Fledglings

[Virgil134]

@Ambyssin

Spoiler

So, this is a split chapter then because everything couldn't fit into one part? Well, I had expressed some concerns about what could potentially happen here and, uh... so far what I'm seeing lines up with my concerns. About 10k words. While only about 50% of that is actual fighting, a considerable amount of what remains is a lot of different talking heads discussing things related to the combat. Which meant that a lot of it did blur together for me and was struggling to keep my attention, as evidenced by the fact that the silly things I quoted are predominantly from the moments independent of the actual combat. And the fact that this got split means there could still be meaty combat waiting in the wings with the town center and Guardia and Dimitri trying to reunite with the others in the square. I mean, they're going to be dealing with Hess and Dirk who I'm sure you're going to want to devote a good chunk of word count too.

And that was where my concerns hopped into play. In the grand scheme of all the moving pieces in play my thoughts were that you ought to prioritize the captains even if that meant the grunts and Rodion would end up swept aside handily. But I think the skirmish with Crom, Pleo, and Daraen overstayed its welcome. After Pleo went to sleep, you probably could've snapped to Daraen helping turn things around with the blast seed and Roar and swiftly brought that to an end and it would still have that heartwarming angle of Daraen helping Pleo... which I think was meant to be the takeaway here.

I’m sorry to hear that things didn’t quite stick the landing for you here. I don’t think that I see eye to eye with… well, most of your feedback this time around, but I appreciate you being frank about it.

I do see that there was effort taken with the next scene as a lot of grunts are swiftly dealt with or fade into the background. That's good! Kenny got a chunk of focus when I honestly don't remember him but he isn't up egregiously long. What follows feels like it's meant to be a swansong for Rodion. Unsure if that's true or not but due to the fact that he A) has felt like a tertiary character within the fic, B) has not had much of a defined arc (started as Hess' loyal first mate and has remained that way, even if he does get skeptical in places), and C) never really had any inklings of fighting in such a brutal manner like Ketu did, it all missed the mark for me. I honestly was under the impression that this was getting heavy emphasis because Guardia was going to evolve here. Bone club vs. water swords, lots of clashes, constant encouragement from Dimitri not to back down. It felt like all the pieces for a "mid-battle triumphant evolution" were in place and then it... didn't happen. If it had, I think I'd have liked it a lot. It would've been a nice "power of friendship" moment.

It’s not quite a swan song for Rodion, especially since he’s not quite as peripheral as you assumed. While this was the last big fight against him, that doesn’t mean that we’re finished with his character, kinda like how we dealt with Darzin after his fight at the end of the Haipheh episode. Also, hold onto that thought about a character arc for Rodion.

That said, I do agree that Guardia evolving here could have been fun, but me and Fobbie had already picked a different moment that I think works better.

At the end of the day it's your guys' fic so you should write what you want. I probably sound a bit hypocritical because I know that I similarly gave focus to more peripheral characters when GL had its finish line in sight. Something I caught flak for that from other PMD authors, which in hindsight I do agree with. So, it's ended up shifting how I think about this kind of stuff. If the endgame's getting closer, you want to be mindful of your word economy. Don't repeat my mistakes and create an ending fatigue situation. Not everyone needs multiple thousands of words for a fight. If you have a large group of characters, not all of them have to contribute multiple lines of dialogue. Some of them can vibe in the background. That sorta stuff. Food for thought, I suppose.

I think that this is another part where we’re going to have to agree to disagree, since I think that we presently have very different ethoses about action scenes at the moment. Our writing style for this story has just been a bit more action-centric than what your current one has, much like how PokéAni has been through its historical run. There are some things that can be pulled off by de-emphasizing onscreen action, but it’s just not quite what we’re aiming for in a fun “adventure-y romp” story. This is Pokémon after all. With how central battling is to the franchise, going out of one’s way to avoid it would be like Yu-Gi-Oh avoiding showing off card duels.

While there’s definitely some things about this arc we’d probably have done different in retrospect, letting things ride through the two remaining numbered chapters after today’s one felt like the saner way of handling things as opposed to blowing things up and redoing everything from scratch considering that there’s some important things plot-wise that get teed up in the remainder of this arc on Gestirn.

We’ll keep your feedback for trying to keep things a bit more compact for future Episodes, though. Since this Episode has taught us that there’s an upper bound for arc length where things start to drag, and we intend to apply it in the remaining Episodes of this story.

The line between volunteer and voluntold is paper thin.

Boy is it ever.

So, the pirates offer improv classes. Good to know.

Which is probably also a handy way to learn how to steal things and get drunk, but…

Ah, yes, human bell towers. Of course.

Well, not quite given that the village is entirely built inside of a mountain.

When are we getting the arc where Pleo learns Roost to heal himself?

I mean, it technically wouldn’t be impossible if they could get their hands on a ‘tee-ehm’, so…

Okay, Sora, calm down there.

Hilariously enough, that’s actually what that moment was based off of.

Says the guy who just spent most of that entire scuffle on a snooze cruise. <_<

Pleo: “... I’d have done better with a Chesto Berry?” ^^;

Ah, yes, begging to the authors to activate your plot armor. That should work.

Pleo: “... That means that it’ll happen, right?”

oi, get back in your fic, firebutt.

Lyle: “Trust me, I wouldn’t mind trading places right about now.”

[insert Mario Golf announcer "NICE SHOT!" here]

Wow, that’s mean. And hilarious.

Such a terrifying battle cry it stripped Rodion of the T in his species name. But also very boneheaded when are you people going to learn not to telegraph your attacks?

Localization differences be like that. Though that was more taunting banter on her part as opposed to her shouting out “Bone Club!” from straight outta Digimon or something like that.

OH MY GOD! THEY KILLED KENNY!

He’ll get better eventually just like that one? ^^;

Ah, yes, nothing like a non-lethal injury mimicking slitting someone's throat. Very appropriate.

I mean, this is the sort of stuff that this story’s more central sources of inspiration got onto the screen back in the day, so… o<o

I’ll admit that this review wasn’t quite what I or Fobbie were quite hoping to hear, but we appreciate you taking the time and effort to call things as you saw them. Thanks for the feedback, and we’ll be looking forward to hearing back from you in the future.

And as for today, before getting into things, we have a new art piece to show off of Nagant on her ship courtesy of @windskull which @Spiteful Murkrow won from a review event hosted by the Pokémon Mystery Diner Discord server. There’s some other art further along in the pipeline at the moment, but that will be a story for another day. For now, let’s jump right back into the fray in Starbreak Square with the second half of last time’s two-parter:

 

[Spiteful Murkrow]

Starbreak Square's tunnels flew by in a blur for Pleo and his teammates. Some of them were being hastily blockaded by Pokémon in anticipation of arriving pirates, while others had their inhabitants hiding behind windows and doors or else running out towards the frontlines. A number of passages had been visibly scarred from battles that had already concluded, often with Pokémon still lying strewn about limply as the local Marked went about and tended to them.

The whole time, the distant roar and din of ongoing fighting grew louder and louder as their group started to splinter off into smaller teams that fanned out along different tunnels, especially after they received word of strange Pokémon being spotted entering the town from the west. Before they knew it, Team Traveller's group had whittled down to just them, Margi, and Bunsen. Pleo wasn't fully sure where they were going, but he'd promised to stay behind Margi and dutifully kept his word to the Hydreigon. Their odds of convincing the Elders could very well hinge on him doing so.

Suddenly, as they entered a tunnel leading into a large chamber, the Hydreigon came to an abrupt stop and left Pleo skidding just past her. The Lugia looked up, as his eyes widened at the sight ahead of him.

"Huh?!"

They were back at that broad tunnel from the day before that led up to the entrance of the Elders' Hall. All along the tunnel, there were teams of red-scarved Pokémon putting up Protects for cover as their comrades marched behind them. Pleo and his companions watched as an Arbok from the pirates slipped past the barriers and darted forward, only for the snake to start glowing blue and rise into the air from an unseen force. The Poison-Type had a moment of panicked realization and thrashed about desperately, when the force abruptly jerked the pirate up and slammed him into the ceiling of the tunnel. The glow abruptly faded, leaving Arbok to fall to the ground with a wince-worthy thud.

It was hard to tell where the Psychic had come from, but the other pirates' response made it easy enough to guess. Multiple beams and thrown objects sailed up to a spot on the balcony over the entrance, with the crunch of fracturing stone following as dust swirled in front of the Elders' Hall. Team Traveller and their allies watched as one of the other pirates quickly dragged the Arbok away to the back... while at least four others made it past the entrance without any sign of being stopped.

Ander just stared blankly at the unfolding chaos, when a stray Ice Beam quickly sent him and his teammates diving for cover as they all but tripped past the doorway of a ransacked shop off to the side. They hurried behind the walls and panted behind their cover as Bunsen tried to hide his tail flame's light behind a counter, while Ander went up to steal a look past the doorway. From the lack of further attacks, they probably hadn't been spotted, but that was cold comfort. Just from what they could see in front of the Elders' Hall, it was obvious that they weren't going to win this battle charging the pirates head-on.

"Boy do we have our work cut out for us right now," the Scyther gulped.

"Good thing I'm here to help too, huh?"

Ander and his companions whirled around at the sound of a young, familiar voice, as Margi's eyes shrank to pins. Everyone turned over to the doorway where much to their astonishment, there was Daraen, looking up at them from just outside the shop with his tail wagging much to his mother's spluttering exasperation.

"Daraen, what are you-?!"

The Deino jumped forward with a yelp when a bolt of electricity zipped in, prompting Margi to hurriedly spew back a spray of black orbs in retaliation before grabbing Daraen and pulling behind the wall of the shop. The Hydreigon breathed in and out slowly, before narrowing her eyes into a sharp scowl.

"You really should not have come here, ma petite," she fumed. "Just stay close to me and-!"

The lot flinched after hearing a loud crash coming from the Elders' Hall, followed by shouts and roars. A quick glance back towards the large chamber revealed that there were red-scarved Pokémon on the balcony now, while the pirates in front of the entrance to the Elders' Hall were charging ahead and freely making their way through its doorways. Crom's eyes widened, as a sinking realization came over him:

"Ah! Wait! We can't just let those pirates get in there like that!" Crom cried. "Nina said that they're keeping our part of the Ledger's inside a chest in there!"

Crom and his companions stared blankly, wondering how they would ever make it all the way to the Elder's Hall past a mob of pirates that outnumbered them at least five-to-one. Just then, the Druddigon felt a nudge at his shoulder, as he turned back and saw Margi pointing up the tunnel they'd come from.

"There's a service tunnel that provides entry to another part of the Elders' Hall just up the street," the Hydreigon insisted. " If we get in there and head right, the path should take us straight inside. We just need a bit of cover to get there!"

Bunsen nodded, before hurrying to the door of the shop and spewing a Smokescreen out leftwards. While the smoke still churned, Margi flew out of the shop as Pleo and his companions followed after. A few storefronts later, Margi pointed out a door to their right that had been forced open. The group hurried along, filing down the shaft until they got to a narrow, dimly lit stairwell that led into a featureless tunnel. Almost as soon as they got into the tunnel, they started hearing sounds of a scuffle echoing from up ahead. They wasted no time pressing forward, and soon enough they began to see Pokémon slumped over in the tunnel: some Marked, some Pokémon in pirate scarves.

The number of fallen Pokémon steadily grew along with signs of a struggle in the tunnel, and the seven of them soon reached a set of double doors that had been smashed open. Trizano reflexively stooped down to check on a slumped-over Marked Varoom and discovered the Pokémon was alive, but fainted, just as a sharp cry rang out from further inside.

"Eyaaaah!"

Margi and the others looked around the corner, where they saw a Marked Delibird tumbling over from a stream of scalding water in a hallway. The Ice-Type struggled to get up with the help of a Wartortle and a Dartrix, as a group of four red-scarved Pokémon led by a Simipour closed in, with steam curling up from her mouth.

"You blotch-heads just don't learn, do you?" the pirate sneered. "You'll regret getting in our way like this!"

Margi's jaws clenched as she suddenly shot forward down the hallway with strong wingbeats. A couple of the other pirates turned and cried out as bluish dragonfire formed in Margi's mouths. The Simipour had but brief moments to react, as her eyes visibly widened and the color drained from her face.

"Oh f-"

Rays of fiery blue light shot out from Margi's mouths and struck the Simipour in rapid succession, launching her down the hall into a limp heap. The other pirates attempted to dig in as Pleo and the others emerged, and one attack after the other fell on them: an X-Scissor, a Steel Wing, a Thunderbolt, a Dragon Breath, a Dragon Rage... by the time Bunsen's Air Slash flung the final pirate into the wall and left him crumpled on the floor, the hallway was silent save for the pirates' groans of pain.

Pleo breathed in and out slowly as his heart fluttered in his chest, when he looked up and saw Margi making her way over to the three Marked with a worried stare.

"Are you two all alright?" she asked.

The Marked guards panted and turned towards the Hydreigon to offer their thanks, only for their eyes to fall on the young Lugia in their midst. The Wartortle from their number grew particularly startled, as the unfortunate Water-Type reflexively pulled his head towards his shell and stumbled back with a start.

"A-Aah!"

Crom's face curled into an unamused frown, as he folded his arms with a low harrumph.

"Por todos los cielos," the Druddigon grumbled. "You're doing this now of all times?"

Trizano shook his head with a quiet sigh, before turning his attention to the Dartrix in the group.

"Did anyone make it past you here?" the Skarmory asked.

"I-I don't think so?" the Dartrix replied. "But don't worry about this place! The Elders are in trouble from-!"

A loud crash came from deeper inside the Elder's Hall, prompting Team Traveller and their companions to hurriedly continue on. Their surroundings flew by in a blur, until Pleo started noticing some of the walls around them looked familiar—why, this was one of the corridors near the lobby! As they made their way ahead, the sounds of battle grew louder and louder. Partway down the hall, Margi spotted a small door and pointed it out. They hurried up to it, as Daraen worriedly hesitated in front of it.

"Sounds like they're in trouble in there, maman," he said. "Is this really the best way in?"

"All of the other ways are just as risky," the Hydreigon replied. "Just try and remain out of sight when we go through the doors. We'll only have one chance at sneaking up on those pirates."

The Hydreigon went and tested the doors before finding they were unlocked. She pushed them open just enough for Pleo and the others to enter. One by one, they slipped into the lobby of the Elders' Hall as off towards their left were Marked Pokémon hiding behind a haphazard blockade of Protects while attacks rained down on them. Pleo and his teammates hurriedly snuck in along the wall and looked up and saw that there was a balcony that was similarly contested between the Marked and the pirates, with the Elders frantically trying to fend off various attackers. He noticed Nina just in time to see her spew fire to try and keep Dirk at bay, while Hess threw back a Marked Spidops with a hail of stones. All of a sudden, the Aggron paused and whirled his head around towards the young Lugia. Hess' mouth flopped open in shock, before he raised a claw and pointed down from the balcony.

"Ah! The bird's right there!"

Pleo's eyes widened as one by one, everyone's attention in the chamber fell on them, both Marked and pirate alike. From the balcony, Nina briefly stared at them before Dirk struck her in the stomach with a Brick Break. The Typhlosion tumbled away from him with a yelp, as the Bisharp pulled a badge on his scarf up to his mouth.

"Everyone! Lugia's down on the ground floor! He's by the hallway just left from the main entrance!"

Pleo looked up after hearing wingbeats as fliers from the balcony began to dive at them. A shot of silken webbing sailed out and just missed him as the next thing Pleo knew, Margi was dragging him off along with his teammates. They dove back out into the hall, and hurriedly pulled the door shut just as a loud thud came from the other side. The door jostled as Margi desperately held it shut with her side mouths, as Pleo and his companions traded grimaces with one another.

"Where are we supposed to go now?!" Pleo cried.

"There's a wing in the Elders' Hall set aside for storing relics just a little ways from here!" she replied. "It was designed to be a place for defenders to fall back to in times of trouble, and we'll last longer there than trying to hold out in this hallway!"

Margi yanked the door open and spewed out a blue ray of dragonfire at the pirates on the other side, with Bunsen similarly providing covering fire with a Flamethrower. Pleo and his companions hastily ran down the hall as Margi passed them and flew ahead to lead the way. All the while, the sounds of battle kept ringing out behind them, along with Dirk's voice sounding out above the fray.

"Keep those defenders busy!" the Bisharp's voice barked. "We're going after that bird!"

Pleo and his teammates tore along as Bunsen spat up a plume of smoke behind them that filled the hallway, hurriedly rounding a corner rightward after Margi as they came to a set of sturdy, wooden doors that had been left ajar. They quickly pushed past them and slammed them shut, before Margi grabbed a wooden plank propped up on the side and slid it into place as a brace. She did so not a moment too soon, as just afterwards, pounding and snarls rang out from the other end.

Pleo jumped back as the door lurched when it dawned on him that they were in a place filled with cool, blue light—the color of a room lit up by glowmoss. He looked off to his right to see another set of doors of similar construction that were already closed but not yet braced shut. Off to the left, there was a grate blocking off a hallway which headed further in towards a faintly visible wall, and a set of stairs on either side of it which went up to a second level that overlooked the entire chamber.

... This was really where they were supposed to hold out against the pirates?

Pleo and his teammates stared ahead blankly for a moment, when Bunsen's mouth flopped open and his tail flared to life as he turned to Margi with a startled stammer.

"Y-You said that this was a defensible position!" the Charizard cried. "This is a dead end!"

"This is a defensible position!" Margi insisted. "Just hurry and help barricade the other entrance! Once we get up these stairs, we can dig in from up the-!"

A loud crash rang out from behind them as Pleo and the others whirled around to see the doors they'd come through flying open. The wooden brace had been splintered into two, as Hess stumbled out with Kichiro and other Pokémon in pirate scarves storming in after him.

"Hess, when I told you to 'use your head', this is not what I meant by that," Kichiro grumbled.

The Aggron shook his head and brushed loose a few splinters and dust off his armored body, before answering the Ledian with a toothy grin.

"Well hey, it worked, didn't it?"

Pleo and his companions froze with frightened grimaces and backed away as the room began to fill with pirates. Daraen inched back towards his mother and even Margi and Bunsen seemed to be on-edge. This was bad. The pirates had already cornered them before they'd even had a chance to barricade themselves, so how on earth were they supposed to even begin holding out against them?

The crunch of footsteps against rubble snapped the young Lugia back to attention as a tall figure emerged through the dust. The shape revealed itself to be a Bisharp in a vivid red scarf, who took his place at Hess' side and brandished his blades with a cruel sneer.

"My, I hope we weren't interrupting anything important here," Dirk said.

For a fleeting moment, Hess seemed to warily eye Pleo. After briefly sizing him up, the Aggron visibly grew more confident, lowering his head with a stomp of the ground and a threatening snarl.

"... We'll cut to the chase," Hess said. "Hand over the bird, and nobody gets hurt."

Pleo's heart raced in his chest, as his teammates and Daraen braced themselves for battle. Beside them, Bunsen flared his wings out to try and make himself look bigger while Margi remained firm, baring her fangs as she tensed her heads to strike.

"Over my dead body."

Some of Hess' underlings briefly froze at the Hydreigon's threat, and even Hess himself seemed to waver a bit. Except, the entire time, Dirk and the Pokémon from his crew remained wholly unfazed. An unsettling smile settled over the Bisharp's face, one that made Pleo and his teammates' blood run cold with how malicious and predatory it looked.

"Oh really? Would you say the same about the dead bodies of Lugia's friends?"

Team Traveller blanched as their hearts collectively skipped a beat. Was this some sort of dirty trick? They studied the Bisharp's expression closely, as he brought a hand up to the glinting badge pinned to his scarf.

"Rian, put our special guests from Starpeak Square on the line."

Dirk took the badge off his scarf and held it out as the sounds of grunts and struggling came from the badge, followed by an uncomfortably familiar voice crying out.

"Hey! What are you-?!"

Team Traveller's eyes shrank to pins, as Pleo reflexively beat his wings out and Crom's mouth flopped open in shock. That was-!

"Nida!"

Pleo darted forward for the badge, only for Ander to hurriedly stop him by blocking his path with the flat of a scythe. A sharp shout came from Dirk's badge, as Nida's voice called out in frantic tones.

"Pleo! Whatever that pirate's telling you, don't-!"

Nida's voice abruptly cut off as Dirk pinned his badge back against his scarf and let go. Team Traveller, Daraen, and even Margi and Bunsen stared blankly as the pirates began pressing in tighter and tighter.

"Oh so that's that spike ball's name, huh? Don't worry, we've got that Growlithe and Fraxure, too," the Bisharp said. "They're all in one piece. For now."

"W-We won't let you get away with this!"

A low growl filled the air as Crom bared his teeth and flashed his claws, but in spite of it, his eyes were still visibly shrunken and his wings faintly trembled. Dirk noted Crom's expression briefly, before tightening his face into a dismissive sneer.

"You're a bit late for that, kiddo," the Bisharp said. "After all, it's a bit hard for you to rescue anyone from Starpeak Square at the moment."

The Bisharp flicked a blade out, allowing its edge to glint under the cool light of glowmoss in the chamber.

"And if you're planning on them still being alive by the time that I return there, you'll tell your bird friend to come along. Quietly."

Pleo's vision started to go wobbly as his breaths started to hitch and grow faster and faster. Th-These pirates were going to kill his friends? Would they do it the moment he told them he wouldn't come along? Would they make Nida and the others suffer? He began to hyperventilate as dark images crossed his mind, and he dropped his head with a stammering croak.

"I- I-"

In the crowd, some of the pirates gave dismissive scoffs at how soft the Lugia seemed to be, with a couple wondering aloud whether or not he was truly a Protector. Others, mostly golden-scarved ones, traded uncomfortable looks and murmurs, including Hess. The Aggron captain set his teeth on edge at the young Lugia's panic and quietly went over and pawed at Dirk's shoulder.

"Dirk, you really don't need to-"

"Shut up, Hess!"

Dirk raised a blade, making Hess recoil with a stifled yelp before he turned back to Pleo and his companions. The Bisharp scraped his blades against each other with a low, metallic grinding noise, as the end of his mouth curled up with a toothy smirk.

"So what's it going to be?" Dirk demanded. "Are you coming? Or am I going to need to make you hear your friends start getting taken apart-?"

"St-Stop!"

A sharp squawk filled the chamber as everyone's eyes fell on Pleo. His gaze remained firmly fixed towards the ground as the Lugia blinked slowly and deliberately. And then much to their astonishment, he stepped forward, before weakly raising his head as his voice came out in a low croak.

"I-I'll come-"

"And tell you to take a hike!"

Pleo barely had time to react as the other set of doors into the chamber suddenly flew open. A whirling noise turned Pleo's attention leftwards as a spinning white missile sailed in and struck Dirk in the face. The Bisharp reeled from the blow as Hess' mouth flopped open in shock, while many of the other pirates similarly grew visibly surprised as their attention turned towards the other door. Pleo followed after their gazes and saw Guardia and Dimitri were there... along with the Elders and a bunch of other Marked! Curiously, there were also Pokémon wearing indigo scarves with them, including a Krookodile who sauntered up to the fore...

"H-Huh?! Sheriff Robbie?!" Crom cried.

"Hah! You sure talk tough for a 'mon in for a world of hurt, Caesurio!" the Krookodile said, folding his arms over each other. "Give it up, pirate scum! Your crews have been cut off and surrounded!"

Pleo's breaths started to come in and out quicker as he started to feel lightheaded. Oh no no no, what were they doing?! He was happy that Guardia and Dimitri were alright, but if they went ahead and fought these pirates, then-!

"Guardia, wait!" Pleo pleaded. "He-!"

"You're bluffing," Dirk spat, narrowing his eyes at the newcomers. "I didn't make it to where I am getting cowed by-"

"Agh! They've cut us off from behind! They must've had other Pokémon hiding elsewhere in the Mystery Dunge-!"

A pained scream rang out before the unseen voice abruptly went silent. Alarmed looks started appearing on the gathered pirates as Nina made her way forward holding a badge in her grasp. The Marked Typhlosion raised it and let it fall to the ground with an audible clink against the ground. She narrowed her eyes at Dirk and Hess as fierce fire began to pour out of her vents.

"Here's our terms," she growled. "You let Lugia's friends go and you slink off back to Starpeak Square, or nobody from your crews lives to tell the tale about what happened here in this town."

A number of the pirates in the gathering visibly cringed hearing Nina's ultimatum, as even Hess himself seemed to have a flash of unease. And yet, for every one of their number, there were at least one or two others whose expressions only hardened as they began to dig in. Dirk was first and foremost among them, as the Bisharp brought his hands together with a slow clap and his expression took on an increasingly dark mood.

"Bold words, Typhlosion, let's see how well you back them up!"

Dirk scraped his arms' blades against each other as a harsh screeching noise came from them, creating a series of distorted rings in the air that swept up Nina. The Marked Typhlosion flinched, as Dirk charged forward and cried out to the pirates behind him.

"Get them!"

All of a sudden, the room came alive with attacks flying all around. Pleo frantically dove out of the way as a stray stone grazed his shoulder, when he felt a nip drag him up and saw Margi pulling him aside.

"Get to the top of the stairs!" she cried. "We can't let those pirates take over the high-!"

"Hah! Like we were going to ask you for permission!"

Margi turned back as a lumbering wall of stony and metallic grays barreled into her with a bellowing roar. The Hydreigon tumbled to the ground as Pleo looked up to see Hess in her place. He hurriedly jumped back and bolted for the stairs as the Aggron began to chase after him. Suddenly, the purple glimmer of a Light Screen formed in front of Hess and settled on his body, a brief glance back by the pirate captain revealing Kichiro flitting up from behind with a sharp buzz.

"Just try not to get blown away this time!"

Hess turned his attention back to Pleo and saw he was already at the stairs. The Aggron began to to call up stones to throw at the Lugia when a sharp blow across his side broke his focus and sent him staggering. Hess whirled and looked up, where there that Skarmory was circling overhead with a cawing taunt.

"I see that you're still as easy to fly circles around as ever, Hess!"

The Aggron's eyes narrowed in response. He bellowed and trained his stones upwards for Trizano. Meanwhile, Crom and Ander took advantage of Trizano's distraction to slip past Hess, and made their way up the stairs to try and help their teammates take over the vantage point at its top. They reached it just in time to see a golden-scarved Wimpod get pitched from the railing with a yelp and hit the floor with a loud thud. The hard work seemed to have already been done, since there were Pokémon in Imperial scarves putting up Protects to cut off the opposite stairwell and trying to hold off Pokémon who were snarling and growling from the other end.

Another bellowing roar rang out, as the pair briefly glimpsed Bunsen charging Dirk with a Flamethrower back on the ground floor. Their attempts to get a better view of what was happening were abruptly cut short by another large plume of fire suddenly flying up from below that sent them diving for cover.

"A-Ack! What was-?!"

Crom looked down, where he saw the grate at the bottom scattered across the floor in pieces as a pirate Emboar went in. Much to his horror, there were Pokémon in pirate colors carrying off chests from further inside towards the direction of the door Hess smashed through.

"A-Ah!" the Druddigon yelped. "They're stealing all the relics!"

Ander's mind turned back briefly to how Margi said that this place was normally used to store relics... and how Nina had mentioned that their Ledger would be kept with them. The pair set their teeth on edge as Ander looked over at a Marked Crocalor and Dunsparce dug in nearby. He hurried over with a sharp buzz and drew the pair's attention, before he frantically motioned off to the grated tunnel with a scythe.

"Over there, quick!" the Marked Scyther insisted. "We can't let those pirates steal the relics from that tunnel!"

The pair looked at each other briefly, before nodding and leaving their positions as Crom and Ander followed the guards to join the fight. Crom and Ander ducked attacks along the way back down to the ground floor amid a chaotic melee in which they lost track of Pleo and the others. The guards in front of them abruptly shouted when much to Crom's alarm, the Crocalor suddenly flopped over after being struck by a pressurized orb of water, while a Liepard leaped in and pounced on the Dunsparce. Crom hurriedly spat up a Dragon Rage to intervene when a sharp cry turned his head rightward, just in time to see Guardia tumble back just ahead of them. He hurriedly ran towards the Cubone to try and help her up, when a beam of purple light sailed in and struck him in his chest.

"Agh!"

Crom toppled over, a pained buzz revealing Ander had been similarly stopped in his tracks by a set of snapping jaws. The young Druddigon quickly scrambled onto his feet, where Guardia was holding her bone tensely. He turned his head up, and saw a black and purple flash bounce in, along with a tan and figure darting up alongside it. A Grumpig and a Krokorok wearing Iron Fleet scarves, both approaching glaring and readying themselves for attack.

"Crom! Guardia! Get behind me!"

Ander hurriedly stepped out in front of Crom and Guardia as their attackers neared. Crom didn't remember seeing the two before on Hess' crew, but at the same time something about them seemed familiar...

It then dawned on him as to why he'd felt that way: he'd seen the two on an entirely different ship's crew!

"Ah! You two!" the Druddigon cried. "You're from Lyn's crew!"

The Grumpig and Krokorok briefly stiffened up after Crom's exclamation. A flash of realization suddenly came over them, as their eyes narrowed into piercing glares.

"Wait a minute, you're that brat that I threw off our ship!" the Grumpig exclaimed.

"Grrr, and that Cubone was with those other brats with the bird who got our gear stuck in that Kangaskhan Rock," the Krokorok growled, baring his fangs. "Come on, Hooke! They won't get the drop on us a second time!"

The Krokorok shot forward at Ander and Guardia with his jaws bared, snapping them shut as the pair hastily dove out of the way. From the side, Crom ran at the Krokorok and pulled his arm back to ready a Power-Up Punch, when a violet flash suddenly filled his vision from the left. The next thing he knew, a heavy force struck the side of his head, along with a piercing pain that shot through it.

"A-Agh!"

Crom lost his footing and fell forward onto his belly in a daze. He laid there and struggled to get up when he felt a foot pinning him down on his back. He yelped and looked up, where there was the Grumpig standing over him and sneering down with a malicious smile.

"Should've stayed on your hick island, little runt-"

"Crom! Roll aside!"

Crom felt the Grumpig's weight let go and hurriedly rolled out of the way as Ander rushed in with a cross-shaped slash. His blades landed with an audible thwack, followed shortly afterwards by a pained squeal. Crom got up and looked over just in time to see the Grumpig skidding back and panting when Ander lunged forward, readying another slash of his blades.

Except, there was light gathering in front of the pearls on the Grumpig's head. Crom wasn't sure what to make of it, until he saw the light start to arrange into hexagonal shapes.

His eyes suddenly widened in realization.

"Ah! Ander!" he cried. "Wait! He's-!"

It was too late. The Power Gem sailed forward and caught Ander square in his chest, sending him crumpling to the ground in a wheezing daze. Hooke looked on briefly and shook his head, giving a low, fuming snort back at the struggling Bug-Type on the ground.

"Oh, so you wanna get down in the mud, Scyther?" the Grumpig snarled. "Well lemme show you how that'll end for you!"

Another Power Gem began to form in front of the Grumpig's head as Crom hurriedly ran forward. He opened his jaws by reflex as much to his surprise, dark wisps began to form around his jaws. His fangs sank deep into Hooke's right shoulder, the Gumpig's Power Gem abruptly dissipating as the Psychic-Type's eyes shrank to pins.

A bloodcurdling squeal filled the air, as the Grumpig thrashed against Crom's jaws. Hooke's eyes flashed blue as he frantically readied a Psychic, only for Crom to clamp down even harder. The Grumpig suddenly went limp and slumped forward, pulling Crom with him to the ground as the pair rolled to a stop. After the Grumpig stopped moving, Crom let go and got up, seeing the Psychic-Type breathing weakly with ruddy marks left behind where he'd bitten down.

"OW!"

Crom whirled around just in time to see Ken hopping and wincing from Guardia smashing his toes. The Druddigon hurriedly spat up a gout of dragonfire that made the Krokorok bellow in pain and sent the sailor flopping to the ground on his back.

For a second, Crom thought that was the end of things, except, much to his alarm, Ken suddenly rolled over and hurriedly scooted back. The Krokorok started to get up onto his feet as Ander rushed in and caught him with a scythe. Ken cried out in pain when another slash raked him, followed by one in the Krokorok's stomach that made his eyes shoot wide with a labored croak.

"N-Nrk!"

Ander pulled his blade back and let Ken slump forward, the Krokorok landing on his belly with a dull thud. Ander jumped back, keeping his blades at the ready as the sound of battle rang out around them, the lack of incoming attacks probably being a sign that their fighting had taken them away from the front lines. His teammates darted up to him, as Guardia gave a poke at the felled Krokorok with her bone.

"Tch, I remembered these two putting up more of a fight last time," she scoffed.

"I guess that means we must've gotten a bit stronger-"

"Agh! Get your filthy paws off that chest!"

Crom trailed off as a crackling buzz turned his attention back towards the mouth of the grated hallway and saw Roderic frantically zipping forward. Much to his alarm, the defenders on the ground floor were scattered in a state of confusion, some behind Protects or whatever cover they'd managed to whip up, while others lay limply on the ground. The pirates on the other hand were still holding their ground, with a few of their comrades already carrying off things from the tunnel behind them, including a red-scarved Emboar who was visibly lugging along a heavy chest.

Blue sparks danced around Roderic as he readied a Discharge, when a stream of fire caught him and sent him plummeting to the ground. Crom, Guardia, and Ander hurriedly ran over and helped him get to cover behind a small pile of upturned stones left behind from an earlier Rock Slide, as they looked down at the stricken elder.

"R-Roderic! Are you okay?!" the Druddigon cried.

"I'm fine, but we need to get that chest back!" the Rotom buzzed. "We put that Ledger you brought to us in it!"

The three turned their eyes to the Emboar up ahead. After a brief moment of stunned shock, Ander let out a sharp buzz and motioned for the others to follow.

"Then there's not a moment to lose! Come on!"

The three vaulted out from behind their cover as Ander strafed the Emboar and slashed one of his paws with his right scythe. Guardia rushed in with a swat with her club at the Emboar's leg, while Crom spat up a Dragon Rage, his blow landing just by the Emboar's feet and making the pirate stumble and drop the chest. The Emboar reared up with a growl and readied a punch, when blue bolts of electricity came in and made him freeze up with a pained bellow. The Fire-Type reeled before turning and falling back towards nearby comrades, a couple of them stepping forward as one tightened his grip around a Slow Wand.

Off towards the center of the room, Dirk was sent skidding back crouched along the ground from a fiery tackle. A loud roar followed afterwards, as a Marked Charizard rose up into the air and bared his fangs with a defiant snarl.

"Is that really the best you can do, Bisharp?!" Bunsen snapped. "I was a Company Commissioner! It'll take more than some cheap shots to get the better of me!"

Bunsen followed up his blow with a brilliant gout of fire, spewing his Flamethrower out at the Bisharp in a wide arc. The fire swept over Dirk's body as the purple flash of Kichiro's Light Screen came over it, all while the pirate braved the flames and lunged through them. Bunsen's eyes widened briefly as he attempted to crane his head down to adjust his target, only for Dirk to run a blade trailing shadowy flecks across the Charizard's belly.

"A-AUGH!"

Bunsen shot backwards and plummeted to the ground with a loud crash, leaving him wheezing on his back as smoke came from his throat. Bunsen started to get up when a sharp kick at his side knocked him onto his belly. A stomping pain shot through his wing and back, and soon he felt something hard and cold press against his throat from underneath. The Charizard's eyes drifted down, as saw Dirk holding one of his blades at his neck with a sharp sneer.

"Sounds like I picked the wrong island to raid if this is all it takes to throw a Company Commissioner off balance these days," the Bisharp taunted."I'm sure that I'll have stories to tell either way after this. After all, it's not every day that I get to take a Commissioner's head."

Bunsen let out a low whimper and screwed his eyes shut as Dirk drew his free blade back. A sharp cry rang out as Dirk's free blade reached its apex, the Bisharp turning his head just as a silvery-white blur wreathed in blue dragonfire struck him in his side.

"Ack!"

Dirk tumbled back, digging his bladed arms to the ground to steady himself, as Bunsen breathed in and out shakily. The Charizard hastily got up and pawed at his throat, where there, much to his astonishment, he saw Pleo standing in front of him, blue flecks of light still trailing off his feathers.

"H-Huh?! B-But you-!"

"Were in trouble!" Pleo squawked. "I couldn't just let that mean Bisharp hurt you like that! We're on the same side here!"

The Charizard stared dumbfounded for a moment, when a sharp hiss over the din of battle turned his and Pleo's attention off towards the pirates' end of the chamber. There, Dirk got back onto his feet and swung his bladed arms wide, Bunsen briefly faltering from his nerves before he cast a sidelong glance at his unexpected defender.

"R-Right, just be careful!" the Charizard insisted. "These pirate captains are tougher than they look!"

"And also not the types to just sit around while you run your mouths off!"

Dirk lunged forward at Pleo with a Night Slash, when he was hit by a brilliant wave-like light, and then a blazing tackle that left him struggling to keep his balance. Dirk briefly saw that Nina and Siana had joined at the pair's side as Nina breathed out a gout of fire that grazed him and made him lose his footing. Other attacks zipped by as Dirk quickly realized that he couldn't see underlings standing and fighting near him—he was completely out in the open.

The Bisharp captain clicked his tongue, before quickly falling back towards the light of Protects coming from the pirates' doorway, not bothering to look down at the Pokémon he stepped over. Once he made it behind the cover of the pirates' Protect formation, he took stock of his surroundings. Around him, the space behind the Protects was crammed with pirates tensely massed behind hastily formed cover and lobbing attacks and items deeper into the chamber while others tended to fainted comrades.

Dirk did a sweep of the chamber with his eyes and quietly set his teeth on edge. He hadn't realized just how far he'd fallen back, or how many Pokémon there were lying slumped over, with a worryingly large number of them being his own Crimson Corsairs. They were still keeping the defenders on the second level on their toes and holding the closer of the two stairways leading up to it, but the situation on the ground floor was another story. They were clearly losing ground as the Marked and their allies kept pushing deeper into the middle of the chamber. The sound of running footsteps behind him prompted him to look back, as he saw a few pirates deeper down the hallway turning and running off with their tails quite literally between their legs.

"Hey! Get back here!" Dirk snarled. "Nobody said you could-!"

"Gah!"

Dirk turned to see a Ledian sail back over the top of a nearby line of Protects, before hurriedly braking his fall in the air with his wings. The pirates just beside him cried out and hastily dispelled their Protects. Dirk raised a brow as they scattered, when the reason came crashing in not even a second later.

"Aaaah!"

It was Hess, who came to a tumbling stop in front of him. Because of course that useless oaf would literally get pushed around. Dirk pinched his brow briefly as the pirates hastily tried to reform the defensive line, the Bisharp scowling down at Hess while the Aggron wobbily got up from the ground.

"Seriously, Hess?"

"You better believe it!" a Kabutops' voice snapped.

Hess and Dirk looked up as Dimitri ran at them through the gap in the defensive line, with Margi and Trizano following just behind while other defenders skirmished with the nearby pirates. Hess hurriedly attempted to call up rocks, only for the Kabutops to break the Aggron's stance with a Brick Break at his belly, dashing the Light Screen about the Steel-Type. From the side, Dirk lowered his head and headbutted Dimitri onto his back with an Iron Head. The Bisharp raised a blade to strike again, when fire erupted along the side of his body. Dirk staggered back, as he caught a glimpse of Margi rising into the air with embers smoldering around her mouths.

"Now! Hit them while their Light Screen is down!" she cried.

Pleo and Bunsen caught up just as Margi called out to them. The Lugia struck first, throwing a bolt of electricity forward as the Charizard followed suit by spewing out a stream of fire. Their other teammates joined in, throwing attacks of their own at Hess and Dirk that quickly forced the pirate captains to fall back. Their assistance seemed to lift the spirits of the guards who fought alongside them as they let out sharp battlecries, with Margi and Daraen's dragonfire taking on new vigor, and Bunsen's flames burning brighter. All about the chamber, the pirates hastily abandoned the center of the chamber as their numbers were progressively chased back to their entrance. The pirates' positions kept shrinking behind an ever-tightening array of Protects in front of the breached doors, where they attempted to hold out against a hail of blows and Seeds sailing in. At the same time, some of the stronger pirates tried to regain ground by lunging forward in an attempt to catch their opponents off guard, including Dirk himself:

"AGH!"

A sharp cry rang out as Elder Siana's attempt to intervene with a Psybeam was abruptly snuffed out by a Night Slash from Dirk. The Espeon fell limply to the ground as Dirk kicked her aside and ducked back behind cover where Hess and Kichiro were waiting. The Aggron panted wide-eyed, looking out at the hail of attacks coming from deeper within the chamber, before turning to Dirk with an audible gulp.

"S-See?! This is why I wanted to wait until Rodion could catch up with us!"

Dirk shot a piercing glare back that made Hess stiffen up with a yelp, as the Bisharp's words came out with a venomous snarl.

"Just shut up and keep it together, Hess!" Dirk snapped. "We're not finished here yet!"

A loud yowl suddenly came from the top of the stairs up to the second level. The pirate captains turned their attention up, just in time to see a Perrserker in Dirk's colors get flung from the top of the balcony, hitting the ground in a crumpled heap not even twenty paces away.

The situation on the staircase was little better, as the pirates who were still standing on it broke rank and mounted a disorderly retreat back for the doorway. A few other pirates from deeper within the hallway rushed out to try and buy their comrades time to escape, but with how many were being overwhelmed, they were clearly fighting a losing battle. Hess and Kichiro traded grimacing stares at the sight, before the Ledian of the pair turned to Dirk with an irritated buzz.

"I'm sorry, but have you bothered to look around you?!" Kichiro yelled, throwing up his fists in exasperation. "We're going to get overrun if we try to stand our ground here!"

Dirk clenched his teeth and flashed his blades at the Ledian in response, only for the Bug-Type to remain unfazed. ... Was this the right place to dig in if their escape route out of Starbreak Square had been cut off? He ran a hand up to his badge and pressed down, before speaking into it.

"Whoever's listening on the other end, give me a status report. Now."

The badge suddenly crackled to life as a panting voice filled the surrounding air.

"Captain! We've opened up a path out of town, but we can't hold it for long! A bunch of us have already gotten chased here, so this is as good a chance as we're going to get to pull out!"

It took all of a couple seconds for it to become evident that it wasn't just the three of them who'd heard the message, as a growing number of their underlings turned and began to flee.

The Bisharp's mind went blank as he looked vacantly down at the floor. It was growing harder and harder not to conclude that there was nothing to be gained from staying here aside from mounting a last stand. But at the same time, he couldn't bring the Crimson Corsairs back to Starpeak Square defeated like this. Not with nothing to show for their efforts or how much of their ranks they'd have to leave behind.

"Ah! Just drop the chest already!"

Dirk looked out from behind his cover and noticed Crom, Guardia, and Ander breaking away from a line of Protects towards an Emboar attempting to carry off a chest. The Bisharp quirked a brow as the three set upon the Fire-Type: a gout of blue dragonfire, a bone whirling and arcing through the air, and finally a spread-wing tackle from Ander that knocked the Emboar flat. A Vanilluxe floated in and blew out an Icy Wind that swept up the trio, prompting the Emboar to get up and try to retreat to cover as he left the chest behind. Dirk stared at the chest briefly and narrowed his eyes with a puzzled tilt of his head. Why on earth were those three worried about a little bit of loot? It wasn't as if this was even their town anyways.

... Unless whatever was in there was something they were absolutely desperate not to lose.

Dirk slunk back behind cover and turned to Kichiro as a smirk came over his face.

"Actually, you're right, Ledian. We're better off forcing the bird and his friend to fight us on more favorable turf," the Bisharp captain said. "So let's grab whatever's in that chest there and get out of here. They wouldn't be fighting this hard over it if it weren't important to them."

Kichiro shot back a confused look as Dirk grabbed for his scarf and once again pressed down on his badge. He brought it up to his mouth, before speaking into it just loud enough for his voice to cut through the sounds of battle around them.

"Everyone, change of plans! Take whatever loot you've grabbed so far along with anyone you can carry and pull back by any means necessary," the Bisharp ordered. "Captain Hess and I will buy you time to retreat, but don't fall behind. We're not miracle workers here."

Hess' eyes shrank to pins, the Aggron whirling over to the Bisharp with a slack-jawed stammer.

"W-Wait, we are-?"

Hess yelped as he was cut off by a sharp jab at his stomach. The Aggron turned to Dirk as the Bisharp captain looked up at him with a sharp scowl.

"Look, lunkhead. I'm not losing a quarter of my crew to a rout and I doubt you want to either," the Bisharp growled. "So just do your job, tell your second mate to stop whining, and do whatever it takes to get that chest so we can get out of this Mystery Dungeon!"

A pained bellow came from the direction of the chest as Hess glanced over and saw the Emboar slump over next to the Vanilluxe lying toppled on the floor. Crom, Ander, and Guardia were there panting from battle, while the chest they were fighting over was left completely unguarded. The Aggron sized up the distance between the chest and his present cover, before nodding his head with a determined grunt.

"Right, I can do that!"

The Aggron jumped up, before driving his feet into the ground and sending out a heavy tremor that tore up the ground. In the blink of an eye, Hess' Earthquake overtook everyone in its path. Crom and Guardia were the first to be knocked down by the tremor while Ander hastily flew up to avoid the churning earth. The frontlines were the next to fall as the quake hit both the remaining pirates and the defenders, leaving dust and pained shouts swirling in the air. From above, Trizano weaved around stones and dust falling from the ceiling as the chamber devolved into chaos and he tried to make sense of his compatriots below them.

It took Trizano a moment to see past the clearing dust, where he discovered most of the Pokémon who'd been closest to Hess were lying strewn about fainted among rubble, while the exceptions like Crom and Guardia were visibly struggling to stay on their feet. Further away from Hess' position, their allies stumbled up, their ranks noticeably thinned as a number of the Marked and guards from Starpeak Square remained on the ground letting out weak groans of pain.

A low grunt rang out back from where the chest had been, and much to Trizano and his teammates' horror, Dirk was still standing behind a Protect while Hess was in the process of hefting the chest onto his shoulders. Margi noticed it too as she wheeled in the air, diving in as fiery blue light built in the back of her throat.

"Oh no you don't!"

"Oi, buzz off, Sazandora!"

Kichiro cut in as a series of rings in the air that swept Margi up, too late for her to pull away. The Hydreigon's eyes glazed over as her Dragon Pulse sailed off errantly into the walls, leaving her lurching about in a daze and fighting to stay airborne. Trizano grimaced, only for his eyes to shrink as Hess began to run for the doors he stormed through earlier. The Skarmory fanned his wings out, crying out to his teammates with a shrill start.

"Everyone focus on Hess first!" Trizano exclaimed. "We can't let him get away with the Ledger!"

Trizano hurriedly shot forward with a glinting spread-wing tackle, his blow barely making Hess flinch. The rest of Team Traveller hurried in after him, throwing their attacks forward as best as they could, but the Aggron seemed to largely power through them. The primary exceptions were a strafing Brick Break at his side from Dimitri, and a Bonemerang from Guardia that made him stumble just long enough for a plume of fire to strike him in his back.

"Gack!"

Hess reeled, struggling to stay on his feet as he looked up to see Bunsen flying past. A sharp buzz rang out in his ear as purple light settled over his body, where there just to his left, Kichiro scowled at him with an impatient huff.

"Hess! Pay more attention to what's going on!" the Ledian snapped.

"I am!" the Aggron shot back, shaking his head and steadying his grip on his chest. "That's why I was gonna do this!"

Hess stomped the ground and called down several large stones from the rock ceiling overhead onto Team Traveller's positions. On the ground, everyone quickly tried to fall back as the stones fell upon them. Ander frantically dodged a stone that just missed his wings, as cries of pain ran out from all around him. A pained bellow came from overhead, as the Scyther hurriedly ducked out of the way of an orange blur crashing to earth. It was Bunsen, lying barely lucid and sprawled out on the ground whining in pain.

Ander felt heavy footsteps running past, when he looked over and saw his teammates trying to get back onto their feet... while Hess was already halfway over to Dirk as the Bisharp fended off a small party of Marked led by a Chatot. Ander grit his teeth as he realized that Dirk wouldn't have stayed behind for no reason while his underlings retreated. Not unless he had some way of making sure Hess would be able to get away with their chest.

"Everyone, don't let Hess get to that Bisharp!"

Ander darted forward and flung a whitish shockwave ahead at Hess with all the force he could muster. His teammates quickly descended on the Aggron, throwing one attack after the other before they were forced back by a second Rock Slide that sent them diving for cover. Pleo stumbled back with a sharp squawk as one of the rocks struck his shoulder, while Nina hurriedly rushed past him and spewed a Flamethrower at the fleeing pirate. The young Lugia panted and fought to stay on his feet when he looked up in the direction of the entrance. There, Dirk was throwing aside the Chatot, the last of the squad that had tried to stop him. Back towards the middle of the chamber, Hess staggered and wobbled along the last stretch towards Dirk with Kichiro frantically pushing at his back—the chest now being held uneasily in his grasp.

No, he couldn't just let Hess get away! Now while they were this close! Pleo sucked in his breath and fought against his aching joints as his senses dulled and his mind focused, before calling out with a sharp cry.

"Stop!"

The young Lugia cracked his beak open as a ray of golden rings shot out, sailing along until they struck Hess' back and the Aggron tripped with a pained, choking cry.

"Hnrk!"

Hess tottered and pitched forward, landing onto his belly with enough force to stir up dust from fallen rubble. He lay there with his claws still wrapped around the chest, his strength depleted to the point where he could do nothing but let out feeble groans as the few pirates still at the entrance briefly held their fire out of startled shock. From the Aggron's side, Kichiro gave a worried buzz and flitted down beside the Steel-Type, desperately tugging at his captain.

"N-No, get up you stupid idiot!" the Ledian stammered. "We're so close here!"

Dirk briefly looked down at the pair a few paces away as the Marked guards and indigo-scarved Pokémon started to encroach on him. The last of the pirates in the hallway turned and retreated as a few guards attempted to give chase, but all the while, Dirk stubbornly stood his ground. There was a moment of tense unease, when Nina stepped forward as she and the remaining Elders stared down the Bisharp with fierce glares.

"You should know when you're beat, pirate," the Typhlosion snarled. "You and the Ledian can surrender peacefully, or you two can wake up in a few hours tied to a bed seeing stars in the medic's hut."

There was a moment of silence, before Dirk lowered his head and drew his arms in, letting out a low, derisive chuckle. Nina tensed up and shifted into a battle stance as Dirk looked up with a devilish smirk.

