Special II: Chelsea, the Flare Baroness: Part 2
"It's been a while, Merleo." The princess stated with a sadistic smirk as she saw how the mage frowned at her. "It seems during your time in exile does nothing to curb your defiant behavior."
"And it seems you are still the same silver tongue deceiver." The young mage retorted.
"Don't talk to Myne, like that! Who are you?" Motoyasu demanded, and didn't appreciate how Merleo insulted his number one girl.
"Merleo. What's that woman talking about? Is she that princess that you mentioned?" Chelsea asked her guide.
"What a surprise. So, you went traveling with this criminal without knowing anything at all." Malty remarked. "While gifted, that mage had the audacity to challenge Papa when he was about to summon the Four Cardinal Heroes. And as such, he was branded as a traitor and was sent to exile."
'That explains why he knew so much about the Cardinal Heroes.' Chelsea thought. 'I guess he had his reasons for not telling me who he really is. I mean, I lied to Irina back when I was with Team Flare.'
"That was because King Aultcray isn't supposed to summon ALL FOUR Heroes at once! His Majesty was supposed to summon one Cardinal Hero! For whatever reasons, he decided to do so anyway! You and your father breached the international agreement between three other nations!" Merleo snapped at her, something that caught Chelsea by surprise. During their time together, Merleo was one who didn't raise his voice and got furious at something.
"Oh please, they wouldn't dare to attack us! Not with the Heroes on our side." Malty scoffed his rants.
"Right. All except the Shield Hero, who you decided to alienate by lying about being assaulted by him!" The former court mage stated.
"The Shield Hero was nothing more than a common criminal." The redheaded princess said. "He was a despicable fiend whose only thoughts were using others solely for his benefits. Not to say that he wasn't much different than a traitor like you."
"That is pot calling the kettle black." Merleo shutted down her lies, something that had not gone unnoticed by Motoyasu. "And any further arguing with you is pointless." He turned to Chelsea. "Come, Miss Chelsea. Let us be off to our room and leave these ingrates by themselves."
"Yeah." Chelsea agreed as she went over with Merleo. But then…
"We're not done talking here!" Motoyasu stopped them by having his spear block their path. "Not until you apologize to Myne for saying awful things about her."
"I'm merely stating facts, Spear Hero." Merleo replied, not letting up with his glare. "Therefore, I shall not take back my words. Even from the likes of you."
"I can see why Myne and her dad fired you." The ponytailed young man said. "You're just as bad as Naofumi, then. That makes you my enemy."
"Honestly, I prefer to join this Naofumi guy's party than your harem." Chelsea said, shocking the Spear Hero and Malty, albeit slightly.
"Wait! You're not seriously thinking of joining that bastard's party, are you!?" Motoyasu said. "That guy's a no-good criminal! He assaulted Myne, forcing a beautiful demihuman girl to be a slave and fight for him, and he even cheats in the duel!"
"And yet, you didn't realize that one of your "girlfriends" blasted the Shield Hero with a wind spell just as he was about to win." Chelsea retorted, shocking Motoyasu even further. "So, not only are you a simp to that bratty princess, but you're also a hypocrite. Some Hero you are."
"Bratty!? Who do you think you are talking to, you ignorant wench!?" Malty snapped at her.
"Someone who knows well enough that you're toxic." She retorted. The honey blonde young woman replied. "There was someone I wanted to meet in the Shield Hero's party.
"I see how it is now…" Motoyasu began, his glare focused towards Merleo. "Chelsea, was it? I don't know if you noticed, but you're being brainwashed. That mage played with your feelings."
"The hell!?" Chelsea exclaimed, seeing how ridiculous that statement was.
"Me!? Brainwashing Miss Chelsea!? What an absurd notion!" Merleo denied. "I would never do such a thing!"
"You're a mage, right? I'm sure you have some spells that could brainwash others." Malty chimed in, intentionally adding fuel to the fire.
'Oh Arceus. He really is a sucker to that lying whore.' Chelsea contemplated, noticing how Motoyasu immediately believed in Malty's accusation.
