Umbra Forest Council Meeting: The Colosseum Infiltration

"No. Absolutely not."

Melissa frowned at Jason. "We need to send someone in who can earn the trust of the prisoners. No offense, Jason, but you're not exactly the soft, comforting type."

He scowled. "Even so, I don't feel comfortable having you locked away in that death pit! You know what the criminals in that place will do to earn their freedom. If you end up fighting one willing to bend basic morality—"

She jabbed him in the chest. "You know better than most what I'm capable of. I'm not afraid. I can handle myself in a fight."

"…" He looked away. "But that won't stop me from being worried sick over your safety…"

She frowned. "Jason…" She reached over and gently squeezed his hand. "I promise, I'll be fine. This is about more than just me, remember? If we're going to bring peace to Virdis, we need to make every step of the plan count."

"…" He sighed through his nose. "The second you feel uncomfortable around any of those jerks in prison—"

"I know how to defend myself now, don't worry." She looked away with a shy smile and blush. "Plus, how could I not feel safe? You'll be there, too."

He blushed, too, and turned his gaze away. "Oh! Uh, well…"

"Ahem." They jolted at the sound of Tadhg's interjection. He smirked at them. "As touching as your affectionate assurance is, we're in the middle of a meeting."

The pair scooted apart and laughed awkwardly. "Right, sorry," they mumbled.

Blackwood chuckled to himself before clearing his throat. "Anyway, I agree with sending Harlow as the offering. With her reputation for stirring up trouble, rallying a bunch of angry prisoners into a riot wouldn't be above her capabilities."

Tadhg glared. "More importantly, should anything go awry with trying to take the city, our next objective is freeing the prisoners and bringing them to Umbra Clock. While I wouldn't want to push them into more fighting, their numbers would be a great boon to our military. I'm sure many of them wouldn't mind doing volunteer military service if it meant collapsing New Chariot."

Moira crossed her flippers. "So, the plan is to either destabilize New Chariot until the emperor agrees to a peace treaty—"

"Or escape and rebuild the Umbra Clock Kingdom's army with the freed prisoners," Melissa finished.

Tadhg nodded. "Even if failure, I don't intend for this invasion not to have some small victory. Still, the invasion itself should be enough to shake up New Chariot and give us the edge should we have to resort to warfare. That all being said, are you capable of swaying the prisoners to our cause, Harlow?"

She glared and nodded back. "I'll do everything I can to earn their trust."

"Good, but be careful with who you interact with. It isn't unusual for prisoners to sell out fellow inmates for favors. Exercise proper judgment before you interact with your new prison mates."

She saluted. "Don't worry. I'll have everything under control."

The trip from the city to the colosseum was wrought with conflict from the struggling Buneary. Terminus had a tight hold over her, though it mattered not since she had no actual intention of escaping. Every detail of the plan had to go through perfectly, even down to giving a realistic performance of her capture.

What wasn't a staged performance was her refusal for the guards to strip her down. None of them were lecherous over the ordeal, thankfully, but that didn't stop the defiant rabbit from delivering a few black eyes with her kicking. It wasn't until someone suggested bringing in female servants that she calmed down a little. She hated it, but she couldn't waste her time acting up.

First, all her weapons and uniform were taken from her, then the girls dumped cold water over her head before scrubbing her down, letting the water flow into a drain under the rabbit. From what Melissa gathered, the guards took no chances when it came to dealing with prisoners. They had to be completely stripped of hidden weapons and the like as well as disinfected in the likelihood prisoners carried some unknown pathogen New Chariot citizens weren't resistant to. Excessive, but she understood the risk assessment. Once that was finished, she received her new clothes.

She was given a black top that wrapped over her chest, a ragged and tattered cloak that hung around her shoulders, and black pants that pressed her fluff down. Finally, after getting changed, the servant girls strapped a metal collar around her neck. It had considerable weight that nearly tilted her over, but she slowly adjusted to it.

Terminus waited outside the room until the servant girls escorted Melissa out. He nodded. "Leave us." They bowed and went on their way. He pushed Melissa down the hall. "Walk, now."

She shot him a glare before making her way down the hall. "I feel welcomed already."

"Don't get used to it. For your sake, your reputation better hold merit, otherwise you'll be torn alive in the colosseum."

"We'll see about that." She smirked. "I'm pretty agile, you know. What's stopping me from just hopping over your audience and making a break for freedom?"

"Don't even bother trying. That collar around your neck will shut down any foolish attempts of rebellion or escape."

She glared warily at the new accessory strapped over her neck, gingerly gliding her fingers across its smooth surface. "And how exactly is this supposed to stop me?"

"Oh, you'll find out eventually."

Drats. Maybe I can get some intel from the other prisoners. She winced. There's still that part of the plan to get through. I have to remain prisoner here for a couple months so Jason and I can gather as much intel and resources we can to defeat New Chariot, as well as buying the others time to work on rigging the dam to break. She shook her head. Steady your nerves, Melissa. You can handle this.

