10th Winter Moon, 908 – Osorekaku-machi, Great Gate Empire

"I still think this is a bad idea."

"Well, it's a little too late for that."

Having successfully assimilated herself into the good graces of the Takigawa Clan, Melissa moved on to the next step of her plan uncovering information on Marie's recent capture: attending a genuine Takigawa Clan party. Dressed in a bright red kimono and with a pink flower pinned to her ear, she headed in the direction of the party (having managed to uncover the location of Kiho Takigawa's address without arousing suspicion). Watora wished to accompany her, but…

He groaned. "I do not like the idea of you being alone in that death house with them."

Melissa sighed. "I don't like it either, but Chiyumi made it clear this was a Takigawa-only party. I appreciate your concern, but I'll be fine."

"…" Watora grunted. "Very well. I will respect your wishes, Lady Harlow, but I insist on escorting you back to our inn at seven. No later."

She nodded. "I can live with that. That gives me six hours to gather all I need." She tapped her chin. "I wonder what kind of party this is. I have attended many different types of parties, but those were all under formal settings. This is perhaps my first informal party."

"Informal isn't the word I would use to describe this," the samurai muttered.

The duo soon arrived at their destination, and it didn't take long to figure out which villa was hosting the party. Having started merely an hour ago, windows were already taken out, furniture was thrown out onto the yard, a surprisingly beautiful garden was crushed under a cauldron, and the roof was slathered in blue paint that came together to resemble an intricate ocean.

On top of the roof was a Floragato, sleeping on the roof and soaking up the afternoon rays. She dressed in a light green kimono with the sleeves slightly torn up.

Just then, she opened one eye before rolling onto her side as part of the roof exploded from under her. Melissa and Watora jumped back, dodging scraps of debris raining over the front yard.

"[For Ho-Oh's sake…]" The Floragato sat up and rubbed her eye. "[Why did I even agree to attend this stupid…?]" She paused, looking down and spotting the duo.

Melissa smiled awkwardly. "[Hello.] Uh, I'm Takigawa Momo. I'm here for the party. Is this where it is?"

"…" The Floragato huffed with disinterest and moved along to the other side of the roof.

"…Ooookay, good talk."

Watora stared at the noisy villa before asking again, "Are you absolutely sure you can handle this?"

She gulped. "Well, I would normally run away from something like this, but I think the fear of death has been kicked out of me. Uh, wish me luck." She took a deep breath and marched toward the entrance, her walk stiff and mechanical as she tried to hide her nerves.

Watora covered his face and sighed. "[I'll never forgive myself if anything happens to you, Lady Harlow. Please stay safe.]"

Surprised would be an understatement to Melissa's reaction upon entering the villa. While she certainly expected a wild party to be taking place, she wasn't prepared for the utter insanity unfolding in front of her.

The outside of the house didn't scratch the surface of what the Takigawa did to the interior. Holes were punched through the walls, more furniture was broken beyond repair, and piles of food were scattered about to be freely grabbed by whatever rabid assassin passed by. Some of the broken furniture had even been made into a mound in the center of the room, where Takigawa were fighting to claim ownership of the top.

Melissa casually tilted her head, dodging a thrown sake bottle that smashed against the wall. "…And I thought the drama between the noblewomen at Father's galas got out of hand."

"[Momo! You made it!]" Melissa froze as Chiyumi staggered up to her, clutching a bottle of ale in hand. She wrapped an arm roughly around the Buneary and gave her a noogie. "[Bahahahaha! And here I thought you were too much of a fluff brain for parties!]"

Melissa gently pushed her off before confidently puffing out her chest. "Ha! I am here to party and engage in social interaction like a normal person! HAHA!"

Chiyumi groaned. "[Ah. You're still doing that whole speaking like a bumpkin shtick.]" She hiccupped, tripping over herself, but waved it off. "Aaaaagh, whatever~! Come on! There's still plenty of stuff to trash~!" She sauntered along, kicking some broken table legs out of the way.

Melissa breathed a sigh before walking deeper into the den of monsters. The stench of alcohol was the first thing she noticed, finding half the Takigawa intoxicated and engaging in fights that quickly turned bloody. She had to step over a few unconscious bodies, praying silently that they were just unconscious.

Not how I would spend an evening, but just about what I expected from a bunch of bloodthirsty assassins. She rubbed her chin. Hopefully the same excuse of why I'm speaking like a westerner still works. I barely known a few words in Old Johtonian. At least everyone here seems to be trained in multiple languages. She glared. Now, the hard part is getting information on Marie. Someone here is bound to know something about her capture…and that execution rumor going around.

"[Go, go, go, go, go, go!]"

Traveling deeper into the home, Melissa came across a large group gathered around a Shiny Zangoose and a Hisuian Sneasel. Both sat on opposite ends of a table with several drinks poured out into glasses, each with a visible purple haze wafting off the rims. One by one, the two claimed a glass and chugged the strange concoction.

Melissa moved closer to get a better look, immediately recoiling from the stench coming off the drinks. What the heck are they drinking? That can't just be alcohol.

Eventually, after getting to their twentieth glass, the Sneasel became violently ill. He covered his mouth, slumped to the floor, and hurled under the table with a violent twitch. The Shiny Zangoose, meanwhile, drank his glass without trouble, smirking at his defeated sibling.

"[Is this seriously the rottenest poison you guys could get your hands on? I'm disappointed.]" His siblings cackled with laughter.

Melissa's expression paled, recognizing a word he said. Wait, were they drinking poison?! She looked at the downed Sneasel in horror. And what kind of poison would do this to a Hisuian Sneasel?

