"You want us to do WHAT?!"

Melissa sheepishly reclined into her chair as she felt the eyes of the Nature Spirits, Blitz, and Jet beating down on her with shock and outrage. With the mysterious nature of the meeting, she expected them to be confused by her sudden announcement, but not to be met with outright refusal immediately. Still, it was to be expected given how…risky of a decision it was.

She glanced warily at Jason, who sat by her side with his arms crossed and eyes closed. He, too, had his reservations about the plan when she told him, but he kept his word to give her a fair chance to speak her case. If she was to be a stronger leader, dealing with opposition on her own merit was the next step.

She gulped and straightened herself back up, looking the shocked crowd of higher ups in the eye. "Okay, okay. I understand I'm asking a lot from this, but I do hope you'll give me the chance to—"

"You want us to travel halfway across Virdis and form an alliance with the Umbra Clock Kingdom?!" Sidney exclaimed. "Are you mad?!"

Melissa grinned uneasily. "According to certain sectors of Virdis…maybe?"

Zephora glared. "Melissa, sweetie, don't take any offense to this, but that is a terrible idea. We're already low on resources as is. A trip like that will take a while, and there's no guarantee of anything coming from it. We'd be wasting our time or getting ourselves into trouble with Umbra Clock, at worse."

Valentine nodded. "Besides, even though we mostly operate in the west, we don't have the best reputation over there either. We still have that stigma hanging over our heads about Prince Dimitri's attempted assassination. No king in their right mind would let us set foot in the capital, much less their territory."

Percival scoffed. "Plus, they're currently dealing with a crisis themselves. They wouldn't be willing to spare their resources for thieves like us. There are simply too many factors at play that we can't ignore."

Melissa frowned. "I've considered all the potential issues with pursuing this alliance. I didn't consider this totally on a whim." She glared. "I'm fully aware of Umbra Clock's issues with New Chariot. They're still struggling to maintain their land even as New Chariot's armies spread across the west. We're dealing with a military force rivaling that of the Senbo Kingdom's."

Eadwulf narrowed his eyes. "You understand all of that, yet you're still willing to persuade us into this proposal?" he asked with genuine intrigue.

She smiled a bit at his approving tone before continuing, "Looking at the facts, we're not going to recover from these damages on our own. House Freia will no longer be an anchor to keep our fort from sailing adrift, and getting anywhere without running into New Chariot's forces will be met with a swift end. Our current conditions can't afford a deadly altercation."

"So, you agree that pursuing this plan is dangerous?" Valentine asked.

She nodded. "I do not make this plan without considering the risks involved."

Blitz glared. "Then why do you have faith in the effectiveness in this plan?"

Melissa glared. "If you all recall, the war in Umbra Clock led to a tragedy last year. The previous king was slain in battle, thus making his son the new king. I have no doubt he's doing everything in his power to make due with what little his kingdom can provide. However, one man alone can't fix the damages caused by thousands, and if the safety of his people is his top priority…"

"…You want to weaponize his desperation," Blitz said in realization.

Zephora glared. "Of all the people to suggest that, you're the last one I'd suspect."

Melissa sighed. "I'm…not proud to admit, but that is my intention. If the king has his people's safety in mind, any opportunity to alleviate their burdens would sway his judgment."

Jet scowled. "Assuming he doesn't plot to use us as live bait."

"Jet—"

"This is a stupid idea!"

"Whoa, hang on, Jet—" Eadwulf tried to intervene, but Melissa raised her hand.

"I came in here under the expectation there'd be resistance. I want to hear everyone's opinion, filtered or not." She gestured to Jet. "Please continue."

His eyes widened a bit, then he looked away from her to hide his blush. "Um, w-well…" He scratched behind his head and grunted. "Look, I'll be blunt, I don't trust making deals with the king."

Zephora rolled her eyes. "There's a shock."

He shot a brief glare at her before continuing, "What I mean is that King Tadhg has a reputation among his people. Some say he's a spoiled brat whose greed knows no bound. When he demands something, he takes it by force. When something catches his attention, he will have it. They called him the Avaricious Prince, someone with a bottomless greed for all things in this world. That is the man you want to make an alliance with."