Terminus guided her down a set of stairs that led under the colosseum. They had to pass through several locked doors, each one guarded by two soldiers. Upon reaching the eight door, Melissa could make out sounds of other souls coming from the other side.

"Ready the door," Terminus ordered.

Melissa looked on either side of the door. The final door housed six soldiers instead of two, and the four extra soldiers paired up to turn two cranks. Gears whirred and chains rattled from the other side, startling the occupants beyond. The two guards readied their spears, one placing his hand to the door and slowly creaking it open.

"Enjoy your stay, Skill Hunter," Terminus whispered.

As soon as the door opened, the Kleavor kicked her in the back and threw her inside the dungeon. The door immediately slammed shut behind her. As she picked herself up, she found herself sitting inside a dark metal box for a moment. Eventually, the familiar whir of gears sounded behind her, and the box was lifted up, letting the dim light of the dungeon finally hit her.

She peered around at her new surroundings, finding herself standing in a massive stony area the stretched as far as the eye could see. The walls were lined with torches covered behind protective glass. Bloodied chains hung from the ceiling and walls. Scratches and imperfections were etched into the walls, likely from repeated beatings took from unhappy prisoners.

And speaking of prisoners, everywhere the Buneary looked was packed with prisoners dressed in ratty clothes and metal collars just like her. Many paced around the large space, others sat together either laughing or grumbling amongst themselves, and few were partaking in rather uncomfortable activities such as banging their head against the wall or rocking and twitching in the back.

However, all activity quieted as the prisoners turned their eyes toward the newest addition to the dungeon, and to say they were shocked would be an understatement. Melissa couldn't necessarily blame them. Her eyes skimmed over every occupant in her line of vision, and she could safely confirm she was the only girl among a room of battle-hardened, bloodthirsty, and possibly unstable men.

She took a deep breath and glared back at her fellow inmates. No turning back now.

Meanwhile, in the Umbra Clock Capital…

With the time of war upon the kingdom in the coming months, the Umbra Clock Kingdom readied itself for the planned invasion on Telo Martius. The remaining Foresters would work to teach their secrets to the knights, and in turn would be taught in the ways of warfare. Time was of the essence. The day of invasion would commence by the end of the Autumn Moon.

With this in mind, the two leading scientists in charge of weapons development had to work fast to perfect their new inventions. Sharing the lab space, Pandora and Enoch sat on opposite sides of the room working on their latest inventions which would be put into mass production soon.

Pandora had just about completed the prototype for her latest invention. Since the lightweight armor the Foresters typically donned wouldn't cut it anymore, she opted for an alternative design. A dark green, metallic jacket with a collapsible cowl and flexible joints for ease of use around the arms. Using pieces of the elementium core she obtained, each uniform would be designed to withstand greater damage than before.

"Perfection!" She grabbed the shoulders of the uniform and presented it to Enoch. "Not bad for someone with no thumbs, if I do say so myself!"

Enoch looked up from his work and grinned. "Brilliant! Ah, but did you remember to—"

"Reinforce the areas to protect vital areas of the body? Please, I'm no amateur. I used the elementium in exact amounts to guarantee equal distribution. Nothing's breaking through this bad boy."

"Brilliant! We'll have to run tests before we start mass production! Renfield, take a note!"

The Eiscue hurriedly waddled over and scribbled into his notepad. "Test…Forester armor. Got it—hey, those are my peanuts!" He hurried back to his corner, where Petra was munching on his barrel of peanuts.

"Mmm, so good~," she awed. She fluttered out of the barrel as Renfield swiped at her.

Enoch waved Pandora over. "While I have your attention, my dear, feast your eyes on my invention."

Pandora hurried over to his table and saw him fiddling with small discs, each one containing tubes filled with different colored potions. The edges of the disc appeared to have an adhesive coating, allowing them to be placed onto any surface.

She grinned. "Ingenious! So, if your specifications are exact, this disc will utterly obliterate anything it is attached to."

"Enemy or obstacle, none shall survive a direct blast from this beauty!" Enoch exclaimed. "I've already constructed five. We'll run some tests after we finish testing the limits of your new armor. Ah, and we must not forget—"

Pandora excitedly rubbed her paws together. "Ah yes, Model 2 is nearing completion. I didn't think I could improve my original design for it, but you've truly helped slim down the design."

"I cannot compare to your mad genius, but I can certainly assist with adjustments!"

The two mad scientists broke out into equally maddening laughter, their voices booming over the laboratory and starting Petra and Renfield. Upon recovering, Petra giggled. "Aww, they look so happy and evil~. I'm glad Pandora's making new friends."

"I've never seen Dr. Yap so happy to share his brilliance with someone," Renfield muttered softly, grabbing another wingful of peanuts.

