Chapter 74: Moving Along
In the sea north of Buyeom, the Uragan and her plated hull had laid anchor alongside a yellow buoy with a star-shaped pattern painted on it. On the deck, the crew had entered an uneasy lull, watching as the forms of three ships with indigo sails edged over the horizon. Among their number were Nagant and Jun at the railing, the Clawitzer of the pair peering through a spyglass to see an approaching frigate, along with a passing glance of a blue, flying Pokémon that flew ahead of the ships. The shrimp thought to give scope over to her first mate, when Jun moved a drill over his eyes and squinted, evidently having sighted the figure himself.
"That must be his messenger," he said. "You don't suppose they've had better luck than us, do you?"
"Cyanea and Katyusha specifically said their ship was spotted sailing west. And I doubt Valan would come to us first if he really found the Protector," Nagant harrumphed, putting away her scope. "Though that messenger seems suspiciously-"
The air wooshed above the Clawitzer captain and her first mate as a dark shadow abruptly blocked out the moon's glow and zipped from one end of the deck to the other. Nagant looked up and whirled around, searching for the disturbance's source when she was abruptly answered by the booming cry of a Salamence in flight.
"Ah! Captain Nugget! There you are!"
Nagant narrowed her eyes, looking over towards the bow to see Valan banking into a wide turn over the water before coming back for her ship, leaving her mouthparts to curl down into a sour frown.
"… Of course."
The Salamence flew over the railing and dropped down onto the deck, churning up the air as he beat his wings and came to a stop before Nagant. The sailors peered up curiously from their tasks as Valan craned his head down towards the Clawitzer with a firm, serious gaze.
"I set sail as soon as I received word of your findings," Valan said. "I hadn't discovered so much as a feather of Lugia up on Gestirn Island, so what exactly did you find out here on Buyeom?"
"We know the pirates that took him passed through given the mess they made of the naval yard. Furthermore, a couple of my subordinates discovered that their ship was last spotted sailing towards the west," Nagant replied. "Based off their course and our prior encounters with them, I can only assume they'd be making their way to Pioppo."
Valan froze for a moment, before scrunching his brow into a disgusted scowl. The Salamence's odd reaction took Nagant aback, prompting her to blink before raising her own brow back puzzledly.
"Is something the matter, Commodore?" the Clawitzer asked.
"Peh, what on earth would compel them to deal with that miserable rock?" the Salamence growled.
"I'm not sure, but they seem to be looking for something of value there," Nagant mused. "I presume that they're not looking to shelter there for long."
Valan let out a low grumble, turning off to the sea as he seemed to hesitate a moment, before pressing the matter further from his subordinate.
"Are you certain they went up that way?" the Salamence questioned. "And if so, I don't suppose you mean to chase them there."
"No. We were already one step behind them just pulling into port here," Nagant insisted, shaking her head back. "By the time we made it to Pioppo, they'd be long gone."
"So you mean to try and think a step ahead of them?" Valan demanded. "But where exactly would you propose sailing, then?"
"I would presume they'd be setting sail for their homes on Tromba next," the Clawitzer said. "If so, then assuming they made it off Pioppo, the most logical route for them would be through Haipheh."
Valan paused a moment at Nagant's reply, tilting his head as he shot a dubious frown back at her.
"And what would force them to go that route specifically?" the Salamence pressed.
"I wouldn't expect them to have much in the way of provisions after going to Pioppo, so they'd logically seek out the closest port they could shelter in," Nagant explained. "That's why it would make sense for you to cover the other possibility I can think of and set sail for Boisocéan. It'd be a longer and more difficult journey, but their ship had already visited recently, and they'd surely remember it as a safe harbor."
"Hrmph, it doesn't sound like you consider it likely for them to go that route in the first place. So why separate?" Valan grumbled. "Are you sure you can even handle the Protector on your own?"
Nagant hopped up and down against the deck, giving an impatient wave of her claws as she tried and largely failed to hide an impatient hiss at her Salamence superior.
"Commodore, I already caught him once with my crew when it was smaller than this!" she snapped. "If there's anyone in the navy that's best suited to bringing him in, it's us!"
"OW!"
Nagant and Valan turned at the sound of a sharp cry, where they saw Cabot leaning against a barrel cringing with Niilo and Berecien looking over in concern. The Cranidos opened his eyes with visible droplets forming at their edges, his voice coming out in a pained whine.
"I stubbed my toe…" he whimpered.
"Hey… It's alright," Niilo said as he patted Cabot on his shoulder. "It'll pass."
"Just take it easy for a while, alright?" Berecien added.
Nagant buried her face in her small claw, mortified as Valan turned back to her with an incredulous glance before scoffing and shaking his head.
"Wasn't he one of the Pokémon you assigned to take care of the Protector at Giotto?" the Salamence demanded.
Nagant clenched her mandibles, screwing her eyes shut as she grudgingly muttered back a reply.
"… Yes."
"And why am I supposed to believe that your subordinates could handle the Protector when that's what you had to resort to the first time?" Valan pressed, forcing Nagant to struggle to restrain herself from hissing at her superior again, before impatiently clicking her claws.
"Commodore, just listen for a second. If we both sail for one port, then that means that if there's anything that we overlooked or got caught off-guard by, those pirates will be clear into Company waters by the time we notice it!" Nagant fumed. "Considering the stakes of failing this mission, you of all Pokémon should appreciate hedging for unexpected risks!"
Valan paused, batting his tail to and fro as he thought the matter over, before giving a shake of his head and craning his neck back down.
"Hrmph, I suppose that's a fair argument," he said. "But in that case let me go to where you expect the Protector to head to. My subordinates are more experienced, and I'm sure we could put on a better display than…"
Valan cast a glance at the still-whimpering Cranidos and his companions, before turning back at Nagant with an unimpressed scoff.
"Well, it should go without saying."
"Because I tracked him down once already!" Nagant cried. "I'm the one with the experience catching him and I pieced together where he was going! Why shouldn't I have the honor of waiting for him in Haipheh?"
Valan frowned and opened his mouth seemingly ready to rebuff his subordinate, only to trail off and relent with a low growl.
"… Very well. As someone of higher rank and more firepower at my disposal, I suppose I would be more suited for handling a neutral island," the Salamence said. "Besides, when- er… if you wind failing to handle the Protector on your own, I'll still be able to come in and lend assistance!"
Nagant's body visibly tightened at the Dragon-Type's reply, her words coming in choking, barely-restrained seethes as she tried to stammer out a passing reply.
"I- That's-"
"A fantastic idea, I know," Valan finished. The Salamence turned to take his leave, readying his wings to take to the air when he craned his neck back with a small, vaguely patronizing smile.
"Good luck with your ambush, Nugget," he insisted. "I will be waiting to hear back from you and will keep an eye out for the Protector myself."
Valan crouched his legs and sprang up, taking wing and flying away from the deck of the Uragan. No sooner than the Salamence had slipped beyond earshot, Nagant whirled around and shot a watery pulse at a nearby barrel, dashing it to splinters as her subordinates flinched and cringed as she screeched angrily.
"AAAAAAAARGH! What did I ever do to deserve the gods cursing me to be stuck with that overgrown treplo?!" Nagant shouted.
"Ahem… While things came out… worse than planned with Commodore Valan, shouldn't we be moving?" Jun asked. "After all, no one knows how long we have before the Protector arrives at Haipheh."
