7th Winter Moon, 908 – Osorekaku, Great Gate Empire

With the Zennami Clan maintaining a decent relationship with the Takigawa, Watora was able to gain access into the hometown with minimal effort. After passing the gate guard, he and Melissa made their way into town, the latter dressing in a cloak and concealing her face behind a bamboo hat.

Melissa wasn't familiar with the happenings of Great Gate's population, having never ventured this deep into East Virdis. Even her time in New Chariot was limited, only accustomed to the walls of their colosseum and its dungeon. However, it was clear to her that Osorekaku wasn't the prime example of Great Gate's best.

She sensed an immediate shift in the atmosphere the moment they passed through the town entrance, instantly feeling queasy by a vile feeling permeating from a chunk of its population. This feeling described as an innate bloodlust, as she was informed, could only come from a population devoted to death and hedonism.

She managed well enough, adapting to the uncomfortable sensation, and took her time to look around. The first thing she noticed was the significant number of Sneasel, specifically of the Hisuian variety. Of the wide array of Pokémon in town, it was mostly Sneasel she saw, and occasionally she would spot many Sneasler, a close second in comparison.

One other thing she noticed was the difference in attire. She saw many residents wearing robes, or rather kimono as she was informed, with the occasional accessories here and there. The other half of the population, however, wore form-fitting, dark blue uniforms with the emblem of three purple, crooked claw marks somewhere on the chest. Strangely, she noticed all the Sneasel and Sneasler wearing these uniforms. Aside from some degree of variation here and there, it was as if they were dressed as soldiers.

In fact, she recalled the guard who Watora spoke to wearing the same uniform.

She nudged Watora and whispered, "What's the deal with those in uniform? Are they the town guards?"

Watora narrowed his eyes. "Technically, yes. You will find the occasional officer and samurai in town, but those who protect the town are the founders themselves. The very clan that rules Osorekaku."

She grimaced. "So, everyone in that uniform is a Takigawa?"

"Yes."

"So…those rumors I heard weren't rumors. Every single Takigawa here came directly from the clan leader."

"Yes."

"That's…horrible. Impressive, I'll admit, but horrible." She grimaced as they passed by a group of Takigawa who were clearly children. "And he has them all trained to be killers?"

"From what I understand, they become official soldiers of the clan after completing their exam at age ten."

"Ten years old? That's terrible. Who in their right mind would send children out into a dangerous profession like that?"

Watora sighed. "Great Gate's history is a bit complicated. It's not terribly uncommon for the young to take up arms. We've had samurai who started as young as twelve years. Even the Zennami Clan trains its disciples from that age."

"Still, training this many children to become killers?"

"It wasn't uncommon either for duels to take place. Even the west had similar practices in its infancy." Watora shook his head. "The Takigawa Clan thrives on the old traditions and amplifies them a hundredfold. Takigawa Hidekage is perhaps a relic of our old values to its great extreme."

Melissa shuddered. "And Marie lived like this. I just can't imagine her being so coldblooded—eh?" Watora suddenly covered her eyes. "Eh? Watora, what are you doing?"

He coughed awkwardly. "N-Nothing."

"Watora, put your wing down—" She shoved his wing out of her face, then froze.

A Hisuian Sneasel walked out of a tavern of sorts with two flirtatious Buneary wrapped around his arms. They giggled at something he said, running their hands across his chest as he led them away.

"…" Melissa deadpanned. "On second thought, I can definitely imagine Marie living like this."

Watora sighed. "Do not be surprised if you see a few dozen Buneary bearing the Takigawa's emblem. If you want to survive in Osorekaku, getting on a Takigawa's good side is the first step."

"Lovely." Melissa rubbed her temples as she continued to follow Watora. "How can one clan be so bloodthirsty, yet indulge in so much hedonism?"

"Contrary to what some believe, the Takigawa aren't completely emotionless. Most just lack empathy. It's often beaten out of them before their final exam."

"Ah, beaten out of them. Even better," she mumbled sarcastically.

"Just stay by my side, and try not to get involved with anything you see. It's best to just let things play out as is."

"Like how—" The duo froze at the sound of a commotion nearby.

Facing toward it, they saw a Gabite curled up on the ground as a Weavile aggressively stomped on him. The Weavile was a Takigawa based on her uniform, though it had some quirks to it. It bared a dark purple arrow looping around the shoulder and down to her left side. Her crest of feathers, meanwhile, were flattened down to her nape with a purple, arrow-shaped highlight running through the center. Her eyes were a striking purple, too. Standing nearby were a few Sneasel, two Hisuian and one Johtonian.

"[Are you trying to rip me off or something?!]" the Weavile snapped. "[I know for a fact that garbage you cooked wasn't ten gul!]"

"[L-Lady Chiyumi, please! We can remake the meal for you!]" the Gabite pleaded.

