November 13th, First Year

Akari watched carefully as her Murkrow- Mercury- dove under Mars' outstretched hooves, cutting a painless stripe down the alpha Rapidash's back with a sharpened feather. "Nice job! Now get some distance! Air Slash!" Mercury quickly followed commands and banked high up into the curling fog. Mercury then proceeded to redirect that obscuring fog into slicing winds that tore inches out of the turf. Mars raised her head and tanked the shots without flinching, steam pouring out of her nostrils. Akari clapped loudly for her two pokémon, positively beaming. "Excellent job, Mercury! And you too, Mars!" She stepped closer, setting one hand on her partner's silky-smooth muzzle and quietly murmured, "You're looking particularly powerful today, did you know that?" Mars snorted and shook her head, opting to drag one hoof through the dirt as she tossed her neck. You can act proud all you want, Akari chuckled inwardly, running her fingers over Mars' silky coat. We both know you're just faking it, you big softy.

Akari had been training since sunrise waiting patiently for more pressing news of the exact date she and Yuki would be departing back to the fieldlands. With both Ingo and Emmet gone investigating the pop-up distortion bubbles that had been reported nearby, Akari had taken it upon herself to do some training of her own. She glanced over at Jupiter who was keeping a watchful eye on their surroundings; ever since she and Emmet had been ambushed by those bandits, Akari had been keeping a low profile and most recently, preparing for sudden fights that were sure to ensue the moment she left the relative protection of the coastlands.

"Hmm? Oh! Good morning, Akari!" A figure loped over to her, raising a hand in greeting. "I thought I heard your voice coming from this way."

Akari grinned and waved back. "Morning, Yuki!" She eagerly beckoned him over, suddenly craving human company. "What are you doing out here? I thought you were supposed to be shadowing the medical corps today?" she asked as Yuki neared, making room for him beside her on a wooden log nearby. "What's going on with that anyways?"

Yuki chuckled nervously. "Well, you see, the other medics… they don't think I'm cut out for doing messy work. They think I'm gonna… you know… mess up."

Akari blinked, her eyebrows raising. "So? You're brand-new. You'll learn the more you have experience," she replied almost immediately. "Isn't that how it usually works? I mean, I know I didn't know much when I first arrived here, but I think I've gotten the hang of things alright." Her smile widened when Mercury alighted atop her shoulder, nibbling at the strands of her hair.

Yuki dug the toes of his shoes into the dirt. His voice grew quiet. Fragile, almost. "I know, but… I get the feeling they don't like me very much. Figured I should wait until we get back to Jubilife and… get some lessons from Pesselle. She's strict, but I've known her for a long time. I think she'd be more willing to teach me than the other guys here." Yuki then shot a fearful look at Akari. "Please don't tell anybody what I just said."

"Wait. Why would I do that? Are those medics being mean to you? Are you being bullied?" Akari asked, her eyes narrowing. "Should I convince them to teach you?" Akari gestured to both Mars and Mercury who stared expectantly at Yuki, both of them full of energy and likely eager to cause some mischief. "I could abuse my position," Akari purred after a while, cracking her knuckles.

"'Kari."

"Tell them that if they don't, I'll have Neptune toss them into the sea."

Yuki chuckled. His smile returned and he sheepishly batted at her arm. "'Kari! You'll get banished for sure if you do that!"

Akari laid one hand squarely on Yuki's back, somewhat intrigued when she felt her friend jolt under her touch. "I'm just saying. I'd do it if you asked." She met Yuki's surprised gaze. "You're a good friend to me Yuki so if you need anything, just ask me."

"Aww. Gee, thanks. That means a lot coming from Almighty Sinnoh's Chosen One," Yuki responded cheekily, setting his own hand on Akari's back, albeit harsher.

Akari audibly gagged. "Aww, don't call me that. Makes me sound divine when the only thing I'm good at doing is frolicking through the grass. And maybe figuring out which things are poisonous."

"...By?"