"In that case, let's duel! You and me!" Motoyasu twirled his spear around before aiming at Merleo. "If I win, you will release Chelsea from her brainwashing. And if I lose, I'll—"
"Oh no! You're not doing that again!" Chelsea interrupted him, shocking the Spear Hero. "I'm not some prize that you can win! So, don't drag my guide into this bullshit duel!"
"But Chelsea, this was for your own—"
"Just stop it, you loser." She cut him off once again. "You're not using that same excuse that you used on the Shield Hero."
"Miss Chelsea is correct." Merleo added after he was impressed at his guest's defiance. "It was rather unwise of you to ask the Shield Hero to fight in the first place, despite knowing full well his inability to attack." He continued. "But what irks me the most is how naive you are in thinking that the Shield Hero was like what you've described."
"But even so, I—"
"Plus, would a brainwashed girl do this?" Chelsea interrupted the deluded Hero before kicking him in the shin, causing him to recoil in pain.
"Ow! That hurts!" Motoyasu cried as he hopped with one foot. "That brainwashing must be pretty strong."
"You know what, Merleo's right. Arguing with you people is a complete waste of time." Chelsea stated, seeing no reason to continue the discussion any further. "Merleo, give the key back to the innkeeper. We'll be sleeping somewhere outside."
"Ordinarily, I would oppose such a request, but I wholeheartedly agree with you." The young mage stated before he put the key on the counter for the innkeeper to take it. "Considering the Spear Hero's party is intended to stay at this inn, there is no reason why we should stay here for the night."
"Let's go." Chelsea told her guide as they prepared to leave the inn to camp someplace else. But…
"You are not going anywhere!" They turned towards Malty, who was holding a scroll that contained the details of a duel. "By my authority as Princess, Merleo Goneri, you will duel with Sir Motoyasu!"
"If you want to duel, at least take it outside!" The innkeeper complained as she took the key that was left on the counter and left for the back room.
"Tch! Quite the conundrum we are in." Merleo muttered before he turned towards Chelsea. "Once the princess sets her sights on something, she will do anything to get what she desires. Even if it means abusing her authority…"
"It would be nice to know something like that from the get go…" The honey blonde young woman whispered to him before she turned towards Motoyasu and Malty. "You'll get your duel, but Merleo won't be fighting you. So, I'll be your opponent!"
"What!? But I can't—"
"What's the matter? Not good at fighting girls?" Chelsea taunted. "Chivalry's great and all, but it won't help you in the long run."
"Very well. I'll accept that proposal." Malty answered, surprising everyone, even Merleo.
"Myne, are you sure?" Motoyasu asked.
"Of course." She nodded before she donned a mischievous smirk. 'And also, it is a perfect opportunity to put that unruly wench in her place. As well as dealing with that traitor once and for all.'
This did not go unnoticed by the former court mage. 'Princess Malty is planning something on purpose. Just as she has with the previous duel and the race, Princess Malty will definitely engage in sabotaging this duel.'
"If Myne doesn't have any problems with it, then I guess I'm fine with it as well." Motoyasu said, willing to go with Malty's decision.
After everything was said and done, they proceeded to go to a vast, empty field for them to fight on.
"While this is my first time fighting a lady…" Motoyasu twirled his spear around before aiming towards Chelsea. "I'll try not to hit you too hard."
"I'm rooting for you, Sir Motoyasu!" Malty stated as she and the other girls cheered on for him.
"That's okay and everything, but…" She proceeded to pull out a blue Poké Ball with two red crests on top of it. This type of Poké Ball is called a Great Ball. "When did I say I'm fighting you myself?"
"Wait, what!?" The Spear Hero was shocked.
"You lying peasant! You said you will be the one fighting Sir Motoyasu!" The redheaded princess complained.
"Yeah, I did. But not directly." Chelsea proceeded to throw the Great Ball into the air. "It's showtime, Sawsbuck!"