The Zangoose wiped his face, then noticed Melissa's staring. He glared at her. "[Eh? What are you looking at? You want in on this, too?]"

Melissa jolted. Crap! Is he asking me to partake?

"[Ha! I doubt that one can last one drink!]" a Takigawa shouted from the back.

"[Probably die from one sip.]"

"[Ugh, they always invite the weaklings to these things, I swear.]"

Melissa laughed awkwardly at the attention she was receiving. Okay, keep your cool. No poison drinking for me today, thank you. "[Ah. Uh, no, no. Thank you, no. Good, yes. Yes, good.]"

"…" The Zangoose narrowed his eyes. "[What the hell is up with you?]"

Melissa laughed, quietly shuffling away. "[Thank you, thank you. No, no. No poison.]" She slipped out of sight.

A Linoone nudged the Shiny Zangoose and laughed. "[Scared that one senseless, Ao. Must've been one of Father's runts.]"

"…" Ao's expression deepened in thought. [Curious, that one. Very curious.]

Melissa groaned, wiping her brow in relief. Okay, that could've gone better. Still plenty of other Takigawa to mingle with. There has to be at least one Takigawa here with a normal attitude—

"AGH!"

She gasped, ducking out of the way as a body went flying across the room and smashed through a table. She jolted up and spotted a winter-form Sawsbuck with her hindlegs raised up. Her stance was tense, eyes wide and alert as if looking around for incoming dangers.

"[Out of my personal space!]" she snapped. "[I didn't come here to be snuck up on. Better watch yourselves! I bite! I kick! I—WAH!]" She spun around again and kicked another Takigawa who got too close to her. "[Watch it!]"

Melissa's eye twitched. Not as…bloodthirsty, I suppose.

The Sawsbuck caught eye of her staring and glared at her. "[You want some of this, too?]"

Melissa flinched. "Hehehe…uh…"

"[Ah, chill out, Shion~!]" Melissa looked aside and saw Chiyumi sitting on a pile of broken debris. She sipped from her bottle and smirked. "[Momo's completely harmless. Well, in a relative sense.]"

Shion frowned. "[Momo? I don't know a Momo.]" Shion glared at the Buneary suspiciously. "[Have we met before?]"

Melissa gulped. "[Uh…hello?] Uh, hi. Please don't kick me."

The Sawsbuck glared. "[Why is she speaking like that?]"

Chiyumi grinned. "[Some assignment from Father. He's making her practice bumpkin speak for some big assassination mission in the west. I just play along to humor her.]"

"…" Shion glared at Melissa again, inching closer. "Hmmm…"

Melissa laughed nervously. "Nice to…meet you. Sister."

"…" Shion narrowed her eyes. "You…don't seem all that dangerous."

"But she definitely doesn't look familiar." Melissa yelped as someone snuck up behind her. It was a Ponyta, or rather one native to the Galar region. The sparkly, unicorn-like Pokémon looked at the Buneary with sinister intent barely concealed by a toothy grin. "She could be one of Father's special projects."

Melissa backed away from the unicorn, trying to maintain her composure. "Hehehe, uh…well, you know how dear ol' Dad is with his…experiments," she mumbled weakly.

The Ponyta tapped her chin. "Not sure why he'd bother with some boring assassination mission. We already have plans to wipe out the west once Lady Amano becomes empress."

Melissa frowned. Lady Amano…

Shion scratched her head. "Who knows what Father is thinking these days?"

The Ponyta poked Melissa with her horn. "All the same, since this is our first meeting, how about a spar? What do you say, sister?"

Melissa gulped. "Oh, I-I couldn't—"

"What's wrong? Afraid to take on the best assassin in the family?" she teased.

Chiyumi scoffed. "[You're the best in the family? Really?]"

The Ponyta flicked her mane and glared at the Weavile. "[You want a round or two with me, Sister? I'll have you eating those words soon enough.]"

"[Last I checked, Takato had you beat in that department.]"

The Ponyta scoffed. "[Big Brother Takato is no assassin. A dangerous brute, he may be, but I am a force of nature that cannot be quelled once I've started the killing. I am a true assassin.]"

"[Second only to Makiko]" Shion teased behind her hoof.

The Ponyta glared. "[You have something to say?]"

"[Oh nothing, nothing. You heard nothing, Sakura~.]"

The Ponyta, Sakura, stamped her hoof down. "[Look, just because Makiko beat me a few…dozen times in our sparring matches doesn't change the fact I am now the best assassin in the family. You all rely on your brute force and fancy moves, but I truly know how to assassinate.]"

"[Uh huh. If you say so.]"

Sakura stamped her hoof even harder. "[Oh, you are just asking for it now! Newbie Sister, you will referee us for our sparring match to see which between us is the superior assassin!]"

Shion shrugged. "[While I'm all for a fight here and there, I never said I was a better assassin than…]" She paused and looked around. "[Wait, where did the Buneary go?]"

Everyone paused, looking around to see that their mysterious sister had indeed vanished without a trace.

"…" Sakura pouted. "[Note to self: new sister is very stealthy. Remember that for next time.]"

Melissa retreated to a different part of the house, shutting a door behind her to catch her breath. Everyone here is a nut case, I swear. She took a deep breath and collected her thoughts. I'm losing track of my main goal here. I need to sit down with someone and get the information I need on Marie—

"[Sorry, sis. Already claimed this room for myself.]"

Melissa snapped to attention, realizing she wandered into a room with another Takigawa present. This one was a Delcatty, and considerably younger than the ones she met so far. She looked to be a teenager, in fact. She dressed in the typical manner as the rest of her siblings, though with a brooch around her neck made up of black crystal.