After the mad scientists finished their evil laughter, they pointed to their assistants. "You two! Come with us!"

They saluted. "Yes, ma'am/sir!"

Pandora smirked. "Petra, we need to go over your route for infiltrating and stashing away the emergency supplies for Harlow, Jason, and Lillia. Think you can handle some hard work?"

"Easy as delivering mail!"

"Renfield!" Enoch exclaimed. "Get us some coffee! We're going to be working double time all week! No sleep or fatigue will stop our greatness!"

"Sure thing, Doc," Renfield responded softly.

Pandora and Enoch laughed again. "Time to commit mischief!" They bolted out of the room, their laughter echoing across the castle.

Petra glanced at Renfield. "Aww, sorry you're stuck getting food for everyone."

He shrugged. "Do you know how much I get paid to just stand here and listen to Dr. Yap ramble? Getting him food so he doesn't starve himself by accident is the easiest part of my day. Plus, I get all the peanuts I want, so bonus."

"…" She smiled. "Well, in that case, can you get me some food, too?"

"Uh, sure. What do you want?"

She immediately pulled a list out from her tiny satchel and unfurled it. "Wellllll—"

"Oh boy…"

Outside in the castle courtyard, the remainder of the Umbra Clock Knighthood was gathered for specialized training. With their only remaining knights being mere fledglings in the practices of war, they needed all the confidence and training necessary to take on a monumental task such as an invasion on Telo Martius. However, training a few dozen rookies to take on the greatest military power of the east within two months was an impossible task very few would dare challenge.

Fortunately, they had a secret weapon: the Foresters.

"Focus on using what skills you have to guarantee every shot. Your mission as archers is to protect your allies and take out troublesome targets from a distance."

Blitz took a handful of potential archers under his wing, teaching everything he knows despite his blindness. The few he gathered had the means to use extrasensory abilities to increase their effective range, such as a Furret who could enchant his arrows with Follow Me or a Clawitzer practicing his precision shots.

"Forget everything you learned about chivalry! Your weapon is anything that can cripple the enemy and give you the advantage!"

Zephora, a weapon specialist, was teaching her group about the myriad of ways to conceal weapons on the body and use the environment to one's advantage, like throwing sand in the eyes or using a technique to destabilize the opponent's footing. She wasn't afraid to demonstrate the intensity of her unfairness, much to the fear of those wishing not to be dehydrated.

"Gaining control of your personal territory grants you homefield advantage even against the most skilled of opponents."

Sid was giving a lesson on creating enhanced movements to manifest a territory of one's choosing, such as her ability to soften the earth into a viscous mud only she was adept at maneuvering through. There were many promising faces, such as a Weezing with an invisible field of heat with explosive effects and a Hitmontop designing a technique around Protect to keep opponents in instead of out.

"Now remember, if you want to get the drop on your opponent, be sure to read their action text ahead of time."

Valentine was…confusing his group.

Overall, it looked like a productive afternoon. Tadhg, Neil, and Percival observed the knights taking their lessons in stride, adapting to styles and techniques unfitting of their roles as knights. With the mixture of knight training and Forester intuition, there was a decent chance of victory in the future.

Tadhg smirked. "And to think these new recruits could barely pick up a sword. They may actually be ready to take on Telo Martius at the end of the Autumn Moon."

Percival glared. "Let's not get ahead of ourselves. The crux of the plan is whether or not our group can secure Fort Gladius."

Neil nodded. "Indeed. Though a bold strategy, flooding the capital will send the whole of their forces into a state of confusion and panic. If it has any shred of decency to its people—"

"They'll prioritize protecting their citizens over their own lives," Tadhg finished with a nod. "It's cruel, but an effective way of getting us to the emperor. And perhaps drawing out his elite soldiers." He narrowed his eyes for a moment. "I look forward to meeting them…"

Percival glanced at the young king. "You're not thinking of going into battle, are you?"

"My father gave his life for this kingdom, thus I shall do the same in his honor. There will be no stopping me."

"…Of course." The Abra took a swig of his coffee-filled canteen and sighed.

"Do not worry over my safety. I shall have Una and Leitis fighting alongside me. I trained them personally, so I can attest to their skill in battle."

Neil bowed to him. "It will be an honor to serve you in battle, Your Majesty. I shall give my all to protect our proud kingdom."

"Save that confidence for the fight ahead, Sir Neil. Speaking of, how is training with your squadron coming along?"

Neil bowed again. "I will be conducting more drills with my sky unit before the day of battle. Dr. Yap promises to give us the necessary equipment to guarantee Fort Gladius' capture."

"Excellent. So far, everything's going according to plan."

"Now if only everyone was pulling their weight around here," Percival mumbled.

Tadhg glared at him. "What do you mean?"

"Notice anyone missing?"

The king and knight scanned the courtyard and counted off the thieves and knights until they realized there was a group training in relative isolation. All they were doing was swinging swords up and down in rigid stances. It was an awkward display as even the recruits themselves looked to be confused by their objective.

