FSE

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The journey to the southern islands was easily a week from Hadleigh, even considering the speed at which the Trident could travel, but the specialists were taking longer. They added days to their journey to train together, familiarize themselves with one another. It was extra time to their journey, but it was extra time well spent.

They made port only to rest and resupply. Five major port cities lay between where their journey began, to the southern edge of the Eastern Continent. From there, three days over open sea to the tip of the Great South Islands.

Near to the point where their journey's course would alter, the Trident developed some engine troubles on their approach. The boat was in need of some routine maintenance, and though the delay wasi nconvenient, they made the most of it with more training.

For their first set - and as a warmup, they started with setting up practice targets for ranged attacks. Fisher set up a makeshift bench, lined with ten static targets and closely watched by Skyler, who also held a stopwatch in his talon. He motioned with a wing for the first participant, which was Kage.

"I'll start the clock when you throw your first projectile."

"...This feels highly unnecessary," the Greninja muttered softly, looking on at the targets lined in a row. "...And too easy." He added, almost insulted by the apparent ease of how the targets were lined up.

Nevertheless, he took his position and held his hands at his sides, letting out a slow breath as he relaxed. He then flashed his eyes open, and in his hands sprouted three Water Shuriken each, all of which he threw simultaneously at the targets. He then conjured four more as he spun on the spot, hurling them at the targets that remained. Kage's aim was impressive. Of the ten targets, five took a direct hit, two took blows to the sides that still successfully knocked them over. The eighth target took a graze, but stayed upright as the remaining two dropped, one of them hit so hard it was thrown into the tree behind it.

Shamshir flew over to collect the targets, picking up each one and sticking it back onto the bench one after the other. "Two bullseye shots," he announced as he studied them. "Only one miss, six outer-ring shots, and one inner ring - just shy of a third bullseye. Very impressive." He replaced the targets again, and moved aside. "Skyler, what was the time?"

"Three point two seconds," the Staraptor replied.

Kage stood tall again and sighed. "...That could have been better." He muttered softly, crossing his arms in front of his chest. "I let myself grow overconfident."

"A wise man I know once said," Shamshir piped up from beside Kage as Reaper moved up to take his turn. "'Perfection is forever out of reach, but it is the pursuit of it how we find our true potential. Take pride in the practice, for skill fades faster than it is gained'."

"...Noted." Kage returned, keeping his gaze forward and watching Reaper take his turn.

When the targets were set and Reaper was ready, the Weavile put on that demented grin of his as he leapt up into the air. The air around him started to freeze and formed into ten ice darts that fanned out in front of him, then he spread his arms out, and the shards shot for their targets; all of them nailing the bullseye on the heads but staying upright regardless.

When the initial shock of the Weavile's uncanny accuracy passed, Skylar tapped the button on the watch. But he could not help but ask, "How'd you keep from knocking them over?"

"By striking at the precise angle where my Ice Shards pierced through their skulls..." He answered in a sinister undertone. "Unlike most of you here, I am not afraid to strike where the enemy is most vulnerable..."

"One point one seconds," Skyler reported as Shamshir went to see the results.

"Range was four meters, all kill strikes," he said. "Impressive." Then, he started breaking off the ice needles, moving down the row until they were set up for the next shooter, which was himself.

Shamshir stood with his feet shoulder length apart, raising his claws and opening them to reveal two charged Flash Cannons. Here, the team learned that distance combat was definitely not Shamshir's forte. His first two shots missed, before the beam of steel-coloured light finally struck the target. The next fell, followed by the third to a glancing blow. He missed the fourth once, but scored a hit on the fifth.

He then concentrated all of his power into one attack, and made a sweeping motion across the remaining targets. Four went down, but the attack fizzled out before the fifth was hit.

"Six point eight seconds," Skyler reported. "Sorry Shamshir. That was more than double Kage's time and you missed one target."

"Ranged combat has never been my specialty," he admitted, without a hint of shame in his voice. "Still, it is better to have the skill even if it is not your preference."

"Better to master one skill a thousand times than to master a thousand skills." Kage cited in a sagely manner.

"Well said," agreed Shamshir, nodding as he went to put the targets back up.

Now, it was Fisher's turn. Ten targets, but he stood further back than the rest of the group had. He was more than thirty meters away, in fact, and called out to Skylar to watch closely. He pulled a device out of his little bag and placed it over his right eye which became coated in a black membrane that hid the rest of the eye.

Then, he turned, and pointed with his finger. A small orb of water formed at the tip of his outstretched finger, and he closed one eye as he relied on the other for aim. He fired, a stream of water erupting from his finger like pressurized water from a fire hose, but more condensed. The first target was hit, and then he made consecutive shots on each one following. Not a single target remained when he was done, and he was remarkably fast.

When it was over, Fisher lifted his finger to his snout, blowing on it as if he were blowing smoke off the barrel of a gun. "Targets neutralized!" He called out, and started back toward the others as they took in his results.

"Two point six seconds," said Skyler. "No misses at all."

Shamshir flew over to the targets, picking them up and arranging them, surprised by the damage he found - unlike the others, Fisher's strikes left indentations where the water had struck the wooden targets, each indent akin to if the targets been struck by a carpenter's hammer in full swing.

"Six bullseyes, four inner rings," Shamshir announced. "A near perfect set."

"I never miss." Fisher calmly remarked as he rejoined the others, wearing a confident smile.

"There's always a first time for everything, Agent." Reaper chided as he rolled his eyes.

"When it happens, feel free to say 'I told you so'," Fisher returned, grinning confidently.

"Alright, next," said Shamshir, turning to the Staraptor. "Skyler, did you want a try?"

Skyler, however, looked chagrin at the suggestion. "I... I don't really have any precise distance attacks," he explained. "My arsenal is primarily physical attacks - my squad and my species alike specialize in them. All I have is Tailwind, to slow enemy targets or, Whirlwind, to stagger them. After doing either, our strategy was to move in to engage up close, striking from the sides while the enemy's guard is down or fumbled."