Akari immediately glanced away, scuffling her shoes through the thin snow. Now it was her turn to be embarrassed. "...I get hungry a lot."

"Akari." Yuki slowly pronounced each syllable in her name, scowling. "Please tell me you're joking."

"Did you know, if consumed in excess, pecha berries can actually poison you? Via food poisoning. Too many seeds can cause serious indigestion," Akari babbled, both eager to change the subject and eager to stop making herself look like a fool. "That's what happens when you're constantly on the road. You discover 'fun' things like that." At least, Yuki is still my friend. Albeit, he has no clue of what's been really happening with me… And I think it's for the best that I don't tell him. I don't need to anyways. "Hey. Do you wanna train with me and my pokémon?"

Yuki rubbed at his neck and he moved away a smidgen. "Train with you?" His wide eyes were focused on Mars. "I think you're way too strong for me to take on at this point. Maybe in the past before you started quelling the nobles. But not anymore."

Akari felt a twinge of annoyance and guilt stir in her gut. "Oh, come on! It'll be fine!" she attempted to persuade him, shoving him back-and-forth. "We're not battling seriously!"

"But why battle-training of all things?" Yuki asked. He cleared his throat but refused to meet Akari's gaze. "You know, I've been thinking more about the way I view my pokémon helpers and most importantly, the way they view me. So far, the Pokémon who have been with me- and that Snorunt I had you catch for me- he's growing up really fast- they've all been a big help, but… battling? What's that have to do with the relationship between people and pokémon?" Yuki scratched at his scalp, his expression pensive. "Why not literally anything else?" As Yuki continued to ramble, two pokémon Akari hadn't seen before- a Happiny and a Paras- emerged from the dinged pokéballs on Yuki's waist. "Why does battling have to be what humans choose to do with their pokémon allies?"

"Hmm." That confused Akari and she stared at the forest floor instead. She… didn't know the answer to that question. A part of her- distant and most likely shrouded in the fog of her amnesia- knew the answer. And her pokémon most likely did too as they never had any issues understanding her, nor did they complain or ignore her when she commanded them in battle. Even Mars and Saturn who had seen Akari at her worst- who had every reason to leave her or refuse to battle alongside her- had stuck with her. "I don't know. I want to believe that I did know the answer at some point or another." Akari then lit up. "But I know somebody who could probably answer you!"

"Who?"

"Uncle Emmet could!" Akari answered brightly. "He's from the same place Uncle Ingo is from and from what he's mentioned here and there, the two of them are super talented and knowledgeable about pokémon battles!" Akari grinned. "They've actually taught me a heck of a lot about strategizing and utilizing pokémon partnerships! If anybody could answer your question, it would have to be him."

"Then I'd like to go and ask him before I decide whether to battle you," Yuki decided immediately. He reached out and within no time at all had scooped up his Happiny, his smile widening as the tiny pokémon let out a squeal of joy. "I don't want to see my partners get hurt. I'm not entirely sure why battling is important to people of the future," he conceded, "but the way you and Ingo and Emmet get all excited does make me curious... Yeah, let's go talk to them."

Akari frowned. She didn't know when either of the brothers would arrive back at camp. But with her training pretty much over with and the pangs of hunger beginning to set in, Akari beckoned for Yuki to rise. "You never did tell me what you were doing out here."

"Oh! That? I was looking for some medicinal plants the medics sent me after. They mentioned this super special tree that produces something similar to the stuff they use as bandages but now that I think about it, it's probably just some common leek that's good for staving off hunger."

Akari shook her head. That can't be right. But nonetheless, she shrugged off her satchel alongside a new bag she had convinced Volo to 'sell' her, to better carry things. "Here. I'll help you."

"You sure? I don't wanna bother you if you're busy training," Yuki muttered. "I mean, I know you and Ingo and Emmet are busy training in case things go wrong."