Tadhg raised his brow. "Where's the angry one? Jet, was it?"

Percival pinched between his eyes and groaned. "Of course he flaked on us. He's been acting weird ever since the others left for Telo Martius. Probably still annoyed about joining forces with knights."

"Hmm. He does appear to have some strong resentment towards me."

"Don't take it personally. He's…well, he just doesn't trust people in general."

Neil glared ahead for a moment before spreading his wings. "I shall search for the young warrior." With a mighty flap of his wings, he took off into the sky, circling around the castle in seconds.

Tadhg crossed his arms as the wind blew against his fur. "May I inquire you for your opinion, Percival?"

"Sure."

"I understand why he wasn't the one representing the Foresters for the mission, but why was he left in charge as the leader? I imagine Blitz would serve that role better." He glared. "As a matter of fact, someone so blindly obedient to the Fairy Knight wouldn't strike me as the leader type. So, what's his story?"

"…" Percival sighed. "Let's just say, for all his faults, Jet's loyalty to the Foresters is unrivaled. Dangerous, even. He holds himself back a lot because he seems himself as inferior. Jason attested to me in secret that Jet had greater strength he needed to master on his own. Believe it or not, if he ever put his mind to maturing the storm that rages inside him, there's even a chance…he could surpass Jason in strength."

To say Jet was conflicted would be an understatement. The Loyal Soldier of the Foresters, constantly tormented by his own thoughts and emotions against society, found himself in debate with…himself. Life was simpler when all he had to do was just follow orders. It was how he was raised. It was all he knew to survive.

But now he was in a contest of wills, wondering what to make sense of in his complicated web of thoughts.

Unable to face his allies, the Oshawott secluded himself atop the castle roof, sitting over the edge and peering down at the courtyard as training commenced. He was supposed to be giving a rundown on a Forester's standard training regimen, but now all he could think about was…

He groaned aloud and leaned back on his hands. "What the hell is wrong with me? Why am I so obsessed over this? It was just some stupid promise. It didn't mean anything…right?"

He dragged his hands down his face, pulling at his cheeks until the pinching gave him some relief from his thoughts, though it was a fleeting comfort. His head pounded, thinking over and over about the promise. It tightened around his chest, burning like a furnace and hissing to be let out. Every inch of his body burned with the fury he kept sealed shut, begging to be release and to end the storm he let persist, but it would never pass no matter how many times he screamed.

He couldn't understand why he was struggling so much to…

"Aaaaaaagh!" He threw his head back and screamed, "Why was I born like this?!"

"Troubled, Loyal Soldier?"

Jet would almost call it a wave of relief if it didn't irritate him so much. He glared over his shoulder as the head knight of Umbra Clock, Neil Lister, landed behind him. The second the Staraptor landed, Jet immediately looked away and scowled. "Get lost. I have no business with knights."

Neil glared lightly. "As much as your anger is felt, you do recall we are allies now, yes? The agreement was that both are parties pulled their weight in helping the other. If you want any chance of winning this war, you will cooperate with us."

"I fight for the Foresters, not your pitiful kingdom," he growled. "The only reason I'm even entertaining this stupidity is—"

"Because you wanted to help your friends in their dire need."

"Don't speak for me!"

Neil sighed. "I do not understand the depths of your hatred for nobility and the like, but I do see a tortured soul struggling to come to terms with a foreign land he isn't accustomed to. Rest assured, I am as much your ally as any other who wishes to end the tyranny of New Chariot. Acting like a child will not see the light of dawn—"

"Who are you calling a child?!" Jet snapped, reaching for his scalchop. "You want to go? I'll cut you down just like all the rest!"

Neil shook his head. "Do you even understand your own feelings? When is the last time you had a moment to self-reflect?"

"I don't care about myself. All that matters is serving the Foresters. I have no other purpose but to be their weapon. That is my role!"

"…" The Staraptor knight smirked a bit. "It's like that, is it?" He lifted his wing and chuckled behind it.

Jet's eye twitched. "Does my resolve amuse you? I'll tear you to pieces—"

"No, no! I…" Neil finished his brief chortle before relaxing. "Terribly sorry, it's just that you remind me of myself as a hatchling."

"If you think you can spin this into a 'we're not so different' speech, I'll—"

"Just shut up and hear me out."

"…" Jet let go of his scalchop and huffed.

"Thank you." Neil walked over to the roof's edge and peered out over the city. "You see yourself as a weapon? Truth be told, I've had expectations like that before. I always dreamed of being a knight like my father, though I wasn't the strongest flyer at the time. Even so, he pushed me harder and harder to keep up with the rest of my peers. I was considered the envy of all flyers back then, and I felt I had a role to play. For a time, I believed I had to be the perfect soldier for the kingdom. Never question anything, follow orders no matter what, and destroy everything in sight for your king.