"[Huuuuuh?! You mean burn it again?!]" She stomped on him harder. "[What? Too scared I'll lose my patience?! Is that it?!]"

Watora sighed. "See what I mean? Best we just keep on—" He looked over his shoulder, then gasped as Melissa had disappeared. He whipped his head around and shrieked as she walked up to the angry Weavile. "Lady Harlow, no!"

Melissa stopped in front of the Weavile and cleared her throat. "Uh, hi. Excuse me?"

Chiyumi stopped stomping on the poor Gabite and scowled. "[Eh?! What do you want? And why are you speaking in the west's tongue?!]"

"…" Melissa realized in that moment she didn't think this through, but decided to ride it out. "Ahem. I was hoping you could stop stomping on that poor man."

Chiyumi clenched her teeth. "[Excuse me?!]" She hooked a claw under the Buneary's chin. "Do you know who you're addressing?"

"Oh, you do speak English—"

"I am Takigawa Chiyumi, the Speed Slayer! You want to fight? Huh?!"

"[You tell her, Big Sis!]" her entourage of Sneasel cheered.

"…" Melissa calmly lowered the Weavile's arm. "Uh, I was hoping we could talk this out like civilized folk. What seems to be the problem?"

"Problem?!" She pointed at the cowering Gabite. "This idiot burned my food and tried to cover it up by pouring salt over it! Burnt, salty garbage, he gave me! Do I look like someone who likes overly salty, burnt food?! DO I?!"

"Uh—"

"Then he had the nerve to charge me for it! Ten gul for that shit! HUH!"

"[P-Please don't hurt me]" the Gabite whimpered.

Chiyumi jabbed Melissa in the chest. "And who are you to get in the middle of my business?"

"Uhhhhhhh…" Melissa looked around nervously. "I am…Takigawa Momo?" She smiled awkwardly.

Chiyumi narrowed her eyes, making the poor Buneary shy away and consider her escape options. However, before she could hop for her life, Chiyumi groaned and pinched between her eyes. "[Ugh, every day I'm meeting a new family member, I swear.]"

Melissa sighed. Thank goodness.

"Answer the question. Why are you speaking in the west's tongue?"

Melissa laughed. "Oh, that? Uh, Father wants me to eventually infiltrate the west to, uh…assassinate their high-ranking nobleman to cause unrest and destabilization. So, I am, uh…" She sighed dramatically, putting a hand to her forehead. "I am shamefully defiling our beautiful language by practicing their accursed language in day-to-day activity."

Chiyumi sighed, patting her on the shoulder. "Your sacrifice will be recognized."

Melissa gestured to the cowering Gabite. "I do believe you've punished this poor fellow enough. If you're hungry, I could treat you to lunch."

Chiyumi raised her brow. "You are weirdly polite, you know that?"

Melissa laughed. "Oh, don't confuse my kindness." She smirked wickedly. "I can be quite mischievous. Why, just recently, I spotted some lowlifes besmirching the Takigawa name, so I tricked them into stepping into a pit trap. I'm thinking of letting them out in about…three to four days? If I remember."

Chiyumi smirked. "Ooh, you're that kind of Takigawa. I like you." She shrugged. "Very well. I'll let you treat us. Isn't that right, sisters?"

The three Sneasel raised their fists. "[Yeah!]"

Melissa gestured ahead. "Lead the way." Chiyumi and her sisters marched on ahead. Right as Melissa started to follow them, Watora joined her side with a wry smirk.

"Based off our first interaction, I never would have guessed you were the manipulative type."

Melissa giggled. "You find the right words, even the most bloodthirsty of kind acts can sway the wicked. Well, mostly. I was just making it up as I go." She laughed awkwardly. "A…reoccurring element to my life, really."

Watora crossed his wings. "Though, how do you intend to pay for their meals? The gul Ms. Mochizuki gave you wasn't meant to be handed out."

"Eh…" Melissa awkwardly lifted a few coin pouches. "I…think I'll manage."

"[Hey, you took my money!]"

"[Hand it over, jerk!]"

Watora glanced over his shoulder as three to four Takigawa suddenly got into a scuffle, beating each other to the ground. He sighed. "[The angels hide the most wicked of deeds.]"

Meanwhile, in Kumonohana-to…

Regina felt like she was wasting her time.

Days of reconnaissance within the Sakamoto villa have led to a single-minded pursuit regarding the secrets hidden within the clan matriarch's puzzle of a writing desk. Further tampering with the desk led to no progress given the brief window of opportunity she had to slip away, lest she be discovered by the villa's residents and even have her ruse uncovered.

Because of this, she requested aid from Katsu, who pointed her in the direction of his informant friend. It took some time, but Gunji was able to find a lead regarding the craftsman responsible for the desk's construction. Supposedly, there was a preset combination on the desk when he made it, and Sakamoto was reportedly uninterested in changing it to a number only she knew. The craftsman, by some miracle, had the original combination on file.

…That was where her luck ended.

