Chapter 22

Ultimatums And Accords

The conference room grew stiff and quiet as the two Pokémon standing by the double doors slowly walked further in.

"Take a seat, please," Empoleon suggested with a flipper. "We have much to discuss, and not much time, I'm afraid."

Gallade swallowed his apprehension, the advice and encouragement of the Allfather coming back to him. He nudged a nervous Heliolisk and sent him reassurance via a nod. They then sat down as requested, opposite to the Council members that knew very well who they were. They only needed to win over two Pokemon today; Mayor Empoleon, and Kommo-o, High Elder of the dragons in the Mountain Region.

Kommo-o was the first to speak up, glaring at the pair. "Let us get things straight. Our meeting today is to amend the grave mistakes the Allfather has committed recently."

Gallade already had an inkling of what they were referring to, the two of them well aware of the alliance gone awry.

Empoleon frowned. "… Have you heard of the protests in the Grit Region?"

"Riots," Kommo-o immediately spat. "Our shipment of beneficial supplies to the region was diverted due to an unexpected drought, and now portions of the populace there have decided to revolt!"

Gallade found it difficult to sympathize with the Council, Heliolisk more so. A world where Pokémon went a day without eating or drinking was far from what they desired of a life. But sadly, they could draw many comparisons back to home. No matter how much a society strived for perfection, it could never be obtained - but that would change.

Empoleon continued. "While we are working to manage the situation peacefully, these bandits that have been appearing recently have become… a much bigger issue than expected."

"From attacking our mining caravans to forcing entire villages to assist their foolishness and halt our efforts!" Kommo-o hollered.

The three other leaders of varying importance began to chime in one by one with their grievances on the matter.

"This conflict affects all of the regions, including my port's requested shipment of ore!"

"Ambassadors from all the other continents think we are showing weakness or hesitation!"

"We cannot have this stain on the Council's reputation! How are we going to tell the public that…"

Their shouts tapered off after a flipper from Empoleon was raised. "I'm sure these two have heard enough about the conflict, as that is not the real matter of this meeting."

Gallade bit the bullet. "The Allfather has informed us of the situation, and we fully understand the issue at hand - our dealings with the Rose Clan."

Through the silence, Heliolisk felt the need to speak up, but Empoleon would beat him to the punch.

"Am I correct in saying these 'dealings' were shipments of rifles, Entercards, and other supplies? That was the official statement I was personally given, which we… unwillingly accepted to preserve the relationship - our mistake."

Gallade reluctantly nodded. "... Yes. My partner and I were chosen to conduct meetings in both Elysium and Empyrean City with representatives from the Rose Clan. After we would reach an agreement, the dealings were done in remote parts of the Grit Region. We would often train groups of their Pokemon on how to properly utilize the Entercards under orders," he said almost shamefully.

"And the Rose Clan provided their efforts in stifling the rise of the Razor Claw clan, along with stopping their leaders from conducting another fiasco like the Eden Theater's premiere, correct?"

"That was the Allfather's intention of our alliance, yes," Gallade confirmed. "The Razor Claw clan has shown itself to target the Alignment specifically on multiple occasions. To protect our ambassadors from the threat of danger again, and to protect the relationship and interests we have built with Celestic. We… thought this was a preferable way than getting the Council involved."

There was not a word said as the Council members digested his statement. Gallade could only silently hope the Allfather had given him the right message to send. Heliolisk was gripping the table, mouth twitching in concealed anger.

Empoleon let loose a sigh. "... Many years ago, I was the first to acknowledge the Alignment's desperate attempts to barter a deal between the Council. Now, the few of us that knew eventually accepted the offer-"

"Under great scrutiny," Kommo-o interrupted.

"Under great scrutiny," Empoleon corrected. "And under oath to safeguard the Alignment's homeland and security of its Pokemon, we would be given new technologies, such as rifles, and additionally other forms of information." Pride leaked into his voice. "The Eden Theater was a grand collaboration of our relationship, and a massive leap forward for Celestic and the world."

Gallade nodded. "We understand, Mayor Empoleon. The Allfather has and will always be grateful of you offering Empyrean City's plot of land to us."

"It was a pleasure of mine… But right now, you must know that through your dealings with the Rose Clan, you have contributed to the destabilization of the Grit Region and by extension, Celestic."

Kommo-o leaned across the table, "Those rifles and other supplies you handed off to these mercenaries? A large percentage of it is being funneled into these bandit groups in exchange for assisting them in taking over portions of the region!"

