooms and a thick savory broth. He even included a cooked biscuit.

"The ticket taker tells him 'that is alrright, we accept anyone if they can prrove they arre a tough guy.' So the Machop says 'oh? How do I prove that?'. The ticket takerr tells him what he tells everyone looking to take the test to get in free: 'you have to surrvive a serries of the strrongest attacks by the masterrs of marrtial arrts. A kick to the chest by a hitmonlee, a harrsh CHOP to the side by a Sawk and an earrth-shatterring one-fist STRRIKE to the face by a Lucarrio.'"

"Uh-huh..." Jolvia said once again. With everyone's bowls filled, Manikas lounged back, looking up at the sky. Even now, his pipe was in his mouth, a deep look of thought on his face.

"The machop agrrees, thinking to himself that if enough people arre trrying to get in frree then therre is prrobably a bunch of otherrs ahead of him. That means he would not need to take all thrree attacks one afterr anotherr, he could take one, then queue forr the next one and rrecoverr."

"Uh-huh..." Jolvia didn't seem entirely interested, but Argus continued regardless.

"So up the machop goes behind a long queue of Poke'mon. One afterr anotherr, they each get a KICK to the stomach. Poke'mon are doubling overr in pain, one even coughs up blood. Soon enough, it is the Machop's turn. Surre as can be, the Hitmonlee's kick winds him. Utterly brreaks him, its devastation as an attack can not be underrstated."

"Uh-huh..."

"So the machop, in intense pain, steps up to the back of the queue of Poke'mon rready to take the CHOP of a Sawk, a move said to be able to split mountains. Now, the Poke'mon ahead of the machop, one by one, are utterrly cut down. The ones in the frront are swept aside, still rreeling frrom the Hitmonlee, they have no time to rrecoverr and arre decimated and thrrown out. The ones in the middle of the line farre better. They take the hit, staggerr, then fall over, and get thrrown out. Howeverr, the machop, having waited so long, has been able to rrecoverr to 100%. So, when his turn comes, the Sawk RREARRS back and deliverrs an earth-shatterring CHOP to the Machop's side. The poorr guy feels something brreak, it is a doozy, but by Arrceus he holds on."

"Uh-huh..."

"Howeverr, it's hetre the machop's luck had rrun out. He was the only one to surrvive the Sawk's chop. Brroken and brruised, he looked towarrd the Lucarrio, his final challenge, the most powerrful of strrikes to the face. To his utterr horror, he rrealized..."

Argus smiled wide, pausing, as though utterly ecstatic about his next words:

"...therre is no punchline."

"Ugh."

Avery smiled a bit at that, and leaned back.

"That's good, that's a good one." He said softly.

Avery took a sip of the stew from the bowl, and looked upwards at the sky. He hoped Vizon and Diquarni were alright. They both knew where the camp was, so if they were hungry they could come and eat.

"I wish I knew more jokes. I like to think I used to be a funny guy. You're a funny guy, Argus."

"Hehe! You think I am funny?" Argus snickered, hugging Heynia close. "You would be one of a verry few! Most think it annoying but, eh, I have not made a habit of strressing over the crriticism of otherrs on petty things that make me happy."

"And I." Heynia concurred, nuzzling in.

Jolvia smiled to herself, watching as Rikzyod downed his entire bowl of stew in one gulp. She turned her head, looking over at Manikas as the Pangoro stared at the stars in thought.

"Something bothering you, Captain?"

"Feh..." The old Pangoro grunted. "Feel tired, wish I weren't. But these old bones can't grind out ship repairs in a fortnight of straight work like I could back when I was younger."

"You've done a lot today."

"Aye but not enough. Peacekeeper...the ship me wife an' little ones loved so...still sits on the beach and the beast still yet roams the waters." Manikas grumbled. "An' every second this old man has to spend recuperating is another moment that foul creature gets to continue drawing breath."

"You're quite dedicated." Jolvia said, eliciting only a grunt from Manikas. "Do you mean for us younger Poke'mon to get back to work at once?"

The Pangoro was silent..then shook his head.

"Nay, you lot rest. You all plunged into the briny deep with me in pursuit of the beast of Yahneri cave. Faced death once fer me...and I won't forget that." He said, plainly and firmly. "That said...the sooner we're off the island, the better...I think the beast's not just returned...but it's come back fiercely angrier than ever before, even when I first faced it. Seems it don'tlike being disturbed a second time."

"How do you figure?"

Manikas's lowered his gaze to Avery and Jolvia, his one good eye shimmering in the fire.

"The storm cloud. All morning, evening, afternoon, whenever I stood at the shore...I've seen it gettin' bigger."

"Bigger...?" Jolvia asked. "You don't mean..."

"Aye...s'just a matter of time a'fore the storm reaches far beyond the cave...might engulf Yahneri Port itself."

Avery let out a small sigh, nodding his head as he took another sip of stew, feeling the warmth spread through him.

"There's the stakes I'm familiar with," he said with a little chuckle. "Wouldn't be a Team Azure mission without at least one town immediately at stake."

He looked down at the bowl.

"Though I guess it's a Team Fottupebe mission too, isn't it? You guys faced off against any Thunder God Avatars or Deep Dimensions lately? Or...things like it. I guess I'm just curious about the sort of hazard risk normal teams are used to."

"Hehe, not norrmally. I mean, unless you wish to count me when I am hungrry! No thunderr god could comparre then!" Argus laughed. "But, yes, we have been in ourr sharre of kerrfuffles and caperrs, nothing like what we have faced the past week, though."

"How harrowing. Oh, drreadful." Heynia said with an air of theatrics. "I miss the simple worrk of manning food lines, but I suppose therre's morre than one way to help Poke'mon."

"Either way..." Manikas continued, chewing on his pipe. "We need the ship back in the water as soon as we can get 'er seaworthy, lest the beast of the Black Hoard bring its horror to the poor Poke'mon of Yahneri Port."

"So, what then?" Jolvia asked. "Shall we start cutting trees?"

"Nay. Many of the palm trees here...their bark is serviceable but wouldn't survive the first rogue wave to crash to the hull." Manikas pondered. "There's a precious few oak trees that have managed to grow just up north o' camp. First come daylight we march up there, fell each of the trees, get cutting and mend the damages to me pride n' joy."

"Then we pound the face of another god with a hundred thousand fiery shots to the face!" Rikzyod bellowed, cracking his knuckles. "Yes...I like this plan."

Avery nodded, finishing off his stew. There was still part of him wondering what would happen after that. After they got off, if they did vanquish the Black Hoard's Beast...what would happen to Jolvia? Vizon? Team Azure? Himself?

"Do we have enough cannonballs for that?" Avery asked, turning to the captain.

Manikas huffed, lighting his Yaja pipe with a burning stick from the fire.

"Avery, my boy, if we run out of artillery then I'll jump upon the beast's back and tear it apart myself."

Rikzyod nodded, impressed, which Avery mirrored in response, putting the soup bowl down. The old Pangoro was nothing if not determined.

Avery's gaze fell back to the forest that led to the beach. To Vizon.

'... I wonder how he's doing. If he's okay...

He...isn't stubborn enough to starve out there, is he?'

A brief hush fell over the group, the only thing between them all being the crackle of the fire and the occasional sound of happy eating (Argus, naturally, fed Heynia, seeming to treat this all as a romantic holiday).

Manikas huffed, his eyes glazed over as the smoke of the Yaja in his pipe slowly took effect.