A key feature to her appearance was her tail. Usually having a ball of fluff at the end, it instead had a curved, organic blade attached to it. It was crescent shaped, and a deep shade of blue. It weirdly resembled an Absol's horn, a concerning thought for Melissa.

However, she pushed that aside for a moment and saw what the Delcatty was doing. She was standing atop a futon…which was ripped to shreds. Her tail wagged periodically, slicing up the futon with each passing swing.

Melissa blinked at the Delcatty in confusion. "Uh…"

"[Hmm? Oh, this?]" The Delcatty snickered, ripping out more of the futon's insides. "[Yeah, I decided to tear up Kiho's bed. Petty revenge and whatnot.]" She groaned. "[Only reason I attended this stupid party. Don't even want to be around my rowdy siblings.]" She glared at Melissa. "[Hint, hint.]"

"…" Catching the hint, Melissa rubbed her neck awkwardly. "Uh. Sorry for bothering you."

The Delcatty raised her brow. "[Why…did you speak in the western language?]"

Melissa sighed. "Long story."

"…" She frowned. "[I can't understand you very well. I'm still practicing.]" She tilted her head. "[Although, looking at you, you seem…different from the others.]"

"…" Melissa smiled with a shrug.

"…" She scratched her nape awkwardly. "[Ugh. This is getting weird. So, uh…name's Hibiki.]"

After a bit of comprehending, Melissa grinned. "[I am Momo.]"

"[Momo. Definitely haven't heard about you before.]" Hibiki sat down, tearing out more of the futon. "[So, what are you doing all the way up here? Was the bloodshed getting to you, too?]"

Melissa struggled to understand her, concluding to herself that Hibiki wasn't as versed in English as the rest of her family. Plus, with how young she looked, she may not know much about Marie's situation beyond the general basics.

"Uh. Actually, I don't want to bother you," Melissa insisted, backing away toward the door. "Sorry for disturbing you—" Melissa froze, spotting someone by the window from the corner of her eye. It was the Floragato from earlier, leering at her with endless cold. "Oh, uh…heh."

The Floragato furrowed her brow, as if studying the Buneary for flaws. Was it just instinct for a Takigawa to pick apart any and all weaknesses from each other? Was she sizing her up for a fight?

Hibiki sat up a bit. "[Oh. Hey, Midori. What are you doing here?]"

"…" The Floragato shrugged.

"[I'm guessing the party is getting too crazy for you, huh? Yeah, I don't blame you. I don't know why grown-ups like alcohol some much. That stuff tastes terrible.]" Hibiki gestured to Melissa. "[Have you met Big Sis Momo?]"

"…" Midori cast a less hostile glance at the Buneary.

Melissa smiled awkwardly. "[Hello.] Uh, it was…Midori, right? Nice to meet you, sister."

"…" Midori nodded.

"Uh…"

"[Big Sis Midori doesn't really talk]" Hibiki explained. "[She prefers to stay professional at all times.]" She rolled her eyes. "[One of the few Takigawa around here with a modicum of decency.]"

Melissa frowned. If I understood that right…oh boy, so I ran into the first couple of Takigawa that seem decent, and they either don't speak English very well or don't speak at all. Uuuuugh, this is just getting more and more complicated. How can I even have a conversation with these two?

Searching for anything to use as a conversation starter, she looked to the bedroom's wardrobe. She opened it, inspecting the neatly folded kimonos, uniforms, and cloaks. Hanging from a rack was a collection of eyepatches, each one with a different style or material. One was made of iron, one had a false red lens, one had a white 'X', and so on.

Hibiki tilted her head. "[Kiho's eyepatches. She likes collecting them. Accessorizing and whatnot.]"

Melissa glared. Kiho. They're throwing this party just to get back at their sister. According to Watora, they call her Kiho the Warlord because of her domineering attitude towards the rookies. Yeesh, I wonder if she's anything like Jet when he's training rookies. Oh, what am I saying? Jet isn't like any of these people.

Melissa grabbed a regular eyepatch. Glancing back at the girls briefly, she smiled to herself. She slipped the eyepatch over her left eye and turned around, stomping aggressively with her toughest expression.

"Rah! Rah! Grr! What are you lousy good-for-nothings doing in my house?! Respect your older sister! RAH!" She stomped louder and louder, baring her teeth.

Hibiki and Midori stared at her in bewilderment, sharing a look with each other. The first to crack was Midori, her cold façade slipping away as she covered her mouth trying to contain her laughter. Hibiki's cheeks soon puffed out, laughter spilling out of her.

"[I-I can barely understand you, but you s-sound exactly like Kiho]" Hibiki struggled to say through her wheezing. "[Th-The eyepatch is over the wrong eye, t-too.]"

Melissa smiled, glad to see she got a little laughter out of them. She hardened her expression again and stomped around the room. "Don't you know who I am? I am Kiho the Warlord! Respect my authority, rah! I'll kick your butts for this! A thousand laps around the town!" A part of her might be letting out some suppressed frustrations against Jet from her training days.

Still, even if they weren't rolling on the floor with laughter, Melissa was happy to see some sense of joy crawling over the girls' faces.

After parting ways with Hibiki and Midori, Melissa made her way back to the main room, seeing that it was destroyed even further in the half hour she was gone. She kept a look out for Shion and Sakura, feeling they were the most suspicious of her presence. With no sign of the two, she crept back into the party.

Come on, just need to look for someone who could be reasoned with.

She tried to ignore a nearby fight, but paused when she spotted something peculiar out of the corner of her eye. To her surprise, she spotted a Smeargle near where the latest commotion was taking place. She was dressed in a white kimono splattered with a lovely assortment of colors. Her ears were distinct, colored white rather than brown.

