Act 2

Changing Tides

~~Rainbow (Flareon) - Gargantua Forest - Western Province Border~~

It was very easy to tell once the group had entered Gargantua Forest, the home and hiding place of Winds Village. The normal-sized trees that started to lose their leaves had turned into massive pines whose lengths could contend with the walls of Glass City. From his relatively small height, Rainbow could barely make out the tops of those trees.

Rainbow shivered. The trees were so tall that they nearly blocked out the sunlight, meaning most of the beams' warmth as well. "I can see why you didn't want to pass through here. It's weirdly ominous."

Polelto stood on high alert, his eyes shifting in every which direction. What he was wary of, Rainbow had no idea. "The cold and darkness are only a part of the reason. The other is who resides here."

"Winds Village, right?"

Polelto frowned. "Correct. Since the Arkosian Unification 450 years ago, Winds Village has been the only independent body yet to submit to the Arkosian rule. They act and govern on their own."

"450 years…" Rainbow repeated in wonder. "How did they manage all on their own?"

"They are secretive people. Not many even know where the village is located. This forest is an exemplary position to hide. Strong as well, seeing how the bark on these trees is especially resistant to both fire and the elements."

"So any invader is at a severe disadvantage just by stepping foot here." Rainbow surmised. He felt a small chill travel down his spine. "And since this is outside Arkosian jurisdiction…"

Polelto narrowed his eyes. "I have no power here. The only safety net we have is that they cannot hurt me. Doing so may just threaten war, something I believe they would rather avoid. This is why I did not want to pass through here. Unfortunately, time does not allow us to go around."

Polelto was right. Winter was coming fast, only a few short weeks away. The detour to that mining village had cost them the better part of a week, which could have been spent circumventing this place altogether.

"It is the fastest way, sir," Kricketune spoke up. "No matter the threat, we can handle it."

The prince of Prismarine grunted. "I hope to not confront the Winds residents at all as we pass through, lest more time be lost."

He slunk to the back of the old mining cart, keeping an eye out behind them. Rainbow adopted Polelto's cautious nature. The people who lived in a forest like this must be tough, especially if they managed to dodge the Arkosian unification for 450 years. An impressive feat like that could only mean they were extremely dangerous.

"How are you holding up, Troum?" Rainbow asked their Mudsdale steed.

The Pokémon in question nodded over his shoulder. "The ground is damp, full of moss. I should be fine, but traction can get a little tricky here."

Rainbow turned to their Kricketune driver. "How long do you think it'll take to pass through the forest?"

Kricketune avoided eye contact with the Flareon. "Oh, I don't know, a few days?"

Rainbow flinched as a drop of water plopped onto his head, probably from the light shower in the morning. "Great. I guess we'll just have to keep an eye out."

Woosh!

Polelto stood on alert as the sudden sound came close to their position. He didn't see what it was, but a shadow shot out from the trees and crossed them before entering the maze of wood again. "What was that?"

"I didn't even see it!" Kricketune was startled, falling onto his back.

"Keep together, Shifter," Polelto commanded. "And no more recklessness."

"..."

"Shifter?" Polelto looked to the Flareon for a response but was shocked to see an empty space where his companion used to be. A growl was uttered from the depths of his throat. "Of course…"

Chapter 32:

Crossing Winds

In the blink of an eye, Rainbow went from standing his ground in the cart to shooting through the air. Talons dug into the fur on his back. He craned his neck upwards, coming face-to-face with a grinning Pidgeotto.

"Surprise, intruder!" the female Pidgeotto exclaimed over the rushing air.

Sensing the danger, Rainbow blew a Flamethrower as close as he could to his abductor's face. She reared back, coming to a halt in the air.

"Aaaah!" she released him in her panic. Rainbow gasped as he dropped to the forest floor. Thankfully, it was only a few feet away. Luckily the Pidgeotto decided to fly low.

"Who are you?" he demanded of the bird, who was in the process of patting down her singed feathers.

"Like I'd tell you that!" from her position hovering in the air, she launched an Air Slash from her large talons. "Eat this, Phantom!"

Rainbow saw the distorted air the attack created and dodged. The slash made a small crater where it impacted the forest floor. "Huh? What'd you call me?"

"Don't act dumb!" She flew in close with blinding speed, clotheslining Rainbow with a Wing Attack. The Flareon was thrown back, yelping when he smacked against one of the Gargantua trees.

"That's one tough tree…" he messaged the part of his body that made contact with the tree. "Listen, lady, there's been some misunderstanding."

"Where's the rest of your clan?!" The Pidgeotto came crashing down on Rainbow's position. Rainbow rolled to the side as she impacted the ground with surprising strength.