Empoleon straightened his tie, locking eyes with Gallade. "If the Allfather hasn't already ended the alliance with the Rose Clan, then he must do so immediately if we are to still cooperate with the Alignment. I do not wish to do so, but this situation leaves us with no choice."

Four sets of flinty eyes, excluding Empoleon's, would land on the pair. Gallade bowed his head, heart pounding in shared shame of their actions in confirming the transactions with the mercenaries. Neither of them wanted to do it, but orders were orders, and he knew the Allfather only did this to help them find the light at the end.

Glancing over at his partner, the quiet seething on his face made him bring his head back up. "After our last transaction, all ties were cut between us and the Rose Clan. To be entirely transparent, we warned them of their involvements with the desert nomads and the occupation of buried ruins."

Empoleon tilted his head at this claim. "Ruins, you say? Just the other day, we were given an inquiry by a group of miners in the Grit Region that a buried fortress they uncovered was forcibly taken over the Rose Clan - Regi Castle… I believe it was once called?"

Kommo-o harrumphed. "That's not all those scoundrels captured! Legendaries from across the world were enraged to see that a shrine belonging to Landorus was taken over! All of this mayhem stems from the Alignment's actions!"

Gallade grimaced at the old dragon's claims, knowing that all the blame couldn't be placed on their shoulders. But something else irked him - these ruins the Rose Clan were taking over. If it was anything like the Allfather warned, then it only spelled ruin for everyone.

Thankfully, Empoleon was there to alleviate Kommo-o's comments.

"Hopefully these unfortunate events can be put to rest once the protests settle and we are able to negotiate an offer with the bandits."

"Negotiate?!" Kommo-o sputtered, slamming a fist onto the table. "Why should we mop up their actions?! The Alignment needs to pay for this! We shouldn't-"

"SHUT UP!"

The outburst from Heliolisk caught everyone's attention, the Electric-type standing up from his chair to continue his rant.

"You think we wanted to trade with them?!" Heliolisk yelled. "None of us wanted to do it! But we were ordered to trade with and train those… those devils! None of them cared or respected our cause! And neither do any of you!"

Gallade lightly kicked Heliolisk under the table, glaring sternly at him in an effort to halt the Pokemon's diatribe. The action would prove futile, however, as more vitriol began to spill from his lips.

"All of you only care about your profits and reputations!" Heliolisk pointed a claw at an astonished Kommo-o. "If you want to blame someone, then blame the Allfather for starting this to begin with! It's-" He stumbled over his next words, becoming aware of the tirade he just unleashed.

The Electric-type slowly sat down, bringing his head to greet the table as the others digested his words.

Gallade was rightfully embarrassed, shifting around in his seat. "I am very sorry about the actions of my partner. If you desire, we will take our leave and…"

Empoleon waved a flipper, sighing. "That isn't needed, as I believe this meeting is already concluded. While I wish for no bad blood between us, I somewhat agree with Kommo-o that the Alignment must assist us with cleaning this mess - immediately - that is our ultimatum here."

Gallade nodded, breathing a sigh of relief. "Very well. We will relay this information back to the Allfather." He cast a glance over at Heliolisk, who emanated a mixture of shame and lingering anger.

"Make sure he gets the message loud and clear," Kommo-o grumbled. "There is already so much on our plate as is!"

The same could be said for the two partners.

A knock upon the double doors would steal Empoleon's attention. "... I see that is all the time we have. Our next meeting will have to be scheduled after we solve matters in the Grit Region. We will wait for the Allfather's approach in anticipation."

Gallade and Heliolisk took this as their exit, standing up and making their way over to the double doors just as it unlocked and opened to a sizable amount of returning leaders. They quietly slinked past, none seeming to notice the leaving Pokemon. Retracing their steps through the grand building, they were searched by the guards one last time before being able to leave with their thoughts intact.

But they weren't out of the clear just yet.

The bustling square outside the main hall was chock full of Pokémon and prying eyes - unfit for their Entercard placement. The alleyways would prove more than effective at shrouding their activity time after time. On the downside, it gave them the illusion of being mere criminals that hid in the dark, and stirred unforgettable memories of their childhood experience back home.

Heliolisk stepped over an assortment of trash in his path, head hanging low as he swallowed his shame. "Sorry… about my outburst there."

Gallade said nothing as he marched past, an air of irritation trailing him as he went further into the alley.

"... Hey! I said I was sorry, okay!"