"And then I met the young prince and realized what I was getting myself into. He saw potential in my ambition and gave me notes on how to improve my abilities. Something along the lines of becoming reckless without sacrificing the weapon." Neil closed his eyes and sighed. "We treat weapons as disposable, but a proud blacksmith takes pride in all his creations. A skilled swordsman preserves his blade to keep it in top condition. Practically, it makes more sense to replace what has been withered, but weapons carry memories with them. Maybe not in the same way as us creatures, but those who saw battle carry the spirit of their master until the bitter end."

"…" Jet lightened his scowl.

"I see nothing wrong with viewing yourself as a weapon, but you're a weapon the Foresters want to preserve. You're not as disposable as a bullet. You are much more than that. A cherished ally to fight alongside with in the cusps of war."

"…" Jet looked away, feeling a pang of grief come over him.

"What's really bothering you, Jet? Why are you so hesitant to lead this war with us?"

"…" He closed his eyes and sighed. "Because I don't even know what I want."

3rd Noble Lion Moon, 908 – Four Days Ago…

Jet watched from the castle entrance as Jason rallied up the Foresters volunteering for the march into enemy territory—which consisted of mostly everyone. Even though he was ordered to stay behind and help with the invasion, he would've refused to step into New Chariot's borders.

Even if it pained him to disobey Jason. Or—

"Hey Jet!"

He jolted as Melissa practically snuck up behind him with her usual beaming optimism. Once he relaxed, he shifted awkwardly under her stare and turned away, grumbling something she or even himself couldn't make out.

Shrugging off his attitude, she said, "So, I won't be seeing you for a couple of months, probably. Try not to miss me too much, alright?"

"…" He groaned. "Whatever."

She pouted. "Oh come on, you're not even going to say goodbye? You're just going to stand over here and act all moody?"

"I hate, hate, HATE everything about this. What reason don't I have to be moody?"

She sighed. "Jet, the Umbra Clock Kingdom is our ally now. Try and give everyone a chance. I know you have your hangups about this stuff, but they're good people fighting for their home and freedom. That's got to mean something to you."

"…" He closed his eyes and huffed. "Not all of us have your brand of endless optimism for the future."

She smiled sweetly. Before he could say anything, she took his hands into her and squeezed them firmly. "Well, at least promise me something while I'm gone."

His eyes widened. He felt his cheeks warming as he stared up at her shimmering eyes. Under the light of the sun and the angle he was looking up at her, she was positively glowing. "I, uh…"

"You're one of the strongest people I know, and I have you to thank for my growth. I know we didn't get along very well at the beginning, but I'm proud to call you my friend. That's why I'm asking you, when the invasion starts, to fight your hardest and never give up. Fight for what you believe in, and promise me you won't fall in battle. I want you, just as much as everyone else, to see the Virdis I wish to create."

"I, uh…" He gulped, finding himself wracked with a newfound feeling of…anxiety unfamiliar to him. "Um, well…" He eventually found his grit and cooled himself down, looking back at her with an even glare. "…I promise. No matter what, I won't lose to anyone."

She giggled. "That's all I needed to hear." She parted from him with a warm hug before bouncing toward the awaiting group. "I'm ready to go, Jason!"

Jet stood in place, frozen in awe for a moment, before watching the Buneary meet up with his superior. He could see them smiling and laughing amongst themselves, especially as they held each other's hand.

There was only one person he ever considered his superior, and that was and always will be Jason Stormbreaker.

But now…

He was beginning to realize someone else had wormed their way into his soul. His pride as a soldier, to follow any order given to him without fail, found itself divided by two different extremes. Two opposing views of battle that meshed so fluidly together that the storm forever brewing in the Oshawott's mind gradually silenced.

Don't lose. Fight for what you believe in.

He clenched his fist and sighed. "What do I believe in? I never thought about what I wanted since I was…well, born. That's how it's always been. All I ever wanted was to be seen as useful. Being a weapon made the most sense. But Harlow…" He shook his head. "She asked me to fight for what I believe in."

"And what do you believe in?"

"Didn't I just say I don't—" Losing steam almost immediately, the otter sighed and looked away. "That girl drives me nuts, I swear. Ever since she joined the Foresters, I've been feeling…crazy or something! Now she has the gull to order me around and tell me to not die in battle!"

Neil chuckled.

"What?!"

"It seems she cares deeply about you, that's all. And I bet you do, too."

"…" Jet scoffed. "Why does everyone keep going on about that?"

"She's quite the dreamer in the short time I've gotten to know her. That kind of idealism is exactly what drew King Tadhg's attention toward her. Ideals may seem like intangible things that don't win a war, but you'd be surprised what a dream can accomplish with a strong will."

"…" Jet let out a deep sigh. "That sounds like some crap she would say."

"The invasion won't be for some time. If you ever decide to join us for training, maybe you'll discover what you're fighting for." With a flap of his wings, Neil took off from the roof and dove back toward the courtyard.