Emerging from the Great Ball was a dark brown and cream like creature that resembles a deer with rhomboid shaped ears and darker ear insides. Its eyes have light-orange markings that curve down to the sides of its face. It has a dark-brown nose, and it sports cream fur on its chin and sides of its face. Light-orange stripes rim its underbelly, a tuft of cream fur appears on its chest, and pink spots decorated on its back. Its limbs are slender and tipped with dark brown hooves. The prominent feature of this deer-like creature was the antlers, which were adorned with pink flowers on it.
"Is that supposed to be a deer?" Motoyasu inquired rhetorically.
"Oh? You're planning to have a regular deer fight against Sir Motoyasu? Are you underestimating the power of the Cardinal Heroes?" Malty asked with a devious smile, believing that Chelsea made a foolish mistake.
"If anything, you're the one underestimating your opponents." Chelsea retorted.
"Yes. And now you're going to pay for it." The deer-like creature stated as he scratched the ground with one of his hooves.
"All right. Let's see if it's strong." Motoyasu boasted, readying his spear. "Chelsea, why don't you have that deer attack me first?"
"You don't have to ask me that, pretty boy." The honey blonde young woman proceeded to make the first move. "Let's start with Double-Edge, Sawsbuck!"
"Here I go!" Sawsbuck said as he surrounded himself in streaks of white aura and then he charged into Motoyasu with great force.
"Come on!" Motoyasu said before using his spear to try holding off the charge and proceeded to try pushing the Season Pokémon back. Neither side was willing to back off as they tried to push each other away. Surely enough, Sawsbuck managed to overcome it by pushing away with more momentum. Though the Spear Hero managed to stood his ground without falling into the ground. "That was a close one…"
"Not bad…" Sawsbuck muttered before red sparks appeared around his body as he felt the recoil of the attack, something that had not gone unnoticed by the Spear Hero.
"Whatever that attack is, it takes a chunk of its HP." Motoyasu noted that he saw Sawsbuck's health depleted as a result of the move. The ponytailed young man saw this as an opportunity. "Looks like I have a chance in this."
"Don't think we'll let you do that!" Chelsea said before ordering her Pokémon to use in the next move. "Now use Horn Leech!"
Sawsbuck then lowered his head and his antlers began to glow green. He proceeded to charge towards Motoyasu.
"Two can play that game! Chaos Spear!" As Motoyasu threw his spear, said spear splits into multiple spears which flew straight towards Sawsbuck.
"Ha! That deer is done for." Malty boasted.
"You think so?" With the snap of Chelsea's fingers, Sawsbuck proceeded to evade the incoming spears gracefully before landing the Horn Leech to the gut, causing him to gag.
"Sir Motoyasu!" One of the three other girls who was in Motoyasu's party said, seeing their leader sustained some damage.
'I have to do something about this…' Malty contemplated before she realized something about this duel was… familiar to her. 'Wait. A weak looking creature that turned out to be strong… Why does this sound familiar?"
Then, sparkling green orbs flew out of Motoyasu and into Sawsbuck, allowing the latter to heal himself using the energy he drained from the former.
"Impressive. These Pokémon are truly amazing…" Merleo commented with a smile.
"No way… that deer managed to heal itself!?" The Spear Hero exclaimed with disbelief as he looked at Sawsbuck's HP. "That's impossible!"
"It's entirely possible, with the right move." Chelsea stated with a smile.
"Damn it…" Motoyasu muttered under his breath.
"Less talking, more battling. Use Jump Kick!"
Sawsbuck proceeded to run towards the Spear Hero before he turned around and proceeded to kick the latter with his hind legs.
"Crap!" Motoyasu then used his spear to parry the attack but it broke through it and he sustained some damage from the attack. He looked at his HP and noticed that almost half of it was gone. "Are you kidding me!? How am I losing to that normal looking deer like that."
"Have you heard the phrase "Pride before the fall"?" Sawsbuck said. "I believe that's what you are at the moment."
"Why you…!" The Spear Hero cursed.