Akari shook her head and set a firm hand on Yuki's shoulder, gesturing for him to go in front of her. "We are, but that doesn't mean I don't have time for you! You're my friend!" she emphasized. "I want to spend more time with you! And all this noble stuff is making my head spin. S'just one big headache, honestly. Now, let's go find those… things you need."

Yuki rolled his eyes. "Okay then, 'Kari. Follow me. I'll appreciate the extra lifting help."

Over the course of a few hours, the two of them had managed to scavenge a heap of various herbs nearly buried beneath the thick layer of snow and ice that winter brought. Saddled with pounds of herbs, roots, and questionable chunks of tree bark and mushrooms, Akari followed after Yuki as the taller boy trudged through the snow, one of his hands reaching back to grasp her wrist so as to keep track of her. Almost as though they were siblings. It'd certainly felt that way to Akari.

"It's almost been a year," Yuki muttered after a while. As he walked, he stared upward at the falling snow. He kicked up a cloud of snow, jerking when he stepped on a patch of hidden ice. "Can't believe it. It's already winter again. Feels like time is practically flying by."

"Yeah, you said it." Akari watched the falling snow too. It really hadn't been all that long ago when she had set out for her trial in weather as gloomy and cold as it was that day. Akari grimaced. With Oshawott. And before she could consciously grasp it, she felt herself stop. "...Give me a moment. I feel like I need to do something."

"What? What's 'something'?"

"Just… wait here." Akari reached into her bag and pulled out a handful of pretty-looking leaves she had collected despite Yuki telling her that they weren't medicinal. Still crisp. Soft around the edges. A very pale shade of green, just barely turning yellow. Akari took a few steps away from her escort until she came to the base of a huge fir tree, laying the leaves among the roots as she came to kneel.

The wind shifted. A chill settled into her clothes, moisture freezing her eyelashes. Cold. So unbelievably cold. Akari stared at the drifting leaves and only then did she realize why the scene felt familiar. All this talk about pokémon and consensual battles and partnerships. You never saw me as a trainer worth trusting… and you were right. Akari shut her eyes. I'm sorry, Oshawott. It's too late for me to apologize and I hope wherever you go, you'll find someone nicer to keep you company. I'm so sorry. Akari slowly rose to her feet. But you don't rest here, do you? Maybe when I get back to the fieldlands, I'll make you a proper grave. Give you the love and respect you should've gotten when you were alive.

Footsteps crunched in the snow. "... 'Kari?"

Akari shakily nodded, noticing the frosted tears that burned her cheeks. She peeled them away knowing well that Yuki wouldn't miss the tell-tale redness around her eyes. "Yeah… Yeah, I'm fine. I'm okay. I was just… thinking about something I almost forgot. Someone. Someone important."

Yuki peered past her, his eyebrows raising. He swallowed and yet he put one hand on Akari's shoulder. "That looks like… like a shrine. O-or an offering of some kind…" Yuki averted his eyes. "Sorry. I don't wanna pry… But if you wanna talk about it…"

"S'okay." Akari waved Yuki off but not before allowing her friend to latch onto her wrist again. Reassuring and firm, but not painful. "Maybe I'll tell the story to you another time. For now, let's just get back to camp now, okay?"

"Yeah… Yeah, okay."

The sky darkened and the falling snow lessened until it was just Akari and Yuki trudging through ankle-high snow to the encampment, the cold acrid wind of winter burning the thin skin along their ears and noses. Mars slowly but surely followed up along the side of the party, her crackling mane providing a much-needed light to see by as evening became night and no moon came to shed any light upon them.

Akari felt around in her satchel to check her Arc Phone, sighting her reflection on the screen. That and something else: a tall figure a few leagues behind her. With a group. Hoods up. Something in their hands. She snorted. "At least this hunk of junk is good for something," she muttered under her breath, reaching out one hand to tap Mars' flank. Danger. Two taps. She then whipped around and released Mercury. "Quit following us and go away! Mercury, Air Slash!" No spores this time around!