Melissa narrowed her eyes. "…I am also aware of King Tadhg's reputation. That's not going to change my mind."

Jet glared. "Melissa, he isn't someone that can be reasoned with once he has his mind set on something. The only person who can change his mind is himself. He's motivated by whatever interests him. I don't even believe that man has a shred of morality to offer."

Valentine raised his brow. "You're certain about all this?"

"I keep tabs on everything that pisses me off."

"…You need therapy, you know that?"

Percival immediately looked away from them and chugged his coffee-filled canteen, dreading that scenario.

Zephora groaned. "So, we're betting on a risky plan that requires us to reason with a greedy prince-turned-king? This is already sounding like a winner."

Melissa sighed. "I never said this was an easy decision to make. I'm going purely off my intuition, and it's telling me that allying with the Umbra Clock Kingdom is our best bet. After all, there's no one in the east who wants to see New Chariot overthrown more than them." She placed her hand over her heart. "Besides, I'd be the one doing the negotiations."

Sidney raised her brow. "You? How come?"

"I may not have had the opportunities during my days in the castle, but I do know how to negotiate treaties thanks to watching my father and learning how to speak properly with Theobald."

Jason withheld himself from wincing. Let us hope she doesn't plan on mirroring everything about Theobald's verbose manner of speaking.

"I'm sure if I meet with King Tadhg personally, I could intrigue him to an alliance with us."

Sidney frowned. "Yeah, but that doesn't guarantee he'll house all of us. His idea of an alliance could just be us helping him and leaving us to fend for ourselves afterwards." She lifted Rusty to her ear for a moment before saying, "Rusty says he doesn't want to live on the streets again. Those were cold times."

Blitz continued, "We also have to consider the possibility of betrayal for his own gain. Desperation makes a man do things they often wouldn't. Aside from the apparent rumors, we don't know anything about the king."

Melissa nodded. "I understand. I'm not reaching out for your approval under the belief this will work, but the alternative is an inevitability. No matter what course of action we take, we'll be overran by New Chariot and too weak to fight back. Compared to that, what's the harm in a risk?"

"…" Zephora closed her eyes and thought for a moment. "What's the saying? Damned if we do, damned if we don't? She has a point. No matter how we go about business, we're screwed. One option is inevitable, and the other is the dangerous unknown. But an unknown doesn't mean inevitable."

Percival glared at her. "Are you actually considering Melissa's plan?"

"What other choice do we have?"

Eadwulf looked across the table at Jason. "You've been awfully quiet this whole time. What's your take on all of this?"

"…" He glanced at Melissa for a moment before standing up. Leaning forward on the table, he looked around his fellow higher ups and said, "I hate this plan just as much as all of you. I've made my feelings about it clear to Melissa. We would be going against everything we stood for as the Foresters allying ourselves with a kingdom, not to mention risking our lives on a chance. However, the facts are the facts. We're fighting a hopeless war, and the Foresters have been on a downward spiral ever since the assassination ploy. If there's even the slimmest chance forging an alliance with the Umbra Clock Kingdom will bring about a turning point in this war, then what's the harm in taking a risk?"

The Nature Spirits and coleaders all looked at each other with uncertainty. They never went into an assignment taking big gambles. They approached things tactically, scouting out their targets and making the necessary measures to minimize as many casualties as possible. To pursue a risky gamble with such low odds of success, it was out of the ordinary for them.

Melissa bowed her head to them. "Jason brought me on as his advisor to make up where he cannot provide. If you're willing to follow me, I'd be forever grateful. I promise, I will do everything in my power to help the Foresters and turn the tides of this hopeless situation. Lend me your strength, and I shall lead us to victory."

The silence was palpable. Everyone was in deep thought, silently debating her proposition. Their faces twisted with conflicted expressions, lost in their own sea of struggles and thoughts. Melissa rested back against her chair and sighed. Regardless of whatever answer they give, she was prepared for either. She understood the nature of her request.

"…Alright."

A collective gasp sounded around the table. Melissa looked up and stared in awe as Jet stood up in his seat, arms crossed.

"I'll bet everything on your plan, Melissa."