"You got something wrong, I'm not your enemy!" Rainbow tried to reason as she recovered from her missed attack.

The Pidgeotto shook her head to help focus before narrowing her eyes at him. "You mean, you're not part of the Phantom Brigade?"

Rainbow was relieved that she finally seemed to be listening. "I really have no idea who you're talking about. We're just travelers cutting through."

"Really?"

Rainbow nodded. "Yes, really!"

"Then die!" she shot at him with another Wing Attack.

"Oh, come on!" he shouted as he jumped over the low sweep. "What is it now?!"

The Pidgeotto lifted into the air, circling around him behind the trees. She blinked in and out of his sight as she moved quickly between the large trunks. "Trespassers are not allowed in this forest! As a Wing of Winds, I will right the crime you have committed!"

Rainbow's eyes widened. "By killing me? That's absurd!"

He reacted quickly as an Air Slash appeared from beyond the treeline. He jumped back to dodge then released a small Flamethrower aimed at the attack's point of origin.

The flames licked the leaves of the Gargantua trees. A shuffling told him the Pidgeotto was hiding in the leaves, but had moved to avoid his attack. Surprisingly, none of the leaves caught fire from his move.

That's right, the trees are resistant to even fire. He smirked. Then that means I can go all out and not be worried about burning down the whole forest.

"Is there really no peaceful way to resolve this?" he questioned. "Surely we can talk this out?"

"No dealing with criminals!" was her short response as she appeared behind him with a Wing Attack; another low sweep.

Seeing his attacker get closer, Rainbow got another one of his reckless ideas. He quickly hopped into the air as she came close, timing it just right that he landed square on her back as she passed under him.

"What the! Get off me!" she wriggled her body to throw the Flareon off, but he dug his claws into her mess of feathers.

"Try and avoid this!" he superheated his fur until it sparked aflame with Flare Blitz- only he wasn't running anywhere. The Pidgeotto screeched as she was overwhelmed with Rainbow's flame. "Give up and stand down!"

In desperation she slammed her back into a nearby tree, crushing Rainbow between the two. "I will not give in to scum like you! A Wing never gives up!"

Rainbow gritted his teeth as he was bashed into the tree over and over. She didn't show any sign of slowing down, and he wasn't sure if keeping up his attack was worth all the damage he was taking. In between smashes, he twirled his body around, allowing him to instead grip the Pidgeotto's right wing closed.

Unable to sustain their flight anymore, the duo promptly fell to the ground. They impacted with the sloped roots of the tree, bouncing off of them and onto the ground. Rainbow jumped away from his opponent quickly while firing a Flamethrower at her downed position.

Once she saw the flames coming, she swiftly defended herself with her two wings. Seeing as she decided to endure the attack, Rainbow kept his Flamethrower on her as long as possible. The flames subsided as he ran out of breath, leaving the Flareon panting for air.

"Are you… done yet?" he asked between breaths.

"Not by a long shot," she revealed herself from behind her blackened wings. While Rainbow was still recovering, she doused herself in a teal light. The light washed over her, everywhere it touched cleaned her damaged wings of their imperfections. "Why don't you make this easy for me and you give up?"

"Roost." Rainbow grimaced. This battle just extended its longevity immensely.

"Be prepared!" She shot to the sky. "I'll show you the true strength of a Wing!" Teal light followed her tail feathers faithfully, and she seemed much faster than before. She disappeared behind the trees again.

She's enhanced her speed with Tailwind. He adopted his defensive stance. That means she'll catch me off guard with her speed and come in close.

A ruffling of leaves to his left alerted him. He turned quickly to meet her head-on with a Flare Blitz, but was astounded to instead be met with an Air Slash. The damage was lessened because of his adopted Flare Blitz but it still hurt pretty bad.

Another shuffling sounded to his right. He contorted his body as another Air Slash streaked across his side, leaving a shallow cut. He winced as some of his blood was drawn. He spotted a third Air Slash coming in low, and he was able to jump over this one. Again and again, the Air Slashs kept coming from the dense foliage. Rainbow was able to narrowly dodge some of them, but most left cuts where they slid past him.

"How long will you last against this assault, I wonder?" The Pidgeotto laughed, the sound echoing all around Rainbow.

She's not coming close at all! She's using her speed and the cover of the trees to shoot from all around me! I can't even see her to predict where they'll come from next!

He planted his stomach on the ground as an Air Slash passed by overheard, coming uncomfortably close to lopping his ear off. He had to roll away as one came from right above him. It left a gaping hole where Rainbow once lay.

"Keep dancing! You can't keep this up for long!" her taunts rang out.