Sitting over the dining table of her room, Regina dragged her hands through her fur in frustration. "That old coot picked the worst time to be eating his lunch! WHY?!"

As it turned out, the craftsman had a list of combinations pertaining to the secret desks constructed the month Sakamoto's was built, and he just so happened to be eating his lunch over the document. And it just so happened to spill over the document and stained the half that had the names. And it JUST SO HAPPENED the old man forgot who's combination corresponded to whose!

"Can't I get a break for once?!" Regina snapped, slamming her fists down. She snorted flames before covering her face, taking a deep breath. "Okay, okay. Calm down. I have the list, at least. I have the combinations. The…thirty-digit combinations with the super complex sequences I have to input the combination in with. Allllllll…twenty-five of them."

She screamed into her hands.

"Why did so many people need writing desks with secret compartments that are inconvenient to access?! I hate this place so much!"

She took a breath (for real, this time) and leaned back on her hands to think over the plan. Rethinking the first time she messed with the desk's hidden dials, she estimated she could input three at a time before she needed to vacate Sakamoto's room without being discovered. It was just a matter of picking her moments.

She was strongly reconsidering breaking the desk open, regardless of the possible traps inside, but thought against it. Not only would she have the elite guard on her tail, but it may jeopardize the mission if Katsu was discovered. Though he wasn't technically a wanted criminal in Great Gate, he was on the Takigawa Clan's hit list, and they weren't too far away to run on over for a friendly game of 'Kick-the-Accelgor's-Ass.'

She groaned. "I have my lunch plans with Rimi tomorrow, and Katsu is still doing whatever. What to do until then…?"

Patience wasn't a virtue well-practiced by Regina, sadly. She picked herself up and marched to her wardrobe to pick out an outfit.

"Screw it! I'm exploring the city!"

Royal Palace

"[Good to see you again, Rento! Right this way.]"

The guards opened the palace gates, allowing Katsu and the old Masquerain accompanying him through. They walked down the stone walkway leading toward the palace as the gates closed behind them. Katsu adjusted his hood, peering around as palace guards roamed the massive courtyard, one that could fill dozens of homes. Large trees grew in their own designated plots of land with gardened cutting loose or old branches off and attending to the trimming.

Halfway down the walkway, the Masquerain nodded at Katsu. "[This is as far as I'm willing to take you.]"

Katsu bowed. "[Thank you for vouching for me, Rento.]"

"[Just please don't cause any trouble. If anyone catches you snooping, I'll be the one in trouble, too.]"

"[I understand. I'll be discreet.]"

"[Tch. You better. Whatever you find here, it better be worth it.]" With that, the Masquerain fluttered off to meet with members of his old unit, as per his cover story.

Katsu pulled his hood down before advancing deeper into the courtyard. First phase of the plan went off smoothly. Now, he just needed to blend in with the palace staff without drawing unnecessary attention to himself. Since he was invited in, and he wasn't making a big show of concealing himself, the guards shouldn't bother him barring suspicion.

It seemed like an easily exploitable security risk seeing as he did mean harm to the emperor, but no one dared to cross paths with the elite guard while they were in the capital. Save for the absolutely delusional who manage to sneak past security, most were smart enough to keep their distance. It created the illusion of security while being somewhat lax with entry. Plus, since Katsu didn't have a known criminal record in the east (again, barring his reputation with the Takigawa), the guards didn't think twice about letting him through with another's permission.

Furthering his trek through the courtyard, Katsu kept an ear out as he passed by patrolling guards. There was a lot of chatter going about regarding recent events.

"[So, it's true?]" a Heracross guard asked his partner. "[Takigawa Makiko will be executed on the day of Lady Amano's ascension?]"

The Excadrill guard nodded. "[They're planning to make a big show over it or something. Lady Amano really wants the people to know who will be taking over. A little under a few weeks from now.]"

"[That soon? Time really flies. What do the Takigawa think of this?]"

Excadrill shuddered. "[Have you seen what they do in that town of theirs?]"

"[Eh, fair enough. I rather not get involved with any of that. It's bad enough we have one crawling around here.]"

"[Don't say that out loud. That one gives me the chills. Not even being a Steel-Type will spare you from her venom.]"

Katsu kept on walking as the guards continued their rounds. He recalled the announcement regarding Takigawa Makiko's recent capture. Rumor was that she was responsible for Emperor Nero's death in the empire, too. It was celebrated as a victory for the empire, especially after eluding her clan for so long. He was curious what drew her to return home.

Gunji mentioned something about the Mochizuki Clan staging an attack on Lady Amano's ascension ceremony. He never found out what their end goal was. It couldn't be just to assassinate her or something.

…Right?

Katsu shook his head. [Too many conspiracies for my liking. Just need to gather intel on Emperor Amano and find out the truth.] Making sure he was unobserved, he dashed ahead, vanishing behind some bushes.