"Ai, well...in either case, lads, I'm none too worried about ifs." The Pangoro said, roughly dipping his spoon into the pot to take a little extra soup, the captain's portion. "There's no 'if' about whether we'll fell that foul creature."

"Oh my, what confidence." Heynia complimented. "Why, I should trry morre positivity like that, myself."

Argus snickered to himself.

Jolvia and Rikzyod nodded, the Geodude also taking a second helping of soup. The Nidorina glanced at Avery, noting his silence...and looked out to the other end of the clearing...toward the beach no doubt on the other side of the island.

Likely she was thinking of Diquarni just as Avery did of Vizon.

Next to them, Rikzyod glanced over, grinning.

"Avery, you are so quiet and meek tonight! What is bouncing around in that head of yours?" He asked, nudging the Plusle. "More of your brain pain, uh?"

Jumping slightly in place, Avery turned to Rikzyod.

"In a way, yeah." Avery answered quickly, trying to not seem to awkard. "Though... It's a little funny. I know it's all still there. But it's just...numb right now. Like it's far away, or behind a wall."

It was a different kind of broken down than what he was used to. Whether it was better in the long run was yet to be seen, but...for now, it felt a lot less apocalyptic.

...or maybe it was that it was more apocalyptic that made it so comforting.

"I think I need to form diamonds. Like you do."

"Mmm...numb?" Rikzyod rumbled, sipping his soup as though it were a drink. "I know this feeling, numb. When the body has taken so much there is little else it can take, so it takes no more."

He folded his arms in thought. Avery sighed, looking down at the ground, thinking with the Geodude.

"I think I need to form diamonds. Like you do." The Plusle mused softly.

"Diamonds...yes! The pain itself does not make you stronger, rather what it teaches, hm?! How the healing makes it STRONGER." The Geodude said with a slap on Avery's back and a smile on his face. "Were it we could live life with all the wisdom and none of the scars...and I see you bare many of them."

Rikzyod tapped a finger on the top of his head, tracing the outline of his sparkling geode scar.

"And those scars shine quite brightly, Avery. It should be no wonder I call you 'boss', uh?"

The Plusle was quiet. His mind went back to Rocky Hills. The first time that he met Rikzyod. Their battle. Where, one way or another, he'd proved his conviction to Rikzyod. That Avery was...determined? Strong? True to himself?

'...What's happened to me since then? How have I changed so drastically? Even so, even as I've gotten weaker and more brittle in my mind, Rikzyod still follows me, still has faith in me.

Is he delusional?... Well, yes. But about this?

...hm.'

"Im glad you're here, Rikzyod," Avery said, finally. "...and I'd hate to deprive you of the opportunity to slay another god."

"Bah, I can slay nobles and gods on my own time." Rikzyod's eyes flashed with a fire, a wicked smile on his face. "But I would be remiss if it were not we both who slayed a god. Showed it who we really are."

He let out a loud, rumbling chuckle, a sound a mixed with the dull, distant thunder of the Yahneri Cave Thunderstorm way off in the far distance.

Jolvia glanced back at Avery and Rikzyod, smiling warmly as the Plusle talked, even looking relieved a bit. Argus and Heynia meanwhile kept each other entertained with quite jokes to one another. Manikas lied on his side, scratching his stomach. His face looked as though going to sleep was the last thing he wanted to do...but, alas, he was a still an old man, and after all the excitement and straight hours of no sleep they'd been through, his eyelids must have weighted heavier than all the oceans.

Just as well, as the fire was beginning to die down, soon nothing but smoke and ashes. Everyone said their good-nights, crawling onto their leaves in their own shelters.

The jungle was dark, but they were lulled by the sound of the wind...the sound of the ocean, deep in the night under the beautiful array of stars and Sanshiyad high above.

Though as Avery drifted off...he could have sworn he heard something...in the distance...strange noises...

A crack...a banging...dragging...but it was all so faint...but it was easy to groggily convince himself it was just his imagination as he drifted to sleep.

...

...

...

[[ NO SIGNAL ]]

[[ NO SIGNAL ]]

...


The sun shone brightly on Avery. The wind had picked up from yesterday and the rumbles of thunder certainly sounded ever so slightly more pronounced.

Jolvia and Rikzyod stood in the camp beside him. The Nidorina was doing some kind of early morning calisthenics, stretches, cardio, a routine she had. Rikzyod meanwhile took to popping every individual joint on his body.

Argus and Heynia were off to the side, preparing some rope and planks for hauling lumber.

Manikas, of course, had gone ahead up north to the pine trees to mark out the first ones to cut down.

And all the while...still neither head or hair of Vizon nor Diquarni could be found.

'...Maybe the two of them had waged an all-night-long war between each other about who the bad guy was once and for all.'

Avery hoped they weren't dead or anything, at least. The lack of a dream was...well, now that he thought about it, he hadn't had one of those in a while. It was a little refreshing not to be talked in the ear by Olistia, though...the jury was still out on Arceus himself. Avery hadn't gotten to talk to him directly much, but...from what he saw Arceus seemed pleasant, if sad.

"Good morning, Rik. Morning, Jolvia. Argus, Heyna..." Avery took a deep breath through his nose, and let it out. The salty air was a refreshing change to the...canal air he usually got in his room. Invigorating, even!

"Good-" Jolvia bent down and touched her toes. "Morning, Avery-" She pasued to repeat the motion. "-Enjoying the ocean air?"

"Ahhh, what a scent!" Rikzyod called, taking in a deep breath. "I must say, this is proving a satisfying mission! The change of scenery, the threat of starvation, it is exciting in its own right, hm?"

"Oh, now, no need for that today, Rikzyod." Jolvia chuckled with a roll of her eyes. She hooked one arm under the other, crossing the arms across her chest and turning her body. "There's plenty of food both from the ship's supply and even here on the island itself. The Peacekeeper only needs so many repairs. Heck, if we really give it our all we could be out of here by sundown."

"Augh...then I will have to find a remote island to starve on by myself." Rikzyod shrugged. "I have grown quite accustomed to this camping, this 'roughing it'. I almost feel as though all my time in cities has, in some way, made be SOFT."

"You? Soft, rrock man?" Argus laughed next to him. "Surre camping in a jungle or a forrest is rrough...but you strrike me as the type to sleep in a puddle in that ol' urrine trrough X-Eye Distrrict, and THAT is rreal surrvival!"

"Still harrdly anything to sleeping in the Illaminian Distrrict on NAM convention night, hm?" Heynia cooed with a morbid laugh. Argus laughed with a shudder. It didn't sound malicious...more experienced.

It was idle chatter, joking. In some ways, this was a sort of vacation, even with the storm of the Beast looming in the distance.

Manikas still wasn't back, so it only made sense to wait for him for now.

"Well...Getting out of here by sundown would be nice in theory," Avery said, giving himself a bit of a simpler stretch than Jolvia's routine, simply raising his arms over his head and arching his back. "But I have a feeling that putting all of us on a boat together and trying to take that thing down...wouldn't go well. There's still a lot of tensions. Between us,"

He pointed to himself and Jolvia, to which the Nidorina raised her eyebrows...but nodded.

"...and between us," Avery gestured to himself, Heynia and Argus. "...But, uh...those are...small peanuts compared to..."

Avery gestured vaguely into the forest.

"I think if we were to get out of here by sundown, we could christen The Peacekeeper as The Powderkeg."

"Aww, what? Could we rreally not put our differrences aside forr a common good and make it in the end?" Argus snickered, setting a long pallet aside and picking up more crates to make another. "I thought that is what Arrceali guildies always do. In those perriodicals the Souljrreini Prrinting Company loves to churrn out?"