Castle Talbot, Senbo Kingdom

"Hold still, Your Highness."

The delirious Dimitri Talbot lay still in his bed, his vision ablur and head spinning from the constant state of nauseum. Grabbing his foreleg, Dr. Brinley Sappington injected him with a needle. Once the formula was inserted, she bandaged his foreleg and grabbed a glass of water. She popped a couple capsules into it, which soon dissolved and turned the clear liquid blue.

She glared at the concoction as it fizzed. "And you're certain this will restore his health?"

On the other side of Dimitri's bedside, the Forester known as Shade finished wringing out a wet cloth before folding and placing it atop the prince's forehead. "The antidote is only a prototype designed by House Freia and me. It won't cure him instantly, but regular doses should net results. All we can do is hope for the best."

Brinley watched as the capsules finished mixing into the water before reaching under Dimitri's back and lifting him into a sitting position. "Prince Erasmus is putting a lot of trust into you. You understand the risk of your antidote not working, right? Or worse, furthering the condition?"

Shade bowed his head. "I trust in my alchemical knowledge. Prince Dimitri will be restored to full health in no time."

"…" She scoffed.

"What?"

"Nothing. Just…remembered something." She pressed the glass to Dimitri's lips. "Drink." She tilted the glass and watched as Dimitri slowly sipped on the concoction. She saw his face twitching with disgust. "If you hate the medicine so much, you better hope the antidote works. Just put up with it a little longer."

After he finished downing the glass, Brinley set him back down and put the glass aside. Seeing her work complete, she packed her bag and stood up, making her way to the door as Shade tidied up his belongings.

"I'll bring you your lunch in an hour, Forester," she said. "Just make sure none of the castle staff see you. I'd be in hot water with the king and queen if they knew you were—" Right as she looked back, she found the Sableye passed out against the bed, snoozing soundly. "…Right."

She rolled her eyes before closing the door behind her. Her rational judgment told her not to leave the convicted criminal alone in the same room as the prince, but she took Erasmus' word about his trustworthiness. If he says he can cure the prince, then she might as well take that chance.

"Strange times, these are…"

"Are you sure we can trust that guy, Erasmus? This…does not seem like a good idea."

Erasmus reclined in his bed with a book, skimming along the text before lifting his gaze to acknowledge his siblings sitting at the foot of the bed. Aside from his personal guard and Brinley, the only other people made aware of Shade's visitation was his siblings. Not even their parents were aware of the Forester being tasked with curing their son.

Cairo awkwardly scratched behind his head. "I mean, I get what really happened, but…how do we know they are telling the truth?"

Erasmus glared at his book. "No, they are definitely innocent. Darby is the one who tried to kill our brother."

Teri frowned. "I still cannot believe that. He seemed so charming and kind when he first visited."

"Hang out with him long enough, and the persona is stripped away. This has just been one elaborate ploy to get rid of the Foresters."

Galen adjusted his spectacles. "Still, is it wise to leave a Forester to care for our brother? He has only been here for a couple weeks, true, but a lot can happen in that time."

Erasmus sighed, closed his book, and sat up on his haunches. "I know you three have your doubts, but you will have to trust me on this one. I had some time to think this over, and…" He looked aside for a moment. "Certain factors helped sway my decision."

Cairo frowned. "You trust them that much?"

"I do not have a reason to doubt their intentions anymore. For the first time in a while, the world is looking much clearer."

Teri rested her head in her forelegs and sighed. "I hope he can save Dimitri. He looks so sad and miserable."

Erasmus nodded. "He will get better. I promise."

Galen adjusted his spectacles before glaring. "There…is still the matter of Prince Darby's involvement. If what you say is true, that he attempted to kill Dimitri and manipulated a staff member to poison him, we are looking at liable cause for retaliation."

"You mean war?" Cairo grunted.

"Precisely."

Teri shuddered. "Are we not already at war?"

Erasmus sighed. "Unfortunately, our current circumstances will not allow us to act on impulse. As much as I would love to crush Darby for everything he has done, we cannot split our attention away from New Chariot. Besides, Father would have a conniption if he found out there was a Forester healing Dimitri, whether or not he is cured."