Osorekaku-machi

Melissa smiled awkwardly from across the table, watching as Chiyumi and her sisters tore into a platter of meat with table manners only seen from a hungry Hedwig. In contrast, Watora ate a more portioned meal, though Melissa wondered how he was able to wield chopsticks with his wing.

I wonder what that's like. Being born without fingers. She flexed her hand awkwardly.

Chiyumi, after ripping a bite out of her skewer, pointed at the Buneary and asked, "So, why are you hanging out with a member of the Zennami Clan in the first place?"

Melissa waved it off. "I've decided to brush up on my swordsmanship, so I figured the Zennami Clan would suffice."

"Tch. The swordsmen of our clan would be far more suitable teachers."

Melissa smirked. "Ah, but Father always said to earn favor with our allies. That's how we stay in power, right?"

Chiyumi scoffed. "Whatever." She went back to ripping her skewer apart.

Watora glanced at Melissa. "You are awfully good at this," he whispered.

She giggled. "I had a lot of practice." Melissa's expression turned serious. She leaned forward on the table and said, "So, since I just got back recently, I wanted to know more about the news."

Chiyumi tossed her skewer over her shoulder, ignoring the poor waiter who screamed something about their eye. "Tch. So much happens around here, I can't be bothered to keep track. What are you talking about?"

"I heard about our sister's capture."

"…" Chiyumi leaned on her elbows and rested her chin atop her claws. "Ah, you mean about Makiko." She scoffed. "As if we needed the elite guard to clean up our mess. I could've easily captured her."

"[Considering the number of siblings you lost—]" Watora mumbled.

Chiyumi scowled. "[Watch it, Zennami. We don't treat guests hospitably if they get on our bad side.]"

"[My apologies.]"

Melissa cleared her throat. "Right, so…it's true, then. Mar—er, Makiko was captured. Do you know where she's being held?"

"Tch. How should I know?" the Weavile grunted. "None of my damn business." She picked lazily at her ear. "Besides, after the thrashing they gave her, it's a miracle she's still alive. I'm surprised Shizuka didn't kill her."

Melissa glared. Shizuka. Come to think of it, I distinctly recall that Hisuian Sneasel back when I was in New Chariot's colosseum. She nearly intervened during that Exploud's jailbreak. I think she was called Takigawa, so that might've been her.

"Why her, specifically?"

Chiyumi laughed. "Please, there isn't a Takigawa here who wouldn't want Makiko dead. She was a menace. The pride and joy of Father, they called her. Anyone who tried to pick a fight with her was thoroughly defeated or slain on the spot. Plus, she's a filthy traitor. I don't particularly care why, but any excuse for a manhunt against the favorite child." She glared off to the side. "Shizuka, however, probably has us beat in that area. Makes sense given they're twins."

Everyone here is only half-related to each other, only connected by the head of the clan, Melissa surmised. It makes sense some of the Takigawa would share two parents. So, that girl was Marie's twin sister.

"I wouldn't say those two were close. The Three Great Flames are warmer and cuddlier with each other than those two, but they were a strong pair. But ever since Makiko betrayed us, Shizuka's been looking for a fight. She even volunteered for Father's recent experiment." Chiyumi frowned. "Honestly, I think the lot of us are more afraid of her than we were of Makiko."

"Why's that?" Watora chirped in. It made more sense for him to ask than Melissa, he guessed, seeing as she was playing the part of a Takigawa.

"On top of her being an elite guard, that experiment made her unapproachable. Literally. She's a walking blight. Anything she touches gets contaminated by a deadly poison produced in her system. Her fur, sweat, spit, everything. She's living poison. There's a few Takigawa here that have their own deadly concoctions of poison, but hers is potent enough to harm Steel and Poison-Types."

Watora glared. "That's…concerning."

"I heard there is an antidote for it, especially if whoever she beats the stuffing out of needs to be kept alive. It's just not something used often." Chiyumi pressed her cheek against her knuckles. "Point is, that girl has a huge chip on her shoulder. Tch. Kind of pathetic. Getting all worked up over a traitor."

Melissa frowned. "But she's family."

Chiyumi laughed bitterly. "Family? What side of the Takigawa Clan are you from? The only reason any of us would act pleasant around each other is to maintain order. That crap about family just gets in the way. If a Takigawa dies, Father will just have some new ones bred in their place."

Melissa tried to contain her disgust. Ugh. This man's views on women are archaic at best…

Melissa glanced at Chiyumi's sisters as they continued devouring their lunch. She said, "You four seem to get along with each other."

Chiyumi shrugged. "That's because I'm their leader. We have so many Sneasel running around that Father put me in charge of ten as my own personal strike force." She jumped up onto the table and struck a pose. "That's why I am the renowned Speed Slayer of the Takigawa Clan! Anyone who tries to escape my sights will be swiftly and efficiently dealt with!"

"…" Melissa frowned. "But they're still your sisters."