Mercury ascended quickly and began to whip up terrifying winds that tore leaves off of the nearby canopies. He squawked and screeched loudly, startling nearby pokémon away.

The group of unknown figures staggered back with raucous, disgruntled yells. All except one. One figure slightly shorter than the rest stepped forward. Unknown items jangled under their frost-shriveled coat. "You there. Girl. You're the one we want." A woman by the sound of their sullen, dejected voice. "The boy with you can leave."

Akari's eyes narrowed as the group of figures began to regroup. Her skin began to crawl. "You! You're with the band of thieves that've been causing trouble here, aren't you? Don't you have anything better to do than terrorize innocent people?" She spared a glance at Yuki, a slight twinge of fear running through her as she mouthed 'run' at him. She wasn't a fool despite the bravado act she was putting on. The last she had run into the bandits alongside Emmet, the spores they had used had rendered her and her team entirely useless. She only hoped Yuki would be able to run back and get help before a different tactic could be used on her. And we can't be that far from the base camp so at least, I don't think things will be too bad this time around.

The strange woman clicked her tongue as Yuki took off sprinting away into the woods, Mars helping him make a mad dash away. "Smart girl," she drawled. "And here I'd thought you'd attempt to brute force us like last time. Ah, but neither of your friends are here this time. Where could they possibly be?"

"None of your business, you cheating old hag!" Akari snapped back, gripping both Jupiter and Neptune's pokéballs. This time, she had a plan. "Your spores won't work on us anymore! Neptune, Rain Dance! Mercury, Tailwind!"

Both of her partners exploded from their pokéballs and immediately began to set up with Neptune circling around to the rear of the ragtag group, melting snow water and half-frozen ice coalescing behind him like a second and third tails. Jupiter flanked one side of the party while Saturn- forcefully having ejected herself from her pokéball- flanked the other. Pluto emerged from her own pokéball and put up a magical wall in front of both her and Akari, its petal-like frills swaying ominously in the turbulent winds. Five pokémon in all sans Mars. Their pokéballs empty, bumping against her hip, Akari felt a sudden string of malicious intent spring up between herself and her pokémon as she stared down the supposed bandit leader. "Leave."

"'Leave'?" The woman in charge cocked her head to the side and in the light of the setting sun, Akari immediately recognized that it was the same woman who had attacked her in the past. "And why would we do that? You've got some strong pokémon there." The woman then jerked her head to the side. The pair of eyes that had been hiding in the woman's shadow materialized into what Akari recognized as a Gengar. A very large, very angry Gengar. The woman continued to speak. "What a waste for someone with your talents."

Akari paused. "I'm not here to talk to you," she growled. "I've got better things to do! Either tell me why you're making a sloppy attempt to ambush me or get lost!"

"And what a mouth on you," the woman retorted haughtily. For a moment, her sunken eyes suddenly brightened like two struck matches behind her filthy curtain of hair. But the second they had brightened, they also dimmed. The woman then shook her head and sighed, waving off the group of bandits behind her. Her beady eyes tracked each and every last one of Akari's pokémon. "But alas. I know better than to attack when I'm at a disadvantage. So I'll just be taking my leave- "

Akari used her fingers to make a sharp, cutting whistle. Immediately, Neptune bared down upon the bandit leader, the rest of Akari's pokémon making a tight circle around the woman. "No, no, no. You're not going anywhere without giving me some proper answers," Akari hissed, stomping over until the only thing separating her and the strange woman was Pluto's magical barrier. Akari's nose wrinkled upon coming face-to-face with a peculiar stench that wafted from the rogue group in waves. "Who are you? What's your name? What's your problem?"

"If I must tell you, my name is Charm," the bandit leader droned, staring at Akari with an expression a parent might give a misbehaving child. Up close, Akari could pick out the woman's messily cut, short hair. The dark, black paint-like markings that formed brutish lines down her narrowed eyes and prominent cheekbones. The patchy, torn pieces of cloth barely passable for clothing covering the woman while also reeking of sweat and grime. "I'm the leader of the Misfortune Group."

