FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

"I think my brother's beak is stuck open," Lighris remarked as the group finished gawking at the sight of the city before them.

Who could blame them? The city of Hadleigh was a sight to behold, built upon the single high hill of the Plains region, surrounded on all sides by open grasslands and flanked to the north by a wide river. Before them sat a strong bridge of solid granite, arching across the river to transform into a cobblestone road -not a dirt path like the one they had been walking upon for days on end. Better still, the snow had been shovelled off of the stone and the way into the city was laid bare. Upon entering the city, they had entered what Neilla called the Worker's District, built along the riverbank.

On one half sat various warehouses and fisheries, most of them focused on their side of the river, but after crossing a marble bridge -decorated with statues of what they guessed were famous Pokémon though not recognizing them, they saw the neatly-arranged homes and the city gate resting ahead -a gate that looked to be from times long passed yet was still well-maintained.

But across the bridges, within the city limits, the splendour of Hadleigh only grew. Everywhere they looked was food for their eyes; statues, murals, performers playing music of all varieties and dancing with styles the likes of which they had never seen before. Two wide streets stretched seemingly from one end of the city to the other, ascending the hill in a gentle incline,

The houses that lined either side of the two massive streets that ascended the hill seemed to be works of art of themselves - whether stone or wood, no two looked exactly alike, and seemed to be built with a unique style whether to compliment the owner or were the taste of the builders at the time, they could not say. Each house's yard also had a stone fence to mark their property lines - flat, marble fences with mosaics painted upon them at first mistaken for graffiti, but on closer inspection they found that every wall painting was also a work of art itself.

To get to the streets, they passed through a courtyard filled with statues of more famous Pokémon - Volcan halted in his tracks when he saw a particularly statue among the yard, and pointed out one with the exact likeness of Torolf among them, with gold-plated letters imbedded in the pedestal 'Champion of the Waves'. No one could remember the big Swampert ever being referred to by that title before then and wondered if perhaps the sculptor had embellished when he had decided to title the piece. Clearly though, the captain of Team Warmachine had left an impression.

"Okay...I'm no sculptor or anything, but holy SHIT that looks amazing!" The three headed mole exclaimed. "So that's Torolf. eh?"

"The one and only," Hank replied. "Jeez, this guy gets his own island, hired crews to look after his place while he's gone and gets a statue of himself??" The Zoroark listed off. "Is there anything this guy _doesn't_have??"

"Well hey, when you're famous," Volcan remarked, chuckling. "I wonder if Romulus is among these statues?" He looked around for any sign of the Houndoom among the marble, but there were none to be seen.

"If you mean Romulus of Team Phobia, there isn't one," Neilla assured. "Apparently most sculptors are too afraid of him to even try to catch his likeness."

"And that's the price of fear, I suppose," Volcan muttered.

"Now, we'll need a place for you all to stay. There's an inn up this way," she pointed to the road on the right, "in the Sculptor's District. It's frequently visited by miners from the quarry but this time of year the rooms should be mostly vacant. Should be enough room for all of you."

"Probably a dumb question, but do they have any accommodations for Pokémon like me?" Doug piped up. "Or am I gonna have to make a bed underground again?" He asked in half jest.

"Take a look around you, digger," Neilla gestured to the street, particularly towards a gap in the cobblestone filled with sand and clay and wide enough for even an Excadrill to fit through. "We call these the Digger Paths - made specifically for the Diglett and Dugtrio that work in the quarry. This place is designed to accommodate _all_Pokémon, and the hospitality is no exception."

"...Can I stay here?" Doug asked absently. "Like... forever?"

Luke chuckled softly at the Dugtrio's question. "Maybe when you reach your retirement, perhaps." He answered.

"Can't blame him for being enamoured; this place is amazing," Volcan stated.

"I told you. There's no other place like Hadleigh in _all_the world," Neilla returned, once again with that tone of pride she had when she had first made that claim.

"With so many different styles of art in one place you think they would clash with each other, yet... somehow it manages to work," the Blaziken added.

"Hey, if it works, don't question it." Hank remarked. "Just take it all in and enjoy the view."

Sarth interrupted the conversation with a sharp, dry sneeze. "Can we be going?" He asked, folding his arms over his chest and rubbing his sides to try and warm himself. "Cold's starting to get to me again."

"Right. Follow me," Neilla told the group.

They fell in behind her, along with Azrael and Breenelle who walked at her sides as she led the way up the street. Eagle Eye travelled perched on Hank's shoulder, but Lighris -who was too big for anyone to do the same for him- had to walk along in his own way. It was awkward for him as his legs weren't built for walking, resulting in an almost comical wobble as he moved, but he managed to keep pace with the rest -albeit with some difficulty.

Doug found the Digger Paths were very easy to move through even with the cold air -the sand was matted down from the wetness of the snow, but remained loose enough for him to dig through despite. He felt heat rising up from beneath the path, and wondered if the city had some system for keeping the sand and clay from freezing in the cold below ground...

Soon, they reached the inn Neilla had described. A two story structure built mostly of wood but reinforced with stone at the corners and along the base, with a roof tiled with dark wood. The yard they entered was filled with snow, but as with the rest of the streets, the snow had been cleared for a flagstone sidewalk. A sign above the door read 'The Folding Easel', befitting the town's artistic theme.

As they passed through the double doors, they found a spacious interior awaited them within. Tables and chairs within the tavern were cleaned and polished to look almost brand new, and unlike other establishments they had been to, the chairs were padded with cushions for additional comfort. A large, roaring fireplace, burning brightly off to their left, filled the building with heat and had three large sofas arranged before it within its glow, where visitors could sit in the light and heat away from the slight gloom of the tables.

The bar counter was built of sturdy oak, stained and varnished to a shine that the group could almost swear they saw their reflections in as Neilla led them up to the counter to speak with the innkeeper.

"I think I like this place," Volcan remarked, looking around.

"Double fer me." Hank commented, nodding in approval as he looked around the interior of the building, especially the bar. "I think I might take Gexie here for my next anniversary with him. Arceus knows he deserves a vacation after all the hours he puts in at the hospital."

Volcan cast a wry look at Luke, suggesting he was thinking the same as Hank. The Lucario caught Volcan's glance with one of his own, smirking back at him and winking to let him know the idea was mutual.

Hageshi, still as stone faced as ever, took a quick glance around the building before he would step away from the group, heading toward a set of stairs he believed to be where the rooms were located without saying a word to the others.

But the innkeeper saw him as he approached. "Hey! Paying customers only up there, blue. You stay down here until you get booked in!"

The innkeeper was a Conkeldurr, clearly getting up in years but still fit-looking with powerful looking arms that the group imagined had tossed more than one unruly patron out the door...

The Greninja slowly looked over to the Conkeldurr's direction, casting an extremely cold and dangerous look at him that could send chills down a Beartic's spine. He stayed like that for a long moment before he suddenly flung something out of his cloak and right into the Conkeldurr's chest; a small sack of Pok's to be exact.

"...Keep the change..." Was all the Greninja muttered before turning away and continuing his way upstairs.

Neilla watched the Greninja incredulously, an eyebrow raised until he walked out of sight. She then turned to Luke, a wary expression about her. "Is he going to be a problem? We've got more than enough as it is."

The Lucario rubbed his forehead a bit and shook his head. "Damnit Kage...your little mission better have been REAL important to make us drag your son along instead." He thought to himself, then sighed as he lifted his head and looked back to Neilla. "I'll talk to him when we get all settled in." He offered the Lopunny.

"We should've taken Katsu instead," Volcan muttered, shaking his head.