Nagant let out an impatient huff, before turning back to her crew with a sharp scowl as she leveled her large claw out at the crowd.
"Hoist the anchor and get us moving!" she ordered. "I want us in Haipheh before sunrise!"
At once, the deck burst into activity as the sails were lowered and the stone anchor was hastily pulled up. Nagant felt the ship lurch under her body, prompting her to make her way for the railing and clamber down a rope for the familiar comforts of the sea. On her way down, she looked out over the horizon, watching her Drifblim messenger drift off in advance for Haipheh as she leveled a harsh glare off at the waves in the distance.
"This has gone on long enough," Nagant growled. "It's time to bring your little escape attempt to an end."
Back on the shores of Pioppo, the Mistral Marauder remained anchored in the shallow waters just offshore much as it had for the better part of the day. There, the pirates hurriedly scrambled up ropes thrown over the side of the hull, among them the ship's Aggron captain who after making it to the deck sighed and stopped a moment to catch his breath. Hess turned, seeing a Croagunk attempting to hoist a barrel up, only for it to slip and fall back into the water much to the Steel-Type's annoyance.
"Just hurry it up with those barrels!" Hess snapped. "I want to get out of here before those dweebs decide to give chase!"
The Croagunk hastily squeaked an 'aye' in response, going back for the fallen barrel as others were lugged aboard and the arrival of new pirates making their way onto the deck slowed to a crawl. After more Pokémon ceased coming along, Rodion moved a paw around, doing a headcount only to pause and realize that his count had come up three short.
"Wait, Valatos and his friends aren't back from their trip into the dungeon," he said.
"Tch, their loss if they can't make it," Hess spat. "We need to get moving while we can!"
"They are some of the stronger Pokémon on the crew," the Floatzel reminded. "Shouldn't we at least try and find out where they are first?"
Hess hemmed and hawed uneasily at his first mate's prodding. This was as good of a chance he had to be rid of that blasted Nori, but after having just come up short against a bunch of common peasants… would the crew really take his side if he pushed back against Rodion's suggestion?
"Nah, it's alright Rodion," Alfred insisted. "We've got the rest of us to worry about."
"Yeah, and didn't they say they were elite pirates?" a Pawniard added. "I'm sure they'll figure something out."
Rodion raised a brow and let his muzzle flop open in exasperated incredulity at the crew's sudden lack of concern. Hess blinked at the turn of events, before opting not to question his good fortune and chimed in with an overeager harrumph.
"Whelp, that sounded fairly convincing to me," he said. "Come on, we're moving out!"
At the Aggron's shout, the deckclaws quickly set about hoisting the anchor, as the escorts churned the surrounding air and water to push the Mistral Marauder away. While the deck returned to its busy self, Rodion paced off for the stern, watching the shrinking form of Pioppo as he wondered aloud to himself.
"What on earth happened to them out there?"
Half an hour after the Iron Fleet's hasty retreat, Elty and his companions marched through the thick woods of Pioppo's Mystery Dungeon after Valter, Cernun, and Trizano. A quick glance behind revealed the floor had folded vertically due to distortion, with glimpses of the rest of the party from the Siglo Swellow and the defending villagers popping through the treetops as they too made the trek for Darkwood Square.
Elty's attention drifted away when he heard Guardia call out the sighting of fog ahead, the mark of the entrance back into Darkwood Square's stable zone. After passing through the haze and letting the dungeon's winding paths melt away, Elty found himself back at the same palisade gate that Team Phantom had taken him to earlier in the day. A cursory look revealed the palisade to be undamaged, letting Elty breathe a sigh of relief as he heard excited chatter coming from his teammates further ahead. The Growlithe carried on, stepping through the gate where he saw the lot crowded around a Nidorina that was now holding out a scarf too small for her body with a sheepish laugh. Elty paced forward towards the group before he blinked, his eyes widening in surprise at the sight of the scarf as he realized the Nidorina was none other than…
"Nida? When did you evolve?!" the Growlithe cried.
"What's the matter, Elty?" the Nidorina asked, shooting back a teasing smirk. "I didn't think you were the type to worry about falling behind."
Elty folded back his ears and let out a pouting harrumph, before trying to argue that it was hardly fair to compare a Growlithe's evolution with one that could just be grown into. The Puppy Pokémon's protests drew chuckles from his teammates as one after the other, they crowded around the new Nidorina to wish her well… the sole two exceptions being Pladur who inched away uncomfortably from the Poison-Type after her gaze fell on him, and his child who watched wistfully from beside Kiran.
"She's still the same 'mon inside… isn't she…?" Crom murmured to himself.
The Druddigon looked back at Nida sizing up her new body before feeling a cold chill go down his spine. While reason insisted that Nida was still his same old teammate, she was now far from the cutesy little spike ball he'd grown up with. Her face, her fur, her very gait while walking… why it was all just like Marley's! Crom hung his head, thinking perhaps it was only logical that she'd become like her too when a sharp chirp threw off his train of thought.
"Speaking of not falling behind, why did you sneak off like that earlier, Elty?" Pleo asked.
The gathered members of Team Traveller paused and turned expectantly to their Growlithe teammate, who blinked and shuffled his paws a moment before answering with a dismissive shrug.
"I just thought that I could talk Hess and the others out of coming here," he replied. "Nothing else to it."
"Well, tell someone else before sneaking off next time!" Ander buzzed. "If it wasn't for us coming in with the ship's crew, those pirates would probably have you halfway down a plank right now!"
"Yeah, yeah… it was a learning experience, alright?" the Growlithe scoffed back, giving a grumbling shake of his head. "Besides, all's well that ends well."
Elty's fur stood on end at the sound of a loud crash, looking off towards the eastern fringes just in time to watch a charred roof cave in. After clambering onto a nearby barricade for height and squinting off into the distance, the Growlithe noticed that in spite of his nearsighted vision, he could still see that the buildings around it were all torched and ruined, prompting him to look back with puzzled concern at his teammates.
"… What on earth happened here anyways?" he asked.
"O-Ow! Hey! Easy there!"
The lot turned at the sound of a pained buzz, and saw Valatos, Alvise, and Nori with their limbs tied up being pushed along towards a wooden platform on stone blocks set up in the central square where villagers were gathering. The three were marched up and unceremoniously shoved down, leaving Nida and her teammates to trade wary glances with one another.
"Come on," Nida said. "Let's see what's happening."
The Nidorina and her companions drew forward, the air growing thick with boos and hisses from the crowd of villagers, including Team Phantom's members who were sporting fresh bandages. On the center of the platform, Alvise tried in vain to shake off the bindings over his legs as his eyes moved uneasily out to the surrounding mob, and then to his Yanmega teammate.
"Uh… Valatos, you wouldn't happen to have any ideas for us to get out of here, would you?" the Manectric gulped.
"I can't move my wings, you dip!" Valatos snapped. "What do you think?!"
Nori glanced around at the surrounding mob when he noticed Roteck nearing them on the platform. The 'mon was a spitting image of Hess, and with how cagey he'd been just being around him…
"I think I've got something," Nori said.
The Marowak shuffled to his feet, baring his teeth and glaring up at Roteck with the loudest, most threatening growl he could muster.
"Grr… you'd better untie me right now, you lousy metal-head!" Nori snarled. "Keep me waiting and I'll take one of your bones and get out of here mysel- AAAAGH!"