She had an easel and canvas set up in the center of the main room, peeking around periodically at the commotion happening in front of her. She seemed engrossed in her work, completely ignoring the other fights taking place around her.

Melissa inched closer to get a look at the canvas and noted the wonderful use of reds in the painting, like a swirling vortex joining in the center with a beautiful figure captured in its spiral. It was a bit too abstract for Melissa to get a general idea of what she was painting…

…until she looked at what she was referencing.

To her horror, the painting was of the bloody fight taking place before her, where a Cinccino was standing over a battered Persian. The Cinccino had blood splattered across his face, contrasting the innocent smile he wore. Melissa briefly caught a glimpse of the ice on his hands that steadily evaporated.

The Smeargle squinted. "[Yes. Yes. Kohaku, hold that pose. I am almost finished with capturing your soul in this piece!]"

The Cinccino tilted his head. "[Eh? I thought you just wanted me to fight him. What does this have to do with slaughtering?]"

"[This is slaughtering! What is better than capturing the moment of bloodshed in its immortal form? This is what fighting is! It's finding the inspiration to shape blood into beauty!]"

"[But why do I need to stand still? I can't kill anything if I'm just standing still.]"

Melissa shuddered. Something about the Cinccino unsettled her, the way he questioned his sister with such genuine confusion. It's basically the opposite of how Melissa would respond to killing, just with the same genuine attitude.

The Smeargle groaned. "[Just comply to my inspiration. I have been dry of good material for weeks, and I was hoping this party would bring out new creative blood. Now, stand still. Become immortalized in art!]"

"…" Kohaku tilted his head. "[I'm not following. Can I at least beat up someone else?]"

"[No! It'll ruin the piece if you fight another opponent. I need to capture this moment.]"

"[Then I don't see the point in standing still. Bye-Bye, Sister!]" Kohaku turned and skipped off, humming cheerily.

The Smeargle groaned and swatted her canvas off the easel, splattering the fresh coat of paint over the floor. "[Annnnnd I've lost it.]" Strangely, her ears turned from white to blue as she said this.

Melissa picked up the painting, flinching as the color smeared together from the landing. "Why did you ruin this? It looked really good." Despite the horrid scene you were depicting.

The Smeargle waved her off. "[Kohaku wouldn't continue being my muse, so I saw no point in continuing a worthless—]" She froze, then glared at the Buneary. "[Wait, why are you speaking in the westerner's tongue?]"

Melissa recognized the keywords and looked away. "Uh—"

But the Smeargle waved her off again. "[You know what? I don't care. I'm not interested. You bore me.]" She folded up her easel and walked away. "[Maybe I'll find better material in the kitchen. Someone's bound to get into a fight over some food.]"

"Uh…" Melissa frowned. "Nice to meet you, too?" She sighed, facepalming herself. Why is every Takigawa so difficult to talk to? It's like all they think about is killing. She glared. What did Marie's father do to all of them? This is unnatural. No one should be raised to kill. Everyone's getting into fights or…just unable to speak to each other like normal Pokémon.

"[This was the stupidest idea ever. Why did we agree to come here?]"

"[Ah, come on, Brother. Not so bad~.]"

"[Many restless souls in this house.]"

Melissa turned around, curiously spotting a trio of Pokémon sitting off to the side: an orange-leafed Leafeon, a dark red Flareon, and a Simipour. The Leafeon guzzled back a tankard of what was likely liquor based of his reddened face. The Flareon lay curled up on the floor, his ears matted down firmly, and the Simipour sat on a broken pile of furniture with her hands clasped in prayer.

The Leafeon lowered his tankard and laughed. "[You need to loosen up more, Daimu! We're here to chill, and you're being your usual grumpy self.]"

Daimu rolled his eyes. "[Kiho is going to be angry when she returns tomorrow.]"

"[She's always angry. We'll just play dumb like usual.]"

The Simipour opened one eye, noticing Melissa's staring, which made the Buneary jump a little. "[It appears we are being observed, dear brothers.]"

"[Eh? Wazzat?]" The Leafeon glared wobbly at the Buneary.

Melissa gulped, then waved at them. "[H-Hello?]"

She was surprised to get a jovial reaction back from the Leafeon, who cheerfully raised his tankard. "[Sister! Join us~! Always rooms for one more!]"

"[I disagree]" Daimu groaned.

"[Oh hush, you~!]"

Melissa breathed a small sigh of relief. Progress. Thank goodness.

"…So, let me get this straight: Father had you isolated after your exam so that you could learn the ways of West Virdis so you could better infiltrate them in a scheme to weaken the great powers of our enemy, and you insist on practicing your English to better adjust to your new environment when you eventually undertake your mission?"

"…" Melissa beamed awkwardly. "Yes, that is…definitely a real sounding explanation for why I've never been seen before."

Hayato squinted at her briefly, then burst with laughter. "Classic Dad! Always thinking up some wacky schemes!" He hooked his foreleg around the Buneary, splashing a bit of his drink over her kimono. "Well hey, you seem pretty cool! Welcome to the family and whatnot, Momo!"

"Uh…thank you. You three are surprisingly less…bloodthirsty."

Natsumi clasped her hands. "As children of Ho-Oh, we must remain forthright and dutiful to the Takigawa Clan. All shall eventually be turned to ash and reborn anew by the grace of the great phoenix."

"…Coooool." Melissa leaned closer to Hayato and whispered, "Are all three of you religious? I don't get that impression from everyone else."

Hayato waved it off. "Nah, it's just something Natsumi took up. We were kind of raised separately from the rest of the clan. Dad wanted us to work with each other, so we were raised together our entire lives."