"Thanks for the offer, Typhlosion but I'll pass," Dirk replied. "We weren't planning on staying that much longer in this glorified Durant nest."

Dirk rubbed his blades together as a harsh screech rang out, loud enough to distort the air and make everyone nearby flinch. The Bisharp captain lunged ahead, shoving a Heliolisk out of the way as he shot an arm forward and swiped it against Kichiro's upper right arm and then the back of Hess' head. Trizano dove at Dirk from the air above, when he noticed the Bisharp was raising a black sphere up in the air. His eyes abruptly widened, as he realized what Bisharp was holding:

An Escape Orb pulsing with light.

"No, stop!"

Trizano spread his wings to tackle Dirk, only for the Bisharp to dash the black orb against the ground. The Skarmory sailed forward just as a flash of light to enveloped the three pirates, leaving him sailing through empty air. The light dissipated, with no sign of Hess, Kichiro, Dirk, or the chest to be seen. All that remained were themselves and the fainted pirates and defenders who were still strewn about the chamber. There was a moment of collective, shocked silence, as Team Traveller's minds went blank with a crushing realization that sank in on them.

They'd not only lost their volume of the Ledger, but also failed their friends when they needed them most. From the side, Pleo stared blankly at the spot where Hess and Dirk had been. His eyes began to well up as his voice started to hitch and whine.

"No no no! H-He wasn't supposed to get away!" Pleo cried. "W-We were supposed to-!"

Margi came over and placed a side-head on his shoulder, and lowered her body to meet his eyes.

"Pleo, I understand, but we did everything we could. We need to regroup before we can think about trying anything else."

"B-But he's going to kill my-!"

"No, he won't."

Everyone's attention fell on Nina as the Marked Typhlosion went over to a Emboar lying sprawled out on the floor. She stooped down and tore a glinting bauble off the Emboar's scarf, before bringing it up to her mouth and pressing down on it with a low huff.

"Whoever's listening, put me through to whoever's in charge of passing messages to your captains."

A moment of silence hung in the chamber, as the badge suddenly crackled to life with a chittering voice filling the air.

"Wait, who the hell is this?"

"The Pokémon who holds the fate of a good chunk of your comrades in her paws, so listen closely," Nina growled. "I don't know just how many of your deckhands you left behind here in Starbreak Square, but I know it's a big enough number that most pirate crews who suffered a loss like that would be interested in a change of leadership if their comrades weren't recovered somehow."

Dead silence followed from the badge as Pleo and his teammates looked on in stunned silence. The Lugia started to waddle over and opened his beak in protest, only for Nina to motion for a silence and raise the badge back to her mouth.

"Tell that Bisharp and Aggron that we're open to being convinced to care about their underlings' welfare, but it's contingent on the well-being of those Pokémon you're holding prisoner right now," she said. "The moment anything happens to them, regardless of anything you may have to offer or threaten us with, we will send every last pirate we're presently holding prisoner to the Wastes. Are we clear?"

Pleo stared up at Nina with his beak hanging open. It... was honestly scary to hear her so casually threaten to send Pokémon to die like that, but he was just surprised to see her worry so much about his teammates. It didn't seem like she was pretending or forcing herself to say any of those things, either.

A long pause followed, before the voice on the other end of the badge gave a nervous stammer back.

"I'll- I'll get back to you on that. Just hold onto that badge you've got!"

The voice cut out as Nina let her grip on it go. Pleo wasn't fully sure what to make of what just happened, but at least it sounded like there was a chance that their friends back in Starpeak Square would still be alright. Or at least for now.

Nina pinned the badge on her own scarf for safekeeping, before motioning to the other Elders and calling them over. They approached, some a bit slower than others, either from battle fatigue or from needing to be roused by Reviver Seeds. The Marked Typhlosion briefly paused to scan her surroundings, before she walked up to Robbie as he lingered in front of a few of his still-standing guards.

She folded her arms over each other and sized up the Krookodile and his scarf's pattern, before narrowing her eyes.

"And I presume that you're the Sheriff from that devil-worshipping village by the sea."

Robbie briefly bared his fangs as some of his nearby underlings let out growls and grumbles of their own. The Krookodile stepped forward, raising a fist with a low snarl.

"Look Tornupto, if you are trying to make me regret coming to help you-"

"I was going to say that I wanted you to brief us on what's going on out there," Nina said. "We likely only have a limited window to free your village, especially if we intend to rescue Lugia's companions as well."

There was a moment of confused silence as Robbie let his fist hang in the air for a moment before bringing it down with a low grumble.

"Hrmph, well you sure have a funny way of getting your point across," the Krookodile replied. "Though don't think that this suddenly means we're going to forget all the headaches you've caused us in the past!"

"I wouldn't dream of it," Nina scoffed. "But we have some shared interests at the moment, so at least for now, let's do what we can to work towards them together."

The Typhlosion and her fellow Elders set off as Robbie hesitated, before shaking his head and motioning at his underlings to follow.

"Everybody who's still standing, come along," he said. "Looks like we got that lucky break that we needed."

One by one, the indigo-scarved Pokémon made their way off. A few lingering behind to pass their fainted comrades off to be cared for, before also taking their leave. From the side, Pleo looked on, and fought against the aches in his body as he started to follow after Robbie when a voice interrupted him from the side.

"Stop."

Pleo looked up and saw Margi and Daraen approaching him, the Hydreigon of the pair staring down with a stern expression. The Lugia sputtered in protest, and motioned off after the departing guards.

"Wait, but we-"

"Need to go and see the medics!" Daraen insisted.

"You're hurt from a harsh and grueling battle," Margi said. "Tend to your own wounds first, and then we'll talk about where we should go from here."

Pleo hesitated and looked down at a deep bruise on his shoulder. It was hard to argue the two's point and he supposed that they could wait a little longer. Amidst all the hardships they'd went through, they'd finally gotten what seemed so out of reach just this morning:

Help, and a hope of getting their friends back. All because of Pokémon like Margi and Daraen who had trusted him and fought alongside him even if they were wary of him originally.

Pleo looked up, and nudged his beak against the Hydreigon's chest.

"Thank you," he said. "And... I guess we can do that first."

---

Author's Notes:

- Caesurio - German: "Bisharp"
- Sazandora (サザンドラ) - Japanese: "Hydreigon" (Official Romanization)
- Tornupto - German: "Typhlosion"

 

[Ambyssin]

"You really should not have come here, ma petite,"

"Well I can't see and I was just following your voices!" (But also, yeah, the LITERAL SMALL CHILD was just lingering around for all of this, huh?)

wondering how they would ever make it all the way to the Elder's Hall past a mob of pirates that outnumbered them at least five-to-one

As the ancient proverbs declare: USE BOMBS WISELY.

"There's a service tunnel that provides entry to another part of the Elders' Hall just up the street,"

... Or you could do that. But bombing them would've been funnier.

Margi's jaws clenched as she suddenly shot forward down the hallway with strong wingbeats

lol. My willing suspension of disbelief cannot hold for those tiny sticks hydreigon call "wings" flapping strongly. Their ability is Levitate for a reason.

Rays of fiery blue light shot out from Margi's mouths and struck the Simipour in rapid succession, launching her down the hall into a limp heap.

RIP BOZO.

We'll only have one chance at sneaking up on those pirates

"And we're going to need a hell of an agility role with this party comp."

"Ah! The bird's right there!"

Mission failed, we'll get 'em next time.

"Hess, when I told you to 'use your head', this is not what I meant by that,"

"Which is why I used my Iron Head! HA!"

The shape revealed itself to be a Bisharp in a vivid red scarf, who took his place at Hess' side and brandished his blades with a cruel sneer

I'm not sure whether to laugh or cry at the fact that this fic's gone on so long we now have a bisharp evolution... which makes this about 40% less threatening than it would've been two years ago.

"And if you're planning on them still being alive by the time that I return there, you'll tell your bird friend to come along. Quietly."

Optimal play is for Pleo to come along noisily by constantly babbling about friendship until the pirates surrender out of sheer annoyance.

"And tell you to take a hike!"

"We already took a damn hike! How do you think we got here, teleportation?!"

nobody from your crews leaves this town alive

I'm glad we're using medieval diplomacy this time.

"Get them!"

Cue the music.

just in time to see a golden-scarved Wimpod get pitched from the railing

Ah, yes, only the most elite pirates on this mission, I see.

"Ah! You two!" the Druddigon cried. "You're from Lyn's crew!"

Glad he recognized them, because I sure didn't.

"Then there's not a moment to lose! Come on!"

Cue the new music.

I was a Company Commissioner!

Bro you've been cowering like a wimpod this whole episode, sit your scaly ass down. L + ratio + you bring dishonor upon charizard.

"And also not the types to just sit around while you run your mouths off!"

Finally, someone who believes talking is not a free action!

we will send every last pirate we're presently holding prisoner to the Wastes.

I think she'd get along well with the Queen of Hearts. OFF WITH THEIR HEADS!

"Though don't think that this suddenly means we're going to forget all the headaches you've caused us in the past!"

something something "the enemy of my enemy."

So this part was technically shorter (since it could fit in one post :V) and I will give it props for the first part being navigating tunnels and then some brief medieval diplomacy before things descend into the big ol' ball of violence. And I do think there was a bit of improvement with focusing on a couple of Team Traveler 'mon at a time while everyone else was just fighting in the background, though that did introduce a bit of awkwardness in that they were chasing that one emboar a fairly long time (by word count) not to be able to stop it. It kinda makes it feel a bit like losing the chest was less "they got outplayed" and more "well, the plot needed that to happen, so they just can't catch this one pig."

There's the potential for what's coming up to have a lot of moving parts, especially once the full team ends up back together. Hopefully the remaining skirmishes taking place in an outdoor space will make it a bit less chaotic to follow on the reader side of things.

 

[Spiteful Murkrow]

Hey everybody, it’s been a while since the last update, though there were unfortunately some scheduling issues related to Virgil and I both going on vacations that kept this chapter in the oven a bit longer than normal. So thanks in advance for your patience, and let’s get right into

"Well I can't see and I was just following your voices!" (But also, yeah, the LITERAL SMALL CHILD was just lingering around for all of this, huh?)

I mean, even in reality children seem to have a talent at wandering into places where they really shouldn’t.

As the ancient proverbs declare: USE BOMBS WISELY.

Sage wisdom, really. Shame the gang didn’t have any at the time.

... Or you could do that. But bombing them would've been funnier.

Somehow, I don’t think that throwing bombs around willy-nilly in a tunnel network is the safest option to take, even if it would be decently effective at AOE attacking. ^^;

lol. My willing suspension of disbelief cannot hold for those tiny sticks hydreigon call "wings" flapping strongly. Their ability is Levitate for a reason.

I mean, they do flap even in their idle animations. Even if the wings aren’t necessarily doing the hard work of keeping her airborne, they would be needed for steering and moving around. Kinda important when you’re trying to weave around a hail of attacks.

RIP BOZO.

She’ll be fine… ish™.

Mission failed, we'll get 'em next time.

Pleo: “There’s going to be a next time?!”

"Which is why I used my Iron Head! HA!"

Kichiro: “Seriously, Hess?” :|

I'm not sure whether to laugh or cry at the fact that this fic's gone on so long we now have a bisharp evolution... which makes this about 40% less threatening than it would've been two years ago.

I mean, Dirk was established to have an Eviolite earlier this episode. Even if he’s not quite as outwardly imposing as a Kingambit, Gen 9 did introduce some ways of making him a bit more threatening than he would’ve been 2 years ago. Plus you need to be quick and dexterious as a pirate, which Kingambit definitely isn’t.

Optimal play is for Pleo to come along noisily by constantly babbling about friendship until the pirates surrender out of sheer annoyance.

Ah yes, the same play that gets Spongebob out of the Flying Dutchman’s clutches. Unfortunately, this story doesn’t quite tack after that sort of Saturday Morning Cartoon.

"We already took a damn hike! How do you think we got here, teleportation?!"

Snerk.

I'm glad we're using medieval diplomacy this time.

Well, they’re a bit shy on water and space to do gunboat diplomacy, so it felt like a decent alternative.

Cue the music.

Decently fitting track, really.

Ah, yes, only the most elite pirates on this mission, I see.

Hess: “Yeah, I… got nothing there.” >_>;

Glad he recognized them, because I sure didn't.

I suppose that it has been a while since those two were last present in this episode, but Ken and Hooke were established to be embeds from Lyn’s crew with the Iron Fleet a while back.

Cue the new music.

Also fitting music.

Bro you've been cowering like a wimpod this whole episode, sit your scaly ass down. L + ratio + you bring dishonor upon charizard.

Bunsen: “That doesn’t mean that they need to know about that!”

Finally, someone who believes talking is not a free action!

Nah, there’s a decent number of ‘mons in this story that also believe in that, too.

I think she'd get along well with the Queen of Hearts. OFF WITH THEIR HEADS!

But will she get her underlings painting the roses red? :V

something something "the enemy of my enemy."

I mean, yeah. Always handy for getting parties to set aside otherwise intractable differences.

So this part was technically shorter (since it could fit in one post :V) and I will give it props for the first part being navigating tunnels and then some brief medieval diplomacy before things descend into the big ol' ball of violence. And I do think there was a bit of improvement with focusing on a couple of Team Traveler 'mon at a time while everyone else was just fighting in the background, though that did introduce a bit of awkwardness in that they were chasing that one emboar a fairly long time (by word count) not to be able to stop it. It kinda makes it feel a bit like losing the chest was less "they got outplayed" and more "well, the plot needed that to happen, so they just can't catch this one pig."

There's the potential for what's coming up to have a lot of moving parts, especially once the full team ends up back together. Hopefully the remaining skirmishes taking place in an outdoor space will make it a bit less chaotic to follow on the reader side of things.

I mean, it sounds like on balance you had a bit more fun with this chapter, so we’ll take that as a positive. Thanks for your feedback @Ambyssin , we’ll be looking forward to what you have to say about today’s chapter!

Alright, after today’s update there will be two more chapters for this arc that… uh… has taken a bit longer than initially anticipated to get through. Though let’s hop right into things as the dust settles from the pirates’ raid on Starbreak Square and Team Traveller try to pick up the pieces to decide where to go next in…

 

[Virgil134]

Pleo hadn't realized how worn down he was as he shambled into the local infirmary, which was busy with Pokémon running about. He and his teammates were led along by a medic, who brought them to a stone chamber lined with piles of straw bedding that had already been mostly claimed by other Pokémon—including one by Bunsen much to their surprise.

They were briefly treated with berries, while bandages were applied to more stubborn wounds that still lingered. The medics told them to rest afterwards and focus on recovering, especially if they were going to visit the Elders later on.

Pleo and his companions tried, but it was hard to get much of any rest. Surprisingly it wasn't the groans of the wounded Pokémon around them that bothered them the most, but the lingering memories of their encounter with Dirk.

The Bisharp told them point-blank that he was holding their friends who'd been stranded in Starpeak Square hostage… and now those pirates had the Knights' Ledger on top of it?

It was hard to shake the lingering feeling of dread from the whole episode, which weighed especially hard on Crom as he hung his head with a worried gulp.

"I- I just don't know what we're supposed to do now," the Druddigon murmured. "Those pirates are all the way in Starpeak Square with our friends and the Knights' Ledger! How are we supposed to get any of them back if we have no idea where they are?"

Crom put a hand to his brow and looked down with a blank stare. Pleo hesitated briefly, before going over and patting at his shoulder and giving a reassuring smile.

"At least we don't have to do this alone anymore," Pleo insisted. "Roderic also took those pictures of the Ledger, and we know it and our friends are all in places around Starpeak Square. That's why we came here to ask for help, right?"

It was cold comfort, but the Lugia's insistence seemed to lift Crom's mood a bit. From the side, Trizano paused and brought a wingtip to his beak.

Something about the raid wasn't adding up. The pirates who attacked Starbreak Square came storming in and ready to tear the village up looking for Pleo, and had gotten quite a few of themselves caught in the process. If the pirates had known about the Knights' Ledger all this time, why didn't they ever show an interest in it earlier?

Unless…

"I… don't think that those pirates knew that the Knights' Ledger was in there or how important it is," Trizano said. "If they had, how come Hess and Dirk didn't try to snatch it right away? They only went for it after they saw how much we were trying to get it back."

Guardia blinked at the Skarmory's reply. She supposed that if Hess and Dirk didn't know what they were dealing with, it'd explain their behavior… but she wasn't sure what the point Trizano was trying to make was.

"How does that help us at all?"

"Well, it means that the pirates aren't likely to pass the part of the Knights' Ledger we had back to the Company and that they probably aren't taking any precautions to keep it safe," Trizano explained. "As long as we can get to the chest they stole from us, we should still have a chance at getting our volume back."

Right. So there was at least a chance that they could turn things around, even if Pleo wasn't sure where on earth they would even start. Even if they could take it for granted that they'd free their friends, any attempt at getting the red volume back would mean going through an entire town that was currently full of pirates.

The young Lugia drifted in his thoughts for a moment when he heard a sharp wince and pained groan from deeper in the room. He looked along the piles of bedding set out on the other side, where a number of Pokémon, including Bunsen, were laying at rest with wounds. The young Protector blinked as he noticed that the Marked Charizard was pawing at a set of bandages on his belly and seemed visibly uncomfortable in his straw pile… not that taking a slash square to his underbelly and then getting hit with a Rock Slide would've felt good for anyone.

Pleo got up and waddled over to Bunsen's bedding, a few nearby Marked quietly shrinking away as he passed. He tilted his head down at Bunsen, making the Charizard abruptly freeze up. The pair stared at each other wordlessly, before Pleo raised a wing out to him with a worried murmur.

"Are you okay?" the Lugia asked. "You look really hurt."

Bunsen reflexively shrank back from Pleo's outstretched wing, and pulled his limbs in close and nervously lowered his head.

"I-I'll live, really," the Marked Charizard stammered. "J-Just got a bit more cut up than I was expecting."

… So Bunsen was still afraid of him. Pleo couldn't help but feel a twinge of disappointment and lowered his wing before backing away.

He wanted Bunsen to stop seeing him as a demon… but if Bunsen still saw him this way after he came to his help, how would the Charizard ever change?

"If you say so," he sighed.

Pleo turned and began to walk back to his friends, who'd continued talking with each other in his absence. Probably about what on earth they were going to do now with the whole mess with the pirates. As he made his way back, he tried to give more space from the other beds this time, lest he draw any more unwelcome reactions.

"Wait!"

Bunsen's voice suddenly called out from behind. Pleo turned his head and looked to see that Bunsen was shuffling and sitting up in his bedding. The Charziard still looked visibly on-edge, but he seemed to be fighting with himself to get words out, and after a moment to suck in a breath, he began to speak.

"It feels a bit weird for me to be saying this… but I just wanted to say thanks for looking out for me back there," the Fire-Type said. "I'm not sure if I'd be going back to my mate and children again if you hadn't."

Pleo fell quiet at the Charizard's reply, and noticed a couple Marked from the other beds giving strange looks off at Bunsen. The young Lugia gave a small smile in reply. Maybe neither of them were ready to be friends with each other, but at least they seemed ready to stop being enemies.

"I don't think I really did anything all that special, but I'm glad I could help," Pleo replied. "No matter what I really am as a Pokémon, I was told that I was supposed to be a Protector. And… I want to be one that anyone can count on."

The Charizard blinked and seemed to be at a loss for how to respond as Pleo turned and left. The Lugia went back over to his friends, who trailed off as he approached as footsteps and wingbeats rang out. He raised his head and looked towards the door, where Margi and Daraen were re-entering from the hallway outside.

"Hey, are you all doing alright?" the Deino asked.

"We're fine," Pleo reassured. "Though how come you're back so soon? Is something going on?"

"It's about the Elders. They wanted to have that audience with you, assuming you're well enough to walk," Margi explained. "They said that time is of the essence, so I don't think that it's wise to keep them waiting."

Pleo and his teammates traded incredulous looks with one another. Nina and the others wanted an audience already? It hadn't even been two hours since they fought off Hess and Dirk in the Elder's Hall… wouldn't Starbreak Square still be a mess from their raid?

The Lugia decided not to question it. After a day as long and chaotic as today, they could afford to have a break for once.

"Right, I think that we're feeling well enough," Pleo said. "Let's get going."

Team Traveller got up and headed after Margi and Daraen, making their way out of the crowded infirmary past Pokémon being treated in the hallway until they exited out onto the street. It was a bit hard at times to tell that there'd been a pirate raid since the entire town had been built into tunnels dug into the side of a mountain and there weren't wooden buildings like in Bluewhorl Town, but the scars were still there:

Scorch marks, gouges in the tunnel walls, stray rubble… Pleo supposed the burned out doorways and shopfronts weren't all that different from the raid he remembered either. Along the way, he noticed the tunnel up ahead of them was unusually crowded and had a strange number of guards milling about.

He and his companions weren't really sure what to make of it, until they saw a group of Pokémon in red and gold scarves being herded along in bindings. They hesitated briefly, only to realize as they neared that most of the Pokémon were pirates who'd already been tied up and grouped together. Pleo and the others continued on past the captured pirates and saw a mix of reactions as they moved along: some sullen, some defiant, others visibly fearful. The young Protector shifted his wings uncomfortably, before turning his head back to his guides.

"… What's going to happen to the pirates that got caught anyways?" he asked.

"I mean, they're pirates," Daraen replied. "Wouldn't they get punished like-?"

"Get off of me, you stupid blotch-heads!"

Daraen stiffened up and recoiled as up ahead, a Perrserker thrashing against a pair of guards pinning him down. The Perrserker let out a low growl and glared up at his captors, before turning his attention over to Pleo with a piercing glare.

"Enjoy sitting pretty while you can! Since when the captain comes back, he's gonna-"

The pirate abruptly trailed off as the color drained from his face, and a few nearby pirates' eyes visibly widened. After following the pirate's gaze, the reason was clear: there was a Marked Rillaboom carrying a thick sack over his shoulder, with a heavy glove wrapped around a Red Apricorn.

"Go ahead, Perrserker," the Rillaboom said. "Make my day."

The pirate's defiance abruptly faded as he pulled his tail between his legs and the guards shoved him aside against the tunnel wall. Pleo and the others carried along as Margi shot an unamused scowl off at the Perrserker as they passed, before turning back to Pleo with a scoff.

"We haven't figured that out yet, since we don't have enough holding cells to keep all of these Pokémon for the long-term even if we wanted to," she said. "But it doesn't make sense to worry about doling out punishments for them while their friends are still prowling around this island. There will be plenty of time for us to sort them out later."

Guardia nodded along, but wondered just what sort of space they were even supposed to use to keep all these pirates. Taking over a gathering place like those hut-dwellers on Tromba did for that trial in their 'town square'? Using dens to hold them like these Marked had apparently done to Pleo?

She shook her head. It sounded like the sort of problem best solved by digging a pit on their outskirts and keeping those Pokémon there, but she supposed that 'Civilized' Pokémon were a bit strange in their workings. As they began to continue on, Guardia's eyes drifted leftwards, where she chanced to catch a Grumpig and Krokorok with their arms tied behind their backs, visibly squirming away from the Marked Rillaboom as he passed.

She jerked her head back as a flash of realization came over her and tightened her grip on her club. Those two were the same Krokorok and Grumpig from Sormus. Why on earth were they even here right now?

"Wait, you!"

The Grumpig and Krokorok stiffened up as Guardia stomped up to them, Ken trying to scoot back with a quiet wince.

"Wh-Wha-?"

"You're not pirates at all!" she cried, pointing at the pair with her club. "You're those two Company grunts who ambushed us back on Sormus!"

Pleo almost pinched himself to make sure he wasn't seeing things, but sure enough, those two really were the same Pokémon from Lyn's crew that tried to trick them on Sormus! A few other pirates nearby the pair turned and stared, as a couple others grit their teeth with low growls. The Grumpig and Krokorok both seemed to freeze and grimace briefly as Pleo spluttered in dawning realization.

"Wait, so Lyn really is working with these pirates?!" he squawked. "But why?!"

The two's eyes both widened in alarm for a moment, when suddenly something came over them. Ken and Hooke abruptly clamped their mouths shut, and narrowed their eyes back with defiant huffs.

"Hrmph, sod off," Ken grunted. "I'm not telling you anything."

"Yeah," Hooke spat. "If you think we're just going to roll over because you caught us, you've got another thing-!"

Hooke's words abruptly choked off as Margi clamped her right side-head down on his throat. The Grumpig's eyes shrank to pins as his Krokorok companion reacted similarly and stumbled back in shock. Hooke looked up, as Margi brought her central head in and bared her fangs with a low snarl.

"I don't think you two understand the gravity of your present situation," she said. "You're not under Imperial custody right now, you're under Starbreak Square's. We don't have to worry about 'political considerations' regarding your fates, or about keeping your welfare with your allies of convenience in mind."

Margi tightened her grip on the Grumpig's throat as he let out choking whines and the color drained from his face. She briefly noticed Ken squirming and trying to scoot away, before giving a sharp nip at the scruff of the Krokorok's neck with her left side-head to hold him in place and narrowing her eyes.

"So unless the two of you would like to get lumped in with the worse offenders as part of sentencing, or get left alone in a locked room with your 'allies' overnight, I'd suggest you start talking and give us reasons to reconsider," the Hydreigon spat.

The fight at once seemed to leave the pair, and they visibly began to quail in Margi's grasp. After a moment of gibbering panic, Hooke's nerves failed him, as he let out a stammering squeak.

"L-Look, the captain cut a deal with these pirates to get Lugia!" the Grumpig insisted. "We were just there to help make sure that everything went to plan!"

"Wait, what deal?" Crom pressed. "How on earth was Lyn planning on getting Pleo from these pirates after they caught him?"

"Th-They were supposed to meet at the edge of Company waters after the pirates got the bird!" Ken cried. "The Company was going to pay them off with money and privateer positions in return!"

Margi let go of the pair, leaving them to flop to the ground. She backed away with a disgusted growl under her breath, leaving Team Traveller to look on blankly as uneasy grimaces settled over their faces.

"So Guardia and Dimitri were right, the Company really is behind all this," Ander said.

"This is something that could escalate quickly once the Empire learns about it," Trizano insisted. "It could easily get them and the Company back into open war like in the early years after they broke apart from each other."

Travellers above, what a mess this was all becoming. Pleo wasn't sure what on earth they were supposed to do at this point. First they had their friends to worry about, and now the Ledger, and now Anyilla potentially spiraling into a war… it just felt like there was no end to all the problems they were facing on this island!

The Lugia let his eyes fall towards the ground, when he felt a prod at his right wing. He looked up, where Daraen was nosing at him worriedly.

"This sounds like something you should bring up with the Elders," Daraen said. "Starbreak Square is supposed to be a refuge for Pokémon like us, and I don't know how it's supposed to stay one if there's a war going on right outside of it."

"It's worth trying at least," Margi sighed. "It already sounded like the Elders were ready to help out, though I'm not sure how they would react to knowing the Company also had a hand in today's raid…."

Pleo paused and shuffled his wings. He knew that Nina said that they'd help, but would finding out about the involvement of the Company scare her off? Or would it make them more determined to help them free Starpeak Square?

Pleo wasn't sure one way or the other, though he supposed there was only one way to find out:

"Right, let's go and check up on them."

Team Traveller continued on after Margi through the battle-scarred tunnels, and before they knew it, they were back in front of the Elder's Hall where locals were already attempting to clean up the mess left behind by the pirates. The entire approach was riddled with rubble and pockmarks from the earlier fighting, to the point where they had to step around fallen chunks of the balcony over the entrance to make it into the lobby. After briefly asking a few Pokémon present where Nina and the others were, they were directed towards the audience chamber where they'd first met the Elders.

On their way over, Pleo and the others noticed the doors were left ajar. Before they even reached them, they could already hear voices arguing loudly on the other side.

"No, absolutely not," an Espeon's voice snapped. "We have enough problems to deal with and you dumping more pirates into our paws isn't one of them!"

"Oh sod off, blotch head!" a Krookodile's voice snarled back. "This is the thanks you give us for helping to save your glorified Fermicula nest?!"

Team Traveller carried on past the doors and into the meeting room, where sure enough, Robbie and his guards were arguing with the Elders. Because of course they were. A series of exhausted frowns came over Pleo and his companions' faces, when they saw Daraen turning his head up at them with a sheepish shuffle of his forelegs.

"I suppose that's one way for us to find the Elders," Daraen said.

It was probably a sign that they needed to hurry up and intervene before the two sides came to blows. Pleo and the others darted over as Robbie and Siana stared each other down, with their fellows on either side growling and looking about ready to lunge at each other. Elder Ernest cut in, accusingly pointing a wing over at the Krookodile with a sharp harrumph.

"You not being bound and thrown into holding cells alongside those pirates is already thanks enough, devil worshipper," the Marked Chatot scoffed. "Don't push your luck."

"Tch, with an attitude like that we should've just extracted the Protector and left you all to sort things out with those-!"

"Everyone, just stop fighting for a moment!"

The arguing abruptly died down as Pleo stepped forward, walking straight in between Robbie and the Elders and beating his wings for attention. The young Protector narrowed his eyes with an impatient scowl, before piping up.

"Look, I know that you all don't like each other, and maybe there's even good reasons why you don't," the Lugia began. "But the only reason why we're all here even able to talk like this is because we worked together earlier to fight those pirates off!"

The gathering fell quiet with a few scattered grumbles as everyone turned and stared at Pleo. His scowl faded as he set his beak on edge and hesitated. Whatever he said here could potentially mean the difference between these Pokémon helping them free their friends, or running them out of town entirely.

He faltered briefly, unsure where to even start, when he looked at Ander and then the rest of his teammates and saw they were all looking on worriedly.

Right… even if they were all different, everyone here was still Pokémon. They all had things they were worried or nervous about regardless of if they had a Mark on their heads or not.

Maybe they just needed to be reminded of that.

"Everyone can see now what those pirates can do if they're just left alone in Starpeak Square," Pleo insisted. "But we need the strength to fight them off. Strength we don't have right now and have no idea when the Empire will be able to send it in. That's why you offered to help us, wasn't it?"

There was a lingering silence as both the Elders and Robbie's group maintained hardened expressions towards each other. Pleo shuffled his wings, before turning towards Nina as a pleading look came over his eyes.

"I'm… not asking you all to forgive each other, and maybe you really can't do that," he said. "But we need each other at the moment, and none of us will succeed if we keep fighting with each other like this. You two were ready to work together just a little while ago in spite of that, so can't we go back to that?"

Nina didn't say anything back as Robbie hesitated, before he hung his head with a low sigh.

"… We wouldn't have come here if we weren't short on options," the Krookodile admitted. "This really isn't a fight either of us are able to take on alone."

A few of the Elders like Roderic and Ramon began to murmur amongst each other. Nina flicked her ears, before motioning to the others to draw near. They gathered in a tight circle as other Marked stepped in to block them from view. Pleo and his companions gave puzzled tilts of their heads as they tried to tease out snatches of their conversation, when the Typhlosion and her circle suddenly fell silent.

The guards flanking the Elders stepped aside as Nina and the others turned their attention back towards Robbie and his underlings. The Typhlosion stepped forward, carefully sizing the Krookodile up before she pinned her ears back with a low sigh.

"Even if I can't say much about this attitude of yours, we did say that we'd help free your village," the Typhlosion said. "After all, the best way of keeping Lugia at paw's length without risking causing a greater disaster would be to allow him to leave this island safely. And that requires pushing those pirates out."

Pleo fidgeted uncomfortably at Nina's reply. While he supposed he should be happy about getting help, he wasn't sure how he felt about Nina not fully trusting him. He looked up, and noticed her staring at him with a serious expression.

"Though if we're going to succeed at driving those pirates out, it'll require some sort of workable strategy," she said. "Let's talk more about this behind closed doors"

---

It took Nida, Elty, and Pladur a while to come to after falling asleep from the Slumber Orb. When they woke up, they found themselves gummed up with silk against the stone wall of a windowless room, firmly enough that they could barely budge. There was only a solitary torch for lighting, and nothing but a heavy metal door and a scowling Galvantula and Raticate for company.

Or at least that had been the case until a little over an hour ago. Akane came in and the mood in the room seemed to take a dark turn. Aside from a brief moment where one of the pirates shoved a badge in Nida's face and she briefly got to talk to Pleo, most of the time went by with the pirates intimidating them as they hovered around them menacingly. The Galvantula encroached on Pladur, letting static crackle along his pelt as the Fraxure's eyes shrank to pins. Over on his end, Elty had fared little better with the Raticate, who would periodically gnash her fangs in front of him.

And then there was Nida, who held her breath as she looked down at a red-edged blade held at her throat: Akane's tail, which was currently not even a paw's length away from her, much to the Seviper's sneering satisfaction. These pirates had been doing this routine of intimidating them a few times, but it was hard to tell whether or not it was going to remain idle threats. Even the Galvantula seemed a bit confused about it.

"Shouldn't the captains have told us what they want us to do with these three by now?" the Galvantula asked. "Just how long are we supposed to keep waiting on them?"

"What's there to rush over?" Akane replied. "After all, it's fun watching these little worms squirm."

The Seviper pressed her tail up against Nida's throat, making the Nidorina's eyes widen as her mind suddenly went blank. Was she even going to make it out of this room alive? After everything they'd been through to try and bring Pleo home, would things really end this way?

The metal door at the end suddenly flung open with a loud crash as Akane looked back along with her fellow pirates. Much to everyone's surprise, Tarquin came storming in, his eyes visibly glowering as he stomped the ground for attention.

"All of you, stop messing around with those three," the Tyrantrum barked. "Akane, get one of the guards from outside to fill in for you and let's get going. We need to help the other crews set up defensive lines around the town."

Akane lowered her bladed tail, leaving Nida to pant hoarsely for air. There was a moment of confusion between the Seviper and the other pirates as they moved back from the webbing along the wall, staring blankly at their captain.

"Nani kore? Why?" Akane asked. "The others caught that bird, didn't they?"

"No. The raid on Starbreak Square was a complete disaster and the only bright spot is that Ingela's crew didn't get swept up in it," Tarquin grumbled. "Dirk and Hess are still doing a headcount to try and figure out how badly things went, but the Crimson Corsairs alone had half of the ‘mons that set out captured or otherwise incapacitated. Probably more at this rate with that mood that Dirk's been in at the castle. I wouldn't want to be the unfortunate sod who offended him right now with a temper like that…"

There was a moment of quiet shock in the room as Nida and her companions' jaws dropped. 'Starbreak Square'? Was that another town on this island? Even with Pleo's powers, it was hard to imagine just the six of their missing teammates capturing as many pirates as Tarquin seemed to imply. Had Pleo and the others managed to find help after all?

The pirates for their part looked similarly stunned, though more out of dismay than any feelings of hope. The Seviper from their number glanced out the corner of her eye at their prisoners, before turning back towards Tarquin with a puzzled frown.

"Isn't that all the more reason to kill them now?" she asked. "Dirk was the one who used that threat to try and get the bird in line, and it's not like him to go around spouting threats he doesn't make good on."

"Yeah, well I suppose he's just full of surprises," Tarquin scoffed. "It sounds like the two want to try and do a prisoner exchange with that Marked village, especially Hess, since he wouldn't shut up about getting his first mate back."

Nida and the others traded excited glances with one another. Did this mean that the Pokémon that helped Pleo and the others were Marked? How on earth had they managed to talk them into that?

Tarquin briefly looked over to Nida and the others and noticed their excited expressions, before shaking his head and turning aside.

"I'm not sure if they're also trying to figure out a way to snatch that bird in the process, but the point is that we need these three alive for now," he said. "Dirk was insistent that this was the safest place to keep them for the time being."

Their… Their friends were trying to rescue them. Nida wasn't sure whether she was more excited or worried for her teammates, but if Pleo and the others managed to get help, maybe they still had a chance of escaping.

"Wouldn't it be safer to keep them aboard one of the ships?" Akane asked. "They'd be easier to defend, and if one of the pirates they caught told them about these cells, those Marked or whoever's helping them wouldn't know where we moved these three. What are they going to do? Try and check every ship in port while they're under fire?"

"Tch, I told them that, but Dirk and Hess both wouldn't hear it and said they'd sooner burn my ships than risk these three keeling over from something stupid like them drowning in a brig if the ship holding them was sunk," Tarquin scoffed. "If it was just Hess and his golden-scarved dweebs I'd have told them to go ahead and try, but I'm not risking a confrontation with Dirk."

There was a moment's silence as the Galvantula and Raticate with them traded worried looks, while Akane glanced aside with an idle swish of her tail.

"Sounds like they're both on thin ice with their crews at the moment," she said. "That's no surprise coming from Hess, but I would have expected better from Dirk."

"I'll say," Tarquin harrumphed. "Dirk's calling everyone on the Council to try and plan out a response by the morning at the latest. He thinks either those Marked or the locals might try something."

The Seviper sighed and began to slither off for the door, when a sharp scoff suddenly came from behind her.

"I'm sorry, but why are you just saying this in front of us? We can hear all of this, you know!"

Akane glanced over and saw Elty narrowing his eyes back with an unamused frown. It didn't last particularly long as Tarquin turned his attention over to him, and brought his jaws down in front of the Growlithe's head. Elty's ears pinned back and his teeth set on edge with a frightened whine as the Tyrantrum bared his fangs, flashing them just in front of the Fire-type's snout as a low, menacing growl came from his throat.

"Because, this doesn't change anything for you, you yippy little mutt," the Tyrantrum said. "The moment we don't need you three anymore, you're dead. And if we do have to pull out while holding onto you, we can get you onto one of our ships anytime we feel like it."

Tarquin lingered a bit to let Elty squirm further, before looking back to the Galvantula and the Raticate. He reached for a glinting badge on his scarf that he passed over to the Raticate with a quiet grunt.

"Hold onto that badge. It's linked up with Uri on the Tramontane Tyrant. Just say the word, and he'll come over to take you all to the main deck," Tarquin said. "For now, just keep an eye on these three. I'll have someone come and fill in for Akane."

The Raticate saluted back, before she and the Galvantula took positions on opposite sides of the chamber beside lanterns filled with glowmoss. Tarquin and Akane made their way for the door, and when they reached the threshold, Nida suddenly raised her voice with a huff.

"They're not going to give up, you know."

Tarquin and Akane turned back with a pair of sharp frowns, but Nida remained unswayed. The Nidorina fought against her bindings and narrowed her eyes back in a determined scowl.

"If they beat you once, they can beat you again. And you know it!"

Tarquin rolled his eyes in reply before continuing on, Akane seemed to take more umbrage at Nida's defiance, as she motioned off at the Galvantula and Raticate.

"Just make them choke down some Sleep Seeds if they don't shut up," she said. "There's no reason for you to listen to this all day."

She made her way through the doorway as Tarquin pulled the door shut behind them with a loud, flinchworthy slam. The light dimmed as things were reduced back to the glowmoss lanterns with the two pirates standing guard, but at the same time, Nida still held her head high.

At last, they knew that their friends were still okay. And maybe, just maybe, they'd all see each other again free from this place.

"Good luck out there, everybody."

---

Bright light from a noontime sun filtered through the windows of the Board's meeting chamber on Vollezee while a tense silence hung in the air. The room was more crowded than it normally was, with the Company's Nidoking Director and all four Administrators having been summoned on short notice. Short enough that Zorn had apparently been turned back at the sea wall right before he was about to take a swim around the island. Lyn was there as well, who had been pulled fresh from his new ironclad not even half an hour ago.

The sudden summons wasn't what surprised Lyn, it was the others who were present with them. Olivia, the island's Inteleon Commander and the Pokémon in charge of the Intelligence Division, stood at the end of the table closest to the door, with Zelle alongside her. Lyn looked on from beside Farn, trading glances between the Inteleon and the other Administrators at the table, before impatience got the better of him and he stepped forward with a sharp harrumph.

"With all due respect, Administrators, but I was expecting to issue sail orders at any moment," Lyn began. "Could this have not waited until after I came back with—?"

"No."

Lyn reflexively stiffened up and bit his tongue, turning to see Director Inler had narrowed his eyes with a piercing scowl. The Nidoking let his gaze linger for a moment, before settling back into his seat with a twitch of his ears. His expression eased, if by degrees, as he looked over his subordinates gathered about the table.

"My apologies for the abrupt summons, but there was an urgent matter that Olivia and the Intelligence Division brought to my attention," Inler said. "It required everyone's attention. Including yours, Commissioner Lyn."

"It involves the identity of the spy that's been sabotaging your mission," Olivia added.

All four of the Administrators widened their eyes in response, with Darzin seeming particularly surprised amidst the growing hubbub around the table. Lyn blinked in shock as he stared about the gathering for a moment, before turning his attention back to the Inteleon Commander.

"It… does?" the Samurott asked. "Commander Olivia, is the spy someone from my crew? If so, I'll see to it that they're dealt with right aw-"

"Oh, I assure you, Commissioner Lyn, we won't need any help with taking care of the matter," Olivia interrupted. "Especially since the Imperial spy in question managed to penetrate the upper levels of Company leadership."

At once, a wave of shock came over the Board as they trained stunned stares at the Inteleon—Darzin being the sole exception. The Dragonite had seemed to clam up as soon as the words left Olivia's mouth, and his expression looked much as if someone had just struck him with a Petrify Wand. Lyn quietly raised a brow, only for a sharp snarl from Farn to turn his attention towards her.

"'Penetrated upper levels of Company leadership'?" Farn demanded, stomping a paw against the table. "As in they've been directly spying on our activities?"

Zorn shifted back in the water from the table, before leaning forward and grinding his fangs against each other.

"Commander Olivia, is it one of the honor guards?" Zorn asked. "Give me five minutes alone with him and I'll sort him out for good!"

The Inteleon glanced from the side of her eye towards Zelle, who stepped forward and seemed to have a strangely self-satisfied air about her. The Sylveon brushed at her shoulder with a feeler, before shaking her head.

"Well, that would be hardly fair to those poor guards, Administrator Zorn," she replied. "I can't imagine it would help their colleagues' morale. Especially since the culprit is sitting right here among us."

Zelle turned her gaze over towards Darzin's end of the table, before bringing her feeler out and gesturing with an icy stare.

"Isn't that right, Darzin?"

Darzin's mouth briefly fell open from shock as the Dragon-Type recoiled in his seat. After a moment to collect himself, he got up and slammed his claws against the table, pointing at the Sylveon with a toothy snarl.

"Director, you summoned us all here for this nonsense?!" the Dragonite spat. "Have her colors stripped and thrown out at-!"

Elilan motioned for silence, before glancing at Zelle with a puzzled stare. He let his gaze linger on her briefly, before turning towards Olivia and bringing a set of claws under his chin with a skeptical click of his tongue.

"Commander Olivia, you do realize how improbable this all sounds, right?" the Zoroark remarked. "I'm frankly not sure if I can believe these accusations. Darzin has always struck me as a bit too simple-minded to engage in plotting of that sort."

Lyn turned his head as the sound of a stone seat jostling and a low growl ringing out. Darzin seemed to sink his claws into the table, if that were even physically possible, and seemed to be fighting every bone in his body to keep himself from throwing himself at his Zoroark colleague. Elilan for his part did little more than to briefly turn his head and quietly scoff, before returning his attention back to the Inteleon with a serious frown.

"You do have evidence to back up these accusations, don't you?"

"Of course, I wouldn't dream of wasting the Board's time otherwise," Olivia insisted, gesturing over at Zelle.

"Agent Zelle, please present the evidence you and the rest of Sorge's team found."

The Sylveon sauntered up to the table with a smug smirk spread over her face. She stopped and glanced at the seated figures, letting her attention briefly linger on Darzin before speaking up.

"I know this may be hard to believe," Zelle began. "Me and my teammates also didn't think that Darzin would be capable of such a thing. Or at least, until we followed up with the Harbormaster."

Zelle fished through a satchel on her shoulder before pulling out an indigo-colored lump. She unfurled it and set it on the table, revealing it to be an Imperial scarf with a single white leaf pattern. Darzin narrowed his eyes from his seat and bared his fangs with an irritated growl.

"Sylveon, is this some sort of joke?! That was the scarf the Harbormaster's guards said they found in your teammate's bag!"

The rest of the room fell silent, and from her place at the table, Farn carefully batted her tail back and forth in thought. She pivoted on her seat and turned towards Zelle, narrowing her ruddy eyes.

"I thought that your Noivern teammate told us that Darzin had been misled, Sylveon," the Luxray said. "Why is your story changing all of a sudden?"

"We didn't want to throw out accusations that we couldn't prove. We're obviously comfortable making them now thanks to our investigation," Zelle explained. "When we checked in with the Harbormaster to try and learn if anyone might have manipulated Darzin when he called in that raid on us, we retraced Darzin's steps and discovered that he had spent a curious amount of time around the Academy. Specifically at times that Lugia was present there."

The Sylveon went through her bag and put out a set of envelopes onto the table that she started passing out. The gathered Pokémon began to open them and pulled out statements from various Pokémon who worked at the Academy, each confirming the Fairy-Type's account. They fell dead silent afterwards as one by one, the other Board members began to turn icy stares at the Dragonite. Zelle paused and waited for the weight of her words to sink in, before shaking her head and continuing on.

"Once we confirmed those reports, it got us a bit curious as to what he had been up to. Which coincidentally helped us solve a few other recent mysteries," she added. "Such as how on earth Commissioner Bunsen was ever dispatched to Tromba. It felt most unlike Administrator Farn to simply approve such a deployment in spite of the obvious risk of… complications that would arise from his background as a Marked. Based on our investigations, we believe that Darzin is the responsible party for that."

Zelle took out an additional trio of envelopes from her bag and put them on the table. She slid them out towards the center, before turning back to Darzin with a sharp frown.

"We have sworn depositions from multiple Pokémon that you had approached Commissioner Bunsen the day before he and his crew sailed off for Tromba," the Sylveon said. "Two from members of Commissioner Lyn's crew who Bunsen had just recovered from being held prisoner on Boisocéan, and one that Sorge obtained from Officer Sicula herself."

Darzin visibly grimaced as Farn took one of the envelopes and pulled out a piece of paper, her eyes going back and forth. The Luxray set it down and passed it around, before taking another as Zelle locked eyes with Darzin. Farn briefly watched the first letter from the corner of her vision as it made its way to Inler, when Zelle broke her gaze and turned to address the rest of the table.

"It would appear that Darzin coerced Sicula into perjuring herself before you earlier this week," the Sylveon said. "She gave a very different version of events when we followed up with her, with everyone that escaped from the fleet dispatched to Tromba we've questioned thus far confirming her version of events."

A sharp thump rang out as Farn threw her forepaws onto the table and let out a sharp snarl at Darzin, static visibly crackling in her fur. As everyone turned their attention back to the Dragonite, something snapped inside of him, as he shot up from his seat and leveled a piercing glare at Zelle.

"A cute story, Sylveon, but you should stick to telling fairy tales," he growled. "What nonsense! Even if I were working with Imperials, do you expect that I'd agree to something as foolhardy as directly interfering with Commissioner Lyn's mission? That's the sort of thing to be handled by a spy embedded among his crew!"

"Yes, and you did, through that Ditto that impersonated Lugia in front of Lyn's crew," Zelle shot back. "Incidentally, at exactly the same time that he was sabotaging Lyn's mission, you were on record as being absent from your post."

The Dragonite seemed to tense up for a brief moment, but it was enough for Lyn to pick up on. The Samurott reflexively brought his right paw up to his left seamitar's scabbard and tightened his grip around his blade's hilt. Zelle briefly acknowledged Lyn's reaction, before turning back to the others and continuing on.

"We might have been more convinced to believe it was a coincidence were it not for our earlier findings and the fact that you were absent from your post again just later that week. Along with there being a request from you to the Procurement Department for a new Administrator's scarf, just after you returned. You don't exactly do much in your present state tending to the records, so it beggars the question… what were you doing that would require a new scarf?"

The Dragonite visibly froze with his teeth set on edge as the rest of the Board's stares grew ever more piercing. There was a moment of incredulous silence as a predatory smirk formed on Zelle's face.

"As for why you would interfere with Commissioner Lyn's mission, Darzin: you had both the motive and the opportunity," Zelle remarked. "Your position as Administrator has been tenuous for some years now, and you'd naturally want to try and line up an alternative for yourself. Even with reduced privileges, as an Administrator you would've been able to get into whatever facilities were being used to hold Lugia without drawing the suspicion of the lower ranks. And as it so happens, we turned up a witness who caught you in the act attempting to do just that."

Zelle looked over at Olivia as the Inteleon motioned at the honor guards at the door. They suddenly stood at attention as they opened the doors to the chamber's entrance with an audible creak, just in time for a Kommo-o to enter, leading along a Grovyle in a First-Rank scarf. The Grass-Type seemed visibly on edge, and her eyes darted around as the Board's members studied her, not least of all Zorn as his eyes narrowed in recognition.

"You again!" the Gyarados growled. "I thought that I had you reassigned three weeks ago!"

Salvini visibly froze up at the sight of the glowering Gyarados and began to backpedal, only for Sorge to step in and block her off from behind with a claw firmly clamped onto her shoulder.

"Yes, and based on what she had to tell us, it appears that you owe her an apology, Administrator Zorn," Sorge replied. "Our understanding was that she was gagged and never had a chance to properly testify at her trial. As such, there were some pertinent details about what happened on the night of her arrest that she wasn't able to tell."

Everyone's attention fell on Salvini, which seemed to visibly worsen her anxious mood. She tensed up as Sorge nudged her forward, prompting her to move towards the table. Olivia stepped aside as Salvini neared and took her place besides Zelle. The Sylveon briefly glanced at the newly-arrived witness before motioning out to the others present.

"Go on, Salvini," Zelle insisted. "Tell everyone what really happened on your last night as a guard on Mengir, when you were posted to keep watch over those prisoners in the Medic's Hut."

Salvini breathed in and out tensely, pawing at her arm nervously as she closed her eyes and sucked in a sharp breath.

"Well… it all started when Darzin came by the Medic's Hut earlier that day. He was pestering the Captain of the Guards over the prisoners we'd taken," Salvini began. "He was very pushy and demanded to be let in, but when my superior asked why Administrator Zorn hadn't briefed him about them, he suddenly left."

She carefully studied the others' reactions around the table, and aside from Darzin visibly looking stiff and tense, everything seemed to be reacting as expected.

"At the time, my teammates and I just shrugged it off, since we assumed Administrator Zorn had his reasons for not briefing Darzin," Salvini explained. "Later that night, there was a commotion inside Lugia's room. I went in to check up on the prisoners, when Darzin suddenly entered the room after me. He said that he planned to take Lugia into custody, and when I refused to hand him over, he immediately attacked me."