Nori was cut off mid-sentence by a heavy punch at his gut from Roteck, leaving him coughing and wheezing for air. Roteck stooped down, grabbing Nori by his throat as Alvise and Valatos recoiled, bringing the hapless Marowak up to his glaring eyes.
"Any more threats you want to throw my way, tough guy?" the Aggron demanded.
Nori squirmed and pulled his tail in towards his body as Roteck tightened his claws about his throat, stammering nervously before he finally managed to squeak out a reply.
"N-No…"
Roteck loosened his grip, letting Nori fall to the ground with a thud and a yelp, shooting a sharp scowl down at him and his teammates.
"Bene, I'll let the others deal with you then," the Aggron harrumphed. "They've been itching to give you three a piece of their minds over your arson earlier."
Roteck stepped aside, as the glaring crowd's boos and jeers at the captured pirates continued to ring out. The three shrank back, squirming under the torrent of growls and livid snarls about them.
"Not so tough now, huh?!" Lisa spat.
"Yeah! Serves you right for burning up our base!" Cantone fumed.
Alvise tried to turn his head as best as his bindings would allow, only to be summarily clocked in the face with an errant apple. The Manectric turned his eyes over, catching sight of the Gastly from earlier floating next to a Kangaskhan joey blowing a raspberry at him, prompting him to grit his teeth and begin to spark.
"Hey!" the Manectric snapped. "If you all think we're just going to sit here and take this, you've got another thing comin-!"
"Enough!"
Alvise quickly held his tongue and the crowd's heckling abruptly faded as a sharp shout announced Cernun and Valter's approach towards the platform, with Trizano coming along and waiting at the base. The two ascended the crude steps that had been set up at the edge and neared the captured pirates as they trained down sharp glares at them.
"When most Pokémon are stuck in a hole, they usually stop digging," Cernun piped. "Considering how much trouble you all are in, you should really set the tough 'mon act aside for a while."
Valatos, Alvise, and Nori stared up blankly, finding themselves at a loss for words at the strange deer. After spending a moment staring into Cernun's eyes, Nori began to grow unnerved and attempted to scoot back from the blue fawn.
"W-Wait, who's that 'mon supposed to be?" the Marowak stammered.
"You don't think it's another Protector, do you?" Alvise asked.
"Whatever he is, he doesn't look that tough," Valatos harrumphed, prompting Valter to narrow his eye and let out a sharp huff.
"I don't know whether you feel that our lack of numbers or our isolation as a village makes us a lesser threat, but you are sorely mistaken if so," the Dusknoir chided. "We carry the blessing of Lord Cernun, and we are capable of passing down… more lasting punishments if need be."
The Ghost-Type revealed a dusty green gem that carried a dim glow, flashing it in clear view of the gathered Pokémon that seemed to make an uncomfortable chill settle on a villager here or there. The three pirates froze and stared up with nervous grimaces, noting the deadly serious expression on their captor's face.
"W-What is that?" Valatos demanded.
"It's a Teleport Gem that the village teleporters crafted some years ago in the Dungeon's Distortion. I'm sure someone must have told you about what it does before, but it's an object capable of sending Pokémon to linked places that are beyond the ability of a teleporter to go to on his own," Valter explained. "In this case, it's linked to a canyon in the Wastes with spent ash and stone being its only comforts. We have not needed to use such things or craft additional ones in years…"
The Dusknoir paused, turning his eye out to the still-smoking fringes at the eastern end of the village, before looking back with a piercing glare and irate hiss.
"Though perhaps today will prove to be an exception."
Valatos and his companions' eyes widened, their bodies flushing pale and quivering at the idea of a cold, lonely end out in the Wastes.
"W-Wait, you can't do that!" Nori cried. "We were just following orders!"
"Y-Yeah, it's Captain Hess' fault!" Alvise insisted. "He made us come here!"
The Manectric's protest made Roteck grit his teeth and ball his fists up, stooping to grab Alvise by his neck before Cernun tapped the platform with his hooves. Roteck looked up to see the young Protector shaking his head back, prompting the Aggron to slink back with a dissatisfied growl. The entire time, Valter's expression had remained firm and wholly unmoved by the pirates' pleas.
"And yet, it was you that dealt us this blow. It's truly a miracle that none of the villagers lost their Protector's blessing from it," the Dusknoir scoffed. "I believe that in normal towns, that would be more than enough reason to have you three exiled."
The Ghost-Type's reply drew a torrent of pleas and whines from the captured pirates, which fell on deaf ears. After seeing their captors' faces still remain as hardened and inhospitable as when they came in, the three's begging began to take an increasingly desperate air and their voices began to hitch and break. All the while, Guardia shook her head from the side, as she watched Valatos, Alvise, and Nori begin shedding frightened tears onto the platform.
"Gods, you're pathetic," the Cubone said.
"I… don't think any of that will be necessary, Valter," Cernun insisted. "We've been able to deal with worse 'mons than these three before in other ways… at least when they were willing to cooperate."
The three pirates continued to sniffle a bit after the Xerneas' words, which slowly died down as the lot began to realize that they might be out of mortal danger. His eyes still damp, Nori timidly lifted his head up at the deer.
"H-Huh?"
"Well, the alternative would be to have you make what you've done to the town right," Cernun explained. "Though you'd be here for a very long time, and as such, you'd better start acting like you belong here."
"Wh-What are you going to do to us?" Valatos asked.
"I… think that Valter had a term for it once," the Xerneas mused to himself. "'Community Service,' I think?"
Cernun's reply drew approving nods and murmurs from the crowd, along with a moment of quiet surprise among Team Traveller's members as they traded glances with one another.
"Wait, they do that here too?" Elty wondered
"I guess even after hiding away in a Mystery Dungeon, some things really don't change much from town to town," Nida sighed.
"Essentially, you would be helping the village on an as-needed basis," Valter explained. "To start with, you would be cleaning up all the rubble left from the fires, and helping to build new shelters. Unpaid, of course."
The Dusknoir's explanation drew back offended glares from the pirates. Even when bound and at the mercy of a village, Community Service was no light blow to their own pride, which Alvise was quick to be let known through an irritated growl.
"And why on earth should we put up with that, huh?!" he snapped.
Valter moved the Teleport Gem around in his fingers, the dull glow giving way to a weak whitish pulse of light from within as he narrowed his eye back at the three.
"Well, there was an alternative sentence floated earlier," the Dusknoir reminded. "Would you really prefer that one instead?"
Alvise and his companions fell silent and visibly shivered at Valter's retort, the Manectric pulling his tail between his legs and lowering his head in a bid to look small and unthreatening.
"N-No…" he whined.
"Then it's time for you all to get to work," Valter harrumphed. "Roteck! Unbind them and set them to work at once after a good bath!"
Roteck stepped forward, stooping down to untie the pirates' bindings as Nori turned his head back with a surprised and annoyed scowl.
"Hey! That wasn't part of your deal earlier!" the Marowak protested. "Why do we need to take a bath?!"
"Because you three reek!" Roteck spat. "It's like you rolled around in a trash pile!"
"Hey! We already took a bath before we left Kenobi, alright?!" Alvise snapped back. "We're clean enough!"
"And when was that?" Roteck demanded.
"Uhm… about two weeks ago?" the wolf answered.