Galen tilted his head. "Why would you be hesitant to allow Father on the plan?"

"…" Erasmus looked aside. "I have been…taking into consideration the trustworthiness of Father. The only facts I could gleam from Dimitri were that a Forester attacked him based off…an aggressive response. If I am to believe the reason behind it, the attack was not driven by pure revenge, but pure wrath. A personal grudge."

Cairo's eyes widened. "Are you saying Father did something that indirectly resulted in Dimitri being attacked?"

"…" Erasmus closed his eyes. "I do not want to think of my father as anything other than a righteous man, but the Senbo Kingdom has a reputation for maintaining its appearance of strength. I do fear the idea of…how far that ideal form of strength must be preserved."

His siblings shared concerned looks with each other. Galen then asked, "What do we do, then?"

"…First things first, we win this war. After that…" Erasmus sighed, feeling unsure of his own actions. "After that, I may need to have a word with Father about the erasure of Boldvale."

Two Months Ago…

A squadron had been sent out to retrieve Erasmus, Gaufroi, and Rikmai and escort them through the warzone. They planned to leave first thing in the morning. JoJo would keep an eye on Charlie and the Verde capital as the kingdom would try to adjust to the…harrowing news that befell them recently.

However, Erasmus had one last thing to do before he departed back to his home kingdom.

He sat outside on the rooftop, leaning against the low wall with his forelegs crossed. The night air blew against the top of his head. His eyes were set on the stone floor with an unbreaking focus. His ears twitched to the slightest sounds disturbing the breeze.

Then he felt it. Someone landing above him.

He sighed and glared ahead, not bothering to look at the person who landed on the roof. "You led me on quite the chase, Stormbreaker. I hope you understand that I cannot afford to trust you with ease."

Jason Stormbreaker, standing behind the prince, glared down at him. "You're a persistent sort, I'll give you that."

"Our time is short, so I will make this brief. I am aware of the truth behind Dimitri's poisoning, and I know of the switch you pulled with the shapeshifter. I know who Harlow is."

"…Do you plan on revealing her secret?"

"Does she?"

"…"

Erasmus sighed. "The Verde Kingdom is going through enough right now. For my friendship with the princess, I will keep her silence. However, do understand that I am not above using deceitful tactics to pull matters into my favor. The Foresters have caused their own share of harm. You are still criminals."

Jason glared. "Do you plan on blackmailing us?"

He scoffed. "Who is to say? However, I will not resort to such tactics in these trying times. Instead, I ask for your compliance. We walk different paths, but we have a unified goal towards a single enemy. I do not know how my father will retaliate in this war, but I ask that the Foresters at least beckon to a cry for help should the need arrive."

"…You want us to help you in case something befalls Senbo?"

Erasmus nodded. "I trust in our strength as a military power, but to rely on such pretenses brings about ego, thus bringing about defeat."

"Hmph. Unfortunately, we are not in the best state, and this war won't help us recover. I doubt the Senbo Kingdom will be able to reverse our situation."

"Maybe not, but perhaps a miracle of your own will pull you from the rubble." Erasmus glared. "Speaking of miracles, I request a selfish favor."

"What?"

"JoJo spoke of your alchemist and his research into an antidote for my brother. She says he is progressing apace." He glared. "When the antidote comes out of the testing stage, he is to come to the Senbo Kingdom to cure my brother. He has suffered enough."

"…Of course. That's why we've been making the antidote."

"Hmph. You seem less…confrontational than I remember."

Jason sighed. "A certain Buneary has been a…positive influence as of late."

Erasmus chuckled. "That sounds like Melissa." He then frowned before tilting his head back and finally looking the Pikachu in the eyes. "This war is going to take up both our times. I am not sure when we will make good on an alliance, but I do know one thing: I wish to destroy the Wick Kingdom."

"Is that so?"

The prince clenched his teeth. "JoJo told me everything. And I do mean everything. Manipulating my staff, drugging my guests, attempting to control Melissa, and plotting to kill my brother…" His claws slowly extended. "Darby Tetrarch will be killed by me."

