Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: The Phantasmagoria

Chapter 4

History Lesson

After everything was all said and done, they bid the loving mother and her daughter farewell. Lopunny and Buneary returned to the orphanage to the cacophony of the smaller Pokémon inside of it. They jumped around and patted the sides of the two bunny Pokémon as they made their way in.

The two took a much-needed sigh of relief, stretching their backs to release any tension brought by Lopunny. After checking for any 'injuries', Liam tightly closed a flap that was bulging open in the saddle bag he was carrying. When the many thanks and hugs of the Lopunny stopped, she handed over the one-thousand Poké as promised in the job request.

Gloria initially refused, stating her personal involvement along with taking a guild member's request. Liam was indifferent to it; he thought they should at least be compensated for a request. However, he was fine with just seeing Lopunny this happy. The motherly bunny insisted, shoving a sack of gold coin-like objects their way.

After this ordeal was sorted, they were back on the road home. Liam was staring at the orange sunset in thought as it cascaded an orange hue and glow around the city. Just like yesterday.

'Nothing new, but we've made at least one step towards progress,' he thought, trying not to stumble in his steps as he became entranced with the skyline. The purple of the night sky creeped in, blending with the warm sunset. Unbeknownst to him, a conflicted Gloria would speak as they walked.

"Look, I know…" She huffed. "We're not friends yet... maybe." She shook her head. "But I just wanted to confide with someone, someone that's not Roark."

"Is this about Buneary? Or something Roark said?" Liam took a shot in the dark.

They hopped down each step of a staircase, sticking to the railing and continuing their walk.

"Um, the first one. I... I don't think I can- I forgot." She hesitated a moment. "She got me all wrong, I'm not-" Gloria inhaled, growling as an unexpected outburst came out. "I'm not who she says I am!" The Vulpix realized what she said, quickly placing a paw in her mouth - Both of them stopped in their tracks.

"Who cares?" Liam asked, shrugging.

Gloria did a double take. "Huh?"

"You influenced her, right? To follow her dreams?" He waved a paw. "Doesn't matter to me if someone lied or forgot about what they said. If they helped me get where I got today, why does it matter? Trust me, having amnesia makes you realize how important it is to think about the now, not the past."

Gloria held a paw to her chest. "I just don't feel good knowing that... that I'm some fraud."

"Aren't you going through it now? The both of you?" He scratched an ear. "I don't know Roark that much, but I think he'd tell you the same, right? That means you've still got something to prove!" He never quite found himself to be a motivational speaker, his words shocking him as much as the Vulpix.

"But... I'm not sure if I can go through-"

"Just forget about it, okay?" He did not want to seem rude but also did not want to see her continue to beat herself up again.

She never gave a response back, most likely still thinking it over. Liam decided to keep walking, Gloria reluctant to follow.

"Besides, didn't you say you'd take me to the library?" he questioned, changing the subject. He was curious to learn more about 'Celestic' instead of just Empyrean City.

A coy smile grew on Gloria's face, her previous feelings fleeting. "Yeah... I did." She looked at him as he stopped to meet her gaze also. "We can go tomorrow - there's a lot you need to know!" Her tails began to wag slightly, pleasing Liam.

"Yeah? Tell me all about it then."

They chatted relentlessly on the way home, through winding alleys, busy markets, and streets, until they finally arrived at their destination.

Liam placed three hard knocks on the wooden door to Gloria's home, anticipating any movement behind it. Muffled voices beyond the door voiced their surprise until steps towards the door could be heard. The door swung open as the visage of Roark appeared, a wicked grin forming on his muzzle.

"Hey, Look who's back! Tell me, is it good news?" He placed a claw on his hip, awaiting their reply.

Liam smiled. "Yeah, we-" He stopped himself as he nudged Gloria with a paw. "Here, you tell him."

She gulped a bit, being put into the spotlight. "Buneary is safe; we finished the job," she said softly.