"I could say the same for you! Using this many moves at once is sure to tire you out eventually!"

"You don't have that long!"

At that moment she decided to switch things up. Rainbow heard the rustling of leaves from behind him. Expecting the Air Slash, he jumped up to dodge. Unfortunately, the Pidgeotto went with a high-speed Wing Attack instead, and the airborne Flareon made for an easy target.

"Ah!" Rainbow got the wind knocked out of him as he was brutally launched back into the air. He twisted around as he fell back to the ground, but was struck again when he was preparing to land. He was thrown into the air again.

He was being juggled like a child's ball.

I can't keep this up! He screamed internally as he was relentlessly battered by his avian opponent. I need a plan! Fast!

It was in his relentless turns and twists that he saw his way out. For a brief moment, he locked eyes with something past the treeline. A water serpent stared back at him, beckoning. Rainbow smiled. He understood what the look meant, he just had to set it up.

Rainbow sucked in a large breath after another attack shot him high into the air. His body was spinning every which way. It lacked direction, but he could use that. He released a blast of Flamethrower outwards, not really aiming for anything in particular. He just hoped that the indiscriminate flames would find something to scorch.

"Ugh! That burns!"

Bingo.

Rainbow ceased his flames upon the hit and tucked into a ball. His shape broke his fall as best as possible. He rolled a few feet before popping out and getting to his paws. He glanced around after a few moments of peace. There, between two trees, was a small smoke trail. He followed the trail around the trees, finally having a way to track his opponent.

"That move won't work anymore!" he taunted.

"Try me!" she shot out from another break in the trees, a Wing Attack aimed to put him down. But Rainbow saw it coming from a mile away.

He felt something in the pit of his stomach, growing in size and covering his throat. Like before, he jumped into the air to avoid the low-altitude attack. But this time he belched out a large helping of Smog that covered the ground where he once stood.

The Pidgeotto's eyes widened. She tried to slow down in time, but she was moving just too fast to stop completely. She plummeted into the poisonous smoke head-first. While it didn't poison her, the smoke wormed its way into her eyes.

"What did you do?!" She yelled. Her wings struggled to keep her afloat as she also tried to use them to wipe her burning eyes. "I can't see!"

Rainbow ran to the treeline as she struggled to relieve her disability. He took a brief respite to catch his breath.

"Need assistance?" Polelto smugly remarked to the Flareon.

"Shut up…" Rainbow responded crudely, but he was still relieved to see his champion compatriot. "Come on! Is that all you got?" He taunted the Pidgeotto.

"Do not speak to me! Once this stuff's out of my eyes, you're done for!" She finally freed her eyes from the Smog. She hastily scanned the area in search of her target. She saw him standing next to a tree. "There you are!"

"Let's finish this!" Rainbow taunted.

His remark did its job. She unleashed her teal Tailwind and launched into a short vertical loop, gaining more speed on the way down. She streaked across the ground, her powerful Wing Attack charged for the final hit.

"You're mine!"

Rainbow adopted a guarded stance, prepared to take the attack head-on. "Bring it on!"

Slam!

A storm of dust and grass particles exploded around them. Both of their sights were obscured by the cloud of particles. The Pidgeotto kept pushing forward with her attack, noting the solid object she was hitting.

"Give in!" She shouted. "You're holding your ground pretty well, but I'll push past it!"

"Oh?" A different voice came. "Was this you trying your best?"

The dust storm finally settled, and her eyes widened at the sight before her. The Pidgeotto's Wing Attack did land, just not in the way she had expected. A Milotic stood before her, a sinister smirk across his lips. He had a Protect bubble projected around him, completely nullifying her powerful move. Rainbow stood behind him, a concerned glare adorning his eyes.

"What?!" She exclaimed. She deactivated her attack and tried to flap her wings backward to get some space, but not before two massive hooves stamped down on her wings. "Argh!"

The Pidgeotto shifted and fidgeted in place. She tried to slide her wings free from their containment to no avail. Her strength was also not enough to lift the weight, either. She was thoroughly trapped.

"Good work, everyone!" Polelto said in mock cheering. He smirked behind him. "What do you say, Shifter?"

Rainbow scowled at the Milotic before smiling. "Thanks, Troum. You really helped me out there!"

The Mudsdale huffed from his position atop the Pidgeotto. "No problem."

Polelto harrumphed. "You can come out now. The danger's over."

Kricketune shuffled out from behind another tree. "I-uh," he cleared his throat before trying again. "I was just securing the perimeter, sir. All clear."

"Right." Polelto narrowed his eyes at the servant for a second before giving his attention to the Pidgeotto. "So who did you say you were again?"