Daimu huffed. "Being raised beside this idiot is a nightmare."

Hayato patted his head. "This grump just can't admit he loves us!"

"Shut up."

Melissa sighed. "You three are possibly the only Takigawa I've been able to have a…normal conversation with."

Natsumi ceased her prayer, folding her arms over her lap. "It is an expectation of the family. Father raised you to assimilate with the west, so it makes sense you would be put off by the clan's behavior."

Hayato laughed. "It's an expectation. After all, if you're too weak to serve the clan, no point in still breathing. So, you either show you're tough, or you can stand still and let your head explode open with a well-placed kick—" He immediately ducked his head as someone went flying over them, crashing through the wall. "Mostly from Shion, funnily enough."

Melissa frowned. "But is this really the best way to raise your—our family? I mean, I would never question Father's decisions, but this seems like it would just lessen our power."

Daimu cracked one eye open. "Don't take it personally. No one gets along with each other here. Whatever pleasantries Father taught you to trick the enemy don't apply in the clan. The only way to gain respect around here is through fear."

"That…seems horrible."

Hayato shrugged. "That's how Dad does it, and we're the most powerful clan in Great Gate. Hell, soon we'll be the most powerful in the region after Lady Amano takes over."

Melissa tilted her head. "Oh? How come?"

"You haven't heard? She has some big plan to wage war on the west. No different to what New Chariot did, but she plans to raze everything so that only the empire is left standing." He sipped his drink again. "Never really mentioned how. I mean, we are pretty strong, but most of us aren't—belch—bulletproof."

"And…you're looking forward to this?"

"Sure. Why not? I'm fine with doing whatever."

Natsumi nodded. "And I am honor bound to keep my brothers safe."

Daimu grunted. "I don't care either way."

"Hmm." Melissa scratched her head. "Well…off topic, but what can you tell me about Mar—Makiko?"

"Makiko, eh?" Hayato peered into his tankard. "Surprised she returned after so long. Other than that, we haven't been keeping up with the news."

"Figures." Melissa sighed, massaging her nape as she looked toward the party. "I was kind of hoping to have some fun at this party, but I don't feel very welcomed."

Hayato patted her back. "Nah, don't you worry about nothing. Everyone here is just a bunch of jerks. I say just enjoy the food and punch a few more holes through Kiho's house."

"Hmmm…" Melissa slouched over. "I guess…"

"[Go, go, go, go, go!]"

Gen the Cetitan charged across the room before leaping toward the wall, breaking it down with his immense size. The other Takigawa roared with laughter as more of the foundation came down over their heads. Gen rose from the pile, fists raised with a spirited roar of his own.

"[Alright!]" Sakura cheered. "[How about this time, you go out onto the street to get a running start and tear down the entire front of her house?]"

"[I bet twenty gul he flies into the backyard, too!]" a Takigawa exclaimed.

Ao laughed. "[I bet fifty the dumbass overshoots his jump and rips through the roof instead!]"

Anko clapped excitedly. "[Yes, yes! I must capture this moment! Nobody start yet! I need a new canvas!]" She dashed off.

Gen walked over a buffet table and grabbed a tankard of sake. "[Hah, that's nothing! I bet I can rip down half the house in one leap!]" He opened his giant maw, throwing back the tankard like he was taking a shot.

Amongst the commotion throughout the party, the Takigawa were left unaware of someone slithering under their noses. A wicked smile crossed the snout of this individual as a purple haze funneled out from behind his teeth.

Gen reached for another tankard, but it was swiped from his hand. "[Huh? Who stole my—]"

BAM!

The tankard flew out of his blind spot and bashed him in the eye, drenching it in stinging alcohol. "AAAAGH!" He stomped around in a fury, vigorously rubbing his eyes with his sleeve. "[Which one of you idiots threw that?!]"

"Yooooohoo~!"

Gen widened his good eye and turned toward the source of the call. His temper flew, recognizing the Buneary in the Takigawa uniform as she waved at him cheekily.

"[YOU!]" he growled.

Sakura paused. "[Momo?]"

"[What the…?]" Ao gasped. [Her again?]

Momo smiled evilly at the irate whale. "[Oh, my apologies. I was actually aiming for your other eye. Oh well, can't argue with the results.]"

The Cetitan marched up to her, fists clenched. "[You've got something to say, brat?]"

Momo smirked. "[That you're a peanut-brained, muscle-fueled jerk? Or that your breath smells? Phew, did you have too many drinks, or is that small brain of yours starting to fry because you learned to count to seventeen?]"

Gen growled, baring his teeth as a thick frost seeped out. "[You want to die or something? I've killed for less.]"

Momo laughed. "[I'm sure you have. It's normal for stupid children to throw tantrums—]"

SMASH!

Gen hammered his fist through the floor, utterly obliterating the wood. He glared upon lifting his fist, finding that his prey had disappeared. The rest of the Takigawa looked around in confusion, wondering where the Buneary vanished off to.

"[Wow. Just wow.]" Gen's eyes widened, sensing the Buneary was standing on his forearm and observing the damage. "[I'm gonna be honest, if that's the best you could do trying to kill me, I'm starting to see why this dilapidated house has been putting up a better fight than you.]"

"RAAAAHH!" Gen swung around, trying to grab the Buneary, but she hopped into the air, landing and clinging to the ceiling just by the soles of her feet. "[You're dead!]"

Momo smirked. "[After that sad performance, I would be dying of laughter by now—]"

Gen swung his fist again, tearing through the ceiling in one stroke. The foundation crumbled, bringing down part of the second floor and spilling out a very confused Hibiki and Midori.