Roark's grin turned into a full-blown smile as he laughed. "Hey, Monferno! You're gonna get a kick out of this!"

The aforementioned Monferno was hunched over the table, playing cards in his grasp from his previous match with the Zoroark. He placed them down and picked up a nearby cup of coffee, engaging the three of them with a smug grin. "The newbies are back, I see. How many times did you loop around the first floor?"

Liam moved past Roark, into the home, and toward the mocking primate as Gloria followed. "We made it through the entire dungeon."

Monferno snorted. "Okay, still, finding Buneary is the objective. Pokémon have explored the Sunshine Grove over and over."

"And we found Buneary…"

Another snort came from Monferno. "Great! It was an easy job. I expected more face-planting and friendly fire, but I still don't think the Guildmaster would care so much." He took a long drink of his coffee.

"And we found a secret dungeon, along with an undiscovered treasure."

"PFFT-" Coffee spilt from Monferno's lips.

'That felt good,' the Riolu thought.

Monferno began hacking up the liquid back into his cup. "What? How did you two... You're lying," he stammered, eyeing the duo.

A ring of laughter came from the entrance soon after as Roark strode up to the bewildered Pokemon.

"Oh, Mony, now you're going to have to report it to the Guildmaster. What do you think he'd say about a team discovering secret dungeons? You know he'll get that look in his eye..."

"How would you even prove to me that those two found something within that dungeon?"

"Ask Mrs. Lopunny. She's got a pretty new necklace now," Liam teased - it was too much fun.

Monferno wiped his face with a sigh. "Fine. I'll report it to the Guildmaster like I said."

Roark clasped his claws together. "Splendid. Now, don't go about forgetting our deal, okay?"

Liam raised a brow. 'Deal?'

"Okay, Roark, but don't worry, I don't forget, I'm not old," he said, shooting a grin the Zoroark's way as he placed the almost empty mug on the table and stood up. "So... Gloria and Riolu-"

"Liam," the Riolu corrected, his irritated gaze piercing through the Monferno.

"Whatever you say, Mr Personality." Monferno stepped towards the door, stretching any loose muscles in both arms. "Braixen left earlier to check on her patients. I'm heading back now, so today or tomorrow the Guildmaster will be notified." He gave one final look at the pair. "Don't get your hopes up; the Guildmaster can be very selective." With the click of the handle, the door flew open as Monferno made his exit into the setting sun.

Roark swiftly closed the door and placed his back on it, his arms crossed behind him. "Since it's becoming late, how about we have a little dinner to celebrate your success? I think I can remember one recipe from my days at the Rescue Society!"

Light spilled from the windows of the home, straight into the sunken lids of Liam's eyes. He stirred in his sleep, clutching his blanket, trying to escape the wrath of the bright daylight. However, he could not fight it any longer as his eyelids cracked open, revealing his tired red orbs to the world.

It was morning, and after everything from the previous day had settled, he and Gloria collapsed into sleep from exhaustion.

With his limbs also reawakening from their slumber, he pulled the small blanket off of him, positioning himself upright on the couch. It appeared today he did not dream of 'that place' as he began to call it. The fields of rolling grass and distant mountains. He was somewhat disappointed, but he did not know quite why. That part of him wanted to return there, to explore it, and take it all in again - the experience.

Not wanting to dote on it, he placed a paw on his stomach and squinted at the memory of last night's unfortunate dinner.

'Cooking is not really Roark's strong suit.'

He nursed his stomach a bit as he surveyed around, his ears perking up as he registered a sound of a door turning across the hall - Gloria's room. The door swung open gently as the white Vulpix stepped out, putting a paw over her mouth as she yawned into it, her tiny fangs poking out. Liam noticed she had her cream-colored saddlebag wrapped around her neck, laying across her side.

The Vulpix's gaze wandered until she caught Liam's stare, to which he blinked in response.

"Hey," she said coyly.

"Hey."

"..."