"Like a pack hunt," Shamshir remarked, nodding. "I see... Alright, we'll pass for your distance test. But, you have given me an idea..."

"This ought to be good," Reaper muttered under his breath, which earned him a double nudge from both Kage and Fisher standing on his flanks.

Shamshir led the group to a new practice area. They located a small hill north-west of the town where their boat was docked, and Shamshir seemed satisfied with the layout leading up to between a copse of trees to the hill itself. He asked the others to wait as he flew back to town, leaving them to spar as they waited to see what the Scizor had in mind. When he came back, he was carrying a pole with a piece of cloth attached to it - a mock flag, which he then carried up to the top of the hill and drove it into the ground there. With that he flew back down to rejoin the others.

"Alright," he began. "This will be our next objective. To reach the flag on that hill." He pointed to it. "Skyler will be our opposition. He'll use his wind powers to simulate poor weather conditions as we attempt to reach the flag. We'll be on timer as well. Use any means at your disposal to reach the flag, and meanwhile it will be him opposing us. Bear in mind this is a team effort, _not_a race."

"That sounds like a plan," agreed Skyler, nodding in approval. "I'll find a good spot."

Both Kage and Fisher looked at one another for a brief moment, casting slight warning glances at each other before looking onward toward the flag. "I hope you've learned from your earlier lesson from before..." Fisher remarked.

"I don't repeat mistakes." Kage sharply retorted, never taking his eyes off the prize ahead. "Just keep your finger pointed elsewhere and we'll be fine..."

"Let's find a starting point," said Shamshir. "Part of our test will be to get as close to the flag as possible before Skyler spots us. This area offers good cover we can use."

"Should I close my eyes so I don't see where you guys go?" Skyler offered.

"That would probably help," agreed Shamshir.

"Okay, I'll find my spot once you guys are gone."

"Give us about thirty seconds, and then signal us with a call when you're ready to time us."

With that, they left the Staraptor, heading for the cover of nearby trees to get out of his sight before he opened his eyes. The Staraptor looked around for them, not seeing them, and gave an approving nod before he took flight, heading up to the top of the hill and disappearing amongst the few trees dotting the higher ground.

"Okay," said Shamshir. "Kage, across this sort of terrain, where do you think is our best angle of approach?"

Their target was on the hill, and between them and that objective was mostly open terrain. Shrubs and smaller trees dotted the landscape between them, but cover was fairly far apart if they were to attempt to take a straight line to their objective. Still, he could see some angles of approach that might mask the majority of their trek, and give them some small cover from Skyler's winds. Even if he couldn't see where they were, he'd likely still be trying to slow them down by gauging their most likely direction of approach and throwing wind that way.

After giving a very thorough examination of their surroundings, Kage finally spoke up. "We'll have to stay within cover to give ourselves the best chance at staying out of his sight, and to protect us from his Tailwind." He surmised, then looked to Shamshir. "You likely won't have too much trouble dealing with high winds so long as you stay grounded."

Shamshir nodded in agreement. "Yes, but I'd stand out heavily. It might make our approach too obvious if I am with you."

Kage nodded, then looked to Fisher. "There is a stream you and I can use to glide along, at least until the current deviates from our intended target. We'll both take to the depths once we have our opening."

"And how exactly will we attain said opening?" Fisher asked curiously.

Kage then looked down at Reaper, a hint of a smirk crossing his hidden features. "By incorporating a distraction in our plan." He replied. "Flying Types have an Achilles heel to Ice type attacks. You will use an area of effect attack to not only obscure his field of vision, but hamper his ability to cast Tailwind." He explained to the Weavile.

He scoffed. "So you just want me as a distraction while you three move in for the goal...typical of a former assassin." He remarked irritably.

"It's a good strategy," said Shamshir, catching onto Kage's reasoning. "Even a Flying-type can't watch two directions at once, and we can use our Double Team to make it seem like there's more of us, so he doesn't notice them."

"Hmph. I suppose I can't argue the logic." Reaper relented. "Though once my job is done, I'm gunning for the goal."

"You only need to distract him long enough to confuse him. Once he is unsure of our real locations, you two can make your way to the hill." Kage explained before looking at each of his comrades. "If you've any questions, now's the time to voice them. Otherwise, we begin when the call is made."

"None," replied Shamshir. "I know what to do."

"Ugh... such a pain." Reaper muttered, but nodded in regards to his role.

"Not a bad plan... You've clearly done this before against similar foes." Fisher remarked with a smirk.

"I was second to Luke for a reason," Kage answered plainly.

A screech sounded from the hill, elicited in two short spans. It was Skyler, letting them know he was ready. Shamshir nodded to Kage, and crept out from the trees with Reaper, dropping low to the ground and folding back his wings as much as possible so that they wouldn't give him away as he crossed to the shrubs. Reaper, being smaller, didn't have to drop as low but he stayed in Shamshir's shadow - his black fur would give him away in the current daylight against the grass.

Once they reached the shrubs, the wind picked up. The trees and shrubs rustled loudly as the wind swept over them. It powered through the shrub Shamshir was using for cover, forcing him to drop onto his belly as leaves dislodged and reduced some of his cover. The power of the wind Skyler could generate was more than he had anticipated, it seemed, and covered a wide area. Even if Skyler didn't know where they were, the range of his Tailwind was impressive enough that it didn't matter. They couldn't go around it...

Shamshir looked back in Kage and Fisher's direction, nodding as he used Double Team to create a duplicate of himself. Reaper repeated the attack, and they started to move along the shrubs, making their presence known without making it too obvious. The wind picked up immediately, seemingly focused on them. Skyler saw them. They had his attention.

It was time.