"[What the hell?!]" Hibiki cried.

Midori latched her vine through the ceiling and caught Hibiki before they hit the ground, swinging them both onto a destroyed couch. By now, most of the party quieted and turned their attention to Gen, who was swinging his arms around in a mad rage.

Shion walked up behind Ao and asked, "[What's gotten into him all of a sudden? He doesn't usually get this mad until he's drunk, and I know he's not a lightweight.]"

Ao glared. "[That Buneary. Momo. She decided to pick a fight with him.]"

Kohaku popped up behind them, beaming ear-to-ear. "[Did someone say a fight? Aww, and no one thought to invite me? How rude!]" He pouted. "[I want to fight Momo, too! Where is she?]"

Gen searched out the entire room before spotting Momo sitting beside the Three Great Flames, all equally oblivious to the commotion. Gen snarled, leaning forward and getting ready to charge. "[Oh, you're so dead.]"

Sakura grinned. "[Oooh, this is getting good! Place your bets, people! We're either going to see splattered bunny guts or…ah, who am I kidding? My money's on Gen!]"

"[I'll put money on Momo]" Shion said. "[I want to see where this is going.]"

"[MOMO!]"

Melissa and the Three Great Flames jolted from their conversation, turning toward the irate Cetitan across the room. They only now just noticed the party quieted down significantly, and there seemed to be a crowd gathering behind the whale.

Melissa squinted. "Hey, isn't he the one from yesterday—"

"[YOU'RE DEAD!]" Gen kicked off the ground and made a mad dash toward her.

Melissa shrieked. "What did I do?!"

Hayato patted her back. "Well, whatever it is, not our problem." He then pushed her to the floor and immediately ran off with his siblings.

"Wha—"

"You got this, Momo!" Hayato cheered, the trio waving to her far, far away from the impending disaster zone.

"Don't die," Daimu half-heartedly cheered.

"May Ho-Oh give his blessing," Natsumi joined in.

"YOU THREE ARE JUST AS BAD AS YOUR FAMILY!" Melissa snapped. She sprung to her feet and immediately jumped out of the way as Gen rushed past her, crashing through the wall and tumbling into the lawn outside.

Cheers erupted behind Melissa as she backed away from the wreckage, all Takigawa gathering in a semicircle with drinks in hand and sadistic grins on their faces. They chanted Gen's and her (fake) name as the Cetitan emerged through the damaged wall, tearing out more of the wood. By now, the villa was groaning just trying to stay on its last legs, threatening to cave in on top of the entire party at any moment.

It amazed Melissa these highly trained killers didn't seem bothered by the impending doom of being crushed under a collapsing house, but that was the furthest thing from her mind now.

"H-Hang on a moment, what's this about?" Melissa asked, keeping her hands raised. She cursed herself for not bringing a weapon with her, only having her shield bracer hidden under her sleeve.

Gen snarled. "[You've got some nerve, runt. I'm going to squeeze your neck until your head pops off.]"

Melissa winced at his harsh tone. How badly did I offend him yesterday? Oh no, I've become so good at trash talking that I don't even know what I'm saying!

"RAAAAAHHHHHH!" With a roar that shook the crumbling house, Gen charged at the Buneary again.

Melissa skipped off her heels and launched herself over the crowd, narrowly avoiding a powerful punch that ripped through the floor. She hopped along the heads of other Takigawa, throwing herself to the other side of the room.

Gen opened his maw and unleashed a wail that visibly shook the air. "[Crackling Echo!]"

Melissa landed on Shion's head, much to the Sawsbuck's annoyance. "[Hey! I'm not a podium!]"

Melissa instinctively covered her ears as the soundwaves reached her, but realized they weren't hurting her. She hesitantly uncovered her ears, hearing a distinct crackling sound overpowering the vicious cheering. As the air temperature began to drop, her eyes widened as crystalline spears started forming midair.

Crap!

Melissa leapt off her perch as icy projectiles fired out of the air like bullets, ripping through the house trying to tag the speedy rabbit. She landed against a wall, tightening her leg muscles, and ricocheted around the main room at breakneck speeds.

Frantic Bunny Hop!

Hibiki gasped. "[She's fast!]"

Chiyumi staggered to the front of the crowd and kept track of Melissa's erratic movements. With her enhanced vision, she spotted the moments in-between the rabbit's jumps. "[She's like a spring supplying its own energy on top of the momentum she gains between jumps. She's steadily increasing her speed every time she jumps like that.]"

Kohaku grinned. "[I want in on this! Let me at her!]" He tried to run into the fight, but Ao grabbed him by the scruff and held him back. He pouted. "[Boooo…]"

Gen stumbled around trying to keep Melissa in his line of sight without letting up his attack. However, the longer he held the note, the weaker its power became as he started running out of breath. Eventually, he dropped the attack entirely and summoned up a steely aura around his body.

"[Crackling Hammer!]"

The moment Melissa bounced at him, he swung his fist and met her kick, stopping her in her tracks. Melissa felt the force of the impact shoot up her body, threatening to break her ankle. She went limp to the punch and sprung off, activating Endure as she smashed through a wall.

The crowd went wild, throwing drinks and food in celebration while Melissa pulled herself out of the rubble. She wiped a tiny bit of blood off her lip and glared at the Cetitan.

He's tough. If I keep fighting him like this, he'll do some serious damage. A thought crossed her mind, causing her to smirk. Welllll…I suppose there's no better time than now. She picked herself up, dusting off her shoulders. All that training with Tadhg is about to payoff. I've never done this in an actual combat setting, and experience is the key to success.