Jet plopped himself down and covered his face. "Yeah. Right…" He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, his thoughts drifting back to the endless loop of promises he made for the chipper Buneary.

Strangely, they didn't hurt nearly as much as he let them before. Maybe because he finally took his mind off it and settled. Who knows for sure?

I don't know what I'm fighting for, but I can at least keep half your promise, Melissa: I will not lose to anyone. Ever.

Telo Martius, New Chariot Empire – The Colosseum Dungeon

There was a strange sense of déjà vu washing over Melissa as she proceeded through the dungeon, feeling the eyes of the withered, battle-hardened prisoners gazing in her direction. It reminded her of the night she was brought into Fort Lucus, an anomaly to the relative familiarity of their environment. She was but a scared girl running away from home because she felt unappreciated for her worth.

She still couldn't believe that was all over a year ago.

But now, things were different. Though the bubble of anxiety still welled inside her, she walked with a greater sense of confidence even under the intense glares of the other prisoners. Some had the grace to look away from her, likely bored or uninterested in her arrival.

Others, however, made their comments known.

"What the hell? Did the guards screw up a transfer or something?"

"They're seriously putting a girl in the colosseum?"

"Good grief, I can't fight a woman."

"Maybe getting my forty-fifth win won't be nearly as impossible as I thought."

"Holy shit, it's a woman!"

Melissa rolled her eyes. She could only imagine how long these prisoners had been locked away from the outside, but did they really need to be so open with their comments?

"Well, prison suddenly got a whole lot more interesting." Melissa stopped and glanced over at a Scrafty, casually picking at his teeth. He smirked at her. "So, what brings a nice girl like you all the way down here? You must be one hell of a bad girl to get sent to the colosseum."

"…" She kept on walking.

He laughed and followed behind her. "Ah, what's with the cold shoulder, cutie? How about I show you around for a bit? A sweet thing like you could use some protection down here—"

As soon as he touched her shoulder, he blinked in astonishment as the air got knocked out of his lungs. Also…when was he looking up at the ceiling?

The shock of being thrown on his back left him paralyzed on the ground, leaving the Buneary to loom over him with an innocent, dumb giggle. "Oh, I'm so sorry~. You startled me~. Did you say something?"

He grunted weakly, finally rolling onto his side. "Uh, never mind. Please don't hurt me…"

She patted his head. "Nice to meet you." She continued along her way, breathing a quiet sigh of relief. Ugh, keep it together, Melissa. No matter how perverse he was, he couldn't be nearly as terrible as Darby. She clenched her fist, feeling a brief bubble of anger washing over her. You can protect yourself. You are strong. Just breathe.

"Is this some kind of joke?!" She paused as someone came stomping up to her. Towering above the rabbit was a muscular Exploud, draped in his tattered prison attire and chains decorated around his arms and collar. He snarled down at unfazed rabbit, where she could see the air vibrating whenever he breathed. "Is this another of the emperor's little tricks?! He dares taunt us by sending some feeble rodent as a challenger?!"

"Mate, just leave her alone," a nearby Carkol groaned.

"I refuse to accept this worthless woman as a proper challenge!" The Exploud knelt in front of Melissa, his breath distorting the air around her. "He has thrown battle after battle to test our mettle, and thus he sends some weakling to be pulverized?!"

Melissa narrowed her eyes. "Nice…to meet you, too."

He snorted in her face. "Word of advice: you will die if I so much as see your face in battle. I don't know what sick game the emperor is playing, but I will not hesitate to annihilate anything that stands before my freedom."

She snorted back at him. "Look, I don't want to cause any trouble, and I will let those earlier comments slide. Now, will you kindly just let me be on my way so I can find somewhere remotely clean to lay down?"

"What's your deal?" he growled. "Why did Emperor Nero send a woman to be one of our opponents?"

"Is me being a girl really throwing you off that much? I mean, I appreciate that you won't go easy on me, but I think you're—ACK!" She gasped as he suddenly seized her by the ears and lifted her.

He stood up and snorted in her face as she dangled from his grip. "This clearly some spectacle he devised to make fools out of us! Does the emperor think of us as such spineless weaklings that we can't fight someone so small and helpless? I don't care for the repercussions. I refuse to stay in this dungeon a second longer, even if I must turn you into a bloodied stain across the arena!"

Melissa's eyes flash in a silvery blue. "You do not want to mess with me."

"Care to wager on that—" The Exploud's hand suddenly lurched back as he was seized by the wrist. Melissa gasped and slipped from his hold.

"Enough." She looked up and saw an Armorouge standing beside the Exploud, clutching his wrist in a death grip. "You know the rules about starting fights down here, Lothar. Leave the newcomer alone."

Lothar growled. "This is none of your business, Vilde."

"Care to wager on that?" A spark of fire ignited from the armored spirit's eyes.