Gallade whirled around. "Are you? Do you know what you just did? You made a mockery of us back there! Sorry isn't going to cut it when the Allfather hears of this incident."

The Electric-type's face paled. "You're not seriously going to-"

"I'm not going to mention your comment about him. Regardless of the shame you may have brought on our name, I am always looking out for you." He sighed, letting go of his frustration. "You just… You just need to understand our position in all of this, okay?"

Alongside the commander, they were some of the only Pokemon trusted to interact directly with the Allfather - a great honor to Gallade, but a lukewarm offer for Heliolisk. Their loyalty was further tested after Simisage's unprompted retirement as ambassador following the Eden Theater's premiere - an accord was created.

From conducting deals with the Rose Clan to attending meetings with the Council, it felt like they were being trained to become official advisors or ambassadors, and Gallade was all for it.

"I'd gladly accept our position if it was the previous Allfather, but all we've been doing is trying to be all buddy-buddy with this government up here, instead of focusing on what's really important," Heliolisk shot back.

Gallade scoffed, continuing on his way. "It's a lot more complicated than that. The Allfather is making it easy for us to find the path to paradise, and it just so happens to have some detours along the way. We keep chipping away at our goals until we find salvation."

Heliolisk rolled his eyes at the Pokemon's choice of language. "You've read too many of those mystery novels in the archives." He returned to following. "I've never seen what we're actually looking for, but we know they're out there."

"Indeed. But it takes time to unearth such mysteries and locations. Be patient, my friend."

"Tch, sure."

Entering an even more discreet location amongst the twisting alleyways, the veil of darkness proved suitable for their exit. A quick scan of their immediate surroundings would give them the all clear as Heliolisk dug into his saddlebag and took out a card-like device, tinkering with it. His partner kept watch, making sure no Pokemon could catch a glimpse of them.

"You agree with some of what I said back there, right? Working with those mercenaries wasn't our fault; it wasn't what we all wanted…"

Gallade sharply inhaled. "... I never said I agreed with it. But I believe it was a necessary evil to help us destroy an evil - that's what the Allfather told us, remember?"

Heliolisk shook his head, nodding. "Sure…"

The Psychic-type would never say it outright to his superiors, but he didn't wish to agree with that sentiment. If the Council was correct, and their actions have led directly to more suffering, then what was the point of this all if it never benefited their goals? What reason did the Allfather have for continuing to support a relationship with the groups above ground?

Something else that Heliolisk blurted out during his rant against the Council members irked him.

"Entercard's ready. Maybe we can ask Magearna to make us some grub after we relay this to the Allfather, eh?"

"Sounds good…" Gallade said, his mind still distracted.

'Devil' - a word occasionally used by passionate Alignment followers to describe a non believer. But he was stumped as to why Heliolisk would use such terminology.

----------------------------------------

"And after we left the meeting, we went straight back to deliver the Council's wishes to the Allfather."

Weavile nodded her head to Gallade's summarization of events, cracking a grin. "Is that so? Ain't any other juicy details you want to give us? I mean, this Council news is big, but I want to know more, like what's this castle thing the Rose Clan took over?"

"Nothing specific was discussed, and we had nothing to discuss as we left," he said matter-of-factly. "Our meeting was only about dealing with the mercenaries."

Gallade knew the admission of a few crucial details would possibly throw the two off - it had to.

"Sure..."

After the ambush and swift defeat of the mysterious pair, Gallade and Heliolisk were brought to the decayed church's walls, their saddlebags taken, their limbs bond by tight rope - a useless measure to the average Pokemon, but it wasn't like they would be kept out of the mercenary captains' sight.

Bisharp emerged from the crumbling doorway. "Skarmory's going back to our little hideout to gather more flyers for transport. Until then, we can continue with our little interrogation."

Weavile's smirk grew larger. "Excellent. Now…" She raised an eyebrow at the fuming glare Heliolisk was sending her way. "Bishy, you seeing the look this little coward is giving me?"

"Heh, all bark and no bite on this one, Weav's. Only took one punch to get him to start crying and begging." His stinging words caused Heliolisk's head to droop as Gallade scowled at their attackers.

"What more do you mercenaries want from us?! A ransom? A bribe?"

"Information," Weavile said. "We've heard, seen, and spoken to a lot of your ugly kin over the years - me especially - but I think I want to hear it straight from the Ponyta's mouth, y'know?"

Gallade hadn't the faintest clue of what the crazy Weavile was demanding from them, but neither of them were in any position to deny their questions. He would just have to deny them anything that would assist them in getting what they wanted, whatever it was.