"You're thieves and criminals," Akari snarked back, crossing her arms. She glanced at each member of the rogue group, her anger turning slowly to begrudging pity when she noticed that each member in attendance was in a similar state of evident poverty. To her horror… she also sighted a few children that definitely looked younger than her. I can't attack them… not yet, anyways. "That's what you are." Akari spoke directly to the so-called 'leader'. "Attacking innocent people and abusing your pokémon."

"'Abusing'?" Charm echoed again, her lips curling in an offended grimace. To Akari's horror, the members of Charm's group chuckled loud and slow, all of them genuine. All of them leering at her. "Oh? So then I suppose we're one in the same then? Capturing pokémon in contraptions? Forcing them to battle to win fights that aren't theirs? Taking them far away from their homelands?" Charm leaned back, sneering as she crossed her arms. "And the pot calls the kettle black."

"I don't abuse my pokémon! They fight when they want to!" Akari retorted hotly, feeling her face burn at the insinuation. "Answer my question! Why are you attacking merchants?"

"Because it pays a lucrative amount of money," Charm shrugged while picking the dirt out from underneath her nails. "Why go through the middleman when you can steal it right from the source? It's not my fault some of the merchants don't feel particularly charitable to those in need."

Akari snorted and shook her head. "Fine. So you're just pathetic, disgusting bandits that really don't have anything better to do than be a nuisance and cause innocent people grief."

"It's in the name, sweetheart," Charm chastised instead, looking down her nose at Akari. "The Misfortune Group. My, my, my. What do they teach children these days?"

"I'm not your sweetheart!" Akari found her footing and took a deep breath, balling her hands into fists. She's probably just trying to rile me up on purpose! She's way too calm about this. "You've got a pokémon that belongs to Warden Ingo. Hand them over."

Charm blinked and playfully angled her head upward as if thinking hard about something. "Who? Sorry. I don't seem to know what you're talking about, little one."

"Excadrill!" Akari hissed. "A mole pokémon that digs tunnels! I know you know what I'm talking about! Where is he? If you don't have Excadrill, I'll just fight through your group until I find him."

Charm's cold frown vanished, leaving the woman ominously blank-faced as she stared at something over Akari's shoulder. The air of calm superiority was gone in an instant. "...It's not here."

"Then where is Excadrill?" Akari didn't so much as flinch when a breath of hot air gusted against the back of her neck, Mars emerging from the forest to stand beside Akari. "Where's Excadrill? Who has him? Where are you keeping him."

Charm took one long lasting look at Mars and then at Akari. A ghost of a smile alighted on the woman's face. "Beats me, kid. I don't know everything that goes on in my ragtag group- "

"Mars."

Mars reared onto her hindlegs and let out an ear-splitting squeal before charging forward, stopping a hair before its curved horn could pierce through Charm's throat. Face-to-face. Not even an inch away. Neck muscles quivering, nostrils flared, her huge body baring any means of escaping or retaliating, Mars' mane crackled with fury. The rest of Akari's pokémon crowded around Charm in an inseparable wall, their narrowed eyes glinting with dislike.

Charm swallowed, her eyes wide. Unable to take a step backward and unable to move or shrug, the haggard woman spared a fleeting, questioning glance at Akari, still somewhat smug despite the facade being broken. She looked surprised, even. "I didn't take you for the violent type, girlie- "

"Answer the damn question. I'm tired of your snark, you wicked old hag. And quit calling me pet names. Where's Excadrill? Tell me now or I'll have Mars run you through with her horn." In the back of her head, Akari knew that she couldn't force her ace to do anything. And she didn't want to, either. Not that Mars doesn't have the ability to do that; she probably would if I asked. Akari was simply hoping that Charm wouldn't call her bluff. And luckily, it had worked.