"Unhand me!" She growled. "You will regret trapping me so!"

Rainbow leaned against the tree trunk as he caught his breath after the battle. "She's dangerous. This fight could have gone on for a while if you hadn't shown up."

"You will all feel the wrath of my people!" She smirked. "I will be avenged."

"Woah, woah, woah! We're not going to kill you!" Rainbow exclaimed with disgust. "We just want you to stop chasing us!"

"This is the first I've seen of your kind! You will pay for your trespass!"

Polelto hummed in thought. "Well, she is quite lively. Maybe we should get rid of her and move on."

"No!" Rainbow vehemently denied. "We are not killing anyone!"

"Relax, Shifter. I was jesting." The dangerous glint in his eye told another story. "But we cannot go on like this. Let's restrain her and move on." He then sucked in a breath as he realized something. "Hold on, what did she say her name was?"

Rainbow shrugged. "She never said her name, but she kept going on about-"

"Now you realize your fate." The Pidgeotto said dramatically. "You have stirred the Wings into motion, and the wrath of Winds will be upon you!"

Shink!

The group's ears perked when they heard the near-silent sound. Rainbow glanced around, trying to ascertain the origin of the curious noise, but nothing seemed out of the ordinary.

"Mudsdale?" Polelto called out, noticing Troum swaying weakly on his legs. Before long Troum collapsed sideways, a leg still pinning the Pidgeotto.

Kricketune felt sweat run down his head. "Just one second, my lord!" He lightly slapped Troum's behind, but the Pokémon did not respond. "What's gotten into you, Mudsdale? Get back up!" he demanded in a hushed tone.

"Troum?" Rainbow asked when the Mudsdale made no action to respond to the Kricketune. Again, there was no response. Now he was concerned. They had just talked not one minute prior and everything was fine. "Troum, talk to me."

Polelto slithered over to the steed. He tightened his gaze on the Mudsdale, studying him. His nostrils flared once he noticed a small dart sticking out of Troum's hide. He quickly wrapped his tail around the offending object and pulled it out.

"What is it?" Rainbow asked in concern for his newfound friend.

Polelto brought the tip of the dart close to his face, eyeing it suspiciously. He took note of the teal liquid dripping from the tip. "Some sort of poison." He tossed the dart away angrily.

"Poison?" Rainbow dropped to a defensive stance and more closely examined the dark woods around them, but still, nothing stood out of the ordinary. "Did those bandits actually follow us here?"

Kricketune readied one of his bladed arms, albeit with some shakiness. "We shall take them on, sir!" His voice held little confidence.

The group felt a chill when they heard laughter. The Pidgeotto managed to shimmy out of Troum's collapsed limbs and stood at full height. One of her wings was pointed at an odd angle, but she didn't seem to care. "You all should have left when you had the chance."

Rainbow and Kricketune readied themselves to fight her once more, but she kicked up some dust with Sand Attack and obscured her retreat. The two couldn't make a move in time before she escaped out of their sight.

Polelto looked upwards. Something he saw made him release a deep sigh. "Stand yourselves down, louts. We've been surrounded."

Rainbow followed Polelto's lead and looked up as well. He gasped once he saw the dozens of winged Pokémon all leering down at them from the Gargantuan tree branches. Some had their talons out with attacks at the ready, and others held a tube with more of those darts strapped across their chests. They all held a look that didn't bode well for the traveling group.

Kricketune promptly dropped his claws once he saw the force that overwhelmed them. Rainbow, however, bared his fangs in the face of their aggressive stances. He didn't want to fight, but he had to be ready just in case they got tired of waiting.

The Pidgeotto was in one of the branches, presumably helped up by one of her friends. She glared down at them like the rest.

"People of the wind, I presume?" Polelto asked out with a hint of strain. "We have not come with ill intent."

A Male Unfezant swooped down to their level. He looked defenseless, but the multitude of backups at his disposal gave him the confidence to face the trespassers head-on. "We've made a deal with your king, Arkosians. No outsider is to step foot within Wind's territory and we will not swoop wing into yours. Tell me, why is it that one of my Wings is so injured and I find you outsiders responsible?"

Rainbow felt a cold sweat run down his back at the Unfezant's sharp tone. "Listen, that Pidgeotto attacked us first! We were just peacefully traveling through here!"

"We have made ourselves clear, outsiders. None are to enter this forest without our elder's permission. A swift death is all that follows for those without that lesson learned." The Male Unfezant readied his wing into the air, an apparent signal to his fellow avians. "Such are the terms of the deal. Mar did right by our people. You are in the wrong for trespassing on our ground."

"Wait!" Rainbow tried to deter him from his action. "Please hear us out! We don't need to take things this far!"