Jason stared down at the Glameow prince in silent contemplation before nodding. "Do whatever you want with him. I wouldn't mind seeing the Wick Kingdom annihilated myself."

"Hmph." Erasmus leaned his head forward and sighed. "One last thing. I have a message…for Adenine."

"…"

"I do not know if she has the heart to speak to me after last time, but please…" He reached behind himself and produced a scroll, handing it to the Pikachu. "Make sure she knows that no matter how much time passes, I will see her at the end of this war."

"…" Jason took the scroll and stuffed it inside his uniform. "I'll make sure she knows."

"Hmph." Erasmus closed his eyes. "Why…did you point me in the direction of her old home? Really? Why did you?"

He turned away from the prince, gazing over the city. "Maybe it's because I understand her feelings. I understand"

"…" Erasmus narrowed his eyes. "Stormbreaker. What are…your feelings for Melissa?"

"…" Jason leaned forward, tilting over the roof's edge. "Conflicted." He sprung off the roof and leapt into the city.

Erasmus stood up and watched the trail of lightning hop between rooftops, disappearing into the night. He shook his head before making his way back inside. "Conflicted? Sounds like Melissa has been causing more of a stir than I realized."

The air around the capital felt different. A stir of bustling pride for being a proud citizen of Senbo, holding up the emblem of innovation through two hundred years of fortitude, yet there was a melancholy in the air as Erasmus made his way through the streets.

The Senbo Kingdom wasn't unfamiliar with war. The older generation saw and experienced their fair share of battles in the kingdom's time of isolation. It wasn't anything new, but it didn't make living through it any easier. Now, the older and younger generations were experiencing a war unlike anything they've encountered. No longer was it just an attack on their kingdom, but across the entire western expanse.

Worries about the tides of war were on the forefront of everyone's minds, questioning the stability of their kingdom. With the invasion on Senbo months ago, the poisoning of Dimitri, and the destruction of the Senbo-Wick train system, the people's unshakeable faith once believed to be ironclad waved in the face of the uncertain future.

Erasmus pulled on his hood, keeping his head low as he passed through. The cracks in Senbo's perfect symbol of innovation were showing, and he feared how much larger they would grow.

He pushed aside those worries for the time being as he made his way to his destination: a manor in the residential district of the city. Making his way to the door, he extended his tail and rang with the door knocker. He only had to wait a few seconds before the doors opened.

A fancily dressed and elderly Thievul opened the doors. "Yes. How may I help you?"

Erasmus pulled his hood back a bit. "Lord Brennan?"

He smiled. "Ah, Your Highness. Coming to check up on my relatives?"

"I just wanted to be sure they were adjusting to their new surroundings."

Lord Brennan stepped aside and gestured the Glameow through. "Please, make yourself at home, Prince Talbot. I shall have a servant prepare you some tea and biscuits."

"Most appreciated, Lord Brennan." Erasmus let himself inside, pulled his hood down, and made his way to the living room.

As he hoped, upon entering the living room, he found the country family seated among luxuries unfamiliar to their background. With their new setting, they wore more fanciful clothing loaned to them by their relatives, an amusing sight as Doc occasionally pulled on his shirt's collar. Pearl sat at a table and did some sewing on an old dress they brought along in the move.

Erasmus narrowed his eyes on Monroe, who reclined in an armchair with an air of boredom around himself. He drummed his fingers against the armrest, letting out annoyed huffs every so often. A crutch leaned against the chair, and he had his left leg propped over his right, giving a full view of what he lost months prior.

Upon clearing his throat, Erasmus drew the Brennans' attention. "Hello again, everyone. I do hope you are being treated well."

Doc smiled. "Afternoon, Yer Highness. We're doin' just fine, thank ya. Still…gettin' use to the fancy around here."

Monroe groaned. "Ah cannot believe Adenine used to come here all the time. Everythin's so stuffy and…rich. Too rich. Why do fancy folk need some many different utensils?! It's a waste of dishes!"

Pearl chuckled. "It's not that bad, Monroe. It's been a while since Ah've felt this relaxed. We're just takin' a break until we get to set up shop again."