From his stone seat, Darzin tightened his claws up into each other and flashed the fangs in his mouth, when he abruptly stood up and shot Inler a scowl.

"Inler, this is a bunch of nonsense," he said. "We're not hear to listen to some random First-Rank make up stories-"

"We'll be the judge of that, Darzin," the Nidoking harrumphed. "Please, do go on, Grovyle."

Salvini briefly noted the Dragonite's bared teeth and began to shrink back, before glancing at Sorge and Zelle, and continuing on shakily.

"That wasn't the worst of it, either," the Grovyle said. "I didn't think anything of it at the time, but I remembered seeing him the day before that near the harbor. He was talking with a suspicious-looking Clawitzer, and-"

"Oh, that does it!"

Before Salvini could finish her words, she saw a brilliant, blue pulse of dragonfire sailing towards her head. She yelped and dove out of the way, narrowly dodging the attack. The Grovyle looked up to see the rest of the Board staring incredulously at Darzin as he got up and flew from his seat towards her, his face contorted in rage as fire wreathed his right arm.

"You miserable, lying-!"

A sudden icy ray came in and struck the carpal joint of Darzin's right wing, sending him crashing to the ground as his Fire Punch sputtered out. Salvini panted as the Dragonite tried to right himself and locked eyes with her, when she noticed Inler had gotten up from his seat. The Nidoking charged in with his head held low, with orange light wreathing the Nidoking's horn as he closed the gap with Darzin.

SPLUTCH!

Darzin bellowed in pain as the Nidoking drove his horn into the Dragon-Type's back and the light around it spun in a spiraling swirl. Inler pulled his horn back as the light dissipated, leaving Darzin to slump over as blood oozed out onto the floor. Inler looked down as Darzin lay on the floor whimpering in pain, before turning his head aside with a disgusted huff.

"I've seen enough," he spat. "Guards! Arrest this traitorous wretch at once!"

The doors suddenly flew open as a group of honor guards led by an Empoleon rushed in, their cloth and mail rattling as they descended on the Dragonite. In what seemed like the twinkling of an eye, they pulled Darzin's arms behind his back and bound them before hastily muzzling his snout with rope. Salvini couldn't help but wince at the guards' handling as they began to drag off the Dragonite, and Zelle idly waved a feeler after him.

"Have fun on Nagrobek," she jeered. "If you live past the night, that is."

Salvini quietly flinched at the Sylveon's remark when halfway to the door, Darzin suddenly came to. Darzin thrashed in a panic and broke free of his captors as he turned and fell back into the Board's meeting chamber onto his belly with wide, frantic eyes.

"W-Wait! I admit that I did try to capture Lugia!" he cried. "But I really didn't have anything to do with Lyn's-!"

"Shut up!"

A sharp bellow filled the room as an Ice Beam sailed along and struck Darzin between his eyes. The Dragonite slumped over and crumpled to the floor. Lyn glared at the unconscious Dragonite with seething breaths as Salvini looked on from the ground, watching as the guards returned and dragged Darzin off, this time without any resistance.

Salvini trembled and shakily breathed in and out. She started to get back onto her feet, when she heard footsteps and saw a violet, clawed hand suddenly fill her vision. Salvini froze and glanced up, where there was Director Inler looking down at her.

"That was certainly brave of you, Grovyle. Thank you for coming forward."

The Grovyle blinked in disbelief, before accepting the Nidoking's hand as he helped her onto her feet. Inler waited for her to regain her footing, before turning and looking over towards Zorn with an unamused frown.

"And I believe that you have some work to do smoothing this over, Administrator Zorn."

The Gyarados cringed and seemed to all but sink into the water with a visibly flustered expression. He glanced off at Salvini, and then back at his Nidoking superior before lowering his head with a rumbling sigh.

"I… will see what I can do there, Director," he replied. "Though my sincerest apologies for all the trouble you've been through, Grovyle."

Salvini tried to steady her breaths as Zelle walked up alongside her and placed a feeler on her shoulder, before giving a wave at Zorn.

"I'm sure that it's nothing that you two can't put behind you with a bit of time," the Sylveon insisted. "Though, I'll see Salvini out right now, since I imagine that you'll want to discuss how to best handle these developments."

Zelle shepherded Salvini off for exit, where the honor guards posted inside opened the doors for them to leave. They creaked shut with a loud thump as silence returned to the Board's table. Farn was the first to speak up after staring back at Darzin's now-emptied seat, before she put a paw over her face and let out a muttering sigh.

"Well this is going to be fun to explain to the public," the Luxray grumbled. "Though what are we supposed to do with a full vacancy at the moment?"

"Nothing for now," Inler replied. "We will be delaying the vote to fill Darzin's seat for a couple days. It's my understanding that we may have a uniquely qualified candidate to fill it by then."

The Nidoking turned over towards Lyn with a knowing look. The Samurott gave a quiet nod back in reply, as a determined smile spread at the ends of his muzzle.

"Understood, Director," Lyn said. "I don't intend to disappoint you."

"Good. Then this meeting is adjourned."

One after the other, the remaining Administrators left their seats and began to drift off. Zorn made his way for the aqueduct that connected with the Boardroom, while Farn and Elilan made their way for the door. Along the way, Elilan traded glances with Sorge, prompting the Kommo-o to make his way over towards Lyn as the Samurott also headed for the exit. Sorge remained quiet as he walked past, when Lyn perked his head up and called out to him.

"Sorge."

Sorge stopped and turned as Lyn drew forward, the Samurott lowering his head with a grateful bow.

"Thank you for your help with that investigation of yours," he said. "I don't know what I'd have done if Darzin were there to just sabotage me the moment I came back into port."

There was a small pause, when a small smile came over the Kommo-o's face as he tugged and adjusted his scarf.

"We just did what we hoped anyone in the Company would after coming across something like that, really," he said. "Though glad we could help you, Lyn."

Sorge studied Lyn carefully to gauge his reaction, as the Samurott extended a paw towards his Dragon-Type peer.

"If there's anything that I can do to repay the favor, just let me know."

Sorge's smile widened slightly, before taking Lyn's paw and shaking it.

"I really appreciate that, Lyn. Even if for now you should just focus on your mission. The Company's future depends on it, after all," the Dragon-Type insisted. "If you need any extra help with it, just let me know. My team and I have plenty of time to help out now that-"

"As kind of an offer as that is of you, Head Agent Sorge, I'm afraid I can't allow you onto Commissioner Lyn's mission."

Sorge caught himself as Inler's voice cut in. He turned and saw Inler approaching him alongside Olivia, with a stern frown etched over his face. Lyn blinked and gave a befuddled tilt of his head back, as Sorge and even Olivia seemed to be surprised by the Nidoking's intervention.

"Director Inler? What's the matter?" Lyn asked. "Sorge and I happen to be old friends. I certainly don't have any doubts as to his ability to-"

"I understand that, but I'm afraid that the Intelligence Division has need of Head Agent Sorge's skills closer to home," Inler insisted. "After all, spies rarely operate alone, and there will need to be additional work put into investigating whether Darzin was part of a broader network and what other parts of the Company they may have penetrated."

Sorge stared at Inler as the Nidoking replied in kind. There was a moment of tense silence between the two that started to drag on, long enough that Lyn thought of speaking up to interject… only for Sorge to break the silence with a grudging sigh.

"I'm afraid he's right there, Lyn," Sorge said. "Sorry I can't help you out this time, though best of luck out there with the Protector."

Lyn nodded back at Sorge, before the Kommo-o turned and took his leave. Lyn watched as the Dragon-Type exited the chamber, before a quiet thump turned his attention back to Inler, whose serious expression softened ever-so-slightly.

"I should hope that 'luck' won't be the decisive factor for you," the Nidoking said. "After all, your seat on the Board is waiting for you, Administrator Lyn."

Lyn briefly perked up as a smirk spread over his muzzle, before leaving the room himself. As the Samurott drifted out into the hallway, Inler and Olivia lingered by the table, the Nidoking of the pair turning and glancing out the window as he drifted off in thought.

Everything had played out much as Olivia had informed him, but even so, something about it felt amiss. He wasn't terribly shocked that Darzin would be plotting against the Company, but all the evidence and testimony came together rather quickly. Much quicker than what he'd have expected for a spy embedded in his own circle of Administrators.

And there was something about Darzin's desperate attempt at the end to speak up that didn't seem quite right. It was strange, but something about it just felt strangely earnest. And then there were of course the briefings Olivia had given him after he'd asked her to watch over the other Board members. In particular the one that mentioned that Sorge's team had been visiting Elilan's house.

Perhaps he was just overthinking things, but…

"… Director, is something the matter?"

Inler glanced back to see Olivia looking at him with a worried tilt of her head. The Nidoking paused for a moment, before shaking his head.

"No, it's nothing," Inler said, waving the matter off. "I'm just a bit surprised by everything that we've learned today."

---

(Continued in next post)

 

[Virgil134]

Salvini had hoped that the churning feeling in her stomach would pass after Zelle took her out of the Board's meeting room and into the hallway around the corner, but it stubbornly remained gnawing at her. Every second that passed felt like a small eternity, and when she attempted to slink away, the Sylveon cut her off and prevented her from leaving.

She didn't know why on earth Zelle still wanted her around, but she was starting to get a bad feeling about it.

"Look, you already got what you wanted from me," Salvini insisted. "So shouldn't it be fine for me to-?"

Salvini trailed off after feeling a sharp tug at her arm. She glanced over, and saw Zelle was holding onto her firmly with a feeler and quirking her brow.

"Why are you in such a rush?" the Sylveon scoffed. "Just be patient for a little bit. This will all be over before you know it."

Salvini's breaths came short and tense as her heart pounded in her chest. She didn't like the way that Zelle had mentioned things would be "over before you know it". Had she stopped being useful to her and the rest of the Intelligence Division? Wh-What was Zelle going to do with her?

They'd gotten her involved in serious crimes to get Darzin arrested. Would they really just let her go after everything?

Salvini all but jumped up in place after heavy footsteps rounded the corner. A quick glance up revealed it to be Sorge, whose face was fixed into a sharp frown as he turned his attention over to Zelle.

"We didn't get the spot," he said.

A flash of disappointment came over the Sylveon's face, one which couldn't help but make Salvini hesitate. 'Get the spot'? What on earth was that all about?

"But it's fine, we can still work with this outcome," the Kommo-o insisted. "We'll talk more about it later."

"… Fair enough," the Sylveon sighed. "After all, it wouldn't do any good to keep our little companion here waiting."

… She was in trouble, Salvini already knew it. The Grovyle quietly began to back away before turning around, only to feel a strong claw firmly clamping down on her shoulder. Salvini cringed and pulled her tails in tight against her body as she looked up and saw Sorge sharply scowling down from behind her.

"We're going," he grunted. "Come on."

Salvini gulped and tried to shrink away as the Kommo-o pushed her along. The hallways went by in a blur as Sorge and Zelle led her down a flight of stairs while Salvini's mind raced in a panic. Why did the two look so displeased? Hadn't they gotten Darzin arrested like they wanted? What on earth could they still need her for at the moment?

… Unless Sorge and Zelle's lack of use for her was the entire reason why they were still keeping her around.

The Grovyle snapped back to attention after seeing sunlight filter into her eyes, and noticed they were approaching a skyway towards the outer ring of offices. She needed to get away from these two, but how? It was a bit desperate, but they weren't that high up right now, and if there was a window that opened up above one of the canals-

"Something wrong? I'd have expected you two to be in a better mood right now."

Sorge and Zelle looked down the hallway and saw the form of a Noivern walking up to them, the one and the same that Salvini had seen chasing Kiran and the others near the Academy last week. Her mouth flopped open in fright and the color drained from her face as she pointed at Aldrich, her words coming out in a shaken stammer.

"H-Huh?! You're from the Intelligence Division, too?!"

Aldrich turned his head and met his eyes with Salvini's. They narrowed with a brief flash of annoyance, before the Noivern scoffed and spoke up.

"You're still here?" he asked. "I'm surprised that Sorge and Zelle haven't gotten rid of you yet."

Salvini's breaths came quicker and quicker as it dawned on her that Zelle and the others surely had no intention of letting her leave alive. The leaves on her arms folded in on each other into blades and she hopped back, flashing them as she fought against her nerves to brace for battle.

"L-Like hell you're getting rid of me!" Salvini spat. "You stay away from-!"

Before the Grovyle could finish her words, Zelle suddenly lunged at her and knocked Salvini onto her side. A weight suddenly pinned her to the ground on her stomach and the next thing she knew, she felt her arms getting wrenched behind her back and a feeler clamp down over her snout.

Zelle was there standing on her back, scowling down at her from above.

Salvini thrashed desperately and tried to scream for help, only to feel the feelers tighten to the point where she started to hear the bones in her arms creak. Both Sorge and Aldrich approached with claws drawn, only to stop and hesitate as Zelle glanced up at them.

"I think she can be dealt with quietly. Give me a moment to settle things with her," she insisted. "I'll catch up with you two later."

The Kommo-o and Noivern paused before turning and heading off. Salvini panted, as she felt her body get dragged along towards a door in the hallway. All the while, she frantically kicked and tried to dig her feet against the ground, only to see the door's threshold pass and suddenly get shoved to the ground.

Salvini lay there panting and pawing at her snout as the door slammed shut and the light abruptly darkened. She looked up and briefly saw that she was in an empty meeting room with a table and a set of chairs left ajar, when she turned just in time to see Zelle facing her. The Grovyle frantically tried to ready a Leaf Blade, only to strike her arm against one of the chairs and pull it back as a sharp pain shot through it. She flinched and screwed her eyes shut, bracing for the blow that would claim her life.

"Not sure what's gotten into you all of a sudden," Zelle said. "You did well in there."

Salvini cracked her eyes open and saw Zelle had stopped a few paces away and was seated with a calm, innocent smile. The Grovyle sucked in hoarse breaths and frantically stumbled back onto her feet, backing away as she held her Leaf Blades out at the ready and stared the Fairy-Type down.

"Who- Who are you really?" Salvini demanded.

"As I told you earlier, someone who's looking out for the Company's best interests," Zelle answered, her fangs briefly poking out past her smile. "That includes keeping tabs on what becomes of that Protector you torched your old job over."

Salvini's eyes widened at the Sylveon's reply. 'That Protector you torched your old job over'? Then, that meant…

"Y-You're trying to get him too, aren't you?!"

"Of course. It'd be such a shame for a useful tool like him to wind up in the wrong paws," Zelle tsked. "Thanks to you, you've helped make our lives easier in ensuring that scenario doesn't come to pass."

Salvini lunged ahead and swung a blade at the Sylveon's head, when the tip of her blade suddenly stopped and an unseen force abruptly pulled her back. She tried to thrash and break free as the force tugged at her body and lifted her into the air wreathed in blue light. She looked down and saw Zelle's eyes were aglow, narrowed into a sharp glare.

"Seriously, knock that off, Grovyle," she growled. "It was cute the first time you thought you stood a chance fighting against me, but this is getting annoying."

The force abruptly cut out, leaving Salvini to hit the ground on her belly with a thump. She panted and got back up as a sinking realization came over her: Zelle was toying with her. She grit her teeth in reply, and tried to fight back the tremors in her body with a glare of her own.

"Why don't you just go and finish me off, then?!" Salvini hissed. "What's the point of dragging me around and messing with me like this?!"

"To make sure you don't do anything stupid," Zelle said. "Getting rid of you would be more inconvenient for us, so I'd rather avoid that if possible."

Salvini stared back blankly as Zelle turned aside, idly brushing a feeler against her own chest as a knowing smirk came over her face.

"After all, what would others think if the witness who helped capture a Company Administrator spying on behalf of the Imps just mysteriously vanished within days afterwards?" the Sylveon asked. "I doubt the Director or Administrators will disclose too much about what happened in that room to the public, but it would certainly raise questions internally."

There was a moment of silence between the two as Salvini balled up her claws. She wanted to say that this wasn't the end of things, that Zelle and the others wouldn't get away with whatever they were up to, but it all just felt hollow. Even if she told anyone that she'd been coerced into giving her testimony, she didn't have any proof that would incriminate Zelle or the others. And if Zelle let them know what really happened on Mengir, she'd be imprisoned at best as a result. There was nothing to keep Zelle and her teammates from making good on their threats to her or her friends, and nothing she could do to stop whatever they were planning for Pleo. Why, she couldn't even land a solid hit on the 'mon just a moment ago!

She felt like she was tied up in front of Administrator Zorn all over again. Small, alone, and completely helpless to change anything.

"So then, are you really going to go and admit to perjuring yourself in front of the Board? Or are you going to do the smart thing and stay quiet?"

Salvini snapped to attention after hearing Zelle's voice. She looked up and saw the Sylveon staring at her. The Grovyle lowered her eyes—she hated giving this creep the satisfaction of getting her way, but the more she thought about it, for her and her own friends' sake, it seemed like there was really only one option for her to choose right now…

"I'll stay quiet," she muttered.

"Good. The new positions for you and your friends on Mengir have already been lined up, by the way," Zelle added. "You should expect to receive a summons for them within a day or so."

Zelle got up and stepped out of the meeting room, passing its threshold when she turned her head back with an outwardly friendly smile, as if nothing had happened.

"Pleasure doing business with you," she said. "And do try to put this whole mess behind you after returning to Mengir. It'll be better for everyone involved."

The Sylveon's fake smile lingered briefly, before she narrowed her eyes and flashed her teeth with a quiet hiss.

"Especially for your friends."

Zelle turned away and walked off. All the while, Salvini hung back as she continued to tremble and stare ahead blankly. H-How on earth had this all happened? She got her old life back on Mengir like she wanted, but at what cost? She'd never meant to put Pleo and the others in danger again!

As the enormity of the situation sank in for her, she raised her claws, clutching her head as her eyes drifted towards the floor.

"What- What have I done?"

---

After re-entering the audience chamber of the Elders' Hall, Nina and the rest of the Elders made their way back to their raised table at the far end of the room. Much to Team Traveller's surprise, the table in spite of its solid construction could be moved around, as the Elders pulled it back and rearranged the seats before beckoning everyone to gather around.

Pleo and his teammates weren't sure what to make of the gathering until they saw Robbie unfurling papers onto the table with lines and square-like shapes on them. As the Krookodile lined them up with each other, it suddenly dawned on them that they were looking at different maps of Starpeak Square and the surrounding parts of Gestirn Island. Crom looked on with an incredulous blink as Robbie went around and craned down to inspect the maps, occasionally stopping to add a marking here or there with a quill and inkpot. They looked quite detailed, much more than the Druddigon had been expecting for something Robbie barely would have had a day to work on.

"I'm surprised that Robbie already has a plan," Crom murmured.

"He has been camping out in the hinterlands with his guards for the past day," Dimitri said. "I don't know how good his strategy is, but he at least had time to think it over."

Robbie made a few final marks with his quill on the maps before stepping away. Nina and the other Elders drew near and glanced down at them and the various lines and circles on it briefly, when the Marked Typhlosion turned her head up and folded her arms with a skeptical frown.

"So, what exactly is your strategy for driving these pirates out?" Nina demanded. "And why should we trust it instead of trying to come up with one of our own?"

"Because I'm Starpeak Square's Sheriff," the Krookodile scoffed back. "It's part of my job to know the town inside-out along with the best places to defend it. Are you really telling me that you can do a better job when you've been hiding inside a Mystery Dungeon all this time?"

The Elders quietly frowned but otherwise held their tongues, only for Ander to hesitate and warily speak up.

"Are we even in a position to start planning, though?" he asked. "Since the Elders don't know the full story about what's going on yet."

"What do you mean by that, Scyther?" Roderic asked.

"We found out earlier that the Company organized this raid after interrogating a pair of Company underlings among the pirates," Ander explained. "These pirates specifically came because of them."

The gathering suddenly fell deathly silent as flashes of surprise crossed the Elders' faces. Siana furrowed her brow, before shooting Robbie a skeptical glance.

"Is this true?" the Espeon demanded. "If so, how can we be so sure that we'll just be facing pirates out there?"

"I had a feeling that they were involved, but it doesn't change anything. From the way the raid played out, the Company clearly wants to be able to maintain plausible deniability about their involvement," the Krookodile insisted. "If they didn't, wouldn't they have sent more than two of their Pokémon to try and capture the Protector they're after?"

The Elders remained silent in reply, and now that Crom thought about it, Robbie did raise a good point. It wasn't the first time they'd seen Lyn abandon underlings that were inconvenient for him, but it was a lot easier to dismiss a couple getting captured than entire squads. And if Lyn didn't trust the pirates to do the hard work of catching Pleo, there were surely better fighters on his crew than those two.

The others seemed to piece together the same realization, as Robbie shook his head and turned his attention back to the map.

"That's what makes me confident we're just going to face pirates out there," the Krookodile explained. "And I've got a pretty good idea of how we can deal with them."

Robbie craned down and traced a claw along the map, before stopping it at a long, block-like structure a little ways in from the harbor.

"In Starpeak Square there's two main positions that our defenses are normally anchored around," the Krookodile began. "The first is the local garrison, which has obviously been overrun since those pirates control the entire town right now…"

Robbie moved his claw inland towards a sketch of the walls of some sort of fort. He briefly traced around the lines of the outer wall, before raising his claw and bringing it down on a central building with a firm poke.

"And the other is the Duke's castle. We know based on conversations we overheard from some of those captured pirates' badges that their comrades are using it as a working headquarters," he concluded. "As such, both structures, along with the pirates' ships, will be our primary targets."

There was a moment of quiet contemplation as Nina and the other Elders crowded around the map and studied the markings closely. Ramon eyed the drawing of the castle and its fortifications closely, before tilting his head with a quirk of his brow.

"… Why their ships?" the Spidops asked. "If the pirates are trapped here, they'll have to be fought to be subdued. Wouldn't it be easier and less risky to chase them off the island?"

"It would, but that's unfortunately not an option for us," Ander said, shaking his head. "We need the Ledger back, remember? If the pirates get away with it, it'll be almost as bad as us losing outright."

"And after the last two days of humiliation, I'm frankly not interested in just letting those filthy raiders turn tail. Never was the type to let a Backpfeifengesicht go without a smack if I could help it," Robbie scoffed. "Besides, if we can bog them down and keep them penned up, time will be on our side. The Royal Navy should eventually be able to catch up with us and help finish off anyone who's still standing."

Crom and his teammates sucked in a breath with a quiet grimace. That definitely wasn't going to make their lives any easier. Why, if this battle drug on too long, the navy might arrive before they got the Ledger back!

The Druddigon quietly pinched his brow when he noticed Robbie was staring at them with a suspicious glint in his eyes.

"Though what on earth is in that ledger of yours, anyways?" the Krookodile asked. "You're acting like that book's some sort of state secret."

The Elders fell dead silent and gave stony expressions in reply, with Nina glancing off at Crom and his teammates from the corner of her eyes. It… wasn't exactly the smartest idea to just blurt out loud what was in the Ledger, and from their expressions, the Elders knew it. Still, they had to tell Robbie something…

"We don't fully know ourselves," Crom explained. "Just that the Company is treating whatever's inside of it as something that's dangerous to them."

It technically wasn't a lie, but much to Crom's unease, it didn't seem to dislodge that suspicious look on Robbie's face. Nina noticed it herself and briefly let fire flicker from her vents, turning the Krookodile's attention towards her with a sharp harrumph.

"… Alright, you've made a decent enough argument, but even with our help, there will be three targets to deal with at once," Nina said. "The amount of fighters we can muster isn't that large, so how do you propose that we pull this off?"

"By knocking those pirates off-balance before they know what hit 'em, and keeping them trapped in places where we can take our time mopping them up," Robbie insisted. "One team will hit the garrison, since if we break through there, we'd also solve some of your 'monpower worries. I'm sure the Pokémon the pirates are keeping locked up in there won't need a lot of pep talking to help us take the town back. With a bit of luck, we might even get some supplies if the pirates haven't already stripped the armory bare."

Crom paused and glanced down uneasily at the sketch of the garrison. He knew that in the grand scheme of things, the garrison wasn't all that big since there were only three floors, but just from what he could see on the sketch, there were a lot of rooms inside that would need to be checked. What would keep the pirates from moving Nida and the others around?

… Or even from going outside entirely? A disquieting realization came over the Druddigon, before he warily glanced back at Robbie and Nina.

"I wouldn't hold your breath on getting those supplies, Krookodile," Nina explained. "One of the pirates our defenders interrogated revealed that they were holding Lugia's companions captive inside of that armory."

Robbie briefly stiffened up before giving a puzzled blink

"I mean, I suppose I can see how it could be used as a cell, even if I'm not sure how much stock we should be putting into pirates' words," the Krookodile murmured. "But at the very least, it won't be hard to find the armory and see how true that lead is. It's on the second floor over here: close to the center of the garrison."

Robbie moved his claw over to a set of sketches of the garrison's floors and hovered over a prominent chamber near the center. Aside from it being on the floor above, it didn't look that far away from where the cell block was, except if there were pirates inside, they'd likely have to fight for every step forward. Pleo looked back up at the Krookodile Sheriff as he uneasily shifted his wings.

"O… kay, so we obviously need to free our friends and the Pokémon in the other cells at about the same time," he said. "But how do we deal with all the pirates that would be in there?"

"By trying to lure them outside and sneaking you in afterwards," Robbie replied. "The pirates can't bog you down inside the garrison if they're busy fighting outside."

Pleo tilted his head. He supposed that that made sense, except this was just one location. And Starpeak Square was an entire village.

"Wait, but won't the pirates be all over town right now?" he asked. "What do we do about them?"

"Take them out when they're scattered, or better yet, get them to come to us on our own terms. After taking the garrison, the pirates will be forced to try and deal with us in a place where we're dug in with reinforcements," Robbie explained. "It's a lot easier to mop up small bands of pirates trying to hide in shops or alleyways from there, especially if the villagers start rallying to us. If we can cut them off from their supplies and their own reinforcements, fighting in the village proper becomes a game of numbers on disadvantageous territory that those pirates can't win."

The Krookodile turned his attention back to the map and moved his claw off to a patch of blue hemming the town in from the north with lines jutting off into it: the piers of the town's harbor.

"That's why we also want to hit the harbor at the same time. We were able to raise some swimmers to help, so while the teams dispatched to the garrison are doing their thing, those of us who are more aquatic work with them to go after those pirates' ships," he insisted. "The hard part will simply be getting close enough to line up shots on their hulls and sails, but those pirates being spread thin should make that a bit easier. It's also close enough that if the garrison is taken before it, that the teams there can come over as reinforcements while we rally the villagers to help us."

Uneasy murmurings started to go about the gathering, with a couple Pokémon audibly musing to themselves about how the strategy seemed to make sense. Both the guards with Robbie and the local Marked, much to Guardia's surprise. Even so, Guardia just couldn't help but notice that even though the castle was closer to them on the map, that Robbie had avoided talking about it so far…

The Cubone tugged at her helmet briefly, before glancing up with a wary tilt of her head.

"Didn't you mention earlier that the Duke's castle also needed to be attacked?" Guardia asked. "It's the closest of your three targets to us, how come you didn't talk about it before these other two?"

"Because it's the hardest of the three that we need to worry about."

A grave expression came over the Krookodile's face as he moved his claw back to the castle, carefully tracing it from one sketch to the next as he spoke in a low, serious tone.

"There's a moat, two curtain walls deliberately smoothed out to prevent easy scaling, and enough cannons placed around it to sink a fleet of ships. The place is our town's citadel, so it's built to be a pain to overrun."

"… Wait, but then how'd the pirates capture it in the first place anyways?" Guardia asked.

Robbie brought his arm back to his side, and let his eyes drift towards the ground with a tired sigh.

"Its defenders surrendered," he murmured. "After the Duke and Dutchess were captured in town after leaving the Courthouse, the pirates demanded their surrender in return for their lives."

A quiet chill came over Team Traveller's members before Trizano gave an uncomfortable ruffle of his wings. Even if it must've surely been disappointing for the defenders to just yield like that, he wasn't sure if he could blame them…

"Well, they certainly upheld their duty to the Duke and Duchess as guards, at least," the Skarmory said.

"Maybe, but it's a moot point since we're going to have to deal with the pirates they surrendered to," Robbie grunted. "The castle's all but guaranteed to be the best-defended of the positions among the pirates if it's their working headquarters, and it's almost certainly where they'd keep that Ledger if it's anywhere as important as you're making it out to be."

Trizano stiffened up at Robbie's reply, and so did just about everyone else in the room. Nervous whispers started floating about over the idea of having to fight their way past a castle of all places, and even some of Robbie's underlings couldn't hide visible flashes of anxiety on their faces. Ander tapped his scythes briefly, before turning back to the Krookodile with a wary frown.

"Wait, but then how are we supposed to take over the castle if it's so well defended?" Ander pressed.

"We aren't. Especially not with how well-built it is," Robbie clarified. "But that was never my plan."

Robbie moved his claw towards the castle's outmost wall and stopped it in front of one of its gates, before he lifted his claw and repeated the process on a second gate on the opposite side.

"It was to set up chokepoints right outside the gates so that way we could just keep those pirates bottled up inside the castle and ambush anyone that tried to leave it," he explained. "If we do that, it'll keep them from sending reinforcements to town or fleeing Gestirn. From there, it's just a matter of running the clock out on them until the navy arrives and those pirates are forced to choose between surrendering or being bulldozed by superior numbers and armaments."

Pleo grimaced and visibly set his teeth on edge. This strategy wouldn't work for them at all! The moment that the navy arrived, they would surely try to capture him and they'd be in no position to fight all of them off!

Their plan to get the Company and Empire to stop chasing after him and the other Protectors of Anyilla hinged on the volumes of the Knights' Ledger, including the one inside the castle. Even if they had some way of sneaking away after the Imperials came, what good would it do if they lost the Ledger in the process?

"B-But we can't risk the Ledger getting damaged like that!" Pleo protested. "If it's inside while the castle's getting stormed, all it'd take is a stray attack to destroy it forever!"

The Lugia glanced at his teammates who looked about as on-edge as him while Robbie appeared to be at a loss for words. Dimitri stopped and brought the back of his wrist up to his mouth for a moment, before turning to the Krookodile with a worried glance.

"Don't we have any way of getting the Ledger out before the castle gets stormed?" the Kabutops asked.

Robbie crossed his arms and turned his gaze to the ground, visibly pondering for a moment, before turning his head back to the Kabutops.

"… It'd be risky, but we could try dropping in a small team that you could tag along with to get in and get out," he offered. "We do have teleporters to work with…"

… It was something at least, even if Dimitri wasn't sure how on earth that was going to work out. Robbie didn't look like he was fully sure how he'd manage himself, and shook his head in reply with a low grunt.

"But it doesn't make sense to be getting ahead of ourselves like that," the Krookodile said. "If we can't pin the pirates in Duke Franz's castle down to begin with, we won't be in any position to consider mounting hit-and-run raids of any sort."

It was hard to argue Robbie's point, even if it didn't make Dimitri or anyone else from Team Traveller feel any better about it. Travellers above, they were going to be cutting things close even if everything went to plan. Why, by the time they got ahold of the Ledger, they'd likely need Kelly's help to teleport to safety again.

Dimitri sucked in a breath and quietly grit his teeth. He supposed it really didn't make sense to worry about getting the Knights' Ledger and escaping too much just yet. A lot depended on how those earlier fights they had to get through would turn out, so it probably didn't make sense to make plans that could be swept out from underneath them.

Though even so, there were still some lingering questions that he couldn't shake. And judging from Margi's expression a little ways down the table, he likely wasn't the only one who had them…

"And how are we supposed to pull this off without getting spotted again?" the Hydreigon demanded. "The garrison and harbor aren't exactly at the edges of Starpeak Square. How would any of us get all the way there without immediately alerting all of the pirates in town?"

"Simple," Robbie replied. "Every defense has its weak points, and we'd be turning them to our advantage."

The Krookodile stooped and rooted through the bag by his foot and took out a folded-up piece of paper. He unfurled it and revealed that it was a roughly sketched map of the town, just in more detail with the streets and different landmarks noted more clearly. There were sketched arrows on the map at the outskirts of Starpeak Square that marked several lanes leading into town, which Robbie pointed out to his audience.

"Normally, those weak points are the places that me and my peers would try and cover with extra patrols. A bunch of pirates that just sailed in yesterday wouldn't know how to deal with them as well as we do," he explained. "Even if they found out about them, they've likely spread themselves thin even before the losses they took today if they've been sending teams to go prowling the hinterlands looking for your Protector friend there."

Robbie pointed off at Pleo as everyone looked at him… and then back at the Krookodile. Ander shuffled in place with a dubious murmur. It wasn't that Robbie's train of thought didn't make sense, but…

"That… feels rather presumptuous given how badly these pirates already caught you and your underlings off guard," Ander muttered. "Since even if there aren't many pirates at those specific approaches to get in, nothing keeps more from coming as reinforcements."

"And we still don't have a solid idea of just how strong those remaining pirates are," Siana harrumphed. "Krookodile, you can't expect us to risk our fighters' hides just marching in blindly."

Robbie folded his arms in reply to the Marked Espeon and let out an unimpressed huff in reply.

"That's why we'll be sending scouts to get a feel for what's coming at us as we make our way in," Robbie retorted. "Naturally, we'd also be striking at a time when said reinforcements are least likely to respond: tonight, during witching hour."

Nina paused and blinked, as she and her fellow Elders traded skeptical looks with one another.

"Wait, you're expecting us to support you with less than half a day to prepare?" Roderic asked.

"Yes, because the longer we wait, the harder things will get for dealing with those pirates."

Robbie batted his tail back and forth impatiently, before shooting a stern frown back across the table.

"Every hour we wait is another hour that those pirates will have time to recover," the Krookodile Sheriff explained. "I feel confident in taking a gamble on them still being off-balance enough for us to have the upper claw tonight, but they certainly won't be after a night to rest and prepare for our arrival."

"Also, the hour would be the most advantageous for us," Dimitri chimed in. "The pirates who'd still be awake and standing guard would be a skeleton crew made up of nocturnal Pokémon and anyone else they need to fill the gaps. Most crews don't have that many nocturnal underlings, so most of the pirates that would still be up at that hour will be groggy and not as alert as they'd normally be."

"Or drunk," Trizano added. "Considering the sorts of habits pirates tend to get into, I wouldn't be shocked if many of their numbers who aren't awake would wind up stumbling to their feet hungover. Hardly a state in which they'd be at their best while fighting."

Murmurs of agreement went around the table, as Crom brought a claw up to his mouth in thought. The more he thought about it, the more Robbie's idea of attacking the pirates tonight made sense. After all, they were in a race against time to get off the island along with Pleo, and the sooner they made their move, the better their odds were of successfully escaping from Gestirn with the Ledger before the Empire caught up with them. The Druddigon cast a glance off at Nina who brought a paw to her chin in thought, before nodding back at the Krookodile.

"I think that we've heard everything that we need to in that case. We'll see to it that word goes out to the local guards."

Crom looked on in quiet disbelief when he looked over at Robbie's end of the table. The Krookodile was glancing over the gathered group, with the ends of his mouth curled up in a small smile.

"Glad to hear," the Krookodile said. "I suggest you all rest up, then. We'll need our strength tonight."

Crom had to fight the urge to pinch himself to make sure he wasn't dreaming. They'd actually managed to convince everyone to work together, and they actually had a chance of making things right. Nina and the others headed off and the crowd around the table began to thin before the Druddigon let out a sigh of relief.

After everything that seemed to go wrong in the past few days, it was nice for things to finally be looking up.

---

Author's Notes:

- Fermicula - German: "Durant"
- Nani kore? (何これ?) - Japanese: Informal multiuse expression that can be rendered as "What's this?", "What's going on?", or "What the hell?". Can be considered impolite depending on context of use. (Hepburn Romanization)
- Backpfeifengesicht - German: Expression equivalent to "punchable face" or referring to someone with such a face.

 

[Ambyssin]

Goodness that was a long transitional chapter. It almost felt like two different chapters mashed into one with the Starbreak stuff and Vollezee stuff being independent of one another. A part of me wished we'd ended on the Vollezee scenes and had all the Starbreak stuff happen at once. I found the former a lot more interesting than the latter. Especially the final scene, which was an elaborate strategy session which at times felt a bit like talking head syndrome was taking hold. They weren't actually talking heads -- there was plenty of body language and pointing to maps and schematics -- but the scene established a "question --> response --> question --> response" rhythm to it, with the occasional instance of the narrator pausing to reflect on things for the audience. With all that said, though, I do acknowledge things as they are make more logical sense as long as 102's starting off with a part of Robbie's plan.

I meant what I said about Vollezee stuff. It tickled that shameless Ace Attorney and Law & Order courtroom scene fan in me. From the passing around of evidence to the "jury" to frightened witness!Salvini's account to the "culprit" Darzin even freaking out and trying to attack them. It was classic law procedural stuff, even if that may not have been the direct inspiration. Heck, I think it's funny that Darzin has one or two moments where he actually displays sound logic and alludes to the spy being in Lyn's crew but because literally nobody likes him it doesn't go anywhere. Though it does seem like Inler holds a few more cards than Elilan's team realizes since he's quick to put Lyn forward in such a way that suggests the role is his for the taking. I... don't understand why. It's not like Lyn's actually been that successful with his assignments in this fic. XD

It was hard to shake the lingering feeling of dread from the whole episode

Unintentionally funny because it sounds like the team's leaning on the fourth wall.

As long as we can get to the chest they stole from us, we should still have a chance at getting our volume back

If only it were that easy.

He wanted Bunsen to stop seeing him as a demon

I mean, sure, the guy terrorized your home an episode or two ago. But who cares about that? FWIENDSHIP!

wouldn't Starbreak Square still be a mess from their raid?

It's okay. The Square used its stunt double.

Those two were the same Krokorok and Grumpig from Sormus. Why on earth were they even here right now?

See, the problem with these "It was [these people] from [this place]!" is that the time between updates has made it to where I can't remember a lot of what came before. I don't remember which island this was and what these two mooks did...

We don't have to worry about 'political considerations' regarding your fates

HELL YEAH LET'S GET MEDIEVAL ON THEIR ASSES

"But the only reason why we're all here even able to talk like this is because we worked together earlier to fight those pirates off!"

+1 persuasion

Was she even going to make it out of this room alive?

Well, yes. This fic is not rated M so she's not about to get behead--

is it one of the honor guards?

Aren't honor guards a royalty thing?

among us

We got some sussy bakas in this episode.

That's the sort of thing to be handled by a spy embedded among his crew!"

Darzin bellowed in pain as the Nidoking drove his horn into the Dragon-Type's back and the light around it spun in a spiraling swirl

--OH **** NEVER MIND BUMP UP THAT AGE RATING WE'RE GETTING GAME OF THRONES IN HERE! BY GAWD IT'S INLER WITH THE STEEL CHAIRSHARP HORN!

Noivern walking up to them

Thinking about a noivern walking is kinda cursed.

Backpfeifengesicht

Bless you.

 

[Virgil134]

@Ambyssin

Spoiler

Goodness that was a long transitional chapter. It almost felt like two different chapters mashed into one with the Starbreak stuff and Vollezee stuff being independent of one another. A part of me wished we'd ended on the Vollezee scenes and had all the Starbreak stuff happen at once. I found the former a lot more interesting than the latter. Especially the final scene, which was an elaborate strategy session which at times felt a bit like talking head syndrome was taking hold. They weren't actually talking heads -- there was plenty of body language and pointing to maps and schematics -- but the scene established a "question --> response --> question --> response" rhythm to it, with the occasional instance of the narrator pausing to reflect on things for the audience. With all that said, though, I do acknowledge things as they are make more logical sense as long as 102's starting off with a part of Robbie's plan.

Sorry to hear the planning scene didn’t quite click with you. At least it sounds like you liked the actual plan itself and the setup it provided for the next chapter, so at least the scene served its purpose. Hope today’s chapter doesn’t disappoint in that regard though.

As for the chapter length, I’m afraid we’ll have to agree to disagree. I’ve stated my opinion about this when reviewing your chapters, so I suppose it’s only fair you do the same, but at this point I don’t think either of us is going to change the other’s mind.

I meant what I said about Vollezee stuff. It tickled that shameless Ace Attorney and Law & Order courtroom scene fan in me. From the passing around of evidence to the "jury" to frightened witness!Salvini's account to the "culprit" Darzin even freaking out and trying to attack them. It was classic law procedural stuff, even if that may not have been the direct inspiration. Heck, I think it's funny that Darzin has one or two moments where he actually displays sound logic and alludes to the spy being in Lyn's crew but because literally nobody likes him it doesn't go anywhere.

Ah, I’m really glad you liked this part! We spend a good amount of time trying to get the Vollezee portion of the chapter just right, so it’s good to hear that all the effort was worth it ^^

Though it does seem like Inler holds a few more cards than Elilan's team realizes since he's quick to put Lyn forward in such a way that suggests the role is his for the taking. I... don't understand why. It's not like Lyn's actually been that successful with his assignments in this fic. XD

I mean, Inler has already given him a final chance. At this point, it doesn’t really benefit anyone (well, aside from Elilan of course) to undermine Lyn by openly doubting him.

See, the problem with these "It was [these people] from [this place]!" is that the time between updates has made it to where I can't remember a lot of what came before. I don't remember which island this was and what these two mooks did…

I’m afraid this is another area where we’re just going to have to agree to disagree. We don’t think it makes sense to constantly give in-depth reminders of “oh yeah, that happened”, since that’s pretty jarring for readers who do remember it. Part of our writing ethos is also to try and keep our story accessible for different types of readers, including those reading the chapters later on at a faster pace than our current update rate. Nothing wrong with giving readers the occasional reminder of course, but this is as far as we’re willing to go with that.

Aren't honor guards a royalty thing?

Nope, honor guards are guards who have the task of guarding a head of state or other high ranking officials. Those could be royals, but that doesn’t have to be the case depending on the type of state.

And before we get into today’s chapter, I wanted to share two art pieces of Kichiro I got for my birthday! This first one was commissioned by Ambyssin, while the second one was commissioned by @Spiteful Murkrow and features Hess and Rodion as well. Very fitting for this episode! Really appreciate it, you two <3

This two parter will wrap up the current episode, with the second part coming out before the end of the year. After that, we’ll start 2025 with a new episode.

But without further ado, let’s get into things:

 

[Spiteful Murkrow]

Much to Guardia's astonishment, the Marked that lived in these maze-like tunnels seemed to pass word onto each other almost as quickly as the Pokémon back in her colony did. Not even two hours later, she and Trizano were at the square Pleo and the others had first entered after coming through Starbreak Square's gates. The shops had been thoroughly ransacked and charred by the pirates, but even so, it was still crowded with Pokémon. They were all in lines to receive items being handed out by Marked, with theirs headed by a yellow Florges who stood in front of a small batch of chests—preparations for their counterattack on Starpeak Square later that night.

Guardia followed along after Trizano, and when their turn came, the Florges passed them a few berries, a Slumber Orb, a Petrify Wand, and a Sleep Seed, before ushering them out of the way of the next Pokémon in line. The Cubone and Skarmory moved on and stopped after finding a relatively quiet corner. Guardia slipped her items into a bag Trizano had been assigned, and drifted off in her thoughts amidst the flurry of activity in the background.

"Are you ready, Guardia?"

Guardia turned her head up and saw Trizano looking down at her. She hesitated and tightened her grip on her club, pawing at her shoulder as she averted her gaze.

"Not really, honestly. Even if I'm not usually one to slink away from a battle, I'll admit that part of me is worried that we're rushing into this since just fighting some of the pirates earlier was really hard," the Cubone admitted. "At least going and fighting the rest of them with a whole colony's worth of Pokémon helping us can't possibly be worse than having to fight them alone with just Dimitri…"

Guardia trailed off a moment when she realized that something about Trizano's demeanor felt… off. Usually he was eager and bombastic about getting a chance to be 'Trizano the Immortal', but he had been oddly quiet this whole time.

She turned her attention back up to him and noticed that he seemed tense and guarded. Was there something going on that she didn't know about?

"What about you, Trizano?"

The Skarmory paused, before turning his head away and visibly drooping.

"… I'm not sure myself, actually."

Guardia tilted her head and motioned up at the Skamory's head with her bone.

"Is it your eyes?" Guardia asked. "They're not still hurt are they?"

"No, no, they're fine," Trizano insisted. "Sharp as they were before Aldrich burned them…"

And now it was Trizano's turn to trail off and look visibly uneasy. Guardia blinked and walked up to the bird, tugging at his metallic feathers for attention.

"Trizano, is something wrong?" she asked. "You're acting differently from how you normally do."

The Skarmory remained silent for a moment, before shaking his head with a low sigh.

"It's just that… back on Vollezee, Kiran told me that I tend to take needless risks by charging off on my own during battle," he said. "And when I think about it… maybe he had a point. After all, if I hadn't stayed to fight Aldrich when we initially ran into him on Vollezee, then I'd never have gotten my eyes burned in the first place."

Trizano trailed off for a moment, before bringing a set of wingtips to his beak with a quiet murmur.

"I don't know, it just makes me wonder if I'm being too reckless and causing more problems than I'm solving…"

Guardia blinked and stared back at the Skarmory. She just expected Trizano to say something like that he was worried about the battle, but she certainly hadn't been expecting this sort of lack of confidence from him.

The Cubone shook her head. She didn't know whether or not she could really get to the root of his problems, but maybe there was something that she could do to knock some sense into him…

"I suppose Kiran wasn't wrong if he really told you that. But I think you're taking things a bit far, Trizano," Guardia insisted.

Trizano blinked and stared down at her incredulously, before he too, held his head at a puzzled tilt.

"What do you mean by that?"

"In order to get Pleo home, we all have to take risks from time to time," she explained. "Including ones that seem scary and daunting… like when I jumped from you to club that big Bossgodora back on Pioppo."

The Cubone trailed off and looked aside, pawing at her shoulder with her free hand.

"I didn't want to do it at first, and it was honestly pretty terrifying falling like that… but it helped us win, didn't it? And I wouldn't have been able to do that without you telling me that it'd be possible."

There was a brief moment of silence as the two each waited for the other to say something. Guardia fidgeted briefly, and seemed to audibly weigh the words in her mouth before she continued on.

"When I was living in my colony, the Pokémon we celebrated as heroes the most were the ones who were there for others when they were needed," the Cubone said. "Like in fights with fiends and invaders, or when someone was hurt or sick… kinda like how you were for me back on Pioppo."

She turned her head up, meeting Trizano's eyes as their cross-shaped pupils reflected in hers.

"Maybe Kiran's onto something about going and doing things off on your own, but you don't have to. By taking those risks together, we'll be able to better judge how we should handle things as they come, and help each other whenever things aren't going well," she said. "I don't know what it was you were taught being a hero was like, but sometimes, being one is just being there for others when they need you."

The Skarmory hesitated and drifted in his thoughts briefly. He supposed that Guardia's words had a certain logic to them. Their own friends were still being held captive by the pirates, and their hope of Pleo being able to live at peace back on his home island hinged on the parts of the Knights' Ledger that'd been stolen from them. Risky or not, it was hard to argue that they had a choice over whether or not to face down the pirates back in Starpeak Square…

He shook his head, before giving a faint smile back in reply.

"No, that's about the same as what I was taught, too."

A sharp cry snapped the pair to attention, as they saw Robbie standing in the center of the square. They noticed Pleo and Crom hurry over as Pokémon from the lines began to gather together in groups. A Raichu floating on his tail suddenly blipped in in a flash of light just afterwards: a sign that it was already time to set out for Starpeak Square.

"Right, we should get going ourselves," the Skarmory said. "Though, thanks for the talk, Guardia. It helped a bit."

She nodded back, before slinging her club across her shoulder with a small smile.

"Glad to hear. Let's just keep an eye out for each other out there."

---

Pleo looked up at the night sky just in time to spot a Traveller going behind the moon, as the gentle sound of wind gusting and nearby buildings settling made him stiffen up. A quick glance left and right reminded him that he was presently in a back alleyway close to the center of Starpeak Square, the product of a few hours spent creeping along from the forests. They'd split up into smaller groups as they neared the village, with Trizano having taken the lead of his group, who inched up to the mouth of their alleyway before motioning for a stop.

"Aspetta," the Skarmory said. "Up here should be good."

Pleo looked back at Crom and Guardia as they all gathered near Trizano's position. The young Lugia snuck a peek around the corner, where he saw a group of four pirates making their way down in a patrol: a Morgrem and a Tangela, along with a Drilbur and a Koffing.

Crom tugged at Pleo, prompting him to fall back behind a large wooden bin with his teammates. It didn't look like any of the four pirates had suspected anything, but even so, things had been eerily silent.

"Remind me, what's our sign to go again, Trizano?" Pleo asked.

Trizano peeked his head back around the corner, prompting Pleo to look after him, just in time to see a shadow emerge from an alley further down the street and drag the Tangela from the rear of the group into the dark. Pleo's heart skipped a beat, expecting the pirates to whirl around and notice their missing teammate, only for them to continue on unaware as Ander quietly darted across the street. The Lugia felt a prod at his wing and turned his head, where Trizano was motioning at him to stay low.

"That was it," Trizano whispered. "Just keep quiet while the pirates come by."

Pleo and the others nodded and followed suit, as Ander crept down the street after the pirates with his scythes tensed. The four held their breaths as the pirates trudged along past their alleyway's mouth. First the Koffing passed, then the Drilbur, but when the Morgrem tried to do the same Ander lunged out from behind him and threw the flat of one of his scythes over the Morgrem's mouth and the blade of the other under his throat.

"Nrk!"

The Mogrem thrashed as Ander pulled the pirate into their alley, before shoving the Fairy-Type to the ground on his stomach and pinning him down with a foot. Guardia rushed in and smashed her club down on the Mogrem's head, while Crom raked his claws against his upper back. Pleo readied yellowish rings in front of his beak, only to swiftly dispel them as Dimitri finished the pirate off with a hacking blow across the back of his head. There was a sharp yelp as the pirate went limp and Ander pulled his foot back. Everyone's breaths collectively stopped, prompting them to steal a glance beyond the corner, where the Koffing and Drilbur had paused and whirled around with a start.

"… Hey what the-? Where are the others?!" the Drilbur exclaimed. "They were right behind us a second ago!"

Pleo watched quietly as the Koffing looked around warily for a moment, when his breath froze. The Koffing bobbled forward, pointing straight at their alley's entrance.

"They must've noticed something in one of the alleyways," the Koffing answered. "Come on."

Guardia motioned at the others to hide as everyone dove behind whatever cover they could, the Cubone helping Crom drag the unconscious Morgrem along behind the dumpster. She brushed up against the side of the trash bin and froze as it made a soft thump. At once, the Drilbur and Koffing stood up at attention. The Drillbur sniffed at the air, only to narrow his eyes and flash his claws.