The bird's eyes were uncaring. The forces of Winds readied their darts and claws in preparation for the attack. "If you have a problem, you should have considered avoiding my forest and hurting my underling."

Rainbow cursed and ducked low. It looked like there wasn't going to be a way out of this besides fighting. He felt the embers of his Flamethrower burn in his throat. Polelto's scales glowed with the faint color of deep-sea blue. It looked like he was ready to cause a storm at a moment's notice. That would certainly prove to be useful in a battle against birds, but how long would they last?

"Just one second!" Kricketune suddenly appeared by Polelto's side. He shakingly pointed at the Milotic. "May I introduce who you are threatening? You are in the good graces of the Prince of the East!"

Murmurs spread through the ranks of Pokémon occupying the trees. The Male Unfezant narrowed his eyes suspiciously. "A royal?" His demeanor changed from aggressive to only slightly hostile. He reared his head back to size up the Milotic. "Have you any proof of this claim?"

Polelto eyed his butler warily before regally puffing out his chest. "What you hear is true. I am Polelto Gracia, heir to the Eastern Province."

The Unfezant growled. "If that is the case, then why have you trespassed upon our land? Surely you of all Pokémon must know the consequences of such an act?"

"My servants and I," he swept his tail over his three traveling companions, inspiring Rainbow's eye to twitch. "Had business in the capital. However, something urgent has come up in Prismarine City, and we must get there before Autumn's end."

Unfezant ruffled his feathers. "The trip to Prismarine on foot from here would still take weeks. If I am to believe your story, why have you not traveled by air? One such as yourself can afford it, I'm sure."

"Certain… extenuating circumstances have disallowed that. Make no mistake, I would have preferred that form of travel if given the opportunity." He gave a small glare to the Flareon by his side.

Unfezant brought a wing to his chin and paced. "This is quite the dilemma. On one talon, we can execute you all as the just response for trespassing, as has been done before." Rainbow grimaced at that option and slowly revealed his claws in preparation for a fight. "However, on the off chance that you are who you say you are, such an action could incite war on my people. We have been living in peaceful isolation for generations, and I would rather not be the one to break that streak."

"So you'll let us go?" Rainbow hoped.

"I did not say that. You have still yet to prove your lineage, after all. More likely than not you are all criminals or common folk who do not know the crime they have committed. Plus, you have aggressively assaulted my own underling." He tapped his chin. "Quite the problem indeed."

The few dozen Pokémon in the trees did not stand down. They were all ready for whichever signal their leader would give to decide the travelers' fate. The forest was in a standoff, as the leader quietly observed the four in deep thought, and Rainbow's team all tensed their bodies awaiting the verdict. Well, really it was just Rainbow and Polelto. Troum was still asleep from whatever drug they gave him, and Kricketune was uselessly shaking behind the other two.

"I've come to a decision." Unfezant stopped pacing. He raised his wing. "Wings, at the ready!"

The shuffling of feathers and charging attacks echoed around them. Polelto was ready to trigger his storm at a moment's notice, and Rainbow built some heat in his chest. This would be difficult, but they just might find a way out of this. If they used Polelto's storm as cover and managed to wake Troum, they could have a chance to escape. But then they would have to deal with the flying reinforcements-

"If I may, Field Leader?"

Rainbow glanced up, broken from his thoughts, as a Noivern descended from their perch. They landed beside the Unfezant, standing a little larger in size compared to the smaller bird. "I believe this may not be our only recourse."

Unfezant narrowed his eyes at the interrupting Pokémon and sighed. "What is your idea, Zephyr?"

The female Noivern, Zephyr, stood to attention. "Our decision may be hasty, sir. As you've said, they have yet to prove their identities, so taking the chance of killing them may prove to be a foolhardy choice."

"They have broken the deal between them and our ancestors. The kingdom would understand our course of action."

"Maybe for any other Pokémon, but a royal is another story. Pact or not, killing a prince is sure to bring conflict."

Unfezant tapped his talons impatiently on the moistened dirt. "What is your suggestion? I would not let them go on account of their actions, either."

"We can hold them, just for a few days." She studied Rainbow in particular. "We already hold one prisoner, what's a few more? If they cannot prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that the Milotic is indeed royalty, then we can dispose of them."

"Hmm. An interesting concept." He closed his eyes and thought once more about his options. Before long he opened them back up. "I suppose it is a 'best of both worlds' course of action. We may need to contact Prismarine to confirm, just in case…"

"Sir!" A familiar voice rang out from the tree branches. It was the Pidgeotto, Mar. "You cannot seriously be considering this cowardice? They have breached our sacred law, they must be executed!"