"First question!" Weavile announced almost eagerly. "What is the Alignment?"

"... We are a religious organization that believes in betterment, prosperity, and the ideal that all Pokemon should live in a paradise, of which there are no faults or evil witnessed."

The Ice-type whistled, shooting Bisharp a smirk. "Sounds pretty lofty, eh, Bishy? Out on the beach, sunny sky, drink in claw, nothin' to worry about?"

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"Sounds more like retirement to me, Weav's."

Weavile returned her gaze back to the tied up Pokemon. "You sure your little group isn't a cult? This whole 'betterment' of Pokemon and 'paradise' sounds like one big scheme to get new followers in my eyes."

Gallade wiggled around in his bindings, enraged at her false claims. "Your words do nothing but slander our name! Never once have we preyed upon innocents, and only criminals like yourselves have done exactly that at the Eden Theater!"

"... Oh, I'm sure you haven't," she replied in heavy sarcasm, masking her own anger. "But answer me this; why would a religious organization fund other mercenaries to fight their rivals?"

Her question left Gallade silent, the Pokemon nearly asking himself the same question. He didn't have a response or counter, and Weavile took that as her smoking gun.

"Gotcha there, I see. You take the honors of the second question, Bishy."

The Bisharp would do just that, kneeling in front of the pair. "Who's the Allfather?"

Gallade was slowly figuring out what they were attempting to do, but he couldn't hold off any answers, not yet.

"... The Allfather is our leader and chosen prophet by the Allmother. He is the sole Pokemon that guides us to victory and a better tomorrow."

Weavile rolled her eyes, looking at a slumped over Heliolisk. "You say that, but this runt here said that he didn't trust the Allfather anymore. Got a bit of division in your dinky religion, huh?"

Gallade said nothing, not wanting to comment on his partner's growing disdain for their beloved leader.

Bisharp crossed his arms. "Must be if you're so scared of telling us information that'll put you two in the gallows back home. What kind of religion that wishes for peace, sunshine, and all that junk does something like that?"

Yet another question Gallade could not truthfully answer - it was a reality that pained him greatly.

"Third question!" Weavile declared. "I've heard different accounts from many of you, but who's this Allmother chick? Is she just the queen to a ki-"

"Do not disrespect her name!" Heliolisk suddenly spoke up, his shame replaced with anger. "She is our true guidance. Arceus was not the original one - she was! She is all knowing, all powerful, and is a true god that speaks directly to every Allfather, giving them the knowledge to assist us and-"

"Uhuh, I'm sure she does," Weavile interrupted, scratching her chin. "But forget all of that fake religious mumbo jumbo." Her apathetic expression then morphed into one of seriousness. "I want to know about someone else in your ranks - a commander."

Gallade and Heliolisk exchanged looks of shock, wondering just how she would know of this safely guarded information. But they understood now that the Weavile knew far more than what she was letting on.

"Didn't think I'd know about that, did ya?" she said smugly.

Gallade growled. "You ask us these inane questions when you already know the answers? What is your reason for all of this? You've attacked our brothers and sisters before, then our ambassador, and now this! What is it you're after?!" he demanded.

Weavile's claws tightened as she looked dead into his eyes. "I'm looking for someone… a commander of yours."

"Who… and why?"

She laughed darkly. "That's for me to know, and for your Allfather to deliver to my doorstep - he'll know for sure who I am. As long as he continues to ignore me and hire my rivals to stop me, we'll always be that thorn in his side that won't go away."

Bisharp stood, back at full height. "Revenge may be what Weav's desires, but I know there's something more sinister at play with your group. Secrets you don't want anyone to know, and an entire continent littered with your actions and footsteps."

Gallade shook his head. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

Weavile clenched her claws, glaring hard at him. "Don't even think about bullshiting us here. We know - we know that the Alignment, the Rose Clan, the guild, and everyone else is looking for something. Something so big that it could change Celest- no, the entire world if it was found."

Bisharp nodded. "We know of the ruins at the Criss-Cross Creek. We know your group was there once looking for something. There's nothing you can hide from us that we won't eventually find..."

Not another word was said by the pair.

Weavile took this silence as an opportunity to pick up a card-like object she had confiscated from the outside - an Entercard. She displayed it for them to see, smugness visible on her features as she flicked its metallic frame with a claw. A laugh bubbled out of her as she watched their expressions morph.