Chiyumi dropped back into her seat. "They're replaceable."

"How can any good leader treat their team as replaceable?"

Chiyumi waved her off. "Look Momo, you can keep your weird antics or whatever to yourself. Speaking in the westerner's tongue just to humor you is already a chore. I'll stick to what I know best."

"…" Melissa narrowed her eyes. They can't all be this bad. Right?

"But hey, if you're so interested in being chummy with these jerks, we are throwing a party to celebrate Makiko's capture tomorrow," Chiyumi mentioned. "Just about the only time you can get these idiots to cooperate: sake and food."

"A party, huh?" Melissa rubbed her chin.

Watora narrowed his eyes. "Uh…Lady Momo? We should focus on the reason we came here, not—" Melissa held her hand up, giving him a subtle wink. "Hmmm…"

Melissa waved her hand around. "Eh…I suppose I could attend. Where's the party at?"

Chiyumi smirked. "We're having it at Kiho's place. She gets back from the Forest Survival Exams literally the day after, so we're going to trash her house to rile her up."

"…Funny?" Melissa mumbled unsurely.

Chiyumi frowned. "Oh come on, how can you not crack a smile at that?" She rolled her eyes. "That arrogant cow thinks she's so much better just because she's one of Father's older children. After the crap she put us through when she took over the forest exams—" She paused. "Wait, did you have Kiho as your instructor?"

Melissa beamed. "Ooohhhh, now it's coming back to me!" She laughed heartily. "Well, when you put it like that, we're going to absolutely trash her stuff!"

"Now you're getting it!" Chiyumi picked up her tankard and guzzled her liquor down.

Watora nudged Melissa's shoulder and whispered, "You do understand you just invited yourself into a den filled with more Takigawa, right?"

Melissa whispered, "Look, if this party is being thrown to celebrate Marie's capture, at least one of them has to have some details we could use. Besides, I'll have you as back up."

"My humblest apologies for my unwarranted remark against you, Lady Momo, but this is a terrible plan."

"Heh, yeah. Ask my friends back home, and they'll say the same thing—"

"AGH!"

Their party lifted their gazes as a shape flew across the tavern, slamming into the wall. It was another Hisuian Sneasel, only this one had an unusual coloration with a luster in his fur. As he lay on the floor in a daze, a beast of a Cetitan covered in scars marched up to the Takigawa with a scowl.

"[Seriously? You still can't take a punch, Ouki?]" he growled. "[Even after all of Father's private lessons, you're still a weakling. How did you even survive the exams?]"

Ouki, the Shiny Sneasel, pressed his back against the wall and wiped some blood off his lip. He scowled. "[Go die in a hole, Gen.]"

The land whale grabbed him by his feather and lifted him into the air. "[Why the rudeness? I'm the one looking out for you, little brother. You should be grateful, otherwise you would've been crushed a long time ago. How can you call yourself a Takigawa if you don't have the instinct to fight? Tch. I bet even your corpse wouldn't serve much use—]"

Ouki grabbed the whale's arm and chomped down on it.

"AAAGH!" He swung his arm and threw Ouki off, smashing him through a table. Gen massaged the bite mark and scowled at the Sneasel. "[Oh, now you've done it, you little runt. Trying to fight back, huh?]"

Before Gen could grab Ouki again, Melissa got up from her seat and stood between them, standing protectively over Ouki. She met Gen's glare with one of her own.

Watora groaned. "[Not again…]"

Chiyumi sipped from her tankard in amusement. "[This ought to be good.]"

Gen snorted, a mere puff from his nostrils blowing back Melissa's fur. "[And who are you?]"

"Takigawa Momo," she grumbled. "Now, I suggest you just walk away from this."

"[Tch. You dare speak to me in the westerner's tongue?]"

Even Melissa predicted what his response was going to be, so she doubled down. "My apologies, I just couldn't think of a better way to insult you than using an inferior language."

A tense atmosphere hung between the two, neither wavering in their stances or glares. Melissa had one hand on her multitool, grasping the bladeless hilt, while Gen glowered over her with his muscles twitching with power. To the patrons and Takigawa observing, it was clear who had the advantage just from size alone.

Everyone…except Gen.

The heightened bloodlust in air could be felt by all Takigawa, yet he sensed something off about Momo. Or rather, he couldn't sense anything at all. There wasn't an ounce of bloodlust leaking out of the Buneary, even with such a firm and practiced stance. He never met a Takigawa who could conceal so much bloodlust. Even their Lord Father, whose bloodlust eclipsed all theirs combined, couldn't fully conceal his own before an altercation.

Most warriors demonstrated even a little bloodlust before battle, almost an instinct to survive a fight.

Gen could tell she was a fighter by her stance alone, but…not an ounce of bloodlust?

Her aura felt still. Relaxed. Strange, even.