Erasmus frowned. "That might be a while with the war going on. Though the Senbo Kingdom is heavily fortified for invasions, I would recommend holding off on setting up your shop here. Speaking of, your family does not mind the extended stay, correct?"

Doc waved it off. "He was very insistent about it. Ah tried to do the dishes a couple of times, but he kept insistin' to let the servants handle it. Ah feel kind of bad stickin' them with the work."

"Oh, don't be, Doc," Pearl said. "That's what they get paid to do."

"A man should know how to do chores himself, not rely on others to dirty their hands for him!"

"Think of it like an extended vacation, dear. We haven't had time to relax in months." Pearl sighed. "With the way thins were in Copper Bluff, we couldn't afford to take time off beyond the usual shop hours."

Monroe groaned. "Ah liked workin'. Gave me somethin' to distract mahself. What the hell is there to do around here?"

Erasmus scratched his cheek. "Well, there are plenty of recreational activities you can partake in. Perhaps you wish for some croquet or a spot of fencing."

Monroe raised his brow. "Don't those require me to be standin'?"

"…Fair point. Well, if it is work you seek, there are jobs you can look into that will make great use of your talents. Plenty of businesses in the Senbo Kingdom need someone good with numbers."

He scoffed. "They aren't just goin' to shoo me away after getting an earful of mah accent?"

"I assure you, if any hostility arises, I will handle it. I am merely doing all I can to make your stay in Senbo as comfortable as possible."

Monroe narrowed his eyes. "Ya're doin' a lot just to help the family of a criminal, ya know?"

"…" Erasmus tugged on his collar and hid his reddened cheeks. "W-Well, your story about her selfless actions moved me to tears." And I rather avoid the awkward conversation of explaining why Adenine has actually been visiting the capital. At least until I reunite her with her family.

"…Speakin' of Adenine, how is she doin'?" Doc asked. "Ya have been in contact with the Foresters, right?"

Erasmus cooled himself and faced them. "Communication is a bit difficult with New Chariot interfering with air traffic, however I have reason to confirm the Foresters are doing all they can to secure victory against this seemingly insurmountable threat." He narrowed his eyes. "As for Adenine, she is…staying strong amidst the chaos."

Pearl sighed. "Mah poor baby. Ah never imagined any of mah children gettin' caught up in some awful war. She must be so scared."

"Don't sell her short, Ma," Monroe spoke up, glaring at the ceiling. "Adenine's braver than she lets on. Ah'm sure she's holdin' strong for her friends. She's holdin' strong for us."

Erasmus nodded. "I at least made sure to inform her that you will be under my care for the time being." He bowed to them. "Rest assured, I will do everything in my power to keep you safe until you have ultimately reunited with her. You have my word as prince of the Senbo Kingdom."

"…" Monroe grunted. "Ah don't have much hope to give these days, but what else is there to do?" He sighed through his nose before glaring at the prince. "Ah'm bettin' everythin' on them thieves to turn this war around."

"…" Erasmus sighed before nodding. "You and I are in the same boat, then. I, too, await to see what the Foresters will pull off to turn this war around. When all is said and done, a rogue element is all it takes to change the course of history. None are more rogue than them."

Fort Lucus

"Jet. You're agreeing to Melissa's plan?"

Valentine's confused response was shared among the bewildered faces around the table. The hostile Oshawott, the first to blatantly antagonize Melissa for her inane scheme, was the first to openly proclaim his faith in it. Even Melissa and Jason couldn't help but stare at the sea otter in disbelief.

"A-Are you sure, Jet? Really?" she asked.

He sighed, taking a moment to collect himself as a full-body shudder went up to his head. "The idea of allying with the Umbra Clock Kingdom irritates me, but letting New Chariot's takeover go through irritates me more. I don't trust King Tadhg or anything about this plan for a second!" He groaned before looking with a grumpy, yet softened look at Melissa. "But…I guess I trust you."

His reluctant, flat admittance was enough to make the Buneary smile wide. "Aww, Jet! Thank you!"

"Stop smiling at me like that! It's making me uncomfortable!" he shouted.

Zephora smirked. "Can't handle positive attention?"

"You shut up!"

Blitz chuckled before standing as well. "I was already siding with Melissa, but seeing Jet step up first was the reassurance I needed."