"Go." Was all Kage said to Fisher as he quickly disappeared into his shadow via Shadow Sneak, crawling his way along the ground toward the stream to begin their half of the plan. Unfortunately, Fisher could not repeat the attack Kage had used, though thanks to his clawed feet he could maneuver toward the stream with only mild difficulty. That said, he kept himself low to avoid getting toppled over by the winds and periodically used Aqua Jet to move from one hiding place to the next so that he remained relatively undetected as he moved.

Reaper had started getting to work himself, quickly crawling his way over to the nearest tree while his and Shamshirs doubles got to work on distracting Skyler. He sucked in as deep a breath as he could muster, then started exhaling a long, drawn out Icy Wind that mingled with the Tailwind billowing around them, slowly solidifying the gust and turning it into a cold mist that helped to further conceal their locations.

Then came the blast. A Whirlwind whipped over where Reaper had conjured the mist, not only blowing it away but also slamming the Weavile with a gust so strong his feet nearly left the ground.

He grunted as he tried to shield himself from the attack, his body thrown against teh tree he was hiding against and keeping him pinned there as he struggled to fight through the blast of wind that suddenly nailed him. "Tch... so annoying." He growled, his eyes darting around for any sign of the Staraptor. The wind was coming from the hill, and he could just barely make out a winged form flying a short circle above it. Too far for him to hit with his ice shard. Even if he was closer, the wind would throw the shard off course...

"Damnit..." He cursed, unable to do much more than try to keep the wind from crushing him against the tree. "If there was ever anything you were going to do, you metal insect, now would be the time." He reluctantly relented, using what remained of his focus to keep his doubles active.

"I am," he returned, flatly. "I'm keeping his attention away from the _real_threat."

Up on the hill, Skyler perched on a tree branch and watched the shrubs he was sure the others were using for cover carefully. He expected any moment to see Reaper or Fisher jump out to take a shot at him, and had his wings drawn back to hurl a Whirlwind the moment that they tried. He had high ground and an elemental advantage... by all accounts, they really had no way to get through him. He had seen all four of them out there, he was certain. Their direct approach was not going to work...

Then, he felt the touch on the back of his neck. He looked behind him, slowly, and saw Fisher looking back, hanging down from a limb above with a grin on his face.

"...You were never out there in the field, were ya?" Skyler asked, catching on.

"You fell for our plan, hook, line and sinker..." He remarked as he pretended to fire a Snipe Shot at the Staraptor's face. "And with that... _boom._You're dead."

"Down I go," he said, dropping to the ground in a play of death as the winds died down. "Ker plop." He called as he lay on the grass.

Shamshir and Reaper noticed the change in the wind immediately. Daring a look over the hedges, they saw Kage and, a moment later, Fisher, standing where the flag stood, the latter waving in their direction.

"Operation successful," said Shamshir, dismissing his illusory clone as he took flight and headed up to the hill.

Reaper sighed once the wind had subsided, dusting himself off and grumbling to himself as he darted after Shamshir towards the hill. He did _not_like the role he had been assigned for this little exercise. He was an assassin, not a child's decoy.

They reached the top of the hill, and the exercise was over. The team then took a moment to have a debriefing on the mission, and the roles everyone played. "So rather than take the shortest distance between two points," said Skyler. "You created a diversion so that Kage and Fisher could reach the objective going the long way around. Clever. But, I do have one thing I need to point out to you guys which, I think might affect our future operations as a whole."

"We're listening." Fisher replied, urging Skyler to continue.

'I'm not..." Reaper muttered in disinterest, which earned him a bonk on the head from Kage.

"Shamshir," he said, looking at the Scizor, who looked back in confusion. "We need to do something about your... Steel-iness."

"I don't understand," he replied, shaking his head.

"I saw you pretty much immediately out there," replied Skyler. "The sun reflected off your armour. It was a dead giveaway."

Shamshir raised a claw, looking at it. Despite having many battle scars of his own and his red colouring, his armour did indeed reflect the light of the sun above quite effectively. He let out a grunt of annoyance. "I did anticipate that, but I guess it is even worse than I thought," he said. "What can we do?"

"Well... anybody got any paint?" Skyler asked. "Something maybe we can use to camouflage him?"

"There's a chance one of the shops in town might..." Kage suggested. "As to what we're painting him, I haven't the foggiest idea what you have in mind."

"Camouflage, like I said," repeated Skyler. "Painting him to suit the terrain, making him harder to spot. Or least, to take that shine off his armour so that he doesn't light up when the sun hits him."

"As sound an idea that might be, constantly having to paint Shamshir multiple colours will grow tedious over time... And washing paint off of a metal surface when it's dry isn't exactly going to do his body wonders." Fisher pointed out. "Perhaps if we just dulled the shine on his body, that should suffice for now."

"How do we do that?" Shamshir asked.

"The only thing that comes to mind would be sanding it off." Kage remarked. "Of course, that will be quite uncomfortable as well."

"Okay... What about dressing him with something?" Skyler suggested. "Finding him some kind of clothes that'll cover him up? Come on, two of you are basically ninjas for crying out loud - surely you can think of something here."

"I am an infiltrator, investigator and a sniper, not a ninja." Fisher corrected. "But, he may be right. Kage, any thoughts?"

"Something dark in colour most likely, like a deep navy blue." Kage added, and then looked up at the sky, gauging the position of the sun through the clouds. "...It has been a few hours. The boat should be ready soon - let us return to town, find Shamshir some suitable cover and then be on our way."

Shamshir nodded. "It is a straight shot to the isles from this port, but we still have many days ahead of us before we reach them."

"Agreed." Fisher remarked with a nod.

"Sooner can't come quick enough..." Reaper grumbled under his breath.

Shamshir accompanied Fisher to the local tailor while Kage, Reaper and Skyler restocked the Trident with non-perishable goods and additional reserves of fuel. Though they were closer to the islands now they were still a fair distance away, and there was no telling how long they would be out there. At Kage's suggestion, they bought an additional canister of fuel to add to their stockpile, pushing the Trident's cargo space to the absolute limit.