The brief silence that followed was cut short as she stepped into the living room.

"Roark must have left for the guild not long ago... seeing how quiet it is here," Gloria mused, fiddling with her saddlebag.

"Are we still doing it?" Liam asked.

A smile found its way onto Gloria's face. "Yeah, but I forgot we needed to take you to the archives first and see if you have any relatives."

That sent a wave of thought through Liam; he didn't wonder a lot about who his family and friends were, if he had any at all. As odd as it was, he felt more alien than Pokémon, and not just from the amnesia.

Liam planted his hind paws on the carpet as he stood up, stretching. "And right after, the library, correct?"

Some excitement flashed on Gloria's face. "Yup! Everything about the Celestic Continent and even the entire world is displayed there! If you're accepted into the guild, you obviously need to know about the world."

"Then let's get prepared," he said.

The trip to the Empyrean Archives was largely uneventful and disappointing. They stepped down the massive white marble stairs of the building, stopping at the bottom where great columns supported the large structure.

Gloria huffed. "I can't believe it... You're a total ghost."

Once they were in there, they combed through the written files of Riolu and Lucario, Liam's evolution. Other than data on a 'Shiny' Lucario entering the city long ago, everything was a dead end with next to no Riolu or Lucario having a connection, especially with a name like Liam attached to it.

Liam could not say he was too disappointed - he might've been if he could remember anything. Nonetheless, it still brought up more questions than answers. "Are you so sure that this goes for all of Riolu and Lucario in the region?"

"The archives get information from almost all over Celestic. I don't think it would exclude all population centers."

The Riolu tapped his chin with a paw. "If that's true, then I have nothing to my name, right?" Like she said, he was a ghost, practically nonexistent, but now a new Pokémon so to speak.

"Um, true, but think about it like this - you have no hang-ups about joining the guild, correct?" she gave a hopeful reminder.

Sighing, he leaned on one of the nearby pillars. "Yeah... I guess you're right."

He wanted to add that he might have had no choice but kept that to himself. This was something he wanted to do, not out of need. Answers of his past would come in due time, he hoped, possibly through exploring this alien world to him and finding pieces of what kind of Pokémon he truly was.

Gloria smiled. "Great! Now, we can go to the library!" she buzzed with excitement

"Lead the way then."

The path they took to the library took Liam for a spin. Here the buildings seemed much older than the previous ones he's encountered. Wooden buildings with creaky lumber supports replaced the cement and marble-made ones.

"And here we are!"

The Riolu snapped to attention, his mouth widening once he stared at what was in front of him.

It was a large building, larger than the archives and possibly the largest he'd seen since the odd black tower. Old planks of wood seemed to hold the structure carefully, with little cracks or splinters visible. Tiny windows dotted the large exterior, of overgrowth everywhere as moss, vines, and other greenery concealed the wood near the bottom of the building. However, the mess of tangled flora transitioned into bundles of blooming flowers near the entrance.

"Amazing, isn't it?" Gloria questioned.

Liam slowly nodded, taking in its size. "And you're saying this holds all the information of the world here?"

"For the most part. It's the largest library in Celestic, maybe the entire world. And it's been here since Empyrean was founded." She smiled. "I've been here a lot, almost every week! There's nonfiction, fiction, history, plays, journals from famous Pokémon, and so much other stuff!"

He laughed at her giddiness. "I won't stall you any longer, then."

Entering through the large double doors, Liam was shocked at its appearance. He expected narrow rows of bookshelves with dust and grime covering them. He even instinctively tried to plug his nose of the incoming scent of old books and earth.

But what greeted him was a vast open space that stretched the entire building. Bookshelves so high they reached the ceiling were neatly lined up against the walls of the room, with nearby ladders and stepladders for any Pokémon to grab what they needed. Natural lighting came from the cracks of the many windows, with hanging chandeliers most of the chamber lit, creating an orange glow from its burning wicks.