"…" Lothar pulled his arm free and grumbled something under his breath. He stomped away, but not before saying, "Mark my words, I will do anything to get out of this wretched prison. Even if I have to kill the emperor myself." With that, he went on his way.

Vilde shook his head. "That guy, I swear…" He glared at Melissa. "You good?"

She chuckled softly. "Uh, yeah, I am. Thanks for your—" As soon as she spoke, the Armorouge turned and walked away, completely ignoring her. She winced. "Ooookay. Nice meeting you…too?" She groaned and continued on walking. "Great first day so far…"

Later in the evening…

"Get your fill, you savages!"

Melissa, laying down on the floor, peeked one eye open as a hatch opened from a duct in the ceiling, spilling out piles of bread onto the floor. Almost immediately, the prisoners rushed to the pile, shoving and punching each other to get to their dinner.

She flipped to her feet, dusted herself off, and calmly walked toward the mob. Seeing as how she couldn't squeeze through, she hopped atop their heads and skipped along before swiping bread out of the hands of prisoners closer to the middle. She flipped through the air and landed outside the mob.

All in a matter of three seconds.

"I can't imagine how long some of these guys have been living like this," she mumbled. She tore a bite out of a roll and went on her way to eat in peace.

The only free commodity granted to the prisoners was a well of fresh water closer to the center of the prison. Anyone had free access to it, though it didn't stop fights from breaking out over it. Other than that, it seemed the prisoners were only given leftover scraps of food collected across the city, and the sheer amount they had access to almost disgusted Melissa.

"All this luxury, and the people here still waste this much food?" She shook her head. "I'm almost relieved they give it away as food for the prisoners, but still…Lambert would have a conniption if he saw this."

She took another bite of her bread before catching something out of the corner of her eye. She spotted a lone Pokémon laying in the shade and far away from the mob mayhem. She noticed their shivering, especially when she made eye contact with them.

"…Are you hungry?" she asked.

"…" The creature whimpered and shuffled deeper into the darkness.

She carefully approached the quivering creature and knelt before them. "You don't want to get in the middle of that, do you?" She smiled and tossed them one of the loaves she swiped. "Here you go."

"…" The creature sniffed the bread cautiously before slinking out into the light.

To Melissa's awe, it was a fully grown Dragapult dressed in tattered rags and chains wrapped around his torso. He didn't appear to have any Dreepy hanging out in the ports in his horns, though she wasn't surprised by that.

The Dragapult gingerly picked up the bread in his hands and nibbled on it. He purred with delight, coiling his tail around himself like a blanket. "Bread good."

She smiled. "You like the bread? I'm glad. You must've been hungry."

"Very hungry. Weak fighter. No dinner."

She glanced back at the mob and grimaced. "Yeah, I imagine that'd be difficult to get through." She sat down and giggled. "Well, don't you worry. If you ever need food, I'll be here to get your meals."

The Dragapult wagged his tail. "Thank you."

"I'm Harlow. What's your game."

"Name Galus. Harlow friend?"

"Galus, huh?" She giggled. "Sure, Galus. I'd be delighted to be your friend."

"Friend good. Friend safe."

"What brings you to the colosseum? Were you captured?"

Galus frowned, fiddling the bread between his hands. "Explore surface. Got lost. Big soldiers. Capture Galus."

"Explore…surface?" she asked.

"He means to say he's from the Subterra Kingdom." Melissa and Galus jolted as a voice projected a little way from where the young Dragapult was hiding. Looking closer, they saw someone sitting against the wall with their arms raised above their head. Melissa could see heat coming off his neck.

"The Subterra Kingdom?" she asked.

The stranger nodded. "Galus has been here for months. Timid little fellow. I'm surprised he lasted as long as he did, especially since he hasn't won a single one of his matches."

Melissa looked back at the dragon and noted the scars and bruising across his body and face. He whimpered under her stare, curling up on the floor. She frowned and softly petted his head. "You poor thing."

"He's lucky to get a scrap of food when he can. I think that's the first time someone offered him food." The stranger chuckled dryly. "Honestly, I'm surprised to see any amount of kindness coming out of this place. You're a weird one, kid."

She glared. "Weird, huh? So, what's your story?"

"A bored fellow who got a bit too unlucky, you could say."

Flames ignited weakly off his neck, and Melissa could see that he was a Typhlosion. However, to her shock, he was much different than the other prisoners.

His wrists were chained to the wall, hence why she saw them raised. His collar was also chained to the wall, making it nearly impossible to move his neck. And, to her horror, he looked like he had lost a lot of muscle. She could see his stomach caving in and his defined ribcage. Dark circles hung under his eyes, too.

Despite all of that, he had a nonchalant grin across his face.

"But I have no regrets."

"Holy shit, are you okay?!" She grabbed the last of her loaves and held it to his mouth. "Quick, eat this!"