Charm shrank into herself just the tiniest bit and finally turned her gaze away from both Akari and her team. "...Fine. North of that Pearl Clan warden's home. Near the sea. There's a mineshaft there. You'll find your disgusting little mole in that hovel."

"Where specifically?" Akari listened and documented each and every detail that she forced Charm to spill, paying extra detail to the fact that all of the men who had been backing Charm had vanished without a trace without so much as a single noise. Effectively having abandoned their leader. Some leader you are. When Akari was satisfied, she waved her team off and let Charm go, watching the smug woman disappear into the darkness of night. But not before she traded glances with Charm's Gengar.

Though it hid in its wielder's retreating shadow, it never took its eyes off of Akari. It followed her with its blood-red eyes and just before Charm vanished into the tree line, the Gengar gave Akari a harrowing smile before melting away to nothing.

Akari grimaced. She turned to face her team, reaching up to pat Mars' snout. "At least you all were here with me. Thank you all." She spared a glance at the opposite side of the clearing. And if they weren't… I wonder what those bandits would have done to me. Akari shook her head and began to reach for her satchel to dig out a few treats; one for each of her party members.

Her frozen hands closed around empty air. Akari stole a glance at her side, her blood turning to ice in her veins when she realized both her satchel and her bag were nowhere to be seen. She searched the clearing top to bottom and still found nothing. "That doesn't make any sense!" she seethed as she looked about the clearing. "I just had it not too long ago! I didn't even… take it… off me…?" Akari blinked. Something glinted in the falling snow.

She stalked across the clearing to pick up a berry. She sighted another one a stone's throw away and realized with increasing anger that the berries she had collected for her pokémon had formed a trail leading into the woods. In the same direction the bandits had fled. Her hands shook. Her throat burned. So I didn't lose it; they pickpocketed my stuff. But when her pokémon started forward as if to follow the trail, Akari hesitated. "...Let's just go back to camp. It'll be cold soon. Let's pick up the trail tomorrow."

November 14th, First Year

"Wait! You're walking too fast!"

"This mission is of great urgency, Akari."

"I know that! But you two-!" Akari huffed and was forced to jog to keep up with the trio ahead of her as they wore a deep trail through the ice and snow. "Why are all of you so tall?" she seethed, wrapping her scarf more tightly around her neck, ignoring the stinging pain in her feet.

From his position at the front of the helm, Emmet turned to look back at her, his silver gaze cutting past both Palina and Yuki to stare at her. Akari relaxed; only slight amusement shone. "Why are you so short?"

Akari gasped and sprinted to catch up, tugging on Emmet's coat. "Rude! I'm gonna tell Uncle Ingo what you said!"

"If you've got time to argue, you've got time to hurry up!" Yuki snickered, grabbing hold of Akari's other arm. He patted her on the shoulder, shooting a nervous gaze first at Emmet's back and then at the dinky rope holding the pokéballs at his own waist. "We're nearly there."

After conveying the events of the previous night to Emmet along with Adrianos- and Emmet doing the same regarding the time bubbles- a group had been sent out to track down Akari's things and more importantly, to get the drop on the thieves before they could get away or move camp; decidedly the more important task of the two. Akari just hoped that Charm hadn't been lying about where Excadrill was or more accurately, whether the whole thing was aimed to be a setup.

Emmet suddenly cleared his throat. "When we arrive," he spoke, his monotonous tone solemn and biting as he trained his gaze on Akari, "I will clear a path forward for you. You will locate Excadrill and return him to me or to our current home station within the Trail Encampment."

Akari fake nodded. "Understood."

"Hiroyuki- "

Yuki winced. "My full name? Really?"

"- and Warden Palina will be in charge of locating your lost satchel," Emmet continued without so much as turning in Yuki's direction. "As will I in case the bandits decide to make an unexpected departure. We will all remain in two-car groups."

"Sounds good to me," Palina nodded. "So long as I have at least one pokémon wielder with me. I'm no good with battles. Obviously." She turned to check on Lord Growlithe who followed obediently at her heels, his wet nose upturned, his thick, shaggy coat making quick work of the deep snow without nary a sound. Where Palina went, Lord Growlithe almost always followed.