In the middle of the room was a large intricate circular staircase. It spiraled all the way through the ceiling to an upper level, but also drove into the floor, opening a basement level. Wooden pillars were built into the flooring and stretched to the ceiling, balancing out the large interior.

Despite it being a library, it was also fairly loud, mostly due to the open nature of the room's reverberating sound, and how many Pokémon seemed to be present. Liam relaxed more seeing this, finding how much he preferred open and clear spaces rather than confined ones.

"It's nice, right?" he heard Gloria say.

"Yeah. Better than some stuffy place I thought you were taking me," answered back.

Gloria giggled, "We can come back here later." She lifted her head, looking towards the stairs. "On the top floor is where information of Celestic is found, mostly for Empyrean tourists."

He gave a brief nod in return as they walked towards the spiral staircase. They glided along the smooth railing, climbing up until they reached the top. Reaching the final floor, walls were erected splitting off into sections with wide entrances. It was much dimmer, as no windows nor grand chandeliers hung from the ceiling.

Gloria hopped up from the steps and took a gander around the room. "Hmmm, I think it's…" Her gaze wandered until her eye caught an entrance from across the room. "Right there, come on, Liam!"

The both of them took off towards this section of the room, a gold plate displayed beside its entrance - 'Celestic'.

When Liam entered this new area, a new feeling washed over him. He felt serene. The constant whispers of noise and voices seemed to halt in here. Replaced by a quiet shuffling of leaves, and the quiet creaks of wood beneath them.

Just like before, books lined the walls neatly, teeming with knowledge over the ages of Celestic's existence. Above them were richly detailed paintings of Pokémon of all kinds. Liam did not know what Pokémon they were, or who they were. Still, he knew they must've carried some importance to be seen so proudly. Multicolored flags of possibly different groups hung from the walls, showcasing the identities that many Pokémon wear proudly, or wore proudly in the past.

"Come here, there's a big map of the whole continent that you can see." Gloria trotted across the room to the west end.

He slowly followed her, still analyzing everything in the room as he came upon what she wanted to show him - his eyes widened.

Across the wooden walls was indeed a map, a very large and tattered one. It depicted a large piece of land surrounded by a body of water, with a smaller island to the south. From the coloration of the map, Liam could see distinct 'zones' in the larger land mass. Aside from the colored sections, there were scribbles of icons representing mountain ranges, plains, caves, and lakes etched on all the different regions on the map.

Gloria cleared her throat, interrupting Liam's staredown with the map. "This is the Celestic Continent. It's in the middle of the world, and there are five major regions within the continent and its surroundings." She walked in front of Liam and used her paw to point at the bottom left portion of the map.

"This is the Meadow Region, the region we're in right now." She moved her paw further to the region's middle. "Empyrean City is smack-dab in the middle of it."

She moved to the top left. "This is the Grit Region. It's known for its arid temperature, plains of sand, and the occasional oasis. But that's not all it offers from what I've read about it." She moved to the top right. "The Frost Region... it's pretty much a bunch of snow and not much else." She moved her paw further north. "Um, a lot of my kind come here, from the Glacier Peak Mountains." She moved to the bottom right. "Right here is the Mountain Region, and as you guessed, it's full of mountain ranges, ravines, volcanoes, and more rugged terrain. Dragon-type Pokémon seem to like it, though."

Liam almost paled at what she said. 'Dragon Pokémon exist?' He did not want to think that giant fire-breathing beasts existed, but anything seemed possible in a world like this.

Gloria dragged her paw off the mainland and towards the southern island.

"And right here is the Shore Region - it's cut off from the continent, but is still included into Celestic. It's a pretty big tourist hub, and Pokémon usually go here to Empyrean or off to the Shore Region. It's a very pretty island, with tame beaches, thriving jungles, and friendly locals."

Liam scratched his chin in thought. 'Well, awfully convenient to have almost all types of elements here.'