Alvise's reply drew a loud chorus of disgusted groans from the gathered villagers, as even Team Traveller's members found themselves recoiling and sticking their tongues out of revulsion… with one exception:
"… Wait, that's what they're all complaining about?" Elty scoffed, tilting an ear back. "I went without baths longer than that on the Iron Fleet!"
Nida flattened her ears and whirled to Elty, her face contorted into a disgusted frown at his reply. As if it wasn't bad enough that he wasn't bothered by such awful bathing habits…
"Ugh… why are you proud of that?!"
After making his way from one pirate to the next, Roteck undid the bindings of Valatos and his companions enough for the lot to stand and pace about. Warily, the three found their footing, eying their surroundings as the Aggron turned to the surrounding crowd.
"Are there any parting words before these three head off?" Roteck asked. "I don't expect them to have a lot of free time today."
The Aggron was answered with a host of 'nays' and grumbles to 'hurry the bums off already', prompting him to begin to march the trio off, when he heard a sharp yip coming from just beyond the platform and turned down to see Elty staring up at him.
"Actually… I've got some for them," the Growlithe said.
Roteck blinked back puzzledly as some of the bystanders raised brows and murmured among one another. After a moment's pause, the Steel-Type shook his head and let out an impatient snort.
"Fine, but hurry it up," he harrumphed.
Elty gave a grateful nod, before trotting out in front of Valatos, Alvise, and Nori with a smug smirk, making the lot glare back and visibly fight to restrain themselves.
"Grr… what did you want, you little runt?" Valatos hissed. "To come and laugh at us?"
"Well, yeah. After everything you three have put me through, of course I wanted to," Elty replied. "But… at the same time I guess I just wanted to give some advice."
"And what would a little pipsqueak like you know, huh?!" Alvise snapped.
"Well, that I've been where you are before and Community Service kinda sucks…" the Growlithe began. "But it doesn't have to stay that way."
The pirates fell silent and blinked back puzzledly at the Fire-Type. After a moment wondering to themselves what the ankle-biter before them was angling at, Nori let out a snorting harrumph in reply.
"Just what's that supposed to mean?"
"Well, if you settle down and open up to these 'mons, you might start making a few friends… real friends, not someone giving you a 'donation' to pass by you," Elty explained. "'Mons who are willing to look out for you when you get in trouble and make this whole 'Community Service' thing less of a drag. Who knows? Maybe they'll even put in a good word and get you out of that sentence faster."
"Well a fat lot that means coming from you!" Alvise growled. "I don't see you volunteering to stay behind!"
"I've already got my own Community Service and problems to deal with," Elty replied, shaking his head back. "But I did have something for you before I left."
The Growlithe turned away, poking his rump up in the air before giving it a vigorous shake as he blew a taunting raspberry at the pirates. At once, the three's tempers flared, Alvise's fur sparking as he bared his fangs angrily.
"Why you little-!"
Elty ran ahead beside himself with laughter, the Manectric and his fellows trying to give chase, only to suddenly feel the ropes at their ankles abruptly tighten. One after the other, the three pitched to the ground with yelps, coughing up dirt as the looming shadow of an impatient Aggron fell over them.
"Alright, time to go," Roteck snapped.
Roteck drug the three along, when he heard a clinking noise coming from Alvise's body. The Aggron raised a brow, before running a claw along the underside of the Manectric's scarf, finding a small bag filled with coins and giving it an absentminded toss up and down.
"How on earth did this not get confiscated already?" he grumbled. "Well no matter, you won't be needing it here anyways."
The Steel-Type turned his attention back to the ropes, dragging the pirates along as they flailed and shouted in protest at their predicament.
"A-Agh! You fat thief! That's my money there!" Alvise whined. "I earned it fair and square in a bet!"
"Stop jerking me around, you stupid clod!" Valatos protested. "I'm a grown 'mon and I can bathe whenever the hell I want!"
"Let go-! S-Stop pulling!" Nori stammered. "Marowak aren't supposed to get soaked!"
Team Traveller's members watched as the pirates were dragged away unceremoniously past the edge of the crowd. The group traded dubious glances with one another as to how much the rotters could really be made to do any good, as Vince gave a mocking wave farewell.
"Have a nice bath!" the Haunter jeered.
"Are they really going to be able to do Community Service like that?" Pleo asked.
"Golly, you don't have to worry about that," Lisa reassured. "We can handle them."
"Yeah, they're not so tough when they get caught off guard!" Cantone said. "Nothing that a prank here or there can't help out with."
"Mwee hee hee! Or twenty," Vince offered. "We've got a big score to settle with those three, and I can already tell that we're going to be getting a lot of laughs out of them for a long, long time."
The Ghost-Types bade Team Traveller farewell, before heading off after Roteck and his prisoners. Nida watched after the departing pranksters, before giving a shake of her head.
"I almost feel sorry for Valatos and his buddies…" Nida murmured. "Almost."
"So… what do we do now?" Ander asked.
As the crowd thinned and began to disperse back into the rest of the village, Pleo noticed that Valter remained with Cernun in the middle of the assembly, seemingly lost in thought. The young Protector waddled forward warily, before craning his head up with a pleading look at the Dusknoir leader.
"Is… there really nothing at all you can do to help us here?" Pleo asked. "I mean, we tried our best to help protect your village!"
"That's really not-" Valter began, only for Kiran to cut him off.
"And surely you must realize that the Iron Fleet won't forget what they saw," the Swellow added. "One way or another, other Pokémon are going to find out about this place, so the best thing we can do is settle this matter with the Empire and Company before they-!"
"Enough!" Valter snapped.
The Dusknoir shot a sharp scowl back, making Pleo back away uneasily and Kiran cast a worried glance over. After a long silence, Valter pinched at his brow, turning away with a grudging mutter.
"I… I just need some time to think this through," the Ghost-Type sighed.
Valter floated off, Cernun following along with his gaze drifting towards the ground and a troubled air surrounding him. Pleo began to head after the pair, when Trizano hopped up, and motioned for a stop with a wing.
"Bear with him a little longer, Pleo," Trizano insisted. "It's not an easy decision for him to make right now."
Pleo tilted his head back at the Skarmory, before the Steel-Type ruffled his feathers and began to follow after Cernun and Valter. The young Lugia waited a moment as the three slipped off, before turning back for his companions. All the while, he couldn't help but look back off at where Cernun, Valter, and Trizano had departed, unable to shake the feeling that when he'd tried to get their help that time, that something was different.
Team Traveller's curiosity over Valter and Cernun's decision eventually got the better of them, leading the lot over to the steps of the pavillion where Nida, Pleo, Crom, and Ander had been first shown to the village. There, the group made small talk and happily prattled away with each other happy to be reunited. All the while, Elty remained at the fringes, saying nothing with his ears and head held low, before he turned and shuffled away from the group. While his teammates had been enjoying themselves, the Growlithe's thoughts kept drifting off towards his confrontation with Hess and the Iron Fleet. To how the bridge he'd so desperately clung to for eventually returning to the crew had been burned away from under his feet with nothing to replace it.
"Gardie?"
Elty pricked his ears and turned around, where he saw Guardia standing behind him. Her red eyes were hardened into an impatient stare much as they had many a time in the past, but this time seemed to carry a curious twinge of concern.
"What's going on?" she demanded. "You wandered off again."