"Wait a minute! Someone's here!" the Drillbur growled. "I smell them-!"

A sudden shock of black feathers dove in with a fiery pulse of blue light, sending the Koffing crumpling to the ground. The Drilbur sprang back with a startled yelp and turned to flee, right as a flash of red and white scales cut him off. The Drilbur looked up just in time to see a Krookodile's jaws close in on his head and then snap shut. They lifted the pirate from the ground, the Drilbur thrashing and letting out muffled cries in the crocodile's grasp before fading and going limp. There was a moment of silence, before Robbie threw the Drilbur aside in a groaning heap, and entered the alleyway with an unamused frown.

"Tch, you and your friends should be more careful, Tragosso," the Krookodile harrumphed. "They could've alerted their buddies if we weren't there to deal with them."

The black figure got up from the fainted Koffing and revealed herself to be Margi, right as a Heliolisk and a Cetoddle popped around the corner, hurriedly dragging the Drilbur into the alleyway as the three set about binding and gagging the pirates they'd overpowered by a dumpster. Pleo couldn't help but be morbidly impressed at how fast the others were able to defeat the pirates and then tie them up afterwards. Pleo turned his attention back towards Robbie after hearing approaching footsteps, where the Krookodile had his arms folded with his face still set into an impatient frown.

"Remember that the plan is to pick off the pirates we come across quietly," Robbie chided. "Just because we're not far from the garrison right now doesn't mean that I want to fight the rest of the way over to it."

Guardia blinked and briefly hemmed and hawed, before giving a sheepish tug at her helmet.

"Right, sorry about that."

Pleo's ears pricked at the sound of a quiet thud, where the Cetoddle from Robbie's group was shoving the Koffing down into the dumpster, while Crom propped up the Mogrem along the edge before unceremoniously pushing the Fairy-Type over the edge. A little ways over, the Heliolisk was busy with the Tangela and drug him along, when the Grass-Type's eyes flickered and opened. At once, the Tangela thrashed, pulling the Heliolisk to the ground as the Tangela struggled to get up, only to be swiftly cut off by Margi swooping in and clamping down on the Grass-Type just below his eyes.

"Mrrk!"

Margi lifted the Tangela from the ground, making him freeze up as the Hydreigon leaned in and bared her fangs in his face.

"You either shut up, or I make you," Margi snarled. "Pick your poison, pirate."

The Tangela flinched and screwed his eyes shut, trembling in Margi's grasp with low whimpers. Margi shook her head with a low scoff, carrying the Grass-Type over to the dumpster before shoving him down on top of the other fainted pirates and looking down with a piercing glare.

"You chose wisely," the Hydreigon harrumphed. "Now, stay put."

Margi slammed the lid down on the dumpster before tipping it up against the wall. The Hydreigon dusted herself off as Crom heard muffled cries and pounding from inside.

He almost felt sorry for those pirates who were trapped inside. Almost.

"Come on, we should get going."

Crom turned and saw Ander motioning for him and the others to follow. Robbie and his group quickly headed off, leaving him and the rest of his teammates to follow after them in the street for a couple blocks, before reaching the shelter of a nearby alleyway. Crom leaned up against a wall and breathed in and out, when the sound of pattering footsteps rang out. The Druddigon froze briefly and looked further down the alleyway, where he saw other Pokémon sneaking past. Friendlies from their scarf patterns, thankfully.

"Things are going smoothly, at least," Crom murmured.

"Don't jinx it, Shardrago."

Crom blinked and looked up, where there was Robbie looking down at him sternly.

"Things won't stay this easy for long," the Sheriff said. "Remember that we're here to lure those pirates out of the garrison so that way you can get in. We're almost certainly going to wind up fighting them pretty soon."

A wave of quiet gulps went around Team Traveller's members, as Crom nervously pawed at the back of his neck. He knew that this moment was coming and that it was needed to free their friends, but even so, it was a bit hard to keep his nerves under control. What if their plans had gotten things wrong? What if the pirates were expecting them to sneak into the garrison? They'd beaten the pirates once, but that was against fewer of them and in a place where they had the advantage as defenders. Would the same really hold true now?

A sharp grunt snapped him back to attention as Robbie hurriedly went down to the other end of the alley and motioned for them to come near. Crom and his teammates hurried over as the Krookodile poked his head around the corner, before pulling it back and speaking up in a low voice.

"We should split up here to reduce our odds of getting spotted in a large group. Just stay on alert and try to get as close to the garrison as possible," Robbie insisted. "The more we catch the pirates that are holed up in there off-guard, the better our shot is at getting our friends out."
With that, the Krookodile and his underlings headed off out into the street while Margi and the others retraced their steps and went down the same direction from the other end. Team Traveller lingered in the alley briefly and glanced at both sides, Pleo and Dimitri traded uneasy looks with one another, as the little Lugia gave a worried tilt of his head.

"… Where are we supposed to go right now?" he asked.

"I think we should still be in the clear to head down this street a little further," Dimitri replied. "It's not well-lit and it looks like there's plenty of places to hide around it. We can move to the next street over on the right to try and spread ourselves out a bit more."

Pleo nodded back and set off along with his teammates as they took Robbie's exit out into the street, before ducking down another alley and heading further right. Their trek ahead went by smoothly, as the six crept along quietly under the glow of night sky.

… Too quietly.

The whole time, they hadn't overheard any other pirates patrolling. Or any dozing off, or drinking and gambling with one another for that matter. Pleo supposed that Robbie had said that this was the time when most of them were most likely to be asleep, but with so many pirates that had come to Starpeak Square, shouldn't they be seeing more of a sign of their presence still?

Pleo felt the flat of Dimitri's scythe press up against his chest as they rounded the corner and looked up. There was the garrison, just a couple blocks up ahead, with figures distantly visible moving around its base and lights winking in and out of its windows. Was that where all the pirates were…?

BOOM!

The entire group jolted up with a start at a deafening blast as shutters from nearby windows rattled. Pleo's eyes shrank to pins, as he sprang back and looked off towards where the noise had come from.

"A-Ah!"

There was a brief flash of fire, followed by a plume of smoke from the direction of the sea, which curled up into the night sky against the moon and stars. The Lugia breathed in and out tensely when he realized that something was wrong.

The blast had come from the harbor. Before any of them had managed to make it to the garrison.

"Wait! Th-That wasn't supposed to-!"

Crom swiftly threw a hand over Pleo's mouth and held it shut, and the reason why immediately became apparent. All along the street, voices crying out and footsteps hurrying onto the street filled the air, as figures came from the direction of the garrison and others roused themselves from nearby buildings such as a tavern down the street. After hearing voices directly behind them, Crom and his teammates quickly ducked back into the alleyway they'd come.

"Travellers above, what on earth was that?!"

"Someone must be attacking the ships!"

Pleo grimaced and turned back just in time to spot a Diggersby and Purugly hurrying down the street, who came to a skidding stop when their eyes met. There was a moment of brief confusion as the pirates looked them over, when the Purugly's eyes widened at the sight of Pleo, and she flashed her fangs with a low snarl.

"That damn bird is right here!" the Purugly shouted. "Get 'em!"

The Purugly fell back as the Diggersby jumped up and stomped on the ground, sending a shockwave crackling along through the earth that Pleo hopped over just as it reached them. He heard his teammates yelp and tried to stabilize himself as he landed back on his feet, only to let out a sharp squawk as he saw the Purugly diving at him. He hurriedly rolled out of the way along with his teammates as the girthy cat just barely missed him with a Body Slam. Crom and Guardia ran in to try and bog the Normal-Type down, as a glance back at the Diggersby revealed the pirate grasping a glinting bauble on his scarf with an ear and raising it to his mouth.

"Everyone, they're out here just west of the garrison!" the Diggersby barked into his badge. "You can't miss-!"

Ander cut the Diggersby off with a sudden, whitish shockwave that knocked the badge out of the Ground-Type's grasp, with Trizano following up with a glinting, spread-wing tackle. The pirate tumbled back and tried to prop himself up with his ears, prompting Pleo to hastily ready an Extrasensory, when Dimitri spat up a scalding jet of water that struck the pirate in the face and sprawled him out. The Lugia sighed in relief and turned back for Crom and Guardia as the sounds of them still scuffling with the Purugly rang out.

"They're over there!"

Pleo froze after looking up and seeing a white Squawkabilly point them out from a rooftop over to their right. All the while, various Pokémon, some drowsy and others questionably sober, began to stumble out of doorways and alleyways everywhere he looked.

"Gyaah!"

He glanced over towards the Purugly as she toppled over from a Power-Up Punch from Crom, when Guardia suddenly tugged at his arm and motioned off at the encroaching pirates. Much to their alarm, their shock and disorientation were now starting to give way to snarls as a few began to visibly ready attacks with their limbs and mouths.

"Dai, andiamo! We need to get out of here!" Trizano cried.

Pleo yelped and took off running as Crom hurriedly threw Guardia onto his shoulders, charging ahead for dear life as he saw Dimitri clear a path ahead with a Surf. Ander and Trizano flung cutting gusts behind them that drew cries from Pokémon they couldn't see, when the rest of the alley suddenly lit up behind them. Pleo briefly saw a flash of panic come over his teammates eyes as they rounded a corner. He fought with his clipped wings to leap after them, right as a Hyper Beam just missed him and tore down the length of the alley they were in.

"This way, hurry!"

A sharp crash turned their attention over to Dimitri pulling his leg back from kicking in a door to a nearby building and hurrying in. Crom all but pulled Pleo and Guardia in, as Ander and Trizano swiftly followed after them. They ducked past the doorway right before Dimitri slammed the door shut and shoved a chest in the way, just in time from the way the door behind them suddenly jostled from pounding on the other end. Pleo and his teammates backed away uneasily, as they looked around and saw they were in a backroom with lengths of cloth hung up all around. They fell back for a door on the other side that took them behind the counter of what they quickly gathered to be a tailor's shop.

"How long do you think that door will hold them?" Pleo asked.

"Not very, so we shouldn't hang around here for long," Dimitri said. "Let's try going out from the-"

As Dimitri started making his way to the front of the store, he abruptly froze. At once, Pleo noticed the shouts and sounds of Pokémon were coming very loudly from the front of the shop as well.

How on earth did they catch up so quickly?! Pleo and his companions took up fighting positions, as the little Lugia built up glowing rings of light around his beak when Crom's eyes suddenly went wide.

"Pleo! Get down!"

The Druddigon yanked him down to the floor as something sailed overhead. Just then a flash of heat and a deafening blast came from behind and flung him forward against the counter. Pleo's ears rang and his vision wobbled as smoke filled the air around him. He coughed and poked his head up in a daze when he saw a black-and-white Linoone enter the shop and charge forward with dark flecks gathering around his claws.

Pleo froze in a panic as the pirate ran at him, frantically readying a Whirlwind as the Linoone bore down.

"Oh no you don't!"

A cutting gust of wind suddenly sailed in and flung the pirate aside, followed by green blur running in and pouncing on him with a loud thwack. There was a sharp yelp as the Linoone went limp, with the sound of bellows mixed with pained cries rang out along the street. Pleo and the others peeked past the counter and saw a Marked Kecleon shoving the Linoone aside before looking up at them with a nod.

"Come and help us out here, there's more where they came from out on the street."

The Kecleon ducked out the front of the shop, where a Marked Golbat joined her before hurrying off. Pleo blinked in surprise, when he felt Crom pull him onto his feet and saw Guardia motioning out with her club.

"Look!"

The street was now full of Pokémon facing each other down from a pair of defensive lines formed of Protects and makeshift heaps of rubble. Off towards the right were the pirates from earlier, while towards the left were Pokémon they'd seen from Margi's group. The space in between them was hotly contested in battles that seemed to blur in with one another, as attacks overlapped with each other and Pokémon in pirate and friendly colors alike were tossed aside or crumpled to the ground by incoming blows.

Team Traveller hastily slunk out the front of the shop and tried to avoid going out into the open as much as they could, when Crom looked off in the direction of the garrison. It was only separated by a few streets, but in between them was a wall of Protects and snarling fangs and claws that were being joined by reinforcements coming from deeper in the rear.

"So much for sneaking into the garrison!" Guardia shouted.

A pained scream suddenly rang out as a white blur hit the ground in front of them with a flinchworthy thud. Guardia jumped back with a start, when she saw that it was the pirate Squawkabilly from earlier laying in a groaning heap. Heavy wingbeats followed, turning her attention upwards to see it was Margi flying in visibly panting, with visible scrapes and damaged scales.

"Don't be so sure about that!" the Marked Hydreigon exclaimed.

Margi raised her right head and craned it off at the roof of the garrison. Guardia stared ahead at it with a confused blink, before turning to Margi with a puzzled frown.

"Huh?" the Cubone asked. "What do you mean-?"

Guardia felt a nip at her back and yelped as Margi lifted her into the air and threw her onto her back. Pleo, Crom, and Dimitri quickly followed suit and clambered aboard as the Hydreigon beat her wings and took off from the ground, with Trizano and Ander following in her wake.

Guardia clung tight as a rainbow-colored beam that left a tangible chill in the air zipped by, forcing Margi to hurriedly swerve out of the way. For a brief moment, the Cubone peeked down and felt lightheaded from fright as she saw the streets below, with attacks and thrown objects sailing back and forth between the shattered entrances of buildings and hastily-created barricades and walls of Protects. Guardia quickly turned her attention back to Margi's central head to calm her nerves and breathed in and out sharply.

Her calm proved short-lived as a brilliant beam of light hit Margi from below and made her stagger in the air. After a brief, yelping moment to tighten their grip on Margi's back, Pleo and Dimitri hurriedly spewed an Extrasensory and Scald back down to try and provide cover, while Crom turned back with a startled pant.

"Margi! How are we supposed to get into the garrison like this?!" the Druddigon cried.

"From above!" she answered. "I'm just trying to get you to a place where you can get in easily!"

'Get in easily'…? Crom wasn't sure what that was going to look like. All of a sudden, the Hydreigon banked, prompting him and his teammates to cling tight as Margi dove down, pulling up just above the roof's shingles. She abruptly braked and came to an unsteady stop, letting her passengers all but tumble off of her as she flapped her wings in place. The Hydreigon scanned the roof around her briefly, only to stop after her eyes fell on a small patch of torn-up shingles.

"Here!" Margi shouted. "This should be a good place!"

Margi spat up a Dragon Pulse, which shot forward and punched through the damaged patch of shingles with an audible crunch. As the smoke cleared, Team Traveller noticed that there was a smoldering hole left behind where damaged wooden beams could be seen blocking the way.

"Widen that hole and get in there!" the Hydreigon cried.

Nobody on Team Traveller needed further convincing. At once, Guardia brought her club down on the damaged wood and shingles, with Crom throwing in a Dragon Rage after her. The wooden beams creaked and groaned as Dimitri lunged forward with a hacking strike that found its mark a loud crack. One of the wooden beams fell away along with a patch of shingles, leaving a hole just big enough for Guardia and Pleo to drop down into as Margi flew over and peered down after them.

"The armory should be the next floor down and on the center of the floor!" the Hydreigon reminded them. "We'll try and get more teams in to help, but you're going to need to hang in there for a while!"

"Keep dreaming!"

Margi whirled around, her eyes widening just as a Moonblast sailed in and struck her in her flank. She tumbled back from the blow, and rolled off the roof with a startled bellow. Crom hurriedly went after her, when he was forced back by a hail of falling rocks. He briefly caught a glimpse of Margi pulling up a little above the ground, as she hastily flew off pursued by a group of fliers led by a Noctowl, with a Toucannon and Bombirdier turning back and locking eyes with him and his teammates.

Travellers above, did they really have to fight those two right now?! Crom grimaced and darted back for the hole to try and widen it with another Dragon Rage. He made it only a few paces forward, when he was knocked off his feet by a spinning peck from the Toucannon. He tumbled against the roof's shingles, coming to an unsteady stop right as the two pirates swooped down with a pair of low snarls.
"You're mine!" the Bombirdier cried.

The Bombirdier dove at Crom, prompting the Druddigon to lunge out of the way as he felt air woosh past him. The Bombirdier glanced back after overshooting and began to wheel around when Trizano cut in with a Steel Wing that slashed the pirate's right wing. The Bombirdier stalled in the air, when a hail of stones from Dimitri abruptly sailed in and sent her plummeting off the roof and into the chaotic battle in the street. That'd probably keep her busy for a while. Trizano turned his attention back to Crom and Dimitri, while a quick glance at Ander looked like he was succeeding at keeping the Toucannon distracted.

"Let's hurry up and widen that hole!" Trizano cried.

Crom and Dimitri hurried back and began hacking away at the fringes of the damaged roof, while Guardia and Pleo did the same from below. Little by little, the shingles and wooden beams around the hole began to crack and fall away, when up above, the Toucannon noticed the hole growing wider with a sharp squawk.

"Gah! So you're trying to stall me, huh?!"

The Toucannon dove past Ander, swooping down at the hole while his beak started to glow red and the air visibly sizzled around it. Halfway down, the Toucannon felt a slicing pain across his back and looked over to see Ander pulling a scythe back, prompting the pirate to pull up into the air with a frustrated snarl.

"Get off of me, you lousy bug!"

In the flash of an eye, the Toucannon disgorged blast of burning air square onto Ander, sending the Marked Scyther tumbling back screeching in pain along towards the edge of the roof. Ander briefly saw open air and the street below, when he felt claws latching onto him and looked up to see Trizano holding him back with his talons.

"I've got you! That hole should be just about done!"

The Skarmory pulled up as Ander beat his wings and scrabbled up over the eave and back onto his feet just as a loud crash rang out. Everyone's eyes turned back to the hole in the roof, which was now visibly large enough for Dimitri and Crom to drop down into it. Trizano and Ander took off for the hole as their teammates already made it in, with the pair all but diving in as a squawking voice cried out from above.

"Where do you think you're going?!"

It was the Toucannon, who was diving down and readying a second Beak Blast. Ander hurriedly threw Vacuum Wave forward, prompting Pleo and Crom to do the same with a Thunderbolt, and Dragon Rage respectively. The Toucannon reeled and staggered under each blow, when Dimitri suddenly flung a hail of rocks up from below, launching the pirate out of the hole and out of view with a loud crash. The six looked on panting, bracing themselves for the pirate's return, only to fail to make out his voice amidst the sound of ongoing battle further outside.

They took that as a sign that the pirate was down for the count and slunk away into the shadows. Dimitri steadied his breaths, briefly noticing Crom dressing a burn on Ander with a Rawst Berry, before clearing his head and going further down the attic with a wave of a scythe.
"We shouldn't assume they were the only ones who saw us make that hole," Dimitri insisted. "Let's get a bit further away."

Nobody needed further encouragement and followed after Dimitri as the sounds of raging battle rang out through the roof's shingles in seemingly all directions. The six hurried along, weaving around boxes and crates that had been piled up when Pleo spotted a trapdoor with a protruding latch just off to their right. At once, the Lugia darted over and crouched down to grab at the latch, only for Trizano to suddenly bat out a wing and reach for him.

"Pleo, wait."

Pleo hesitated and turned towards the Skarmory as he set his bag down and pulled out a Slumber Orb. Trizano hurriedly passed it along to his teammates, before turning his eyes back towards the trapdoor.

"Be sure to give that Orb a good rub," he said. "We'll likely have company waiting for us on the other end."

As if on cue, muffled voices and the sound of running footfalls passed from the other side of the trapdoor. Right. This garrison was a place that had been fortified to hold off outside attackers, and the pirates were surely putting it to use themselves. Pleo waited for the Orb to go around his friends as each one took a moment to give it a vigorous rub. It eventually came his way, and he passed it back to Trizano, who in turn gave it to Guardia to hold onto. Pleo stepped forward, putting his wings back on the latch, as Trizano sucked in a sharp breath before speaking up in a hushed tone.

"We'll go on the count of three."

Pleo held his breath as Trizano counted upwards, just in for the voices from below to return. The Lugia felt his heart flutter in his chest, when Trizano's voice pricked his ears.

"Three!"

Pleo yanked the trapdoor open as Guardia tossed the Slumber Orb through the opening. In a flash, the sound of shattering glass rang out and the hallway filled with peach-colored mist. He heard coughing and shouting ring out below, making him hastily slam the trapdoor shut.

"Ack! Someone's here!"

"Call in… backup…"

Pleo and his teammates reflexively moved back from the trapdoor, bracing themselves for snarling pirates to come storming up through it. Except, much to the Lugia's relief, the voices on the other end died down and were followed by faint thuds. Silence came afterwards as Trizano motioned to the trapdoor with a hushed cry.

"Go! Go! Go!"

Pleo all but dove down the trapdoor and onto a stone hallway, where all around were pirates slumped over asleep. The Lugia took off running as fast as he could, with his teammates following suit as they reached an intersection of corridors. He briefly checked each one, before swinging left along a set of windows facing out of the garrison.

"Margi said the cell block was at the center of the floor below us!" Pleo insisted. "So it has to be somewhere over this way!"

His teammates nodded and grunted back as they flew around the corner, with Crom tearing along as shouts and cries rang out in the distance along with the booms of attacks and buildings shuddering under their blows.

Except… for all of the chaos that they could hear outside, the corridor had been eerily empty aside from the place where they'd broken in.

"Are there supposed to be this few pirates to deal with right now?" the Druddigon asked. "Where are they, anyways?"

A crash suddenly rang out as a window just a few paces ahead suddenly exploded after a shadowy ball struck the window frame. The Druddigon stumbled back as splinters and rubble flew about and a cloud of dust filled the hallway. Crom and his companions coughed and peeked ahead out of the window's frame, where figures could be seen scurrying to and from the street as a group of indigo-scarved Pokémon led by Robbie charged a hastily formed barricade of Protects held by massed pirates. The wall of light barriers abruptly gave way as the two sides intermingled with one another in battle, the colliding masses quickly devolving into a confusing melee where it became hard to distinguish friend from foe from each other.

"Looks like they're a bit busy right now!" Trizano exclaimed. "Come on, before they get wise to us being here!"

The others murmured their agreements, before taking a moment to study their surroundings. After realizing the hallway ahead was headed towards the middle of the garrison like they needed, Trizano flew ahead while his teammates stepped around the glass shards by the window and took off running. All the while, the roar of raging battle outside leaked in through the windows. While it perhaps wasn't accurate to say that it wasn't worrisome for the Skarmory, the sounds that kept him on edge the most were the voices and footfalls coming from elsewhere within the building.

Trizano suddenly heard pattering footsteps from up ahead, many more than he was expecting. He quickly landed as his teammates caught up, and he motioned for quiet. The sound's culprit came darting up a set of stairs just ahead, as figures followed by a trailing Falinks ran past. Everyone held their breaths as the running footsteps faded off, when Guardia went up and peeked around the corner, before motioning to the others to follow.

"Looks like the coast is clear," Guardia said. "Robbie said that those 'solitary cells' in the armory would be near the center of the garrison, so we should be just above them."

Nobody raised any objections as they hurried along and made their way down the stairs and out onto the floor below. Guardia peered up at the surrounding walls as they moved in towards the center and swore she saw metal reinforcements on the walls. She heard murmuring coming from down the hall, and saw shadows moving around just past an oncoming corner. The Cubone tightened her grip on her club, creeping forward to steal a glance.

There was a large, heavy door right around the bend, just as Robbie had said. Surprisingly, all the pirates had for defenders in front of it were a tense-looking Meowstic and Cacturne who stood guard at opposite sides of its threshold.

"Hmph, those pirates must be putting a lot of faith in that door to leave it guarded by just those two," she said. "This will be quick."

She pulled her club back for an arcing throw, when all of a sudden, she felt something tug on it and yank it back.

"Guardia, wait."

Guardia turned her attention back to Ander, who'd blocked the free end of her club with a scythe. She yanked it away and shot an annoyed scowl back.

"What? There's only two of them!"

"Yes, but we don't know how many of their friends are nearby," the Scyther explained. "We should take them out as quietly as we can."

… Right. She supposed that that made sense, and they had been in a similar situation when they'd freed Pleo back on Giotto. Everyone's attention drifted over to Crom as the Druddigon fished through his satchel only to suddenly freeze. The Dragon-Type's eyes widened briefly as he looked down into his satchel, before looking back at his teammates with a quiet grimace.

"… Right, I used that One-Shot Orb while sneaking in from the fringes earlier," Crom said. "I don't suppose anyone else brought a second one?"

"No, but we do have these," Guardia said.

The Cubone ran her free paw into a small satchel on Trizano's shoulder, before pulling out a pink seed and a branch with glassy nubs at its tips that seemed to have electricity crackling inside them—a Sleep Seed and a Petrify Wand. Trizano briefly traded glances between them and the pirates, before giving a quiet nod.

"That'll do," Trizano said. "Just wait for my signal. We'll only have one shot at surprising those guards."

Crom took the Sleep Seed while Guardia held onto the Petrify Wand, as Trizano crept forward and snuck a glance around the corner before raising a wing. He scraped his wingtips against the wall, which pricked the Meowstic's ears and prompted the pirate to start pacing over.

"Huh? What the-?"

Trizano dropped his wing, prompting Crom to hurl the Sleep Seed at the Meowstic. The Meowstic had all but a brief moment for his eyes to widen as the seed popped and peach mist overtook him, making the pirate stagger and cough. The Cacturne suddenly shot to attention, bracing himself with a sharp growl

"Hey! Who's-?!"

Guardia didn't wait for the pirate to finish, and flicked the Petrify Wand, sending an orb of light that struck the Cacturne and locked his limbs up with crackling static. Pleo dove ahead, hurriedly pulling the pirate's scarf over his mouth, before Dimitri ran in and struck the Cacturne's stomach with a Brick Break as Ander followed up with a cross-shaped slash.

There was a quiet yelp as the Cacturne went limp and Pleo caught the pirate's body and quietly set it on the ground with his wings. A little ways over, the Meowstic was sprawled over on the floor asleep as the rest of Team Traveller stepped around the dozing pirate and made their way up to the entrance to the armory.

"That solves the guards," Guardia murmured. "But how do we get in there?"

"These ought to help," Crom said.

Guardia looked up after the sound of metallic jingling and saw Crom pulling a keyring from the Meowstic and raising it up. That was simple enough… except, there was only one lock on the door and there had to be at least a dozen keys on that ring. The Cubone looked at the keyhole, and then at keys in Crom's hand, before giving a worried tilt of her head.

"… How do we know which one will open the door?" she asked.

"Trial and error," Crom replied. "There's not that many of them here."

Crom went up and began to try and fit the keys into the hole. Most of them didn't even make it in all the way and could be quickly moved on from, but much to the Druddigon's annoyance, the first key that fit into the lock didn't budge when he twisted it. Neither did the second or third. Crom moved onto the fourth key he found and began to slide it in, when a stranger's voice suddenly rang out and the sound of nearby footsteps pricked his ears.

"Whiskers? What on earth are you doing out there?"

Crom and his teammates all but leapt away from the door as they looked around to try and see from what direction they were being approached. There wasn't any sign of another Pokémon coming towards them, and if there were footsteps going around, Pleo couldn't hear them over the battle outside. But he could clearly hear someone moving around, and quite close, too. But how was that possible when there was no other place where the pirates could be this close to them?!

Pleo paused as he heard footsteps again and looked back at the armory's door. The Lugia's eyes widened, as he suddenly realized there was a place that pirates could be nearby that they'd overlooked this entire time…

"Why are there pirates inside?!" Pleo whispered.

"Ya ne znayu," Dimitri hushed back. "Maybe the pirates were worried about something like this happening."

Pleo and Dimitri stiffened up after a series of sharp taps rang out through the metal. They traded glances, when the earlier voice spoke up again.

"Whiskers, you said that there was fighting outside," the voice said. "Have things settled down out there or what?"

Crom went back to the key in the keyhole and wiggled it, noticing that unlike the last ones, this one seemed to move around with the lock. The Druddigon hesitated and tightened his claws on the key, before looking back at his teammates.

"On the count of three, I open the door and we rush it," Crom whispered. "Get ready to attack whoever's inside."

The others nodded back and braced themselves as the Druddigon silently counted down with his free hand.

"Two… One…"

Crom wrenched the key right with an audible click, and at once Ander charged the door and rammed it with shoulder. The door swung wide and a sharp yelp followed, as there on the other end, was a Shiinotic who'd jumped just out of the path of the door's edge. The Shiinotic pirate looked up at them, his eyes shooting wide with alarm

"Ack! Who are-?!"

Ander swiftly cut the pirate off with a spread-wing tackle, knocking him out of the way. Pleo charged ahead after the Scyther, briefly seeing a Raticate and a Galvantula whirling around as he flung a Whirlwind ahead that knocked the former into the wall. The lantern from the ceiling fell from the impact and hit the ground, spreading glowmoss onto the floor as the chamber dimmed and things quickly devolved into chaos.

The Galvantula hurriedly balled up electricity between his pedipalps and flung them forward in a web, only for its charges to sputter out and arc towards Guardia. The Cubone shrugged the electricity off and lunged ahead for the spider along with Crom, while Dimitri ran in to join them. As his eyes adjusted Pleo briefly saw Trizano heading towards Ander, when a glint from the corner of his eyes caught his attention. Much to his horror, the Raticate had gotten back up and was grabbing at a badge on her scarf.

"Uri! Come and-!"

The Raticate's voice suddenly caught in her throat as she felt something sharp poke at the base of her neck. The Raticate looked down and at once flushed pale after seeing a light gray scythe at her throat, with Dimitri glaring daggers down its length as a loud yelp came from the background. A glance over revealed the Galvantula keeling over from a smash from Guardia's club, while the Shiinotic was lying facedown closer to the door with Ander and Trizano standing over him.

"Tell them it's a false alarm," Dimitri hissed.

The Kabutops dug the tip of his blade into the Raticate's throat as the pirate stared up wide-eyed. The Raticate reached for the badge shakily, before bringing it up to her mouth and stammering into it.

"N-Nevermind, I was just hearing things."

Dimitri suddenly brought the flat of his other scythe against the Raticate's hand and knocked the badge up into the air, before it clattered to the floor. The pirate recoiled and cringed, when Dimitri struck the top of her head with a Brick Break using the edge of his scythe, sending her crumpling to the floor.

Pleo couldn't help but flinch a bit from the attack. While he wasn't sorry that Dimitri had stopped that pirate from calling for help, that Brick Break looked a lot more painful than he'd expected.

"Pleo?"

Pleo turned his head and looked further down into the chamber from the light of the shattered glowmoss lantern. Off at the far end, there were three figures stuck up against the wall—Nida, Elty, and Pladur. The three all stared incredulously, when the young Lugia noticed that they were all tied up with silken webbing.

"A-Ah!"

Pleo hurried over and went up to the three. He couldn't tell whether or not they were hurt or not with all the silk webbing in the way. He frantically looked around and tried to see where the bindings began and ended, as his voice came out in startled squawks.

"Are you okay?!" he cried. "I heard you through that mean pirate's badge and I was so scared, and-"

"W-We're fine!" Pladur insisted. "Just a bit stiff from being tied up all day!"

The rest of Team Traveller made their way over as they gathered in front of the three to try and make sense of the mass of silk themselves. Pleo watched as the others tested parts of the webbing or went to check the hallway outside, as Crom tugged at the webbing around Nida and managed to get one of her forepaws free.

Pleo looked away and hung his head. His friends had almost died, all because he wasn't there for them when they needed him to escape. Was there something wrong with him as a Protector? It'd taken him two days just to make it back to them…

"I'm sorry I took so long," he murmured.

The Lugia was answered by a warm nuzzle, as he looked down and saw Nida's head looking up at his, as she ran her free paw along his cheek.
"It's alright, Pleo" the Nidorina replied. "I knew that you'd come for us."

Pleo blinked and in that moment, all his worries ebbed away. He brought his beak up to Nida and nuzzled back at her, happy that at least when it counted, he was still able to be there for-

"Hey!"

He suddenly stopped and turned over to his right where Elty was still there flailing against his bindings, his ears pinned back with an impatient scowl

"Just saying, untying us any day now would be nice!" Elty snapped.

There was a moment of blinking silence, before Guardia glimpsed back at the hallway just in time to see the Meowstic faintly stirring past the door.

"Right," the Cubone said. "We should probably also do something about those pirates outside before they wake up or else someone finds them."

"Let's try and speed this up, then," Ander said. "Everyone, tell us exactly where your limbs are under that silk, since we're going to need to cut to the chase here."

One after the other, Nida, Elty, and Pladur answered Ander's question as best as they could, before he, Trizano, and Dimitri hacked through the silk. Nida, Elty, and Pladur fell to the floor as their teammates hurriedly undid any lingering knots. The three shambled to their feet, all while Dimitri and Ander went out into the hallway and pulled the Meowstic and Cacturne inside. Nida's limbs were still stiff as she stumbled past the door with the last of her teammates, when Crom pulled it shut and hurriedly locked it up. Just in time, judging from the groggy moaning coming from the other end.

Crom turned over to Pladur and pulled him into a tight embrace. Crom stayed there briefly, as a worrisome thought crossed his mind, prompting him to look down into the father's eyes

"Did the pirates separate anyone else like this?" Crom asked.

"I don't think so?" Pladur replied. "Before the pirates took us here, we were all in that same cellblock that the guards dumped us in."

"Guess that's where we're going next, then," Elty said, as he picked up the keyring from the floor with an audible jangle. "Wiff diff many keyth, oneth gotta open it."

Nobody contested the Growlithe's idea and nodded back, as Crom took the keys for himself. One after the other, the group hurriedly went down the hallway with their newly freed companions. Ander studied his surroundings as they carried on, as his thoughts turned back to Robbie's instructions and relayed them turn by turn to his teammates. All the while, the racket from the fighting from outside seemed to have only grown louder and louder. All of a sudden, a dull boom rang out and the entire hallway briefly shook. Ander and his companions froze, trading worried stares as they glanced up at the ceiling.

"… What on earth was that?" the marked Scyther gulped. "Did someone use Earthquake?"

"It wouldn't have made a loud boom like that if someone had," Trizano murmured. "But whatever that was, it felt close."

Indistinct shouts suddenly rang out from outside, prompting Pleo to hurry over towards a window and peer out. While small, the window was still big enough to see embers swirling about in the air and various rooftops across the street on fire. More worrisome still, the cries were growing more frantic as pirates and defenders alike were hurriedly bolting away in all directions.

"Incoming!"

A sharp cry came, followed by a whistling noise, when Pladur noticed that it was growing louder and louder. Pladur hurriedly pulled the Lugia away from the window when a deafening blast and a flash of heat suddenly knocked them to the ground. The sound of splintering wood and crumbling stone rang out, while the air filled with smoke and dust. Pladur woozily stumbled back up as the haze settled and he saw Nida, Pleo, Elty, and Guardia had all been flung about and were struggling to get back onto their feet.

There was a hole where the window and surrounding walls had once been, and through the gap left behind, they could now see the rest of the wall was now lying shattered in the street. When they turned their heads back for their other companions, they froze, seeing that there was a mound of rubble where the rest of the hallway had been.

"A-Aah! Crom!"

Pladur ran up to the pile of rubble in a panic, desperately digging his ruddy claws against the stone and dust. They turned up nothing but more rubble, as his breath began to hitch and his voice started to crack.

"No. No. No-!"

A faint cough rang out as some of the debris shifted. Pladur couldn't see any sign of movement from the rubble, but he could tell it was definitely Crom's voice.

"W-We're alright!" the Druddigon cried out. "Some of us are a bit scuffed up, but we're mostly fine! What about you?"

Thank the gods. Beyond sounding a bit shaken up, his child at least didn't sound hurt. Pladur quickly looked over the others in their midst. Nida, Pleo, Elty, Guardia… none of them looked seriously injured, which was all they could really ask for at this point, really.

"We're also okay!" the Fraxure answered. "But what on earth just happened?!"

"The pirates must be bombarding the garrison from their ships!" Dimitri's voice replied.

Pleo quietly set his teeth on edge at Dimitri's explanation. 'Bombarding'? Like what Kiran said Hatteras had planned to do with that fireworks shell when Lyn first sailed off with him?

Except, he didn't see any pretty colors when whatever just exploded destroyed the wall. Looking at the mess around them, he could already tell they didn't want to get hit by whatever shells those pirates were shooting towards them.

"Hang on, we'll get this rubble out of the way!"

Pleo darted up to the rubble pile and pressed up against a wooden beam, only for it to remain wedged in place. The Lugia stepped back and tried to tug at it instead, but no matter what he tried, the beam just simply wouldn't budge. He moved on to trying to brush aside some of the stones, but only a few were small enough to move.

"Agh! I can't get through!"

There was a moment of uneasy silence, before another whistling noise rang out along with a loud blast that made Pleo and his teammates flinch. The Lugia looked about worriedly, when Trizano's voice called out from beyond the pile of rubble.

"We'll go on ahead," the Skarmory's voice called out. "We've got the keys to the cellblock. You get out of here and regroup outside with our allies. We'll need to get going and get the Ledger as soon as we're done here."

Pleo grimaced and glanced back at the pile of rubble blocking off the hallway. He didn't know anything about how strong shells used by ships were, but they were probably fortunate that the shell had blown up while there was a wall between them. If one had landed on them while they were still on the roof earlier…

The Lugia shook his head. It wouldn't do any good dwelling on that, especially while they were just sitting Ducklett here in this blocked-off hallway.

"Right, we'll try and find a way out!"

---

(Continued in next post)

 

[Spiteful Murkrow]

Pleo and the others turned and made their way down the hallway as they tried to think back to the diagram of the garrison Robbie showed them during their planning. The main entrance to the building had been on the east side of the building, so then that meant that their current course ought to take them-

BOOM!

The Lugia stumbled and flinched as a deafening blast rang out and the building shook. After a brief moment to regain their bearings, he and his teammates realized that they were hearing the sounds of shouting and fighting coming from downstairs. A quick glimpse out a nearby window confirmed their fears, as the entire space in front of the main entrance was taken up by lines of Protect barriers flickering in and out, with smoldering wreckage and hazy figures darting about.

The five paused and traded uneasy looks with one another, when Pleo nervously ruffled his feathers.

"You didn’t happen to notice a side exit while the pirates were moving you around, did you?" Pleo asked. "Since I don't think we're getting out the front door right now."

"I was kinda hoping that you saw one, actually." Elty replied.

Pleo's mind went blank. What on earth were they supposed to do right now when the one exit they knew about would take them straight into the middle of the battle outside?! Could they still catch up with the others? But he didn't have the faintest idea how Crom and the others would find their way back from here, and-

"… What about that hole over there?"

Pleo looked up to see Guardia had snuck off to an intersecting hallway and was pointing off around the corner with her club. He followed her over, where he saw part of the floor above had collapsed down into the hallway, with a hole partly blocked by wooden timbers punched into the outer wall.

Pladur went up and tugged at the timbers, discovering that they could be moved out of the way enough to form a hole just big enough to pass through. The Fraxure hesitated, before pointing off ahead of him.

"I think Guardia's onto something," he said. "Mira allí."

Pleo made his way over and looked down, where all below, shattered stone and wood had heaped up into a crude ramp that made its way down to the ground, still shrouded with smoke and dust.

"Looks like we can climb down from here," Pladur said. "Just watch your step, since it sounds like there's fighting going on nearby."
Pleo and the others nodded to one another, before making their way down the ramp one by one. All the while, they looked out at the burning buildings across the street as the roar of battle continued to ring out nearby, thankfully from one of the other sides of the building.

And then they reached the bottom and froze. In what looked almost like a ring around a shallow crater, there were Pokémon wearing various colors strewn about limply. Some were hanging slumped over broken-down windows and walls, while others had burns that covered large parts of their bodies. Nida came across a Slurpuff with an indigo scarf whose only sign of life was a weakly rising and falling chest, and stepped around the Fairy-Type with a quiet shudder.

"Gods, the local Medic's Hut is going to be busy after this," Nida murmured. "Some of those Pokémon look really hurt."

"Where do we go now, though?" Elty asked.

Guardia briefly scanned the ruined surroundings, before turning off towards the south.

"Crom and the others would've had to go southwards to leave the cell block," she said. "Maybe there's another way into the garrison there."

It would have to do, and it wasn't wise to assume that they'd be left alone in this place for long. The five hurried along down the street, rounding the corner when they realized that the sounds of fighting were growing louder. An icy beam zipped by, as a Rufflet in pirate colors fell out of the air and slumped over just before them. A quick glance from right to left revealed village guards and Marked hurriedly fleeing from a barricade that had just been overrun by what seemed like an entire horde of Pokémon swarming over it.

Team Traveller began to backpedal, as a little further down, a Houndstone jumped over a tail swipe trailing dragonfire from an all too familiar Tyrantrum. The Houndstone came to a crouching stop, giving a ghostly-sounding snarl back at the hulking dinosaur.
"Hah, is that the worst you can do, you overgrown Salandit?!" the Houndstone jeered. "I'm quaking in my tracks right no-!"

The Houndstone was abruptly cut off by Tarquin lunging forward and biting down on her from above. Agonized screams rang out as the Tyrantrum lifted the Houndstone into the air and shook her between his jaws in front of her companions, who stood frozen in place from fright.

Their shock did not last for long. With a piercing hiss, a Seviper lunged forward and struck an Arboliva with a poison-slicked slash that sent the Grass-Type falling to the ground. A Tranquill slammed to the ground just afterwards while a Medicham drug him out of the air with an unseen force, and a Spinda fell to the ground from a glob of mud shot out by a Toedscruel. The Spinda hastily got up and fled, the remaining defenders at the barricade mounting a disorganized retreat as beams and missiles picked off stragglers.

Tarquin flung the now-limp and silent Houndstone to the ground as Crom and his teammates looked on in shock, inching back as their hearts pounded in their chest. The Druddigon felt a frantic tug at his arm, and looked over to see his father's face screwed up into a frightened grimace.

"M-Mijo let's find a different way out of-"

"Captain Tarquin! Over there by the garrison's wall!"

The Tyrantrum reared and turned his head as Pladur's mind went blank in a panic. The Fraxure reflexively grabbed Crom and took off running for the right after where the other defenders had been fleeing, when a violet glob suddenly sailed in.

"A-Aaah!"

Pladur jumped back as the Sludge Bomb splattered over the ground where he'd just been standing, when Akane suddenly lunged in. The Seviper raised her head as she blocked the way with her body, with other pirates quickly closing in in every direction. The Fraxure felt faint tremors from behind, as he turned around with his teammates and gulped to see it was from Tarquin approaching them.

"Oh, there you are," he said. "For a moment, I thought we were going to have to flush your sorry tail out of the Mystery Dungeon."
Team Traveller froze, their blood turning to ice in their veins as the Tyrantrum drew near, baring his fangs with a toothy, predatory sneer.
"You didn't think you were just going to walk out of town, did you? Though glad to see that your bird friend managed to stop by after all."

Elty felt his heart pound in his chest as Tarquin's teeth gleamed amid the glow of fires in the background. A sharp hiss along with a startled squeal from Pladur turned his attention leftwards, where Akane slithering ahead with her bladed tail swishing back and forth.

The Growlithe grimaced as his ears and tail pinned firmly against his body, backpedaling as it seemed increasingly clear to him that this was a fight that they weren't going to win.

"L-Looks like we made a wrong turn!" the Fire-Type squeaked. "We'll just get out of your fur right now-!"

Elty turned to run back for the garrison with Pleo, only for Akane to abruptly spit up a Flamethrower to cut them off. The Lugia jumped back as Elty rolled out of the way and then sprang back onto his feet, when the Growlithe abruptly froze.

Pleo quickly saw why after turning around: the side of the street that the defenders had fled down was now blocked off by other pirates encroaching on them, and there weren't any other obvious routes for escape. None of them knew quite what to do just then, as the sound of mocking laughter hung in the air while pirates mostly clad in orange scarves seemed to press in on them from all directions.

Akane seemed to take particular satisfaction in their predicament, and flicked her tongue with a taunting sneer.

"What's the rush?" the Seviper asked. "We have some catching up to do…"

Akane curled her body around, leveling her tail at Nida as a malicious smirk came over her face.

"After all, I've got a score to settle with you and your family, Nidorina."

"As if we're just going to just sit back and let you do that!"

Akane turned and hurriedly slithered out of the way of a Marked Stonjourner's attempt to pen her in with a barrage of large stones, the snake letting out an angry hiss as she spat back a Sludge Bomb. Everyone collectively looked behind Tarquin, where a number of Marked and Pokémon clad in indigo scarves came charging from a street near the western end of the square. The group that retreated earlier must've come back for a second assault!

Before anyone knew it, the western side of the garrison once again broke out into a confused mass of skirmishes, with Nida briefly catching Tarquin briefly stumbling from a hail of flechette-like leaves from an Ivysaur. The Tyrantrum struck back with a swipe of his tail trailing dragonfire that launched the Ivysaur back with a yelp, before he threw his head up and bellowed out to the other pirates in the square.

"Get these pests out of our way!" he shouted. "Akane and I will handle the bird and his friends!"

Pleo and his companions collectively flinched as a Surf swept across the plaza in the background and shoved their allies further away. There was a brief moment of stunned shock, as Tarquin whirled around towards Team Traveller and a dangerous smirk spread over his maw.

"Now, where were we…?" the Tyrantrum began. "Oh yeah, this part."

Rocks tore out of the ground as Tarquin swiped a claw through the air, sending the stones flying up in an arc ahead of him. Nida's eyes widened as she frantically bolted, only for one of the stones to catch her from behind and knock her to the ground. The others fared little better as Elty and Pladur were hit hard and fought to keep their balance. She struggled to get back onto her feet herself, just as a sharp hiss cut through the air.

"Kurae!"

Nida turned her head and screamed as she saw Akane lunging for her, jaws opened wide. The Nidorina threw herself aside, the Seviper's fangs just missing her face. She felt the pirate's scales brush up against her body, and promptly dashed away. Akane turned and coiled around, slithering ahead to give chase when a sharp squawk rang out.

"Nida!"

Nida looked over just in time to see blue sparks pass between Elty and Pleo as they ran over. The little Lugia gave a flapping jump into the air as much as his clipped wings would let him, spitting up a ray of golden rings that sailed in and knocked Akane onto her side. Nida turned back to see the Seviper tumbling away as her teammates caught up with her, with Pleo looking over at Nida with wide, frightened eyes.

"A-Are you okay?!"

Nida tripped over her words and tried to steady her breathing,when a low wince reached their ears. They saw Elty briefly flinch and nose at his shoulder, before shaking his head.

"It's alright, it's probably just a bruise," the Growlithe insisted. "I'll patch myself the next time I get a chance-"

"Elty! Look out!"

Elty barely had time after Pleo's cry to turn and see the Blast Seed sailing in the air towards them. The Growlithe sprang back as the Seed blew up and bolted as a Sludge Bomb flew in shortly afterwards. He ran ahead with his head held low, hurriedly diving behind the remains of a shattered wooden stand where Pladur and Guardia were already hiding. He panted and stole a peek back, where Akane was harrying Nida and Pleo with a Flamethrower. He would've hoped that Pleo's Extrasensory would've worn her down after boosting it with Helping Hand, but she didn't look anywhere near as worse for wear as he was expecting.

"A-Aaaaaah!"

A bloodcurdling scream came from the other end of the rubble pile as Guardia and Pladur visibly tensed up. The Growlithe looked over alongside them and promptly blanched:

The scream had come from an orb-headed Eiscue in Tarquin's jaws, who the Tyrantrum promptly threw aside. The guard crashed limply into a shattered storefront, before the pirate captain turned his head towards their general direction.

"I know you're out there!" he snarled. "Show your faces so we can get this over with!"

Elty pinned his ears back as his breaths grew quick and shallow. Tarquin was barely worn down from their efforts just like his first mate. The Growlithe knew that they were fighting an uphill battle, but they weren't going to make it if Tarquin kept hitting this hard over and over again!

"Gah! We need to turn this around, fast!"

"B-But that's Commander Tarquin!" Pladur exclaimed. "It took an entire revolt to deal with him back on Tromba! W-What are we supposed to do?!"

Guardia panted, before tightening her club in her grasp. She briefly glanced past their cover, before turning back to her teammates with a determined nod.

"The same thing we did to that Gyarados on the last island!" she exclaimed. "We'll pull through this by fighting together! We just need to throw some more strength behind our attacks!"

Pladur peeked past the wreckage and visibly faltered, before looking back at his companions and nodding back.

"R-Right! Elty, cover us!"

Guardia entered into a thrashing set of movements, with Pladur doing much the same as flecks of dragonfire began to dance on his hide. Elty darted ahead and tried to hug the remains of the ruined stand as he saw Tarquin's eyes shift past the wreckage, only for them to suddenly narrow as he saw Guardia and Pladur from behind their cover.

"Nice try, little runts!" the Tyrantrum snarled. "Don't think I can't see your little tricks there!"

He lunged ahead with his jaws opened wide, when Elty suddenly popped out from behind cover. The Growlithe barked at Tarquin to draw his attention, briefly stopping the Tyrantrum's pace as the pirate turned and Elty spat up a cone of bluish embers in his face. The Tyrantrum bellowed and cradled a fresh burn along his snout, before setting his teeth on edge and catching a glimpse of the Growlithe trying to duck back behind the stand.

"Why you-!"

Tarquin swiped his tail through the corner of the stand, knocking Elty away from it with a small spray of splintered wood. The Growlithe tumbled to a stop on the ground, when he looked up and saw the Tyrantrum descending on him from above. The pirate bit down with an audible crunch, pained screams filling the air as Tarquin buried his fangs into Elty's flanks and lifted him off the ground. Tarquin pulled his head back to shake the Growlithe's body in his grasp, when a silvery-white blur wreathed in dragonfire sailed in. It caught him in his stomach, making him crack his jaws open by reflex.

"Ack!"

It was Pleo, plowing headfirst into the Tyrantrum with a Dragon Rush. The force of the blow sent Tarquin staggering and fighting to keep his balance as the young Lugia frantically ran off, leaving Elty to flop limply to the ground. The Growlithe weakly stumbled up, before pulling his tail and ears in tight against his body and limping for the storefronts on the edge of the square. At the other end of the square, Nida gathered that Elty must've been doing worse than she initially thought from the attack, and changed her direction mid-stride to try to come to his aid.

"Pay attention, Nidorina!"

Except, she never made it past the first few steps before her back erupted into fiery agony. Nida shrieked and rolled wildly, seeing a blur of black-and-yellow that she panickedly spat an Ice Beam at, but missed entirely. By the time she rolled back onto her feet, Akane was no longer there. A taunting hiss made her look behind, where she saw that the Seviper was circling around her.