"So secretive that you use these things to travel without a trail, eh? Well, I know these Entercards have exact coordinates that me and Bishy can ride that'll lead straight to where you came from." She threw Bisharp a smile. "Think these coordinates lead back to home? Maybe we can stop and pay a visit…"

Horror washed across the pair's face after realizing they left their Entercard outside. However, Gallade was there to prevent anything from happening, an aggressive look on his face as he leaned in to catch their ears.

"If you ride that Entercard… you will never come back, you hear me?" he warned.

The two captains' shared a look, instantly recognizing the tone in the Psychic-type's voice that indicated it was not a bluff at all. Weavile would drop the Entercard into her personal saddlebag, Gallade keenly watching to see what exact pouch it was in. But before the captains' could formulate a response, a multitude of soaring shadows visible through the church's open roof caught their attention.

"Backup's here," Bisharp said, walking towards the entrance. "You get those two ready; they're valuable cargo, so don't scratch them up, will ya?"

"Valuable my ass," she retorted as he left, staring at the angry pair again. "But sadly he's right. If one of my clients did want you fools kidnapped, then you just have to be."

This was news to Gallade and Heliolisk, but before they could truly discuss this, Weavile forcibly pulled on the ropes constricting their arms, pushing them.

"Don't make this hard on us and we won't make it as hard on you, 'kay?" She lightly shoved them again. "Now get walkin'."

Exiting the desecrated church, Gallade and Heliolisk slowly stumbled across the dusty trails of the town they once directed business in. At the end of the faded road were numerous grizzled looking Flying-types, none of which gave them any hope of when they would ever return home, if at all.

"One of you goes over to Swellow; the other goes over to Honchkrow," Weavile commanded, then raising her voice. "Bishy! Where we takin' these sad sacks of flesh to?"

"There's some abandoned dungeon from Celestic's ole monarchy days that our scouts found! Bisharp yelled back, assisting the mysterious duo in climbing aboard their chosen flier. "We'll take 'em there for tonight!"

"Good enough for me."

Once Gallade and Heliolisk were secure, the two captains jumped on their respective fliers and gave everyone the all clear to start flying. Dozens of Pokemon took to the cloudless skies above, forming a pack of defenders as they took off in the opposite direction in which they came.

But unbeknownst to the mercenaries, another Pokemon that saw all the events below transpire from a birds eye view would flee the scene. It wore a breastplate across its scaly black and blue chest, a rose painted on it.

Hydreigon shot through the air like a rocket in her effort to return back to base, her scouting efforts unneeded as another team of Flying-types were now following the Razor Claw's escort. Princess Serperior needed to hear of these new revelations.

Flying past endless dunes and rocky plateaus, a massive Pokemon created pit drew Hydreigon in. The sandstone fortress that was the Regi Castle was a sight to behold. It was kept well preserved in the sand throughout the ages, its sturdy fortress walls and spiraling towers were perfect for the Rose Clan's base of operations. Drifting towards the balcony of the tallest tower, a roll of washed out red carpet guarded by more breastplate wearing Pokemon invited Hydreigon into the castle itself. Lit torches placed on the sandy walls illuminated the small chamber in an orange glow. Hovering past more stationed guards, her path was promptly blocked by a floating shield - Aegislash.

"Stand by - her highness' orders," it proclaimed in a ghostly pitch.

Hydreigon gnashed her jaws and flailed her arms in frustration at the shield's gall, but ultimately followed its orders and remained still, all of her heads staring ahead.

A throne of perfectly maintained red and gold trim lie ahead at the end of the rolled out carpet, clearly something brought to the fortress instead of renovated. Coiled around its royal seat was the serpent-like body of Serperior, daintily sipping down a cup of piping hot tea. A crown of pure gold rested on her head, a bed of thorns and small roses wrapped around its shiny outside.

"My, I just had a wonderful chat with the bandit leaders!" Serperior uttered, smiling warmly at Hydreigon. "And now a brave knight of mine returns with more news? Marvelous!"

Aegislash floated away from the carpet and joined up with a Roserade beside the throne, allowing Hydreigon to come closer to her princess and bow her three heads in submission.

"Mmm, rise. Roserade, will you be a dear and hear Knight Hydreigon's findings?"

"Of course, your highness," she replied, striding over to the dragon in question.

Roserade listened closely to the gravely whispers and grunts that Hydreigon released into her eardrums. When all relevant information was gathered, Hydreigon broke away and flew out of the tower's entrance. Roserade returned back to her post alongside the throne room and stopped to whisper the information into Serpererior's invisible ears.