"Oh well, if this is to be anything like the perriodicals then I would rrequest that I get to make the corrny speech at the end and encourage all the good little Arrcean boys and girrls keep attending theirr Conduicy brrainwash." Heynia giggled to herself, pushing Argus away as though to hush him up.

"Oi, Fottupebe, knock it off." Jolvia hissed, which thankfully did make the two ease up, even if the couple giggled to one another. Jolvia actually showed she had some measure of authority over the thieves guild team, as their Intelligence Officer.

Jolvia sighed, looking back to Avery.

"Worst case scenario, we hog-tie Vizon, beat the Yahneri Beast, secure the pearl, go home, and sort the rest out in the...relative safety of Arceliaze." Jolvia huffed, rolling and stretching her shoulders. "I'm sorry that tensions have boiled over so much...and I know I'm mostly to blame for that. I feel...or at least hope the boy will come around for you, Avery, but we don't have too much time to spend on reconciling hurt feelings with Yahneri port and the pearl on the line."

"Yes, about that..." Heynia piped up, making Jolvia look back at her. "...who exactly is it that you securring the pearl forr? You rrealize we arre looking to get it to Xamao."

"I'm quite aware of his fool's errand, yes." Jolvia said, turning her head away from Heynia.

"And yet I rrecall you doing a bit of...shall I be generrous? Frriendly firre back on the ship." Heynia said, frowning. "Xamao said you were helping us."

"Of course he thinks so, that's the point." Jolvia grunted. "I'm securing the Water Pearl for Olistia. Then everybody loses. And I expect you both to help."

"Diquarrni won't like that." Argus said, shaking his head. "Heck, I do not rreally like that. Xamao and Janus-"

"The less I hear about those renegades, the better." Jolvia said, shooting a look back to the Fottupebe pair. "As for Diquarni...she'll come crawling back when she gets hungry or whatever."

Argus snorted at that.

"This is why I'm concerned about you and I, Team Fottupebe." Avery raised an eyebrow and crossed his arms. "I've...already experienced once what happens at the end of a mission when two parts of a team want separate outcomes. And while you've been friendly since we got to the island...You'll forgive me if I find it hard to trust you."

"Oh good! I was feeling like such a jerrk, thinking it was only we who distrrusted you!" Argus laughed, patting Heynia on the back.

'My tensions with Jolvia are...relatively low, compared to everyone else. Whatever happens after this I don't want her to leave the team. She's a friend of mine, and...I want to see the end of that book series with her. But she'll have no reason to stick around after this - if she did, with Vizon being the way he was, she might be executed for treason. Unlike Janus, she isn't a darling of the guild. She doesn't have a Nivanee to speak up for her.

At the end of the day she, like everyone else, has strong convictions of what she wants from the Pearls.

...And then there's Vizon and Diquarni.'

The Mandibuzz raised her eyebrows at Jolvia

"And what makes you think we won't tell Xamao all this?" Heynia asked.

"Tell." Jolvia dared. "It won't make a difference once the Water Pearl's sealed in an Arceali vault. We'll lock down the Thunder Pearl and the Fire Pearl can stay where it is, because it's as worthless as a shiny bauble without the other two."

"But-"

"There's no buts about this, Fottupebe." Jolvia said. "I respect Xamao and Janus for their merits as Santurini Guild members but these extremist methods are far and beyond too dangerous to employ and too compromising to the organization. It's escalation, not a solution."

"Xamao is morre a direct action Poke'mon than one to mill about in moving money and politics." Argus grumbled.

"Well, I apologize that the everything is not so storybook." Jolvia said back. "Your assistance in securing the Water Pearl for Olistia will be noted by the Santurini Guildmaster, I'm sure."

A tense silence followed. Argus and Jolvia stared at one another as the hush settled on the group.

Then, as though to save the group from tension, there was a rustle in the bushes...something big was approaching. The captain? Avery was snapped out of his thoughts by the noise, jolting to attention.

Every turned to the rustling noise, staring curiously.

There, beyond the bushes, they could see a large, dark figure. A haze of smoke billowed around its head.

He was huffing and puffing.

There, Manikas was emerging from the foliage, just behind one of the trees. But...something was off...

His lip was turned up into a snarl.

His one good eye was wide and blazing with anger, teeth bared, smoke PUFFING from his nostrils.

He put a hand to the palm tree in from of him, PUSHING it aside with a deafening CRACK! Splintered the base of the tree, knocking it over with a crash into the underbrush as he STOMPED into the camp.

"A'IGHT." The Pangoro roared, the leaves SHAKING. "WHO DID IT?! WHICH ONE OF YOU FLATFOOTS DID IT?!"

Avery jolted, falling flat on his rear from the power of Manikas's voice. Avery's mouth opened to speak, but nothing came out.

'What on earth is he talking about? Who did what?'

Even Jolvia bristled, her nose scrunching in surprise as she took a step back. Rikzyod got to attention, watching and listening with interest.

"What is the matterr, Misterr Captain? Did you lose the hatchets?" Argus chuckled, earning himself a hushing push from an annoyed Heynia.

"Hatchets?! HATCHETS?!" Manikas bellowed. "Forget the hatchets! Burn the hatchets for all the good they'll do! Where's the BLOODY FOREST GONE?!"

"Th...what?!" Jolvia asked in disbelief.

Manikas swung an arm back, grabbing a fern and TEARING it from the ground from its roots and throwing it aside, gesturing harshly at the path northward.

"The oaks! All the good oaks!" Manikas bellowed. "Gone! Chopped away! Stumps and all! WHERE'S ME OAKS, CONFOUND YOU POKE'MON!"

Avery's jaw dropped.

'What the-?!'

Indeed, Avery could see it: just a short distance from camp where once there might have been forests of seaworthy oak trees now he could only see...a large, large field of uneven dirt and potholes, pine nettles and small branches scattered here and there.

An entire chunk of the forest, all the oak trees on the small island...

gone.

Jolvia and Rikzyod stepped up beside the captain, the Nidorina gasping at the sight. Seeing all that was taken in naught but a night.

"Oh Arceus alive, what is happening..." Jolvia said, rubbing her temples, a befuddled and exasperated look on her face. This mission was clearly taking a greater mental toll on the woman than Avery had ever seen before.

"Swear on the drowned o' the sea when I find out which dead man has hindered me revenge on the beast I will personally KEELHAUL them!" Manikas spat!

"C...Cap'n, none of us would have had a reason to do that-!" The Plusle stammered. "We all want The Peacekeeper repaired, same as you-! What-"

'...no way. There was no way that-'

"I...did hear some...strange sounds as I was going to sleep last night-"

Manikas swung and LIFTED Avery at once, rattling and shaking the tiny Plusle, one part furious, one part desperate. Avery yelped, kicking weakly in the air as he suddenly found himself airbound.

"SPEAK! SPEAK, BOY! WHAT SOUNDS?!" Manikas shouted, heaving heavy breaths, looking back northward.

"Just...cracking and shuffling sounds off in the distance!" Avery babbled, head flailing as he was shaken, making him dizzy. "I-If I'm going to be honest Cap'n I thought it was Argus snoring-"

"Cracking! Shuffling! In the dead o' night!" Manikas DROPPED Avery onto the ground, a hand on his forehead. He looked as though he might pass out. "All in one night! One BLOODY night and I'm upended! What speed! What VIGOR with which I am so thoroughly PLAYED FOR A FOOL."