"I thought this looked familiar…" Chelsea and Motoyasu turned to see Malty, who was smirking. "That deer… It is one of those "Pokémon" creatures that I kept hearing about, isn't it?"
"Yeah, Sawsbuck is a Pokémon." Chelsea answered while looking at the princess with a suspicious look. "Why does it matter to you?"
"It's just that Sir Motoyasu lost to one of these creatures when that village pest of a girl demanded a rematch." Malty explained. "You know, there was someone like that in that filthy criminal's party that bested Sir Motoyasu using such a method. Are you perhaps related to that thug?"
"Why did you call him!?" Chelsea widened her eyes as Sawsbuck took this reaction as a bad omen.
"Oh no…" The Season Pokémon muttered as he knew something bad was about to happen.
"Now that you mentioned it, Myne. This battle does remind me of that one with that cowardly thug." Motoyasu added, unwittingly adding more fuel to the fire. "I'll be blunt: That thug is just as cowardly as Naofumi. I'm starting to think that the reason he used that weak looking snake is that he's too weak to fight me himself!"
"Miss Chelsea…" Merleo muttered as he saw Chelsea's hair overshadow her eyes, which he could sense an intense rage that kept rising.
"So that's why you're looking for the Shield Hero's party? To look for that coward?" Malty asked with a mocking tone. "How naive. It makes me want to laugh at how ridiculous it is."
"That thug isn't worth your attention, Chelsea." Motoyasu stated. "A beautiful lady like you should be with me. No woman likes a guy who can't fight for himself."
'Those fools! They're digging their own graves!' Sawsbuck screamed in his thoughts. While he hasn't been that long with Chelsea, the Season Pokémon could tell that there are some things that are better left unsaid. Lest anyone wants to feel his Trainer's wrath.
"So, please. Come to your senses, Chelsea." Motoyasu pleaded, ignorant at how furious Chelsea is at him and Malty for insulting a certain someone. "Forget that coward and the mage who brainwashed you. You and I, we can make a fresh new start—"
"Shut up." Chelsea interrupted him.
"I'm sorry. I didn't hear that right. Can you—"
"SHUT UP SHUT UP SHUT UP! WHAT WOULD YOU KNOW ABOUT TYLER, HUH!?" Chelsea snapped, causing them, including Sawsbuck and Merleo, to be caught off guard. "I couldn't care less if you mocked me or my Pokémon, but I won't stand for it if you decide to mock him too! WHO THE HELL ARE YOU TO DECIDE THAT HE'S A COWARD!?"
'Now I see why the rest of my comrades were terrified when they told me not to anger her…' Sawsbuck contemplated.
"Hmph! Getting angry about it is not going to make things better." Malty taunted. "The fact that you are so defensive after hearing the mockery of that thug makes me realize that you are really—"
"OH, SHUT THE FUCK UP!" Chelsea interrupted him. "As if you know anything about love, you two faced bitch!"
"That's enough, Chelsea! Me and Myne were in a loving relationship together after that bastard harassed—"
"Save that excuse for someone who cares!" The honey blonde young woman interrupted before she pulled out Sawsbuck's Great Ball. "Time to switch, Sawsbuck! I'm done holding back on this moron!"
"Very well. Do what you must." Sawsbuck replied as he allowed himself to be returned to his Great Ball.
"I assume you're going to send something more intimidating to fight Motoyasu." Malty asked, unaware of how right she was when Chelsea pulled out a Poké Ball.
"Oh, trust me. I can do just that." Chelsea then threw the Poké Ball into the air. "It's showtime, Arbok!"
Coming out from the Poké Ball was a large, purple cobra-like Pokémon. It has narrow eyes and a hood just below its head with a face-like pattern. The pattern has two red and yellow eyespots outlined in black, a wide black streak that resembles an upturning mouth, and a black V-shaped stripe above the eyespots.
"I heard you, Chelssssea!" The newly appeared Pokémon greeted its trainer. "Allow me to educate thissss fool!"
"So it's an oversized cobra, this time." Motoyasu smirked. "Whatever Pokémon you used, it won't be enough to beat me!"