"Yea no kidding. At least _he'd_be more welcoming to strangers." Eagle Eye added as well.

"Meh. Hindsight is 20/20 I guess." Hank said with a shrug. "He ends up causing trouble, we'll just ship him back in a body cast."

"I can arrange that," offered Lighris.

"_Don't_even think about it, Lighris," Volcan warned.

A moment later, Neilla walked back over to the others. "Alright, I've got your rooms at a discount, but even then, I hope you brought some Poks with you."

"How much are we talking?" Volcan asked.

"At least fifteen per night -ten less than the usual rate," replied Neilla.

"That's not too bad." Luke commented as he reached into his satchel and pulled out a bag of Poks himself, opening it up and counting its contents. "...We'll probably have to split our costs, but it should be manageable."

"Hopefully we can request compensation from the guilds once this mission is up," Volcan added. "Although now that the mission has changed, we still need to let them know."

"I can get that done!" Eagle Eye squawked, flapping his wings frantically. "I can get to the guild in a blink of an eye!"

"Until we're certain you won't get shot out of the sky, our first priority is to clear those roads," Volcan stated firmly. "We still only know a little about what's out there right now."

"Team Storm went out east to try to find whoever's blocking the road the Lindenburg," Neilla offered. "If they pull through, we might at least be able to open up one of the roads, and then we can send word to the guild hall there."

"Even so, we can't forget the other towns," Azrael chimed in. "Disappearances in two fishing villages is _not_something we can overlook."

"Well if Volcan's right about his theory, we might have to consider evacuating the towns for the time being as well." Luke added in. "Against the forces we're up against, we can't afford to risk anymore innocent Pokémon getting caught up in this disaster."

Lighris looked over at Volcan. "Wait, you think you know who's behind this?"

Volcan let out a sigh, casting a glance Luke's way before answering. "We talked about it with Neilla back at the inn. I didn't want to bring it up with the rest of you until I was certain, but after giving it some thought I can't imagine it being anyone else."

He let out a huff, but continued. "It was Hageshi who first suggested it, but I think he was on the right track. To make an entire village disappear without a trace or signs they ever left, yet leave the whole town intact. It goes outside their usual M.O, but the rest of it fits. Especially since it'd take a _very_powerful psychic to control and carry that many people all at once."

At that mention, Hank and Eagle Eye's faces visibly paled and turned back to look at Volcan in utter horror. "...Oooh no." Hank said in a shaky tone. "Oh you BETTER not be talking about who I think yer talkin about."

"I fuckin' wish I wasn't," the Blaziken returned bluntly.

"Dude come on!" Eagle Eye squawked. "We barely escaped from him the first time!! Now yer saying he's here too??"

"....Uh am I missing something?" Doug asked, swaying his heads from side to side in confusion.

Volcan looked at Hank, appalled "You guys didn't tell him about what happened to Luke and I?" He asked.

"It uh... slipped my mind?" He replied with a helpless shrug and a weak smile.

"Oi..." Luke groaned, slapping his forehead in disbelief, before turning to Doug. "Long story short, when we raided that fortress in the West Islands, we encountered a powerful adversary who was under Calhoun's control. The Legendary Psychic-type, Mewtwo.

Like with Hank and Eagle Eye, Doug's faces went from brown to a pale beige colour as the fear quickly set in. "...Oooohh dig me up and put me in a river...." He moaned shakily.

"Wait, hold it!" Neilla exclaimed, forming a 'T' with her paws. "Mewtwo? Did I hear that right - _Mewtwo?!_That's who we're up against?"

"How did you guys end up in a scuffle with _that_guy?" Azrael demanded.

Volcan glanced at Luke. "I guess it's time to give them the full story," he said.

Luke nodded back softly to Volcan. "It was bound to happen sooner or later." He replied back.

"Alright. First round's on me then," Volcan stated. "Go get comfortable, and we'll fill you in."

Neilla, Sarth and Breenelle's jaws must have fallen agape three times throughout the course of the detailed recollection Volcan and Luke shared with them, starting their story with Volcan's arrival in Azure, followed by the Gyarados that had come looking for him unaware that the Blaziken had suffered memory loss. They mentioned Team Warmachine's tournament, but their real focus was on the island they had seen destroyed following the conclusion of the competition, and how it had sent Volcan into shock.

Following this, they detailed their journey to Arc Island in the West Islands region, finding it had been completely destroyed. There they had met Serena, Volcan's teammate, who told them of survivors. They gathered allies -Team Kama from Bluegrove, Warmachine and Phobia as well as the famous Red Talons -the mention of them had Eagle Eye cutting in to mention he used to be part of them. A scowl from Luke at the interruption sent the Talonflame back to the bar to his meal.

"And so we laid siege to the fortress, where the hostages were being kept," Volcan went on. "We got the hostages free, out into the yard. We had bested every last one of the sentries and it seemed like we were going to make our escape... and then _he_appeared. A dark Blaziken who we later learned is named Calhoun. A Shadow Pokémon."

He let Luke carry on the story from there.

The Lucario shivered at the mere mention of Calhoun. "He was... unlike anything we've ever faced before. He was agile, strong, incredibly perceptive...but the scariest thing about him is that he's not like most Shadow Pokémon." He paused for a moment before continuing. "I don't know how he's done it, but somehow he's not only taken in the Shadow Energy into his body, but he's bent it to his will. Instead of him going rabid, he actively _controls_its power." He explained.

He then went on to explain further about the ordeal, how Calhoun had called upon a corrupted Mewtwo to finish them, and how they struggled vainly to fend him off while they escape, which led to him and Volcan eventually getting caught in Mewtwo's grasp and left them completely at his mercy.

"...After that, everything just went white, then faded to black. Next thing I knew, Volcan and I had woken up in the desert regions of the West Continent."

The mention of Mewtwo brought the first reaction out of Azrael, who had maintained his stoic demeanor throughout the exchange. Only at the mention of the Legendary Pokémon did his expression finally shift, eyes widening in horror. An uncomfortable silence filled the inn for what seemed like ages, the only sounds being the crackling of the fire.

"To think all that was happening, only a week's worth of sailing from here," Neilla finally spoke. "Yet we never even heard rumours of it. Now that same evil that hit the islands has come here."

"We still don't know for sure... but that seems to be the case," Volcan returned, sighing.

"The last time we faced off with Calhoun and Mewtwo, we all barely escaped with our lives." Luke added with a somewhat grim tone. "If we're not careful this time around... there's a good chance we might not make it out of this." He then lifted his gaze as it grew more stern. "That said, there was one thing I managed to take note of before Volcan and I were teleported away."

"What?" Neilla asked.

"That Calhoun's control of Mewtwo isn't perfect." Luke answered. "If Mewtwo were commanded to kill us, he would have done so instantly. However, right before we were about to be crushed in Mewtwo's grasp, I noticed that he seemed to flinch and his eyes were wide with horror... as if he came to his senses and realized what he was doing."

"And that is when we wound up in the West," Volcan added. "Mewtwo faked our deaths and sent us there."

"So you think Mewtwo could break free?" Breenelle asked, her red eyes glinting with intrigue.

At that, Luke shook his head. "Not on his own." He answered. "He only broke out of Calhoun's control for a moment; I don't think he'll be able to completely break free without help." He then rubbed his chin in thought. "The question is, _how_do we break Calhoun's influence?"

No one offered a suggestion. No one knew _what_to suggest -none of them knew enough about the Shadow corruption to offer anything. It was one of the world's great mysteries, where that evil had come from, and to this day all that was known about it was that it drove Pokémon afflicted with it to become feral and mindless - which only led to more questions about Calhoun and he he retained his sentient mind -frazzled as it was.