The Growlithe hemmed and hawed a moment, attempting to fish up one excuse after another only to find Guardia still staring insistently at him. After a long pause, Elty folded his ears back and shook his head with a low sigh.
"It's just… when Alice told me that she left her old crew without souring things with them, it made me think that after everything that I'd been through under Captain Hess I could do the same," the Growlithe said. "He always had a bit of a soft spot for me, so I was sure that if I just told him about what was going on between the Company and the Empire, that he'd understand if I wasn't ready to come back to the crew right away. Maybe even leave Pleo alone."
Elty hung his head, turning his body from his Cubone teammate as his tail drooped low against his legs.
"I wasn't expecting everything to play out anything like this," he muttered, prompting Guardia to raise a brow puzzledly.
"Eh? But why is that a problem?" the Cubone asked. "We just sent those sea-walkers running and it's not as if we can't fight them off again. Besides, surely you have other Pokémon to turn to outside of them, don't you?"
Elty looked back at Guardia, before pulling tail tight against his body and casting his eyes towards the ground with a glum air about him.
"… No, I really don't."
"Why is that?" Guardia wondered. "If you really didn't come from a forest on Nagrobek, then you grew up in a town, meaning you'd have-"
"I didn't grow up in a town, okay!" Elty snapped.
Guardia stepped back at the sound of a sharp growl from the Growlithe, who looked at her with a flash of his teeth and his fur raised. The pair stared at each other for a moment, Elty's pique fading as his ears folded back and he screwed his eyes shut with a bitter mutter.
"I grew up in a Mystery Dungeon much like you did," he said. "Even if I could go back there, I'd be as alone as when I left it."
Guardia paused, taken aback at the Fire-Type's sudden gloom. She wondered to herself if she'd perhaps stuck her bone where it wasn't needed, before uneasily opting to press the dog further.
"Then… what happened?" the Cubone murmured. "How did you go from that to being a sea-walker?"
A long pause followed Guardia's question, Elty keeping his gaze fixed towards the ground before he spoke up in a low, halting voice.
"Back on my island, things… worked differently between 'mons that wear scarves and ones that don't," the Growlithe began. "When I was growing up, my mother would always tell me to avoid the knot-necks since they were trouble. But… it just couldn't be avoided for her."
"What happened?"
"She got into a fight with some Rescue Team and overpowered them pretty badly," he replied. "A few days later, the Company sent a squad to snatch her that was headed by a Marowak. I remember he was a bit darker and leaner than your kind, and tried to capture us…"
The Growlithe trailed off, shaking his head as a dark look settled over his face.
"Well, I guess I shouldn't say 'tried'," Elty muttered. "I was the only one who got away from them."
"Eh?! But that doesn't sound anything at all like how the hut-dwellers worked on Tennobi!" Guardia exclaimed. "They always attempted to be more underhanded when they tried to take stuff from us. If they came to attack our territory in such a fashion, I doubt Tetsuzui would allow them to slink off to tell the tale afterwards."
"Again, things work… differently there. I still don't know why that's the case, but there's that big prison that Kline brought up," Elty said. "Maybe they think they can get away with treating us like that with so many strong 'mons around or something. I don't know. Regardless, about a week after my mother got taken, I ran into Pyry and Pekka-"
Guardia stared blankly back at Elty, prompting him to realize that his companion's names surely meant as much as a sentence of Nagrobeki to her and hastily amend his words.
"… a pair of sea-walkers who would become some of my best friends," he corrected. "They had broken out of the prison during a big uprising with my mother's help, and we wound up running into the Iron Fleet who took us in before leaving the island behind."
"Was that how you got your name?" Guardia asked. "That 'Eltenios' those sea-walkers kept calling you?"
"No, that's something my mother gave me. Growlithe like me on Nagrobek always got special names handed down from our parents from this ancient tongue that not even the others seem to understand," Elty said. "Mine apparently means that I'll never, ever give up… not that that really applied to that stupid rock."
Elty shook his head, turning away and peering off at the fog in the distance at the village fringes with a wistful look.
"I… was really young at the time when mama was taken and hadn't been doing so well on my own, to the point where I couldn't even scrounge some berries together," he murmured. "And when we ran into each other, Pyry and Pekka were the first 'mons who'd looked out for me since my mother, so I decided to just go with them."
"But what of your mother?" Guardia pressed. "You said that this Pyry and Pekka got away from the prison because of her help, so what happened to her?"
"… Pyry and Pekka don't know for sure. It took them a few months for them to work up the strength to say anything, but they told me that she'd stayed behind to fight some guards who were chasing them and got overpowered," Elty responded. "Considering the stories I've heard of the place since then, she's probably long dead."
Guardia bit her tongue and pawed at the ground with her feet uneasily as she spoke up in reply.
"Is… this what you were going to tell me about back on Sormus?" she asked. "Or why you were so uncomfortable when we were around those 'holding cells' on Giotto?"
"I dunno, maybe I would've choked or something even if the others didn't come along," Elty muttered. "It's not something that I like talking about much."
The Growlithe let out a glum sigh, lowering his head to the ground with a deflated air about him.
"I just don't know what I'm going to do after all of this is over," Elty murmured. "I wasn't sure if I was going to go back to piracy, but now I don't think I even have a choice."
"I'm sure that it's something we can figure out, Eltenios," Guardia said, drawing a blink and a puzzled frown back from her Growlithe teammate.
"Huh?"
"Even if you don't have anyone else to turn to, you still have us," the Cubone insisted. "And… well, getting a helping claw wasn't the end of the world for me back on Sormus."
Elty looked back into the bone lizard's eyes with a wordless blink, as a small, tired smile came over his face.
"Heh… it doesn't look like I have a lot of other options there, now does it?" he chuckled.
The pair looked back at their teammates, where they spotted Crom attempting to teach Pleo to skip stones across the stream in front of the pavillion as their teammates looked on, only to find his attempts thwarted again and again by the height of the ledge over the water's surface. The Cubone gave a small smile, before tugging at her helmet and turning to head off.
"I guess we should go and see what's going on over there," Guardia said.
"Yeah," Elty answered. "Let's go."
The Growlithe and Cubone set off for the rest of their teammates, when en route they chanced to see Nida making her way for Crom when she passed by Pladur. The Nidorina accidentally brushed the Fraxure's hide while passing, making him reflexively jerk away with a startled squeal.
"A-AAAAH!"
"Ack! Sorry! Sorry!" Nida cried. "I didn't mean to brush up against your wound!"
Pladur paused and blinked in surprise at the apology. Sensing that he was in safer circumstances than he'd feared, he hesitated a moment before turning back warily to Nida.
"H-Huh?"
"I mean, that is why you yelled, right?" the Nidorina asked, pawing sheepishly at the ground. "I'm normally used to being able to just pass by other's feet well, so… brushing up against someone past their legs is kinda new for me."
Pladur shifted uneasily, before cautiously approaching Nida when she nosed at his side, making him stifle a laugh from her fur rubbing up against him. From the side, Crom looked on and breathed out a quiet sigh of relief, as he watched the Nidorina interacting with his father with the same friendly demeanor she had as a Nidoran.
"It really is the same Nida under there…" he murmured.
"Ahem."