With one more ROAR Manikas tore through the underbrush, stomping over the dirt field that used to be the pine forest. Jolvia helped Avery back up, following after the Pangoro and looking around. Rikzyod and Argus looked awed, while Heynia looked more like an embarrassed mother.

"If this does not have Diquarrni wrritten all over it..." The Mandibuzz sighed.

"Oho, no, I know the stupid blue one's handiwork." Rikzyod chuckled, looking around the expanse of upended soil. "The tenacity and strength to do such idiotic things...it brings a tear to my eye, hm?"

No matter how much they looked, in every direction was nothing...not one log was left, nothing that could be used to fix the Peacekeeper.

Jolvia looked back at Avery, looking pretty exhausted for the morning having just started.

"...If I'm going to be honest," Avery said dryly, "I'm not entirely sure that Diquarni and Vizon aren't twins...seperated at birth by twenty-odd years."

The Plusle looked over to Jolvia, giving her a nod as thanks for helping him up.

"Here I was hoping they'd come find us when they were ready..." He sighed. "...not exactly the method I was thinking they'd take."

"I suppose now..." Jolvia sighed, her ears folding behind her head. "...we'll have to find them instead..."

Manikas was shaking, fists balled.

"VIZON!" The Captain bellowed, voice echoing over the trees as he ran off in a rampage, hollering and ranting and cussing the whole while as he vanished into the thicket.

Rikzyod folded his arms with a smile.

"Aha, I like the initiative!" The Geodude said, glancing back at Avery. "Perhaps I go another way?"

"Yes...that sounds like a good idea." Jolvia sighed, nodding to Argus and Heynia. "Let's all split up, try to track down the other two..."

"And I suppose hope they werre just being go-getters and cutting the trrees forr us..." Heynia sighed, rubbing her forehead. "...it is a nice thought to hold onto, better than them both just being this monumentally stupid..."

Jolvia shook her head, patting Avery on the back.

"Alright...I'm going to head up north. Rikzyod can take southside. Argus, you mind going out west and Heynia covers South West?" Jolvia nodded to the Plusle. "Avery, you can try the east. If we don't find anything, we'll all travel counterclockwise around the beach until we reach the opposite of where we started. Someone has to find them by then..."

"Sounds like a plan," Avery said with a little nod. "And we can count on the captain to clean up any little spaces that we might be leaving."

With a firm nod to one another they all split up right there, after a quick bite of biscuits from the ship.

Splitting from the others as they moved into the brush of Palm Trees, Avery stepped over the low brush to the east of the ruined oak forest, into the dark thicket of the jungle. The canopy here was absolute. The sun was totally blotted out on this side of the jungle, with the underbrush thick.

Avery could still hear the ocean...faintly in the distance...the rumble of the beast's thunderstorm even more distantly...but the wind...

...the wind could not pierce through the wall of trees that loomed over the Plusle.

As he ventured deeper...deeper in...the light of the clearing were they had all split up grew fainter...

...fainter...

until it vanished...leaving Avery in the dark.

The Plusle gulped, electricity flowing through his hands, giving a faint blue light.

All was still.

All was quiet.

Shadows bounds lightly in the dim blue glow of Avery's hands.

Snap

Avery twisted in place, ears perked, looking for the sound. His fists sparked.

He didn't know why he was so on guard - nothing on this island scared him as much as some of the beasts he'd faced off against before did.

But still - it was an eerie feeling...almost reminiscent of the marsh.

"...hello...?" Avery called.

...

nothing...all was silent again.

The light of his sparks cut through the darkness, casting yet more eerily long shadows from the trunks that surrounded him...

The trees...crowded Avery.

His own footsteps were quiet, almost silent.

Rustle

Once again Avery whirled around.

He was being watched, he knew that. And from the plan Jolvia laid out, it wouldn't be someone else from the search party. Either this island wasn't uninhabiated...or he was being stalked.

"If you're done watching from afar, the captain would like to know what you did with all the oak trees."

...

still nothing.

Everything was quiet...but the surroundings were getting...strange.

The dirt...looked overturned...scraped and with much of the grass flattened, like something heavy was dragged through.

Avery could see pine nettles, out of place amongst the jungle foliage.

snap

Something on the trunk of a tree...blood? No, it looked like...red berry juice, smeared on the surface.

Something lied in a bush, like a bushel of leaves...tied together and forgotten, with sticks jutting out of it...

rustle

Twigs...Y-Shaped twigs stuck in the ground...tied together...

If he had to guess, those were trailmarkers that one of the two of them made to keep from getting lost. If he followed these, maybe he could-

snap

Any time Avery tried to look at a snap or a rustle...maybe it was all his imagination? Just the sounds of the forest...the darkness getting to him...?

Until...-

"AUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHH!"

Manikas's scream echoed dully through the trunks, sounding as though it were coming from dead ahead.

Avery broke into a sprint. That didn't sound good at all-

snap

Pushing past ferns and bushes, blasting through the leaves, the twigs scattering as Avery barreled forward.

He could hear the sound of struggling. Strained grunting.

"Auuugughgh! For the love of-!"

There was Manikas again, closer now. As Avery pushed aside the last fern he could...hear the Pangoro, very clearly...but Avery wasn't able to see him...

"I can't BELIEVE this!"

Was that coming from...above...?

Looking up...Avery saw it...far, far above, completely out of reach...

...the Pangoro captain was snared and totally trapped in a net, dangling dozens of feet in the air.

'...Alright. Snares. Good to know. Watch where I step. Or grab. They were setting traps now.'

"I see you, Cap'n," Avery said, casting a quick look behind himself. The Plusle still heard those snaps and rustles, even below the captain's screaming. "Let me find a way up there and I'll get you down."

"Avery?! Avery is that you, M'boy?" Manikas shouted, swaying and shuddering, making the net snare swing frantically. "What on Arceus's green planet is going ON?!"

Looking around the small clearing...Avery saw something else...

A sign...made from oak, painted with red berries.

[STUPID BAD GUY JAIL (Feel Free to use mud to pelt bad guy at your leisure)]

And, indeed, there was a pile of mud helpfully placed next to the sign.

'...

...I have no idea who was responsible for this. It could've been either of them.'

Squinting upwards...that was a net. A little harder to free him from than a classic elevated rope snare, but at the very least they wouldn't have to worry about the Pangoro hanging upside down for half an hour if Avery hadn't come along.

"Elevated net snare, cap'n. for a, uh..." Avery squinted at the sign. "'Stupid bad guy jail'...something tells me you weren't the intended target."

"Stupid bad-?!" Manikas's voice bellowed from above. "Ohhhh no. No no, this had better not be what I think it is! That boy had better not have-!"

"Woooaaah!"

That sounded like another yell from across the island. Manikas flared, shouting again.

" YOU BILGERATTATA! UNTIE ME THIS INSTANT!"

The captain swayed and swung, until he bumped against one of the trees, knocking hard against it.

"Ow! By Arceus-! That smarts!" Manikas puffed hard, thrashing a bit.

Nothing answered him. Only the continued silence of the forest. The Pangoro grunted, looking down at Avery.

"Gah! Nevermind, Avery! It's not yer ol' Captain's first net trap he's escaped from!" The Pangoro shifted, pulling at the ropes and flashing his claws. "We's got to find whoever's orchestrated this madness! The whole island could be rigged by now! Go on ahead!"

"Yessir," Avery said.