From ahead, Emmet flinched and turned to Palina, opening his mouth as if to speak before decidedly closing it. He shook his head and pushed the brim of his hat over his eyes as the group summited a hill. "Remember your safety checks, passengers. We have arrived at our destination."

Akari summited beside Emmet, what little warmth she had been conserving dissipating as a fierce northern breeze stole into her clothes and stung at her skin. She stared at the sight before her, her hands shaking with anticipation.

Thick, concealing fog spun down steep stony cliffs that rose beyond the cloud layer, the roar of waves being dashed across stones rolling into the air and drowning out almost everything else. The cry of faraway Starlies reverberated along the coast. The warm reddish light of a coming dawn and the promise of a coming snowstorm emboldened Akari to be the first one to step forward and so too did the crunch of fresh snow breaking under her weight encourage Akari to go slow. She glanced at Emmet as she passed him. "I'll take the lead now."

Quietly, the group set into the dark forests framing the cliffs, treading through undergrowth and carefully stepping over the beds of pine needles that lay in wait along horrendously steep slopes, Akari keeping one keen eye on the set-up metal lanterns hanging from spindly tree branches on a faraway trail. She quietly ushered for Neptune to conceal the group with more and more fog until she couldn't see more than a foot in front of her face.

A firm hand landed on Akari's shoulder. "Pump the brakes." Emmet had stepped up beside Akari, his narrowed eyes pinpointed on something through the trees that she couldn't see. Emmet held in his breath and stared hard. He then held up two fingers at his side and deftly pointed them forward in a quick, soundless motion. Eelektross streaked through the fog like a bullet and disappeared. Silence. Emmet then nodded. "The tracks ahead are clear. Let us proceed." Though his words were meant to be amiable and reassuring, the tense way he held himself begged that something else was afoot.

Yuki spared a concerned glance at the older man as he caught up to Akari. "What was that for?"

"A wayward car off of its tracks," Emmet replied curtly. Eelektross returned and wordless took up position behind its trainer, its expression matching Emmet's. "I simply stalled their approach. Onward we roll."

Forward they went until the dark woods led to what looked to be an abandoned stone quarry, nature having taken over the majority of the cliffside ruins. A handful of bandits huddled outside the entrance with their arms concealed in their coats, shivering as whirls of snow descended upon them. With the fog lessened, it was easier for Akari to see when Emmet sent his partner forward again, Eelektross latching onto each man with their teeth, instilling each of them with a noiseless paralytic shock that forced them to the forest floor.

"...Isn't that a bit too much?" Palina asked, being the first one out of the trees. She stooped down to go through the bandit's things.

"They will recover. It is a temporary paralysis."

Both Yuki and Akari rooted through the wooden crates scattered near the quarry's entrance as Emmet kept watch over them, using their tinier frames to reach and grab and peek around corners without fear. Akari stilled as Emmet's voice then rose a few decibels.

"Take their bags. Anything useful. We will need it for the task to come."

Akari wouldn't think twice about it; after all, she was only returning the favor. She snuck further to where the overshadowed quarry revealed an entrance to the fabled mineshaft. And to her surprise, lying on top of a crate was her satchel. She quickly snatched the item and put it on, taking a moment to pry open the spare containers to steal the mint-condition potions, salves, and berries inside, motioning the rest of the group over to better split up the loot while snow began to fall in heavy curtains. "My other stuff is still missing," Akari grumbled. "Not the dex, and not my ArcPhone but almost everything else is gone. My food, my flute. Ugh."

"They're bandits," Palina reasoned, her eyes trained on the sloping tunnel leading down into the earth. "Whatever is the most valuable- what they think is valuable- they'll keep it on them. If that flute is really precious to you, you may need to resort to violence in order to get it back." She spared a judging glance at Emmet and set a calming hand on Lord Growlithe's back. "Don't encourage her."