When they finished stocking up, Shamshir and Fisher returned. The Scizor had been outfitted with a long coat that hung around his shoulders and back, with a thin top underneath and his arms were wrapped in a thin, stretching fabric that still allowed him to move easily. For his head, a hood and a face mask, and some paint around his eyes that he assured the others he could apply on his own before anyone could protest having to paint him. Accommodating his lower body had been the most difficult, due to his anatomy. His legs were clothed but the rest had to be covered by the trail of the long coat he wore. The coat reminded Kage slightly of Minato back home - it certainly looked like something Phalanx's sword would wear.

"How does it feel?" Skyler asked.

"Like I am significantly overdressed," Shamshir replied flatly. "But if it will accomplish our mission, I will adapt."

"When it comes to the actual fighting, you can shed the clothes if you so desire." Reaper remarked.

"Need I remind you that combat will not be our first priority, Reaper?" Kage sternly pointed out. "We were sent to find Calhoun's base of operations, capture any of his lieutenants and interrogate them for information about his plans..."

"And _I'm_saying that a mission this dangerous will incite conflict." Reaper retorted. "We can try to dance around the issue all we want, it will not change the fact we will have to raise our claws and fight back..."

Shamshir looked squarely at the Weavile. "Again you assume none of us know that. Do you think the lieutenants themselves will be easy adversaries? Calhoun may be the most dangerous among them, but I know for a fact several of their ranks have led entire massacres on their own."

Kage's mind briefly flashed to Volcan, particularly to the scar on his back. A lasting reminder of the kind of people Calhoun attracted...

"We are not here to wipe the Crusade out on our. We're here to collect intelligence on them, by taking one of them alive," Shamshir added pointedly.

The Weavile snorted, staying silent on the matter and turning his head away from the rest of the group. Kage rubbed his forehead and sighed in exasperation.

"You're starting to become a detriment to this group, Reaper..." He pointed out. "All you think about is getting your fix. If that's the reason why you're on this team, then you have no place among us." He added sternly.

"Trust me, I have been trying to be all buddy buddy with you soft hearts..." The Weavile retorted. "But it's making me sick to my stomach. I'm a professional killer, not some sage warrior or secret agent or 'former' assassin. I revel in the thrill of the hunt while you all dance about on your high horses thinking you're better than everyone else..."

"What are you even talking about?" Skyler asked.

"You're not making any sense here, Reaper." Fisher concurred. "What even are you hoping to gain out of this? Fame? A fat paycheque? Glory? Why did you join this mission?"

Reaper huffed. "I am under no obligation to tell you anything," He coldly replied.

"Says the man who suggested that we share each other's secrets so that we can work better in unison." Kage remarked, causing Reaper to flinch at that. "Or was that all just an act in order to look cool in front of one of the Guild Councilmen?"

When Reaper refused to answer, Kage finally uncrossed his arms. "We're getting nowhere with this." Kage remarked in irritation. "And we're wasting precious time as it is. Let's just weigh anchor and continue on with our mission."

"If we continue like this, our mission could be hindered," stated Shamshir, keeping his voice low as he regarded Kage.

"That's his problem, not ours." Kage remarked hastily.

"And what about when it becomes our problem?" Skyler added, backing Shamshir. "If he doesn't have our backs it's a weak link in the chain of our team."

"We cross that bridge when we get there." The Greninja replied. "Now, are we finished?"

The team stood in silence for a moment, the other three exchanging uncertain looks between each other. But, nobody had any reason to keep the argument going. Without a word, they boarded the Trident and prepared to depart. Reaper moved to the stern of the ship, gazing out toward the island they departed from until it vanished from sight. He raised his claw to his face and clenched it tightly, creating a cold mist around it as that crazed look returned to his eyes.