The Druddigon and his companions turned back to the pavillion, where they spotted Valter and Cernun making their way out, with Trizano and Roteck flanking them from behind. Crom noticed that the Dusknoir seemed to have a stern, serious air about him, making him shift uncomfortably before warily speaking up.
"Did you make a decision yet?" Crom asked.
"Well… I've put some thought into the matter," Valter said. "After consulting with Cernun, we came to the conclusion that your prior requests may have had some merit."
The Dusknoir floated forward and held out a small pile of glinting metal baubles. Team Traveller's members looked closer and noted much to their astonishment that the metal objects were their badges that had been confiscated earlier, the lot eagerly reclaiming them as Pleo looked over with his eyes widening in happy realization.
"Ah! So you're going to help us!" he cried.
"Yes. That's right," Cernun replied. The Xerneas motioned over to Valter, who revealed an old book in blue binding and passed it over. Pleo and his companions gathered around, noticing that beyond a gold trim that cut across the front cover in a cross pattern and repeated on the back, there were no runes or other adornments to the weathered tome. The young Lugia looked up curiously, as Cernun pawed uneasily at the ground.
"This is the original copy of the ledger that Coil was using all those years ago," the Xerneas said. "I… admittedly couldn't understand everything that I read from it, but considering that it mentions me being transported from Conntow, I'm sure that it would give the 'mons it speaks of a black eye if others heard what it had to say from someone who was trusted."
Team Traveller's members gave startled blinks back, as Ander warily approached and gave an uneasy shuffle of his wings.
"Wait, you were on Conntow before?" the Scyther asked.
"It's something that happened before I hatched," Cernun explained. "And… well, it's easier if you read it for yourself, since when I tried putting things together on my own, it still felt disjointed and confusing."
"Well, whatever happened there, I would think that a Protector's help is about as good as we can hope for on that front for getting Pokémon to believe it," Kiran remarked. "Though… considering the risks we will need to take, what will you do if something happens to the Ledger?"
"That is admittedly something we haven't fully figured out. We made a copy several years ago, but it would likely not help much," Valter said. "The Empire and the Company would surely dismiss it as a mere forgery and I'm not sure how we'd overcome that. As such, it is imperative that you make the most of that tome, and guard it as if the world depends on it."
"Understood," Nida replied. "With everything that's riding on this, we wouldn't want to take chances either."
"Uh… not to be a downer, but how are we gonna get this to Tromba?" Elty asked. "Every Imperial ship's looking for us and knows our sails!"
"Your captain had voiced similar concerns earlier when I met her, and I figured you'd have gotten yourself in a bit of trouble with the way you mentioned leaving Giotto," Valter replied. "So I took the liberty of going ahead and providing a solution."
The Dusknoir pointed off across the bridge, where a small group of villagers were loading dark gray sailcloth onto wagons. By chance, one of the Pokémon in their number happened to let one of the cloths slip, which partly unfurled and revealed a violet triangle centered around a wisp-like sigil. Team Traveller's members blinked out of surprise before looking back at the Dusknoir as he smiled back.
"They may not have had a chance to perform their craft for many outsiders lately, but the tailors here are every bit as skilled as they were when Blackmoon was still standing," Valter reassured. "As for you, Nidorina, we figured that you in particular might appreciate this."
The Dusknoir handed over a blue piece of cloth that Nida took, unfurling it to reveal a scarf in her same old pattern but sized for a Nidorina. The Poison-Type looked over surprisedly, as Valter let out a ghostly chuckle.
"Well, we are working with you now, are we not?" he insisted. "It wouldn't reflect well on us to let you go around looking like a common feral!"
"And you'd need help dealing with the extra attention," Trizano chimed in. "Which is why I'm coming along."
Team Traveller looked back to see the Skarmory hopping forward, pulling a wing in front of his chest to give a bow before the Rescue Team's members.
"Duke Valter has entrusted me to make sure that the Ledger stays safe during your travels," he explained. "And that should you need it, that you'd have my strength to aid your battles!"
"Heh! It'll be a pleasure to fight alongside you!" Guardia piped, giving a friendly wave as Elty flattened out his ears with a pout.
"Hopefully he can learn to tone the theatrics down for once," he grumbled.
Trizano ruffled his feathers, stepping forward to join his new teammates only for thumping, heavy footsteps to immediately follow after him. A quick glance up revealed their owner to be Roteck, who darted over to his Skarmory companion and put a claw on his wing.
"Trizano! While you're out there… please do keep an eye on my brother if you run into him," Roteck asked. "I know that he's out there and if what you told me last time is right, I'm sure he needs all the help he can get being kept out of trouble."
"Heh, I've been doing decently with that so far, haven't I?" Trizano replied. "It's nothing Trizano the Valiant Knight Skarmory can't handle!"
Team Traveller's members blinked at the Skarmory's reassurance regarding Roteck's brother. The thought crossed their mind that perhaps he was referring to Hess, but between him not speaking a lick of Pioppo's tongue and his… obviously different lifestyle, it was hard to imagine him fitting the bill. Pleo noticed his teammates preparing to set off and shook his head, reasoning that there'd surely be time to learn more later, before turning his attention over to the young Xerneas on the pavillion's steps and staring expectantly.
"… Aren't you coming too, Cernun?" Pleo wondered.
"Absolutely not!" Valter snapped. "After everything that's happened, it'll be a matter of time before the Empire or the Company come here searching for-"
"Valter, it's alright," Cernun insisted. "I think that I can explain this."
The Xerneas stepped forward towards Pleo, who tilted his head back puzzledly as Cernun began to speak up.
"I'm not coming along, Pleo," the deer said. "Or at least not right now."
Pleo froze, his wings and head drooping at the Fairy-Type's reply. All this time Cernun had seemed like he was fairly curious and open towards helping him…
"But… why not?"
"Because this town needs my help," Cernun explained. "This might not be my island, but if we're really going to have to deal with the outside world again now that word is going to go around, we're going to need some time to prepare for it."
"I… guess that's fair enough," Pleo sighed. "I just wish that that was something that could be taken care of sooner."
Cernun reflexively opened his mouth, only to let it hang open wordlessly as he hesitated and fell quiet, shuffling back uneasily. The Xerneas' loss for words prompted Valter to float up, as he attempted to carry on from where his patron had abruptly left off
"Time goes by in the blink of an eye, Lugia. Our paths may yet cross sooner than you think," the Dusknoir remarked, before hesitantly turning over to the rest of Team Traveller's members.
"I presume that this is the part where you'd want to leave," he said. "I'm… admittedly not fully comfortable with it, but there's not a lot of choices left for us."
Pleo and the others straightened up, shooting back determined looks at Valter and Cernun as Nida and Elty spoke up to reassure their new allies.
"Don't worry about us! We'll make the most of the Ledger before anyone comes back for the village!" Nida exclaimed. "It's a promise!"
"Yeah, we're not looking to string this out any longer than you are," Elty added.
"Then I shall bid you all addio and await news of your success," Valter said.
With that, Team Traveller's members slung their bags onto their shoulders, walking off in the direction of the palisade as the other sailors began to follow suit after them with their new sails. All the while Cernun watched the villagers wave them off and call out farewells and well-wishes after them as others helped the strangers cart off their new sails, a small smile spreading over his mouth as he lowered his horned head.
"Good luck, Pleo. We're all counting on you."