She took a deep breath before beckoning the whale forward. "Come at me!"

Gen growled. "[Die!]" He charged at her yet again, lunging across the air with his steely aura reapplied. "[Crackling Hammer!]"

Melissa crossed her arms and activated Endure. Gen slammed his fist down on her, but Melissa's energy shield sprung out from under her sleeve. Gen continuously hammered down on the Buneary, her shield increasing in strength with each punch. However, each blow sent her deeper and deeper into the floor.

"[Too scared to put up a fight, runt?!]" Gen roared, throwing down all his weight behind his punches. "[Was all that just talk?! I want to see you fight!]"

Melissa closed her eyes, ignoring the whale's shouts as she focused on her internal energy. She felt the force of Gen's punches slamming down on her, barely tanking them behind her shield. However, the force she felt didn't immediately disperse. Rather, it was circulating within her, gathering and concentrating toward her core.

Ever since the invasion on New Chariot, I've been practicing Faithless Imitation. Through Tadhg's experimental approach to technique research, I've pushed myself to find the theoretical limit of my Inherited Will. Originally, I could only utilize the moveset of a single individual at a time. But through Tadhg's help, we've found my limit. I can use two movesets at once.

Her muscles tightened as vibrant, purple energy crackled through her fur.

Using two different techniques at once is difficult, but I found a simpler way to use them. Instead of using two techniques at once…why not just combine them?

"RRAAAAAAHHHH!" Gen brought both hands together and slammed down on the energy shield, shattering it. However, just as he did, Melissa crouched down with energy blazing from her feet. "[Huh? What the?]"

I've always relied on others and their strength. Now, I'll take everything I've learned…and turn them into my own weapons.

Gen reared his fist back. "[I don't know what you're planning, but I'm not having it—]"

Hybrid Technique.

"GAAAHH!"

In a flash, Melissa raised her foot and dealt a devastating kick into Gen's stomach. Despite being several times her size, an explosive wave erupted from the kick, lifting the whale off the ground and knocking him through the ceiling in the blink of an eye. The resulting shockwave tore a gaping hole through the roof and decimated the floor, throwing back the crowd of Takigawa.

"[What the what?!]" Shion gasped.

"[That much power from a little bunny?!]" Sakura gasped.

Anko, who finally retrieved her easel, stared with stars bursting from her eyes. "[What…beautiful violence!]"

Melissa, with power churning through her other foot, kicked off the ground and launched herself after the airborne whale.

Combining Jason's Thunder Fairy Step with Eadwulf's Karmic Beast…

At the zenith of their flight, Melissa hovered over the stunned Cetitan, whose eyes were wide in confusion.

"[When…did I get in the air…?]"

Howling Thunder—

Melissa raised her foot, channeling the full scope of explosive energy circulating through her body, and hammered her heel down on Gen's face.

Wolf Rush Z-Burst!

Just as fast as she kicked him into the air, she sent Gen careening back down onto the villa. The Takigawa immediately vacated the home just after Melissa leapt after the Cetitan, making it out just in the nick of time before he crashed back through the roof.

A massive explosion rang out from the inside, tearing apart the foundation and ripping the exterior to shreds. Everyone covered their heads as wood and steel flew over them, scattering as far as the eye could see across town. Some were thrown away in the shockwaves, others clung to the ground and bracing themselves against the strong winds.

The air settled shortly after, dust clouding the area with little bits of wood still raining from the sky. Soon, the Takigawa rose, fanning the dust from their faces and gathering around the obliterated house to see the results of the fight.

Flattened within the crater that was once Kiho's house, Gen lay there with a bruised imprint of Melissa's foot plastered square in the face, sparking with lingering explosive energy. He twitched and groaned, his tough hide protecting him from the crash, but was unable to move.

The Takigawa stared at the fallen Cetitan in disbelief before looking up. Melissa safely descended from the sky on a cloud of darkness, spilling herself onto the street. She collapsed onto her hands, shaking as blood dripped from her nose.

So…tired…

The one downside to Hybrid Technique was her lack of experience with it. Managing two movesets worth of energy was exhausting. She will learn to better manage the energy flow in time as she had with its standard form, but that was the first time she used it for a fight.

Once she caught her breath, she stood up, wiping her nose. She froze, feeling dozens of stares on her person. She turned, shrinking under the intense gazes of the Takigawa Clan. She also looked to see what she did to the house, of which there was nothing left standing.

She gulped and raised her hands. "[Uh…sorry?]"

"…"

Before Melissa thought to escape, Hayato stepped out of the crowd. He cleared his throat. "[Ahem. Well, I think I can speak for everyone when I say…]"

Melissa flinched. This won't end well.

"[That? That right there? That was awesome.]"

Melissa's eyes widened as the Takigawa broke out into cheers and maniacal laughter, completely unfazed by Gen's swift defeat. Soon, she found herself surrounded by the clan, picking her up and raising her above their shoulders.

"[You totally wrecked Kiho's house! That was amazing!]" Sakura cackled.

"[We were going to do that at the end of the day, but you just used Gen as a living wrecking ball to do it instead!]" Shion laughed.

"[Oh, Kiho is going to be so pissed!]" Chiyumi laughed, barely able to hold herself up.

Melissa's ears flopped over her face in confusion, but she felt an odd sense of pride wash over her at their admiration. She laughed, awkwardly rubbing her nape. "Aw shucks. This is too much."

"[YOU!]" Melissa gasped as Anko suddenly leapt out of the crowd, grabbed her wrist, and pulled her back onto the ground. "[Yoooou…]"

Melissa yelped. "W-What?"