Eadwulf nodded. "A risk for failure is better than determined failure. I shall follow in Melissa's plan."

Sidney raised her claws with Rusty atop her head. "You have our full support, too, Melissa!"

Valentine laughed. "Well, the plot wouldn't move forward if we disagreed, so what the heck? I want to see where this goes."

Zephora closed her eyes and smirked. "This isn't the revival I was expecting, but having an entire kingdom as our allies could prove a hefty boon. You know how to think big, Mels."

"…" Percival kept silent, staring firmly at the meeting table with a tight grip on his canteen.

Jason frowned. "Do you have reservations, Percival?"

"…" The Abra sighed and looked at the duo. "I am also in agreement, but we haven't gotten over the main issues presented to us. We're still dealing with a greedy, possibly untrustworthy brat ruling a kingdom, we're betting our remaining resources on this excursion to the east, and we're without home. Besides, there's one thing that's been bugging me: how do we get the king's attention?"

Melissa frowned. "Oooooh. Riiiiight."

"He can't be stupid enough to have an audience with us without cause. We'd be kicked out of the kingdom or skewered if anyone realized who we were. Even if we weren't, we can't just request an audience with him during a wartime crisis. We have a reputation."

Jet scoffed. "I say we just bust down the doors and force him to hear us out."

"Brilliant plan, Jet," Zephora mumbled.

"Oh shut up!"

Valentine crossed his arms. "Percy's right. King Tadhg wouldn't bother with us when he has a kingdom to run. All he would see are a bunch of thieves with a hefty criminal record. Not the most flattering resume for an alliance."

Melissa grimaced. "I'll…think of something. I may need a little time to work out a sufficient re…quest?" She paused, extending her ears and focusing. "Huh?"

Jason raised his brow. "What's wrong?"

"…" Sidney glanced at her rusty bucket and held him up to her ear. "Hmm? Really?" She frowned. "There's someone at the door."

"Eh?" Jet grunted.

Melissa hopped out of her chair and bounded over the door. She quickly threw it open, then stumbled back with a yelp as a pool of Pokémon came toppling over each other onto the floor. "What the?!"

Jason stood up. "What are you all doing?"

Ragger hopped to his feet and clashed his fists together. "I overheard what you were talking about! If it means crushing New Chariot, I'm game for whatever!"

Lucient stood up and adjusted his spectacles. "Ahem. What Ragnarok means to say is that we were intrigued by your discussion and came to tell you that you have our approval for this devilish scheme of yours."

Marie laughed. "I expected nothing less from Mels."

Pandora cackled aloud. "I get to test out some of my best weapons on those jerks!"

"The ones that explode randomly?" Leon grumbled.

"SILENCE!"

Jason groaned and slapped himself. "There is no such thing as privacy anymore." He shook his head. "Well, that saves us the trouble of informing everyone, but not our current situation."

Ragger grinned. "I know! We'll bust down King Tadhg's doors and—"

"They already shot down that plan," Jet grumbled.

"Dammit!"

Melissa laughed and helped everyone back onto their feet. "The approval is welcomed, everyone. Thank you for your support. Don't worry, we'll find a way to receive an audience with King Tadhg. It will take a fair bit of time, so we don't know how long until we—"

"Actually, that won't be necessary." Melissa and Jason's eyes widened as Shingo and Brooklyn pushed their way to the front. After shaking off his anxiety from being squished between so many people, Shingo pushed Brooklyn in front of the duo. "She has a solution to your problem."

"Brooklyn?" Melissa gasped.

The Unfezant smiled shyly. "Uh, yeah. Hello."

Jason glared. "That's right, you're originally from the Umbra Clock Kingdom. That means you know something about King Tadhg we can use?"

She nodded. "I do keep up with what goes on in the kingdom, and I know a fair bit more about the Foirbeis family. King Tadhg will let you into the castle without exception, I guarantee."

Melissa gasped with joy. "Really? That's amazing! Brooklyn, you're the best!"

She awkwardly rubbed her neck with a shy blush. "Oh, uh…shucks, thanks."

Jason smirked. "Well, we appreciate the help. So, what do we have to do?"