At that moment, the clock chimed. Neilla jumped, looking up at it and letting out a breath. "Wow it's that late already?" she asked. It was six o'clock in the evening - they had been talking for hours.

"I guess time really flies when you're distracted in something." Luke stated with a shrug. "And I suddenly realized we haven't eaten."

"Shoulda grabbed some grub before ya started talkin!" Hank commented from the bar before he started gulping down a pint of ale.

"...Dude yer gonna get a hangover again." Eagle Eye commented.

"Eh, 5 o'clock was one hour ago." The Zoroark returned absently.

"I'm... not really all that hungry," said Volcan gloomily.

Luke glanced to Volcan with some mild surprise at his claim, at first wondering why he would say that, but then remembering about their talk just now. He didn't blame him for sounding grim. He felt the same way, though he dared not show it, lest their morale declined to the point of utter hopelessness.

"Well, this gloom is getting depressing," Breenelle commented.

Neilla cast a glance her way, then looked to Volcan and Luke again. Then, she smirked, casting another glance at the clock before she regarded them, wearing a confident smile. "I know just the thing to chase that away," she said, rising from her seat. "Come on. It's time for you to see Hadleigh's top attraction."

The entirety of Team Valiant glanced to Neilla curiously, with Doug piping up first. "What, that statue of Torolf wasn't?" He asked incredulously.

Neilla threw back her head and laughed, as if mocking the Dugtrio for his question. "Torolf himself comes here to see what I am going to show you," she said with confidence. "Now, follow me, if you would."

"I'll come too," Breenelle offered, hopping down from the sofa as she seemed to catch on to what Neilla had in mind. "I never miss a chance to see her show."

Azrael nodded to her. "I will see you at home then, Bree."

"You too, hun," she returned, falling in beside Neilla as the Lopunny approached the door.

"If it's all the same to you guys," Sarth added, "I'm going to just head home too. I'm beat and I really don't want to go outside longer than I have to, not even for her ladyship's show."

"That's alright Sarth. We'll see you in the morning," Neilla replied as she led the others - Doug, Eagle Eye and Hank, to the door and out to the street, eyeing the yet unmoving Volcan and Luke expectantly.

Luke had to gently coax Volcan into coming along, both of them rising from the couch to join the others with some visible reluctance on the Blaziken's face. The recounting of their near death at the hands of Mewtwo and losing their way in the West was still a difficult experience for him to look back on and had soured his mood.

"Alright, follow me," said Neilla, opening the door and stepping out into the street, holding it for the others as they joined her outside. Once everyone was through, she turned their course southwards, heading deeper into the city.

The sun had long since set, bringing the night's chill over the city streets. The darkness was chased away by gas lamps lining both sides of the cobblestone road - the group saw a Simisear going to each lamp and lighting them with a snap of his fingers before moving onto the next. He waved to the group as they passed, and went back to his task. The group followed Neilla into the Music District, according to an ornate sign they passed under enroute.

"...Sooo what exactly is this main attraction we're going to see?" Hank asked Neilla as they wandered through the streets of the Music District. "A band playing at the local gazebo?"

"Something like that," replied Neilla evasively. "Take a listen; you can hear her even now."

The group listened. Sure as the stars blinking above, they could hear a voice carried on the light breeze that blew through the town. Luke and Hank heard it clearly immediately, having the keenest hearing among them, but soon it reached Volcan, Eagle Eye and Doug as well. The further they walked, the clearer it became, and as the first words became clear to their ears, they felt the tension seemingly melt from their bodies.

"_Welcome the night~,"_it sang.

The voice seemed to prompt them to walk faster, as it seemed the show was starting without them. Eagle Eye even taking to the air to beeline it toward the source of the singing, which made the others almost break into a sprint just to keep up with the speedy Talonflame.

"Dude, I dunno what's happening right now, but that music's making me feel like I'm on cloud nine." Hank commented as they sprinted.

'Come now... beautiful night.'

'Welcome sweet moon~light.'

They entered a plaza, and found a crowd gathered there, forming a wide semicircle around a stage in the middle of the square. The front of the stage was open, while curtains hung around the rest to stave off the wind from the performers resting on it. The first one that caught their eyes was a strange Pokémon the likes of which they had never seen before. It seemed to possess a humanoid upper body with skin as white as the snows, except that it also appeared to possess the traits of a sea lion though not in the way a Samurott did, with a pointed face ending in a pink nose, and the 'arms' that ended in three-digit fins instead of hands or flippers.

Below the waist, however, the Pokémon became entirely marine, a long tail curled up the stage, her arms supporting her as she continued her song, entrancing the crowd with the perfect pitch of her voice and the gentle melody that accompanied it -compliment of two blue seal-like Pokémon on either side of her. One, the smallest played a drum, patting the top of it with their flippers, while other -larger and lighter in colour than the first, held a flute to their lips and blew a gentle melody to compliment the singer's voice.

Luke was utterly floored by this strange Pokémon's melodic voice, and the two others accompanying her only seemed to add to the effect with the music of their instruments. He could only stare in awe as he felt all of his problems and his worries just... melt away. He started to sway from side to side in rhythm with her voice, even bumping into Volcan a bit as he rocked back and forth.

"....She's..." Eagle Eye began to speak as he continued to stare at the singer from his perch, his cheeks a bright red colour as he swayed back and forth himself. "...She's beautiful."

"What_is_she?" Volcan asked. "I've never seen anyone like her before."

"That is Lady Cinnia. She's a Primarina," Breenelle answered. "Native of the great south islands. Her whole species is blessed with a natural singing ability and voices gifted with incredible power. She has lived in Hadleigh for twenty years and since then she's become a region-wide phenomena - you'd have to travel a thousand miles to meet anyone who doesn't know her name."

"Well_we_sure didn't until now." Doug replied, all three of his heads still swaying on the spot as he listened to the Primarina sing. "Hot DAMN she's amazing! Does she often go touring, cause she REALLY needs to stop by Azure sometime!"

"Does she look like she's built for travelling?" Breenelle snarked, motioning to the beautiful singer with her paw.

"Well....no, but..." Doug tried to retort, but couldn't come up with anything, so he shut his trap and just continued to listen to the song.

"Bree's sassy bluntness kind of reminds me of Lashanne," Volcan whispered to Luke.

"Yea, no kidding." Luke whispered back, still swaying back and forth idly as the singer went into her full song, the large crowd gathered around her stage listening in stunned silence as the angelic voice enraptured them all.

'As the light fades, we welcome the night.

Bidding the sun, a warm farewell.

Welcome the moon, as she climbs to the sky.

Welcome the stars as they join her light~

"Watch over us, as we rest ourselves now.

Await the dawn light, and all shall be well.

'Light of the moon... light of the night.

Benevolent watcher of dreams~.

May your light never fade away

Under your eye we await the day.'

'Light of the moon... light of the night.

Benevolent watcher of dreams~.

May your light never fade away

Under your eye we await the day.'

'Light of the moon

Watch over our dreams

Let our hearts soar to the sky

And when the dawn comes

We all shall awake

And wait for your love to grace us once more.'

'Grace us once more...'

The song's conclusion brought a roar of applause from the crowd, cheering the singers performance and calling out her name -'Lady Cinnia'- as she rose up upon her tail as easily as any bipedal would stand upon their legs, and bowed deeply to the crowd, the two smaller Pokémon following her example.

A bouquet of flowers flew from the webbed hand of a Golduck in the crowd. She caught it, and flashed a heartfelt smile at the Golduck. That smile could have melted a block of ice, and it sent the Golduck reeling in a dead faint, collapsing into the arms of an Ampharos behind him wearing a drunk smile on his face.