"...I'm coming for you, you filth..." He growled to himself. "And I'm going to make you pay for what you took from me..."

~~~~~

The sun was setting as the Trident finally sighted the multiple landmasses of the world's most mysterious, unmapped and uncivilized region. The Great Sound Islands came over the horizon, barely visible in the fading light in the west, but the sight of a smoking mountain was their first indication that they were closing in on their destination. Most commercial or sailing vessels would have taken weeks to reach the isolated location but the high performance of the Trident had cut their travel time significantly.

The Great South Islands were composed primarily of four large isles, with numerous smaller islands and atolls scattered around them. Though the Equatorial Islands were the longest chain of islands known to the world, the Great South had never been fully explored. The lands were treacherous and wild, without any manner of modern civilization. The closest one might find to civilized society were the naturist folk who called the land home - scattered tribal societies, whom had been contacted many times by explorers, but often hostile to any attempt to colonize the region.

The Pokemon of these lands were barbaric by modern standards, but they were mighty. For it was a place where only the strongest survived, and resources brought by outsiders were prizes to be won as all things were. To come bearing treasures, was to make oneself a target - especially when landing on the larger islands, which were dominated by warbands and pack hunters that would not hesitate to attack ignorant colonists.

Despite being in sight of the volcano of the island - which explorers had come to know as Kia He, a name chosen by the natives, they were still far from making landfall on the island, which had been chosen as the place to begin the search. Night fell before they were close, and rather than risk blindly sailing into a rocky shore, Fisher diverted the Trident to the nearest of the islands they could see and slowed its engines.

They ran just lightly aground, the fore of the ship digging into a sandy beach. After dropping the anchor and staking the ship to the shoreline, the team went ashore to rest on the beach, tired from the many days on the seas. It was too small to be a likely candidate for their search - the island was tiny and largely barren, with only a few palm trees growing along the slopes of the hill that rose from the islands center, a hill topped by a large rock formation. Were any of them of a geological backing, they might have found the rock formation oddly placed, but they paid it little mind. Shamshir and Fisher gathered kindling to make a fire while Kage, Reaper and Skyler were left to prepare their supper once the firewood was gathered.

Reaper wasn't very helpful in that regard. Mostly he just kept to himself and only brought items over when he was practically scolded at by Fisher to do _something_to make himself at least look useful. The Weavile's behaviour was slowly but surely starting to get under Kage's skin - made worse by the days at sea and Reaper's outright refusal to sit with them at meals or discuss battle plans. It wouldn't be long before the Greninja would eventually snap and demand what was Reaper's problem.

For now though, he remained patient. Though it wasn't easy. There was an air of tension hanging over the group, even as they gathered for their meal. Fisher had prepared a stew using some of the dried meats, water and vegetables they had in their stocks. Everyone ate from the stew, Reaper once again sitting apart from the group, just in earshot but not close enough to be part of their conversation.

Not that there was much of one to be had for the team. They felt edgy, feeling as though they were not alone in the gloom. Even Shamshir was only paying small attention to his food, his gaze often drifting off into the darkness.

"...Okay, clearly no one else is willing to say it," remarked Skyler. "So I'm just going to ask the obvious question. Does anyone else feel like we're being watched?"

"Yes." Fisher answered. "From the moment we landed, it feels as if a pair of eyes are on us, but from where I cannot discern."

"Which could be a telltale sign that we might be getting close to our target's location." Kage added in. "Possibly one of Calhoun's subordinates is watching us... Waiting for the right moment to strike."

"We can't be sure it's Calhoun - it could merely be a local," Shamshir stated as he set his bowl aside and rose to his feet. "But... There is definitely someone else here."

"Should we investigate?" Fisher asked, already raising his pointer finger in preparation for a Snipe Shot. "Or let them come to us?"

Kage narrowed his eyes slightly. "If it were one of Calhoun's subordinates, they probably would have struck the second we set foot on this island." He pointed out, rubbing his chin. "Shamshir's right - it is most likely a native of these islands"

They took a moment to observe their surroundings, but it was Shamshir who found it first. A glint, shining in the dark at the top of the rise overlooking their camp. Eyes, reflecting the light of their fire. They couldn't tell Shamshir had spotted them, thanks to his new attire, and the Scizor made use of that.

"Top of the dune," he said lowly. "I see their eyes."

Kage, Reaper and Fisher all subtly glanced in that direction, then nodded back to Shamshir to confirm they all saw it. "For now they seem to be just watching us. Perhaps they're trying to uncover why we are here." Fisher whispered back to Shamshir.

"I agree. If they were a scout, or a vanguard to some attack, I think we'd know," replied Shamshir, pretending to be walking around the camp in an effort to stretch his legs and not look like he had noticed the stranger. "Let's not do anything to provoke them until we know for certain."

"So we just... Pretend to not notice him?" Reaper asked incredulously. "I say we go after him and demand to know why he's watching us."

"If we make the first move, we'll be painting ourselves as the villains, Reaper." Kage retorted. "Clearly, this newcomer is unsure of our intentions. We keep it that way for now until they approach us, and then we'll go from there."

"I... think he's moving," Skyler said suddenly, his gaze fixed upon the dune. "The eyes are gone... But I can see something shifting up there."'

"Toward us, or around us?" Kage asked.

"Around... He's moving down the side of the hill, heading to lower ground," replied Skyler. "He stopped... Oh. He knows I see him. He's looking right at me," his eyes widened, clearly intimidated by what he was seeing.

The others followed his gaze, and they saw a figure standing on the dune. Seeing no more need to hide himself, their observer has stepped out. No one knew what they were looking at as they saw the figure, dominantly bright yellow in colour with a black-furred midriff and some small blue highlights below the chest and above the eyes and whiskers. Their appearance was largely feline, but they were bipedal, with large paws. In the slight breeze they could see something waving behind them, like a tail, but it seemed like it was coming from further up his body and not from the posterior.

"What... Is that?" Shamshir asked, utterly awestruck. "I've never seen anything like it."