"... Oh my!... Really? We'll have to do that!... Perfect, darling!"

Untwining herself down from her majestic throne, Serperior extended a vine to grab her cup of tea as she slithered across the red carpet with a massive grin on her scaly face. Emerging into the harsh daylight, she looked down from her balcony and consumed her tea with much more enthusiasm.

Her plan had failed yet succeeded in ways she didn't imagine happening. While using two of her squires as bait to lure Weavile and Bisharp to an ambush site for capture was her original plan, the sudden appearance of her two dealers was a plot twist she did not foresee coming. But once her loyal warriors found out where the dungeon that would hold the pair was located, she knew she could capture all four of them in one fell swoop.

It was a perfect idea that only her wit could devise.

She had already expertly drained the Alignment of all the resources it would send her way, and was given the necessary information to locate this relic of a bygone era she missed so dearly. It was child's play to take over control of it after the work of unearthing it was mostly finished. However, it wasn't all done, and there was still work needed to be finished before they could find what they were after.

Gazing downward, she watched all of her mercenaries hard at work, digging up large amounts of sand, or blasting rock that got in their way of progress. It put a smile on her face to see that many Pokemon assist her in realizing her dream of conquest and sovereignty. Another sip of her tea, another smile that tugged at her lips.

If what the old geezer said was true, then what lay below this castle could change everything.

----------------------------------------

Monferno crossed his arms behind his neck, trying to get comfortable on the creaky wooden bunks they were given. Everyone in the guild was meant to share one in a single confined room with one window, which most undoubtedly would spell disaster, but it wasn't like any of them were in the greatest of moods.

Today was the day all of them were expected to choose; whether to stay with the guild, or to leave and hang up their scarves.

All of them were agitated or even disturbed by their Guildmaster's ultimatum, and Monferno couldn't even get a straight answer out of Braixen of whether she would stay or not. Their team's chance of survival was hanging by a thread, and it angered him beyond measure.

'Stupid Guildmaster…'

While the other guild members were relaxing in their beds and chit chatting over recent events, the eccentric Excadrill from yesterday had taken the time to hand everyone a business card. Apparently, the Pokemon found it an appropriate time to advertise his work at a time like this, but the majority of them would be tossed away.

Looking over at the room's doorway, the primate caught a glimpse of Team Requiem conversing with Excadrill, the mole handing Liam a business card before waving goodbye and walking down the halls. The two partners would share both a glance and a shrug, eventually retreating into the halls.

Something about those two always bugged him, and he couldn't quite pinpoint it. He had helped them join only a year ago, and in that time they have excelled far beyond what he and Braixen have ever done. Even their stoic Guildmaster had taken a shine to the Riolu, despite there being nothing remarkable about him to Monferno.

'What's so damn special about you, Mr Personality? Braix doesn't even get that kind of recognition…'

Spotting his lifelong friend and ally sitting on a bunk opposite to his, she had her head buried into a pillow, clearly awake yet numb. He bit his tongue, wanting to go over and say something to her. He wished Braixen would just tell him her choice so the weight of his own decision could be lifted off his shoulders.

In an attempt to shut out his thoughts, he listened in on the conversation the rest of the guild was having - obviously led by Rockruff's instigation.

"Is everyone really going to leave?!" Rockruff yipped, jumping up and down on his bunk. "But then who would be left in the guild?"

Leafeon sighed. "I hate to say it, but what the Guildmaster wants us to do is insane. Fighting merecenaries? And not just that; the Council isn't going to approve of this action…"

"You think they'd shut down the guild or arrest us?!" Rockruff asked incredulously. "I'd have to try and find my clan again if that happened!"

"Maybe, maybe not." She shrugged, exhaling again. "I don't know… it's just… difficult for me to say goodbye after so long."

"But we can take them down, right? We've taken down Pokemon after Pokemon in Mystery Dungeons, so why can't we do the same to them?"

"They're mercenaries, man!" Mightyena countered, hanging both paws off his bunk's edge. "I bet you they have rifles that'll kill you in an instant! Like how that one team in the guild's past… y'know."

The Dark-type's comments drudged up memories of the Team Hydra incident , igniting fear and worry of that possibly happening again if they stayed.

"Mreow~ My team can't possibly risk a gruesome demise like that!" Purrloin hissed.

Staravia flapped his wings in a panic. "Me a-and Joltik agree! T-this is too much for us to go through with!"