Doug watched the Golduck faint into the Ampharos' arms silently, quite stunned to see that even a smile from this singer could make anyone melt over her. "Well, that's one way to win a crowd over." He commented with a bit of a chuckle.

"That was fuckin TIGHT!" Hank exclaimed, whistling and raising his claws in the air. "ENCORE LADY! GIVE US ANOTHER!!!" He shouted at the top of his lungs, until Volcan elbowed him in the ribs to silence him.

"....I think I'm in love," Eagle Eye said softly as he was practically swooning at this point.

Volcan cast a glance at Eagle Eye, then at Luke. "I think we lost our air support," he joked.

Luke laughed slightly at Volcan's joke. "Looks like it." He answered back, then gently took Volcan's hand in his paw. "...But at least I still have my wingman.~"

Volcan chuckled. "You do at that," he said, bringing joy to Luke as he saw his lover had been as uplifted by the singer's performance as he was.

The crowd began to break after a moment, leaving the singer and the two young ones alone on the stage as the curtains closed, marking the end of the show for now. When everyone was gone, Neilla approached the tent, clearing her throat before speaking.

"Lady Cinnia?" She asked.

The curtains were pulled open, and the singer emerged, casting that magical smile upon the Lopunny. "Hello, Neilla," she said in a voice as melodic as her singing. "I am glad you could attend my show tonight. And you brought friends, I see." She regarded the group. "Welcome to Hadleigh." It seemed she recognized them as visitors to the city and not locals.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Lady Cinnia." Luke answered back with a cordial nod. "I have to say... I've never experienced quite a show like that. Your voice was phenomenal."

"Amen to that. Felt like I was in heaven just listening to you sing." Hank added with a smirk. "Bet you get _lots_of fan mail with a voice like that." This time it was Luke that would elbow him in the ribs, causing the Zoroark to grunt and shoot him an odd look. "What?" He asked helplessly.

Cinnia giggled lightly. "I had to change my address to make it stop," she said sarcastically, earning blank stares from the group as they regarded her. "...That was a joke," she clarified with another giggle, one Neilla shared in amusement.

"...Rrrright. I knew that." Doug returned.

Luke cleared his throat before he continued. "Anyway... My name is Luke. I'm Captain of Rescue Team Valiant of Port Azure." He introduced himself. "My team and I are here in response to this town's recent plight."

Cinnia looked at Neilla, who nodded in confirmation, and she looked at the visitors again. "I believe I speak on behalf of Hadleigh when I say we are grateful for your aid," she said. "I enlisted the help of Team Plainsrunner when I learned of the attacks on the roads, as we could not make contact with the guilds."

Volcan tilted his head. "Wait, you enlisted them?" He asked.

"As it happens, Lady Cinnia is the concerned citizen I mentioned before," Neilla answered for the Primarina. "She's the one who asked us to find out what was happening out there.

"But if you couldn't reach the guilds then that means-" Volcan trailed off.

"Yes," Cinnia finished. "This is not an official, guild sanctioned mission - at least theirs is not; I cannot say the same for what brought you here. But I couldn't simply stand by and wait, and so I took it upon myself and hired Team Plainsrunner."

Volcan eyed Luke curiously. "Can she do that?" He asked in a whisper.

Luke shrugged helplessly "Honestly I'm not sure. This kind of thing hasn't happened before." he replied. "Best to keep this under wraps for now, just in case."

"It is my hope that you can help us solve this problem," Cinnia went on. "I know I am not a guild representative, but I do have a history with them and it is my hope they will not mind my acting in their stead. As such I am prepared to fund your part in this as well. Think of me as... a client."

The Lucario nodded in understanding. "Well we'll do our very best to bring this crisis under control." He assured the Primarina. "We may have some idea on what the cause is and we're working on a plan to take care of it as soon as possible."

Cinnia nodded, flashing that smile again. Luke felt his knees wobble as he found that heart-melting smile on him, and feared for an instant he might collapse as the Golduck had. "You have my gratitude, Captain Luke. Where are you and your team staying?" She asked.

"At the Folding Easel." Luke answered back, keeping his composure so as not to falter from that heart warming smile of the Primarina's. "One of my teammates is resting there as we speak."

"Tell the innkeeper to forward your bill to me," she requested. "I will see to it your accommodations are covered. I'll pen a letter to him just so he has confirmation."

"Wait, seriously?" Hank asked, aghast.

"L-Lady Cinnia, we couldn't ask that of you." Luke returned, raising his paws a bit and smiling nervously.

She laughed lightly. "Worry not," she said dismissively. "Think of this as how I repay you for taking this mission for me, even if I am not a representative of the guilds. Besides, we do not know how long you will be staying for this mission - it could stretch beyond your own funds, and until contact with the guilds is regained, you are still acting of your own volition. The least I can do is ensure you have a place to sleep."

"I..." Luke stammered a bit, completely blown away by her level of altruism. It was so similar to his that it was if he were talking to a female version of himself. Slowly he lowered his head respectfully to her and spoke once more. "Thank you; we're very grateful for your generosity."

"It is I, and in time my city, who shall be grateful," she returned, bowing her head. She then looked as a Tauros trotted into the plaza, pulling behind him a simple wagon, bringing it up the street and prompting Neilla to back away to clear a path. "This is my ride. I must bid you all goodnight," she said as the wagon was brought before the stage. "If you need me, Neilla knows where I live," she said as she dragged herself into the wagon, falling upon a soft white cushion. "Come along, children," she called back into the tent.

"Moby fell asleep!" A young girl's voice called from inside.

"Oh dear..." Cinnia said with a sigh, and looked at the group. "Would anyone mind...?" She asked sheepishly, gesturing to the tent.

Sensing the opportunity, to make a good impression, Eagle Eye piped up excitedly. "I got him!" He chirped, taking flight and gliding into the tent, beating his wings into a hover as he descended towards the prone form of the tiny blue sea lion. The Talonflame took the sleeping child gingerly in his talons, then flew back over to Lady Cinnia's cart and gently set them down on the cushions of the cart. His sister followed suit, dropping into the cart of her own volition and laying next to her brother.

Eagle Eye landed on the edge of the cart and gave Cinnia a winged salute. "There ya go!"

"Thank you," returned Cinnia, flashing him that same smile that she had given the Golduck. The Talonflame started to swoon and wobble while in the cart, letting out long sigh before he fell on his side in the cart, lovestruck.

"Aaaaand there he goes." Hank said with a chuckle, looking over to Lady Cinnia. "I think you just cost us our air support, lady." He joked.

"I already beat you to that one, Hank," Volcan remarked, walking over to the cart and lifting the lovesick bird out of the wagon. "Have a good night, Lady Cinnia."

"You as well, good sir," she replied, nodding to the Blaziken as he stepped out of the way. When her second child was in the cart, she bade the Tauros to depart, and he broke into a gentle trot, leaving the scene with the lady and her children in tow.

With that, the group turned to leave the square, though not before Volcan stopped to wake the Talonflame. "Hey, JACK, wake up!" he said sharply, laughing as Eagle Eye jolted awake at the sound of his real name. "Good morning," he said jokingly.

The Talonflame glared at Volcan when he was fully awake. "Did you just say what I think you said, buddy?" He squawked in an irritated tone, flapping his wings and getting out of Volcan's arms.

"Got you moving though, didn't it lovebird?" He asked teasing him, and ducked as the Talonflame swiped at him with a wing.

"Alright you two, that's enough." Luke stated, rolling his eyes and chuckling a bit from the exchange. "Let's head back to the inn for the night. We've got a long day ahead of us tomorrow." He suggested.