His thoughts trailed off as he noticed Gloria didn't mention what was in the middle of the mainland. He couldn't quite pinpoint what it was based on color, but the symbols of mountains, cliffs, and ravines gave him a clue.

"What is that region in the middle?"

She gasped. "I forgot to tell you about Celestial Mountain!"

"And what exactly is it? A giant mountain?"

"Sort of - it's a collection of mountain ranges that form the tallest mountain in the world! And it's not just that - there are theories about the start of this world's creation stemming from Celestial Mountain!"

Liam blinked, raising his paws in defense. "Woah, slow down... world's creation? How would you prove something like that?"

"Uh," she mumbled, looking around the room. "I remember reading something about this, in this room here."

She scrambled to the bookshelves on the wall, scanning each book carefully. She flipped a few out of their idleness before shaking her head and putting them back. Not long after the fox's search, her ears perked up as she tore off a book from the shelf with her teeth.

"Thhmis is thwe one, riwght here!" Gloria cried through a full mouth, walking back. She sat down on her hindquarters and placed the book down, popping it open and flipping pages. Her eyes rhythmically analyzed each page, until she stopped at one page in particular. "Here's a good summary," she said, clearing her throat again.

Liam leaned further in, eager to hear about the so-called foundation of creation.

She read off of the book like a script. "'And from scattered light, debris, and glowing orange lines, the thousand arms of Arceus molded a celestial peak, piercing the heavens. From this mountain of gods, the lands below formed into Arceus' perfect world - a paradise.'"

"That's very strange. I never thought a world could just be formed unnaturally by a Pokémon," Liam mused.

Gloria continued, flipping through the pages like a madman. "There's more, though! Even the Mystery Dungeons have a connection."

Now Liam was more curious - possibly some clue towards those bizarre areas of this reality. She continued flipping until she found the right page, stopping to speak again.

"This is from research by various independent explorers and guilds over the years. 'While Celestic has the most Mystery Dungeons out of all other continents, Celestial Mountain has the biggest allocation of them within Celestic, and the world,'" she finished, closing the book shut with a paw. "What do you think?"

Liam in his mind slowly tried fitting together the pieces of the puzzle given to him. With as mysterious as the dungeons were, along with the theories of creation at Celestial Mountain, he couldn't quite give an accurate answer.

"Maybe the foundation of the world and the Mystery Dungeons are connected? If the two are closely connected as theorized," he took a shot in the dark.

Gloria clapped her paws together, "Exactly my thoughts! Um, the guild near Empyrean City was specifically made for researching the Mystery Dungeons. And... I've always wondered if the dungeons could've been taken out of the equation to better everyone's lives. But Pokemon don't really think about them much."

Liam pondered what she said for a while, before popping a question.

"Is that what you want? To better Pokemon's lives?"

Gloria was thrown off by the personal question. "I... I do want to make the world a better place for Pokémon to live." She rubbed a paw on the wood floor. "I've always wanted to be... y'know, a hero! And one day, when the world showed that it could be so cruel, I was told to keep going." She formed a nervous smile. "I know, I know... it sounds cheesy when I think about it now, but... I want to give back and show the kindness I was given. Joining the guild lets you help Pokémon in need as Roark does. I feel like that's what stuck out to me at most - the feeling of being a hero to some Pokémon. But that feeling of worry always prevents me from…" She trailed off until she noticed the massive rambling she gave and started to fidget. "S-Sorry! I didn't want to be too sappy. Roark says I do that a lot."

Liam didn't agree with that thought. She had already proven herself to him that much. "Don't worry, I didn't mind. I think that's pretty noble, wanting to help Pokémon. Besides, what we pulled off yesterday tells me you know what to do, more so than I. So... don't sell yourself short."

An embarrassed blush appeared on the Vulpix's face. "Well, what's your reason for joining the guild? You know you don't have to follow Roark's suggestions."