As agreement poured in from the majority of the guild members present, Monferno found himself at a crossroads. If he stayed, he would have to fight against actual mercenaries. On the other hand, if he left, he would have to return home. Neither option felt preferable, but he had to decide by the end of the day.

Rockruff hopped off his bed and sprinted towards Leafeon and Shaymin's bunk. The Legendary was currently packing up any belongings of her taken off the carriages, anger present on her face.

"Shaymin! Can't your Legendary pals swoop in to help us?" the Rock-type suggested. "What we're looking for is the Legendaries research of the past, so shouldn't they care about us finding it?"

Shaymin halted her progress, rolling her eyes. "I told you blokes already. None of us knew about some old dungeon research from way back when, and I sure as hell didn't." She snorted. "Not like any of 'em would help any of ya. They're all self centered bastards…"

"Can't you just ask them?"

"No. And even if I could, I wouldn't, because they only help what suits them, not us."

Rockruff tilted his head. "Us? But aren't you a Legendary too? Surely you've got some sort of connection or friendshi-"

"Shut it!", she hissed, slamming a paw onto her cot. "I'm not talkin' to any of 'em, and I don't need to hear your stupid plan!"

Rockruff recoiled at her tone, rubbing the floorboards with a paw. "S-sorry… I just wanted to know since, y'know, Legendaries are supposed to lead us and be an example-"

"And I'm also sick of hearing you blabber on about your stupid Lycanroc clan or whatever!" Shaymin yelled in anger, fluttering down from her bunk and jabbing a paw into Rockruff's chest. "None of us want to hear that nonsense! And none of us care about it!"

"Shaymin!" Leafeon shouted. "You're going overboard!"

"Yeah! Back off!" Mightyena yelled, followed by more disapproving comments from his peers.

Shaymin cackled, batting the Rock-type's chest again. "Going overboard, mate? I'll tell ya something - nobody likes this runt here! Truth is, he's a nuisance to everybody, and you all know it yet won't admit it! Always messing up on jobs and never achieving anything in his time here! He's just dead weight!" she roared, the puppy deflating at her words.

Monferno was watching the entire scene unfold before him in ire, and something about Shaymin's demeanor made him snap - like a mother scolding her son. He jumped off his bunk's top rack, finally speaking up after silently observing.

"HEY! Leave him alone!"

Shaymin whipped her gaze at the voice, sneering at him. "Oh? You want to get involved too? Might as well lump you in with this runt here. Both of ya are just dead weight!"

Monferno grit his teeth, hands clenched tight in rage as he stomped over to the Grass-type. "You want to talk about the truth? Reality is everybody here thinks you're the nuisance. Always shirking work and bullying others."

Shaymin leaned in, inches from his face. "I don't need a nobody like yourself talkin' about me like that." Her eyes shifted towards Braixen, who seemingly picked herself up from her bed to see what was happening. "Oh… I see now. You're just trying to make a scene as a big hero to look good for your stuffy little girlfr-"

Monferno tackled Shaymin, charging a few feet forward and slamming her into the wooden posts of an empty bunk. Flames licked his knuckles as he unloaded multiple punches into the small Legendary's sides. It was not a one sided fight, however, as Shaymin immediately fought back and strongly kicked the primate with her back legs.

Chaos could describe the living quarters as guild members were split between supporting the fight, or attempting to stop the wrestling duo with words - a useless effort.

Things began to escalate as Shaymin formed an Energy Ball between her chest and launched it, hurtling her attacker into a wall and sending many objects on shelves to the floor. Monferno would waste no time in running back, landing multiple Fire Punches on the Legendary's abdomen as another wrestling match between the two began.

Both were beginning to tire out, but Shaymin would have the upper hand as she sent another Energy Ball directly into his chest, forcing Monferno onto the floor with its power. She didn't relent with her attacks, continuing to pound on him with her paws as he shielded his face.

"Never! Hit! Me! Aga-"

A column of magical fire interrupted the Grass-type's shouts, briefly enveloping her body and forcing her to quit attacking as pain wracked her body. Shaking herself free of the mystical flames, an enraged glare was sent towards its creator.

Braixen stood in defiance near the middle of the room, holding a stick that was just used to launch an attack on Shaymin. Her expression meant one thing - back off. A rustling of footsteps near the doorway would bring in the shocked expression of Team Requiem, Excadrill, and other guild members.

Shaymin heaved back and forth. "THAT'S IT! I'VE HAD IT WITH YOU LOT! I'M DONE, YA HEAR ME?!"