"…" Anko paced around her, inspecting her from different angles. "Hmmmmm…" She stopped in front of Melissa and raised her chin a smidge. Once the Smeargle finished her inspection, she moved back and slammed her easel down. "[My creative juices have been reinvigorated. You…You will be my muse.]"

"Uh—"

"[Hush! Talking will ruin the moment. I must paint this before that brilliant attack is lost to the abstract void of my erratic genius!]" Placing a canvas onto the easel, Anko grabbed her tail and began her painting.

"…" Melissa scratched her head awkwardly. "This is…This is a lot to take in."

Hayato hooked a foreleg around her and laughed. "Looks like you do know how to party!" He handed her an unopened bottle of sake. "I pulled this out of the wreck! Join us, Sister!"

Melissa flinched. "Oh…Oh no, I couldn't. I don't drink—"

"Oh, quit with the goody-goody act!" Shion yelled, stamping her hoof down. "This is a party, and we're going to party until the sunsets! Drink!"

"[Drink! Drink! Drink! Drink!]" the Takigawa chanted.

Melissa looked around nervously, cautiously taking the bottle from Hayato. "Uhhhh…well, I suppose it's alright." After inspecting the bottle and confirming it wasn't tampered with, she popped the cork open. She took a deep breath, hesitantly lifting the bottle to her lips, and took the most cautious of sips.

Later, at sunset…

Watora didn't know what he would walk in on when he arrived to pick up Melissa. He already had his wing on his sword, preparing to draw it if the worst came to pass. He was prepared for penance for daring to leave his charge alone with these savage creatures, unwilling to bear the thought of his incompetence despite her insistence.

Instead, somehow to his greater horror, he returned to find the entire villa demolished with the Takigawa partying atop the rubble. Almost the entire party appeared to be heavily intoxicated, dancing to the off-tune strums of a shamisen.

Among the partying Takigawa…was an equally intoxicated Melissa, dancing and spinning with a bottle in hand.

"…A-And then I said, you want a piece of me, you big ol'…j-jerk?" Melissa exclaimed, staggering about on the tips of her toes. "Wellllll, come and get me, you big ol' meanie! Imma teach you a thing or two about a…thing or two~!"

"You said it, Sister!" Shion laughed, stumbling over her hooves before falling on her face. "Why the sky look like garbage…?"

"Weeeee!" Melissa spun around and fell flat on her back, dropping her bottle. "Hehehehehehe…"

Watora approached cautiously. "[Lady Momo?]"

Of the few Takigawa that were still sober, Ao descended the junk pile and picked the intoxicated Buneary up. He approached Watora and deposited her into his wings. "[I'm assuming you're here to retrieve her.]"

"[Uh…yes, that's correct. Uh, pardon my asking, but what occurred here?]"

Ao smirked. "[Oh, this is nothing. Just a typical outing for us, nothing special.]" He tapped on Melissa's forehead. "[I don't think I've ever seen anyone in the family as strong as her. I know there's a lot of us, but still.]"

Watora grimaced. "[Uh, yes. Lord Takigawa made sure the Zennami Clan disciplined her thoroughly for her training. I should get her back to her villa so she can rest off tonight's festivities.]"

Ao waved it off. "[Yeah, yeah. Just make sure to remind her to stay clear of Kiho. She's going to be blowing steam when she sees this mess.]"

"[Noted. Thank you very much for looking out for her.]" Watora bowed, then went on his way.

Ao retrieved a discarded bottle off the ground, inspected it, and drank what little was left inside. He stumbled back toward the wrecked house, where Sakura was seen chilling in a nest of debris. She laughed drunkenly. "[That was fun! She really did a number of Gen! He's going to feel that in the morning!]"

"…" Ao glared down the road.

"[Eh? What's with you? Didn't like our new sister?]"

"[She was adequate company.]" Ao narrowed his eyes. Though, from the way she carries herself, she doesn't act anything like a Takigawa. Wonder why that is…

"You might have overdid it with the drinking, Lady Harlow," Watora reprimanded as he carried her away from the wrecked house.

Melissa giggled, wrapping her arms around his neck and excitedly kicking her feet. "They were fuuuunnnnn…"

"Well, I am glad you had a better time than I predicted. Were you successful in learning anything about your friend?"

"Naaaaah~! Maybe tomorrow. New friends to hang out with~!"

Watora sighed. "Maybe it's for the best you don't pursue this. Forgive me, Lady Harlow. I understand you hold Takigawa Makiko in high regards, but she…she has committed a great number of atrocities in the past. Take this as a sign to—"

"Watora…"

He looked down as her mood shifted, still visibly drunk. She gripped into the cloth under his armor, ears drooping over her eyes.

"They don't all seem so bad…"

"…" He frowned.

"Is it wrong…I feel bad for them?"

"…" Watora sighed. "We'll be back at the inn shortly, Lady Harlow. Try and get some sleep."

"…Thank you…"

Peering out from behind a building, a figure watched the duo as they took their leave from the party. He smirked, snickering to himself as a purple haze seeped through his teeth. He tucked his hands inside his pockets and walked away.

Looks like my plan went better than I expected. Now that I've got Melissa on their minds, I'm one step closer to rigging this entire Arceus-damned town into the perfect trap. Then all that's left is the main prize. This is going to be fun~.

Special Thanks for the Takigawa OC Submissions

Grimothy T. Reaper: Midori the Floragato
ReyTakashi: Ao the Shiny Zangoose
Akishyff: Shion the Sawsbuck
Taijitu Taikyokuzu: Sakura the Galarian Ponyta
Seabass: Hibiki the Delcatty
GiratinaEmpress: Kohaku the Cinccino
N1njo: Anko the Smeargle