"Agreed," replied Volcan. "We should use tonight to formulate a plan. Neilla, did you get any intel on the attacks at the other locations -anything that we can use?"

"Aerendyl was gathering all of the information he could while we were out in the field," Neilla answered. "If there's anything to know, he'll be able to tell us when we bring him for the next meething."

"I'll make sure we all get up early," promised Breenelle.

"Want me to act as your alarm clock?" Eagle Eye asked in jest.

"Yea no thanks. I think we'll manage without you screeching the entire place awake." Doug commented in jest.

"My thoughts exactly," agreed Volcan.

"Alright, we'll just head for home then - I'm sure you guys know the way back to the inn," Neilla stated as they reached an intersection. "Bree and I both live over in the Painter's District. If for any reason you need to come find me, my house is by the east wall, number one-twenty-six - look for a vegetable garden in the front yard. That'll be mine."

"Will do. See you in the morning, Neilla." Luke bade the Lopunny as she and Breenelle turned to head down another street, leaving Luke and his team to head back to the Folding Easel to settle in.

As they stepped through the door to the inn they looked towards the sofas in the lounge area to find Lighris laying asleep on one of the couches, the last to remain resting by the fireplace since Sarth and Azrael had already left. Following a light supper the group got the keys to their rooms and headed upstairs. Volcan woke Lighris to send him up to his own bed before joining Luke at the top of the stairs. From there, they found their room.

It was a simple room -not overly large. Probably no bigger than their own room back home, with a double bed and dresser in the corner, and a mount of hooks on the wall by the door, over which Volcan hung his shoulder harness and Luke his scarf. The Blaziken then found a fresh candle on the nightstand by the bed, lighting it with a puff of fire from his beak, before he moved over to the window, leaning an arm against the wall as he peered through it to the darkened city beyond.

"Well," he began, getting Volcan's attention. "For our first day here in Hadleigh, things weren't so bad." He stated, trying to keep their spirits high and staying as optimistic as possible.

"Nope. Not so bad at all," agreed Volcan, seeming to be in better spirits himself as he looked out the window again. "The City of Art... never thought I'd see a place like it."

"That makes two of us." Luke agreed as he moved to join Volcan at the window, leaning on the sill as his tail swayed behind him. "I'm glad we came here to defend it; such a place deserves to go on."

"And to boot, we've made some new friends here," the Blaziken added. "Neilla and her team seem like a good bunch."

"And Lady Cinnia as well," Luke agreed, letting out a breath. "That voice of hers was magnificent."

"It was at that," agreed Volcan. "Just hearing that song chased all the gloom right out of me - remind me to thank Neilla for taking us to see her."

"I'll make sure to next chance I get." Luke returned, smiling as he turned to fully face Volcan. "So... think we should have our honeymoon here when the day finally arrives?" He asked with a deep blush.

Volcan turned and smiled at him. "Now that sounds like a good idea," he said, moving to stand beside Luke and putting his arm around him. "Something else to look forward to, when we finally make our union official."

The Lucario slid his arms around Volcan, nuzzling into his warm feathers. "Honestly I can't wait," he admitted softly. "I just want this entire problem to go away so we can live our lives the way we want to... but then again, I guess we all have to deal with certain inconveniences in life."

"We'll get through it, Luke," Volcan said with confidence, pulling back gently from his betrothed to look into his red eyes, seeing the longing in them and raising his hand to caress Luke's cheek. "Nothing is going to stop this from happening. And when it does, the moment will only be made sweeter by how hard we fight for it."

Luke looked back deeply into Volcan's eyes, once more a smiling forming along his lips the longer he gazed at him. "Yea," he agreed softly. "Nothing will stop us from standing on that altar together. No matter what it takes, we'll bring these crooks to justice."

This time, Volcan held Luke with both of his arms, holding him tightly and nuzzling the top of his head with his beak as they stood together in that long, tender moment. "I love you," he said softly.

"I love you too, Volcan." Luke whispered back to him, lightly pecking his chest a few times before looking up to him with a sultry grin. "...Think we still have time to indulge each other before we tuck in for the night?"

Volcan chuckled. "You know I'd never pass up an opportunity to 'indulge'," he said, returning Luke's suggestive look.

The Lucario only grinned wider, his paws slowly travelling down Volcan's back down to his backside. "What are you waiting for then, my love?" He asked in a whisper. "You have me right where you want me."

At that, Volcan reached up to close the curtains of the window. "Not yet I don't," he replied before suddenly picking up the Lucario, darting across to the dresser and placing him upon it, pinned against the wall. The added height of the dresser brought Luke to eye level with the Blaziken, still wearing that grin. "_Now_I do," he said huskily.

Luke stared silently back at Volcan, his cheeks flushed bright red to match the colour of his own eyes as he quickly became quite excited for what was to come next. Without another thought, the Lucario suddenly snapped his head forward and locked his lips around Volcan's beaklips, kissing him passionately right from the start.