"It's a first for me as well..." Kage admitted, slowly rising to his feet as he stared the new creature down. "Some form of feline Pokemon that's native to these parts, I assume."

Fisher slowly unclenched his hand and relaxed some, staring back at the creature with mild curiosity. "...I think I've seen pictures of this kind of creature before during one of my earlier assignments... But for the life of me I cannot remember what it was called."

"The question now is whether or not they are friend or foe." Reaper remarked, already flexing his claws. "And I for one and not too keen on letting him get the first strike in."

"He hasn't made any hostile movement," Shamshir stated, holding a claw in Reaper's path. "I think he's just curious. Or, maybe we've trespassed on his home."

"Only one way to find out..." Fisher whispered back as he stepped forward slowly, lifting his hands up to signal he meant no harm. "Hello up there!" He called to the creature standing atop the dune. "Come on down here. I assure you we mean no harm."

The figure tilted its head, blinking twice at them and made no move to accept the invitation.

"Does he even understand us?" Skyler asked.

"Uh... Perhaps?" Fisher answered, opting to try one more time. "Can you understand me? You can come down from that dune, now."

Again the figure made no response. But, he did take a cautious step forward, followed by second. He was making his way down toward them, letting them see more of him as he stepped into the firelight. They saw his eyes were blue, but his fur - despite its bright colour that had made him easy to see even in the low light, was dirty and unkempt, like one used to living outside. He didn't appear to be badly fed by any means, though. His form was fit, and there was an air of power around him - some sensation that the Pokemon they saw was much more than he appeared.

He stopped at the edge of the firelight, studying the five visitors to his island carefully. He then said something. His voice was clear, and confident. He sounded young - likely no older than Luke by Kage's estimate. "No ke aha eia 'oe?" He asked in his foreign tongue.

Fisher stared back at the cat pokemon blankly for a few seconds, trying to make heads or tails of what he just said before he sighed in defeat. "I did not understand what he just said." He admitted.

"Most likely speaking in a native tongue." Kage remarked as he approached the creature with a more confident, composed demeanour. He looked at the pokemon in silence for a few seconds, then his eyes flashed for a moment as he went to establish a connection with the creature through Extrasensory. "Speak, stranger. Repeat what you just said." He commanded mentally to the cat pokemon.

The cat blinked, but seemed to understand what Kage was doing though he still eyed him with suspicion, clearly not happy about the intrusion. But, he seemed to come to the same conclusion that his words wouldn't be understood by the strangers, and made no complaint about it.

He repeated his earlier words, this time more sternly. "Why are you here?" Was the meaning.

"He's inquiring about our purpose on this island." Kage informed the others before mentally communicating with him once more. "We're here on a top secret mission sent from the High Council in Hadleigh, up in the Eastern Continent." He explained. "What manner of pokemon are you? Do you have a moniker you go by?"

"I am... Zeraora," the cat replied, and seemed reluctant to provide another name. Or, perhaps he didn't have one. "What is this... Guild?" He asked.

Kage narrowed his eyes a little. 'So he doesn't know about the guilds... Possibly his tribe has had no contact with them.' He thought to himself before translating what the creature said to him. "He claims that he is... Zeraora. Unsure if that's his name or what species he is."

"Aha! _That's_what they're called." Fisher exclaimed, snapping his finger as he recalled the files he read up on. His sudden outburst made Zeraora tense, looking at the Inteleon warily as if expecting an attack, even taking a step back and raising his paws slightly.

"Calm yourself." Kage stated firmly to Zeraora. "We have no intent on harming you. My colleague was just remembering where he's heard about your kind before." He assured the cat pokemon. "As I said, we're here on a top secret mission. Unless you're allied with a certain... person of interest, no harm will come upon you. You have my word."

Zeraora looked between Kage and Fisher for a moment before he relaxed his posture, and looked at Kage again. "What do you seek here?" He asked.

"On this island, nothing. What we seek is a lead, in regards to a band of criminals set out to conquer the world." Kage returned, then dared to unveil a bit more detail about their mission to the stranger. "...Are you aware of 'The Dark Crusade' or anything related to it?" He asked.

Zeraora shook his head. "I know of no group by that name," he replied. "I do not leave this island. I am... guarding."

That caught Kage's attention, making his features twitch a little before pressing for more info. "What exactly are you guarding?" He asked.

Zeraora took a step back from him then, not offering an answer except for the narrowing of his eyes.

Kage tried again. "I'll ask again, Zeraora... What are you guarding?" He said in a more firm tone this time. "If it's something that relates to our mission we need to know."

"It is a place of darkness," he replied, standing his ground. "I am sworn to keep any and all away from it, at all costs."

"He's... Not looking too happy right now," Skyler remarked warily, seeing the shift in the strange Pokemon's posture. "Kage, what'd you say to him?"

Kage didn't answer Skyler, chewing on the words the strange cat had said. "...A place of darkness," Kage repeated softly, his gaze lowering slightly as he weighed his options. Clearly his questions were agitating this creature, but he might have uncovered a vital clue that could lead to the success of their mission.

He lifted his gaze back to Zeraora. "We need to see this place of darkness." He insisted. "It may hold a clue that could lead us to who we're looking for."

Zeraora took another step back, his lips curling back in a growl as his claws extended. "No," he growled. "Leave this place, now."

"...I've seen enough of this." Reaper suddenly spoke up, his patience having worn thin as he extended his claws in return.

"Reaper, no!" Fisher exclaimed, but his words fell on deaf ears as the Weavile launched himself at Zeraora, claws raised as he lunged at him.

Zeraora, with blinding speed, ducked out of the way of his attack, swiping his claw at the Weavile. Arcs of blue electricity seemed to erupt from Zeraora's body as he struck, slapping Reaper with one massive paw and sending him hurtling backward. At that, the cat slapped his paws against his thighs and let out a snarl, facing Reaper

"Damnit all...! I will wring that Weavile's neck." Kage growled.

But as Reaper lunged to attack again, this time using Double Team in an effort to confuse his opponent, it was apparent that he would not have to. The strange feline moved with speed that surprised even Kage, his body becoming a yellow blur and trailing plasma arcs as he rushed. One clone disappeared, then another, then a third, and then the fourth of Reaper's clones were gone, leaving only himself. The cat appeared before him, even as Reaper struggled to process what had happened, with a crackling fist the cat struck him again, sending him flying backward. Reaper fell into the sand, leaving a skid in the beach before he came to a stop.