Liam sighed in thought. He could really give two answers to that question. Firstly, he was a nobody with nothing to his name, meaning he needed some place to be. Secondly, he had a burning curiosity about the guild.

While he was not too keen on just being a savior to some Pokémon like Lopunny, he still was moved by it, and wanted more. His true desire came forward with the exploration they would undergo. And while the Sunshine Grove wasn't an unknown location by any measure, it still held a hidden secret only discovered by them.

After that, his thoughts began to wander about the countless other possibilities found through Mystery Dungeons. What they could do, what they led to. His heart would race as fast as his mind when he thought about it.

'And then… the possibility of learning about my past life.'

He wanted to take a gamble in seeing if he could find answers in his travels.

After collecting his thoughts, he spoke, placing a paw over his heart. "I want to explore Celestic, learn about the Mystery Dungeons, and maybe find out who I am, or was."

Gloria smiled. "Then we both have things we want to achieve. Think we could ever do both... together?"

He smiled, "Yeah! You and Roark have helped me, and still are helping me accustom to this... strange world. I'm still learning, and I want to keep doing that. So, I want you to help me along the way, as I help you." Before she could respond, he interjected. "And speaking of learning, in the book about Celestial Mountain, you mentioned an 'Arceus'. Is, uh, that a Pokémon? Or some sort of alien?"

Gloria blinked, giggling. "Arceus? We're gonna be here a while." She jumped to her paws and walked back to the bookshelves.

They had spent hours combing over various books on the fabled Arceus and the Legendaries. Liam would soon get tired of endless knowledge and make an attempt to leave, much to Gloria's dismay. However, they did not leave the library just yet, as Gloria told Liam she noticed him staring down a lot of Pokémon through the city, so she suggested they'd pick up a book on all the different kinds of Pokémon for him to study.

After exiting the library with the book in question, she told him of a spot in the city where she always went to read, free from the noise of the library.

Where she led him was a square where a large fountain was erected in the middle. From the way Liam saw it, it was a blue seahorse-like Pokémon spewing glistening water from its mouth, pouring into an enclosed pond.

Flat bench-like protrusions circled the fountain, allowing anyone to sit by the pond. Here, Liam and Gloria rested their aching paws. They sat in peace - Liam was Pokémon-watching, trying to catch the appearance of everyone that walked by, while Gloria was muzzle-deep in a book she had picked out while they were browsing.

Around them, the appearance of a festival was beginning to take shape. Pokémon gathered around placing strings of bright colors that wrapped around the streets. Movement of larger wagons and shops had become more noticeable as well. They were not exactly in the festival grounds, but Liam could tell it was not long until the celebration reached the entire city. He looked up at the blue sky, searching for the black tower.

He stared at it for a while. "Do you ever think we'll see what it's like inside?"

A few moments passed until he noticed no response came from Gloria. The Riolu raised a brow, looking to his side where she should be reading. There he saw the unmistakable appearance of Gloria dozing off, her face almost smashing into the book. Chuckling, he carefully grabbed the book before she could start drooling over it. He flipped open the pouch of her saddlebag and threw it in.

Before he closed it, his eye caught the book on all types of Pokémon they had gotten for him. He picked it up, right then and there deciding that now would be a good time to start learning. Under the shining sun and sparkling fountain waters, he flicked it open to the first page and began reading.

'Bulbasaur. The seed on its back is filled with nutrients. The seed grows steadily larger…'

Weavile smiled.

It appeared the Pokémon she was just looking for at the nick of time, the client entering the correct establishment. She kept her kneeling position, her eyes still glued into her binoculars and watching the Pokémon sit at the correct table.

"Hey, Bishy, I think our 'mon of the hour has finally arrived," she spoke, a snide and cynical voice coming out.

Behind her, a figure of a Bisharp came into her peripherals. "How are you so sure that this is our 'mon? This isn't the first time you screwed up," a cold and almost bored male voice mentioned.