"So you did learn a move or two from your mother," the Poison-Type scoffed. "Shame she didn't teach you how to use them properly!"

Nida set her teeth on edge and let out a seething huff. She planted her feet, and lunged ahead with a set of furious swipes, prompting Akane to hastily slither out of the way. Further off in the background, Elty limped off behind a storefront's doorway and flopped down as bodies and attacks flew around near the western end of the square. He took a moment to steady himself, turning his head back to see ruddy marks all along both of his flanks. The Growlithe shakily nosed at his bag and gobbled up an Oran Berry, breathing heavily as he chewed when he suddenly heard battle cries from off in the square.

He looked around, just in time to see Pladur raking Tarquin's leg with a claw swipe trailing dragonfire. The Tyrantrum winced and stumbled back briefly, dropping a Lum Berry from his claws that Pladur hurriedly kicked away. Tarquin's gait evened out, as the pirate corrected his balance and dug his claws in with a menacing snarl.

"Let's see you try that again, Fraxure!"

Tarquin at Pladur with a Dragon Claw, which just barely missed his head. The Fraxure yelped, before running away with his head held low. Off with Nida and Pleo, poison began to slick Akane's bladed tail, when a whirling white missile suddenly sailed in. It struck the side of her head and made her seize up with a pained hiss, before the Bonemerang came back around and knocked her to the ground as Guarda hurried in and her club whirled back into her grasp. The Seviper raised her head in a daze as Guardia swung her club wide, and looked back at Nida and Pleo as they joined her side.

"Everyone!" the Cubone cried. "While she's stunned!"

Pleo focused as his eyes flashed yellow and he spewed a ray of golden rings at Akane. They struck her head-on, leaving her writhing as Nida lunged ahead and raked her flank with a Fury Swipe. It landed and drew a pained hiss, prompting Nida to bring her other paw down with another slash against the pirate's hide, before readying a third.

Swish!

Nida yelped as Akane's tail suddenly swung at her head, making her hastily spring back as it carried on and the tail's bladed edge grazed the side of her head. The Nidorina landed on the ground and panted, pawing a fresh scrape dribbling blood on the side of her cheek as she looked back at Akane. The Seviper was slithering away, panting from exertion herself. Akane seemed to sway slightly while staying upright, but she didn't look unnerved at all, and more worrying still, the Seviper flicked her tongue out with a knowing smirk.

"Hah, you think that's all it takes to get the best of me?"

Akane turned her head down to the satchel tied along the nape of her neck. The Seviper pulled the bag open and with a swift flick, sent a yellow, speckled fruit spilling out.

Pleo eyes widened as he realized it was a Sitrus Berry. He hopped forward at once, hurriedly batting his wings out to try and blow the berry away.

"Ah! No!"

Akane threw her head forward as Pleo flung his Whirlwind forward and swept her up in it. The Seviper tumbled back clumsily to a stop, only for her to loudly gulp and a lump to go down her throat.

In spite of everything, she'd managed to eat her berry. Pleo and his companions watched blankly as the Sitrus Berry's effects seemed to settle over her in a flash. The Seviper's movements grew more and more lively, as she swished her tail back and forth with a mocking sneer.

"Seriously, if that's all it takes to throw you off balance, I'd like to see you deal with this!"

Pleo watched as Akane lunged ahead and tried to hop out of the way. Except, halfway over, there was a deafening belch along with a blast of air smelling of Sitrus Berries that swept him up. He lost his footing, sailing into the air and plummeting to the ground as he skidded along the ground. He weakly twitched as his ears rang and his vision spun in his head, stars dancing in his eyes.

"N-Ngah…"

Pleo rolled onto his stomach and tried to push himself off the ground. Off to his side, Akane gave a satisfied smirk and began to slither forward, when a piercing cry cut through the air.

"Pleo!"

A whirling bone suddenly sailed in and struck Akane's neck as it carried on into the air. Nida didn't wait for the Seviper to recover from the blow and ran ahead, shooting an icy ray forward from her mouth that struck the snake head-on.

"Little brat!" Akane hissed. "Let me show you how it's done!"

The Seviper suddenly shot forward and sank her fangs into Nida with an audible crunch. The Nidorina cried in pain and reeled as the Seviper pulled her head back, coiling for another strike. Nida hurriedly fell back, while further behind her, Guardia caught her club from the air and ran in as Akane chased after her teammate. The Cubone pulled her club back, only for a piercing cry to split the air.

"Eyaaah!"

Guardia whirled around to see Pladur flying back from a swipe from Tarquin's tail wreathed with dragonfire, watching as the Fraxure crashed into a nearby wall with a sharp thud. She wavered and looked between Pladur and Nida, when she saw Pleo running in for the Nidorina.

She supposed that made the decision easier for her. At once, Guardia changed course and darted over to Pladur, going over and tugging at him as the Dragon-Type let out woozy groans, when she noticed a cone of cinders flying out from a pile of rubble out in the street to cover them.

It was Elty. The Growlithe stumbled out, gait still shaky, when Tarquin's eyes turned towards him. The Tyrantrum briefly winced from the burns on his snout before his eyes narrowed, and a low growl filled the air over the sounds of battle in the background.

"Oh, it's you again," Tarquin spat. "Let me finish paying you back for that burn you gave me!"

The Tyrantrum lowered his head and charged as blue sparks began to gather around the top of his head, prompting Elty to yelp and bolt. The Growlithe scarcely made it a few paces before an errant series of bullet-like seeds zipped in from pirates and defenders fighting in the background, grazing his right foreleg with a set of sharp stings. He lost his footing and tumbled forward to the ground, laying there in a daze until he realized the ground was shaking. He turned back, looking on in frozen terror as Tarquin bore down on him with his Head Smash.

"Eltenios!"

Elty briefly heard Guardia's voice cry out as scaly hands shoved him out of the way. Everything seemed to go by in a crawl afterwards as he heard a pained cry and then looked up to see Guardia sailing in the air, her bone flying from her grasp. She hit the ground in a limp heap and tumbled to a stop, laying motionless with a visible crack running the length of her helmet. The Growlithe stared blankly, as his voice came out in a frantic cry.

"G-Guardia!"

Elty heard a low snarl and saw Tarquin turning and looking down at him. He started to back away in petrified fright, fire hastily gathering in his mouth when suddenly blinding light came from Guardia's direction.

They both stopped and looked over and saw Guardia starting to stagger up, her body glowing with white light as it began to lose its form. It took all of a moment for things to register for Tarquin, as the Tyrantrum grit his teeth and called out towards Akane in the background.

"Akane! Leave that bird alone for a second and don't let that Cubone-!"

Tarquin briefly trailed off after seeing Elty duck behind him with blue sparks building on his paws. The Tyrantrum whirled around, just in time to see Pladur lunging at him and suddenly raking his flank with a Dragon Claw. Tarquin bellowed in pain, as off at Guardia's end, her still-glowing body started to grow visibly larger, with prominent horns and an elongated tail taking shape, prompting Akane to build up sludge in her mouth.

"Get away from her!"

A swirling Whirlwind struck the Seviper and forced her back with a startled hiss as the light cleared and Guardia stumbled forward, now a Marowak. She panted for air as she briefly looked up and saw Tarquin still fighting with Pladur and Elty, when her eyes fell on her bone lying on the ground just off to her right.

She ran over and scooped it up, turning her attention back to Akane with a sharp growl.

"Nameru na!"

Guardia tightened her grasp around her club, briefly realizing that it felt strangely small in her hand, only for her to grit her teeth and charge forward. The Marowak swung at Akane's throat, only for her club to fall short from where she expected it to go. The Seviper jerked back as Guardia swung again, leaving the Marowak to just barely miss her head. Akane opened her jaws and lunged forward, only this time, Guardia swung her club downwards and struck the top of the snake's head from above with a satisfying thwack.

"Gah!"

Akane crumpled to the ground and sharply slunk back as Guardia panted to catch her breath, partly from her fatigue from Tarquin's earlier blow, partly from her fraying nerves. It suddenly dawned on her that the Seviper was visibly lurching in a daze. Guardia looked over and saw Nida staring at her in awe, before motioning ahead with a sharp cry.

"Quick, finish her off before she can heal up again!"

Nida dashed forward as the Seviper's body swayed in a weary daze. The Nidorina hopped up, pulling a paw back for a furious swipe when Akane suddenly cut it off with the flat of her tail-blade and knocked Nida's blow aside.

The Nidorina's eyes widened, when she suddenly saw Akane bringing her fangs in for a strike. She barely had a moment to react before Akane's teeth sank deep into her shoulder, leaving her to cry out as she desperately struck blindly with her paw and thrashed to break free. A Bonemerang sailed in and forced Akane to duck back, loosening her grip as Nida slipped away and slumped to her knees. Her paws wavered as her breaths came in and out raggedly, all while an awful hiss lingered in the air.

"Hah, look at you. Trying so hard to be like your mother," Akane sneered. "Pathetic."

Nida breathed in and out as her blood started to boil. All this time, this Seviper kept putting her down over and over as someone who'd never match up to her mother, as if she'd gotten this far because of some fluke.

She grit her teeth and tensed her paws. No, it was her who'd come all this way with her friends. And she'd either make this Seviper see it or go down swinging.

"I don't need to be my mother!" Nida shouted.

She lunged forward and flung a paw forward with a heavy swipe, Akane's eyes briefly widening in alarm as the Nidorina brought her Fury Swipe down across her face.

"I'm Nida! I'm myself!"

Akane jolted back and moved her tail to try and counter with a jab. Nida ducked, just missing the blade as she swiped again and struck the Seviper in the side of her neck. The snake stumbled back that time, as Nida flared her ears and grit her teeth with a seething bellow.

"And I can beat you just fine!"

She threw her paw forward again, catching Akane in the throat. The Seviper seized up with a choking noise, before her eyes fluttered and she slumped to the ground. A few cries rang out as about the square, various pirates turned from their battles and looked on in shock, along with even Tarquin, who reared up from pursuing Elty and Pleo with an alarmed shout.

"Akane!"

Pleo and Elty briefly looked back as Tarquin started to head over. The Lugia reflexively went after the pirate, only to feel his wing getting tugged back and saw blue sparks settling around Elty's fur.

"Hit him with everything you've got, Pleo!

The Growlithe hurriedly tapped the Lugia's wing as Pleo felt a surge of energy run through his body. He took off afterwards, lunging ahead as best as his clipped wings would let him while fiery blue light sprouted along his body.

"Nida!"

Pleo barreled ahead, striking Tarquin in his back hard enough to make the pirate stumble and struggle to keep his footing. The Tyrantrum panted hot, frustrated breaths, when all of a sudden, a whirling sound reached his ears and something hard struck the back of his head.

"Gack!"

He staggered forward and reflexively reached his claws to try to cradle his head, when he saw Pladur running up as dragonfire danced on his tusks. The Fraxure threw his tusks forward with a pair of sharp chops, the first hitting Tarquin's shin and drawing a roaring bellow as he stumbled forward onto his knee, before Pladur flanked around him and another sharp hack landed in his gut. The Tyrantrum struggled up with labored breaths as he heard the same whirling noise and looked up…

… just in time to see Guardia's Bonemerang sailing directly for his face.

THWACK!

"H-Hrnk!"

Tarquin seized up and tottered in place briefly, before slumping over and hitting the ground with a loud crash. The fighting about the square died down as everyone, pirate and defender alike, looked on in shock. The local Pokémon stared in stunned awe, while the pirates in the square began to visibly lose their nerves.

"Th-They got Captain Tarquin!" a Honedge cried.

"Oh screw this," a Grimer whined. "I'm outta here!"

"Over there!"

Just then, a Furfrou approached from another alley, one who wasn't wearing an indigo scarf or had a Mark on his forehead. Was that one of the villagers? There was a crowd of Pokémon all behind the Furfrou, as others emerged from damaged buildings and started to press in on the pirates. A wave of panic seemed to settle in over the pirates, as an orange-clad Golem with black outgrowths turned around and cried out to the others.

"Retreat! Retreat!"

The other pirates briefly looked back at the Golem as he hurriedly fled, before general disorder broke out among the rest of their ranks. The pirates took off running one after the other, most not even bothering to carry along fallen comrades from the square, or even attempt to make parting attacks as they fled from battle. One of the exceptions was a Zangoose in a red scarf, who lingered behind to briefly pull an eyelid down and stick a tongue out off in Akane's direction.

"Feel free to send a letter sometime, péist! I'll be sure not to read it!"

A Flareon and Banette hastily yanked him along right as a bolt of electricity hit the place where the Zangoose was standing and the defenders gave chase after the fleeing pirates. Team Traveller looked on in disbelief as the pirates fled further and further away, and the din of battle settled down into the sound of crackling fires and pained groans. They briefly tensed up after hearing movement coming from the garrison, only to turn and see Robbie rounding the corner alongside an Empoleon, a Quaquaval, and a number of guards. A few of the villagers noticed and looked over, before they began to make their way up to greet them.

There was a moment's hesitation, as a dawning realization came over them:

"W-We won?" Pladur murmured. "I-I mean, we won! We sent those stinking pirates running!"

Elty and his companions breathed in and out tiredly as somehow, against all odds, they'd actually pulled through in their battle with Tarquin and his underlings. Robbie's plan to rally the villagers to them even seemed to be panning out, too. Elty wobbled on his feet briefly and winced from his wounded flanks, before turning his attention over to Guardia, who was squatting on the remains of the stand and looking down blankly at her arms. He went over, and worriedly prodded at her side with a forepaw.

"Feels weird suddenly being so much taller, doesn't it?" he asked. "Though are you alright? That Head Smash back there looked like it really hurt."

"I'm fine," the Marowak said, before pausing and catching herself.

"Well, mostly."

Guardia idly swung her club in front of her, and at once, Elty saw the problem. In the past, Guardia's club would reach out a full additional arm's length for her. Now, it barely went half the length of her present arm's length. She pulled it back to her side, and shook her head with a low sigh.

"I think that I'm going to need a new club after this," she said. "I'm not a stranger to fighting in close quarters, but I can't get used to the way mine feels now."

… Right, Guardia's club didn't exactly grow alongside her, and it looked downright small in her grasp now. Even if the Marowak's general bodyplan didn't seem all that different from what it was like as a Cubone, things must've changed more for her than he realized.

But they could sort that all out later. He was just happy that she was still alright.

"Hey! Everyone still alright out there?!"

Elty and his teammates turned to see Crom hurrying over along with the rest of their teammates. The Druddigon's eyes lit up after seeing them, as he all but pounced on Nida and he pulled her into a tight embrace.

"Oh Travellers Above, you're alright!" the Druddigon cried. "You really scared me there!"

Nida raised her paws and cradled Crom back, nosing at him with a tired smile.

"Yeah. You did, too."

Nida and Crom let each other go as they saw their teammates starting to crowd around Guardia and Elty. The Druddigon looked over and blinked and rubbed at his eyes briefly, only for it to sink in that his little Cubone teammate was now no longer little and just as big as he was.

"Oh! Guardia! You evolved!"

They made their way over to congratulate her, as other Pokémon went about tending to the wounded Pokémon in the square or capturing pirates who'd been left behind. All of a sudden, Nida's ears pricked at the sound of footsteps approaching. She turned and saw Robbie leading Franz and Augusta over to them. She heard wingbeats joining in and looked upwards, where there, much to her surprise was Margi tiredly flying in—what on earth was she doing here? Nida supposed that there was quite a story behind Margi being here that she'd need to ask about once things were calmer, only for Robbie to stop in front of them, a self-satisfied smirk spread over his jaws.

"Hah, I told you that we Gestirners don't give up easily in a fight!" the Krookodile said. "One stronghold down, two to go!"

Robbie let out a satisfied huff, before Franz shot a sidelong glance at him.

"Didn't you mention that things were going awry in the harbor right now, Sheriff?" the Empoleon said.

"I mean, the pirates stopped shelling us, so it can't be going that badly," he said. "Though we might as well check and see how the other front's holding before heading over."

The Krookodile reached for the badge pinned on his scarf and moved his head to speak into it.

"Karl, how's the castle looking right now?"

"The lines didn't hold! The pirates mounted a breakout after that blast from the harbor and a bunch of them got away from us!"

The celebratory atmosphere abruptly evaporated as one after the other, Team Traveller's eyes widened and their faces screwed up into grimaces. Even Robbie was taken aback, as he tightened his grip on his badge and raised it back to his mouth.

"Give me details, Karl," he insisted. "Who got past you and how many pirates are still in there?"

"Their captains broke out in the earlier group!" the voice cried. "At least half of them are still inside from how fast these attacks are coming, so-!"

The sound of a loud blast came through the badge and then nothing. Pleo and his teammates grimaced, as Robbie looked down at his badge, and clamped down on it.

"Karl? Karl, are you still there?"

The Krookodile shook the badge in his grasp, but no response came as a sinking feeling came over Pleo and his companions. Their plan had been to pin the pirates' captains down in the castle so that way they wouldn't be able to escape or direct their underlings in town, but…

"Wait, but if those pirate captains aren't in the castle, then where are they now?" Crom asked.

"Sheriff!"

Everyone turned as a Heliolisk and Mabosstiff ran over from Tarquin as he was getting tied up and dragged off, with the Heliolisk clinging tight to a badge glinting in his grasp.

"We pulled this off that Tyrantrum," the Heliolisk said. "You're gonna want to hear this."

The Electric-Type clenched the badge as a voice came crackling through. Pleo flinched for a moment at the sound, realizing that it belonged to…

"A-Ah! That's Captain Dirk!"

"Everyone, we're pulling out! I'm about twenty minutes out from the ships with Captain Ingela! Get aboard before then or it's your funeral!"

The audio from the badge abruptly cut off, leaving the Heliolisk to fidget with the bauble as Franz and Robbie traded looks with one another.

"It doesn't sound like things are going well there either, Sheriff."

Pleo sucked in a tense breath. Did Dirk still have the chest with the Ledger inside of it? Where was he right now? And how were they supposed to get it back?

"W-What do we do?" Pleo asked.

Nida grimaced and set her teeth on edge. What on earth had happened for Dirk to have their part of the Knights' Ledger? Did he understand how important it was? If he did, then they had to go after him! They couldn't afford to let Dirk get away with the only part of the Ledger they still had, but just how were they supposed to explain this?! She looked over at Franz and Augusta, and paused in indecision before shaking her head.

"Franz, Augusta, that 'mon might have something really important of ours," the Nidorina said. "I know that there's still a battle to be fought here, but we really can't risk him just sailing off with it!"

"Then go."

Everyone's attention turned to Augusta, as the Duchess kept her eyes trained on them with a grateful nod.

"You all have already done more than we could've ever asked for after the way we first greeted you," the Quaquaval said. "It sounds like we'll need to focus on the harbor anyways to keep those pirates from escaping, so we'll be there to give whatever help you need."

Franz raised a flipper to his beak in thought, before turning off the center of the square where Tarquin and Akane's unconscious bodies were being dragged along. The Empoleon let out a quiet harrumph, before glancing back at Nida and her companions.

"Just tell us what you need."

Nida hesitated a moment. Once they got their part of the Knights' Ledger back, they'd need to sail off with the Siglo Swellow as soon as they could. That meant there was a good chance this would be the last time they'd see Franz and Augusta, or at least until they got the other two ledgers to force the Company and the Empire into letting Pleo go.

If they got them successfully.

No, they couldn't start doubting themselves now. They would pull through. They had to. But just what did it make sense to ask for when the entire town was busy with these pirates?

She thought it over, when her eyes turned over to Margi, and then off to the Pokémon heading off from the square in groups.

"I… might have a few ideas, but I need to talk it over with my teammates first."

---

Author's Notes:

- Dai, andiamo! - Italian: "Come on, let's go!"
- Mira allí - Spanish: "Look (over) there"
- Kurae! (食らえ!) - Japanese: lit. "Eat (this)!" Comparable undertones when used as an interjection to "Behold!" or "Take this!" (Hepburn Romanization)
- Nameru na! (なめるな!) - Japanese: "Don't underestimate me!" (Hepburn Romanization)

 

[Ambyssin]

Mmm. So, in the end, it does look like this two-parter is going to predominantly be a big old ball of violence. I was actually enjoyed the slight change of pace with the Metal Gear Solid stealth that showed up at first. Tossing out studding items like the team was tranquing foes or dragging them into hidden nooks and crannies before whacking them unconscious. MGS probably isn't the direct inspiration — I'm not sure the game's up either of your alleys — but it gave off a lot of those vibes. At least until the other half of the team was successfully rescued. That's where things descended into the usual ball of violence.

There was a decent amount of background chaos to sell all the struggling going on. Which is nice for setting the scene and all, though as far as Team Traveler actually fighting things might have gotten a bit too jumbled. With different heroes popping up at different times to take a shot or two at Tarquin... only for things to snap over to Nida fighting Akane with one of her teammates stepping in every so often to draw some aggro. Only to snap back to Tarquin again for a bit. Then back to Akane. And since there was so much hopping around, a lot of the fight was just the play-by-play of it. Which is fine. But when you're shooting for big events like Guardia evolving, it can help to sell the moment when you actually get in that character's headspace a bit. It seems to me like there was just too much happening to make that work out here. I recall recommending trying to anchor fights around one person. This seemed like a chapter that could've benefitted from that approach, IMO. Maybe having separate scenes with one focused on Guardia's POV and her dealing mainly with Tarquin and evolving to help Elty and another for Nida and Akane. You focus on the latter first so Nida can have her big moment of being her own person and KOing Akane, then things flip over to the others struggling with Tarquin which leads to the evolution and his defeat. As things stand, it leaves me personally still feeling like Guardia's better evolution spot would've been during the dungeon fighting a couple of chapters back, because there were fewer folks involved and it felt like the prose was more in her headspace.

There's going to be more chaotic fighting in the next part, so I think it's something you should consider. Especially since I believe the next part will not be following the typical end of episode "Team Traveler pulls off a remarkable victory/escape."

I'll admit that part of me is worried that we're rushing into this since just fighting some of the pirates earlier was really hard

Oh, honey. Sweetie. You have been rushing into things for over a million words now.

we all have to take risks from time to time

I'm just imaging them playing Risk. The board game. I bet Guardia would go for Kamchatka.

just in time to see a shadow emerge from an alley further down the street and drag the Tangela from the rear of the group into the dark

STEALTH KILL.

They lifted the pirate from the ground, the Drilbur thrashing and letting out muffled cries in the crocodile's grasp before fading and going limp.

THE SHERRIFF JUST KILLED A 'MON.

"Things are going smoothly, at least,

And now they won't.

"Things won't stay this easy for long," the Sheriff said

Robbie's read the script.

Pleo, Crom, and Dimitri quickly followed suit and clambered aboard as the Hydreigon beat her wings and took off from the ground

Bruh Hydreigon's the size of an average human male and kabutops is only half a meter shorter. Ain't no way Margi's carrying all of them unless she's actual Alpha sized.

"Be sure to give that Orb a good rub,"

Pleo is pondering his orb.

"Ack! Who are-?!"

was taken up by lines of Protect barriers flickering in and out

Couldn't resist another Rebirth homage, huh?

"Captain Tarquin! Over there by the garrison's wall!"

It took an entire revolt to deal with him back on Tromba!

I mean, they're in the middle of a revolt now.

We'll pull through this by fighting together!

Big

energy

 

[Spiteful Murkrow]

@Ambyssin

Spoiler

Mmm. So, in the end, it does look like this two-parter is going to predominantly be a big old ball of violence. I was actually enjoyed the slight change of pace with the Metal Gear Solid stealth that showed up at first. Tossing out studding items like the team was tranquing foes or dragging them into hidden nooks and crannies before whacking them unconscious. MGS probably isn't the direct inspiration — I'm not sure the game's up either of your alleys — but it gave off a lot of those vibes. At least until the other half of the team was successfully rescued. That's where things descended into the usual ball of violence.

That wasn't a conscious thing that this chapter drew inspiration from, but we can see the resemblance, yeah. Definitely not anywhere near as gritty as how things would've gone down in MGS, though.

There was a decent amount of background chaos to sell all the struggling going on. Which is nice for setting the scene and all, though as far as Team Traveler actually fighting things might have gotten a bit too jumbled. With different heroes popping up at different times to take a shot or two at Tarquin… only for things to snap over to Nida fighting Akane with one of her teammates stepping in every so often to draw some aggro. Only to snap back to Tarquin again for a bit. Then back to Akane. And since there was so much hopping around, a lot of the fight was just the play-by-play of it. Which is fine. But when you're shooting for big events like Guardia evolving, it can help to sell the moment when you actually get in that character's headspace a bit. It seems to me like there was just too much happening to make that work out here. I recall recommending trying to anchor fights around one person. This seemed like a chapter that could've benefitted from that approach, IMO. Maybe having separate scenes with one focused on Guardia's POV and her dealing mainly with Tarquin and evolving to help Elty and another for Nida and Akane. You focus on the latter first so Nida can have her big moment of being her own person and KOing Akane, then things flip over to the others struggling with Tarquin which leads to the evolution and his defeat. As things stand, it leaves me personally still feeling like Guardia's better evolution spot would've been during the dungeon fighting a couple of chapters back, because there were fewer folks involved and it felt like the prose was more in her headspace.

Hrm. For this particular fight, I think that we'll have to let things stand as they are. That said, we do kinda see what you're getting at. It's unfortunately a bit too late for this chapter since it was already pretty baked by the time this feedback rolled in and we were only able to work it in to an extent, but we'll see what we can do to try and make things "jump around" a bit less in future sequences.

There's going to be more chaotic fighting in the next part, so I think it's something you should consider. Especially since I believe the next part will not be following the typical end of episode "Team Traveler pulls off a remarkable victory/escape."

You admittedly have a bit of a leg up over the average reader in knowing where things will go, but that's something that today's update will answer definitively.

Oh, honey. Sweetie. You have been rushing into things for over a million words now.

Guardia: "Look, there's a difference between one or two Pokémon and all of them, okay?"

I'm just imaging them playing Risk. The board game. I bet Guardia would go for Kamchatka.

Guardia: "Hey! I have some level of strategic thinking, you know!"

STEALTH KILL.

Ander: "Technically, it was a KO." ^^;

THE SHERRIFF JUST KILLED A 'MON.

Ander: "Uh… a very, very violent KO." .-.

Bruh Hydreigon's the size of an average human male and kabutops is only half a meter shorter. Ain't no way Margi's carrying all of them unless she's actual Alpha sized.

Ah, yeah we had the anime's depiction of Hydreigon in mind for this moment and kinda forgot about the official 'dex stats. We might go back and edit in Trizano helping to carry someone over to make Margi a bit less overburdened sometime around when this chapter hits Thousand Roads in syndication.

Pleo is pondering his orb.

Pleo: "Well, that and making sure that I can use it without affecting my friends." ^v^;

Couldn't resist another Rebirth homage, huh?

That would be news to me since I can't recall any point in Rebirth where Protect was even acknowledged as existing as a move (that and OaT is the much more thematically appropriate home for such nods). This is more the normal "Protect wall" spam that you've seen us done in the past in this story.

I mean, they're in the middle of a revolt now.

Technically, this is more of an outside intervention. The broader revolt kicked into gear not long afterwards, though.

Big

energy

I mean, this is that sort of story. :V

Alright, this one took a little longer than hoped to shove out the door since the hope was originally to get this chapter done for 2024, but we'll be finally saying farewell to Gestirn Island and as such, we wanted to make sure we got things right and this arc got the ending it deserved. Also as the end of an Episode, we will be rolling out a new set of trivia related to this arc before rolling into the next one, so keep your eyes out for that in the future.

Though that's enough preambling for now. Let's pick right up where we left off last time and get right into the heat of battle with…

 

[Virgil134]

Hess panted in and out from behind a makeshift barricade of tables and Protects as attacks flew in and out of the now-trashed tavern he and his crew were hiding in. That Lum Berry he'd eaten was still working its way through his system to cure his hangover, even if the shock of things had been helping him sober up quicker than expected.

When Dirk said that the town needed to be held down, Hess had hoped he'd at least get a quiet night to try and calm things down with his remaining crew back at the tavern they'd taken over…

BOOM!

Unfortunately, everything had fallen apart so fast: one moment, he was rubbing his eyes and coming down from the inn upstairs after hearing a loud blast from the harbor and sending a few fliers to check things out. The next thing he knew, he and the portion of his crew that were staying here were being pinned down by a bunch of Imps surrounding the building.

Hess and the nearby pirates flinched as a thrown seed suddenly exploded next to them and the tavern filled with smoke and swirling embers. The Aggron stumbled back and coughed from the haze, looking out to see the party of Pokémon in indigo scarves outside had gotten closer. A Klang among them threw a crackling beam of electricity forward, while an Annihilape right behind her stopped to bark into a glinting badge.

"We're just outside the harbor, on the western side! We've got the captain of those golden-scarved pirates pinned down right now!"

A gout of fire zipped into the tavern and struck a Hoppip, sending the pirate pitching to the ground shrieking in pain. Some of his crewmates grimaced when the guards followed up with a hail of flechette-like leaves and a pressurized jet of water. A few of their other comrades crumpled to the floor while others stopped attacking and frantically retreated behind their cover. Hess held his ground and dug in his feet, spitting up a watery orb that fanned out into a Surf at the doorway. Except, just barely after he'd kicked up the growing wave, shadows pooled at his feet and a fist-like blur shot out from it and hit him in his gut.

The Aggron bowled over and wheezed, hurriedly crawling back for cover beside Kichiro and breathing in and out as the Ledian let out a sharp buzz and sent a stream of rings sailing through the air at the door. There was a startled cry from the other end, before Kichiro gave him a worried look. The Aggron could see the Annihilape and the other Imps at the doorway now, as it dawned on him that their attackers were about to try and breach and clear the room.

"Gah! If that stupid rock of yours actually works, now would be a good time for it to pass on some of that luck it's got!" Kichiro snapped.

Hess' breaths came out ragged and tired as he clutched at his lucky charm under his scarf. Travellers above, everything had just been going wrong today, especially when Rodion wasn't among the Pokémon who came back from Starbreak Square. If he were here, he'd surely have been able to think of a way out of this mess…

He'd always worried that the Iron Fleet would fall apart without his first mate, and with the way things were going, he was starting to think that there just wasn't any chance of getting off this miserable rock.

A high-pitched tone filled the air, as a spray of bubbles suddenly swept over the tavern's entrance from the right. Pained cries rang out from past the doorway, as Hess peeked back from behind his cover and saw a few Pokémon outside were now lying limply and drenched in water on the ground. The other attackers were shakily getting up, as the Annihilape and a small handful of companions looked around in a panic.

"H-Huh?! Who's-?!"

The Annihilape was abruptly cut off by a blur of red and gray as Dirk lunged in and slashed the Annihilape across his face with a scythe-like blade of pink light. A sharp yelp followed, as the Fighting-Type slumped to the ground. A Dazzling Gleam and a few other attacks followed just afterwards and picked off most of the others, save for a solitary Victreebel who visibly froze.

The Grass-Type stammered and turned to flee as Dirk caught up. The Victreebel suddenly screamed in fright, as the Bisharp lunged ahead with his blades drawn back.

SHUNK!

Hess flinched at the sound, and when he looked back, he saw the Victreebel staggering and lurching back from the blow. The Bisharp summarily threw her aside, leaving her to hit the ground, weakly curling up with low whimpers but otherwise remaining unmoving as the front of the bar past the doorway went silent beyond the occasional weak groan.

Hess and his underlings warily got up and began to file out the tavern, where they saw fainted Pokémon strewn all about the entrance. Off by the Victreebel, Dirk got up and flicked some fluid off his blade before making his way over. To the right, the culprit of the bubbles and Dazzling Gleam became apparent as Ingela drew forward alongside some of her lackeys, her face curled up in a fierce, impatient scowl.

"Hess, get yourself together already!"

Hess shakily tried to calm his nerves as Dirk kicked the Annihilape out of his way. The felled Annihilape let out a wince-worthy groan as Hess shook his head with a startled sputter.

"Wh-What on earth is going on here?!" he demanded.

"What does it look like, Hess?" Dirk spat. "Those Marked and the guards we didn't round up made a counterattack. As you can see, things aren't exactly going well."

Hess set his teeth on edge and looked back at a number of wide-eyed underlings lingering deeper within the bar. He hesitated a moment, before shaking his head and motioning for them to follow along.

"Come on, go ahead and get back to the ships," he insisted. "It's time to go."

The golden-scarved Pokémon hurriedly ran off one after the other, a few larger ones dragging fainted teammates along with them. Hess went over to the fainted Hoppip laying on the ground a few paces over, where Kichiro was already trying to tug him up, and hurriedly helped sling the Hoppip over the Ledian's shoulder. The pair started heading off, when a sharp huff turned the Aggron's attention over to Dirk, who was lingering with Ingela at the bar's exit.

"Hrmph, I should've made one of that bird's friends walk the plank and told him the rest would follow if he didn't surrender instead of raiding that glorified Durant nest," the Bisharp growled. "That definitely would have gotten him to show his face. My whole crew would still be here, too."

"Or it would have gotten us all killed," Hess thought to himself. His mind turned back to how the young Lugia's plumes had come alight with silvery light in Tromba, and how he'd been sent pinwheeling head over heels through the air from… whatever that gust was. The Aggron fought back a shudder at the memory, and tried not to think too hard about how Lugia would react if he had to avenge his friends instead.

He shook his head and trudged along, only to hear an annoyed buzz and see Kichiro hovering behind him. The Ledian leveled a piercing glare at Dirk, his lower arms folded against each other.

"Yeah, yeah, boo hoo for you," Kichiro spat. "How are you not more worried about what's going on right now?! In case you haven't noticed, but we're never getting that bird if we get chased off this island!"

Dirk narrowed his eyes and flashed his blades. Hess hurriedly pulled Kichiro behind him, stepping in front of his second mate as the Aggron hastily waved his free claw with an audible stammer.

"H-He didn't mean that!" Hess insisted. "Everyone's just stressed at the moment and we should really get going if we don't want to get captured."

Dirk kept his glare firmly fixed on Hess as blasts and the din of battle in the distance lingered, when a sharp scoff rang out. Hess looked over at Ingela, who rolled her eyes and started to scoot off for the direction of the water, only for her to abruptly pause and shoot a wary side-eye at Dirk.

"Wait, Dirk. What was in that chest from earlier?" the Primarina asked. "The one that you said that Lugia and his friends seemed so hung up over?"

"Tch, nothing of value now," the Bisharp harrumphed, shaking his head. "I had my underlings clear it out earlier. But I assume that they're after this."

Dirk rifled through his satchel, before pulling out a weathered red tome. Hess, Kichiro, and Ingela gaped at it puzzledly, as Hess warily quirked a brow.

"A book?" Hess murmured. "What's so special about that?"

"I haven't gotten a chance to read through it properly, but it's about some sort of project the Company and the Empire worked on together before they split," the Bisharp explained.

"Fantastic," Ingela harrumphed, folding her flippers. "So why do you still have that?"

"Because Lugia and the others almost certainly want it back," Dirk insisted. "Before all of this happened, I was planning on getting them to come after it, so that way I could get the drop on them."

Dirk turned his attention to the Annihilape laying crumpled on the ground, when a brief glint caught his eyes. The Bisharp tugged at the Annihilape's scarf and noticed that there was a badge pinned to it. He looked down at it for a moment as a flash of realization came over his eyes, and his mouth settled into a knowing smirk.

"… Actually, we still can use it to lure them out."

Ingela shot back a dubious frown as Hess and Kichiro traded bewildered stares with one another, before looking back blankly at the Bisharp captain.

"Huh?" Hess asked. "But how will they know where to find it?"

Dirk all but thrust the Knights' Ledger into Hess' free claw as the Bisharp stooped and unpinned the badge. He lifted it up to his mouth and clamped down on it, his voice coming through his teeth in a low, guttural growl.

"Listen up, you little brats. I know that you and your friends are hearing this," he spat. "If you're looking for that red book you want so badly, it's aboard the Iron Fleet's Starfall Shogun right now. I'd like to see you try to get it back."

Hess and Kichiro's jaws flopped open at the Bisharp's words. Kichiro nearly dropped the Hoppip on his shoulder out of shock, while Hess' eyes briefly shrank to pins before he stomped up in spluttering protest.

"D-Dirk! That's my ship!" the Aggron complained. "Why would you draw everyone's attention to it?!"

"Because your crew's the one those brats know the best and they'll be able to identify your ships the easiest. Besides, Ingela and the Torrent Tsars will be there to help you, so you shouldn't have any trouble holding out," the Bisharp retorted, prompting Ingela to raise a brow. "When the time is right, me and the rest of the Crimson Corsairs will step in to throw these landlubbers off-balance and mop up Lugia and his friends."

"I… suppose I don't have any objections to this plan," Ingela grunted. "Just make sure you're there when we need you, Dirk."

Ingela began to head off along with the party of teal-scarved Pokémon with her, leaving Hess with Dirk as his stomach began to knot up and a sinking feeling came over it.

"B-But-!"

Hess felt something dig into his throat and looked down to see a glinting point going past the top of his scarf. He struggled to fight back a frightened squeak as Dirk glared daggers up at him, pressing the tip of his blade down under the Aggron's chin.

"Look, are you the captain of a Council Crew or not?" Dirk snarled. "If you are, then you can handle being the center of attention for a little bit!"

"Alright! Alright!"

Hess hastily jerked himself back as Kichiro looked on, before hurriedly flying off with the Hoppip still in his grasp. The Aggron hung his head and began to leave himself. There was nothing left to be said between him and Dirk, nothing good would come of it.

"Oh, and Hess? One more thing."

Hess looked back as Dirk started setting off for an intersecting alley after a group of red-scarved pirates. The Bisharp gave a hardened scowl, before turning away with a sharp huff.

"Try not to keel over while you're fighting with that bird. It'll take a bit before my crew and I can help you."

The Aggron overeagerly nodded back and hurried along, staring off at the approaching masts in the harbor as lights flew about the sky.

He subconsciously pawed at the lucky charm around his neck. It had never failed him so far, and gotten him out of some seemingly dire moments in the past.

He just knew he was going to need all the help he could get from it.

---

Guardia glanced around the corner of the shopfront alcove she'd taken cover behind as a pained yelp rang out, just in time to see a Clefairy crumple to the ground from a glinting tackle by a set of steely-looking wings. She looked over and saw Trizano hurriedly pulling back up past the surrounding rooftops. Back along the ground, her other teammates threw attacks and items of their own ahead as they pressed forward. As good a sign as any it was time to press her advantage.

She darted around the corner, pulling her club back for a heavy smash, only for a stream of scalding bubbles to suddenly hit her torso and send her tripping to the ground.

"Hah! Is that the best you hicks can do?!"

Guardia staggered onto her feet, where there was a Flaafy and a red Oricorio led by a Marked Kingler prowling towards her. The Kingler snapped his claws menacingly, and leveled the larger of the two at her with a sneering hiss.

"If you thought you were just going to walk over us, you've got another thing-!"

"Guardia!"

The Kingler looked further down the lane and froze as Pleo came charging in from the rear. Almost at once, the Water-Type's fighting spirit left him, as he flushed pale and shakily scuttled back.

"A-Aah…"

The Kingler turned and began to run when Pleo shot out a Thunderbolt that made the pirate seize up and fall with his legs sprawled out. The Flaaffy and Oricorio similarly barely had a moment to react before a Rock Slide from Dimitri overtook them. The Oricorio crashed to the ground as the Flaaffy reeled, an Ice Beam from Nida suddenly picking the pirate off from down the alley. Guardia got up onto her feet panting when Elty ran up to her and pawed at her as bluish sparks settled on her hide. A jolt of energy shot through her body as she looked down on the alleyway, seeing the Marked Kingler wide-eyed and desperately trying to scrabble back onto his feet. She narrowed her eyes, lunging ahead as she brought her club down with a sharp swing at the top of the Kingler's head.

THWACK!

The Kingler crumpled to the ground and stayed there as Guardia braced herself. She heard voices and footsteps further up of other Pokémon hurriedly fleeing, but beyond the sound of distant fighting, all that remained were the woozy groans of the pirates around them. She slumped up against a wall, as she spotted Pyry and Pekka going over for Elty, while she saw Crom and the other half of Team Traveller coming in from the other end of the alley. She felt aches wrack her body and pawed at her chest as Dimitri scanned their surroundings.

"Looks like that's the last of them," he said. "Let's heal up quickly before we make our way into the harbor."

Guardia panted at her place along the wall as Trizano came over, lowering a Leppa Berry in front of her.

"Here. You looked like you were getting worn down out there, so this ought to help."

Guardia took the berry and bit down on it, as her other teammates tended to their wounds and Nida reached for a badge on her scarf to try and communicate with their nearby allies. They'd gathered on the way over that the Pokémon that went to the harbor had been spotted early while trying to sneak up on the pirates and started things off on the back foot. While things weren't as bad as when they started out, it sounded like they needed all the help they could get.

Guardia knew that Robbie not being able to come along from being busy with helping to mop up around the garrison ultimately wasn't a bad thing: they needed to grab the Knights' Ledger from the pirates before they fled without anyone else understanding why it was important and then sail off as soon as they could. They'd still have plenty of help, since they'd talked the local leaders into sending a bunch of warriors to fight alongside them, with the recently freed crew of the Siglo Swellow joining in. Even if they'd broken up into smaller squads and fanned out, at the very least, they wouldn't be short on help making it to the Ledger if they could figure out where they could go.

The Marowak looked down at her club and gave it an uneasy bat in the air. Even if she had been managing with it so far and could feel more force behind her swings, she just couldn't land her hits as solidly as she used to as a Cubone. She doubted she'd get a chance to dig up another bone in the hinterlands on this island, so it was probably a sign to talk her teammates into stopping at one of those 'scavenger' shops later so she could get a replacement more appropriately sized for her present body.

"Veikka, can you see how things are looking out there?"

She saw Pyry pull Pekka aside before the Vibrava flitted up above the rooftops. As Pekka flew off, her attention went back towards the ground as she briefly counted up the fainted pirates in the alley, all as the sounds of other battles and blasts continued on in the distance…

Guardia quietly set her teeth on edge as it dawned on her that there was still so much for them left to do. They had to figure out which of Dirk's ships had the Knights' Ledger, and then sabotage it to keep it from getting away. On top of that, Beatrix and her crew would have to fight their way back to the Siglo Swellow and get it back out into the water. They couldn't prepare the Siglo Swellow to leave if they couldn't get to it, but that meant finding it in the harbor… assuming that it was even in any shape to sail off.

The Marowak heard movement coming from the mouth of the alley in the harbor's direction and made her way over to poke her head out. There was a slope running down to the seaside, which she saw Beatrix and Vicente hurrying along with other allies they set out with from the garrison along with skirmishes further downhill—a sign that they were keeping those pirates on the run. Up above, there were ship masts already poking up over the nearby rooftops.

They were practically on the edge of the harbor right now. Though with all those ships in the harbor, would they really be able to narrow down what ship Dirk had taken that chest to in time?

"Hey, are you all doing okay?"

Guardia looked up after hearing wingbeats descending, and saw Margi coming to a stop behind them just above the ground. Trizano went up to her and began to talk a little ways over, as Elty came up and briefly shook out his fur.

"You know, all things considered, things are going pretty smoothly," Elty said. "I would've thought we'd run into more pirates on our way over."

Guardia gave a sharp jab at Elty with her club, prompting him to whirl around as she gave an unamused scowl.

"Eltenios, don't jinx us like that," the Marowak huffed. "At this rate, we'll run into an entire colony's worth of them!"

Nida couldn't help but roll her eyes at Elty's comment herself, only to suddenly pause. Even if they'd fought their way through a decent number of pirates on the way here, they had always been in small parties they usually outnumbered, even without the help of the others they'd gone with. So far, they hadn't run into any big and dug-in ones like back at the garrison, and the harbor was right down the hill from them right now!

The Nidorina and her teammates flinched and ducked as a large group of fliers in pirate colors flew along in a wedge-shaped formation overhead. Bigger than any that they'd seen before, except, something was wrong. Beyond occasionally spitting an attack here or there below, the airborne party seemed focused on flying ahead. Straight to where all the ship masts were.

Nida grimaced. Her mind turned back to the call to pull out that they'd overheard Dirk barking out through the badge, as it occurred to her there was only one reason why pirates would prioritize moving along at all costs:

"Guys, I think we're running out of time," she said. "It looks like they're about to sail off."

A sinking sensation came over her gathered teammates as they set their teeth on edge and shot worried glances off into the distance. Crom held a blank look for a moment, before shaking his head and turning to the others uneasily.

"How are we supposed to find out what ship the Ledger's on in time?" he asked. "There must be dozens of them in the harbor right now!"

Nobody really had an answer to the Druddigon's question. Crom assumed that Dirk would've kept the Knights' Ledger to himself and put it on one of his own ships… but was that really a safe assumption? The pirates had all worked together to raid Starpeak Square, so what would've kept him from putting it on the ship of one of the other Council Crews? Or on the ship of some smaller pirate crew they'd never even heard of?

Maybe one of the other teams on the badge line would have an idea of what was going on. He reached for the badge on his scarf and squeezed it, only to be startled by a sharp voice coming through it.

"-f you're looking for that red book you want so badly, it's aboard the Iron Fleet's Starfall Shogun right now. I'd like to see you try to get it back.

Crom's eyes briefly widened as he realized the voice was Dirk's, when the sound abruptly cut out. The Druddigon shook the badge briefly, only for the bauble to remain silent beyond other startled voices coming through it, as Margi and the rest of his teammates hurried over with alarmed looks.

"Wh-What on earth just happened?!" Pleo cried. "That was Captain Dirk! Why are we hearing him through our badges?!"

"He must've gotten onto the line somehow!" another voice through the badge replied. "Don't use them for a bit, we're trying to figure out who he grabbed it from and if this line's been compromised!"

Crom hesitated and traded glances with his teammates, and noticed Elty furrowing his brow with a puzzled flick of his ears.

"… 'Starfall Shogun'? That one's certainly new, since the Iron Fleet's always just had the Mistral Marauder," Elty murmured. "Though how on earth did Hess ever let Kichiro name his ship? Since just from the name, it sounds like something Kichiro would've come up with."

Whatever the story behind that one was, it didn't help them with their current predicament. Even if they now knew what color sails they should be looking for, if Hess had an actual fleet he sailed around with now…

"Wait, but if the Iron Fleet has more than one ship at the moment, how do we know which one's the Starfall Shogun?" Crom asked.

"I don't think it'll be that hard to figure out, actually."

Trizano flew down from the rooftops and motioned for the others to follow around the corner of the alley. One by one they crept along, before coming out onto a battle-scarred street that ran down the hill, where amidst the glint of Protect arrays and attacks zipping about, they could see some of the ships in the harbor. Much to the Druddigon's surprise, there were just two ships which were flying the Iron Fleet's gold-and-silver colors. One was the same caravel that they always had, while the other, a few ships down, was a three-masted ship that was visibly bigger.

"I don't know how on earth Hess got his claws on a three-masted ship," Trizano said. "But I'd bet anything that's that 'Starfall Shogun' Dirk was talking about."

Crom stared at this 'Starfall Shogun' off in the distance and couldn't help but feel a twinge of discomfort. Like he'd seen this ship before somewhere… but where? He tried to study the ship's shape more closely, when a low grumble turned his attention to Elty as the Growlithe shook his head with a sharp frown.

"… We're not seriously just going there, are we?" he asked. "That was Captain Dirk we heard through the badge earlier. There's no way that this isn't all a giant trap of some sort with an entire crew just waiting on us to show up."

"Maybe, but nobody said we actually have to beat all of them," Nida insisted. "We just need to grab the Ledger and then get off Hess' ship. If the others knew what ship we were on, they could help bog those pirates down to keep us from getting ganged up on."

Everyone flinched as a loud blast rang out, and peered out to see smoke rising from a ship which was visibly listing along the docks. Dimitri looked out at the sea of ships and saw that here and there there, he spotted others that looked visibly damaged: ones with ruined sails and masts, ones that were partially sunk, while a couple were on fire.

Even if they weren't on as good of a footing as they'd hoped, the local defenders were still managing to do noticeable damage without reinforcements reaching them yet. Surely it wasn't a bad sign for their chances, was it?

Dimitri turned back to his teammates and shook his head back in reply.

"Actually, I think Nida's onto something," Dimitri said. "While stealth may not be an option with the amount of pirates on those ships, Dirk and the others don't know that Guardia evolved, or that everyone escaped from the garrison, for that matter. Also, while the captain might know who to look out for, would all of their underlings? It might be good enough for at least some of us to get up close without immediately being recognized."

Margi quirked a brow at the Kabutops' reply, before turning back to Nida.

"Where are you going with this?" the Hydreigon asked. "Even if they don't recognize you specifically, wouldn't they obviously be able to tell that you're not part of any of their crews?"

"Well, maybe," the Nidorina said. "But if we could trick them into thinking that we were pirates, then maybe we'd have a way to sneak aboard that ship."

Elty furrowed his brow and his mouth hung open in reply. His expression lingered briefly, and for a moment Nida could've sworn she saw a bead of sweat on the side of his head.

"Alright, now I definitely know you've lost it," Elty harrumphed. "Look, it's not like I haven't taken risks for the sake of a payday in the past, but how in the world do you expect us to pull that off?!"

A weak groan came from back in the alleyway as Team Traveller and the others turned back and saw the Flaaffy from the pirates they fought earlier weakly stirring. Nida walked over and gave a firm kick at the pirate's head, just in case the sheep was more lucid than she looked. The Electric-Type stopped stirring after that, when Nida's eyes turned to the Flaaffy's teal scarf.

A brief flash of realization crossed her mind. Hess' crew was already big enough that he surely had trouble keeping track of his own underlings at times, but what about those from other crews? If they blended a part of their team in with a bigger set of guards that walked up in someone else's colors, would anyone from the Iron Fleet really notice them right away?

Yes, stealing scarves was a bit dirty of a tactic and if he were here, Nida was sure that Kiran would never let her hear the end of it, but it wasn't as if without scarves these pirates would be in more danger than they already were in: overpowered and trapped in an enemy town.

More importantly, Dirk probably didn't know that she, Pladur, and Elty had escaped just yet, much less what Guardia looked like right now. There was a way right here where they could disguise their identities. Even if there was a risk that Elty would get recognized, if he stayed towards the back of the group, their disguises should at least last long enough to make it aboard the Starfall Shogun.

"With a lot of help, obviously," Nida said. "We'd need a couple minutes to let our allies know about our plan, get a few extra helping paws to go with us, and prepare a few items beforehand…"

Nida reached for the knot of the Flaaffy's scarf and undid it. She pulled the cloth off, before turning and holding it up in front of her teammates.