"This is true." He agreed. "We have this law for a reason, after all." He gazed into the eyes of the trespassers. He noted the sharp regality of the Milotic and the shaky anxiousness of the Kricketune. The Flareon, however, had a clear innocent pleading in his dark eyes that could fool anyone into believing in him. Was it real, or just an extremely good façade?

He clicked his tongue, giving up. This was more trouble than he thought he would have to deal with today. This decision should be made by those higher than him.

"I will ask the elder for a decision." He gave a certain signal with his wings, and the forces in the trees stood down. Some larger Pokémon swooped down with rope. "Escort these trespassers to the inverted house, make sure to take their belongings as well. Zephyr, since this was your idea, this will also be your responsibility."

Zephyr nodded. "Of course, sir."

"Are you kidding me?!" Mar fumed from the branches, and she was promptly shushed by her friend helping her.

"Good. I will report to the elder. He'll have a decision." He swooped up into the air. "The rest of you, back to your normal duties. Winter is coming, we must prepare." The rest saluted their leader before taking off themselves.

Rainbow could practically feel a hole boring into him from the stare Mar was giving him as she took off. "This is not the end, Flareon."

Rainbow's team was finally left alone except for Zephyr and a few large avians to transport them. They all breathed a sigh of relief. Kricketune may as well have collapsed onto the ground.

Rainbow smiled at the Noivern. "Thanks for the save."

She grunted in response. "Do not be so sure. I bought you all a few more days, nothing more. The elder usually takes a while to give orders."

Polelto eyed her suspiciously. "Why have you helped us?"

Again, Zephyr focused her gaze on Rainbow. "You'll see once we reach the inverted house. Now, please board your cart. These fine gentlemen will carry you all to the prison."

With some hesitation, they did as they were told. Not much use trying to escape now. They had a few days to figure something out before stoking the ire that was Winds Village.

"Oh, and wear these." She tossed something at the group. Rainbow caught one and recognized it as a blindfold. "Can't have you memorizing where the village is, now can we."

Polelto grumbled at the prospect but still obeyed, as did the rest. Soon enough they felt the cart lift into the air, and they traveled forward in blinding darkness. It was uncertain what exactly waited for them in the secluded village, but Rainbow recognized that it was another few days of lost time. Winter was arriving very soon, and who knows how much time they had left once they were able to leave the village?

If they were able to leave, that is.

}=[][][][]=[]=[][][][]={

~~Winds Village - Gargantua Forest - Center Arkant~~

Horus the Unfezant gingerly landed upon the planks made from the Gargantua trees. His sharp talons rapped on the boards as he made his way towards the elder's hut. Before he reached his destination, however, he encountered another target of his.

"Maiz," he called out, gaining the Emolga's attention. "Any news?"

Maiz smiled when she recognized who had greeted her. "Hey, Horus. Not much from the norm, I'd say. Ferals have been antsy lately, but I think they're just prepping for winter. Oh, there were some intruders in the northeast, but the Second Wing apparently took care of them pretty quickly."

Horus crossed his wings. "Were these intruders… different in any way?"

"Just the usual bandit clan. Why? Did something happen?"

"Kind of," he alluded to the village's impromptu prisoners. "I should report to the elder before telling anyone. I'm sure you'll hear about it soon enough anyway. Take care of yourself." He said his goodbye and continued on.

Another Bandit Clan? We've been dealing with that other clan for a while now. What was their name? The Phantom Brigade or something? I wonder if they tried their hand at the forest again.

He huffed in amusement.

These Arkosians just never learn, do they?

He finally came across the elder's hut. Most would say the building was small for the one who led the village, but most did not know of the elder. It suited him just fine, in Horus's humble opinion.

"Elder Larion." He tapped on the door with his wing. The heavy knocking sound reverberated around the small building. It didn't take long before it swung open.

"Will you cut that racket out?! Someone's trying to get their sleep around here!"

Horus sighed as the old Xatu waved a cane in his face. He barely flinched when the walking device smacked into him by accident. "Elder Larion, I have some news that may require your input."

Larion grumbled. "What part of 'sleep' don't you young folk understand? I gotta rest my weary old bones sometimes."

"Please, elder. It is rather important."

"I'll tell you what's important: Laying my saggy butt on my bed and snoozing! Shouldn't you know not to wake your elders during the night?" He looked to the sky in confusion. "What time is it anyway?"

Horus deadpanned. "Elder Larion, it's midday."

"Holy Ho-oh!" The Xatu jumped. "Why didn't you wake me sooner?! I gotta get lunch before you all take it again!" He stormed out the door, leaving Horus behind.