"Akari makes her own decisions," Emmet retorted. He helped to empty the rest of the crates, taking most of if not all of the pokéballs stored topside and placing it inside his own pack. He carefully moved the heavy weight onto his back before calling a quieted, "Safety checks."

Each member of the party immediately took a solid glance around the area before muttering back their status with Akari being the last one to report back. Akari then motioned for Pluto to come out and pointed to the earth. "How many people are down in the mineshaft, do you know?"

Pluto dipped to the ground and paused. The graceful Kirlia then began to glow scarlet, her red eyes glittering. "Many."

Akari swallowed. "Can we avoid them?"

"... Yes."

"Let us take the safest route then," Emmet muttered. "Akari, your items have been located. The four of us have no reason to decouple. Our main focus now is locating Excadrill." Emmet then turned and kneeled, facing Pluto squarely as he met the tiny pokémon on their level. "Are you able to locate Excadrill for us, tiny passenger?"

Pluto immediately nodded, its shaggy silky feathers obscuring its eyes. "Down below. With other pokémon."

Akari paused. "An Abomasnow, maybe? Remember, Uncle Emmet? One of the bandits had an Abomasnow." Akari shifted. "...Is there a Gengar down there by any chance?"

"Yes. Both are there. No humans." Pluto gazed up at Akari and set her tiny hands onto her trainer's knee. "May I help? I can teleport your friend here."

"It's too dangerous," Akari frowned. "If you head down there, you might encounter that Gengar. Remember Pluto; you're weak to poison-type moves and Gengar is a ghost and poison-type pokémon. And it's fully evolved," Akari mumbled. "How'd somebody like Charm even manage to get a Gengar in the first place?"

"I can do it!" Pluto argued back, their external petal-like frills lifting with agitation.

"How many Pokémon can you teleport at once?" Akari asked instead.

"...Three," Pluto hummed, calming down instantaneously. "I can take some help with me… if that's what you'd prefer."

"I just want to make sure you come back up safe and sound," Akari responded curtly. "I don't want you to get hurt." Akari let both Saturn and Mercury out. "Take these two; Saturn's immune and Mercury can deal damage to that Gengar if you get in trouble."

"Okay!" Pluto placed one thin hand on each Pokémon and disappeared with a wave and a flash, leaving Akari to wait as the rest of her party moved back to the entrance.

Palina poked her head out of the quarry, frowning. She gently patted the fur along Lord Growlithe's head before muttering something to Emmet who responded just as quietly. The two adults didn't so much as glance at Akari which left her to turn to Yuki.

"You okay?" she muttered. "I still can't believe you decided to tag along. I thought you weren't too sure of battling."

"I still am," Yuki admitted. "But you're my friend and I want to support you. I'm not sure if I'll be the greatest help, but in the very least- I mean, if you get injured, I can help patch you up." He gestured to his own satchel. "And I have supplies in case you need them. It's the least I can do."

Akari nodded shakily. "Thanks Yuki."

Stones clattered down the cliff and voices grew louder and louder as what sounded to be two people entered the quarry. At the front of the group, both Palina and Emmet immediately stepped back and bodily shielded Yuki and Akari, each of them gesturing for the two younger members to be silent, Eelektross waiting for the signal to attack.

Down came two young women with a gaggle of rope-bound merchants blindly stumbling after them. They giggled and joked, yanking on the bindings even when the helpless merchants yelled and begged for them to slow with their torn clothes and bloodied faces. Beside the two young women followed a Toxicroak and to Akari's dismay, an Abomasnow. Hail followed after them, some the size of large stones as they ricocheted off of the tree trunks and errant boulders.

In that exact moment, Pluto reappeared behind Akari with Saturn, Mercury and what looked to be an emaciated, heavily beaten pokémon, the action producing a flash which caught the advancing women's attention.

Akari winced as silence overtook the quarry. Why does this always happen?