"Oh, and we'll need some new scarves, too."

---

(Continued in next post)

 

[Virgil134]

Nida ran along panting and wrinkled her nose at the teal scarf around her neck, which smelled like it hadn't been washed in a long time. She stole a glance at Crom as they ran along together with his claws tied behind his back, with Elty, Guardia, and Pladur leading Pleo along in much the same condition. Joining them was a party of five local guards led by a Hakamo-o, all donned in scarves that had been similarly pilfered from overpowered pirates.

"Remember, no names from here on out," Elty whispered.

"Ha, don't worry about it! As long as you, the Nidorina and the Fraxure stay in the back of the group, they won't recognize any of you before it's too late," the Hakamo-o insisted. "Just let me handle that pirate captain! I can punch up an Aggron with ease."

Nida sighed and gave a sidelong glance at the Hakamo-o as the Dragon-Type puffed his chest out while the other guards visibly struggled not to roll their eyes. She didn't know how much help he was going to be after everything she'd seen of him while they'd been stuck in that cell together, but he at least volunteered to come along and Robbie trusted him enough to help them, so maybe he'd actually be helpful in battle?

… Or at least the others with him might be, anyways.

The sound of shouting and fighting still lingered in the background, mostly from the other side of the harbor. It didn't sound too close, but it was still loud enough that the Nidorina was a little worried that the other defenders waiting on them wouldn't be enough for their plan to work. She knew that Trizano, Ander, and Dimitri had opted to linger with the defenders since they stood out too much, but she was starting to think she'd be more confident if they were around.

The tang of salt water hung in the air and Nida saw Pokémon running along the harbor and its water choked full of ships. She looked up and saw a golden-scarved galleon down the dock, only to hear the clatter of shifting wood ringing out ahead. She looked up and saw a Drapion in a gold-and-silver scarf turning to face her from a makeshift barricade of wood and rubble, his eyes darting over to Pleo and the others.

"Hey, wait a minute, that's-"

"That bird plus his friends that we caught," Guardia said. "Our captain said that he had to go onto your crew's main ship, so get out of the way before those Gestirners pick us off!"

The Drapion glanced over as Team Traveller blew past with their 'captives' and ran down the dock. As they passed, Guardia quietly sucked in a breath and hoped that they wouldn't examine Pleo and the others' bindings too closely—lest they see that the knots were loose enough to come apart with a stiff tug. It seemed to work, as the Drapion barked out a "time to get going" to his nearby counterparts as they hastily withdrew. A bolt of electricity zipped in and arced in midair to strike her. Guardia briefly recoiled, as she shook off the bolt and kept running down the pier, quietly grumbling to herself about how not all of the defenders seemed to have gotten the memo about holding their fire.

She felt the back of her scarf chafe against her neck as something hard in its knot brushed her scales, when she looked up and saw a Barbaracle suddenly stop and level a skeptical stare at her. She reflexively reached for the back of her scarf, only to stop herself:

No, things had been going well so far and they'd only have the element of surprise once. They just needed to hang in there a bit longer.

Thankfully, the Barbaracle carried on and passed her by, running further down the pier to hurriedly undo a set of ropes. The Starfall Shogun was just past it, with its gangplanks riddled with pirates hastily making their way up it, while others clambered up netting hung along the hull. She lowered her head and charged along with her companions, shoving past anyone in their way as cries of protest and a couple yelps followed by loud splashes rang out. At least they wouldn't have to worry about fighting those pirates until they dragged themselves back up onto dry land.

Before she knew it, they'd made it up onto the deck which was in a state of disorder with pirates darting about, while Hess was standing by the central mast and looking off inland at the rest of the harbor. She quietly nodded at Pleo before tugging him along, stepping ahead and stopping impatiently in front of the pirate captain alongside her companion.

"Oi! We caught that bird and some of his friends on top of it!" Guardia snapped. "Let's get out of here already!"

Hess turned his head to face them when his eyes abruptly shrank to pins. He recoiled, stumbling back to put a healthy distance between him and the Marowak before him.

"A-Ack! Don't surprise me like that!" the Aggron cried.

Guardia had to fight back a smirk at the Steel-Type's reaction. Such a big and strong Bossgodora reacting to her like a scared little Eneco. Why, if this was really who Dirk was trusting to ambush them over that Ledger, this was going to be an easier fight than she thought!

"Hess, grow a spine already."

Guardia and her companions froze as they turned behind them and saw Ingela clambering up from the water with a red tome in a waterproof sleeve poking out from a bag. Pirates in teal scarves began to come over from and from elsewhere on the deck to see what was going on, while some of them bowed and made way for the Primarina, as Hess seemed to visibly flinch at her presence.

Guardia saw her teammates' eyes widen, while that Jyarango from the guards went stiff as a board and almost looked like he was fighting back a scream from his throat. Guardia set her teeth on edge as it sank in that this really had been a trap waiting for them. Fortunately, beyond a brief moment where the Primarina shot a sidelong frown at the Hakamo-o, Hess and Ingela hadn't seen through their identities as 'pirates' just yet. There was a brief moment where that Ledian from Hess' crew stared at them from above, before flying down for Hess and tugging at him for attention, but Guardia turned her head as Ingela scooted towards them. The Primarina sized Pleo up, before folding her flippers with a satisfied harrumph.

"Looks like our plan to lure Lugia worked out better than expected. And here I thought that after everything we'd heard about you, you'd actually give us trouble," the Primarina said, as she turned back to Hess. "Tell your crew to cast off. We're done-"

"Wait a moment, Ingela."

Hess suddenly lumbered over and motioned for a stop, training his eyes square on Nida as a deep frown settled over his face.

"Something's wrong here," he insisted. "I don't think these 'mons are actually from your crew."

Pladur quietly tensed up as the Aggron turned his gaze over them, and other pirates who'd gathered around similarly began to size them up. Many of them were ones that the Fraxure hadn't seen before, ones that looked noticeably stronger than he'd remembered Hess' underlings being. More worrisome still were the ones whose expressions started to grow increasingly skeptical and wary as they took closer looks at them.

"Wait, the Torrent Tsars have a Fraxure on their crew?" a Haxorus asked. "I never knew that."

"Yeah," a Sealeo murmured. "And that Growlithe towards the back looks just like…"

The Sealeo trailed off as Hess turned his head to see Elty for himself. Almost immediately, a flash of recognition came over his face. The Aggron captain grit his teeth afterwards and lowered his head, pawing at the ground with a low, threatening snarl.

"You're no pirates!" the Steel-Type shouted. "You're the rest of Lugia's annoying friends!"

Hess' mood quickly spread to the ringing pirates as they began to encroach on them growling and shifted into battling stances. Guardia and her teammates braced themselves as the pirates drew in tighter and tighter on them. Instead of appearing nervous or frightened, she tightened her grip on her club, as a knowing smirk came over her face.

"Took you that long to see through things!" the Marowak said. "Here's something else you didn't see coming!"

Guardia reached behind the knot of her scarf, and in one swift motion, yanked out a swirl-patterned seed that she threw towards Hess. The nearby pirates' eyes briefly widened as the Totter Seed popped against Hess' torso. At once, the Aggron staggered back in a daze, prompting Crom to spit a Dragon Rage into the air above, before grabbing the badge pinned to his scarf.

"Everyone! Hit our position now!"

Almost as soon as the words left her mouth, a hail of attacks and thrown items sailed in from the sea as cries and the thuds of Pokémon falling to the deck rang out from all around them. There was suddenly a brief pause in the attacks—their signal to get out of the line of fire when they could, prompting Nida to grasp an orb with sparks crackling under its surface.

"Go!"

Nida dashed a Petrify Orb against the deck in a hail of sparks. A few nearby pirates were overtaken by its effects and visibly started to freeze up from petrification, which prompted Crom to lunge forward for the port side of the ship. He slipped past the reeling pirates in front of him, taking his place at the port side's railing alongside Marked and indigo-clad Pokémon who were storming aboard. He briefly caught a glimpse of Dimitri, Pyry, and Ander clambering up and hiding behind a Protect as battlecries rang out all around them. The sky above and the water below similarly teemed with defenders swooping in, while others behind them stormed their way aboard up nets and ropes that had been thrown over the side of the hull.

"Down there! Take out whatever sails you can!"

Crom looked up to see Trizano, Margi, and Pekka coming in with a group of flying Pokémon swooping down for the sails, only for others clad in pirate scarves to hurriedly zip in and cut them off. The air above quickly grew thick with skirmishes, as a few of the Pokémon in the air already spiraled out of it. Among the fliers, Kichiro ducked out of the way of a jet of water, glancing up at a Pellipper barreling towards one of the sails.

"Ack! Seriously?!"

He threw a punch wreathed with electricity back, sending the bird tumbling out of the air. He let out an annoyed hiss, before calling out to the deck below.

"All of you, hold down the fort down there!" the Ledian shouted. "We've got our hands full up here right now!"

"Music to my ears!" Elty shot back. "Everyone, like we planned!"

Right, that meant helping Pladur and Guardia get to cover and prepare for battle. Crom glanced over at an array of Protects their allies had conjured and noticed pirates running in to cut them off from it. He hurriedly threw a Power-Up Punch at a Snorunt at the head to buy Pladur and Guardia time to reach it, and just barely after they made it past the cover, the two began to whip up their fighting spirits with frenetic dances. A little ways over, Elty and Ander ran in to push the rest of the pirates away from the Protects, throwing fire and hacking slashes forward. Meanwhile, a few skirmishes away, Nida, Pleo, and Dimitri pushed ahead, darting in between ongoing battle all around them. Dimitri sent a Boldore tumbling back with a Scald, when he heard a sharp yelp and saw a flash of pink light. He turned his head and saw Ingela spitting up an Ice Beam that struck a Marked Golbat's square between her eyes, sending her plummeting into the water with a loud splash.

She was that pirate captain that had the Knights' Ledger earlier! While things had been a chaotic blur since the raid began, she was still the most likely Pokémon to have it at the moment, and thus their most natural target. The Kabutops turned to Nida and Pleo, as he raised his voice above the din to call out to them.

"Nida! Pleo! Let's go for the Primarina first!"

They didn't need to be told a second time, as one after the other, Dimitri, Nida, and Pleo tore along. The Lugia threw a Thunderbolt forward at the Primarina as they drew near, while Dimitri rushed forward with a running slash while Nida followed up with a jab from a poison-slicked paw. Ingela recoiled under the hail of attacks and tumbled against the deck, but righted herself almost as soon as she fell. She stamped her flippers down and steadied her body, before raising her head with a piercing glare.

"Annoying little pests!" the Primarina hissed. "Let's see you deal with this!"

Ingela raised her voice with an almost musical tone as water began to pool above her head, which she then flung out in a spray of large bubbles all over the deck. The bubbles swept up everyone near Ingela before they could react, striking Dimitri, Pleo and Nida and sending them pitching to the deck. Pleo tumbled and the world spun about him as shouts and cries rang out while the Sparkling Aria's bubbles kept coming, including a pained bellow from Hess. The Lugia shakily got back onto his feet when he felt his tail brush wet fur, and saw that he was passing a soaked Houndour lying groaning on the timbers as Nida stole a glance back at him.

"Yeesh, I guess that's one way to tell these pirates aren't above hitting their own underlings," Nida said.

Pleo turned his head up and saw Hess, still lurching in a daze from Guardia's Totter Seed, as a metallic glint formed along his tail. He braced himself as the Aggron lumbered over and attempted to swing his tail forward… straight at Ingela.

The Primarina noticed Hess' Iron tail too late when it smashed across her chest. She let out a sharp cry and staggered back, reeling from the blow as she fought to keep her balance. She tightened her eyes into an angry glare, before suddenly spitting a small burst of water right in Hess' face. The Aggron recoiled and brushed water off his now-dripping face, suddenly looking a lot more lucid as Ingela pointed at Pleo and the others with one of her flippers.

"Focus on hitting them, you dumb metal oaf!"

"Not if I have anything to say about it!" a cawing voice cut in.

A flash of steely gray swooped down and slashed across Hess' back. The Aggron stumbled forward and shook his head to regain his bearings, when he looked up to see Trizano circling above him. His mouth fell open, before he raised a claw and pointed up with a furious bellow.

"You!" Hess cried. "Of course you'd come to try and wreck my new ship!"

The Aggron launched a large rock towards Trizano in an attempt to smack him out of the air, prompting the Skarmory to hurriedly roll out of the way as the stony projectile sailed off into the distance. Trizano looked back down towards his teammates on the deck, and caught a glimpse of a red book in Ingela's satchel. He briefly hesitated, before raising his voice with a sharp cry.

"Everyone! Get the Ledger away from that Primarina and let's get out of here!" Trizano exclaimed. "I'll keep Hess busy!"

The Skarmory saw a few heads turn in the midst of the mass of battles around them. First came Ander as he lunged in with a slash trailing white flecks of light, then Pekka as the Vibrava lobbed a Blast Seed at Ingela before making himself scarce. The Primarina reeled and audibly seethed as a ball of pinkish light began to gather in her mouth, when Guardia's club suddenly sailed in and struck Ingela in the side of her head.

THWACK!

"Gah!"

Ingela stumbled back in pain and clutched the side of her head as her satchel slid off her shoulder. Crom watched it land on the deck, as sure enough, the Knights' Ledger flopped out. He hurriedly darted over, scooping it up as a stray Night Shade zipped past. The Druddigon turned and bolted for the port side's railing as he raised his voice over the raging battle all around them.

"I've got it!" Crom shouted. "Let's get-"

"Not so fast!"

A series of surprisingly painful swipes suddenly hit Crom from behind. He cried out and tripped as the Knights' Ledger slipped from his grasp and he hit the deck.

Crom winced and looked up to see the red tome lying just ahead of him. He quickly attempted to grab it, when an Azumarill with pink dust still trailing his paws charged in and kicked it out of the way. The Druddigon stared in surprise and tried to get back onto his feet, only for the Azumarill to spew a freezing wind at him.

Amidst the flurry of incoming Pokémon and their attacks, Elty saw Crom recoiling from the Icy Wind and tried to go and help him. He made it a few paces ahead when a bellowing roar came from just ahead. He stiffened up and glanced up, his eyes widening as he saw a Haxorus in Iron Fleet colors running at him with dragonfire built up on her tail. Elty hurriedly jumped back as the pirate's tail just missed his head, and he hastily spat back a spray of whitish embers. The Will-O-Wisp found its mark on the dragon's hide, but much to the Growlithe's horror, it barely slowed her down, as the Haxrorus swiftly followed up her blow with an uppercutting Dragon Claw.

"A-Agh!"

Elty shot up into the air before tumbling against the deck, coming to a flopping stop against its timbers. The Growlithe tried to get up, when he suddenly felt a heavy weight from above pressing him down. He looked up and let out a startled yelp, seeing the Haxorus pinning him to the deck with her foot. Dragonfire began to gather on her claws, as a malicious sneer came over her tusked face.

"Lights out, Growlithe-"

"Hey! Get your filthy claws off our friend!"

An orange seed abruptly sailed in and struck the Haxorus' face. A fiery blast followed, leaving the Haxorus to bellow in pain, cradling her face and staggering back in alarm.

"Argh! What was-?!"

A blur of blue scales shot in as Pyry spat up a Dragon Rage that knocked the Haxorus further and left her audibly wincing, with Pekka charging in just afterwards. Elty felt himself get tugged up from the back of his neck and saw that Pyry and Pekka were there looking down at him when hoarse panting reached his ears. It was the Haxorus, woozily starting to get up near the railing, which prompted Elty to cast a sidelong glance to Pyry.

"Here, make the most of things!"

Blue sparks gathered along his paws, as he hurriedly tagged and passed them along to Pyry's hide. The Gabite took off running, roaring as he bore down on the Haxorus and dragonfire gathered on both his claws. The pirate briefly snapped to attention as she tried to cut him off with a Dragon Claw, only for his strike to land deep in her gut. At once, the Haxorus seized up and she tottered on her feet, as Pyry wound up his other claw and aimed for the Haxorus' chin.

WHAP!

Her body jerked around as she lost her footing, tumbling backwards and slumping over against the railing. She laid there, offering no further resistance beyond a weak groan as the sounds of ongoing battle continued to rage behind them. Pyry and Pekka breathed in and out as Elty shook his head and screwed his muzzle into a determined smirk.

"Heh, I don't know what I'd do without you two," the Growlithe said. "Though come on, let's not leave her lying around. She didn't hit as hard as I was expecting, but Haxorus still aren't weak opponents."

The Gabite and Vibrava gave grins back, before they hoisted the Haxorus pirate onto the railing and shoved her into the water. Without wasting any time, they turned back and ran towards where they'd remembered seeing Crom, just in time to see the Azumarill from earlier crumpling up from a Poison Jab from Nida. A glance around revealed it wasn't just the Azumarill, either: their surroundings were now much more open and the deck all around them was strewn with slumped-over Pokémon, while the other pirates were increasingly fighting off towards the stern. The three hurried over to Nida and Crom as one after the other, their teammates gathered with them, prompting the Nidorina to raise her voice.

"Stay close to each other!" Nida cried. "The Azumarill just had the Ledger, so it's gotta be nearb-!"

GRAAAAAAAWR!

The ship's deck abruptly trembled and Nida and her companions barely had a chance to turn around when a hail of large rocks flew in. They swept her and her teammates up, knocking them off their feet. As they uneasily righted themselves, they looked over to see Hess nearing them flecked with fresh scrapes, stomping the deck with a fuming huff and puff.

"I've had it up to here with you little brats! If you think that after everything I've been through that I'm going to let you humiliate me on my own ship, you've got another thing coming!"

"Oh really, Bossgodora?"

Thumping noises ran against the deck, as Guardia rushed at Hess, swinging her club out wide with a sharp glare. At once, Hess' eyes shrank to pins and he stumbled away from her, as his voice came from his throat in an audible stammer.

"N-No! Stay away from me!"

The Aggron hastily flung a Surf at Guardia and forced her to dive out of the way as the wave carried on into the Pokémon around her, both ally and pirate alike. The Marowak ignored the cries in the background and hastily sprang back onto her feet, when she looked over and saw Hess turning and hurriedly retreating.

"Come over here and fight, coward!"

Guardia grit her teeth and gave chase, as Nida briefly considered joining to cover her, only to notice Dimitri already running after her. The Nidorina shook her head, before her mind turned back to the Ledger. She looked around the deck, but didn't see any sign of it. Where on earth had that Azumarril kicked it off to…?

Nida suddenly heard panicked shouts coming from her right. There, near the central mast, running for dear life, was that Hakamo-o from her group. Right behind him, Ingela was flopping after him, seemingly recovered from their earlier blows, although curiously not attacking. The reason why became apparent after a glance at the dragon's claws revealed a red tome held tightly in his grasp. Their eyes briefly met, when the Hakamo-o frantically cried out.

"N-Nidorina, I got that book you were looking for!" he exclaimed. "Just come and help get this pirate off my-!"

A Moonblast suddenly sailed in and struck the back of the Hakamo-o's head, sending him crumpling to the deck near the starboard railing. Nida tried to rush over, but was forced to duck from an errant jet of water. By the time she got back up, it was already too late. There, the Primarina captain shoved the Knights' Ledger back into her satchel with one paw, while she dragged the Hakamo-o off the deck by the knot of his scarf.

"Irritating little Imp…"

She threw the Hakamo-o aside, sending him pitching over the railing with a sharp splash. Nida started to run off for Ingela when she heard a shrill cry and hastily hopped back from an errand stone just missing her ears. Off by the starboard railing, she glimpsed Hess jumping back from a swing from Guardia's club as the Aggron bolted, knocking a few unfortunate pirates in his way overboard with a series of splashes when he saw the Primarina down the deck from him.

"I-Ingela! Help me out here and get this 'mon off my tail!"

Much to Nida's alarm, it took all of a brief moment for the pirate captains to close the gap, as Ingela chased off Guardia with a spray of water that just missed her shoulder. For a brief moment, Nida stared ahead blankly at the scene, before looking back at the rest of her teammates.

"Gah! How are we supposed to get the Ledger back when there's two of these pirate captains we need to deal with?!" the Nidorina complained. "It's already hard enough to fight one of them!"

Elty looked inside his bag for any items, but saw that beyond a Blowback Orb it was completely empty. He grimaced for a moment, only for his eyes to widen as a sudden idea came to mind. The Growlithe looked over towards Pleo, then back at Blowback Orb, before turning to the rest of his teammates.

"We just need to separate them briefly and stop from joining up with each other!" the Growlithe insisted. "Pleo, use Whirlwind to blow Hess away from Ingela! Me, Guardia, and whoever can help will handle Hess and keep him away! The rest of you go for Ingela and the Ledger"

Pleo stepped in and whipped up a whirling wind that caught up Hess and sent him tumbling along the deck with a startled bellow, a sharp yelp following after he came to a stop after striking some unfortunate soul. Without a moment to lose, the Growlithe lunged ahead along the deck, tearing for the Aggron as a sharp shout rang out from above:

"Not so fast, Elty!"

He briefly looked up and his fur stood on end from Kichiro winding up a flurry of punches, however, before the Ledian could close the distance, a black blur suddenly knocked him into the rigging. The Ledian tumbled, and hastily righted himself before falling back, revealing Margi up in the air above them, spewing dragonfire at figures passing her in the air.

"Hurry! I can't hold them off here forever!"

Elty complied as the Marked Hydreigon sent a pirate spiraling out of the sky. A little further away, Nida saw Pleo whirlwinding a pirate back into the crowd. Ander flitted up to gather Trizano, as Nida turned her attention back for Ingela. She tore ahead and ran on all fours, Pleo flinging a second Whirlwind ahead of her to clear the way. Partway over, Ingela noticed Nida from the corner of her eye and turned around just as the Nidorina lunged forward, poison slicking over her right forepaw.

"Take this!"

Nida threw her Poison Jab forward, with Ander and Trizano following up with sets of raking slashes that sent the Primarina hurriedly sliding for cover. Pleo lowered his head and attempted to gather electricity along his body, only for a brilliant pink wave-like light to suddenly overtake him.

"Argh!"

Pleo staggered and skidded back from the Dazzling Gleam, just barely keeping his footing as his breaths came in and out in ragged pants. More Pokémon were now lying splayed out on the deck, pirate and defender alike, while Ander looked similarly worn down from the attack. A sharp cry turned his attention up at the Primarina, when his heart skipped a beat:

There in her mouth, ice and frigid air gathered from a readying Ice Beam. She aimed it square at the little Lugia, when suddenly a woosh rang out along with a sharp gust of wind and a chorus of sharp cries punctuated by an Aggron's bellow.

"A-Agh!"

A blur of dark and light grays flew in as Hess abruptly sailed into Ingela from the side, knocking them both to the deck. Nida looked aside, where she saw Elty and the others coming in, stepping over the shards of a broken orb with pirates stumbling up from being blown about every which way from it in a rough circle. The Nidorina frowned, and exasperatedly threw her arms up in reply.

"Elty, whatever happened to fighting them separately?!" Nida demanded.

"We tried!" the Growlithe insisted. "Just hit those two before they get back up!"

Everyone ran in and desperately threw whatever attacks they could muster at the two pirate captains: Pleo sent a thick bolt of lightning at Ingela that made her body freeze up as Dimitri bowled Hess over with a Brick Break at his stomach. Before either could regain their balance, Nida threw in a Poison Jab at the Primarina while even Pyry and Pekka joined in from the surrounding fray with a joint Sand Tomb on the Aggron, sending the two toppling to the deck.

All of a sudden, the pair snapped to attention, and much to Team Traveller's alarm, neither Hess nor Ingela stayed down on the deck. One after the other, Team Traveller's members braced themselves as Hess woozily fought to stay on his feet amidst the grit swirling around him, and lowered his head with a frustrated snarl.

"Grr… I'm not losing to you runts again!" the Aggron bellowed. "Boneheaded monster or not!"

Hess suddenly called up a hail of rocks that tore out of the water and sailed past him. Pleo's eyes widened as he hurriedly tried to duck out of the way, only for one of the rocks to strike him in his wing. The Lugia hit the deck as he heard his teammates cry out in pain. He tried to get back up onto his feet, when he heard Ingela's voice cry out.

"Stay down, Lugia!"

Pleo raised his head and saw water gathering in the Primarina's mouth. He froze as she spewed out a large torrent, only for a yellow-and-green blur to fly in and hurriedly shove him out of the way. He squawked and rolled along the deck as the Hydro Pump grazed his shoulder. The young Lugia steadied himself with a choking cough amid the sounds of raging battle, when he looked back at the place where he was shoved from.

There, much to his horror, was Pekka, lying drenched and face-down on the deck.

"A-Aah! Pekka!"

Pleo hurriedly ran over to the Vibrava and frantically tried to tug him up to no avail. In the background, Crom shambled back onto his feet as the Druddigon glimpsed at his teammates. All of them were worn down, and if the rest of the pirates weren't busy fighting the other Pokémon who had come to help them, they'd likely have been wiped out right there. The Druddigon set his teeth on edge, as he looked at his teammates wide-eyed.

"Argh! We can't deal with the two of them like this!" Crom insisted.

Ander panted as he tried to think of an answer, when he looked back at Ingela and Hess. The Scyther noticed Ingela stumble and wince as she moved forward, and Hess himself was stopping to pant for air.

Both of them looked like they just needed a final push to be put down for the count… if they could just push through, maybe they'd still have a chance to force things into a one-on-one fight after all.

"Don't be so sure of that!" the Scyther insisted. "I'll keep Hess on his toes! Make this opening count with that Primarina!"

Ander brought his scythes together and flung a whitish shockwave forward at Hess. The Aggron noticed the blow too late, which caught him square in his stomach and left him wheezing for air. The rest of Team Traveller turned their attention to Ingela while Hess reeled, with Guardia being the first to attack as she threw her bone forward. The Bonemerang struck the Primarina's snout with an audible thwack, only for a number of pirates to notice them about to mob their captains, prompting some like a Gumshoos in a teal scarf to hurriedly rush in to intervene.

"That's enough, you little-!"

A black blur suddenly swooped down and plucked the Gumshoos from the deck, pulling him up with a startled shriek. Just as quick as it came, the figure pulled up and sent the pirate pitching through the air head over heels into the sea. A band of Marked and indigo-clad Pokémon stopped the other pirates from getting closer, before the group glimpsed up to see Margi hastily weaving out of the way of a gout of blue dragonfire.

"Go!" she shouted. "We'll try and hold off the rest!"

Team Traveller didn't waste another moment, throwing down one blow after the other: Pleo flung forward a bolt of electricity, while Dimitri joined in with a running slash which left a long cut on the Primarina's stomach. Ingela tried to gather water above her head for a Sparkling Aria, but kept getting cut off with each blow as she struggled to keep her focus. Nida got ready to join in as the watery orb grew visibly larger, poison building up on her paw, when a sharp bark reached her ears.

"Wait!"

Nida glanced to her right as Elty ran up and patted her with a paw, when a bluish aura passed onto her body. The Nidorina felt her heart quicken and a shot of energy flowing through her tired limbs, before looking back at Elty as he nosed ahead.

"Now!" the Growlithe yipped. "Hit her with everything you've got!"

Nida turned and watched as Ingela finally sang and flung her Sparkling Aria out over the battlefield, sending her teammates closer by tumbling back with sharp yelps. Nida's mind raced as her teammates struggled up, her focus turning to the Primarina She bounded forward, poison dripping from her paw, as Ingela spotted her from the corner of her eye and whirled around.

"You'll have to do better than that, Nidorina!" she snarled.

The Primarina spewed forth a giant column of water at her, as Nida hurriedly slid along the deck to let it pass overhead. The Nidorina felt the Hydro Pump brush her eartips, and when the air cleared, she sprang up and swung her paw square on the cut along Ingela's stomach. The Poison Jab landed with a wince-worthy squelching noise, making the pirate captain seize up with widened eyes.

"Nrk!"

The Primarina staggered and her body visibly locked up briefly, before it went limp. She flopped over onto her side and hit the deck with an audible thud, leaving Nida standing there, panting in disbelief.

"Hey!" Hess suddenly snapped. "Don't you forget about-!"

Margi spat up a spray of black orbs from behind, sending Hess flopping onto his belly and sliding headfirst into a small cluster of crates. He laid on the ground panting and woozily tried to get up, when a white, hard object tapped against the tip of his steely head with an audible tak. He glanced up, and saw Guardia holding her bone and glaring down at him as other Pokémon encroached on him from just out of his vision with low growls.

"I believe this is the part where you yield if you know what's good for you, Bossgodora," the Marowak harrumphed.

The Aggron flinched with a low whine, his will to fight drained. Crom quickly looked off in the background further down along the deck, where the other pirates were busy fleeing towards the stern under a hail of incoming fire.

"Guys! The Ledger!" Nida cried. "Grab it from Ingela and let's get out of here!"

Crom looked back towards the Primarina captain, where the satchel she'd been wearing was lying on the deck with its contents spilling out, and the familiar red cover of the Company's part of the Knights' Ledger among them. The Druddigon hurried over and reached out for the satchel as he neared, when a sudden, sharp pain caught him from the side.

Crom fell and tumbled onto his side with a yelp, panting as his vision ran muddy. He looked down to see a cut in his scales dribbling blood. He looked up, where there was Dirk standing up with his blades held out at the ready.

"Ack! D-Dirk?! Where did-?!"

Crom noticed a red-and-blue blur swooping down from the corner of his eye, and turned to see a Braviary in a red scarf snatching the Knights' Ledger from the deck. The Braviary flew up, coming to a perch up on one of the masts high above. Crom's eyes shrank at the sight of the bird holding the book in his grasp.

No! They'd come so far! They couldn't be undone by some pirate like this!

"A-Aah! That Braviary!"

Crom tried to spit up a Dragon Rage, only to abruptly gag after an Iron Thorn struck him in his stomach. All around, the surrounding deck and air suddenly devolved back into chaos. Crom briefly looked up and saw Margi being mobbed by red-scarved pirates, before Kichiro lobbed a Sleep Seed at her and sent her plummeting into the sea. Back on the deck, some of their allies slumped over while others hurriedly fell back for the port side's railing. The Druddigon attempted to go after them, when he noticed the ship had grown much louder with new voices, and saw a mob of red-scarved pirates swooping in from the starboard side.

Before he knew it, they'd already caught up with them and cut them off. The Druddigon felt his heart sink as he frantically looked about his surroundings, when he saw Dirk shooting an unamused frown over at Ingela's unconscious body.

"Really, Ingela?" the Bisharp scoffed. "I had expected that you at least would've lasted longer than Hess."

Dirk pulled out a Tiny Reviver Seed and thrust it into the Primarina's mouth, when everyone's eyes turned skyward at the sound of departing wingbeats. Much to their horror, the Braviary had taken flight and was starting to head off towards a red-sailed ship, the Ledger still held within his talons. Trizano let out a sharp squawk of protest, as the Skarmory beat his wings and attempted to give chase.

"Wait! Come back!"

Trizano tore after the Braviary, slamming into the Braviary's wing with a Steel Wing that left cut feathers swirling in the air. The pirate's talons slackened and dropped the Ledger while he spiraled and fell out of the sky, Trizano catching it as his foe fell into the sea with a scream.

The Skarmory pulled up just over the water and returned over the deck, when a series of rings in the air struck his head. His flight grew jerky and erratic as it was his turn to lose his grip on the red tome, with Kichiro flying by and grabbing it out from under him as it dropped.

Trizano dazedly tried to give chase when a Thunder Wave abruptly caught him from below, sending the Skarmory plummeting to the deck with a loud thud. Loud booms rang out from the direction of other ships in the harbor. Team Traveller watched as their allies' eyes visibly widened in panic and they began to retreat, all as hails of attacks and baying Pokémon in red scarves chased them off.

Pleo stared frozen with his mind running blank, when he suddenly felt the ship lurch underfoot. He snapped to attention from footsteps heading straight for him, as Dirk approached with his blades drawn with a sneering smile.

"I knew that I could count on you to come."

Pleo glanced off past the railing and saw much to his horror that the ship was turning around and moving along out for the mouth of the harbor. A wincing groan turned his attention off towards Ingela. The Primarina was clutching her head and spitting up a spent Tiny Reviver Seed onto the deck, when Pleo also noticed that Hess was finishing up a Sitrus Berry. The scene from the bow was little better, as what Pleo could see of their allies was that they were fleeing in a disorganized rout, with some jumping from the railing or getting thrown overboard by pirates.

Elty's eyes shrank to pins and his breaths came quick and shallow as everywhere he looked, more and more pirates seemed to be circling in on them, with their numbers diminishing by the second.

"C-Come on!" the Growlithe yipped. "We need to get out of here!"

Elty hastily spat up a Smokescreen out and took off running. His teammates hurriedly followed suit, as the Growlithe beelined for the bow where their allies were abandoning ship, lowering his head to try and charge ahead faster.

"Here! Take this, you traitorous mutt!"

Elty's eyes widened as he saw a Drednaw whirling around with dragonfire wreathing his tail, which caught the Growlithe in his side. There was a wince-worthy shriek and Pleo watched in horror as the Fire-Type launched into the air limply, before falling over the railing.

"E-Elty!"

He and his teammates attempted to go after the Growlithe, only for several pirates to cut them off, while others descended on them from above and behind. Pleo briefly watched as Crom collapsed against the deck from an almost gem-like ray of light, only to promptly lose sight of him as the Druddigon got mobbed, with Nida meeting much the same fate. The Lugia panickedly jumped up as much as his clipped wings would allow and threw a Whirlwind ahead to clear the way, but there were just too many of them. He stumbled back, running out of the way of a shadowy ball as he retreated towards an open-looking patch of deck.

Pleo skidded to a stop after seeing Pyry slump over with Pekka still on his shoulders, with Pladur similarly having fallen a little ways away near Crom. Ander, Guardia, and Dimitri darted up to his side and closed ranks around him. They looked about as once again, everywhere around them, there were pirates in various colors, drawing ever closer with a chorus of jeers and shouts. A few parted the way for Hess, as the Aggron made his way to the front.

"H-Hah! Know when to quit, brats!" Hess sneered, hastily composing himself. "The only way you're getting off this ship is by walking the plank!"

Pleo felt a frightened quiver run down his body and looked around. How were they supposed to get off the ship? He didn't see any way they could escape, and there was no way that they could beat all these pirates on their own! There were just too many of them and they were just too strong…

But… hadn't that also been the case on that night aboard Lyn's ship? Everything had looked hopeless there, and in spite of it, they'd dug their feet in and kept fighting on. Even when they were sure they were going to lose, his powers had come through for them then.

Then, maybe… just maybe, if they could hold out long enough, it'd come back to help them here, too. Pleo batted his wings out, and coiled his head back with a defiant squawk.

"No!" Pleo cried. "We'll never give in to a bunch of thieving bullies like you!"

Pleo noticed a few pirates had a flash of alarm come over them at his response, with some visibly backing away. Except, Dirk wasn't one of them. The Bisharp narrowed his eyes briefly, before reaching into his bag with a terse scoff in response.

"I had a feeling you wouldn't."

Dirk threw his hand forward. Pleo and his companions briefly flinched and braced themselves, when they looked up and saw that much to their alarm that there was a Slumber Orb sailing through the air.

"Ack!" Dimitri cried. "That's a-!"

It was too late. The orb dashed against the deck as cream mist swallowed them up. One by one, they slumped over and hit the deck asleep along with a few nearby pirates in golden scarves as Dirk looked down with a satisfied harrumph. The fighting in the background gradually grew quieter as the Starfall Shogun sailed further and further out from the harbor, with a much-diminished fleet around them and the sound of stragglers attempting to fight their way out of port. The crowd around Dirk thinned out as the pirates increasingly went to help the Starfall Shogun's crew defend the ship, while a few lingered to try and steal glimpses at the felled Protector.

Dirk could already tell just from a casual glance around that everyone who'd made it off of Gestirn had lost a good chunk of their crews. But that wasn't necessarily a bad thing since he no longer had to navigate such losses on his own.

For now, all that was left to step forward and claim his prize.

"And that's a wrap," the Bisharp said, before reaching for his badge. "Rian, get him aboard my ship-"

"W-Wait just a moment!"

Hess interjected and hastily darted ahead, the Aggron waving his claws as he audibly sputtered in protest.

"This is my ship and it's my mission to turn Lugia over!"

Dirk whirled around and leveled a blade square at Hess' throat, his words coming out in an irritated, metallic hiss.

"Yeah, and whose Slumber Orb put them down for the count?" the Bisharp demanded. "Yours? No? Then shut the hell up!"

Hess tried and mostly failed to suppress a squeak from his throat as Dirk pressed the blade closer to Hess' throat. Just then, a sharp buzz rang out, as Kichiro flew in with a piercing frown.

"Dirk, Lyn's specifically tasked us to bring him the bird," the Ledian said. "Do you think that as a square-neck, he's not going to take the first excuse he can to back out of our deal?"

Dirk briefly opened his mouth only to swallow his words. No, even if he didn't want Lyn to have Lugia, there was no reason why Hess or his lackeys needed to know about it. Ingela studied him from the side carefully, before shaking her head with a low sigh.

"… The Ledian's got a point, Dirk."

Dirk furrowed his brow back at the Primarina as she scooted forward. She briefly winced from the cut on her side, before folding her flippers with a serious frown.

"That Samurott's surely heard about the raid on Gestirn by now and is expecting to get his prisoner," she insisted. "If we do have to back out of our deal with him, we should do what we can to get his guard down. Wouldn't the most likely way for us to do that be to play along with whatever he's expecting from us?"

Dirk paused for a moment, before moving his blade away from Hess' throat. The Aggron pawed at, gasping for air. Dirk narrowed his eyes, before turning aside with an impatient scoff.

"… Fine, get the bird below deck before he comes to, Hess. Do whatever you want with the rest," he grunted. "But Ingela and I will stay aboard to supervise you. Our deckhands are stuck onboard here until we reach safer waters anyways. Besides, we didn't get where we were on the Council by blindly trusting bottom feeders."

Hess panted and narrowed his eyes back as a small tremor ran down his body and his face seemed to betray a pent-up frustration. He shook his head, before turning aside with a sullen grunt.

"Come on Kichiro, go and get some of our deckclaws who are still standing and tell the others to patch up whoever's left," he said. "There should be spaces for the bird's friends and the two turncoats in the brig on this ship. Push the rest overboard and let those 'mons on land fish 'em out."

The Ledian reflexively opened his mouth to protest over his name being mangled yet again, only to bite his words back. They had enough to worry about for now. He sighed and flew off, leaving Hess to go over and take Pleo into his grasp and lumber along off below deck. Dirk and Ingela watched as Kichiro returned and other Iron Fleet pirates came to seize the others from Team Traveller, along with Pyry and Pekka, and started heading off for below deck. All the while, booms and cries rang out as the escorts pushed the ship out further and further towards the open sea.

Dirk made his way off to the stern, and glanced over the railing after hearing a set of splashes over the sounds of skirmishing. He looked over and sharply frowned as he watched Hess' flunkies push groaning Marked and Imperials overboard. He'd heard that Hess was leery of getting involved in taking Pokémon for ransom from what the Aggron insisted was past experience. He'd normally have more to say about the sort of chaotic ship Hess was running, but he supposed it didn't matter right now. They had bigger concerns at the moment.

Dirk felt a prod at his shoulder and looked over, only to see Ingela staring at him with a serious frown.

"Where were you earlier?!" the Primarina hissed. "You said you'd step in to help us!"

"Which I did, when the time was right. Just as I'd told you," Dirk said. "I naturally had to change my plans when they brought a whole swarm of their friends along, but I'd expected you and your Torrent Tsars to hold out longer."

"Oh, that's rich coming from you after what happened in that Mystery Dungeon," the Water-Type spat. "And just what were you doing, exactly?"

"Doing what I could to manage our retreat, of course," he replied. "Naturally, there were bound to be some uneven outcomes when one captain has to carry the others. Word has a way of best spreading within one's own crew, after all."

The Primarina leveled an icy glare in reply. Dirk didn't say anything about how part of 'managing expectations' was making sure that it wasn't him alone who came off Gestirn with the stench of losses taken on the mission, but she didn't press the matter. She briefly glanced at the cut on her body and looked out to sea with a terse harrumph.

"Just don't give me any more unexpected surprises today. My crew and I won't be as inclined to forgive them," Ingela huffed. "Though are we still making our move on these golden-scarved incompetents out at sea? Many of the smaller crews didn't make it out of port, and none of Tarquin's ships look like they've budged from the docks."

"Of course we are," Dirk said. "Are you telling me that you really want to sit at the same table with that buffoon once we're back on Orleigh?

"And does your crew already know what to expect? Your whole crew?" Ingela insisted. "Including after taking stock of any losses that might have changed our plans?"

Dirk paused and looked out over the harbor as attacks and items continued to fly about. It was a bit hard to make things out for certain in the chaos, but just from a glance, at least a third of their ships that came for the initial storming of Starpeak Square had to have been left behind: he saw Tarquin's galleon drifting with its sails ablaze… a caravel in Hess' colors with a severed rudder teeming with Imps on the deck as Pokémon from its crew tumbled over the railing and into the water in front of his eyes… along with a ship in his colors he'd had to abandon due to a lack of 'monpower, which was listing half-sunk wedged up against a dock.

Dirk let out an agitated sigh at the sight. It would be annoying to replace, but he supposed losing one out of five ships was still better off than what the others would have to sort out. An impatient thump turned his attention back to the deck, when he saw Ingela folding her flippers. She winced and briefly eyed a long ruddy streak on her body, before turning her attention back and narrowing her eyes into a sharp scowl.

"I thought so," she scoffed. "Mine doesn't know what to expect either, and I still need to conduct a headcount to see what portion of them made it off Gestirn."

The Bisharp paused, before shaking his head with a quiet sigh.

"Fine, you've made your point. My lieutenants would need a bit more time to get the rest of my crew ready," Dirk replied. "Perhaps it's best to wait a little before making our move, anyways. It'll give us a chance to take Hess and that Samurott off the board at once."

An errant Hyper Beam suddenly sailed in and reduced a nearby set of barrels to splinters. Ingela hastily retaliated with a Hydro Pump back in its direction, which sent a flier near the shoreline falling out of the air and into the sea. The Bisharp paused briefly, before he trained a stern frown over at his Primarina counterpart.

"We'll continue this later. Just get those affairs of yours sorted as soon as you can," the Bisharp insisted. "And get that cut of yours looked at, too."

Dirk fell back and began to make his way back down to the main deck as the Starfall Shogun headed out deeper and deeper into the open water, as a small smile crept over his face.

He'd paid a high price to get this far, but in the end, he was coming out of this whole episode the best off of anyone on the Council, especially compared to Tarquin. Even if he'd now have to do without the Tyrantrum's help, his plans to deal with Hess and that Company interloper were still in a position to proceed for the ultimate prize of all:

A Protector that would answer to him.

---

The first thing Elty noticed after when he woke up was the smell of salt water and that he felt damp. Damp and miserable, with just about every part of his body he could think of aching. He tried to open his eyes, but what little he could see after trying to do so was hazy. In the background, indistinct voices swirled in the air, only for a barking call from right behind to fill his ears.

"Over there, that's another one of those pirates."

Elty tried to lift his head, when he felt breaths against his pelt and teeth nip him and lift him by the back of his neck. He blurrily saw his feet leave beach sand as water dripped off of him, before he heard approaching wingbeats right in front of him.

"Let him go. He's one of ours."

The Growlithe's eyes suddenly shot wide and he coughed up water, as he kicked and thrashed in his captor's grasp in a panic.

"Easy! Easy! You're alright right now!"

Elty suddenly realized that that was Margi's voice he was hearing and felt his captor set him back down on the sand. He wearily looked over his shoulder to see a Mabosstiff in an indigo scarf drifting off, as Margi settled down in front of him and held out an Oran Berry. The Growlithe's breaths slowed along with his racing heart as he realized that he currently wasn't in any danger.

"Are you hurt, Elty?"

Elty looked back at the Hydreigon and noticed that she looked tense and on-edge. He supposed that the fact that she wasn't already dragging him over to a Medic's Hut meant that he didn't look obviously hurt, but…

"I feel like a Snorlax just rolled over onto me, so probably."

Elty weakly took the Oran Berry and started to eat it as he looked around to try and regain his bearings. He was on a beach with curious pits in the sand pockmarking it, and Starpeak Square's timbered buildings visible at the end. The harbor was just off to the right, with smoke still curling up and its water choked with ships, some of which were sunk or listing at precarious angles.

"Du da! Los jetzt!"

He looked up and saw a group of Pokémon in pirate colors being marched off along the beach with their limbs raised up in surrender, some dripping seawater, while others were curiously coated in sand. He wasn't sure what to make of that until he saw the Mabosstiff briefly stop while passing one of the pits, before dragging up a yelping Buneary who was shoved into the marching column.

Elty blinked as the procession went past, before warily turning back to Margi.

"So… we won, then?"

Margi didn't say anything back but averted her gaze, as there seemed to be a visible look of dread on her face. A little ways off, a Heliolisk and Robbie were passing by and stopped, before the Heliolisk turned and uneasily pawed at his shoulder in reply.

"Well, we drove the pirates off," the Electric-Type said. "So in that sense we won-"

Robbie swiftly cut the Heliolisk off with a biff at his shoulder before giving a sharp glare.

"Read the room, Hans," the Krookodile harrumphed, before turning to Elty and trailing off uneasily. "I… think it's better if Margi tells you what happened. With all these remaining pirates, we've got our claws full at the moment."

The pair hurried off in the direction the pirates were being marched off to, as Elty began to look around him. He abruptly froze as a dawning realization came over him.

None of his other teammates were there with him right now.

"… Where's everyone else?" he asked.

A long silence followed, before Margi hung her heads, and answered with a low, deflated murmur.

"I'm sorry, none of them came off the ship after you did."

Elty's eyes widened and he pinned back his ears. If Margi was right, then that meant everybody else had been captured. There were a number of things that could possibly happen to them from there, but the most likely would be that the pirates would hand everyone off to Lyn.

Who would take Pleo back to Vollezee with him, to do gods-knew-what with him.

"B-Bogowie… We have to go after them!" Elty yipped. "Those are ships, they couldn't have gotten-!"

"Elty, all of that happened over two hours ago."

Elty just stared up blankly as the words kept repeating in his head. The Marked Hydreigon sucked in a breath and set her teeth on edge, before she continued on in a deflated tone.

"None of the relief forces we sent were able to get past their escorts or their cannons," Margi explained. "And they whipped up whirlpools and harsh weather to mask their retreat."

The Hydreigon fell quiet, before looking away with a low murmur.

"There weren't enough swimmers and fliers left still who were well enough to give chase and try to fight their way past all those pirates," she explained. "Sheriff Robbie, the local Duke, and the Elders are trying to see if there's anything else that can be done, but…"

She trailed off and averted her gaze as Elty grimaced and a sinking feeling of dread came over the pit of his stomach. Even unspoken, the meaning was clear: they'd lost, and Pleo was on his way to Lyn… along with everyone else.

His head drifted down towards the beach's sand, as tears began to well up in his eyes and his voice hitched.

"N-no… Dammit. D-Dammit!"

---

Author's Notes:

- Eneco (エネコ) - Japanese: "Skitty" (Official Romanization)
- Jyarango (ジャランゴ) - Japanese: "Hakamo-o" (Official Romanization)
- Du da! Los jetzt! - German: "You there! Go now!"

 

[Ambyssin]

(Disclaimer: This review was written a few hours after getting sedated for a medical procedure and trying to sleep off the sedative. As such it may be incoherent rambling.)

I'm going to spare you my thoughts on the action because it's ultimately the same as last chapters. Very chaotic and a lot of head hopping. Also it felt like, rather than overusing instances of someone having a boast cut off before taking a hit, there were a lot more instances of people getting grazed by attacks than usual. Enough to stick out.

Instead, I'll just focus on the fact that their plan did fail. It was a terrible plan and they were foolish to try and press their luck this egregiously after the last chapter. Not a complaint. It has felt like a lot of their victories to this point have owed a tremendous amount to luck. The right things happening at the right time or the right people popping up. They were long overdue to seriously have their luck catch up to them and I'm glad we finally got a significant fission mailed. If I had to criticize anything about it, it's that having their luck finally run out after a triumphant chapter with Nida and Guardia's big moments does further lessen them in my mind. The anime's had instances of triumphant evolutions still leading to defeat. And some fics do that, too. Overall not a big deal, but it does make me feel even better about thinking Guardia's evolution should've come in the mystery dungeon. :V

Also, I was wrong about this being the end of the pirates. It looks like things are going to extend into another episode. That is... where I'm ambivalent. I sincerely hope you do not dedicate an entire episode to the inevitable Pirates vs. Company conflict you're teeing up, with Team Traveler somehow managing a regroup and/or escape like what happened at the Empire's capital. My strong recommendation is you resolve that and bow the pirates out in one or two chapters. Three tops. After the Vollezee episode and with the side stuff showing more of the Company's politics and Elilan's scheming, that's what I'm interested in. I maintain my confidence that the heroes will end up on Nagrobek and that it will be either the start of or the major part of this fic's final act. And I personally believe that, right now, the overarching plot is treading water to get us to that point.

This is the fic's longest episode by chapter (and likely word) count. It also took us two years real time to get through it. That's 20% of the fic's lifetime and probably around 10-15% of its word and chapter count dedicated to this episode revolving around the third tier antagonistic faction. Now, yes, portions of that time were dedicated to the lore surrounding the Marked. But still, the math doesn't lie. This episode was... disproportionately long for something that failed to move the overarching plot needle until the very end here.

Perhaps if I was far behind and had binge read this instead, it might've been more enjoyable for me. Or if I had the same mindset as a reader that I did in 2017. But I can only offer the perspective of an older, work-fatigued, up-to-date reader. And, as is, I think I could've stomached this better if I had known the pirates as a faction were having their swan song here. But they're not. Which is why my feedback basically amounts to The Game Awards' "Please wrap it up" meme. Hess and his crew are the most interesting of the pirates, but with them stuck with all the other pirate captains this episode, there wasn't much development for them overall. Rodion got his put on a bus moment and the rest of the time Hess felt shoved to the side in favor of the other pirates. And I don't see hints that Hess is going to swap sides at this point, either. The remaining pirates also don't hold my attention like the Company Board or Nagant's crew before they got put on a bus. They all blur together in my mind.

I apologize if this isn't what you want to hear. Perhaps I gaslit myself into thinking the Vollezee episode meant this fic is closer to the end than it actually is. Maybe it truly is taking after One Piece in being gargantuan... and we're looking at another 500k+ words of updates over several years. Regardless of if that's the case, however, I feel like we're in a "too many cooks" situation and it's ironically not the protagonists causing that. So I really do want to recommend you find a more... concise means of thinning the enemy herd back down again. And perhaps streamlining the plot to compensate.