Certainly needing no further encouragement, Volcan pressed into the kiss, wrapping his arms around Luke to hold him tightly, one hand on the back of Luke's head, the other almost all the way around his midriff to pull their bodies together so tightly their could have become merged into one. The moment grew so heated that Volcan lost his balance and both of them, still clutching each other like they were the other's last hope, fell to the floor, the carpeting breaking their fall - and dulling the noise such a drop would surely make.

~~~~~

The following morning, the group awoke early to meet with Team Plainsrunner, who arrived at the inn at the first signs of the approaching dawn - though it was hard to see more than a weak glow through the eastern horizon as the sky was clouded over, with a light snowfall descending on the city.

As they gathered in the lounge area, Luke noticed a new face among Neilla's team. An Espeon, a sleek-bodied Psychic Pokémon and yet another of the evolved forms of an Eevee, had accompanied them today, and stood with Breenelle and Azrael, carrying a notebook with his telekinetic powers as he reviewed its contents. Luke, remembering the name 'Aerendyl' mentioned by Neilla the night before, assumed this was him.

The Lucario then cleared his throat once everyone was present. "Alright. This everyone?" He asked Neilla.

"Almost," replied Neilla, her expression sour. "Given how much ground we need to cover, I had a debate with Azrael last night about whether or not to involve Team Storm further." She sighed. "But, the consensus was we need all the bodies we can get on this one, so we're waiting on them."

Breenelle groaned in obvious disapproval, but said nothing. Azrael and Aerendyl looked no less displeased than she.

"Having them along brings our number to fifteen anyway," Sarth offered, trying to provide a silver lining. "Five for us, seven for Team Valiant and three for Storm. That-"

"My brother's not part of our team," Volcan cut in. "And though I trust him, he is _not_trained for Rescue Team work. I can't risk taking him along."

"Yea I think we _all_second that notion." Eagle Eye concurred. "If anything, spiky'll just throw everyone into a panic with how wild and unpredictable he gets."

"Psh. Like _you're_one to talk, flyboy." Hank commented.

"Uh, hello kettle, name's pot. We met before?"

"Both of you zip it." Luke firmly commanded the Talonflame and Zoroark. "We can't waste time with internal bickering. We need to formulate a plan to save this region, and the sooner we start, the sooner we can get to work."

Neilla nodded. "Agreed. Now if Storm would just hurry up and get-"

Wham!

The door banged so loudly that many in the group jumped. Azrael and Hageshi, being closest to the door, whipped around in battle-ready stances, but Azrael visibly relaxed - though not without scowling at the new arrival. The figure in question was a Raichu with golden yellow fur, his long, lightning-bolt tipped tail whipping about as he made an exaggerated entrance into the inn.

"Have no fear, Drogo is here!" the Raichu crowed, crossing his short arms in a pose. "This job's as good as done now."

Azrael groaned. "Try not to wake the entire _block_with your gloating, Drogo," he scolded.

"Gloat? Nah. Ain't gloating if it's fact," the Raichu returned with a dismissive wave.

Volcan and Luke turned to Neilla upon hearing a thunk coming from the Lopunny's direction, and the Lopunny repeatedly rapping her head against a support pillar. "Regret... regret... regret..." She grumbled, repeating the word with each fall of her head.

Volcan walked over and gently grasped her shoulder, easing her away from the pillar and back to the table, a sympathetic expression worn on his face.

"Wait hold on, _that's_the same guy you told us about?" Hank commented, leaning over the table to study the newcomer. ".Jeez, and I thought _I_had an ego the size of my-"

Luke slapped a paw over Hank's mouth before he could finish his statement. "Let's not go there," he said in a scolding manner.

Two more Pokémon followed Drogo into the inn, whom those present guessed were Drogo's team. A Floatzel entered first; he seemed rather ordinary at first glance, his only accessory being a belt he wore around his middle which held a waterproof pouch over each hip. The second Pokémon, however, brought everyone's attention - it was a Ninetales, they thought, but instead of the creamy yellow coat and red eyes that most Ninetales had - aside from their much rarer colour variant's, this Ninetales was as white as the snow outside and had eyes of ice blue.

Volcan looked at Luke as if for an answer, utterly floored by this strange Pokémon. Alas, the Lucario was just as confused as Volcan was, only able to answer him with a clueless shrug. Never in his life had he seen anything like this before.

Aerendyl saw their confusion written plain on their faces as he addressed them. "I take it you two are unfamiliar with the ice form Ninetales from the Great South Islands, am I correct?"

"Very," Volcan returned. "Every Ninetales I've ever met was Fire-type."

"The ice form you see is the result of having lived in Arctic climate and upon snowy peaks throughout their evolution," explained Aerendyl. "The great south islands have many such Pokémon - I have an encyclopedia at my library if you are interested."

"We'll have to take a look at it when we next get some down time." Luke answered, genuinely intrigued by the idea of alternative evolution to Pokémon he thought he knew about. "Thank you."

"Of course."

"Is writing another art widely explored here?" Volcan asked with surprising eagerness.

"Of course. It doesn't have a dedicated district to it like the other crafts - much as I feel it should," the Espeon replied with a hint of disappointment. "But it is still prevalent, specially in the Theater."

Volcan began to ask something else when the Floatzel spoke up. "Volcan?" He asked. Volcan hadn't noticed the Floatzel had been staring at him since he had walked in and joined the others at the table, but hearing his name come from the water-type's mouth brought Volcan snapping to attention.

"Is that really you?" The Floatzel asked excitedly, rounding the table to stand before the - very confused - Blaziken. The Floatzel looked closely at him for a moment before he beamed. "Arceus almighty, it_is_you! I can hardly believe it!"

Once more at a loss, Volcan again looked at Luke. Never had the Lucario seen such a blank expression on his face - this Floatzel did not seem familiar to him. Previously when Volcan met someone from his forgotten past, he'd lapse into a memory of that person. This wasn't happening - not like with his mother, Tristan or Caulin.

Luke then glanced over to the Floatzel staring at Volcan expectantly, scratching the back of his head as he spoke. "Erm...Forgive me for asking, but who are you exactly?" He asked the Floatzel, hoping that at least his name would help jog Volcan's memory.

"Huh?" The Floatzel looked at them dumbfounded. "Come on, surely you..." he trailed off, his expression blank to match Volcans before looking down at his paws. He then used his other paw to slap his own forehead, laughing. "Duh! Of course you don't recognize me. I was a Buizel when we last met up!" He said. "It's me, Val! From Team Xiphos! Well, I used to be."

That's when it happened. Volcan entered his memory lapse, eyes glazing over and acquiring a faraway look, before laying a hand against his head, hobbling back slightly but keeping his balance with help from Luke, who upon seeing the signs was there in an instant to hold him up.

Neilla and her team, and of course Val, looked at him in mild surprise. "Is he okay?" Neilla asked, concerned.

"Shit, was it something I said?" Val added worriedly.

"No no, he's fine." Luke assured the two of them. "This is something that's become frequent as of late whenever he tries to recall something or someone he's forgotten." He explained. "You see, when he first landed on Azure's shores, he awoke with a severe case of amnesia and has been trying to recover his memories ever since."

"Oh..." Val said, looking guilty. "I'm sorry... I had no idea."

Luke waved his paw dismissively. "It's alright. Just give him a moment." He assured the Floatzel as Volcan steadied, still lost in his own mind. "Pleasure to meet you, by the way." He added.

"You too," Val nodded back, only barely noticing Luke's offered paw and shaking it with a sheepish smile.

Volcan started to come around at that moment, shaking his head to clear it and looking about the room as though seeing it for the first time. After getting his bearings, he relaxed, turning to Val and smiling at him.

"Sorry about that. It's all coming back now," he said, and held out a hand to Val. "Good to see you again, 'wave rider'."

Val laughed, shaking Volcan's hand eagerly. "Even remembered my title!" He exclaimed.

"I'm glad to see you're alive too."

"Speak for yourself, bro! I've been told first that you ran from the island - never believed it, mind you - then led an attack on that dingy fort where I was being held and then that you were dead! What the heck has been going on, man?"

"It's a _very_long story," replied Volcan, rolling his eyes. "What about you? How'd you end up here and what happened to the rest of your team?"

Val frowned at that. "We... went our separate ways after the prison break," he said.

"I'd like to hear about it. But, we got a mission briefing to get to - we'll meet up later."

"Works for me. Damn good to see you, man."

"Alright then...now, if we're all here." Luke addressed the group once more. "Let's get down to business and start formulating a plan."