"Th-Thi-This guy is _crazy_fast!" Skyler exclaimed, flapping his wings. "I couldn't even see him move!"

"Neither could I," agreed Fisher. One of his eyes had the black membrane he used for aiming, and he had his finger posed to fire a Snipe Shot, but he hadn't taken it yet. "I don't think I could hit him if I tried!"

"And that last move was a Thunderpunch," said Shamshir. "He's an Electric-type."

"That'll be a problem for _all_us if we don't do something," said Fisher, groaning even as Reaper leapt back to his feet.

The Weavile was on the attack again, this time throwing Ice Shards at Zeraora. Not a single one found its mark as Zeraora dashed out of the way. Reaper attempted an Icy Wind instead, trying to slow his target down. Having not expected it, the wind rushed over Zeraora, the sudden chill causing him to hesitate. Reaper charged again, once again trying to bring his opponent in range of his claws.

Zeraora snapped around as Reaper left, landing a devastating uppercut to his gut. Reaper heaved from the punch, lifted into the air by the impact. There, Zeraora raised his other paw, claws out, and struck him hard with a swipe. Reaper hit the ground, trailing blood as he bounced like a spiked volleyball in the court.

Kage had seen enough then. "Reaper has no chance - we have to calm them down before he gets killed,"

They sprang into action. Reaper, despite the blood trickling down from his forehead where one of the cat's claws had cut him, defiantly tried to get back on his feet. But he then felt Shamshir falling upon him, pinning him back down in the sand while Kage and Fisher stepped around them.

"What the _hell_are you doing?!" Reaper demanded

"Saving your life," replied Shamshir flatly

"I can take him myself! Get off me!" He demanded,

"You have no reason to engage him!" Shamshir retorted. "He did not attack us!"

"He was going to! You saw how he reacted when the frog questioned him!" He pointed to Zeraora aggressively. "He should have butt out and let us continue our mission!"

As the two were arguing, Kage appeared behind the confused Zeraora with Shadow Sneak and grabbed him in a headlock, hooking one of his legs around his to throw him off balance. Fisher pointed his finger at the Zeraora, readying a non lethal Snipe Shot as Kage restrained him.

"Calm down, Zeraora." Kage stated firmly through his mind, still having a link with Zeraora thanks to his Extrasensory. "This is a misunderstanding at best."

"You have invaded my home, and now you demand I take you to the dark place!" he stated, all the while speaking aloud in his native tongue at the same time. "I am sworn never to let anyone near it. Now release me, before I make you." His body surged with energy again, a warning that he was not going to be held prisoner.

"What's he saying?" Skyler asked, looking warily between Shamshir and Reaper, worried they were about to come to blows.

Kage held up a finger for silence, and slowly he released the Zeraora and climbed off him. Once free, Zeraora shot upright and back onto his feet, and then jumped away from the group, flipping before landing at a respectable distance just beyond the light of the fire. He watched them from there, his sharp blue eyes filled with anger and suspicion.

Only then did Kage explain what the strange feline had said. "He's angry that we've trespassed on this island, and for being asked to take us to the 'dark place'," he noted Fisher's suspicious look. "_My_demand... I thought it might be significant to our mission."

"What is this dark place?" Shamshir asked, still not releasing Reaper. "Is it something he is protecting?"

"It seems to be the case, yes." Kage answered, watching Zeraora carefully to see what his next move would be. Fisher stood next to Kage, finger still primed to fire a Snipe Shot in the event the cat pokemon went on the offensive, but he had lowered his arm slightly

"You believe it may be related to Calhoun in some way?" Fisher asked.

"It's highly possible." Kage returned. "He seemed rather protective of that information though... The second I asked him to take us to it is when he started to grow more defensive."

"That's hardly surprising," replied Skyler. "He's got no reason to trust us, and if he's supposed to keep people away from this 'dark place' it's kind of understandable he started to get agitated. He probably thinks we're here to steal something."

Kage sighed in irritation. "Well regardless, I was about to try a _different_approach before someone decided to become aggressive." He remarked scornfully, glancing back to Reaper with disdain in his gaze.

"He was going to attack us first. You saw him flex his claws." Reaper retorted, finally being allowed to stand by Shamshir and wiping away some blood from over his eye.

"He was acting defensively, you damned fool!" Kage snapped back at the Weavile. "You saw for yourself how strong he is - he had wanted us dead, he could have killed us already!"

Zeraora tensed as voices were raised, standing his ground and not retracting his claws as he watched them. Skyler noticed this, and with a nervous swallow he looked at Kage. "Can you translate for me, tell him what I'm saying?"

"I can. I still have a mental link with him." Kage returned, having taken a few seconds to calm down.

"Okay," said Skyler, hopping down from the stone he was perched upon and moving to stand beside Kage before facing Zeraora, who watched him closely. "Excuse me, Zeraora. My name is Skyler. I want to apologize for the behavior of my colleague. We truly mean you no harm. We have been sent here to hunt a dangerous band of insurgents who threaten all of the world with their actions. We are seeking any leads we can find, so that we may carry out our mission."

"As I told your amphibian cohort," Zeraora said, speaking slowly and letting Kage translate. "I have not ventured beyond this island. I know not of the ones you seek. I am here to guard a place of evil, to keep those who would be tainted by its power away from it."

"Tainted _by_it, you say?" Skyler asked. "The one we hunt is a Blaziken, who we believe may have been tainted by such a power. We are trying to stop him."

Zeraora finally lowered his guard, and relaxed his posture as he considered Skyler's words. But, his expression remained unchanged. "I must not allow anyone to approach the dark place. I was chosen to be the guardian, and I will not fail in that." He made a sweeping gesture with his claws. "You must leave this island, now."

"We will," Skyler promised. "But, I ask you please let us wait out the night-"

"You will attempt to approach under the cover of darkness!" Zeraora cut him off. "I will not be deceived, bird."

"I speak truly! You have my word!" Skyler went on. "We will remain here on the beach. We will go no further inland, I promise. Please, we have been at sea for many days and wish only to rest on dry land."

Zeraora watched him for a time, seemingly trying to gauge if the Staraptor was lying. His expression softened, just slightly, and he spoke again. "Very well... you have until dawn," he said. "Rest yourselves, and be gone with the rising sun. But know this." He pointed a single clawed digit at them - seemingly at Reaper specifically, scowling. "I _will_be watching you. If you break your word, I _will_strike you down."

Skyler swallowed. "U-Understood. We will be gone at the dawn."