Part of it's selfishness, I suppose. For work-related reasons, if this fic is still in-progress come the end of the year, then that will be it for my chapter-by-chapter commentary. And if it's still going by July 2026, there's a chance I won't even be able to see it to completion as a reader. Namo's finishing his long-running fic this year, and this fic's been my other massive time sink over the years. So, I'd be bummed to have to abandon it in its twilight episodes because of life. But I can't force you to speed up or anything.

 

[Virgil134]

@Ambyssin

Spoiler

Instead, I'll just focus on the fact that their plan did fail. It was a terrible plan and they were foolish to try and press their luck this egregiously after the last chapter. Not a complaint.

To be fair, Team Traveller didn’t have a lot of options in this situation. Ignoring the bait and losing the Ledger wasn’t an option, while fighting head on would have had the same outcome, except they would have had to fight their way to the ship on top of that. It may be a foolish plan in a vacuum, but given their circumstances and the limited time they had, it’s the best they could do from a set of bad choices to work with.

If I had to criticize anything about it, it's that having their luck finally run out after a triumphant chapter with Nida and Guardia's big moments does further lessen them in my mind. The anime's had instances of triumphant evolutions still leading to defeat. And some fics do that, too. Overall not a big deal, but it does make me feel even better about thinking Guardia's evolution should've come in the mystery dungeon. :V

That’s fair. Even if Guardia did win the fight she evolved in, but I get what you’re saying. Obviously we still prefer this placement, but nothing wrong with having a different opinion there. The mystery dungeon would not have been a bad spot by any means.

Also, I was wrong about this being the end of the pirates. It looks like things are going to extend into another episode. That is... where I'm ambivalent. I sincerely hope you do not dedicate an entire episode to the inevitable Pirates vs. Company conflict you're teeing up, with Team Traveler somehow managing a regroup and/or escape like what happened at the Empire's capital. My strong recommendation is you resolve that and bow the pirates out in one or two chapters. Three tops. After the Vollezee episode and with the side stuff showing more of the Company's politics and Elilan's scheming, that's what I'm interested in. I maintain my confidence that the heroes will end up on Nagrobek and that it will be either the start of or the major part of this fic's final act. And I personally believe that, right now, the overarching plot is treading water to get us to that point.

I think you’ll be satisfied with how the next chapter shakes out then.

This is the fic's longest episode by chapter (and likely word) count. It also took us two years real time to get through it. That's 20% of the fic's lifetime and probably around 10-15% of its word and chapter count dedicated to this episode revolving around the third tier antagonistic faction. Now, yes, portions of that time were dedicated to the lore surrounding the Marked. But still, the math doesn't lie. This episode was... disproportionately long for something that failed to move the overarching plot needle until the very end here.

Yeah… we know. Originally this episode was meant to only have 5 chapters. Things obviously shook out very differently. But whatever. It’s over now and we’re satisfied enough with the end result.

Besides, we did learn some things that should prevent this from happening again, which has resulted in us changing some things about the upcoming episode. Given what’s about to happen, I’m glad it was Gestirn’s episode that ended up dragging on and not this upcoming episode. Based on your previous comment but also stuff you said in the past, I think you’ll end up agreeing.

Perhaps if I was far behind and had binge read this instead, it might've been more enjoyable for me. Or if I had the same mindset as a reader that I did in 2017. But I can only offer the perspective of an older, work-fatigued, up-to-date reader. And, as is, I think I could've stomached this better if I had known the pirates as a faction were having their swan song here. But they're not. Which is why my feedback basically amounts to The Game Awards' "Please wrap it up" meme. Hess and his crew are the most interesting of the pirates, but with them stuck with all the other pirate captains this episode, there wasn't much development for them overall. Rodion got his put on a bus moment and the rest of the time Hess felt shoved to the side in favor of the other pirates. And I don't see hints that Hess is going to swap sides at this point, either. The remaining pirates also don't hold my attention like the Company Board or Nagant's crew before they got put on a bus. They all blur together in my mind.

#BringBack2017Amby

But jokes aside, it’s alright to not like every single plot beat of the fic. People’s tastes have a way of evolving, and we understand if that’s what happened here. We’ll get back to stuff with the Company and Nagant soon enough.

I apologize if this isn't what you want to hear. Perhaps I gaslit myself into thinking the Vollezee episode meant this fic is closer to the end than it actually is. Maybe it truly is taking after One Piece in being gargantuan... and we're looking at another 500k+ words of updates over several years. Regardless of if that's the case, however, I feel like we're in a "too many cooks" situation and it's ironically not the protagonists causing that. So I really do want to recommend you find a more... concise means of thinning the enemy herd back down again. And perhaps streamlining the plot to compensate.

Hey, no need to apologize for having an opinion, even if it isn’t positive. I’m obviously not gonna spoil things, but all I can say is that you’re off the mark with your predictions, and that based on what you want to see happen and are recommending to us, I’m not too worried.

Part of it's selfishness, I suppose. For work-related reasons, if this fic is still in-progress come the end of the year, then that will be it for my chapter-by-chapter commentary. And if it's still going by July 2026, there's a chance I won't even be able to see it to completion as a reader. Namo's finishing his long-running fic this year, and this fic's been my other massive time sink over the years. So, I'd be bummed to have to abandon it in its twilight episodes because of life. But I can't force you to speed up or anything.

Well, let’s hope things won’t be as bad for you as you think then in 2026. We’d hate to lose you as well as a reader after so many years.

That said, me and Fobbie got lives of our own and can only work so fast as a result. We’re certainly not gonna rush the ending either, since that would be pretty anticlimactic after going at it for so long. Some things are better allowed to play out on their own timing, including readthroughs if it comes to it.

Hey everyone! It’s been a while since we’ve done one of these, but with the Gestirn arc finally being over, we got another trivia session for you all. We used to do these every time the story got 10k views here on Serebii, but as you might be able to guess from the last trivia being at 90k viewers, things have changed. From now on, we’ll be doing these every time an episode ends, so that way there’s enough content for us to talk about. But hey, to stick a little bit to tradition, you can consider this for all intents and purposes the 150k views trivia session.

If all goes well, we’ll kick off the next episode in February.

With that said, let’s get into the trivia:

 

[Virgil134]

How did you come up with Gestirn?

Spoiler: Answer

Gestirn is one of those islands that has existed for a long time in this story’s planning, going back to almost the very beginning of the story, with the working name of “Marked Island”, or simply “Marked”. The island was largely undefined for a few years beyond a working name and a meta decision that there would be a haven for Marked on it, which in spite of plans changing around considerably for this episode, was retained as a major component of the island and its identity.

Gestirn was one of those islands whose development process started with its Protector first, who we decided would be Jirachi as a deliberate ironic parallel to the comet motif that the Mark in this story has. As the premise for what Gestirn’s episode would be about evolved, we began to get a firmer idea of what we wanted the island to look like. We decided to make the island mountainous in nature due to it being an environment that hadn’t been used much in the story up to that point, and it happened to match up with series fluff about Jirachi sometimes appearing in mountains. The decision to make it the host of the tallest mountain in Anyilla and its name ‘Mount Starfall’ were developed at the same time that Casting Off was being drafted out, which was decided to make the island stand out a bit more in-setting.

As for why Gestirn wound up becoming a “German” themed island, that one is simple: it was the last main localization language that hadn’t been assigned in the story at the time and mountainous environments fit decently well thematically with German culture. It also helped zero in on a final name of “Gestirn” fairly quickly: as a word in German for a star or celestial bodies in general, which felt more than a little fitting for an island that was home to a Jirachi

How did you come up with Starpeak Square?

Spoiler: Answer

Starpeak Square’s name was settled on after Mount Starfall was named, with the decision to make its name a direct reference to the mountain being settled on not long afterwards. Since the island was decided to be a mountainous environment with a particularly tall and snow-capped mountain, we opted to play to type and model Starpeak Square after German alpine villages. As such, there is quite a bit of timbered architecture, and the local shrine is based on a style of countryside shrine common to such areas called a Bildstock.

Unlike the island, Starpeak Square, while being settled on being a “Square” fairly early on, went through a number of candidate names before it was settled on. Names that didn’t make the cut included ‘Starcave’, ‘Starspire’, and ‘Starmount’, before we ultimately settled on the final name.

How did you come up with Starbreak Square?

Spoiler: Answer

Starbreak Square existed as a concept for almost as long as Fledglings’ creation, since from the earliest drafts outlines for this story, we wanted a settlement that was entirely populated by Marked, which had the oh-so-creative working names of “Marked Town” and “Marked Haven”. This settlement was first referenced as far back as the Kenobi episode when Margi remarks about fleeing to a haven for Marked when questioned where she is bringing Daraen to.

The concept for Starbreak Square evolved along with the story as it went along. The original concept was for some sort of settlement in Mystery Dungeon, with local Marked having held onto local Jirachi egg as an effective hostage to ensure their own safety, which remained even as the episode’s premise became less Marked-centric. This was the rationale behind places like the vault and chamber with paintings, which were developed as an avenue to show off Marked mythos. How Starbreak Square was laid out was settled fairly late, with a decision being made early on in the Gestirn Episode to make the town an enclosed environment and built around caves and tunnels to differentiate it from Darkwood Square. The name, while developed late, ironically was fairly straightforward to come up with. We wanted the settlement to have some manner of “spite name” to telegraph that it didn’t get along well with the more normal settlement on Gestirn, while also alluding to the Marked’s history of slaying Legendaries, thus ‘Starbreak Square’.

How did you come up with Sheriff Robbie?

Spoiler: Answer

Sheriff Robbie is one of those characters who wound up growing a bit along with plans for the Episode, but from very early on, we wanted some manner of “rough-and-tumble” vibing Pokémon that would be outwardly intimidating to fit the role. Robbie’s as a character was developed species-first, with the decision being made to use Krookodile as a reroll of a scrapped species casting for Captain Amaro from The Deepest Wounds.

As for Robbie’s name, it was one of those elements that fell into place fairly quickly: it’s a play off of the German localization name for “Krookodile”, “Rabigator”, and pronounced very similarly.

How did you come up with Duke Franz and the rest of the supporting cast on Gestirn?

Spoiler: Answer

Franz and Augusta were characters that we developed from deciding that we wanted a pair of nobles who would get more directly involved in the plot, with Franz being the first of the two to be developed. We went with Empoleon for Franz’s role due to its more royal-esque visual motifs, with the decision to pair a Quaquaval as his spouse since another water-themed bird with ostentatious feathers seemed to complement him well for noble vibes. Franz’s name fell into place very quickly since we were looking for a very stock German name that would roll off the tongue easily. Augusta surprisingly enough gave us a bit of trouble settling on a name, with “Emma” and “Heidi” both briefly being considered as alternatives. “Augusta” ultimately wound up winning out due to its more “dignified” vibe, the fact that it’s a historical title for Empresses didn’t hurt either.

Robbie’s guards similarly wound up growing in role along with the plot, though unlike most of the other characters dealt with in this trivia, the first details settled on them were their names, which were chosen to be very “archetypical” German names as “Hans” and “Friedrich”. Heliolisk was rolled for Hans’ species since Spiteful Murkrow had his writings for Once a Thief on his mind, and felt like being cute with references. Friedrich’s casting as a Mabostiff was settled on to make use of then-new Paldean Pokémon and to act as a contrast to Robbie and Hans in terms of his bodyplan.

And rounding things out, Lutz as a comic relief character wound up growing past his original one-shot role of being an unfortunate guard that would be bullied and publicly humiliated by Dirk, with the general premise being used for initial internal development being a character that was “Alvise, but a guard”, with all the huffing and puffing and embarrassing faceplants that would entail. Lutz’s species being settled on as a Hakamo-o was decided almost immediately due to it being a Pokémon that was then-unused by the plot that Virgil happened to like, which led to his working name of ‘Hacopemo-o’. Ironically enough, Lutz is the character from this episode who went through the most considered names, with Willi, Baldwin, Wolfhart, and Ewald being the ones that survived into the final round of candidate names.

How did you come up with the Elders?

Spoiler: Answer

We spent a bit of time waffling on what exactly we wanted to do for Starbreak Square’s leadership, other than that we knew that whatever shape it took, that it’d need to be able to relay the backstory of the Marked as a faction, while not feeling too samey with the portrayed leadership of other factions from earlier on in the story. In the end, we decided to have Starbreak Square not have a singular leader to differentiate it from Darkwood Square as another village built inside a Mystery Dungeon. At the same time, we made it a point to try and avoid retreading Orleigh’s pirate council, hence the different name and different number of members that were cast for Starbreak Square’s leadership.

Nina and Roderic were the first two of Starbreak Square’s Elders that were created. Nina was developed from her species first since we wanted a stronger starter to fit a general trend of Marked Pokémon disproportionately being ones close to humans. To that end, we decided to use Typhlosion since it’d only been used as a background role beforehand. Nina’s name was one that came together fairly quickly, and it was chosen primarily because it sounded good and rolled off the tongue. It also happens to semantically mean ‘fire’ in some Quechan languages, which helped tilt us towards it. Once we said it out loud and wrote it out a few times, it stuck and the rest was history.

Roderic as a character was built first around a desired meta role, and as the town historian, he was always intended to be the main character that would communicate the Marked’s backstory to Pleo and his companions. We ultimately decided to make him a Rotom to get in some fun with manipulating ‘ancient artifacts’ via possession to help his duties. There was briefly some consideration of giving him a Rotom Phone as his device to manipulate as part of his duties as a historian, but we wound up opting for a Rotomdex instead since it was more visually distinctive. Roderick’s name happened to fall in place after searching for names by semantic meaning, with his being chosen as a Catalan variant of ‘Roderick’, with the meaning of ‘famous ruler’.

The remaining members of the Council were primarily chosen to help round out the group in terms of bodyplan and abilities, which reflects a bit in how as characters, they are not delved into as much as their peers. In all three cases, their species were settled prior to their names:

- Ernest was chosen as a reference to the Chatot from the Explorers games. His name was chosen due to its semantic meaning of "serious, earnest", which is exactly what his meta role among Starbreak Square’s elders is.
- Siana was chosen because we wanted an Eeveelution represented among the Marked Elders, who we decided would double as the primary skeptic character among the Elders. We ultimately went with Espeon since it had more of a ‘bookish’ vibe, which felt fitting as a character meant to exercise wisdom gained from years of experience. Her name is similar to Robbie’s in origin: it is a clipping of “Psiana”, the German localization name for Espeon.
- Ramon was chosen since we wanted a Gen 9 Pokémon and Spidops felt like an offbeat choice to contrast the more popular species that were rolled for the Elders. He is the only character from their ranks who had an alternate name considered for him, which was “Raymond”.

How did you come up with Guardia?

Spoiler: Answer

This is admittedly a question that we simply forgot to answer in the past since we thought we addressed Guardia’s character origins in the Cubone colony question from the 10k views trivia update. We technically did, but only briefly talked about her as she was presented in her initial debut as a feral. That said, now that Guardia having undergone a major life change, we figured it was as good a time as any to finally answer this one:

Guardia is a character that was hashed out early on in Fledglings’ initial drafts, back when we prioritized casting less commonly used Pokémon for roles in the story. This also extended towards casting less prominent starters from the PMD series, with Cubone being a one-off from the Rescue Team games. From the very beginning, Guardia was intended to be a hot-headed character that would be tasked to find out more about the world outside her colony on Kenobi and act as the team’s introduction to what recruiting a feral would be like, along as a lens through which to show off how civilization might look through the eyes of a Pokémon that grew up outside of it.

Guardia is another one of the characters that didn’t have a beta name since ‘Guardia’ was settled very early on for her. Much as Nida explained in Chapter 30, her name she gets given upon joining Team Traveller is a Spanish term for ‘guardian’. It also is a direct lift of Marowak’s beta name for the English localization, which she’s finally grown into in this episode, which helped put the name over the top back in early planning.

How did you come up with Akane?

Spoiler: Answer

Akane originated as a throwaway casting for someone to get into a hostile encounter with Scian all the way back in Chapter 27, which with Scian being a Zangoose, more or less wrote itself as a Seviper to complete the joke. We wound up reusing her for later chapters as the pirate cast of Fledglings started to fill out a bit, especially as we started sketching out the Strongjaw Gang in greater detail.

As part of building out the Strongjaw Gang for Swinging the Lamp, we decided that Tarquin would be Darzin’s former Commander on Tromba. One thing led to another, and it gave us the idea to make it so that his crew as a whole originated from former Company Pokémon that used to work on Tromba under Darzin’s rule that Bluewhorl Town’s villagers revolted against, who wound up turning to piracy after facing a loss of prestige that they blamed on Darzin’s incompetence. To that end, we quickly settled on the idea of Tarquin having had a ‘right-hand man’ figure who could act as a face for that portion of Tarquin’s crew, and once Scian was rolled again as comic relief for that Special Chapter, the idea of making Akane that figure quickly fell into place. The fact that she comes with pointy bits automatically attached to menace others didn’t hurt, either.

The angle of Akane having an axe to grind with Nida came as a result of realizing that as someone who figured particularly prominently in the revolt and was remembered for fighting Darzin, that Marley would very likely have crossed paths with Akane. By that time, Marley was established as having a former Company background, so it gave us the idea to have the two have an unresolved rivalry, which helped inspire the subplot of this episode to bounce her and Nida off each other.

As for her name, Akane’s name was finalized as part of Swinging the Lamp and based on a Japanese that semantically means ‘red’, the color of her fangs and the blade of her sword-tail. A bit on the nose, but it clicked decently well when we played around with it.

Where did the idea of turning the Argent Aviso into the "Starfall Shogun" come from?

Spoiler: Answer

It was decided fairly early on in planning out this episode that this would be the point in the story where the pirates’ Council would be the most direct threat that they’d be to the main cast in the entire story. Since Hess was going to be a part of the Council during the episode, we decided that it made sense to expand his crew a bit and help him keep up with the other crew on it… to an extent. There’s only so much Hess’ good fortune can carry him, and we still wanted to make it clear that he was very much under Lyn’s thumb, thus how he had minders assigned to him and his new ship was merely a repurposed Argent Aviso. His new crewmembers cast in this episode were also created with this dynamic in mind, and as such they were portrayed as being markedly less “comic relief” in nature and given more thuggish and mercenary vibes than the typical Iron Fleet Pokémon that had been depicted up to this point.

Naturally, Hess wouldn’t have wanted to sail around with his new-to-him ship still being called the ‘Argent Aviso’. We reasoned that whatever Hess renamed the Argent Aviso, that he’d have mountains on his mind, which gave us the idea of using a prominent mountain for the basis of the name. Originally started with mountain names from the Pokémon franchise in general similar to the origin of Mistral Marauder’s relation to Mt. Mistral, which briefly led to ‘Coronet Corsair’ being considered as an option. After growing dissatisfied with the outcome, we decided to settle specifically having the name reference a mountain that was mentioned in-setting. That further narrowed down the options to something built around ‘Diadem’ or ‘Starfall’ as the names of the Cradle’s and Anyilla’s tallest mountains respectively, as mentioned in Yesterday is Gone, with ‘Diadem Drifter’ and ‘Diadem Despot’ being considered in that round of consideration.

Our train of thought eventually took us towards ‘Starfall’ as an alternative, and while playing around with names, we decided that Kichiro should suggest part of the name during a gag. Thus entered the ‘Shogun’ part of the name, referring to a type of historical warrior in Japanese culture. The other name we had been considering, ‘Starfall Striker’ was reused as a fakeout name in the story.

Still, it’s quite a big step up for our favorite bumbling pirate… for as long as he manages to hold onto his newfound fleet, anyways.

Did any plans change as part of this episode?

Spoiler: Answer

Quite a bit, actually, which came in a few waves during the course of development. Even before we started actively publishing chapters, the biggest change of this Episode was that in its original drafts, it was much more Marked-centric. Originally, the main objective of the cast was simply to get information about Yveltal and then move on. That wound up being handled by Kline earlier on in the story, which after Lyn’s encounter with Hess and arm-twisting him into joining forces, gave us the idea of making this the Episode of the story where the Pirate Council would get their turn as the driving antagonist force of the plot, and wound up being the main note things focused on in the final product.

While working on the Vollezee episode, there was another change that we made, namely to have Guardia evolve while on Gestirn. Originally, we wanted to evolve her an episode later, but our planning for that episode was already getting kinda crowded and we figured it would stand out more in this episode.

Some bigger changes also happened in the middle of writing this Episode, which may have reflected a bit in how this episode took a while to get through. This Episode was originally intended to only be five chapters similar in size to Haipheh’s episode, only for us to quickly realize that there was too much going on to fit an episode of that size. The entire hostage gambit subplot was also not in original planning and was introduced about 3 months after the episode started after realizing that Team Traveller would’ve attracted notoriety from their exploits and that the pirates would’ve quickly gathered Nida, Pladur, and Elty’s significance among the prisoners stuck in the local garrison and attempt to use them as a means to capture Pleo. Last 4 chapters in particular underwent heavy retooling as a result of the hostage gambit subplot, which contributed to them taking longer than normal to get out of the door.

Though hey, better late than never. Even if it wound up taking a bit longer than planned and taught us a thing or two about practical limits of plot structure, we’re still happy with how this Episode turned out.

 

[Spiteful Murkrow]

When Pleo woke up, the first thing he felt was something cold clamping his wings in place along with a musky smell in the air. The Lugia tried to get up, only to hear a rattling noise whenever he tried to shift his wings.

"H-Huh?!"

Pleo looked around amid dim blue laternlight and saw that his wings and feet were chained down. He was in some sort of wooden chamber without any obvious features beyond a sturdy-looking door.

"Are you alright, Pleo?"

Pleo turned his head and saw Nida along with Guardia beside him. Dimitri was a little ways over and seated upright at attention while Crom was still slumped over from the battle they'd lost. Nida fell quiet a moment, before turning her head away with a low murmur.

"It sure feels like we've been seeing the inside of cells like these a lot lately."

Pleo looked down at the chains on his body and saw they were linked to hoops on the floor. This place felt… familiar. Uncomfortably so. But why?

His eyes drifted down to the floor when between the planks' layout and the shape of the door, his eyes suddenly widened in realization. Aside from the glowmoss lantern hanging from a hook on the doorpost, he really did remember being in a place just like this—down to the very timbers:

"Ack! Wait a minute!" Pleo cried. "This cell looks just like the one on Lyn's-!"

Pleo jolted upright at a rattling sound coming from the door. There was a quiet, but noticeable click before it opened and a towering, horned silhouette blocked the way. Heavy footfalls against the wood rang out as it quickly became apparent that the figure was an Aggron in a gold-and-silver scarf. Hess entered a few paces and looked down, as his eyes narrowed into a firm scowl.

"Oh, you're finally up."

Everyone's attention went to Hess as Crom stirred and cracked his eyes open, before freezing at the sight of the chamber and the Aggron at the doorway. A sneer crept up over the pirate captain's steely maw, except something felt off about it to Nida, even if she couldn't quite place it.

"I warned you last time," Hess growled. "Nobody makes the Iron Fleet look like a fool and gets away with it!"

There was a moment's hesitation after the Aggron's gloating. Something about his voice sounded flat and tired, and his eyes felt like they were visibly missing that determined spark he'd had in past run-ins. Almost as if Hess were trying to convince himself that he ought to be happy right now.

"You… literally never said that to us," Nida huffed. "So I'm not sure what you're going on about."

"Yeah, and your attempts to gloat aren't impressing anyone right now," Guardia scoffed. "What's the matter? Is that Floazel that I beat up on your mi—?"

Hess swung his tail around and caught Guardia in her stomach, launching her into the back wall of the cell. She crumpled to the ground wheezing for air as Dimitri rushed over and braced himself over her body, expecting Hess to storm over with another blow. Except beyond a brief glare, the Aggron didn't do anything aside from glumly looking aside, as if he'd suddenly lost his will to fight.

… Maybe he really was more shaken up by losing that Floatzel partner of his than he let on.

"Tch, well aren't you all a sorry sight right now."

More creaks against the wood came from past the doorway. Just past Hess, Dirk and Ingela entered the cell and took their places at the Aggron captain's side—the Primarina of the pair arriving a little more slowly with a large bandage over her stomach. The Bisharp and the Primarina's gaze fell over Pleo and his other companions in the room, as the Lugia squirmed and set his beak on edge.

"Why are you doing this?" Pleo asked. "I'm not just going to do whatever you want just because you kidnapped me! You can't make me!"

"Oh, I'm sure we could, but you're not going to be our problem for long," Ingela said. "Your Aggron friend here blundered into an arrangement with the Company to turn you over. The rest of us simply joined in because it was advantageous for us."

Guardia turned her gaze up at Hess and narrowed her eyes into a piercing glare.

"So all of this… All those Pokémon you hurt and stole from…" she growled. "It was all so that way you could be a lackey for Lyn?"

Hess grit his teeth, before turning his gaze away. He folded his arms, as his voice came out in a low, sullen rumble.

"Shut your mouth, Marowak," he harrumphed. "Like you'd know anything about having to get by as a pirate."

Dirk and Ingela both shot sideways glances at Hess, before the Bisharp of the pair turned to him and motioned off at Pleo's place in the cell.

"Hess, take the bird and get up there," Dirk ordered. "It's almost time for our rendezvous."

Hess hesitated before making his way over to Pleo as the Lugia frantically tried to get away, only to be held in place by his bindings. The Aggron stooped down and undid the chains holding him against the floor, before dragging the young Protector along by the ones remaining on his body.

"No! Let me go! Let me go!"

Pleo flailed and squawked in protest as the Aggron carried off down the brig's hallway. Dirk and Ingela followed suit, leaving Team Traveller to stare after them stunned and raise scattered cries of protest. The two lingered in the cell's doorway for a moment, before turning and looking down at their gathered captives.

"Simmer down and make yourself at home," Dirk sneered. "Until your buddies back on your island pay up to ransom you, you're probably going to be seeing quite a bit of the Iron Fleet."

There was a moment of grimacing silence, before Dirk slammed the cell door shut behind them and carried down the brig's hallway. He lingered there a moment, waiting for Pleo's cries to fade off into the distance as Hess slipped out of earshot, when he felt a prod at his shoulder and looked back to see Ingela giving a serious frown at him.

"Well? What's the decision, Dirk?"

"Nothing's changed," the Bisharp answered. "Between our remaining deckhands and those other crews who made it out of port with us, we should have enough strength to pick off Hess and that Commissioner and sail off with Lugia."

Dirk paused, folding his arms with a skeptical frown.

"And what about you? Will you be able to keep up despite that stomach wound?"

"I'll be fine. All I still need to do is pass things along to those smaller crews and make sure they all know what's going on," the Primarina replied. "I already told my lieutenants to get ready to put Hess and that Samurott in their places. Me and the rest of the Torrent Tsars are ready for this if you are, Dirk."

The Bisharp looked down at his arm and let its blade slip in and out of its natural sheath. All the while, the corner of his mouth curled up in a dangerous smile.

"I was ready the moment we cast off from Orleigh," he replied. "The rest of my crew should be as well now, so let's do this."

Dirk and Ingela made their way down the hall of the brig, while back inside her cell, Guardia was pressed up against the wall trying to listen in, only to hear nothing but muddled words and departing footsteps. The Marowak pulled her head back in disappointment and turned to her teammates, where Nida was worriedly pinning her ears back.

"… What on earth were they talking about?" Nida asked.

"I don't know. I couldn't hear what they were saying," Guardia sighed.

The Marowak listlessly turned her gaze up towards the ceiling. How were they supposed to get Pleo back? And how on earth were they supposed to escape this time?

---

About fifteen minutes later, Pleo stood on the deck of the Starfall Shogun with his wings and beak still bound and pirates all around him, including quite a few who weren't wearing gold-and-silver like he was expecting. The strangers aboard the Iron Fleet's ship were mostly gathered with Dirk and Ingela, who hung towards the back with them. The entire time, Hess had kept a claw firmly clamped onto his chains as Kichiro watched him from behind. With his free claw, Hess held his spyglass and lowered it, as the shapes the Aggron had been watching had come close enough to be visible with their naked eyes. Pleo caught his breath and quietly chewed the inside of his cheek at the sight: four ships in Company Lavenders, arrayed around one in the center with metal cladding all along its hull.

Pleo felt Hess freeze up as the Aggron visibly grimaced. The pirate captain's grip loosened a bit, and at once Pleo tried to break free. He was barely able to get a pace away, when Hess quickly tightened his grip about his chains and scowled down at the bound Lugia beside him.

"Hey, stop fidgeting like that!"

There was a brief silence as the pair stared each other down, but in spite of his huffing and puffing and attempts to be mean and scary, something about Hess' mood didn't seem like he had his heart in things. Was this all because of how he had to leave his first mate behind on Gestirn? Or was there something else going on? Since from the antsy twitch of Kichiro's antennae, it wasn't just Hess who was on-edge at the moment…

"… That's more ships than I was expecting Lyn to show up with," the Ledian murmured. "Are we sure this is a good idea, Hess?"

The Aggron studied the ships and visibly hesitated, before looking back towards Dirk and Ingela waiting further back towards the stern. Even if it weren't for the five ships, he doubted that he could back out now with those two and all those underlings they'd brought along already gathered for the handover. Just another miserable feeling to pile onto that sinking sensation in his stomach since he'd found out that Rodion didn't make it out of Starbreak Square…

The Aggron thought back to his first mate. He'd already gotten Rodion back after being captured once in the past couple weeks, and once Lyn got this Protector he wanted so badly, the Iron Fleet would be a proper fleet, as well as a Council Crew. Why, if he could just spin things the right way, he could take the ships back to Gestirn to try and bust Rodion out before it was too late!

… Assuming that Lyn made good on his deal, anyways.

The ships were closing in now, and close enough that the shapes moving about on their decks could now be discerned as specific Pokémon.

Hess shook his head and tried to force a determined scowl over his face. Even if these square-necks had an ironclad with them, it was just five ships… few enough that even he and the diminished fleet pirate fleet around them ought to be able to fight them off, or at least for long enough to slip away.

"Let that sea rat try anything if he dares," he said. "Sure his ships are better-armed, but there's only so much he can do with five ships. We've got numbers on our side!"

The Aggron motioned off to Dirk and Ingela to come over. All the while, Pleo's breaths started to quicken as he looked out at the approaching ships. There wasn't anything he could do to fight out of his situation with his wings stuck like this, and no matter how he concentrated or tried to will them into being, his powers just weren't coming to him. He turned his eyes up, and fought against the bindings over his beak to raise his voice with a hitching whine.

"Please, don't do this! You're making a mistake!"

There was a fleeting moment when Pleo and Hess' eyes met. This time, Hess seemed to have a twinge of visible discomfort come over his face. For a second, the young Lugia thought that he might have gotten through to Hess, when the Aggron turned his head and averted his gaze.

"That's where you're wrong, kid," the Steel-Type grunted. "I'm fixing a mistake. And the sooner it's taken care of by you getting out of my scales, the better."

Pleo's mind went blank, as his heart began to pound in his chest and he struggled against Hess' grip.

"No, you don't understand! Lyn wants to use me as a weapon!"

Hess hesitated and glanced at the Lugia, before turning away and setting his teeth on edge. He shook his head, turned his attention to the gold-and-silver scarved Pokémon about him with a stomp against the deck.

"Look alive and get ready for that Samurott to come aboard!"

The deck at once hummed to life as the escorts in the air and water began to shunt the ship around. Dirk and Ingela's ships crept ahead to flank the Starfall Shogun, with one of Ingela's pulling up along the port side. Up ahead, the lavender-sailed ships in the Company flotilla slowed down and let the ironclad in their midst sail ahead of them. It drifted forward, pulling up to the starboard side of Hess' ship.

There was a brief moment of slack-jawed awe among everyone present as the ironclad came to a stop beside them. Four masts, metal plates all along the hull, and cannons trained from the decks and two rows of gunports beneath…

Though 'Wyrmwind'? Hess had heard that some captains considered it bad luck to change the name of a ship, but that name definitely didn't fit a Samurott at all.

Then again, with all its sails and the cannons already drawn on deck and at its gunports, perhaps 'Wyrmwind' wasn't that unfitting by whoever named this thing. With its sheer might and destructive potential, it was a veritable Salamence of ships. He couldn't believe that he was now thankful that Lyn had roped in the rest of the Council. If it'd been just him and the crew of the Starfall Shogun facing Lyn down, the Samurott would've been more than capable of just sinking them on the spot and taking Pleo for himself.

"Hess."

Kichiro pointed ahead as he and Hess watched lavender-scarved Pokémon along the Wyrmwind move a plank into place along the railing. They left it standing upright for a moment, before letting it fall and bridge the gap to the Starfall Shogun with a loud clatter that made both Hess and Pleo flinch.

By the time their eyes opened, Lyn was already at the other end of the gangplank and making his way over with an entourage of underlings. Hess braced himself and tightened his grip on Pleo as the other pirates backed away and Dirk and Ingela took their places by him, if still hanging back at a curious distance.

Kichiro briefly glimpsed back at the two, only to stop as Lyn and his party neared. The Samurott's piercing red eyes looked over the gathered pirates briefly, before turning to Pleo and settling on him.

They lingered on the young Protector for a moment, before Lyn turned his attention up to Hess and shook his whiskers with a growling harrumph.

"So we meet again, Hess," he said. "I see that you've managed to keep your end of the bargain. Somehow."

Hess stiffened up and hurriedly attempted to put on a brave face. With how the Samurott had so easily twisted his paw originally, it was probably for the best to try and make him think that the encounter had been a lucky fluke and that the Commissioner had just gotten the drop on him.

"I-I mean, of course I did! I'm the captain of the Iron Fleet!" the Steel-Type insisted. "Protector or not, I can handle a little kid! I even caught his buddies to boot!"

The Aggron puffed his chest out and tried to strike a determined pose as he tugged Pleo ahead, except the whole time, Lyn's expression didn't budge. From the rear, Dirk briefly frowned, before making his way forward with a shake of his head.

"Hrmph, your lackey having help certainly didn't hurt matters," the Bisharp said. "Though really, even a snivelling weakling could've managed to catch the bird with us doing most of the work."

From Hess' side, Pleo briefly noticed a brief flash of frustration come over Hess' face, which the Aggron quickly fought back. Whether it was because Hess was afraid of Dirk or Lyn, he couldn't tell. Maybe it was both. All the while, Ingela quietly made her way forward and joined Hess from his opposite flank. Like Dirk, the Primarina's face was locked with a serious expression, when she briefly stole a glance back at Dirk that prompted the Bisharp to narrow his eyes.

"Naturally, we'll be demanding our share of compensation before turning the bird over."

Dirk held an arm out towards Lyn, but Pleo couldn't help but feel that something was amiss. He understood why Hess wouldn't be in a good mood, but from what he saw of Dirk since being dragged along from the brig, the Bisharp had seemed strangely tense and guarded the entire time. So did Ingela, for that matter.

It was that same sort of tension that Pokémon would have right before a fight, and after looking back at Lyn, Pleo couldn't help but get a similar feeling from the Samurott. Same for his lavender-scarved underlings as their paws and feet seemed to all but dig into the deck's timbers.

"Hrmph, I'm not parting with so much as a Thaler before I see the results of your work," the Company Commissioner scoffed. "Bring Lugia closer to me."

Pleo briefly set his beak on edge and expected to be tugged forward, except Hess remained firmly planted in place. Kichiro was giving a puzzled tilt of his head at the Aggron, while the pirate captain was visibly taken aback and blinking uneasily.

"Huh? But he's obviously here and fine," Hess said. "I mean, I'm not going to untie his wings to let him beat those around, but-"

"I said, bring him closer," Lyn growled.

Hess briefly stiffened up as the Samurott glared daggers at him, with the otter's paw moving towards the hilt of one of his seamitars. The Aggron gulped, before he reluctantly approached as Pleo struggled against his grasp.

"No! Stop! Let me go! Let me-!"

There was a rattle as Lyn pulled out his seamitar, making Pleo's eyes widen when Lyn stared him down with a scrutinizing gaze. The Lugia's breath suddenly tightened as Lyn brought the tip down at his breast and hesitated. The Samurott's face betrayed a brief moment of unease, when suddenly, Pleo felt a sharp prick under his feathers. He yelped and stumbled back, as Hess tightened his grip on him, his own eyes widened in confusion as the other pirates seemed to be on edge.

The Samurott pulled his blade back, where there at the very tip of it, was a small splotch of red. Lyn eyed it briefly, before sheathing his blade and training his attention back over at Hess.

"It looks like our business together is done," he grunted. "We'll take things over from here."

A flash of surprise came over the pirates, with even Dirk and Ingela seeming visibly caught off-guard. A sharp buzz filled the air, as Kichiro flew up in front of Lyn and waved for a stop.

"Hey, not so fast! You're supposed to pay us here," the Ledian snapped. "And shouldn't you want our help bringing the bird over? If his powers came to him right now, just how well do you think things would turn out with his wings free to blow things around?"

The Samurott shoved the Bug-Type aside, forcing him to fight to keep his body airborne. Pleo's breath tightened in his throat as Lyn suddenly snatched his chains and pulled them from Hess' grasp.

"I'll take my chances," the Commissioner scoffed. "You delivered your end of the bargain, so all that's left is to be rid of-"

A metallic glint followed by a dark contrail zipped in, as a sudden slash sent Lyn staggering back with a sharp cry. For a fleeting second, Pleo saw Dirk ahead of him with shadowy flecks dissipating off his right arm's blade's while Hess' mouth hung open in shock.

"Dirk?! What are you-?!"

Ingela abruptly cut Hess off with a large torrent of water that struck the Aggron in his chest, sending him tumbling to the deck. Pleo tried to back away, when he suddenly felt someone latch onto his chains and saw Dirk grabbing onto him and looking back towards the port side of the deck.

"Everyone! Open fire on those square-necks and their lapdogs!" he barked. "Cover me and Ingela until we make it back to our ships!"

Deafening blasts and cries rang out as Dirk yanked Pleo along. The little Protector briefly saw attacks and even sprays of Apricorn shot from cannons flying out from the various pirate ships around them. Lyn's eyes widened as a Sludge Wave barreled in, knocking him and his underlings down. Back towards the stern, things were in a similar state of confusion as red and teal-scarved pirates brawled with pirates from the Iron Fleet. Others attempted to make their way for the gangplank to the Wyrmwind as it'd grown fiercely contested between Company Pokémon and pirates.

Amidst the chaos, Lyn staggered up, throwing sludge off his hide, when he saw a Mawile charging at him. The Samurott deflected the Mawile's jaws with one of his seamitars and sidestepped him. In a swift motion, Lyn threw his other paw forward, grabbed the pirate by the base of his jaws and flung him from the deck.

"Aaaaaaah!"

Lyn briefly looked on as the Mawile flailed helplessly and sailed over the railing. He turned his attention ahead and spat an orb of water down onto the deck that fanned out into a wave and cleared the space in front of him. He growled and set his teeth on edge as his underlings behind him hurried back to try and dig in at the gangplank, leaving him to hold the space ahead. His Surf had barely bought a moment's quiet: the red and teal-scarved pirates were falling back to regroup, while reinforcements surged forward to come and take their place.

"Hey, you overgrown sea rat!"

Lyn looked up, just in time to see a trio consisting of a Banette, a Flareon, and a Zangoose. The Normal-Type of the three was at the head, sauntering forward with his claws extended with a strangely determined air about him.

"Remember me from that battle outside the Dead Zone?!"

The Samurott frowned, narrowing his eyes back in reply.

"No."

Lyn swung his seamitar forward with an uppercutting slash across the Zangoose's body, leaving him yowling and reflexively fighting to stay on his feet. The pirate hurriedly steadied himself, before retaliating with a Slash. His claws raked Lyn's shoulder, only for the Samurott to bring down the hilt of his other blade, catching the top of the Zangoose's skull and smashing him into the deck.

Upon seeing their teammate taken out so quickly, the Flareon and Banette hastily turned to flee. Lyn stepped over the prone Zangoose and spat up a ball of water, sending a second Surf crashing forward into the two pirates. He hurriedly dove behind the forward mast and grit his teeth as he fought to avoid the stray fire slipping past his cover, before raising his badge to his mouth.

"Everyone, like we drilled!" Lyn barked. "Blow them out of the water!"

Another series of loud blasts rang out followed by a hail of elemental beams and rays split the air, this time coming from the direction of the Company ships. The ongoing chaos on the deck between bands of pirates and Company sailors were much the same in the air above and the water below: groups of fliers pursuing and strafing each other as errant attacks tore larger and larger holes into Hess' sails, while the water frothed with swimmers trading blows with one another.

It was difficult for Lyn to make heads or tails of the bedlam as he hacked and slashed his way forward in search of Pleo. In between the battlecries, shouts, and screams, he could hear his underlings clambering across the gangplank along the Starfall Shogun's starboard, and the tak of another gangplank being lowered. Ahead of him, the different pirate factions and Company sailors had already thrown up their Protects and dug in. He briefly saw the telltale lights of Pokémon being sucked into Apricorns from the deck of the ship next to them, with other Pokémon falling to the deck, and others over the railings. A piercing pain from behind made him look over his shoulder, where he saw a red-scarved Dudunsparce pulling a still-spinning tail-tip back, before coiling and thrusting it at him for a second blow.

The Samurott's retaliation was fierce, as he parried the Dundunsparce's tail-tip with a blade, and brought the hilt of the other down between the pirate's eyes. A sickening crack followed, as the serpent slumped to the deck before him and remained motionless. Lyn stepped forward onto the Dudunsparce's back, but the Dudunsparce offered no resistance aside from some feeble breathing.

"A-Aah! Get off of me!"

Lyn turned his head up at the sound of Pleo's squawks of protest, and saw him flailing and struggling as Dirk tried to hold him in place just in front of the port side's railing. The Bisharp was briefly interrupted by a golden-scarved Miltank trying to intervene, who was promptly thrown aside to the deck by a Brick Break for her trouble. A Venomoth wearing Dirk's colors suddenly broke from the defensive line just afterwards, as Dirk reached out and grasped the Poison-type, who closed his eyes in focus.

Lyn instantly recognized what the bug was trying to do. He grit his teeth and quickly threw a paw out, grabbing the Dudunsparce pirate by his tail before flinging him at the pair to interrupt the Teleport. He briefly saw the Dudunsparce strike the Venomoth as they both fell over the railing, while Dirk briefly jerked back with Pleo still in his grasp. The Samurott broke out into a run, shoving aside a teal-scarved pirate that came up to try and stop him as he neared the Bisharp and pulled his blades back for a swing.

"You!"

"Not so fast, square-neck!"

The Samurott barely had time to turn around, as a pink ball of light suddenly smashed into the side of his head. The Samurott tumbled and skidded back along the deck and dug his nails into the wood for traction. As he came to a stop, he shook his head and saw Ingela staring him down. In spite of the prominent bandage over her stomach, she seemed barely fazed, giving an idle bat of her tail against the deck as a sneering smile came over her muzzle.

"Let's see if you're less predictable than your underlings," the Primarina spat.

Ingela readied a second Moonblast as Lyn snarled back and sprang forward, blades drawn. He threw a seamitar forward as he and Ingela attempted to strafe each other with parting blows amid the ongoing melee. Their attacks blurred together with those being traded between opposing groups of pirates and Company sailors in scattered battles that ran all along the length of the ship.

"Eyaaaaah!"

Which included Hess behind a pile of upended crates at the front mast, as he Iron Tailed a red-scarved Arbok and flung the snake aside into a limp heap. From his side, Kichiro hurriedly threw a Thunder Punch that sent a Noctowl slumping to the deck as the pair hurriedly took cover behind the crates.

Hess panted and hung his head, clinging to the lucky charm hidden under his scarf for dear life.

He was such an idiot, he knew that that Samurott couldn't be trusted, but he didn't think that Dirk and the rest of the Council would also try and betray him on top of it all!

… Maybe he should've just taken his chances trying to sail someplace far away and hoped that Samurott wouldn't have been able to hunt him down. It didn't help that he didn't know what to do right now, either. If Rodion were here, maybe they'd be able to clear the deck together with a combined Surf, or maybe he'd work up the crew to rouse their spirits and keep a united front, or-

"Hess! Over there!"

Kichiro raised a fist and pointed off, prompting Hess to turn his head and see Pleo stumbling along from a quieter patch of railing by a line of Protects held up by mainly teal and red-scarved pirates. Just then, a flash of red and glinting gray swooped in, pinning Pleo to the deck as he thrashed and squawked in protest. At once, Hess got up and grinded his teeth together, only to freeze after he realized just who it was that was stealing Lugia out from under him:

It was Dirk, who aside from a few scuffs, looked hardly any worse for wear from the ongoing battle.

Hess stared on blankly for a moment, when a sharp pain shot through his shoulder. He looked over and saw Kichiro pulling a fist back from a punch and staring at him exasperatedly.

"Don't just stand there!" the Ledian snapped. "That's our Protector we worked so hard to catch!"

"B-But that's Dirk the-!"

"Who cares?!" Kichiro hissed. "Are we seriously just going to roll over for that metal kusotare?! Or are we going to stand and fight?!"

Hess fumbled for words, only for a blue light to cut him off, as he looked down and saw the sheen of a Reflect settle all along his hide before disappearing. He turned back to Kichiro, who tightened his eyes into an impatient scowl.

"We'll take on Dirk together and throw him overboard. After that, we grab Lugia, take back control of the stern, and turn the ship around to get out of here," Kichiro insisted. The Ledian faltered a moment, but quickly shook his head. "It'll probably fail, but if we're going down, I say we go down swinging."

Hess looked off at the Bisharp as he gave a sharp jab at Pleo that drew a loud, pained cry. His mind turned back to the way Dirk threatened and humiliated him repeatedly in the Council chambers. Or when the Bisharp kept bullying and belittling him in front of his own crew. Or the way he refused to wait on Rodion before entering Starbreak Square and gotten him captured because of it.

With every thought, his blood ran hotter and hotter and his vision ran red. A part of him hadn't felt good about handing that bird over from the start, but now he wasn't even getting a chance to decide for himself!

No. No longer. He didn't know if he and Kichiro could really win this fight, but it'd be a snowy day on Sormus before he would sit back and let Dirk steal Lugia out from his claws.

Everything seemed to come naturally afterwards. He lowered his head and planted his feet, before starting to run ahead faster and faster as a bellowing cry filled his throat.

"Dirk, you backstabbing bilge rat!"

Hess trampled over a Company sailor in his way as heat built up along his fist. He pulled it back as he bore down on Dirk and Pleo, briefly seeing the Bisharp's eyes widen as he barreled at him, his fist now wholly wreathed in flames

"That's my Protector I worked to capture!" the Aggron shouted.

Hess threw his fist forward, his Fire Punch clocking the Bisharp square in his face and launching him into the ship's railing. A frightened squawk turned his attention down to the deck, where Pleo had rolled out of the way and was looking up at him wide-eyed, before stumbling to his feet and turning to flee. Hess hurriedly stomped on a loose end of Pleo's chains, sending him pitching forward with a squawk. The Aggron turned back for Dirk, only for a sharp blow to suddenly catch him in his stomach.

"Gah!"

Hess flopped back, landing on his back with a heavy thud. He uneasily righted himself, and saw Dirk steadying himself and flashing his blades with a low hiss.

"You really are an idiot, Hess."

"At least he's better than the arrogant blowhard that stops to run his mouth off!"

Dirk turned his head up just in time to see Kichiro flying in and letting out a high-pitched pulse that formed distorted rings in the surrounding air. Dirk sprung aside from the incoming Supersonic at the last moment, before turning his glance back off at Hess on the deck.

"Pathetic," the Bisharp scoffed. "No wonder why your crew's a bunch of incompetent dregs when that's the best your second mate can do."

The red in Hess' vision all but filled his field of view as he stomped the deck. A tremor rang through the timbers that briefly drew the attention of other pirates nearby from their battles as Hess let out a bellowing roar.

"GET OFF MY SHIP!"

The Aggron captain spat up an orb of water that fanned out into a wave and swept over the deck. The water caught up everyone in its path: friend and foe alike. Dirk and Pleo were hardly spared as the wave overtook them both, sending Dirk tumbling up against the railing as it knocked Pleo to the ground. When the wave subsided, Dirk had come to a stop on top of a fainted Company grunt stuck headfirst through a gap in the railing, prompting him to quickly shuffle off his impromptu cushion with a low growl.

"Ack! Let me go! Let me go!"

Up ahead, Dirk saw Pleo flailing against his bindings and trying to peck at Kichiro, who was fighting to tug the Lugia along with his chains. Hess' attention was similarly distracted, prompting Dirk to lunge ahead, bringing an arm down into a sharp chop.

It landed with a satisfying thwack against Hess' back, the Aggron reeling under his blow as what looked like a layer of light broke into shards and dissipated. Dirk growled and held his blades out at the ready, when he suddenly felt a pop against the back of his head and his limbs froze up.

"What the-?!"

He found that he couldn't move his head, and glanced aside to see that Ledian sticking his tongue out and the husk of a Stun Seed on the deck. The Bisharp sharply hissed and tried to pull his limbs free, when a deafening bellow split the air in front of him.

GRAWWWWWWR!

The Bisharp looked ahead just in time to see a steely wall bear down on him. Before Dirk could react, Hess rammed into him with a crushing headbutt and flung him into the air with his horns.

"Aaagh!"

The Bisharp launched back and fell over the railing, leaving Hess to hurry over and grab Pleo as he tried to slink away. The Aggron panted for a moment, a flash of self-satisfaction spreading over his steely maw as a sharp buzz rang out from behind.

"Hess! Dirk's still holding onto the hull!"

Hess turned and saw Kichiro motioning off past the railing. He hurried over, where sure enough, there below Dirk really was clinging to the hull with one of his blades jammed into the wood. The Aggron let out a growl as Dirk attempted to climb back up, prompting Hess to poise himself to call up a hail of rocks to hurl at the Bisharp below.

A sharp cry suddenly came from behind, making Hess lose his concentration as he whirled around. He saw Kichiro lying sprawled out on the ground with ice caked onto his elytra, and behind him, a black-and-red blur settling into a Weavile, crouched with his claws flashed out at the ready. Ketu rose to his feet, idly brushing some ice off his claws as a smug smile settled on his face.

"You know, while I normally wouldn't mind hanging back and letting an embarrassing failure play out, letting a bottom feeder like you get away with Lugia is a step too far even for me."

Hess lowered his head, baring his maw with a low snarl.

"Yeah, and just who do you think you are, buddy?" he spat. "And you'll pay for hurting my friend like that!"