The eastern sweep wasn't going to be worth too much if these two were trying not to be found. If that sound was anything to go by, someone else had fallen into a trap. Avery began heading over that way, hoping that whoever had rigged it would come and see it as well.

Of course, Avery knew he wouldn't be much good if he himself got caught...so the Plusle kept an eye out. He at least had an advantage of knowing there were traps.

With that, Manikas began slowly cutting at the ropes with his claws as you Avery off, the Plusle making his way through the dark foliage.

Indeed, now that Avery knew to look out for traps he could see them much more clearly. There, in the underbrush...

...a tripwire of plant fiber...with a sign saying [DUMB BABY PENETENTIARY].

Swipe away a bush...an spiked oak log hung in the air by ropes, already tripped, with another sign: [SUPER GOOD GUY LOG SMASH]

More and more there were red stains of berries on the trees...not just markings...faces.

Painted angry faces, staring down at Avery, eyes dribbling red juice from the bark of the dark trees as the Plusle sidestepped a pitfall, the [VILLAIN TROUBLE DUNGEON].

"Someone? Anyone? Help!"

That was Jolvia's voice. Avery had made his way to the north, swiping away ferns and underbrush, passing...signs. More and more signs.

[TURN BACK]

[GO AWAY]

[GOOD GUYS ONLY]

[BAD GUYS NOT WELCOME]

[FECK OFF]

[TRESPASSERS WILL BE HIT WITH A SUPER COOL MOVE WITH EXTREME PREJUDICE]

'...Hoooo boy.

Weird that they're signposting these traps, but...maybe that's a ploy. Maybe they're making some obvious and some not to catch me off guard?

Or maybe not. At the very least, I don't want to be trapped, too.'

Avery was getting paranoid, casting looks behind his shoulder every few seconds.

'This, at least, I'm pretty sure is Diquarni's territory. Even Jolvia's been caught...?'

As Avery pushed past another bush, he found her: Jolvia stood looking terrified, trapped under a heavy oak wood cage that had dropped on top of her. She held the bars, shouting.

"Diquarni?! Diquarni, even for you this is a bit much! What in the world's gotten into you?!" The Nidorina was both scared and livid, her cool demeanor melting somewhat...until she saw the glow of Avery's illuminating spark.

"Wha-? Avery? Avery!" Jolvia shouted, turning towards him, grabbing the bars of her cage. It was now Avery could see the cage had a sign attached to it, as though it were a display: [THE COMEUPPANCE]. "Avery, are you okay?! Be careful, this place is absolutely rigged!"

"I've already seen that from the Captain trapped in a net in the 'bad guy corner'," Avery sighed. "I can't say I know Diquarni that well, but I think that both she and Vizon have, uh...gone off the deep end. Is there a way to lift the cage...?"

"The captain? Trapped, too?" Jolvia said, exasperated, scratching her head. "Oh Arceus this can't actually be happening...you're telling me Vizon is setting up these things, too? Oh...the only thing worse than one Diquarni...is two of them..."

Jolvia closed her eyes, taking off her glasses to rub her face...she took a deep breath, calming herself.

"But...I was following a trail, just up ahead. I think one of them is on the North beach. I can't rear back enough in here to break this wood." Jolvia said, pointing out how the cage was just small enough that she had to bend down to stand in it...but it certainly looked big enough for a Riolu. "Could you start me off on one of these planks? Then I'll work on freeing myself and you go on ahead..."

She shuffled back from the planks, glancing back down the path towards the beach.

'...if it's who I think it is up there..." She said. "...he likely won't be very happy to see me."

There was a hint of worry in her voice.

"...Yeah," Avery said slowly, walking up to the cage. He reared back his right leg, and slammed it into the bottom of one of the planks to attempt to dislodge it. Jolvia backed up as you kicked. The wood creaked and cracked, splintering with each hit. "...Bit of a mess we got ourselves into, huh?"

"A fine mess, no doubt, but that's hardly anything new." Jolvia said, kneeling so she didn't have to bend forward so much in the small cage. "Though pardon me for being blunt, I grow a little tired of our greatest obstacles coming from our teammates..."

She huffed, clearly annoyed from all the foolishness, the nonsense, the setbacks, the delays...the embarrassment. Though she said nothing, Avery saw it in her eye: she felt her position as a high-ranking Intelligence Officer in that moment deeply.

"...all that said...I hope we can fix this, too." Jolvia sighed, shaking her head. "Do you think you can talk him out of this one?"

Avery frowned, kicking the board again. The board gave a great CRACK, Jolvia nodding at the sound.

"That's done it." She said, grabbing the broken board to begin wresting the damaged chunk from its place.

A high-ranking Intelligence Officer, falling prey to a cage from a subordinate of hers. Avery understood.

"That has kind of been the conflict the last three outings, hasn't it?" Avery sighed. "I won't lie...part of me is really hoping that the pattern follows again. This being...the Deep Dimension, the Bottom of the Earth. That after this, Team Azure quits being so...so broken."

Now it was Avery's turn to close his eyes and rub his face in frustration.

"I just want to do something normal." He grunted. "Save a kid who climbed too far up a tree. Get a hard-to-retrieve seed from deep in a forest for someone to use as a medicinal ingredient for their mom."

A laugh escaped his throat.

"Move boxes, maybe."

Jolvia paused, looking up at the Plusle...then smiled. It was an almost hesitant smile, like she was unsure if she should even give it.

"Yeah...I'm...sure when all this Pearl stuff is over you'll get your chance to." She said...perhaps lied. But even if it was clear she tempered her words she tempered them all the same. "I really hope, months from now, I'll be able to read the Periodicals and hear of the small heroic things Team Azure is doing. Out there really making the world a better place."

She laughed softly, shaking her head as she finally broke the board off, tossing it aside and crawling out.

"Just...all of this what's going on..." Jolvia sighed, dusting herself off. She was quiet a moment, looking out towards the north. "...no, nevermind. Go on, Avery. I'm going to circle back and try to find the others...see if they got caught, too. You continue up north and see what's going on with our friend."

Avery saw the smile. And the twinge of something else in it.

"...I know what's coming, Jolvia. Or...I know that whatever it is, it won't be good."

A little part of him felt sick about the next words he was to say...but the rest of him? Felt numb to it.

"I know this is...probably going to be your last mission with us. And I know that there's a chance that I'll never see you again after this is all done. But even though I know it's...probably unrealistic, it's thoughts like getting to read another chapter of Team Moonlight with you that keep me going. I want to live in a world where I can do that. Whether it's this world or the next."

Avery turned to the north.

"I'll see you back at camp..." Avery promised. "...if I don't get caught in a trap myself."

Jolvia closed her eyes...and nodded.

"One more chapter, at the very least." Jolvia said with a smile. "I owe you that much at least, Avery. Whatever night we finally get home...one more chapter."

She lifted a hand, patting the Plusle's shoulder...then headed back towards camp to find the others.

To the north, right in front of Avery, was the trail Jolvia had mention, with another sign hanging above like an omen.

[NOW ENTERING: THE GOOD GUY ZONE! BAD GUYS NEED NOT COME IN]

The Plusle could see a light, there, at the end of the brush...the edge of the jungle...Avery could smell the ocean.

'...oh boy.'

The Plusle treaded carefully. If Avery knew Vizon by this point, he was pretty sure the Riolu was convinced he was the only good guy on the whole island.

...Him and maybe Rikzyod. Avery had no idea what he'd see in the 'good guy zone', but...he prepared for the worst.