She laughed, tearing her gaze from her binoculars. "Have you seen any other Sceptile here recently? And this one decides to enter?" She rolled her eyes and tossed the binoculars to the Bisharp, who caught it, giving a glare towards the Weavile. "If you want to take your own look go ahead, all you're gonna see is an empty seat and that hideous black building."

Bisharp scoffed, reaching down and throwing the binoculars into a black saddlebag with an image of a light gray claw engraved onto it. "I trust your judgment, Weavs, and…" He paused for a second. "Hideous black building? I didn't take you for one of those old timer 'mon's now, right? Gonna start shaking your claws at some street kids?"

Weavile ran a claw through her plume of red feathers as she smirked. "I ain't old yet. Still, I think this city should get some actual taste for once."

Bisharp 'tched' in response. "Have you seen what home base looks like? It's like a bunch of drunk Timburr built it."

Weavile's smirk widened. "Well good thing we're always out so much. Out cute lackeys on the other hand…" She got up from her position, a dark gray cape attached to her fluttering in the warm wind, the same light gray claw imprinted on it.

"You probably want to take the cape off. I doubt the guards or restaurant staff would be pleased seeing you walking around with it," Bisharp warned.

She unhooked the cape, tossing it to Bisharp as he stuffed it into the same black saddlebag.

"Then it's a good thing Sceptile will know exactly who we are."

Bisharp strapped the saddlebag around his shoulder. "Just remember, he's one of the only members in recent years who have chosen to assist us. Especially the only one with close enough knowledge to our target."

Weavile flexed a claw as she took a step above the concrete railing, looking down at the buildings, lights, and Pokémon below. "Let's go then; we're burning time."

Through the rooftops, they hopped down the building's roof as they made their undetected descent toward the ground. Once at ground level, they entered the establishment and shooed away an Audino waitress.

It was relatively empty, seeing it was still daytime. However, the lighting of the restaurant was still moody and dim. Burning candles placed on windowsills glowed a yellow-orange against blood-red drapes. The clanging of glasses onto tables and the occasional chatter of guests filled the room.

The two of them marched towards the booth they were looking for, finally coming into view with a sweating Sceptile that sat on the opposite end, nervously wringing its claws together before catching the stare from Weavile and Bisharp and stopping its motions entirely, going stiff. The three stared for a while, Weavile noticing the lack of a proper armband on the Pokémon before closing the distance.

"I think you know who we are, so let's cut to the chase."

She went to sit across from the Sceptile, Bisharp doing the same. Soon, they were all seated and still staring each other down.

"I... I wasn't expecting the Razor Claws to send their only two captains," the Sceptile said.

Weavile smiled. "We like to be active in our duties. Besides, I don't think you bothered to entrap us, right?" She leaned in over the table.

Sceptile rapidly shook his head. "No, no, no! I came here of my own volition - you promised me, correct?"

Bisharp nodded. "Once you give us the specific details of the target, you can come under our protection for a while."

Sceptile shifted in his seat, trying to get more comfortable. "Then I can trust you, right? You won't throw me out once I tell you?"

"We put our trust into you meeting us here, so return the favor please?" Weavile said, adopting a toothy grin.

"Yes, everything will be fine. Tell us, and there won't be any issue with relocating you out of the city and away from your comrades," Bisharp added.

Sceptile gulped. "Fine, I'll tell. But it's not going to be so easy to reach him. They're bringing him to a private theater."

"A private theater, eh? How many strings did he or the Allfather pluck to get that to happen?"

"I wouldn't know. We were supposed to just go in as his bodyguards for a few hours, then we'd leave."

A sneer appeared on Weavile's face, "Oh? Another Grass-type? That wouldn't be very wise with you there."

The Sceptile tilted his head, about the inquiry further until Bisharp's gauntlet stopped him. "Weavs, chill. Now, can you tell us the specific seating arrangement? Where he sits, what guards are next to him."