The Aggron swung his tail forward as a steely glint came over it, only for the Ketu to shoot forward and jump over it. The Weavile twisted his body in mid-air and landed to Hess' right. The pirate captain had barely a moment to react when much to his alarm, Ketu threw his paw forward with a stiff chop.

Crack!

Ketu brought his Brick Break down on Hess' ribs. There was a sharp cry, as the Aggron fought to stay on his feet, before the Weavile drove a second chop deep into his gut. Hess bowled over after the second blow, hitting the deck with a loud thud. He lay unmoving beyond a woozy groan as Ketu shook his paw with a terse scoff.

"Someone way out of your league, obviously."

The Weavile turned his head and saw Pleo trying to slip away, before the young Lugia's eyes widened and he screamed out of fright.

"A-AAAAAH!"

Pleo whirled around and attempted to run off towards the starboard side of the ship, only for Ketu to spit an Ice Beam at the Lugia's feet. It trapped one of them against the deck, leaving the little Protector to thrash and desperately pull himself free.

Ketu smirked and began to pace forward as the fighting raged in the background, when he heard a clattering noise on the railing. He turned back and caught a steely glint in his eye, before jumping out of the way of a Bisharp's slash as he and Dirk locked eyes with each other.

"You should turn tail while you can, Weavile," the Bisharp snarled, brandishing his blades. "Do you even know who you're facing down right now?"

Ketu failed to stifle a derisive laugh as his mouth curled up into a small, wry grin.

"Do you?"

Dirk suddenly lunged ahead and attempted to slash Ketu with the blade on his right arm, only for the Weavile to slide underneath and strike Dirk's knee with a Brick Break. Pleo didn't wait to see the results, and desperately tried to jerk his foot free. He wasn't sure how they were going to get out of this, but his friends were still in that brig below deck, and it was hard to imagine how he'd get off this ship without their help.

He finally managed to free his foot with a crunch and turned and saw stairs heading below deck towards the stern, which aside from a couple fainted Pokémon laying beside it, looked empty. His friends were down there somewhere. If he could just get to them and free them, maybe they could still escape.

Pleo lurched along as much as his chains would allow him and tried to make his way forward, when a sharp thump suddenly rang out and a blue figure tumbled just in front of the entrance. It was Lyn, panting and covered in visible bruises and lacerations as he spat something reddish out of his mouth and glared back along the deck. Pleo backed away and followed Lyn's gaze, where he saw Ingela standing her ground on the deck. The Primarina's hide was flecked with cuts, and both her and Lyn's underlings were either busy fighting each other along the starboard side of the ship or else lying strewn about unconscious on the deck.

And yet, the whole time, the Primarina didn't even seem fazed by the encounter.

CRAAACK!

Lyn turned his head leftward where he saw a mast of one of the lavender-sailed ships in the background visibly collapsing into the sea, with the sound of distant cries carrying along the wind. The Samurott set his teeth on edge and looked back at his own ship, where he saw that a few of the plates on his ironclad had been dislodged from the raging battle and fallen into the sea. Ingela glanced over herself, as a visible sneer came over her face.

"Hah! Looks like you square-necks bit off more than you could chew!" the Primarina taunted, turning her snout up. "Did you really think you were going to get the better of us with just five ships?!"

BOOM!

The sound of shouts and cries came again, this time from much closer as a creaking noise rang out. Lyn and Ingela looked past the stern in time to see a pirate ship in teal sails two ships down from them listing, before it keeled over and its masts crashed into a green-sailed ship from a smaller pirate crew beside it. The Primarina stared in stunned shock as the water next to the capsized ship teemed with Pokémon, both with pirates who'd been thrown overboard, along with a much larger number of swimmers in Company lavenders than she remembered seeing initially.

The defensive lines along the hull of the ship next to them wavered as Company swimmers suddenly surfaced from below and battles broke out all around in the water nearby. The sound of blows landing against the hull and the deck rocking below along all but confirmed that the Starfall Shogun had met a similar fate. Pleo watched as Ingela turned her head back towards Lyn, who was still every bit as injured and worn down as earlier, but now had his face curled up into a sneer of his own.

"Good thing then that we came with reserves, Primarina," the Samurott retorted. "Looks like you need to re-evaluate your odds!"

Ingela answered with an Energy Ball that struck Lyn in his chest and sent him stumbling back. For a brief moment, the Commissioner seemed to visibly totter, as Ingela bared her teeth back with a snarl.

"That's all you Company rats are good for, isn't it? Hiding behind the strength of others up and down your chain of command!" the Primarina spat. "Why don't you go crawling back to your mother while you're at it?!"

Lyn froze and tightened his knuckles, as his left eye briefly twitched.

"What did you say?"

Ingela cackled back at her Samurott foe, as a dangerous, unsettled smile spread over her face.

"Oh, so I hit a nerve, huh? Good," she taunted. "She must be so disappointed to have such a failure of a son!"

Lyn bellowed out in rage, which for a brief moment, stunned the nearby Pokémon into looking up from their battles. The Samurott drew his seamitars and lunged ahead into an Aqua Jet, prompting Ingela to hurriedly fling a Moonblast at him. The Samurott threw up the flat of his right blade to deflect her counterattack, as his moment carried him forward. He came to a stop just to her right, the Primarina's eyes widening as she saw Lyn thrust his left seamitar forward.

"Wha-?!"

The Samurott drove his blade's tip square through the bandage on Ingela's stomach with a sickening splutch. The Primarina's mouth shot open as her voice came out in a choked gurgle.

Pleo stared as Ingela tried to grab at the blade with her flippers and briefly saw the bladetip protruding from Ingela's back, before he jerked his head away and closed his eyes with a shudder. The sound of the battle dulled as Lyn wrenched his blade free and Ingela fell to the deck, leaving the nearby pirates to stare on in shock.

"H-He got the Captain!" a teal-scarved Azumarill cried. "Everyone, retrea-!"

The quiet ended almost as soon as it started as Lyn spat up another Surf, which fanned out into the nearby pirates. From the side, Dirk still stood dumbstruck as he looked over at Ingela laying motionless while blood pooled around her.

A sharp chop suddenly struck the Bisharp in the side of his head and sent him pitching to the deck. He tumbled and rolled onto his hands, panting as he saw Ketu approaching him. The Weavile flashed his claws, as he shot back a dangerous smirk.

"You still think you're gonna win this? Or leave here alive for that matter?"

The Weavile got ready to lunge ahead, only for Dirk to hastily scrape his blades together forcefully enough to distort the air in front of him with a horrid screech. Ketu recoiled from the Metal Sound, as Dirk woozily got up from the timbers and crawled onto the railing. He looked back at Ingela's body before shaking his head, his earlier confidence and determination now having fully drained away.

"Everyone, abandon ship!" he shouted. "We're getting out of here!"

The Bisharp vaulted over the railing, hitting the water before surfacing and noticing a blue Jellicent from his crew that he hurriedly swam over to. The sight of Dirk's retreat seemed to trigger a wave of panic amongst the pirates on-deck, as their defensive lines dissipated into disorganized mobs. Pirates of all colors turned and broke away in a hurry anywhere and everywhere they could: the fliers up into the air, the swimmers deeper below the water, while others frantically attempted to clamber down netting to the water or else dive overboard.

Pleo turned to run himself when a Staravia plummeted and hit the deck right in front of him. From the corner of his eye, he could see lavender-scarved figures surging forward and picking off different pirates left and right. Off to the side, a group of teal-scarved pirates tried to make their way across a gangplank off the port side to a ship in their colors, only for the teal-sailed ship to list and pull the gangplank loose from under their feet and send them falling into the sea.

"Going somewhere?"

Pleo's eyes shrank to pins as he turned around and saw Ketu approaching him from behind. The young Lugia froze in terror, only to snap back to attention as Ketu threw an icy flechette just past his head. He whirled around and desperately tried to get away as other figures ran past and bumped into him. Ketu kept pace the entire time, briefly looking over the deck and when he noticed a hole in the grate over the cargo hold.

"Yeah, that will do."

The Weavile threw a second Ice Shard in the Lugia's path, forcing him to change direction. Much as Ketu had planned, Pleo darted straight for the grate. The Weavile ran after him, but right as the Lugia reached the edge of the grate, a flash of blue cut in and pinned the young Protector to the deck with a sharp squawk. Ketu smelled seawater and saw Lyn peering down at Pleo, blood still dripping off one of his seamitars.

"Gotcha."

Lyn tightened his grip and pulled Pleo up by the back of his neck. The Lugia panted and shivered as he looked over to see Ketu approaching from the corner of his eye. Lyn noticed it himself, as he shot his first mate a satisfied smirk.

"Good work there, Ketu," he said. "Imagine if after all this, he'd just slipped away from us again."

Ketu quietly clicked his tongue and let out a small sigh. It took every ounce of willpower to hide his disappointment over not being able to get Pleo below deck. Thirty seconds alone in the dark and he'd have conveniently "been carried off by a pirate teleporter" with Lyn none the wiser.

"N-No wait! Come back!"

Ketu and Pleo both looked back towards the ship's stern where the still-floating pirate ships were hurriedly sailing away and a group of mostly golden-scarved pirates were frantically trying to hail them. Their attention wavered briefly, as the pirates turned back and lavender-scarved Pokémon began to close in on them.

A Discharge arced out over the stern and struck the pirates at the front of the group. By the time their compatriots hit the deck, the Pokémon behind them scattered, some desperately leaping into the water while others threw limbs up in surrender. Ones which went unheeded by the approaching Company sailors.

The Lugia watched the sailors descend on the pirates, and turned his head away from the sight just the first blows landed. As the pirates' screams and cries for help continued ringing out, his mind went blank as a crushing realization came over him:

He'd failed. And there was nothing he could do about it.

"N-No…"

Pleo's vision started to grow misty as the din from the stern gradually started to grow quiet and the screams and cries gave way to whimpers and groans. He felt a paw under his chin tugging his beak up and his head followed. There was Lyn, staring down at him with the ends of his muzzle turning up into a knowing smile.

"Don't worry. I'm sure we'll have plenty of time to get to know each other more," the Samurott said. "Though I believe some thanks are in order first…"

Lyn turned his attention off towards the port side of the ship, where Hess and Kichiro were still slumped over. The Aggron groaned and weakly stirred in place on his belly as Lyn dragged Pleo along. He reached his free paw down and lifted the pirate captain's head up by one of his horns. Hess weakly opened his eyes and panted, woozily looking ahead as Lyn brought his head down with a predatory sneer.

"I knew that I could count on you, Hess. Now… where's the rest of them?"

---

(Continued in next post)

 

[Spiteful Murkrow]

Crom wasn't sure what he was expecting after Hess and the other pirates took Pleo away, but it wasn't this. Somewhere on the decks above, a fierce battle had broken out, with battlecries and worrying blasts carrying through the timbers above them. The sounds had started to die down and grow quieter after the first five minutes, but here and there the sounds of shouting and fighting would continue.

He just wasn't sure whether or not that was a good sign for them or not. The Druddigon stared up worriedly at the ceiling and set his teeth on edge.

"Sounds like whatever deal Lyn and those pirates had didn't work out," Crom said.

"No kidding," Guardia murmured. "But how are we supposed to get out of here?"

Dimitri looked around the room for any sign of a defect in the wood. There was nothing on the floor or ceiling, and the walls looked solid, too. He didn't bother checking the side towards the hull, since even if there was something, they wouldn't be able to swim away chained up like this.

His attention turned to the door as he shuffled over and inspected the lock in the dim light. He eyed the keyhole, when he noticed scorch marks on it, probably from some unfortunate soul's earlier attempt to escape. After examining it closer, he noticed there was something else he'd overlooked: a thin crack in the metal that crept downwards from the keyhole.

He paused for a moment, before throwing a glance over at Nida.

"Nida, can you still use Ice Beam right now?" the Kabutops asked.

"I should be able to? Why?"

"Metal grows brittle when it's heated and cooled quickly. It looks like someone tried doing that to this lock in the past and damaged it," Dimitri explained. "Crom and I have attacks that can heat things up, so if you freeze it over afterwards and we cycle through things a couple times, we might be able to make it brittle enough to break it open."

Everyone nodded back in agreement at the idea and took their places in front of the door. Crom started off by spitting up a Dragon Rage on the lock, the dragonfire singing its metal and the surrounding wood which Dimitri followed up with a Scald. Nida waited a few moments for the Druddigon and Kabutops' attacks to dissipate before spewing out an Ice Beam, which caked the lock over in frost with a sizzling noise.

The four briefly shielded their eyes from the steam curling off the door, and as it cleared, they saw amidst the water dripping off the lock, that the crack in the metal had grown visibly longer. So the lock really was weakening right now!

Could it already have been enough? Guardia grunted and lowered her head, before running forward and headbutting the lock with a sharp crash.

She bounced back off of it and hit the floor. There was a tense silence as Guardia and the others waited for the sound of approaching guards, only for none to come. Satisfied, she shook her head, before looking up and seeing much to her dismay that the door was still firmly shut.

"Shimatta! It didn't budge!" the Marowak cried.

"We'll try it again," Dimitri said. "Come o-"

A sharp, muffled clatter suddenly came from somewhere beyond the door. Startled cries followed, clearer and closer than the earlier ones had been, when a loud, bloodcurdling bellow rang out—one that chilled Nida's blood after hearing it.

"No… it can't be…"

The sound of shouting and fighting broke out again, punctuated by cries of pain. A final thump rang out, before the voices all fell silent. Crom cringed and shrank back from the door along with his teammates, pinning his wings back as his voice came out in a worried stammer.

"Wh-What was that?"

The Druddigon wasn't sure if he really wanted to know, but he doubted that they'd be lucky enough to stay ignorant about what racket was for long. A heavy door slammed open in the hallway outside as footsteps came from its direction and drew closer and closer. Crom took another step back from the door as the sound of other cells opening and muffled yelps came from further down the hall, all as the footsteps' owners drew nearer and nearer.

The footfalls suddenly stopped in front of their door. There were some words exchanged that they couldn't hear through the wood, when the sound of keys rattling and then the lock clicking reached their ears. The door swung open afterwards, leaving Crom and his teammates' blood running cold at the sight of the Pokémon standing on the other end:

It was Lyn, alongside a small band of snarling Pokémon in Company lavenders behind him.

"I had a feeling that we'd meet again. Call it a captain's intuition," the Samurott sneered. "Now… are you all going to come quietly or not?"

Crom's mind went blank at the sight. Just what were they supposed to do like this?! A sharp hiss snapped him to attention, as he turned and saw Dimitri crouching and glaring back at the Samurott captain.

"As if we'd just give in to the likes of you!"

Water wreathed Dimitri's shell as he shot forward at Lyn, barrelling headfirst into the Samurott's face. Lyn briefly recoiled, before bringing a paw down with a firm punch at the top of Dimitri's head. There was a loud smack, and then Dimitri pitched to the floor. Before he could do anything, the Company Commissioner threw a paw out and stepped down onto the Kabutops' back, letting him thrash underfoot against his chains as the otter turned to the others in the cell with a self-satisfied smirk.

"Are you all done?" Lyn asked. "Or am I going to need to beat you all into submission? I don't need you conscious to drag you out of this cell, so choose wisely."

Crom looked as Dimitri pinned beneath Lyn's grasp, before averting his gaze. There was nothing that they could do right now. They were all chained up, and even if Lyn didn't have those other lackeys with him, they'd never be able to beat him like this. Nida grudgingly lowered her head and yielded, as one after the other, Crom and the others joined her while a sinking feeling came over their stomachs.

From his self-satisfied expression, Lyn must've realized how they were feeling. He waited until they all surrendered, before turning aside to the other Company Pokémon behind him with a sharp grunt.

"Take them and the others in the brig up to the deck for sorting," the Commissioner barked. "I don't plan on bringing that many prisoners with me to Vollezee and I'd prefer to keep a closer eye on the exceptions."

The Pokémon grunted back affirmations of their own, a few towards the edges slipping off deeper down the cell block. They could faintly hear keys rattling and doors creaking open, followed by the startled cries that Crom recognized as belonging to his friends. It was hard to see much of what was going on, but the Druddigon could already see their other teammates getting dragged off down the hall flailing.

A Hitmonchan grabbed Guardia before dragging her along. Dimitri was the next to be taken, then Crom. Before long, a Crawdaunt made his way over to Nida and roughly dragged her up and past the door. The Nidorina briefly saw Lyn waiting just past the doorway to their cell watching them get marched up the hallway. She dug her heels in and pushed back against the Crawdaunt's grip, meeting the Samurott's eyes with a sharp glare.

"This isn't over," Nida insisted. "We still have friends who are ready and willing to fight you!"

"Oh but it is," Lyn retorted. "We're in the middle of the sea right now, the pirate fleet that caught you in the first place scattered to save their own hides, and the scum that couldn't get away are presently being taken prisoner or being buried at sea."

Nida grimaced and fell silent at the explanation, as no matter what she tried, she just couldn't think of anything to say in reply. She wanted to say that the friends they'd made would come for them, but would they even be in any position to help?

The Samurott leaned in, and turned his head down towards hers with an unimpressed growl.

"So good luck with your 'friends' making a difference."

Nida narrowed her eyes back, where even while visibly trembling, she still held her head up and piped up with all the defiance her voice could muster.

"I-It doesn't matter! We've gotten out of corners that you've put us in before!" Nida insisted. "This time won't be any-!"

Lyn abruptly cut the Nidorina off with a Razor Shell across her chest. She cried out and fell to the floor, leaving Crom to wrench his head back wide-eyed from further up the hall.

"Nida!"

The Druddigon was dragged along before he could protest further, while the Crawdaunt pulled Nida up from the ground. The Nidorina gasped for air and looked down at the timbers, her vision wavering, as Lyn sheathed his blade and turned aside with a dismissive scoff.

"Save your breath and sit tight," he said. "Even if you won't be seeing many of its sights, Vollezee's not that far of a journey from here."

Lyn headed off down the brig's hallway as his underlings continued to drag off Team Traveller and the others in the cells, their cries of protest falling on deaf ears. He continued down the cells one by one and tested the cell doors with his paw until he found the next one that was locked, stopping to slip the master key into the lock and open it.

There inside, the cell had been packed from top to bottom with barrels smelling of alcohol and sacks that had a sweet scent about them. He didn't know about the wisdom of stealing that many spirits, but he supposed the sacks of sugar present were a sign someone on Hess' crew of golden-scarved incompetents was practically minded for loot that could be easily resold.

"Hrmph, so this is what they were using as their storeroom."

He made his way in when he noticed a few chests lying about intermixed, with a small pile of bags in a corner had a bone club and a King's Rock poking out from it—the belongings of Lugia's friends, he presumed. He moved along, briefly quirking a brow at the presence of a particularly sturdy-looking chest that had obviously been forced open. He propped open the lid to see that it was full of carefully wrapped and boxed objects, including a strange red and white orb. One that felt like it was made of some sort of hardened resin and looked downright ancient. Human relics, from the looks of it. One of the pirates must've realized their value and figured this was the most secure place to keep such treasures.

And then he saw it tucked among them. Over at the side near the chest's hinge, there was a red tome with a large glyph that looked like a two-branched wand. He paused briefly, as it dawned on him what he was looking at…

"So they really did steal the Knights' Ledger from the Vault."

Lyn briefly looked behind him, before hurriedly scooping the Ledger into his satchel. He turned his gaze back down to scan over the contents of the rest of the chest. Perhaps it was just wishful thinking of his, but if the Guardian of the Seas and his companions had that with them since Vollezee, then maybe they also had other things worth—

"Captain."

Lyn paused and glanced back over his shoulder. Ketu was now there at the cell's doorway and walking up towards him, showing initiative the one time when he didn't need him to. The Weavile paused and eyed the surrounding loot, before tilting his head puzzledly.

"Didn't peg you as the type to paw through ill-gotten gains," Ketu remarked. "Though have you found anything down here?"

"Prisoners, obviously. Along with a part of those pirates' loot," Lyn answered, giving a dismissive wave of his paw.

"Anything else, I meant," Ketu insisted. "You know, anything that stood out at all?"

The Weavile frowned and folded his arms. The Samurott studied the Dark-Type's reaction closely, before warily raising a brow in reply.

"… What are you getting at, Ketu?" he asked.

"The Board said that Lugia and his friends raided the Archive just before leaving Vollezee," the Weavile reminded. "Did anything that looked like it'd have come from there turn up? Since the Board would obviously like to get their stuff back."

There was a moment of silence between the two, before Lyn shook his head back with a terse harrumph.

"Hrmph, mostly some battle items and sentimental garbage," he said. "There wasn't anything that was reported missing from the Archive."

Ketu narrowed his eyes slightly and tilted his head. There was another moment of awkward silence between the two, before Ketu suddenly shrugged his shoulders and turned away.

"Eh, fine," the Dark-Type sighed. "I'll try searching around and ask to see if anyone else has turned up anything from the Vault."

The Weavile drifted off as Lyn waited for him to slip past the door. The Samurott turned his eyes down to his bag briefly and patted at the Knights' Ledger inside, before making his way forward as a knowing smile crossed his face.

"It's about time things finally started looking up."

---

The morning went by agonizingly slowly for Elty. After finding him on the beach, Margi had brought him to the local Medic's Hut, where he'd spent a brief moment being tended to before getting pushed away to make room for other, more injured Pokémon. The Hydreigon had stuck with him all the while and advised him to get some rest after the whole ordeal.

He'd had trouble making good on the advice. After going back to the Siglo Swellow and discovering it was still afloat, he just couldn't fall asleep despite having been awake all night. When he finally gave up and got out of bed, he found that Margi was still there waiting on him. After a bit of insistence that he needed some air, they left the ship and drifted about the town, milling from one trashed street to the next as the locals took stock of the damage and made tentative steps at clearing the rubble beneath the morning sun. Before he knew it, he was back in the square next to the garrison and had happened to spot Captain Beatrix and a few members of her crew trying to make sense of their present predicament.

As he walked up to them, the general mood among everybody was tired and glum, and even after eating a Chesto Berry to deal with the lack of sleep, it was hard for Elty to hold his head up in front of the Illumise and her sailors.

"Oh, Elty, there you are," the Illumise said. "You're already up from resting?"

"Couldn't sleep, honestly," he murmured. "Though what should we do next? Is the ship even able to sail right now?"

There was a flash of unease among Beatrix and the others, as a few sailors traded blank glances with one another. After a noticeable pause, Beatrix shook her head with a buzzing sigh.

"No, but the ship's repairable at least," the Illumise said. "That said, even after the damage is repaired, our options are limited at the moment. If we pushed off like this, we'd be sailing blind."

"Wait, how would we be sailing blind?" Elty questioned, giving a puzzled tilt of his head. "The weather is fine, so we're obviously not literally sailing blind, and we also know where we need to go to. The pirates are gonna deliver Pleo to Lyn, who will then take him to Vollezee, so that's where we should sail to."

"We don't know what happened to everyone aside from Pleo, though," Vicente retorted. "For all we know, Lyn didn't want them and the pirates opted to make them walk the plank instead of ransoming them."

Elty cringed and pinned his ears against his head. Hess wouldn't be the sort of pirate to do something like that, would he? … Then again, the Hess he remembered serving under also wouldn't have done jobs for the Company.

The Growlithe felt a sinking pit in his stomach as he realized that he just didn't know for sure what Hess would do anymore. All he had was past precedent of how he remembered Hess being as a captain… at a time when Hess had been acting more and more different from the way he'd usually been. Elty looked back at Vicente and noticed Beatrix shooting a sideways glance at the Hitmontop as she flitted in place above the ground.

"Let's… try to think more positively. Although I'm afraid he does have a point, Elty," the Bug-Type sighed. "Even if Lyn did take everyone along with Pleo, there's no guarantee that they're all together right now. He could've dumped them on whatever Company island was closest by for a labor sentence, or maybe punted them off to Mengir since they were wanted there. He even could've opted to send them to a prison, there's certainly one of those on Vollezee, or worse, Nagrobek."

Elty stared blankly at the Illumise. Gods, those were some miserable options for potential fates. And the worst part was that all of the ones that the Illumise had brought up were frighteningly plausible. Lyn had put up bounties for the lot of them as pirates as far back as when they'd been on Kenobi, and it wasn't as if the Samurott would be the type to just let them go afterwards like Nagant had done on Giotto. It was only logical that he would deal with everyone as if they were just another group of pirates…

"That's why I was saying we would be sailing blind," Beatrix sighed, shaking her head. "Even before worrying about how we'd get everyone back, we don't know where to look for them. Until that changes, there's not exactly much we can do."

"You there! March!"

Elty turned his head and saw Robbie and that Heliolisk and Mabosstiff from earlier herding along a muzzled and scowling Tarquin out of the entrance of the village's garrison. He blinked as the four made their way around the building's corner and briefly followed after them. The moment he rounded the corner, he saw that there was a whole mob of pirates in various colors who'd been similarly bound up and herded up along the garrison wall with local guards watching over them.

Tarquin stumbled after getting shoved along as Elty noticed some pirates had the same glowering mood as the Tyrantrum, while others seemed resigned and beaten down or even visibly squirming with fright. He briefly spotted a familiar-looking Quilava in Iron Fleet colors who was staring ahead blankly, while right beside him was Rodion saying something to the Quilava that Elty couldn't hear.

"… Rodion?"

Elty began to pace forward as the Floatzel happened to turn his head and their eyes met. It lasted only for a moment, before Rodion hardened his expression and turned away with a frown. The Growlithe's ears drooped and he looked towards the ground, shaking his head with a low murmur as Margi caught up with him.

"Sure feels like this has been happening a lot lately," he said. "Even if I'm glad not to be on the side tied up with ropes for once."

Elty stiffened up at the sound of a sharp hiss and sound of a scuffle, and whirled around to see that Seviper from the Strongjaw Gang he and his friends had fought earlier. She'd had her body forcibly held into a coil by ropes, and was being dragged along by that Hakamo-o guard they had as a cellmate. He shoved her into the group of pirates, and seemed to be relishing the Seviper's turn in fortunes a bit too much from the way he attempted to menace and loom over her.

"Hah! Not so tough now, are you, Vipitis?" the Hakamo-o sneered. "That's right, go on and squirm! You'll be getting what a dirty pirate like you deserv-!"

The Seviper suddenly lunged at the Hakamo-o's face, fangs opened wide. The Dragon-Type screamed and reflexively shielded his face as a Mabosstiff barreled in and tackled her to the ground just in time. The Hakamo-o warily cracked his eyes open as other guards descended on the Seviper to better tie her up, as he looked over at a visibly facepalming Robbie and seemed to flush red through his scales.

Elty flattened his ears and narrowed his eyes with an unamused mutter.

"Pyry and Pekka were probably onto something about how that 'mon would fare fighting against Dirk…"

"Oh! Elty! Is that you?"

Elty turned his head just as a blue and black figure walked up to him. It was a Deino, sniffing at the air and looking over in his direction. Elty stared at him blankly, as much to his surprise, the Deino carried a prominent Mark on his head, and was none other than…

"Daraen?" the Growlithe asked. He glanced over at Margi and saw that she looked similarly stunned at her child's presence. Elty looked between the two for a brief moment, as he found himself unable to do anything other than just blink in surprise.

"How did you get here?"

"Well, I kinda tagged along with some other villagers since a lot of them were headed back for this town," the Deino replied, sheepishly pawing at the ground.

"Hey! What do you think you're doing?! You can't just bring those Piraten here!"

The three turned their heads off towards the far end of the gathered pirates where there were even more Pokémon being marched in, including a Grumpig and Krokorok that Elty swore looked just like the two from Lyn's crew they fought back on Sormus. Off at the side of the incoming procession, there were a group of Marked and local guards who were staring each other down with voices that came out in harsh growls and barks.

"Hrmph, you were perfectly content leaving us to deal with your trash while your town was overrun," a Marked Golbat harrumphed. "Did you expect us to accept that forever?"

"We're willing to hold onto the Marked from their ranks, but these Pokémon raided your town first!" a Marked Kecleon protested. "Why shouldn't you be the ones to deal with them?"

"In case you haven't noticed, but we've got our own paws full here since we're running out of cells to keep prisoners in," a Torracat hissed back. "So take them and get out of here!"

"Well if you're going to have an attitude that, maybe we should just release these 'mons out in the forest!" the Golbat spat.

The two sides just kept going at it in their argument, as Elty turned his head away with a low sigh. Guess that was one way to tell that the Marked and the locals in Starpeak Square were done with helping each other out. He shot a sidelong glance back at Daraen, before flattening his ears with a low grumble.

"Not really sure if walking out here was worth it considering how well that's going right now."

"I mean, that wasn't the only reason I came," the Deino explained. "I wanted to see how maman was doing since it was a big fight and she hadn't come home. And you and your friends, too. After all, now that everything's done with, we can play games together again!"

Daraen stood there wagging his tail with beaming expectation, his eyesight mercifully too poor to make out the visible grimace spreading over his mother's face. Elty bit his tongue and looked away, his head and tail drooping as his voice came out in a deflated murmur.

"I don't know when that's going to happen, or even if we'll get a chance again," he said. "The rest of my teammates were captured by the pirates as they retreated. I'm the only one left."

Daraen jolted up as his mouth hung open in blank shock. He tripped over his words briefly, before he piped up with a panicked stammer.

"H-Huh?! B-But you won against those pirates!" he insisted. "So how on earth could-?!"

"It's a long story, ma petite."

Daraen turned his head up as Margi craned a head down and gently nosed at him. She started to say something, only to think twice of it before she shook her central head with a low sigh.

"We're doing what we can right now, but please try to worry about yourself for now," she insisted. "After all, did you even eat breakfast before you left Starbreak Square?"

Almost as soon as the words left her mouth, a low growl came from Daraen's stomach. The Growlithe faltered as a growl from his own stomach followed shortly afterwards. Elty didn't know what on earth had been going on at that 'Starbreak Square', but he certainly hadn't been eating good in the past couple days as a prisoner getting dragged around from one cell to the next. Maybe it really was a good idea to stop and take a break.

Margi cleared her throat, prompting Elty to look up at the Hydreigon.

"Your captain said that if you needed something to eat, that there were still provisions on the ship," she said. "I'm a bit hungry myself at the moment, so why don't we have breakfast and try to clear our heads a bit?"

"… I suppose that it couldn't hurt, at least," the Growlithe replied.

"How about you go together with Daraen to the harbor?" she insisted. "I'll go ahead of you two and help prepare things so that way you won't have to wait for long after you arrive."

Elty nodded in reply, before the pair headed off down the path to the harbor as Margi beat her wings and flew off. The walk wasn't particularly long, even if it was certainly different from the journey Elty took the night before. Without the dark of night or a horde of pirates fighting tooth and claw to slow them down, it was a lot harder to overlook the trail of destruction and ransacked buildings all along the path. For a hurried and disorganized retreat, those pirates had cleared things out better than he remembered doing with the Iron Fleet even during their more successful raids.

The harbor was busy with shouts and Pokémon going about when they arrived, if obviously still off-kilter. The docks were a mess of shattered crates and barrels and holes punched into the piers. The water was choked with activity, with some Pokémon being herded along and pulled out of the water in nets which Elty assumed to be pirate swimmers who hadn't gotten away, while others went about inspecting the ships in the water. A few of the vessels were resting on the floor of the harbor, with their hulls and decks poking above the surface to varying extents. Another a couple piers down was capsized onto its side in the way of the entrance, while others had run aground or gotten stuck into piers—including the Iron Fleet's Mistral Marauder. Even most of the ships still floating properly looked like they might as well be piles of driftwood from the damage they'd sustained: shredded sails, snapped masts, missing rudders, charred timbers…

It made it all the more surprising to find that the Siglo Swellow was one of the few ships that looked like it was still seaworthy… aside from some prominent holes now punched into the sails and a replacement rudder that was still being attached to the back of the ship.

Elty lowered his head as he continued trudging forward. Gods, this place was a mess, and it was hard to even start with figuring out how to begin fixing things…

Kinda like the mess they had ahead of them trying to figure out how to save their teammates.

"You'll get them back, I know you will."

Elty felt a nudge at his shoulder and turned his head to see Daraen nosing at him. Something about the 'mon's gait seemed uneasy and unsure, but he still stamped the pier insistently and spoke up in an insistent tone.

"You've all come all this way being chased by both the Empire and the Company, haven't you?" the Deino asked. "If you've made it this far, I just know you all will be tough enough to get Pleo and everyone else back!"

Elty stared back quietly as he heard Daraen's almost pleading tinge to his voice. He just didn't have the heart to tell the Deino that the odds of them succeeding were about as good as running into a red Gyarados at sea.

… But at the same time, Daraen wasn't wrong. His entire life had been a matter of defying the odds even before he got roped into being a part of Team Traveller. Sure the odds of freeing the others weren't good, but when were they ever for him?

He didn't know how things would work out, but he still managed a weak smile over his face.

"Heh… yeah, I suppose we will," Elty replied.

Daraen perked up and wagged his tail. On one level, Elty was happy that he'd managed to lift the Deino's mood, but he couldn't help but worry he'd given him false hope.

After all, even if he and his teammates managed to get out of bad spots in the past, he just couldn't shake the feeling that this time was different.

"Huh? Elty, someone's coming from the water!"

The Growlithe jolted his head up and turned towards the docks, where Daraen was raising a forepaw off at the sea. Elty made his way over as he began to see shapes in the water swimming at them. As they got closer, he made out a Dragalge wearing a blue-and-red belt leading a group of other swimmers in similar garb. Above them, there was a Talonflame and a Gliscor in the air, with a Sneasel riding on the former's back—why that was the Khranitel Rod and Team Zephyr!

Percy and Calidus flew over to the docks, prompting Alice to dismount onto the pier while Kline peeked out from Percy's bag. Nerea clambered up the pier afterwards as blue-and-red belted swimmers began to crowd around in the water near her.

Judging from everyone's grim expressions, Elty guessed that Kline must've seen everybody get captured and told them about it. As Percy made his way over, Kline hopped out of his bag balanced on his tail, before looking over at Elty with a tired shake of his head.

"I'm… sorry, we couldn't make it in time," the Zygarde murmured. "The journey over was a lot harder than it normally was."

"We could've made it if we'd taken the route I suggested," Viktor grumbled, prompting Kline to whirl around and narrow his eye into a sharp scowl.

"Like I've said before, there were Company ships in those waters," he huffed. "Unless you were fine losing even more members from your clan, this was the fastest route."

Elty wasn't sure what that was all about, but he supposed that it was too late to do anything about it. He pinned his ears back, and brushed his forepaws against each other with a low sigh.

"… I'm guessing you got ambushed like as well?"

"Not by pirates if that's what you mean," Nerea said. "We'd likely have made it here sooner if that was what we were up against."

"We had square-necks nipping our tails the whole way out of Vollezee," Alice explained. "It took a full day just to shake them and find a place in the deeps to lie low."

Elty supposed that would explain why none of them arrived in time to help, even if a part of him couldn't help but wonder if things would've been different if Kline, Nerea, and everyone else had made it even just the night before. He heard soft plodding along the dock's timbers and saw Daraen walking up, giving a curious tilt of his head at him.

"Elty, who are these Pokémon?" he asked. "Are they friends of yours?"

"They are, yeah," Elty replied. "The Gliscor's Percy, the Sneasel's Alice, and the Talonflame's Calidus."

"What about the blue Pokémon in the water and the little green one?"

Elty paused and saw Kline and Nerea visibly hesitate as his eyes turned to the Mark on Daraen's head. Right, even if Daraen had come around to Pleo not quite being the fearsome 'demon' he'd been brought up to believe, he didn't know how the Deino would react to knowing that there were two others right in front of him.

… Maybe it was best to break it to him later. For now, he should probably just describe the two Protectors in terms that didn't give their true natures away

"… The fish thing's Nerea," he explained. "The other one's Kline, who's been pretty effective at helping us find others in the past."

Kline and Nerea both blinked for a moment, the Manaphy briefly frowning at the 'fish thing' remark, before warily greeting Daraen in turn. The Deino gave a puzzled reaction and seemed to sense that something was up, but thankfully didn't press the matter. Elty quietly breathed out a sigh of relief, before turning his attention over to Kline.

"I don't suppose you know where the rest of the team is at right now, do you?"

"I'm afraid not," Kline answered, shaking his head in reply. "The last my cells saw of them was them heading towards one of Hess' ships as part of a feint, and I haven't seen them sense."

Elty quietly grimaced and set his teeth on edge, and noticed that Daraen also looked uneasy. So everyone else was somewhere out there at sea and not even the 'mon who literally had eyes everywhere had any idea of where they could've gone to.

"Of course. Why did I expect that something would go right for once?"

The Growlithe looked away and hung his head, before feeling a nudge at his leg. Much to his surprise, this time it was Kline who'd come up to him, and for once, his expression didn't look stiff and serious, but had a softer tinge to it.

"Eltenios, don't lose hope so quickly. Whoever has them right now has to come dock eventually," the Zygarde insisted. "I'll try and use my cells to keep an eye on as many docks as possible. I'm sure that something will turn up."

Right. He'd been named for never giving up. And even if things were looking bad, it'd only been a couple of hours. With Team Zephyr back together with them at the moment, maybe they could work out an idea of how to rescue everybody…

Even if he had no idea of where to start.

"What are we supposed to do now, then?"

"Wait and evaluate our options," Percy answered. "A lot has happened overnight, so it'd make sense to try and take a step back to breathe."

Calidus suddenly turned his head back towards the sea and froze. The Talonflame visibly hesitated, before raising a wing and pointing off at the horizon.

"Yeah… that's going to be a bit easier said than done, Percy."

Elty and the others turned after Calidus' wing as his tail and hackles raised. There, coming over the horizon, he could hazily two larger ships, along with two smaller ones flanking them—all flying the indigo sails of the Royal Navy.

He quietly gulped and pulled his tail between his legs.

"Great. As if we didn't have enough to deal with right now."

---

When Crom and the rest of Team Traveller made it onto the deck of the Starfall Shogun, Lyn revealed why everything felt so familiar to Pleo: the ship had been the Argent Aviso all along. The state of affairs around them changed in front of their eyes with surprising speed as the Argent Aviso's deck quickly grew crowded with Pokémon in Company lavenders who came from an ironclad docked on the starboard side. Some of their ranks took over the sails and rigging, with others setting about clearing the deck and pushing wreckage overboard. There was a ruddy smear where according to some talk Crom had overheard, Ingela's body had apparently been dragged off from where she collapsed. Judging from a few similar stains elsewhere on-deck, hers had not been the only one dealt with in such a fashion.

Crom turned his head away with a quiet shudder. Lyn had apparently brought Pleo aboard his ship before they'd made it above deck. He sure hoped that the Lugia hadn't been there to see any of that, and a part of him was glad that he hadn't been.

"March!"

That was about the only consolation that they had. The entire time, the deck had been filled with captured pirates, bound and gathered up in groups, much like the Zangoose currently getting drug off past Crom and his companions' view for a teal-sailed barque that had been Ingela's flagship. One of the ships from the pirate fleet that Lyn and his underlings had captured and converted into a makeshift prison.

From the number of Pokémon who matched past them still-dripping, a lot of the pirates pulled from the water or from crippled ships about them must've been brought to their ship. In spite of similar scenes playing out on other ships in the background, Ingela's flagship had been the third ship to pull up along the Argent Aviso to take on a cargo of unfortunates, this time of prisoners primarily wearing gold-and-silver scarves. Some of the pirates marched on defiantly and fought against their captors as much as they could, while others went on with their heads held low in silent defeat. Still others were dragged forward by their captors visibly trembling in terror, including Hess himself.

"I-I did everything we agreed to!" the Aggron cried. "W-We had a deal!"

"And its terms have obviously changed since the last time we met," the Samurott harrumphed. "Pray that I don't change its terms any further."

Hess thrashed against his bindings and attempted to break free, when the rattle of Lyn's blade scraping its natural scabbard rang out followed by a faint woosh in the air. The Aggron froze after feeling something settle against his throat, and looked down to see Lyn holding the edge of his seamitar up against his windpipe.

"My present deal is that I make space for you to be transported to face justice," he snarled. "If you have an objection to it, I'll summarily try you here at sea and cast you to your fate in an Apricorn."

Hess' eyes widened and he shallowly gasped for air, before the sailors posted to him shoved him along. He stumbled forward over the gangplank, as one Pokémon after another in gold-and-silver scarves followed in his wake, visibly beaten down.

Crom turned his head away from the pirates as they passed. It felt strange to be so bothered by seeing Pokémon who had robbed others and attacked him in the past in this state, but something about the scene just made him feel sorry for them.

"Ahh! No! Lemme go! Lemme go!!"

Crom looked back at the sound of a frightened cry and saw Pyry and Pekka getting dragged along as well, and even from this distance, he could see their eyes were visibly shrunken in fright. Pekka managed to break free briefly, only for the surrounding guards to summarily pile on him and knock him to the deck with a sickening thud.

He winced and turned away as the pair were brought over the gangplank still crying out in protest, fighting back a lump in his throat.

It just hurt to see those two like this. Even back on Tromba when facing down Bunsen and his underlings, the two hadn't been utterly terrified like this. The Druddigon turned his head up towards Lyn, hardening his eyes into a sharp scowl.

"Why are you separating us from the rest of our friends?" Crom demanded. "They're not pirates!"

"Hrmph, your bounties beg otherwise. Though to answer your question, those scum will be going to Nagrobek," Lyn answered. "It has a prison where Pokémon that other islands don't have space or a means to keep in line get sent to… particularly those that need to be made an example of."

Crom visibly grimaced as the rest of his teammates stiffened up in shock. To… Nagrobek? The island that his father and the other sailors from the Siglo Swellow kept speaking of in tones that made it sound like some place in the Dead Zone? The same island that Kline said was ruled by Elilan? Crom's mind went blank at the prospect of Pyry and Pekka winding up there of all places. Was that where they were going, too?

A sharp huff turned their attention upwards, as Lyn narrowed his eyes and leveled his still-free seamitar down at them.

"Though you all will be staying with me," he said. "While I don't have any use for the rest of these scum at the moment, I do for you."

A chill ran down Crom's back as he turned and saw his teammates similarly grow unnerved. He understood Lyn having a use for Pleo, but for them?

Just what was he planning?

The Samurott didn't elaborate further and turned his attention over to a group of sailors with a Hitmonchan at the fore. He stamped the deck for their attention, before raising his blade and motioning off at the ironclad along the starboard side.

"Bring them aboard my ship," he ordered.

The Hitmonchan grunted and nodded in reply before coming over and roughly grabbing Crom. The Fighting-Type dragged him up, prompting the Druddigon to try and dig his feet's claws into the deck.

"A-Agh! Let go of me!"

It was no use, the Hitmonchan started tugging him along over his cries of protest as the other sailors began to do much the same to his teammates. Crom stumbled as the gangplank and Lyn's ironclad drew ever closer, when all of a sudden, a Weavile's voice spoke up.

"Wait a minute, Captain."

Lyn turned over his shoulder, where he saw Ketu walking up to him.

"Don't send them off just yet."

Lyn blinked in response, before motioning at the sailors with Team Traveller to stop. The Samurott stepped aside along with Ketu before twitching his whiskers and curling his mouth into a skeptical frown.

"Ketu? What's going on here?" he demanded.

"Well, I was just thinking…" the Weavile began. "Does it really make sense not to ship those brats off to Nagrobek with the rest of the pirates?"

"And why would I want to do that instead of keeping them under my direct supervision?" the Samurott asked, raising a brow. "You know why I want them around, Ketu."

"To cover your bases, really. Lugia and those kids have already escaped from one of our ships once in the past. And that's not getting into how they managed to slip away on Vollezee in spite of Administrator Zorn being there with you to help trap them," Ketu explained. "You're already on thin ice with the Board right now, so do you really want to take a chance that they won't cook something up and escape again?"

Lyn stiffened up and hesitated. Yes, the possibility of Lugia or his companions escaping now seemed… remote, but hadn't his troubles from the past month and a half come from moments that were seemingly remote possibilities to begin with? Ketu studied Lyn's reaction before shaking his head in reply.

"If you're planning on trying to twist Lugia's wing through his friends, you don't necessarily have to do so by keeping them around in person," the Weavile insisted. "It's not that hard to pass along a request to the prison on Nagrobek to put them under strict supervision and deal with them as needed to keep Lugia in line. Same idea as what you've got, just without the risk of them breaking free and somehow getting to the Protector under your nose."

Lyn cast an aside glance back at Team Traveller, who hadn't seemed to overhear his conversation with Ketu. He paused and stroked his whiskers in thought, weighing the options in his mind to himself.

After a moment, Lyn shook his head and turned to his underlings with a low harrumph, his decision now firmly set:

"Change of plans," the Samurott said. "Bring them aboard that Primarina's ship along with the rest of the scum."

There was a moment of blank confusion, before the Hitmonchan and the other Company sailors started shoving Team Traveller towards the opposite side of the ship. Nida traded glances between them and Lyn, before raising her barbs with a sharp huff.

"Whatever happened to staying with you?" the Nidorina demanded.

"I decided that you weren't worth the trouble," Lyn replied. "Besides, I figured you'd enjoy a change of scenery."

Crom's attempt to keep a brave face faltered as he saw that his teammates had similarly been taken aback. 'Change of scenery'? Was Lyn seriously suggesting that he'd—?

"Stop beating around the bush," Trizano said. "Where are you taking us?"

"Where do you think?" the Samurott sneered. "In the eyes of the Company, you're all pirates. I already told you where pirates who need to be made examples of wind up in Company waters: Nagrobek."

Nida's breath caught in her throat as she noticed her teammates freezing up and their eyes visibly shrinking. They were in deep trouble right now, and for the life of her, Nida just couldn't see how they had a way out.

Lyn turned away and stole a glance over his shoulder, narrowing his red eyes with a dismissive harrumph.

"Do behave yourselves out there," the Commissioner said. "My understanding is that Nagrobek's one of the closer islands to the Wastes. It doesn't take a whole lot to make you wish for the guards to send you there instead."

She briefly heard a couple pirates from the direction of Ingela's ship piping up with desperate pleas for mercy. All the while, Nida's mind went blank as she was marched across the gangplank and a crushing realization let in:

They'd failed.

They'd done everything they could to get Pleo home without having to worry about the Company, but in the end, they hadn't been strong enough to stop them.

No. It couldn't end like this. There was a part of Lyn that had to know that what he was doing was wrong, otherwise he wouldn't have hesitated to cut Pleo's feathers the first time he caught him.

If they had any hope at all right now, it was stirring that part of him, however deeply it slumbered inside.

Nida looked past the railing and back at the Argent Aviso, just as Lyn was starting to make his way to the gangplank to his ironclad. With nothing to lose, she raised her voice and cried out.

"L-Lyn, wait! Please! You don't have to do this!"

The Samurott didn't acknowledge her. He marched across the gangplank, and then turned back with a sharp bark to the Pokémon on the Argent Aviso.

"Pull up the anchor and set sail! Pass word along to the other ships!"

The Nidorina watched blankly as Lyn turned away and his underlings pulled both of the gangplanks up. The Argent Aviso's deck burst into activity after that as its sails billowed out as the ship began to sail off, with Lyn's ironclad and the other lavender-sailed ships in his fleet that were still sailworthy doing likewise.

Nida briefly caught a glimpse of Lyn making his way to the stern of his ironclad before the Argent Aviso sailed in the way and cut him off from view.

"Get up, you."

Nida briefly turned up and saw the Company Pokémon on their ship going around the deck and grabbing Pokémon, with a Kangaskhan stopping and glaring down at her. The Kangaskhan reached out and dragged her along, the Nidorina trying to catch one final glimpse of Lyn's ironclad sailing off as the Kangaskhan pulled her below deck and into darkness.

---

Author's Notes:

- kusotare 糞垂れ) - Japanese: (vulgar) "asshole", lit. "dingleberry" (Hepburn Romanization)
- Shimatta! (しまった!) - Japanese: Interjection translated depending on context as "shoot", "darn", "damn it", etc. (Hepburn Romanization)
- Piraten - German: "pirates"

 

[Ambyssin]

All right. Neat. So the pirates have, in fact, been swept aside in short(ish) order. I'm glad... but given that, following multiple chapters of large battles, it still took a chaotic, practically half-chapter scuffle for it to happen, I'm not sure it had the impact you were hoping for. In a vacuum, Lyn brutally running a pirate captain through and killing them should be this big shocking moment. It didn't come off that way to me, though, because A) I have no attachment to the pirate lords and so this primarina has little significance to me in this fic's ensemble cast, and B) the chapter doesn't take the time to dwell on it whatsoever. Did Pleo witness it? What would his thoughts about that be? Has he been exposed to death at this point? Because, as aggressive as Lyn has been and even with his frustrations growing by the episode, that kind of felt like a line he'd never cross. That it was what separated groups like Team Sentinel from him. At least, I don't think we've seen an on-screen kill like that, and a brutal one at that. But it's been so long now I may not have remembered.

The other part of its lack of impact comes down to what was mentioned in the trivia. Hearing the whole pirate thing became a "throw it in!" moment to expand the episode was, uh, not the greatest thing for me to read personally. It would be hypocritical of me to say you can't do an arc villain late into a fic. So, instead, I'm going to focus on this bit...

but our planning for that episode was already getting kinda crowded

And encourage you to tread carefully here. Because reading this raised all sorts of alarm flags given how long the previous episode was when it didn't move the plot along very much. Here I do feel like I can offer a cautionary tale to not bloat up the later parts of your fic. Especially with combat.

While I'm happy it looks like we're finally getting our Nagrobek episode, I'm also eyeing the prospect of a prison break scenario with caution. It looks as though Hess is getting sent there, so I have to imagine he's going to get roped into the prison break scenario somehow. Plus he still hasn't used that Aggronite yet. He's definitely not going away; this would've been the chapter to bow him out. So, between Team Traveler and the pirates who have gotten hauled off, people currently in the prison, Elty, Kine & co., and now potentially the Empire dipping its toe back in... we're definitely looking at a prison break that will become another chaotic battle or series of chaotic battles with a lot of head hopping and a lot of mooks running around. Which is something you've already started this episode with in spite of these cropping up in episodes 15-17, too.

I hope I'm wrong, but this episode scenario is perfect for that kind of chaos. Including as a thematic mirror to the mostly unsuccessful prison break from a previous special episode. Hence, consider how you can make your fights more concise. If this episode is "kinda crowded" with plot details, look for ways to streamline things. Not every character needs a speaking part in the scenes they're in. Especially with the cast this big. And, of course, do not add on new plot elements. Not at this point. Stick with what you have.

Don't repeat my past mistakes or you'll end up exhausting readers.