"...And here I thought we'd never get started..." Hageshi muttered callously.

"Aerendyl, your logbook and map?" Neilla asked.

The Espeon placed the notebook he had been carrying on the table, and lifted a rolled paper from behind the chair he was standing near, rolling out out across the table to let Neilla look at it. The lopunny smoothed over the map with her paw, and Aerendyl kept a gentle psychic pressure on it to keep it from rolling back up. The unrolled paper revealed a map of the area around Hadleigh, from the forest to the north, over the open plains and to the valley and foothills in the south. The map showed the western coast and the many towns dotting the ocean shore, and ended in the east at another city called Lindenburg; Hadleigh sat almost dead center on the map.

"Alright," the Lopunny began, looking it over. "So, fill me in on what you turned up, Aerendyl."

Aerendyl cleared his throat, and stood up on his hind legs to look over the table as he spoke. "I gathered as much information as I could from the survivors of the road attacks," he explained. "Bear in mind, some of the people were not in the best state of mind or body at the time - there may be some missing information."

"State of mind? What do you mean?" Luke asked.

"Those that survived the attacks returned to Hadleigh in shock or utter panic," he explained. "Some can't recall their attackers, or never saw them at all. But every road you see on this map heading out of Hadleigh is guarded."

"Two... four... there are seven roads total," Volcan observed, reaching across the map to tap a spot. "That's where we fought that Decidueye, less than a kilometer from where the forest breaks and the plains begin."

Aerendyl picked up his notebook, extracting the pen contained in the coils that bounded the paper and hastily writing on it. "A Decidueye you say? That's more for the logs, then," he said. "Did you defeat him?"

"I couldn't say for sure," replied Volcan, shaking his head. "He hit Luke with a Giga Drain and then disappeared. My guess is he's still out there somewhere, recovering from the fight, but he'll be back."

Aerendyl frowned, but finished making notes about the Decidueye. "Well, regardless, each road seems to be guarded by different Pokemon, but there was one consistency among them all. Some reported being attacked by a Skarmory; those who did often left severely injured. They also-"

"Wait wait back up!" Eagle Eye cut in, lifting his wings up and making a slashing motion with them. "Did you just say a Skarmory?? What'd he look like? Any distinguishing features?"

"I am not sure. Nobody could give a clear description of his appearance."

Eagle Eye narrowed his eyes slightly. "That sounds like a Saberwing to me." He commented. "Seems they're still being employed by that Shadow Blaziken to do his dirty work from the skies."

"It does further enforce my theory that Calhoun is involved," said Volcan, arms folding across his chest. "We know the Saberwings were flying air support for him at the fortress."

"Yea, and they've increased their numbers as of late." Eagle Eye also pointed out. "When we assaulted the fortress, they had at _least_fifty in their squad...and BOY did they give my old squad a run for their money."

"Let's see..." Aerendyl poured over his notes carefully. "Ah! Here we are; a Pelipper postman who managed to make it back to Hadleigh reported that his attacker unleashed a Screech attack on him before making contact. After that, he says he was struck by a Steel Wing attack and then the attacker vanished. The Pelipper, barely hurt by the attack, tried to continue on his way but then the attack came a second time which ultimately forced him to turn back to Hadleigh, seeking treatment for the second injury which was far more severe."

"So a sonic attack before striking, and then retreating again," Volcan analyzed. "Hit & Run."

Eagle Eye grimaced a bit. "Yea... I know who that is," he said. "That's the Saberwing's squad leader, callsign 'Sound Breaker', and of all of them he's the most dangerous by far," he said darkly, his normally chipper nature gone. "Only my old man has ever been able to take him one-on-one."

"Then we have a problem," said Volcan. "We have no way to call the Talons for help this time, and every time we engage one of those guards on the road the Sabers could make a fly-by and back them up." he shuddered. "If Sound Breaker had arrived during our fight in the forest we would have been in trouble."

"Then we need someone to deal with Sound Breaker directly," said Luke. "But we only have two fliers. Who should go?"

"I'd never be able to keep up with a Skarmory in this cold," Sarth stated

"I can catch him, but dunno if I could beat him by myself," Eagle Eye added.

"Ya know, I never thought I'd be crazy enough to suggest this..." Hank commented. "...But what if Flyboy, Spiky _and_Sarthy go and surprise attack the bastard before he can get word out to his buddies?"

"I thought 'Spiky' was not on your team?" Azrael asked.

"He's not." Luke replied. "He's only here with us because he's too concerned about Volcan's well being...Though with that being said, perhaps we could use that to our advantage." He thought out loud, rubbing his chin. "I doubt even an ace flier would ever expect tangling with a legendary bird."

"Unless that Decidueye has informed him already of that oaf's involvement," Hageshi commented.

"Hageshi may be right," said Volcan. "Sound Breaker's been seen on more than one occasion; it likely means he checks in at each site to make sure all is going according to plan."

"So, before we can engage the rest, he's got to go down first," added Luke, nodding.

"So we need to check on the other towns, while _also_clearing the road and skies," stated Val. "I think we may be undermanned, guys."

"Puh-lease, Val. We got this!" Drogo piped up, seemingly not concerned. "Wherever Team Storm goes, we'll make short work of those creeps."

"Best you be ready to act on that claim," Volcan said, casting a glance at Drogo. "This is no game, Drogo - lives have been and are still at stake if we don't contain this. One slip is all it takes, and your hide could be flayed from your body before you blink. I got the scar to prove it." He jerked his thumb over his shoulder and turned his head enough to move his crests out of the way of the scar that stretched across his back.

The Raichu's confident smirk wavered at Volcan's grave tone and cold expression, and his eyes actually widened when he saw the scar. The shock was as clear as was the disgust on Val's face when he also saw the scar, visibly recoiling at the sight of it but did not ask the question that was surely on his mind.

"Holy crap," Breenelle muttered, marvelled. "You actually shut him up."

"Bree, not the time," Neilla scolded her teammate.

"If I may," the Ninetales stepped forward, joining the rest at the map table.

His voice was level and sounded effeminate, though was deep enough to indicate he was male, and he spoke clearly and with certainty as he studied the map and offered his opinion.

"It is clear that dividing our forces is imminent," he said. "We have fliers to pursue the Skarmory, but for the rest, I would suggest we review Aerendyl's notes and plan how we will divide our forces, each one with its own captain and the appropriate members to carry out the mission based on what information we have - preferably, with a contingency in mind for each."

"A sound plan," Luke agreed.

"Well, what are we waiting for? Let's take a look at those notes and squad up already." Hank commented. "No point sitting here spinning our wheels here when we could be out there getting those Pokémon to safety."

"While I share your eagerness to get started, Hank, we can't just launch ourselves haphazardly into danger." Luke cautioned the Zoroark.

"...Something you're prone to doing anyway," Hageshi commented offhandedly.

"That's enough out of you." Luke warned the hooded Greninja, shooting him a dangerous look before nodding to Aerendyl. "Let's see what you have."

Aerendyl nodded back, levitating the book containing his notes and carefully reading them over. "Consistencies in the reports include... two of the three southern roads; sandstorms and howling, as well as multiple attackers. South-east, toward Daffodil Valley, the pass is blocked by a wall of boulders, and frequent landslides stop anyone from approaching it."

"That secound one would sound almost natural if not for the recurring landslides," Volcan commented. "What else?"

"There's a fourth road leading south, closer to the coast," Aerendyl went on. "it passes between two hills, which once were home to a colony of Diglet. No fatalities on this trek, but many have come back poisoned or suffering from burns - though never life-threatening by the time they arrive."

"No fatalities?" Luke echoed, rubbing his chin with a paw. "That doesn't fit Calhoun's style..."

"What about the eastern road, heading to Lindenburg?" Volcan asked.

"Only one person came forward about that," replied Aerendyl. "She reported a fog descending over her as she approached the bridge that crosses over where the river curves toward the mountains in the south, and what sounded like singing coming from the mist. She gave in to her instincts and ran back the way she came - no one pursued her."

"What about the north roads, back the way we came from?" Hank asked, running a claw over the map to the three paths in question.

"Well, we know the north west road that heads to Westport is guarded by that Decidueye you encountered," Aerendyl replied. "The second road goes further inland but it still enters the forest enroute. Two people reported what they described as purple vines, coming out the trees to grab at them. A friend they were travelling with was taken into the woods and they haven't seen him since."