In Vollezee, the Company's shipyards were built on a keyhole-shaped extension of Canalhouse City's central canal. Amidst the city's forest of narrow, tall-roofed buildings, the din of construction and sight of lavender sails from the yards broadcasted the Company's full might. All around it, various facilities had been built to service the Company's underlings: a post office, a medic's hall for injuries in the shipyard, and a large complex of battlegrounds built under the shadow of the harbor master's office. The courtyards had been particularly well-trafficked by members of Lyn's crew that day: there was the Huntail and dark blue Barraskewda sparring directly in a flooded battlefield, the Crobat zipping to and fro between paper targets…
"Yah!"
… and yet others who had preoccupied themselves with practicing their attacks on the Substitutes that the Company procured as punching bags, including Ketu. There, on an empty courtyard, the Weavile dashed ahead towards a Growlithe Substitute and swung his claws up against its throat to send it flying upwards, before striking again with a Brick Break that launched it into a retaining wall. The hapless Substitute lingered for a moment before bleeding out orange mist and flopping down with its back torn up from impact.
"Hrmph, that Throat Chop's still holding up well enough."
The Weavile gave a bat of his claws and grumbled to himself. Such was the curse of Pokémon who attempted to keep their pool of moves as large as possible. There was always a different move here or there that required more effort than normal to keep it in practice and useful in battle. In normal times, the drudgery would be a mere annoyance, and not weigh on his mood so much…
"Ketu!"
But these were far from normal times, to say the least. Ketu turned and saw the shout was coming from none other than Lyn, approaching with stomping footfalls and bared fangs. A disgusted scowl flickered over Ketu's face for a fleeting moment, before he suppressed his emotions and affected a puzzled blink back at the Samurott.
"What's the matter, Captain?" the Weavile asked. "I was right in the middle of working on my technique a bit."
"Forget about your training for a moment!" Lyn snapped. "I need to have a word with you. Now."
"About what?" Ketu said.
"About what you know about that Ditto!" the Samurott shouted, prompting Ketu to pause and raise a brow.
"The one that we thought was Lugia?" the Weavile replied. "I mean, I only heard about it a few hours ago, so…"
"Don't play that card on me," Lyn growled. "You were one of the last Pokémon to enter the ship, so if nothing else you ought to have seen him approaching."
Ketu gave Lyn an annoyed frown in response, the Weavile consciously tightening up his body with the tense, rigid mannerisms of deep offense.
"Why are you asking me about this?" Ketu demanded. "Just because I had to run to make the boat didn't mean that I was just sitting around and looking up at the sky for weird-looking things beforehand!"
"Because someone on the crew set me up and is actively sabotaging me!" Lyn exclaimed. "You are the only Pokémon in my ranks who got to my ship after I had already captured that Ditto! Did you honestly expect me not to ask you?"
"Tch, I'm not really sure why you're wasting your time flagging me down," the Weavile scoffed. "In case you're forgetting, I was having some downtime with Sorge, Zelle, and Aldrich before I returned."
Lyn paused and blinked at the first mate's reply, his agitated demeanor melting away with a blank, puzzled expression.
"Huh?"
"You know, Sorge and his team? My best friend and your old buddy? The 'mon from the Intelligence Division who had his four-year old cover shredded just helping me make it back to the ship and getting you out of port?" Ketu said. "You could've just asked him what I was up to before giving me the third degree like this!"
Ketu watched as Lyn fell silent, seemingly torn by his appeal to the Samurott's perceived friendship with Sorge. Sensing an opportunity to nip his superior's suspicions in the bud, the Weavile shook his head, before summoning the most offended huff he could muster.
"Really, do you think I'm happy about the mission blowing up on us like this? I put my own hide on the line helping you bring that Lugia in!" Ketu snapped. "Maybe I'm more subtle than I give myself credit for, but I thought it was pretty clear that I wasn't all sunshine and rainbows since I found out!"
Lyn said nothing for what felt like a long moment, before pinching his brow and letting out a tired sigh.
"… You're right, I should've thought it over more before approaching you like that," the Samurott muttered. "I've just had a lot on my mind lately between this spy and trying to figure out where to go from here."
Ketu crossed his arms and let out a quiet scoff. Even if he was simple as ever to steer away, Lyn had a better nose for inconsistencies than he'd given him credit for. With Lyn's temper the way it was, it was best to get the Samurott to relax a bit while his suspicions were deflected. After all, as Administrator Elilan himself had reminded, any ability to make a move, let alone one to snag that Lugia, hinged on Lyn remaining his normal, dense, unsuspecting self…
A few shouts from past the battlefield's edges turned Ketu's attention to another courtyard where other members from Lyn's crew were sparring. Lyn always had been a bit more pliable after sparring… All that would be needed would be to do his normal routine, hold back on the field, and let the Samurott feel like he was in control. Surely that would help to hurry Lyn back to a state of mind he could work with.
"Maybe letting off a little steam would get things rolling," Ketu proposed. "There's an open battlefield right now, so why don't we spar a bit to get the blood flowing?"
Lyn blinked and raised a brow at Ketu's offer, giving a puzzled tilt of his head back.
"Now? I don't really see how that'll help me think things through," Lyn said. "We've both been through a lot lately and you of all Pokémon ought to know that our sparring sessions aren't casual affairs."
"Meh, it's nothing that we're not both used to at this point. And I think I've got enough tricks up my sleeve to keep things from being boring," Ketu insisted. "Besides, a problem's just a battle in your head. Might as well play through a few attacks to figure out what works."
The Samurott paused a moment, before turning back for the battlefield, a small smile spreading over his muzzle.
"Very well, I'll give it a try," the Water-Type said. "But don't expect me to go easy on you."
Lyn and Ketu took their places at opposing ends of the battlefield, the captain pulling his seamitars from their scabbards as his first mate flashed his claws. The pair drew near each other in the center of the battlefield and began to maneuver around one another, each eyeing for openings to attack each other.
"I just don't really know where to go from here with that spy," Lyn muttered. "I've tried to think of any possible telltale sign that would give him away, but it just keeps leading me to Pokémon who can't be the spy instead of any actual leads."
"Wait, just how many 'mons have you questioned so far?" Ketu asked.
"Only you so far, but I've been drawing up suspects and already set aside time to go through half of the crew in the morning to try and root him out."
Before Ketu could reply, he was cut off by Lyn spitting up a large jet of water at him, prompting the Dark-Type to jump back from the Hydro Pump's path before flicking a spray of icy flechettes back at Lyn. The Samurott felt the Ice Shard fleck his arm and jerked it back, rubbing at it as Ketu smiled with quiet satisfaction and carried on.
"You're not going to just sit around in port and question everyone until you find him, are you?" Ketu asked. "You'd be stuck here in Canalhouse for the rest of the week!"
Lyn shook his head back, taking note of how he'd exposed himself before correcting his stance and assuming a more guarded posture. The Samurott watched as Ketu sized up his newfound caution, starting to circle around as Lyn followed his movements, keeping his blades at his ready.
"I suppose that I don't have many options beyond waiting for the spy to slip up…" Lyn grumbled. "I can't afford to let that Clawitzer freely search the sea for that long."
"That crusty old crab we left behind on Giotto?" Ketu wondered. "You're really that worried about her?"
The Weavile abruptly flung another spray of icy shards, only for his attempt to be cut short by Lyn blocking the blow with a slash. The Samurott charged ahead with a watery tackle, knocking Ketu back with a heavy graze that forced him into a hasty roll back onto his feet.