Avery approached the bright light...closer and closer...the dirt ground slowly turned to sand and sand grass. The sound of waves filled his ears...and the light overtook him, the sun of the island blinding...until...

oh what the hell was this...

A large box...fortress stood on the sad. Makeshift sticks blocked the entrance, with torches burning at the top. A sign was proudly displayed:

[FORT GOOD GUYS]

"WHO GOES THERE" A voice...a familiar voice bellowed out immediately.

Avery's jaw hit the sand.

"...V...Vizon?" He gaped.

"Yes, that is I!" Vizon's voice called out, his snout barely poking up from the top of the battlements of the makeshift oak fortress that towered over Avery. The Riolu gripped a spear in hand, his crimson eyes squinting down at the Plusle on the sand below.

Vizon was silent a moment, the torches on either side of him whipping in the wind.

"Who are you, invader?" He asked.

"...You...made this overnight?" Avery said, stepping a little closer to study it. Then, quieter, "...I didn't know you were good at architecture."

The Plusle tilted his head, looking up at the Riolu with a reproachful expression.

"...So, uh...you've...decided to hunker down and make the island your new home, then?"

"Hey!"

Vizon's voice shouted as he brandished his spear, pointing it down at Avery. A bit silly, considering he could probably do more with his fists than a spear.

"I'm asking the questions! And I still haven't heard a name! Unless you're one of those BAD GUYS." The Riolu said, bunching his shoulders up, looking more and more like some sloven barbarian.

It was from here Avery noticed berry juice smeared on Vizon's face...like war paint.

Avery sighed.

"...Avery, Vizon. I'm Avery."

"Hmmm" Vizon hummed, squinting. He nonchalantly pulled up a slab of oak with berry juice scrawled on it. "Avery...Aaaaveryyy...I dunno any 'Avery'. Oh, wait, there was one 'Stupid Ugly BUTTFACE, esquire aka Sir CAPITULATION' but I don't know any 'Avery'."

He ducked back down, staring at the Plusle.

"Would that be you~?"

"...At least I'm an esquire," Avery mumbled. Then louder, "I, uh, can't say it rings a bell, but...it's possible?"

"Hmmmmmmmmmm..." Vizon hummed even louder, squinting so hard it looked as though his eyes were hurting.

Then, with a tap of his spear, the spiked barriers in the front lifted by ropes.

"You may enter, . Don't scuff the floors with all that DOUBLE-CROSSING."

With that, he ducked back behind the wall.

'...

...He installed pulleys?'

Avery approached cautiously, unsure if Vizon had laid any other traps. The Riolu was...obviously angry at him. At everyone, really, but...

"How long did it take you to make all this...?" Avery asked as he approached.

"Oh, you know, things are pretty easy without a bunch of people UNDERMINING YOU." Came Vizon's voice from within the structure.

From the beach Avery could see the inside of the fort. It was a simple abode built on the sand, with a sand floor and mounds of sand and some half-cut logs as furniture. There was even a fire roaring inside.

The Riolu stepped over by the fire and set his spear down, huffily taking a seat in the sand with his arms crossed.

There was...something else beside where Vizon sat...some strange thing...Avery would need to step inside to make it out clearly.

The Plusle wasn't even sure how to approach all of this. Vizon had been hurt by basically everyone he cared about, and as a consequence, seemed to have lost his marbles.

Understandable, Avery supposed, but...now what?

The Plusle stepped inside, casting looks around for any more spiked logs ready to skewer him on the way in.

"...It is really impressive you were able to make something like this at all, let alone this fast." Avery said. "I didn't know you were good at architecture."

"Oh yeah? You like it?" Vizon said, his head WHIPPING towards Avery with a BIG SMILE on his face! "Yeah I didn't know I had it in me either I'm like SUPER-!"

Vizon cut himself off. His brow furrowed as he crossed his arms and looked away at once with a huff.

"Yeah, well...whatever! It's not like even needed help anyway. I don't need ANYONE except for my buddy!"

Now that Avery was inside, he could see what that object Vizon sat by was, and...

Oh what the hell was that.

There was the Water Pearl, on a stick, with leaves and planks and berry juice smeared on to make some kind of...Avery effigy which Vizon sat next to like a friend.

Avery was stunned into silence again.

The Water Pearl was... That...

'That was the funniest thing I'd ever seen in my life.'

"I... It... He's...t-taller than I am," Avery said, trying to keep himself composed.

"Well DUH. My buddy is A TITAN OF GOOD. Figuratively speaking, but this size is really easy to hug and-"

Vizon stopped himself again, a blush crossing his cheeks.

"ANYWAY, the physical physique of MY PERFECT BUDDY doesn't concern YOU, !" Vizon spat, a fiery look in his eye. "Now speak! Why have you come to my BASTION OF GOOD MORALS?!"

"Uh-" Avery tried to calm himself down. But he couldn't stop staring at 'Buddy'.

'It's sad, this is sad, he's lonely and betrayed and lashing out, I know that, but LOOK AT THE PEARL-'

"...A...Few reasons," Avery said. "...We need the wood to repair the boat, and, uh...The cap'n's up in all sorts about the trees all being gone. There's... A chance Diquarni took the other half."

A flame ignited in Avery's chest as he said her name.

'Ah, good, that's back online.'

"But also... I was worried about you." Avery continued. "We didn't leave on the best terms, and...I hadn't seen you since yesterday. But...You seem to be doing pretty okay for yourself."

"DIQUARNI"

Vizon popped back up onto his feet, a fire in his eye.

"That SCOUNDREL. That FIEND. Over there at her CORRUPTED CITADEL OF DARK MALICE." Vizon shouted, swinging his fist around. "She set up a bunch of traps on my side of the island, trying to get at me!"

He swung around, looking Avery dead in the eye. The Plusle could see it in the Riolu's gaze...he was sleep deprived. It'd be a shock if he slept a wink last night.

"But I GOT HER BACK." Vizon said with a wild smile. "I got HER side of the island RIGGED with all the traps ONLY SMELLY EVILDOERS fall for, LIKE NETS and PITS and BOXES PROPPED ON STICKS AND BAITED WITH KICKABLE SAND CASTLES MADE BY BRIGHT-EYED YOUTHS."

Vizon was laughing. Sweated. A crazed look in his eye as he hunched over, rubbing his hands together.

"It won't be long now. Noooo sir. She'll mess up real soon. Bad guys aaaaalways do. Then right when I got her me any MY BUDDY are going to TROUNCE HER FACE."

Vizon paused, glancing at Avery over his shoulder.

"Oh and it's nice to see you too and stuff" The Riolu sighed, briefly acknowledging the last thing Avery'd said.

"...Well, Manikas got snagged by...The, uh, Bad Guy Corner?" Avery shrugged. "With this pile of mud for throwing. A lot of the traps around this side have that bad guy terminology too, actually..."

Avery looked around at the fort, the novelty starting to wear off.

"...There, um...Doesn't seem to be a bed in here, Vizon. "

"WHO NEEDS A BED. JUSTICE NEVER SLEEPS-"

Vizon's head dropped as he began to snore where he stood. He JOLTED, eyes SHOOTING open as he launched back.

"GAH! EVIL!" Vizon shrieked, putting up his hands.

He took a sharp breath, slicking his hair back and sighing.

"Then I guess Manikas was a bad guy, too. Who'da thunk." Vizon squinted at Avery, an eyebrow raised. "Did you get caught by any traps?"

"No, but-"

'...Maybe don't mention Jolvia right now.'

"No, I didn't. Vizon, I..."