"…" Gen grunted and eased up, deciding not to test his luck. For all he knew, this was some new experiment of his father's to completely mask a Takigawa's bloodlust. How he hadn't heard about this is beyond him. "[Whatever.]" He stepped around Melissa and exited the tavern.

Melissa breathed a sigh of relief and let go of her multitool. Thank goodness. She looked down at Ouki and smiled. "Hey. Are you okay?"

"…" Ouki frowned in confusion, especially as this strange Buneary held her hand out to lift him.

Why…did a Takigawa save him?

Why was a Takigawa helping him off the ground without so much as a snide remark?

Why was a Takigawa smiling at with such radiant compassion?

[How hard did I hit my head?]

Kumonohana-to

Regina strolled through the market grounds of the capital, a bustling festival of stalls and lanterns strewn over the walkway. She jingled the coins in her pouch, unsure what to spend them on. Not that she had an intended destination. She just needed something to distract her from her frustrating mission.

She grunted. What's there even to buy here? Food? Trinkets? She glanced at a nearby stall and saw a rack of swords on display. This empire really likes swords. Eh, my battle claws work well enough.

Arms folded inside her sleeves, she thought back to her time in House von Elmnou, a life of luxury and elitism. Everything she could ever want served to her, privileges the lower classes could only dream of, and a promised life without worry. She was destined to live an enriching life, the life she deserved.

How far had she fallen? Walking among the common people? The only sense of joy she received recently was faking her way into the good graces of the Sakamoto Clan, reliving those moments of luxury.

Perhaps a part of her was worried that, once the ruse was over, she wouldn't get it back. What was there left for her after this? She only went along with Katsu's plan because she had nothing else going on in her life. What else was there after they exposed the emperor's secrets? Was there golden opportunity waiting for her at the end of the road, or…was this it?

She had to learn a lot just to get by as a commoner, and she hated it. The only skills she had was a basic understanding of alchemy that she improved via necessity. She bathed herself in rivers, had to take up odd jobs like bounty hunting just to get a decent meal, had to lie and cheat just to give herself the slightest edge, and…

And she always had to rely on Katsu for everything.

Regina narrowed her eyes. I was born into a family of liars and cheaters. My Uncle Meriwether was the only person who treated me with kindness. Sometimes I wish he was…he was my only family. She grimaced. Did he live a bumpkin lifestyle because he didn't want any part of our family—

BOP!

"Agh!" Regina felt something ping off her head, which bounced off her shoulder and landed in her hand. She looked down and saw it was a deformed peach. "Eh?"

"[Oh dear, I am so sorry about that!]" Regina turned around as a Scrafty approached her. Swaddled into a carrier on her back was a baby Pansear, who giggled mischievously. "[My son got his hands on one of our peaches. He likes to throw things.]" The Scrafty bowed. "[I am sorry.]"

"…" Regina scrunched her face awkwardly. "Uh…hello."

The Scrafty lifted her head in confusion. "[Oh. Are you a traveler? You are not from around here, yes?]"

Regina scratched her nape unsurely. Dammit. I'm blanking on words here. I…think she said sorry or something.

The baby Pansear giggled, reaching down to snatch another peach from his mother's basket. She promptly pulled the basket out of his reach. "[That's enough out of you, young man.]" The Scrafty took a peach from her basket and handed it to Regina. "[A gift. Sorry again.]"

Regina lifted her coin pouch, pointing at it awkwardly. "Uh, you want me to pay for a new one or…?"

The Scrafty smirked. She grabbed Regina's arm and dropped the peach in her hand. "[Take it. I insist.]"

"…" Regina stared at it, inspecting it like it could've been poisoned, before taking a bite. Her face lit up as a punch of flavor erupted in her mouth. "Mmmm!"

The Scrafty smiled. "[Good, isn't it?]" She bowed. "[I am Himura Honoka. This is my son, Ryousuke.]"

"Gah!" Ryousuke blurted.

Regina scratched her cheek. "Uh…Regina. Regina von Elmnou." She winced. Ah crap! I used my real name without thinking!

"[Regina, huh? Definitely not from around here.]" Honoka smirked. "[You don't see many westerners around here. How did you even get into the capital?]"

Regina shifted her eyes fearfully. Crap, crap! Is she suspicious or something?!

However, Honoka waved it off. "[Not my problem. You seem friendly enough. Still, for a westerner to be this deep in the capital, it would raise concerns if anyone found out. Someone like you would gather unwanted attention.]"

Oooookay, she doesn't sound like she means harm. Unless she's lulling me into a false sense of security. Regina wasn't one to take kind to pleasantries, especially with the environment she was raised in. There had to be some catch to this complete stranger's pleasant behavior. Was it outlawed for those from the west to even be in Great Gate? Then again, she shouldn't have gotten past Osorekaku, so that alone might be a red flag.

Honoka sighed. "[Try and stay out of trouble.]" She smirked, pointing at a stall that was selling fabrics. "[I recommend that one over there if you're looking to buy. I'll bet you haven't seen anything like our fabrics back where you're from. Say goodbye, Ryousuke!]"