The Legendary wasted no time in collecting her saddlebag off of her cot, hastily flying through the open window and leaving the building altogether.

Slowly picking himself up, Monferno spat out the blood that accumulated in his mouth, looking over to see the astonished faces of his fellow peers. Despite everything that transpired in this short time period, he managed a small smile.

'Good riddance…'

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"Two I've got," Tyranitar said smugly, laying his cards flat on the table. "Go ahead, metalhead. Let's take a gander at ye hand."

Aggron did so confidently, sure of his superior deck. "Three Vespiquens, rockface." He grinned. "Guess you're buyin' this time, pirate."

"So he says…"

Aggron cast a look to his left. "Garchomp, tell this eejit of the rules of a deal, since he clearly forgot."

Garchomp tapped her talons on the wooden table, mind still enraptured by the events of yesterday. She couldn't shake Jackson's words off her thoughts; it was eating away at her conscience, scrambling her approach to this situation.

Opting not to stay at the Grit Ruin Excavator's building for the night, her team landed residence at a one room home hotel - the owners of which immediately let them stay, despite the protests going on in the town. It was almost certainly due to Team Drarosteel's famous reputation, and it only added to the Lucario's words, eating away at her mind.

"... Sorry, boys. I'm just thinking about the guild; what we should do about it." She gave the two an inquisitive look. "I'm willing to hear suggestions."

Aggron scoffed, collecting his cards. "Listen, lass. I know you have a lot of respect for Team Moonlight, and so do we, but Jack has clearly lost his mind if he's plannin' to attack those mercenaries."

Tyranitar nodded, "Metalhead's right. Council will eat that Lucario and other 'mons in his guild alive in the courts if they caught wind of his actions. And if we got ourselves mixed in?" He whistled. "Our good graces with 'em go down the drain."

Even past the dangers, the Council's intervention was a reality Garchomp had also considered. Not only would members of the guild potentially be prosecuted for crimes, but her team could be on the chopping block if they fought the Rose Clan. Yet, if the guild and her team didn't fight them back, a valuable source of information that could turn the tide in their favor would potentially be lost forever.

They needed a different way. They needed a way that didn't result in a violent war or a political nightmare.

"We can't just leave the guild out to dry like this," Garchomp said. "For Arceus' sake, we helped found it all that time ago. It has risen to be the most popular guild in Celestic! It can't just end like this because of Jackson's actions! We-"

An opening of a door behind the dragoness alerted the trio's attention. While they expected it to be the generous owners of the hostel, the bright red armor-like exterior of Scizor was quite a surprise to them. He cautiously walked in, his eyes wandering to meet Garchomp's own pair.

"I had to visit a few other lodgings to see where your team went. Have you… come to a decision yet?"

Garchomp opened and closed her mouth several times, sighing. "No. We were just talking about it. I'm glad you came here, though."

"... You know I am staying. I came here in hopes that you would stay and assist us with the guild's efforts."

"So you agree with Jackson's plan of action?" she proclaimed, standing up from her seat. "You want the guild to fight against this Rose Clan."

Scizor tensed up, but kept his head high. "It's not up to me to decide the guild's actions - it's Jackson's. And yes… I am willing to fight for this opportunity, even despite the consequences."

Garchomp advanced towards him. "Consequences? The consequences of this are far greater than you could imagine! You're risking soiling your team's and the guild's legacy over this!" She shook her head, nostrils flaring with anger. "... Jackson's corrupted you, I know it. You would never do something as irrational as this before…"

A defiant look crossed his face. "You are wrong, Garchomp. This is something we have to do."

It saddened her to realize it, but she could not work with Team Moonlight or the guild anymore, and certainly not with Jackson in charge. Stomping her way over to the house's entrance, she threw it open, glancing behind her.

"C'mon, boys, we're leaving the region…" she said dejectedly, her gaze finding Scizor. "The Council is eventually going to hear of this plot, so I advise this expedition be stopped until another way has been found."

Before he could respond, she walked out, stepping onto the hotel's small porch and standing by its wooden railing. She looked out to the setting sun as she waited for her teammates, its warm orange rays hitting the clay buildings and cobblestone streets. A sigh would escape her as she recognized the clacks of Scizor's footsteps behind her.

"... Jackson was never born in Areos Village, nor did he ever live there."

She turned around at his words, completely stunned by what he just told her.

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The pieces to this grand puzzle are scattered, held by those who do not wish for it to be solved.

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Next Time: Decision