"Please wait, elder! This is an important matter!"

He looked tiredly at how far the Xatu had gotten by the time Horus even turned around. "For how old that bird is, he sure does move."

Horus launched into the air with his mighty wings. If the elder was going for lunch, he would just have to meet him there. With another mighty swoop, he shot towards the center of the village with impressive speed.

There better be some left for me…

VVVVVVVVV

When meal time came around, there were no personalized orders. The villagers all gathered around the village center where most events/announcements were held. It's there where the village chefs all presented their prepared meals in a buffet-like fashion, first-come first-served.

Horus brought his plate filled with fried feral meat and cooked berries away from the ravenous pit that was the buffet table. He sat across from Larion, who was scarfing down his own plate of food.

"As I was saying-"

"The new prisoners, correct? The royal and his servants?"

Horus blinked. "Did someone inform you before I arrived?"

Larion chuckled. "Please. I've been around a long time. I know everything that happens in this village." His eyes flashed a psychic blue.

"Of course, I would expect no less from the longest leader in Winds' history." He casually snacked upon a roasted Oran berry. "So then, what do you think?"

Larion wiped some berry juice from the sides of his beak. "I agree with the decision to imprison them. The Milotic's claim of royalty may have a low chance of being true, but that chance is still a threat. If it's true, our usual punishment will not be accepted by the greater world."

"I suggested we should make contact with Prismarine City to confirm. It would be much more efficient than having them plead a case."

"Perhaps," Larion swallowed another bite. "The Kyogre Sea has been restless recently, and earthquakes have destroyed certain towns in the Eastern Province. The Baron may be too busy to send a response right away."

Horus quirked an eyebrow. "I don't keep up with news from the outside, is it really that bad?"

The Xatu elder took a swig of water from his small cup. "Supernaturally so, some would say. And with the Eevee clan suddenly reappearing after centuries, I wonder if the time has come?"

"What are you talking about?"

Larion waved him off. "Nothing, Horus. Just an old man mumbling to himself." He stood up to give his plate back for cleaning. "Send a messenger to Baron Gracia. Hopefully, we'll get a timely response. Until then, keep the trespassers with the other. Make sure they're fed well."

Horus finished downing his food and saluted the elder. "It will be done, sir!"

Larion nodded. "Good. Now, let me get back to my nap, will ya?"

Horus flew away, generating a small wind that blew Larion's small feathers around. The Xatu watched as the Field Leader of the First Wing disappeared behind the thick stumps of the Gargantua trees. He frowned.

It would seem the duty has fallen to me. I had hoped I could retire before then. There really is no rest for this old bird. I should check up on the Tree, just in case.

Larion's eyes glowed their psychic blue one moment and the next moment he was gone.

}=[][][][]=[]=[][][][]={

~~Rainbow (Flareon) - Winds Village~~

They were in the air for an indeterminate amount of time. If Rainbow could guess, the trip took around twenty minutes of riding. The unusual feeling of the cart swinging in the air was not lost on the Flareon, and a few times he felt a little nauseous.

Fortunately, the cart touched down on some solid ground. Rainbow sighed in relief. His nose perked up. "Something smells nice."

"Please do not focus on your stomach right now. This is a dire situation we've found ourselves in." Polelto grunted. "And could you please have some decorum and stop hanging onto me?"

"That isn't me."

A quick shuffling was heard. Kricketune cleared his throat awkwardly. "Uh, my apologies, sir. I do not do well with heights."

"Alright," came Zephyr's voice next. "We're here, you can get out now."

Rainbow heard Polelto slither a few feet, followed by a grunt and a loud thump!

"Can we take these damnable things off?" The Milotic seethed. "This is below me!"

Zephyr giggled to herself, and Rainbow could admit that his mental image of Polelto taking a fall like that was pretty amusing. Part of him wished he saw the real thing.

"Here, let me help." Zephyr offered through her amusement.

Rainbow squinted as the rays of sunlight finally hit his pupils. They were situated on a sturdy wooden platform decorated with colorful lines and markings. Looking around, he saw many of these platforms making up the foundation of the village. He could see huts all propped up and supported by the Gargantua trees and their hundreds of branches. The light rays that previously hit his eyes were shining upon the village, creating an incredibly peaceful scene for the Flareon.

If he wasn't technically being held prisoner, he would have enjoyed staying in a place like this.

"Finally, took you long enough-AH!" Kricketune jumped back suddenly. He had wandered over to the edge of the platform and seemed shocked by something. Curious, Rainbow did the same. He gasped.

The platforms they stood on were not grounded. In fact, they were suspended in the trees themselves. The ground was very, very far away.