"Gah!" Ryousuke cheered. Honoka giggled as she walked off, leaving the perplexed Zangoose behind.

"…Ooookay, that happened," she muttered. She glanced at the fabric stall again and pondered. Yeesh, with the way Katsu talks about his time in Great Gate, I expected everyone to be a little more cutthroat. That was…a weirdly pleasant, if not confusing interaction.

Inspecting her coin pouch again, Regina shrugged and decided to fancy herself to some fabrics, hoping one would fit her standards. Even uncover, she had to look her best.

"[Thank you again for your assistance, Emperor Amano. I am impressed by your elite guard's efficiency.]"

Regularly, Hidekage would make appearances in Osorekaku to conduct business with the emperor himself. Being such a beloved member of Great Gate's high society, Hidekage could go wherever he pleased without resistance. His presence alone often scared away the most brazen of guards who asked for identification. His own bloodlust would suffice.

Hidekage and Orochi strolled through the palace garden, walking through a pathway of trees with white petals scattered across the path. The branches were almost completely bare of their petals in preparation for the winter.

Orochi hissed. "[How can I not assist my dearest friend? Why, your needs take precedence over all else. Well, except for anything regarding my lovely Riko~!]"

Hidekage snickered. "[She will make a fine empress in the coming weeks. She will undoubtably rule Great Gate with an iron fist. Under her rule, the entirety of Virdis will swear allegiance to the empire, assuming things go well with our partner.]"

Unbeknownst to the duo, another lingered within the pathway, hidden among the trees as silently as they could muster. Katsu kept out of sight, keeping his aura steady to mask any trace of his presence from the Sneasler. Just being this close was enough to spike a person's anxiety, but Katsu mustered the depths of his stealth training to remain invisible to the assassin lord's keen senses.

Orochi groaned. "[A shame we won't have access to his secret project yet. Apparently, the two prototype bands are being reserved for some other matters. But once we get the rest of the set, Riko will be in charge of one…provided the ceremony goes well.]"

"[He and his council will be attending?]"

"[A gesture of goodwill. I want Last Autumn to see what Riko is capable of. She will straighten out the weaknesses of this region and get it back on track.]"

Katsu narrowed his eyes. [Last Autumn.]

"[A fine empress of the region. She may appear unassuming, but her private training has made her a force of nature befitting of the Takigawa Clan.]" Hidekage smirked. "[That…reminds me. I was quite impressed with Himura Hanzo's abilities.]"

Orochi laughed. "[Oh yes, Himura is a fine captain of my elite guard. Lord and Lady Himura raised an exceptional talent, befitting to take over as head of his clan.]"

"[I will have to speak with the former Lord Himura and give him my praise. He will be head of security, correct? I shall have the finest of the Takigawa Clan under his command.]"

"[Oh, most excellent, my friend!]" Orochi stopped a moment, tapping his chin with the tip of his tail. "[I do feel bad for the young man. Having to watch his former teammate being executed during the ceremony.]"

Katsu glared. [The news regarding Takigawa Makiko. So, she really is being executed.]

"[She made her choice, and she must pay for the consequences]" Hidekage assured. "[Problematic elements need to be removed to ensure a pristine future.]" His usual sinister glee turned serious, glaring at the Seviper. "[Much like how you should've disposed of your other prisoner years ago.]"

Katsu's eyes widened. [Other prisoner?]

Orochi looked away unsurely. "[I…hold great value in that one.]"

"[You value a man rotting away in a cell. How noble.]"

"[Look, it's not easy for me either, but I enjoyed his company for a time. I…just rather he'd die of old age than a blade to the throat.]"

"[That sounds worse.]"

"[You are not one to lecture me on what is or isn't torture.]"

"[Hmm, true—]" Hidekage paused, turning himself around to glare at the trees.

Nothing.

"Hmmmm…"

Orochi tilted his head. "[Is something wrong?]"

"…" Hidekage smiled. "[Thought I saw something. Must've been my imagination. Now then, I haven't had the pleasure of telling you about my latest batch of children. I have big plans for these…]" The two carried along on their walk.

Katsu had barely dodged Hidekage's line of sight, unintentionally letting some of his emotion slip through his silent presence. He managed to flatten himself behind a tree in the nick of time, and he didn't sense any bloodlust directed at him. Somehow, even by the skin of his nonexistent teeth, he remained unknown.

[What was that about?] Katsu wondered. [What criminal would Orochi need to keep locked away, yet refuse to execute?]

Osorekaku-machi

Ouki sat awkwardly at the table, clutching a tankard of sake and grunting at how nosily Chiyumi and her sisters were guzzling theirs down. The four of them were absolutely wasted, requesting more and more until it knocked them out cold. The sight repulsed him.