'Where do I even start with this? I'm concerned for him. He needs to sleep. But he had the Pearl, and he didn't trust anyone.

Was this what I'd wanted back in Yahneri Cave? Had this been what I was waiting for? What's wrong with me...?'

"Huh...! Not caught by my BAD GUY filter?" Vizon said, leeeaning down, stroooking his chin and squinting at you. "Iiiiinteresting..."

Vizon stared at Avery for a moment longer...then the Riolu turned his head to the effigy.

"What do you think, Buddy?"

The Water Pearl with a face painted on it said nothing.

Vizon turned his head to Avery.

"Buddy isn't impressed. Sorry you'll have to do more than that ." Vizon said, turning around immediately with his arms crossed. "For now...I need to check my traps and see if I finally caught that good-for-nothing mistress of pure evil...Diquarni..."

"...If you want my guess of where she is," Avery said, his ears drooping a bit. "As a...Fellow bad guy, I guess...I'd wager she's on the opposite side of the island, hunkered in a fort of her own."

"Wow! That's completely wrong!" Vizon said, looking back again, smiling. "Only a good guy would be so utterly off base when guessing the location of a bad guy's base!"

He frowned again, trying to maintain his 'angry'.

"But! She's actually on the EAST SIDE, fairly CLOSE BY." Vizon said, clenching a fist. "I made this fort to defend all that is good and just from her. To hear that she's pilfered ALL OF (what was left of) THE PINE LUMBER FROM YOU ALL IS UNACCEPTABLE!"

Vizon's arms flopped to his sides, huffing a frustrated grunt.

"Curses! The battle between good and evil! Will it ever end?! I will NEVER back down. I will NEVER change. And so long as greed and malice CORRUPT THE HEARTS OF POKE'MON, so too will I FIGHT!"

He SWUNG a hand around, pointing towards the door.

"ONWARD, . WATCH A TRUE HERO AT WORK!"

With that Vizon SHOT out the door, spear in hand.

Avery watched him go...And turned to Buddy.

"...If you were really his friend you'd be making sure he takes care of himself," Avery said flatly, picking up the stick and uprooting 'Buddy' before following after Vizon.

Buddy deserved to see this.

Buddy stared at Avery judgmentally.

The Plusle followed Vizon out of the fortress, the spiked barriers SLAMMING into the sand behind him as they both left. Vizon marched onwards across the beach, spear in hand, pumping it in the air like the conductor of a marching band.

Now he was the leader.

Vizon said nothing, only diligently marching, a determined look on his face. His chin was stuck out, like a hero of old.

It was only when they both rounded the bend of the beach that Vizon held his spear out, stopping Avery.

"COMPANY, HALT! Look there, !" Vizon said, crouching. He held his paw over his eyes, shielding them from the sun to look ahead.

There, Avery could see...Argus. The Krookodile stood down the beach, his back to them both, hands on his hips and shaking his head. Vizon hissed gravely.

"It's one of them...the dark forces of evil. Mooks and crooks about, poisoning the land."

Vizon glanced over at Avery...and SNATCHED Buddy away with a snarl.

"You...Mr.Buttface...you consort and capitulate and collaborate and, under the nose of people that gave you undying trust, secretly work with their kind...why don't you see what that ne'er-do-well is up to..."

Vizon tucked the water pearl...'Buddy'...under his arm.

"Me and BUDDY will watch you from afar, since I can trust him to have my back."

Avery gave Vizon a somewhat strained look.

Avery wanted to say more, but...he submitted, and walked forwards onto the beach, into the view of Argus.

Argus perked up at the crunch of Avery's footsteps, looking back. The Krookodile let out a sigh of relief seeing it was only the Plusle.

"Ah, Shorrtsparrk. I was worrried you got caught in one of those booby-trraps." Argus scratched his chin in thought, a cheeky smirk on his face. "Orr, perrhaps, got lost wallowing in self-pity, eh? Hehehehe."

He sniffed, looking over his shoulder.

"I see you found Misterr Do-Good." Argus hummed, the Krookodile's eyebrows raised. "What is he up to back therre?"

"YOU CAN'T SEE ME!" Vizon shouted from down the beach. "I GOT BAD GUY CLOAKING."

"Hm..." Argus said, rolling his eyes, looking back down at Avery. "He and Diquarrni rreally arre perrfect forr one anotherr. Werre it not we had more imporrtant things I would not mind watching them fight to the verry bitterr and verry stupid end."

"Vizon is...going through a lot right now," Avery said, looking back towards him for a moment. "...So am I, granted, but we're kind of dealing with it in different ways. Have you found Diquarni yet?"

"Have I everr. And I must say, I could not come up with a betterr joke even if I trried." Argus chuckled, patting Avery's shoulder and pointing down the beach. "See for yourrself."

There, by the water, just as with Vizon, Avery saw...

Oh what the hell was this?

There, on this end of the beach, was a log-for-log, torch-for-torch EXACT replica of Vizon's fort...or maybe Vizon's fort was the replica? Or they just HAPPENED to independently make the exact same fort. Over Diquarni's entrance was:

[[FORT GOOD(er) GUYS]]

" !" Diquarni's voice shrieked from the fort as she also brandished a spear. "LOOK OUT! ONE OF THEM IS RIGHT BESIDE YOU!"

"Oh yes! Aaaa, oh nooo~. I cannot handle him." Argus snickered, patting the top of Avery's head.

"I can and have beaten you in a fight, old man," Avery huffed, the Plusle's face going a little red. Argus snickered at your comeback, the Krookodile ruffling your hair good-naturedly before folding his arms to look up at Diquarni. "How did these two not run into each other and attempt murder the whole night in the oak grove...?"

"With Poke'mon like Vizon and Diquarrni...left to theirr own devices...taking no commands but theirr own...they can only fall back onto theirr unique sense of rright and wrrong." Argus snickered. "A parrt of me feels bad, of course. Diquarrni is my parrtnerr and frriend, afterr all. I wish to be herr foundation, of courrse...buuuut..."

Avery looked up at her.

"Have you slept?" The Plusle asked.

"WHY WOULD I SLEEP?!" Diquarni spluttered. "SO YOU AND YOUR MERRY BAND OF ROGUES, CROOKS AND VILLAINS COULD GET ME WHILE I'M IN BED? I DON'T THINK SO! I GOT MY EYE ON YOU!"

"Mm...as you might guess, seeing herr like this is also verry amusing. So, hands somewhat tied, yes?" Argus finished with a laugh. "Heynia would object...but I can sparre a little morre time to let Diquarni embarrass herrself...hehehehe."

"You, uh, might want to go in there and check whether she's made effigies of you," Avery said, turning up to Argus.

As Heynia flew overhead, Avery quickly ran back toward Vizon, Diquarni and Argus shouting to one another in the distance. The Plusle gave a weak smile to the Riolu.

"It, uh...seems that Argus and Diquarni have...regrouped."

"CURSES!" Vizon shouted, pounding a fist into the sand. "Her numbers GROW!"

"Is that VIZON?!" Diquarni shouted, perking up over the battlements, a furious look in her eye. "HEY VIZON, IS THAT YOU!?"

"YEAH IT IS!"

"OKAY, IT'S JUST HARD TO SEE, YOU'RE VERY FAR." Diquarni shouted, coughing. "HOW DARE YOU SHOW YOUR FACE HERE DURING CEASEFIRE HOURS!"

"I WAS JUST CHECKING TO SEE IF YOU TRIPPED UP ANY OF MY BAD GUY TRAPS, YOU VILLAIN!"