Zephyr smirked. "Welcome to Winds, my dear prisoners. Surface dwellers like yourselves never get to see this sight, so feel lucky."

"I feel quite honored," Polelto said with obvious sarcasm. He leaned down to Rainbow. "Even if we manage to sneak past their watch, we cannot possibly survive the fall." His expression turned sour. "We are truly trapped."

Rainbow gulped. The amount of empty space between him and the forest floor reminded him of Prism City. There was a moment when that Golurk punched him out of the window, and all he could see was the distant floor getting closer…

How did I manage to survive that fall again…?

He wasn't given much time to reflect before Zephyr clapped her wings together. "Come on. I'll be showing you where you'll be staying."

They all backed away from the ledge and followed the bat. They were led into the outskirts of the village. Rainbow observed that most of Winds' population consisted of Flying-type Pokémon with some room for Grass-types here and there. Each species all seemed perfectly capable of making the journey between the village and the ground, but some seemed to lack that trait.

Take the Bellossom that just waved at him in greeting as if he were just some normal visitor. They had no wings nor any limbs that would help with climbing the trees, so how did Pokémon like her manage to get up here? Did she need help every time? Or perhaps there was a way down, one that doesn't require wings?

Zephyr stopped beside a certain building that drew their attention. "This will be your humble abode until further notice. Make yourself at home."

"What am I looking at?" Rainbow wondered.

"What the hell, man," Kricketune mumbled quietly.

"That is… surprising." Polelto curiously gazed upon the structure.

"Zzzzzz…" Troum still snoozed from the cart.

Earlier, Rainbow heard this building was called the 'inverted house'. Well, it certainly was an apt descriptor. It was indeed a house turned upside-down. However, it was made from bricks and stone instead of wood and tarp. Even if it was oriented the right way it would still feel out of place. It was supported by some thick branches of the tree next to it.

Polelto scratched his chin with the tip of his tail. "Strange. This almost resembles the architecture you would see in the Northern Province. The arrangement of materials is efficient for warding off the cold and insulating heat." Feeling the look everyone was giving him, he avoided their eyes with rare embarrassment. "Architecture is an interest of mine, you see."

Zephyr knocked on the second-story door that originally led to a lounge space. "Open up, you got company!"

The group heard a few clunks and rattles as something seemed to stumble to the doorway. Zephyr brushed the back of her neck as she waited for whoever was inside to come to the door. The entrance swung open, and out came a disheveled Braviary.

"There's more? Since when did we take in prisoners anyway?" the large bird exclaimed in a masculine voice.

Zephyr sighed. "Seran, you're supposed to be standing guard. Just what is it you were doing in there?"

Seran waved her off with his large wing. "Oh, relax. It's not like he could escape even if he wanted to. Speaking of," he looked at Rainbow with surprise. "You found another one?"

Rainbow blinked. "What do you mean 'another on'?"

"Hey, Zephyr! How's my favorite bat?"

The group suddenly heard another voice come from the house. Zephyr rolled her eyes at the remark.

Winds' supposed 'other prisoner' casually walked out of the house and into the afternoon sun. He had a friendly smile on his face and mirth in his eyes, one you wouldn't really expect coming from someone held against their will. Rainbow thought he had enough surprises for one day, but the universe wanted to prove him wrong.

Both Rainbow and the prisoner's eyes widened once they spotted each other. For the first time since starting his journey a few months ago, he sensed some actual familiarity coming from the Pokémon before him.

"Um," the prisoner started. "Is your name 'Rainbow' by any chance?"

"Yeah, and yours?" Rainbow replied.

The Jolteon broke into a gleeful grin. "Name's Spectrum, and I've been looking for you."

~~?~~

A Nidoking slammed his fist into the Gargantua trunk. Even with his full strength he barely dented the bark. "Those damn birds!"

A Solrock hovered weakly close to the Nidoking. "What do we do, boss? It'll take a while for the Phantoms to heal up this time. Maybe we should go back…"

"No." The Nidoking rejected the idea quickly. "I refuse to retreat now. Not when we're so close."

The Solrock warily looked upon their forces, who were groaning and covered in bandages. "With all due respect, sir, why are we even trying to raid Winds? We don't even know if the intel's true?"

Nidoking frowned. "It has to be. They hid themselves there for some reason the past few centuries. It's gotta be big."

"But we've been pushed back every time!" Solrock sighed. "What are we supposed to do?"

"Just wait a few more days," Nidoking reassured him. "Hopefully, Lizer will have something for us by then."

"That idiot is as unreliable as they come. What makes you think he'll even be able to pull this off?"

"He will." Nidoking laughed darkly. "And then that treasure will be ours."