"[No dignity from that one]" he grumbled. He glared across the table, where Takigawa Momo and Zennani Watora sat. He glared specifically at the Buneary. "[You…] You are practicing the western language to eventually infiltrate and blend in with them?"

Melissa shrugged. "I've improved quite nicely."

Ouki groaned. "I don't know why Father insists on us mastering the languages of the inferior lands. It is a waste." He sipped from his tankard and sighed. "What's your deal?"

"I…don't follow."

"Why did you help me? What do you want from me? Do you need someone to pick on, and you just didn't want Gen to bruise me up first?"

Melissa frowned. "Don't say that. It just seemed like a losing battle, so I had to step in."

"Tch. You should know that failure is a sin in this family. I could've beaten down that jerk no problem. He thinks he's so tough because he was blessed with powerful muscles." He growled. "[It makes me angry.]"

Watora frowned. "I do not follow. Why do they pick on you specifically—"

Chiyumi slammed her tankard down and laughed. "You kidding? Ouki here shouldn't even be alive! He was born to be a failure!"

Melissa frowned. "That's a little mean."

Chiyumi smirked. "You don't get it, Momo. Ouki isn't like the rest of the Sneasel who are just afterthoughts from Father's experiments. Because he was born a shiny, Father wanted to see if he could do something with it. But there's a weird quirk with the blood trait he inherited from Father. All the experiments done on his body were rejected."

Watora's eyes widened. "You mean his body rejected the augmentations attempted on him?"

Chiyumi grinned. "It's the weirdest thing! It's like it was supercharged to reject anything done to him as a survival mechanism. The problem is this also applies to the natural boosts we get from it." She cackled, slapping Ouki on the back. "The only thing he's good for is taking a punch!"

Ouki growled and swung his tankard at her, but she stopped it with one hand.

"Oh please, I can spot and catch arrows out of the air," she teased. She pushed his arm away and pointed at her eyes. "Unlike this guy, I actually have something useful. My mom's side of the family has good reaction time. I can control how fast I process information, hence why I am known as—"

"The Speed Slayer, we know," Ouki groaned. "Good grief, you killed one Electrode that was too fast for the rest of us to catch, and now you parade that name around like you're a goddess or something."

"Because it's true~!"

"[You tell him, Big Sis~!]" Chiyumi's drunken sisters cheered.

Melissa laughed awkwardly. "Fuuuun." She smiled at Ouki. "Still, I'm sure you have some amazing qualities that make you…well, amazing."

"Tch." Ouki sipped from his tankard again. "There's nothing special about me. I just stand out in a crowd from the rest of the Sneasel. The only reason Father hasn't rejected me was because I did the best in the second portion of our exam, so I got out of needing to fight my other siblings. Other that, I'm a killer who can't kill anything."

"That doesn't sound like a bad thing—" Melissa caught herself, remembering where she was, and cleared her throat. "Uh, what I mean…is that there's so many other things someone like you could do. You just need to find what you're best at."

"I'm decent at hand-to-hand combat. That's it. I'm not smart like Gaku, I'm not powerful like Takato, I'm not skilled like Shizuka, I'm not special like Chougo…" He groaned, slumping his head into his arms. "I'm just Ouki. Just Ouki."

Melissa smiled. "Come on, there's no reason to think so poorly of yourself. I mean, even if you're not the strongest Takigawa, you can still be the best Ouki. You can't just spend your whole life thinking you're the weak link of the pack. If you want to be recognized, maybe try taking on new opportunities as they present themselves."

"…" He raised a brow unsurely. "Like what?"

"Well, not all of us are bloodthirsty killers who only find entertainment from killing. You could be an advisor for the Sneasel. Or you could try taking up a craft. Maybe become a weaponsmith! After all, you don't want to bully the guy who makes your weapons, right? Or maybe you can study and become a great tactician?"

Watora nudged her and whispered, "Forgive me, my lady, but maybe try not to give the Takigawa advice on how to be more efficient at killing."

"Heh, sorry," she whispered back. "Lost in the moment."

"…" Ouki crossed his arms over the table. "I…haven't been doing well at combat training, I guess. Maybe I could try learning to make weapons or something."

"Say it with more confidence!" Melissa exclaimed. "You just need to put yourself out there! I guarantee, opportunity will come your way, and I know that the Takigawa will praise you as one of the best for it!"

"…" He sighed. "I'll think it over. Thanks, Momo. You're…kind of nice."

"Ah, thanks—"

"It's kind of creepy."

"…" Melissa smiled blankly at the table. Oh my Arceus, these people are completely starved of love and affection.

Chiyumi groaned obnoxiously. "I say he's wasting his time, but better than being the resident failure~!"

"[Yeeeeah!]" her sisters exclaimed, red-faced and giggly.

Ouki grimaced. "You're drunk."

"I'm the queen of the…" The Weavile faceplanted into the table, snoring loudly.

Melissa sighed in relief. Thank goodness, I was starting to run out of stolen money.