"That sounds like Forest Curse," Hank stated, his expression souring. "Our culprit's probably a Trevenant; they're the only Pokémon who can do that."

"Good call," Neilla agreed, nodding to Hank. "Is that all, Aerendyl?"

The Espeon nodded. "As far as my information gathering has gone, yes."

"So, do we have enough to act upon?" Neilla asked.

"Well, we know what the Pokemon in the North are, but do we have any theories what we'll face out there?" Luke asked. "We can't divide the teams until we're certain we're appointing the right people to each one."

"Well, the two southern roads may be guarded by the same Pokémon, give their consistency," Aerendyl suggested. "Sandstorm and Howling, and with so much ground to cover... I would suggest... A pack of Lycanroc."

"What's a Lycanroc?" Volcan asked.

"Pure Rock-type Pokémon from the great south; if it's a pack, it is undoubtedly their Midday form we are facing, who naturally possess the ability Sand Rush - increased speed under the effects of a sandstorm. With their keen ears and sense of smell, they do not even need their eyesight to find their prey under such conditions." His tail twitched and an ear flicked as a thought occurred to him. "But... According to my research they cannot learn Sandstorm themselves. There is very likely another Pokémon in the vicinity casting it _for_them."

"So while hounded by stone dogs we have to search a sandstorm for something _else_too," Breenelle commented with a groan. "This just gets better and better."

"I'll go, then" Luke offered. "With my Aura Sense, I can track the Lycanroc even without my eyes, and I'm unaffected by Sandstorm thanks to my Steel-typing. Doug will accompany me; he should be able to rob the Lycanroc of their advantage of speed with his skills."

"I should go with you," offered Val. "Lycanroc are rock-types, right? Likely, so is whatever's projecting that sandstorm. Having a water-type along couldn't hurt, and I'm fast enough

"My thoughts exactly." Luke agreed. "And when we do find the one casting Sandstorm, Doug can prevent them from escaping with his Arena Trap ability."

"Alright, so Luke, Doug and Val to the south," said Volcan. "What about the other areas to the east and west -the pass and the hills?" He looked at the hills in particular. "Poison and Fire... and is there anything noteworthy on these hills?" Volcan asked.

"I bet my bottom Pok that whoever is attacking the travellers is using the tunnels from the old Diglet colony that dotted those hills to attack from," Neilla offered. "Small, easy to strike out and retreat - difficult to pursue."

"If they're Poison-type, they could be Ekans. They could fit into those holes," offered Breenelle.

"Too cold," Volcan dismissed. "Ekans and Arbok would never survive in this weather. Plus, I don't think they learn Fire-type moves so that doesn't explain the reported burns the victims suffered."

"So there could be more than one type of Pokémon. But how many Pokémon could fit in those tunnels?" Sarth asked.

"More to the point, how to flush them out," Volcan returned. "Luke, I think you and Doug should head that way after you deal with the group in the south. Hageshi and I will take the south-east route - between his dual-typing and my Fighting-type we should be able to handle anything up there, and with our speed, meet back up with you in the west."

"If they are Poison-types, I should go too," offered Aerendyl. "My psychic power would be useful. Plus, with more ground to cover, we can better divide the work if there is a fourth on the team."

Luke nodded back in agreement toward Volcan. "Sounds solid to me." He said. "Which will leave the rest of you to divide up and tackle the other areas." His ear twitched a little and he started to smirk a bit. "...It just hit me. This will be the first time we'll be working in separate groups."

"Was bound to happen sooner or later," the Blaziken replied with a helpless shrug.

Doug was spinning excitedly in his spot. "Oh man, I get to trap _and_excavate? Is it my birthday or something?" He asked rhetorically.

"I'll lead the team heading to the woods," said Neilla. "I have ways to take on Ghost-types like Trevanant - trust me on that. Who'll go with me?"

"I'd suggest Hank," said Volcan. "Trevenant are tough in the woods, but Hank knows them and will easily spot anything out of place. Plus, he's a Dark-type and knows Flamethrower so he's the best choice to take on Trevanant."

Neilla nodded. "I'll take Azrael too, then - he'll be able to spot any danger coming our way"

"Then that leaves myself, Drogo and Breenelle to take the last road, where the mist hangs over the river," Ernoul stated with a nod. "Perhaps not the best combination but, it should suffice."

But Drogo did not agree. "Figures we get the lame one," Drogo bemoaned, leaning against a table with a disinterested look. "Come on, I can handle some Lycanroc -why not put me on that team?"

"Each team only needs a Captain, dingus," Neilla returned. "And you _are_one." She almost looked pained to say so...

Breenelle rolled her eyes and groaned. "Can I switch places with the Zoroark?"

Neilla leaned over and whispered in Breenelle's ear, and at that, the Umbreon's face soured further, letting out a defeated sigh. "Yeah, you're probably right," she muttered back. "Fine, I'll go with them."

"That leaves our fliers to do a loop through all locations and try to keep Sound Breaker off of us," Neilla concluded. "Who'll lead that team?"

Volcan hummed in thought. "As I mentioned, Lighris is untrained. Do you think Sarth is up to the task?"

"I've... never led a team before," the Flygon answered honestly.

Volcan looked at Eagle Eye. "What about you? Think you take enough after your pops that you could lead the flight team?"

"Wait what?" Eagle Eye asked, his eyes widening in surprise. "You want me to lead a squad?"

"Well, considering who you used to fly with, I would think you'd be best suited to the task." Luke commented. "After all, you know Sound Breaker's tactics better than any of us here, and you always spout that you're one of the best fliers in the world."

"Yea man, you got this. No pressure." Hank offered as well, shooting the Talonflame an a-ok sign with his claw and a wink.

Eagle Eye bore a mixed expression on his face, one of excitement, pride, but also fear and uneasiness. He thought back to his days as part of the Red Talons, watching his father lead his men into battle...He idolized how calm, yet wild he was even in the thick of a dogfight...but could he really measure up to him in the same manner?

After a long drawn out sigh, he smirked and nodded to his team captain. "I'm game!"

Luke smiled and nodded back to the Talonflame. "Then we have our groups and our assignments sorted out. Now, in regards to the towns, our first priority is getting the roads clear and getting some backup out here. Once we get more help, we can start evacuating the towns and get them out of the reach of Calhoun and his goons."

"Then it's settled," agreed Neilla. "Get all the gear you'll need, and make sure you get some breakfast. We set out as soon as the sun comes up."

"Roger that!" Eagle Eye stated as he quickly departed to his room to get his things ready, as did the rest of Team Valiant shortly after his departure.

"Ooohhhh this is gonna be so good! I can't wait to get started!" Doug practically squealed in excitement before he tunneled underground to prepare for his assignment.

"Ha! This'll be a piece of cake," Drogo said confidently. "One zap is all it's going to take."

With that, Teams Storm and Plainsrunner left to go gather their equipment for the road, leaving Volcan and Luke's team with the room and to make their own preparations.

"I better go wake Lighris -get him ready to go," Volcan said.

"Sure thing." Luke returned with a nod. "You think he'll be able to put aside his own ego to follow orders from Eagle Eye?" He asked with some mild concern.

"Honestly, I don't know. I've never seen my brother in a situation where he really had to work with others," he admitted. "I'll just have to hope he's smart enough to understand what needs to be done." He walked over to Luke, resting a hand on each of his shoulders. "You be careful out there, alright? I expect to meet up with you again."

"You will." Luke assured the Blaziken with a firm nod. "With all of us working together in this operation, I'm feeling...surprisingly confident that we can succeed. Just do me a favour and try not to bite off more than you can chew, okay?" He added, gently sliding his paw along Volcan's back as they approached the stairs.

"Have I ever done that?" Volcan asked rhetorically as they ascended to the second floor.

Luke arched a brow at him. "You're literally wearing one case on your back," he reminded.

Volcan cleared his throat. "Well, this won't be one of those times," he promised. "I'll have Hageshi with me, and if he's even half as good as his dad I know at least he'll do his part. First thing's first, gotta get Lighris filled in on the mission before we all head out."

"Good plan. Once the skies are clear, we can proceed more smoothly." The Lucario agreed.

At that, Volcan nodded, and pulled back from Luke reluctantly. "Good luck out there, love. I'll see you soon."

"You too." He returned, flashing a small smile as he slowly backed up toward the door to their room, watching Volcan as the Blaziken turned to go to his brother's room to talk to the Zapdos. With one last bout of hesitation, Luke turned and retreated into their room to gather the supplies he would need.