He laughed dryly. "Not a good idea, little lady. I haven't eaten in months. If you try and feed that to me, I'll die from the shock."

She gasped. "Oh. Right. That's right. I…oh." She pulled the bread away and sighed. "But how are you getting water?"

He nodded at Galus. "This soft-hearted wimp has been looking out for me. Frankly, after a while, you don't feel hungry anymore. Kind of nice."

She glared. "Why are you chained up like that in the first place?"

"Oh, this and that. Let's just say the emperor took a bit of issue with the way I was going about business in my free time and decided I needed to be taught a lesson. Whatever, I say. As if a lack of food's going to stop me."

"Oooookay."

He smirked. "So, I gave my introduction. What's your deal, little lady? With a cute face like yours, you would've definitely been put to work as a slave girl. Then again, these bozos don't seem to notice the muscle you're sporting. You're from the west, aren't you?"

"You can tell?"

"Not many female warriors in the east, unless you live up in Great Gate. You don't really strike me as someone with Johtonian lineage."

"…" She glared. "You hate New Chariot, right?"

"Not the biggest fan of nobles and royalty in general."

She looked around before scooching closer to him. "To tell you the truth, I let myself be thrown into prison. I came here on purpose."

The smirk grew on the Typhlosion's face. "Now you have my attention. What's this about?"

"I'm here to break everyone out. Every last prisoner in the colosseum. Though, it's a bit more than that."

He laughed. "You cheeky little lady. Are you implying something like a revolution?"

"More like an invasion. I come under the banner of the Foresters and the Umbra Clock Kingdom. We're here to break everyone out, but to also capture Telo Martius and force Emperor Nero into surrendering. We plan to end the war on Virdis once and for all."

"What an ambitious plan." He laughed aloud. "That's something I love about the new generation: they'll pull off any crazy stunt to get what they want. You've got a bold attitude, little lady. I like that."

She smiled. "Well, it's only the first day. I plan to earn the other prisoners' trust and get them in on the plan."

"Tch. Good thing you came to me first. There's a quite a handful of scum in here who would sell you out the moment you lay down your entire operation." He glared off to the side. "The last guy who won his freedom lost a friend because he was sold out. The fat bastard got pardoned from the colosseum and got a cushy position working under the emperor. That's the kind of thing that gets you free around here: entertaining the emperor with drama and betrayal."

She glared. "Well, that's not how I work. I'm going to make sure everyone sees the outside again. No death matches, no blood, no betrayal. I want to save everyone and bring balance to Virdis."

"Balance, huh?" He snickered. "You're a funny one, little lady. I like that. Count me in."

She smiled. "Thanks. I could use all the help I can get—"

"Whatever you think you're up to, I'd quit while you're ahead."

Melissa and Galus jolted at the new arrival while the Typhlosion merely glared ahead. Turning around, she looked up at the same prisoner who helped her earlier, Vilde. The Armorouge glared down at her, arms crossed with flames sparking out of his eyes.

Vilde glanced at the chained Typhlosion. "Don't encourage her behavior, Corin. It'll get her killed."

Corin smirked. "Didn't stop me, did it?"

Melissa frowned. "Are you going to sell me out?"

Vilde shook his head. "I have no interest in seeing someone die over false hope, but you need to quell whatever scheme you're cobbling together. It's poison on the mind. Telo Martius is one of the most fortified cities in the east, and the most heavily guarded. Staging any kind of attack on it is suicide."

She glared. "But we have a plan—"

"Plans are liable to fail. I don't care how prepared you think you are. Something always goes wrong, no matter how many countermeasures you put into it." He scoffed. "New Chariot has a reputation to uphold. They wouldn't allow such hope to get the better of them. I've seen enough death in this colosseum to know that hope won't save you."

"…Then you don't know who I am."

"Tch. Maybe you'll understand when they schedule you for a match. In the meantime, I'm going to focus on what I do best: crushing anyone who gets in my way." He turned his back to her. "I may even make a little show out of it."

Corin chuckled. "That's right, your next match is scheduled for the thirteenth. You'll be fighting in that battle royale…on the same day the emperor of Great Gate is supposed to visit."

Melissa's eyes widened. "Emperor Orochi?"

"Scary snake," Galus mumbled.

Vilde clenched his fists. "It's their fault I'm imprisoned here, so what better way to warn the emperor of his impending downfall than the power I've honed during my incarceration? Take heed, kid, because I won't go easy on you should we cross paths in battle." With that, he walked away.

Melissa frowned. "Well, he's friendly…"

Corin laughed. "Cut him some slack. He's been here for years, and he just finished off with an impressive winning streak today. He made it this far. Nothing's going to stop him now."

"…" She glared. "Still, I'm not giving up. I came here to rally the prisoners to my cause, and I'd be damned if I didn't see it to the end." She tore another bite out of her bread. "If I have to show Vilde that I'm not all talk, that's good enough for me."