"He will be sitting in the front middle seat - reservations are placed on those chairs. The bodyguards may be in chairs next to him or around the room. I... I don't exactly know. These were the orders I was given - to protect the ambassador from any crazy Pokémon, not a full-blown attack," Sceptile admitted, only to realize something. "By the Allmother, you're... not going to kill him, correct?"

Before anyone could respond, the same Audino waitress came around with an assortment of ice water, placing it around the table before leaving. A bead of sweat traveled across Sceptile's face as a grinning Weavile stared at him, twirling her cup's straw in circles with a claw.

"Killing him isn't part of the plan. That's just the afterthought if he becomes a little... too crispy," she teased, shooting Sceptile another amused look.

"What Weavile means is we're not here to kill him, only to send a message - a very clear one to the Allfather," Bisharp stated.

"To send a message? You're mercenaries - what would you want? Money? Infamy?"

Weavile chortled. "Oh, trust me, money isn't an issue at all I'm afraid. A client who'll stay anonymous handles almost all our payments just fine."

"Then... what?" Sceptile questioned.

"Well, that's…" Weavile stopped to share a look with Bisharp. "A little secret between me and Bishy. But we're looking for someone, a very special Pokémon from your side."

Sceptile scoffed. "You're going to risk getting innocent Pokémon getting hurt, maybe worse... and ruining the whole premiere just to send a message?"

A chorus of rattling claws on a cloth table was heard as Weavile rested her head on a free claw. "We may be mercenaries, but we don't target random Pokémon all the time. Unless they intervene. Once we make our message clear, we're out."

Sceptile thought for a moment, ultimately sighing. "Fine, like I said - middle of the top row. He'd want to see it front and center, prime for whatever you wish to unleash onto him. But tell me, how are you going to send a message? This will be seen as some random unprovoked attack!"

Weavile clacked her claws against the glass of water. "That's where you also come in. You're going to tell the Allfather exactly who attacked."

Sceptile's eyes widened. "Are you mad?! The Allfather will be furious! He will no doubt try tracking you two down."

"He may be furious, but he's going to reason in time. And that's exactly what we want him to do," Bisharp interjected.

"Once the heat dies down, you'll tell the Allfather you were captured by us, but escaped," Weavile added with a smirk.

"... All right, but when can I expect a pickup? The festival is starting tomorrow, and the premiere is just two days from now. They'll know I'm gone and start looking for me."

Weavile and Bisharp shared a look before sliding across the booth, both standing up.

"We'll send one of our 'mon's here very soon to pick you up. Remember, you're our guy on the inside for now. If the Allfather found out, he'd have your job, or worse," Weavile remarked, making a mock slashing motion over her throat with a claw.

Sceptile gulped.

The two mercenaries bid the Pokémon farewell and left the restaurant. As soon they were outside and out of earshot of any passerby Pokémon, Weavile stopped, a peal of almost maniacal laughter beginning to bubble out of her as she laughed to the heavens.

"Arceus, Weav's, mind toning down the crazy? I don't want Pokémon to hear," Bisharp bemoaned, checking his surroundings for onlookers.

Once her laughter faded, she waved a claw toward him. "Why shouldn't I be happy? Shouldn't you? We're finally making progress towards making a dent in them."

"Your personal matters are noted, but don't let them consume you. Keep your craziness on our enemies."

"I know you want to know what they know, Bisharp. The guild around here does, everyone does. However, we're going to be the ones to crack it. But I need to settle this... for them." She raised a claw in front of her and tightened it. Pure malice enveloped her features as her claws almost dug into her paw. "These bastards are going to pay for what they did to me, to them, and everyone else on this continent."

Bisharp huffed, stepping forward and placing a gauntlet on her shoulder. "Then what's your plan? We're going to need to think outside the box."

She smiled sinisterly, "Send a 'mon to pick up our dear friend Sceptile. Then get Magmortar; he's got a show to attend, and a match to light."

This premiere... will end up in flames!

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