"Oh gee that's funny I WAS JUST ABOUT TO CHECK MY BAD GUY TRAPS TO SEE IF YOU TRIGGERED EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM."

Argus was rolling in the sand, guffawing and kicking his legs as the two shouted at one another across the beach.

"I'M GUNNA GET THAT WATER PEARL FROM YOU, VIZON!"

Vizon gasped!

"YOU'LL NEVER GET YOUR FILTHY CLAWS ON MY BUDDY! WE'RE A TEAM AND TEAM AZ-..."

Vizon stopped himself. His brow furrowed. He snarled.

"TEAM GOOD GUYS NEVER GIVES UP! YOU'RE AS GOOD AS JAILED, YOU VILLAINOUS CREHTIN."

"IT'S PRONOUNCED 'KREE-TIN', STUPID!"

"SHUT UP!"

Avery's arms hung limp at his side, and his head bounced between the two of them like a volleyball.

"...D...Diquarni you're like forty." Avery said, exasperation enetering his voice.

"THE QUEST FOR JUSTICE HAS NO AGE, NOT THAT YOU'D KNOW THAT YOU MALEFACTOR."

"Ohh that's a good one..." Vizon muttered to himself, using berry juice to write 'malefactor' on his arm.

Argus wheezed, his eyes bulging. Overhead, Avery could see Heynia sweeping the air, flapping her wings as she landed by the Krookodile.

A rustle came from the bushes nearby. Avery could already see Jolvia and Rikzyod (who was covered in spikes stabbed into his rocky body. A spike trap, no doubt), both of them following Heynia.

And right behind them, trudged Manikas, looking very cross.

'Uh oh...'

"...So, uh, Cap'n, we found out where all the wood is," Avery said, giving him a little wave. "I'm also at least thirty percent certain that Argus is dying."

"Dyin'? Eh, sod it, he'll get better." Manikas huffed, waving Avery away as he thundered onto the beach.

Jolvia sighed with relief seeing Avery, guiding the Geodude over towards him as Heynia helped Argus to his feet with a sigh...and giggle of her own.

"Ah, good, you made it out of the jungle, Avery." Jolvia sighed. "I was worried you got caught in a trap...the jungle's an absolute funhouse of traps now."

"How fascinating! I must say, tripping all the different contraptions makes for good fun!" Rikzyod laughed.

"AUGH! ! You're SURROUNDED! Your COVERT OP MIGHT BE COMPROMISED." Vizon pulled Buddy close, staring the water pearl dead in the eye. "Buddy, look, it's...JoLvIa..."

Vizon's voice dripped with malice towards all 3 syllables of the Nidorina's name.

"Yeah I know, she is a massive jerk that I think anyone in their right mind would dump immediately because sociopath bad guys manipulate others into being friends in order to get stuff outta them but then WHAT DO I KNOW I'M JUST SO DUMB IDIOT."

Vizon stared at the Water Pearl.

"Wow, Buddy! I'm so glad you get me and listen to me and don't just run off behind my back!"

Jolvia glanced down the beach at the rambling Riolu with her eyebrows raised before looking back at Avery.

"I see things with him are going swimmingly." She sighed.

"Listen, I had the luxury of my post-confession breakdown being in private," Avery said, crossing his arms. "Go a little easy on the guy...!"

Jolvia cocked an eyebrow at the Plusle...and looked back at Vizon who was still yet rambling to himself...or, rather, rambling to 'Buddy'.

Then her crimson eyes swung over towards Diquarni, watching the Zoroark rant and rave, swinging her spear like a woman deranged.

"Considering where we're at...now might be the time to go hard on both of them..." The Nidorina grumbled, rubbing her forehead forlornly.

Manikas meanwhile, stared Bug eyed at Fort Good[er] guys, as though it were an affront to Arceus himself.

"What in sweet Crimeny is going on here?!" Manikas spoke in utter disbelief. He didn't shout, not yet, as though the sheer sight sapped all the will from the old man. "What grand new spore of idiocy have you clowns concocted and why, tell, DOES IT INVOLVE MY WOOD?!"

Avery winced and walked up to the side of Manikas. The Plusle breathed deeply through his nose, looking up at Fort Good[er] Guys.

"...They wanted to build a fort, Cap'n. And...like you said, palm trees wouldn't cut it."

"Built a FORT?! BUILT A FORT?!" Manikas repeated, RIPPING the pipe from his mouth, smoke blowing from his nostrils like volcanos exploding. "What is this?! Some LOVER'S SPAT?!"

"WHAT?!" Diquarni shouted. "NO!"

"EW!" Vizon screamed.

"YUCK!"

"BAD GUY COOTIES."

"VILLAIN GERMS."

Manikas swung around, looking to Avery, snarling.

"And , too?! That's where the other half of an ENTIRE FOREST WENT?!" Manikas roared. "Forts and TRAPS!? For THIS nonsense?!"

He shot his gaze back to Diquarni, jabbing a finger at the horizon.

There, Avery could see the looming black clouds of the Beast's thunderstorm. They had visibly grown since yesterday, dominating more of the horizon, flashes of lightning more pronounced. Avery wined, trying to calm things down.

"Okay yes we need to snap them out of this but I mean don't judge him too hard-"

"In case you forgot, we don't exactly have TIME to lollygag and goof off!" Manikas yelled.

"This isn't goofing off!" Diquarni shouted, jumping up. "This is a COMPLETELY reasonable use of resources!"

"Yeah, shut your face, Old Man!" Vizon said. " told me you got snagged in my bad guy trap so you don't get a say, BAD GUY."

"WHEN I CRUSH YER BLOODY WINDPIPE YOU WON'T BE SAYIN' MUCH, EITHER, YOU RUDDY USELESS BARNACLE-EATER!" Manikas roared, getting right in the middle of the shouting match. He was held back by Argus and Rikzyod, the large Pangoro struggling and clawing his hands in the Riolu's direction. "Unhand me! GET OFF! I WON'T CLEAN HIS CLOCK I'LL BLOODY WELL STERILIZE IT!."

"Woah, Peace, peeeace, Captain..." Jolvia sighed.

"Mark me, you lot! I don't bloody care what this is all about, SOMEBODY better dismantle these eyesores and get my bloody ship seaworthy if they don't want to be used as a life raft!" Manikas shouted, a feral anger flashing in his one eye.

His crazed dedication to hunting down the Beast of the Black Hoard was showing in full force.

And the shouting began. Yelling from all sides. Avery brought a hand to his face...and plopped down in the sand, holding his head.

A whole island of crazy Poke'mon.

Avery was almost coming to Argus's side of it all. It was almost comical how much this had spun out of control. The Plusle had to fix this. They all had to fix this.

'But what can I do? Where do we go from here? It's all so loud-'

Between all the shouting and arguing and noise, Vizon yelled out his declaration:

"MARK MY WORDS, DIQUARNI! WHEN NEXT WE MEET OUR ARMIES SHALL CLASH!"

"YEAH WELL MY ARMY IS SO MUCH BETTER AND COOLER AND-"

They just wouldn't stop. Argus and Rikzyod were already pulling Manikas away from it all, back into the jungle, towards camp. Heynia was covering her face with her wing.

And Jolvia glanced down at Avery...clearly looking as lost on what to do as he was.

"Well...guess it's planning time, hm...?"

Avery was tired.

He was so tired.

"...Planning time," Avery sighed in defeat.

Chapter 34

Decay