"…Uh, hehehe…"

The duo frowned at her reaction. "Something wrong, Brooklyn?" Melissa gasped. "Oh no, don't tell me it's something awful!"

Brooklyn winced. "N-No, nothing awful. It's, uh…weird, actually. King Tadhg was something of a child prodigy among the Umbra Clock Kingdom, and he has some…unusual quirks about him."

"What…quirks?" Jason asked cautiously.

"…" The Unfezant took a deep breath and smiled awkwardly. "So, uh, the thing is…he has a bit of an obsession with—"

"Smeargle?"

Melissa and Jason awkwardly stood in front of Tank as he finished sharpening a dull sword. He didn't have much of a reaction when they came to him with their dilemma, though the odd brow he gave told them he was just as confused by the king's apparent…obsession.

Melissa sighed. "Y-Yeah. According to Brooklyn, King Tadhg apparently loves Smeargle. Like, so much so that he wishes he was a Smeargle."

"…Why?"

Jason shrugged. "We have no idea. He just does. However, from what Brook knows, any Smeargle born in the Umbra Clock Kingdom becomes an immediate target for Tadhg. If you're a poor Smeargle who catches his attention, you're suddenly upgraded to upper class just by being associated with him."

"And Brooklyn told us that if we play our cards right, so long as we happen to have a Smeargle with us, we could…potentially negotiate an audience with the king." Melissa awkwardly clasped her hands together and smiled nervously. "S-So, uh…how about it?"

Tank narrowed his eyes. "Let me get this straight. You want me to come with you to the Umbra Clock Kingdom, auction myself off like some kind of trinket to the king for who knows what, just so you can pull off this risky, insane plan of yours? That's what you're asking me to do?"

"…Y-Yes?"

"…" He shrugged. "Yeah, alright."

"What?!"

"Yeah. I'll help you."

"Really?! J-Just like that?! Really?!"

"Yeah."

"B-B-But I…I had a big speech about hopes and dreams written up to convince you just in case!" She even pulled out a scroll that unfurled and rolled out the forge.

Tank set the sword aside and turned around in his chair. "Melissa, I'm a pragmatist. If this guarantees us getting to speak with the king, then I don't see any issue."

She frowned. "So, you don't feel like we're just using you?"

"Not one bit. I trust your reasoning."

"…"

"You still want to give your speech, don't you?"

"…Yes," she whimpered softly.

"You can give it to me later."

"Th-Thank you."

Jason sighed. "Well, that's two hours of my life salvaged."

"Oh hush." She punched him in the arm, which made him laugh. She sighed and slapped herself. "Well, that takes care of that. I suppose our next step is to pack for the trip."

Jason glared. "We'll have to go halfway with Godfrey. We'd draw too much attention to ourselves riding through the kingdom. However, if we work things out with the king, Percival and his Teleportation Corp can transport everyone and the rest of our supplies to Umbra Clock." He grimaced. "Assuming the king doesn't have any ulterior motives."

"In that case, mind if I tag along?" The trio turned to the forge entrance as Lillia stepped inside, rolling up Melissa's unwounded speech. "If you need an extra layer of negotiation assistance, I could provide. I did help with making deals with our support chains before they got disrupted. Plus, Umbra Clock is fairly religious. I know a thing or two about playing with emotions."

Melissa tilted her head. "Oh, Lillia. I didn't know you would be interested."

She smiled. "Anything to help out around here. Plus, it's a good excuse to get out of the smog."

Jason raised his brow. "Is that the only reason you want to come?"

She chuckled. "I suppose I've had an itch for adventure ever since my excursion into the Senbo Kingdom with Blitz. Besides, I haven't been able to do much other than run errands, so I'm a tad bored."

Melissa smiled. "Well, we'd be happy to have you along, Lillia."

Jason sighed. "This is supposed to be a peace mission, so your assistance will be appreciated. We'll also have to bring Petra with us so she can send word back of our…potential success."

Melissa raised her fists. "Road trip!"

"Road trip!" Lillia cheered.

"Road trip," Tank joined with a half-hearted cheer.

Jason groaned. Have mercy on my soul that this goes well.