"Why wouldn't I be?" Lyn insisted. "After all, who's to say that the spy hasn't told her that the Protector was last seen in Buyeom?"
Ketu sprang back from Lyn, quickly regaining a healthy buffer of space before shaking some water off his fur and giving a disgusted flick of his claws.
"Eh, I don't know, Captain. You're obviously forgetting about the real threat here," Ketu began as a small, teasing smile formed at the ends of his mouth. "Someone as skillful as that Aggron pirate might snatch away the Protector before we even get the chance. Not much we can do against a winner like that."
"Har har, that bumbling oaf in the golden scarf?" Lyn huffed, rolling his eyes in response. "Why would he be a threat at all?"
"Well, you know what they say about threats you don't pay attention to…" the Weavile said.
Ketu dashed and lunged forward, spreading the digits on his claws as he raked Lyn's arm with a slash trailing a shadowy aura. The Weavile smirked when he saw Lyn yank his arm back, as he continued to chide his superior.
"They're the ones that often turn out to be the most dangerous-"
The Weavile was abruptly cut off by the flat of Lyn's seamitar smashing into his face. Ketu stumbled back, spinning about to stay on his feet as he regained his footing a few paces away, moving a claw up to his face as he tried to shake himself out of his disoriented stun from Lyn's Revenge.
"Perhaps you ought to mind your own advice a bit more!" the Samurott shot back.
Ketu shook his head as his senses returned to normal when he noticed his paw felt wet and warm, prompting him to pull it back and notice the white fur on his paw stained a dark red. The Dark-Type stared down as he felt a small dribble of blood trickle out of his nose, turning back to see Lyn spinning a seamitar before sheathing it with a satisfied chuckle.
"Thanks for the session, it's taken more of an edge off of things than I expected," Lyn said. "Though… given your condition I think we should call it here. No need to taint the usual win with an unneeded injury."
Ketu narrowed his eyes and grit his teeth under his lips. None of this was supposed to be happening! He was supposed to be on his way to a Commander's post with Betulo for finally delivering Kline to Elilan, while this oversized blowhard was supposed to be out on his bum for embarrassing himself in front of the Board! Not gloating at him for catching him off guard while he was holding back!
… No. He'd been wearing this underranked scarf and playing the part of the weaker subordinate long enough. Even with Lyn's suspicions, surely his cover could survive his true colors poking through once.
"I think you're calling your victory a little prematurely here, Captain," Ketu growled, rubbing the blood on his nose off onto his right arm's fur. "Let's keep going."
Lyn blinked before looking over his subordinate with a dubious raise of his brow.
"Hm? Are you sure?" the Samurott asked. "Since it looked-"
"I'm fine."
Lyn looked over his first mate skeptically, pausing as Ketu's red eyes bored back into him. It was custom among Pokémon in the Company to cut sparring short once blood had been drawn, but barring a small streak on his fur, there was little sign Ketu ever had his nosebleed in the first place. While his mission needed his first mate in good health, with how insistent he was to continue, he was obviously well enough to stomach an extra blow or two…
Given all that they'd been through lately, what harm was there in indulging him?
"Hmph, very well then," Lyn replied. "Just don't expect the outcome to be any different."
Lyn eased back into a battle stance, fishing his seamitars out from their scabbards with an audible rattle when a large shard of ice abruptly flew in for his right wrist. The Samurott felt a sharp pain that slackened his paw's grip and made his right seamitar drop to the ground before reflexively jerking his paw back.
"Gah!"
The Water-Type hastily stooped down and snatched his seamitar, glancing up to see Ketu springing for his neck with his claws drawn for a Night Slash. The Samurott hastily swung his blade up in the nick of time, feeling Ketu's claws glance against its flat as his muzzle curled into an enthused grin.
"Hah! You're really getting into this!" the Samurott exclaimed.
Ketu sprang away, watching as Lyn swung his free blade and slashed through the empty air where he'd been a moment prior. The Weavile landed on the ground and crouched, feeling water against his feet when he noticed that he and Lyn were standing in the residue of his earlier Hydro Pump. Ketu inhaled and blew out a frigid wind along the ground, freezing it over towards the Samurott's direction and sweeping the otter up in the process. From his position, Lyn darted back as quickly as his slowed limbs allowed, assuming that Ketu was aiming to try and freeze his feet into place. The Samurott retreated and kept his blades at his ready, only to see Ketu dashing ahead before sliding along the ground past the tip of his nose and under his body followed by a sharp, slicing pain that flashed across his chest.
"Agh!"
Lyn recoiled and jerked back with a sharp cry, spitting up a large jet of water at Ketu that hit the ground and splashed the Weavile just after he hastily rolled out of the way. Ketu entered a crouch with a disgusted hiss, readying his legs to throw himself back into battle when the sharp bark of a Samurott's voice rang out.
"That's enough!"
Ketu glanced up to see Lyn clutching at his chest, pulling his paw back to reveal a red streak on his hide and his paw's pads sticky with blood. The Samurott looked at his reddened paw with his eyes wide with stunned surprise, before brushing it against his hide and hardening his features into a sharp scowl down at his subordinate.
"What's gotten into you?" he demanded. "I thought that you said this was an exercise to get the blood flowing!"
The Weavile bit his tongue, his eyes turning to Lyn's bloodied paw as he visibly paused, before shaking his head with a sigh.
"… Sorry. I'd just been getting a bit riled up over how things had been going with the mission," Ketu replied. "In my defense, it did still get your blood flowing."
"Well, you've certainly given me a new benchmark to train against since I've never seen you do that in sparring before," Lyn muttered. "But what was the point you were trying to make earlier?"
"Well jokes aside, my point was not to focus on that 'Nagant' too much and more on what that Lugia and his buddies are up to," the Weavile said. "Besides, we can't exactly find out how much she knows other than sailing up to her and asking."
Lyn twitched his whiskers at his first mate's reply, before curling his face into a grumbling scowl.
"Bah… if we were playing on an even field and I had a spy of my own on her crew, it would make things so much more straightforward…"
"Well we don't have one, so that can't be helped," Ketu retorted. "And that Aggron at best is just shadowing her around, so I doubt he'd have much info or be of any use to us. Not to mention he'd be a pain to track down anyway."
Lyn's face remained locked in a frown, only for his eyes to widen slightly and the Water-Type to begin pacing off for the battlefield's exit.
"… Actually, don't be too sure about that."
Ketu stared after the leaving Samurott, beginning to follow after as he raised a brow puzzledly at the captain's sudden wanderlust.
"… Lyn?"
"Go and wrangle up my original crew and get the Argent Aviso ready to sail once I get back," the otter insisted. "I think I might know a way to get our edge back to get the Protector, but it's going to require asking the Board for a favor…"
Ketu stopped, leaving Lyn to slip off into the halls and out of view. After being sure he was out of earshot, the Weavile's face fell into a puzzled scowl as he muttered aloud to himself.
"What did you think of this time?"
Author's Notes:
- treplo (трепло) - Russian: "windbag". Can also be used to mean "braggart" or "liar". (BGN/PCGN Romanization.)
- Bene - Italian: "Good" (interjection)
- Nagrobeki - Polish: "Nagrobekish"
- addio - Italian: "goodbye", "farewell"