"That's rich, coming from someone who already lost to one." Chelsea retorted.
"T-That's because that little worm caught me off guard!" Motoyasu defended. "But not to worry, my blue clad beauty! I'll be sure to return you to your senses."
"Keep telling yourself that." Chelsea scoffed at him before she proceeded to order her Pokémon to use its move. "That attitude of yours is starting to piss me off, so let's fix that up with a dose of Toxic!"
"You ssssshouldn't make Chelssssea angry, you ignorant human!" Arbok then fired a stream of purple liquid from her mouth at the opponent.
"You think I'm dumb enough to fall for—?" But just as he was able to dodge, he got hit by the purple liquid. "What is… this?" He muttered before his face had a streak of purple on it before several purple bubbles appeared from his body as he tried to keep it together. "Is this… poison? But it feels… stronger than usual poison…"
"Sir Motoyasu!" Malty cried in worry before she glared towards Chelsea. "You! What did you do?"
"Just giving him a taste of what's to come with Toxic." Chelsea answered. "And your precious boyfriend didn't get poisoned, he is badly poisoned, which saps your HP faster than normal poison."
"Just because… I'm poisoned, doesn't mean I'm out!" Motoyasu stated, determined in finishing the duel.
"I wonder… How long until I can break you?" Chelsea wondered before issuing the next move. "Use Venoshock!"
"Assss you wissssh, Chelsssea." The Cobra Pokémon complied as she shot multiple purple poison darts from her mouth at the Spear Hero.
He dodged all but one, causing him to sustain heavy damage. "That attack… is too strong…" He muttered while trying to endure the poison inside of him.
"Well, Venoshock's power increases when used on a poisoned opponent. So yeah, that hurts a lot on your part." Chelsea said as she looked towards her poisoned enemy.
"This… isn't fair…!"
"Oh boohoo! Cry me a river, you pathetic simp." She mocked him before she saw a wind spell heading towards Arbok. "What the—!?"
"Not on my watch!" Merleo intervened as he cast Zweit Holy to intercept the wind spell, causing them to collide and destroy each other.
"Merleo, what was that!?" Chelsea asked her guide.
"My apologies, but it appears there was a certain someone who tried to sabotage the duel once more…" The mage eyed towards Malty, who gritted her teeth at the failed attempt. "Do you honestly think the same trick you pulled on the Shield Hero would work again?"
"Tch!" Malty simply clicked her tongue, realizing that her ruse was exposed.
"That's because you're about to attack Myne when I wasn't looking!" Motoyasu accused the mage, but the latter said nothing to defend himself as he knew it would be pointless to argue to the likes of him.
"You're really deluded…" Chelsea muttered, annoyed at how oblivious and stubborn her opponent is. "I had enough of this. Arbok, deliver the coup de grace to this moron."
"With pleasssure, Chelsssea!" Arbok nodded.
"I'm… not done! I'll bring you back to your senses! I swear it on my title as the Spear Hero!" Motoyasu said as he mustered whatever strength he had to retaliate. He began aiming his spear in a throwing position. "Lightning Spear—"
"Sucker Punch." The honey blonde young woman simply ordered before Arbok swiftly approached Motoya right before he could attack.
"How did you—"
"Now ssssuffer, fool!" Arbok proceeded to strike him with her tail, which was so powerful that he was sent flying backwards before landing on his back.
"Sir Motoyasu!" Malty rushed towards her leader with every other member of the party to check up on him. Then they realized that Motoyasu had fallen unconscious.
"Just so you know, you asked for it the moment you insulted Tyler. You two made it personal for me." Chelsea remarked while returning Arbok to her Poké Ball. "Just remember to watch what you say to people. Otherwise, they are those like me out there who aren't willing to take those insults." She told them before she turned her back on them and walked towards Merleo. "Come on, Merleo. We're done with these deadbeats."
"R-Right…" The young mage stuttered as he proceeded to leave the area with his summoned guest. 'Note to self: Do not make Miss Chelsea angry unless one wants to suffer severe repercussions.' He made a mental note before he kept going.
(Later on…)
After walking further into the forest, Chelsea and Merleo managed to find a safe spot to camp for the night. While Merleo made a fire from several pieces of wood he gathered, Chelsea decided to set up her tent before cooking some dinner for the two using the fire.
"Here you go." Chelsea stated as she handed him a plate of soup she made.
"Ah, thank you." Merleo took the plate away from her before starting to eat it, which he greatly enjoyed.
For the longest time, when they camped outside, Chelsea made dinner for the both of them and she even gave him a sleeping bag so he could do a night watch before falling asleep. Though Chelsea had to teach the poor mage how to use the sleeping bag properly.
As they were done eating, Chelsea began to speak. "Hey, listen. I'm sorry you had to see that." She stated, apologizing for her recent outburst.
"Oh? You mean how you became very aggressive when the princess and the Spear Hero began to insult this Tyler fellow, yes?" Merleo stated.
"Yeah, that." Chelsea stated. "I guess I haven't told you this yet, but Tyler… saved me. He reached out to me even when everything else seemed hopeless. He gave me hope. You could say he's my only Hero. So, I tend to get a little "angry" when someone else badmouths him."
"I see…" Merleo said. "An amazing level of devotion such as that is something I admire and should be encouraged." He continued. "Though if I may be so bold, do you perhaps have feelings for him?"
"W-What!?" The honey blonde young woman exclaimed as she stood up as her face became beet red. "I-It's not that I like him or anything! D-Don't get the wrong idea!"
"I'd believed you, but your expression says otherwise." Merleo replied, causing Chelsea's face to become even redder.
"S-Shut up!"
"I suppose I forgot as tomboyish as you are with your personality, you are still a young maiden in love." He teased playfully.
"You're enjoying this, aren't you?" Chelsea accused him before she moved on from the subject. "What about you? You didn't tell me that you have connections with the kingdom's royal family."
"Ah, yes. That." Merleo said nervously before he swallowed a lump. "I assure you, there's a justifiable excuse for me to hide my background."
"Was it something that harpy said back there? Something about you being a traitor?" The honey blonde young woman asked.
"Indeed." The young mage nodded. "Melromarc was supposed to summon one Cardinal Hero only, but the King decided to violate it, especially right after his queen departed to another kingdom." He explained. "I pleaded with His Majesty to reconsider his actions as it would earn the ire of the other kingdoms. But what did he repay me for giving such advice? He stripped me of my position for having the audacity to question him and well... I believe you know the rest of my tale."
"I think I know where you're getting at." Chelsea said as she was able to understand the answer. "Anyway, where do you think we should go from here?"
"Let's see…" Merleo then pulled out a map. "In a span of two days, we should be able to reach a hot springs town by sunset."
"There's a hot springs town in this world!?" Chelsea stated, excited by the idea of visiting a hot spring.
"Indeed." Merleo then pointed at one of the locations on the map. "And this town was especially known for it."
"Then it's decided." As she said that, she cleaned all of the dishes before she entered her tent to get some sleep.
As she lied down on the mat, Chelsea couldn't help but to do some thinking regarding what Irina & Merleo said to her regarding her feelings on a… certain someone.
"It's very obvious at this point. I mean, you kinda almost talk about him ever since that day."
"I'd believed you, but your expression says otherwise."
'Maybe they were right… Maybe I really am in love with him…' Chelsea contemplated before she tapped her chest. 'But I'm afraid that he's not feeling the same way, considering his experience with his ex…' She continued, remembering what Tyler told him regarding his circumstances. 'I hope to see you soon, Tyler...' After that, she fell asleep.
Next: Chapter 8: The Dark Side of the Shield
And that's a wrap for the special chapter, I hope you enjoy it.
As if it wasn't obvious from the last chapter, Chelsea is a former member of Team Flare. The concept of it is something that I enjoy and may make more characters like Chelsea in some stories, but I'm not going to promise anything as it depends on the story.
Be sure to leave a review and have a wonderful day/night!