With that, Zeraora backed out of the circle of firelight, slowly fading into the night until they could no longer make out his silhouette. Skyler released a breath he'd been holding, and slumped onto his belly as he tried to steady himself.

"I thought he was gonna fry me," he said, shakily.

Kage then whipped around and grabbed at Reaper by the neck, lifting him aggressively up to meet his gaze before he had a chance to even react. "You incompetent, bloodthirsty buffoon!" He openly berated the Weavile. "You just _had_to move in and get your fix of murder in, didn't you? I could have better reasoned with him had you not interfered!"

Reaper was gagging as he was held by the neck, trying to formulate a response but his words died in his throat. Kage continued shooting daggers into his eyes as he bumped heads with the Weavile.

"I have half a mind to take you out to sea and leave you to the Sharpedos for your stunt tonight! What you did could very well have jeopardized the mission!" He added before aggressively throwing Reaper down on his posterior.

Nobody came to the Weavile's defense. They watched as Kage threw him to the ground, but no one moved to help him. The disappointment and disgust with him was clear on all of their faces. Reaper scoffed and quickly shot back to his feet, glaring at each of them with equal disgust.

"To hell with this." He growled, turning on his heel and storming away from the team.

"And where do you think you're going, Reaper?" Fisher demanded.

"Away from all of you!" He shouted back angrily as he ran along the edge of the beach as fast as he could.

"We can't let him go deeper into the island!" Skyler exclaimed, beating his wings frantically. "If he does, Zeraora will kill him!"

"If wants a death battle that badly, then let him have what he wants..." Kage remarked scornfully. "He's proven to be nothing but dead weight so far. All he's done is act haphazardly and on his own accord, rather than within the parameters of our mission."

"We can't leave him here, Kage," stated Shamshir. "As much as I also would rather do so, we can't simply abandon him."

"He's clearly not going to listen to us." Kage retorted. "If you think you can get through to him, by all means do so. You'll be wasting your time."

"Whether or not he'll listen is irrelevant. Leaving him on this island is not an option with or without moral consideration," said Shamshir "If there's some dangerous power here, do you really want to leave a loose cannon like him here with it?"

...Drat. There was flawless logic in Shamshir's statement. However unlikely it was with a Pokemon Zeraora's power guarding it, there was still a risk leaving Reaper here alone. Still, Kage had had all he could take of the Weavile's insolence, making that clear with a scoff before he spoke.

"Well, then go get him. I'm going to back to the Trident - I need my space." He remarked angrily. "Do _not_follow me.." He warned Fisher and Skyler before he headed back to the ship.

Shamshir sighed and shed his coat to free his wings. "The rest of you wait here. I'll call you if we need help," he told Fisher and Skyler before taking flight and heading off in pursuit of Reaper.

"Oh boy... This is going to be dangerous," said Skyler, looking at Fisher. "I really hope they don't do something to provoke Zeraora."

"Shamshir isn't so dull to risk that." Fisher returned, sighing as he sat back down in front of the fire. "I'm more concerned for Reaper. He seems like the kind of individual to try something as stupid as provoking the enemy..."

"What do you think his deal is?" Skyler asked. "We've had some hot-headed guys on Team Raptor but no one so wrathful as him."

"I'm thinking something about this mission is personal to him," replied Fisher, grimacing as he looked up the beach for Shamshir or Reaper, but both had long since moved out of sight.

Shamshir caught up to Reaper easily with his flight, cutting across land to shorten the distance. He came in from above, and fell into the Weavile's path heavily, making Reaper stop dead in his tracks as the Scizor stood over him, arms crossed.

"You and I have to talk," Shamshir stated, making it clear this was not a request.

"I don't owe you anything." Reaper growled "Leave me be. This is your only warning."

"If you have some steam to let off, I am happy to oblige," he returned, uncrossing his arms as he faced the Weavile. "But be it conscious or not, you are returning to the camp with me."

"I will return of my _own_accord." Reaper warned, his arms tensing. "Get the hell out of my way, bug, or I'll turn you into metal ingots..."

"So you can provoke Zeraora instead?" He asked accusingly. "We are not welcome here, Reaper. I won't have you putting our lives in danger for nothing."

"I don't care! Anything's better than having to deal with your naivety!" The Weavile was now shouting at Shamshir. He was feeling pressured, backed into a corner, and his true colours were slowly starting to be brought to the light.

"You are the one who refuses to be straightforward with the rest of us," he returned. "You call us naive when you are the one rushing into a fight without any provocation. All you care about is finding the Crusade but by your actions, you aren't in it for the mission. Not _this_mission."

"You have your own reasons for taking part in this operation as I do my own!" Reaper continued to shout, his claws starting to tremble at the sides. "My reasons are my own and_only_ my own!"

"That is not what it means to be part of a unit," returned Shamshir. "If your goals impede this mission, you condemn everyone part of it to failure. So what is it, Reaper?" He took a step forward. "Why are you here?!" He shouted the question.

Reaper took a step away from Shamshir, raising his claws at him. "Don't. Push. Me." He warmed through grit teeth. He put on a threatening visage as he glared up at Shamshir, but the elder Scizor could sense something else behind his posture. The way his claws were trembling, how defensive he was being, and now it looked as if he were trying to blink away tears from his eyes...

Shamshir's posture relaxed just slightly. "I know that look," he said, his yellow eyes narrowing. "It's revenge, isn't it? You've met the Dark Crusade before. They took something or someone from you."

Reaper was close to breaking now that the Scizor had seen through his facade. "What the hell would you know?" He demanded. "You don't know a damned thing about me! You have no idea what's going through my head right now!"

"Because you won't tell us!" He retorted, and then added in a calmer tone. "You expect us to trust you but you hide your intentions? How can we understand if you will not tell us?"

"I don't expect any of you to trust me!" He finally snapped. "I expect you to stay out of my way while I kill that damned Gallade!!!"

There it was... the real reason why Reaper was among their ranks, and after he revealed it, the Weavile finally fell to his knees and stuck his claws into the ground in a fit of frustration, his body shaking violently, trying so hard to let himself show any sort of weakness in front of the Scizor.

"So that's it," said Shamshir, watching the Weavile. "...It's Sash you want. Calhoun's enforcer."

Reaper kept his head lowered, but in the end he finally nodded in confirmation. "I was present during one of his raids... We... My partner and I had just finished collecting a bounty when the meteors came crashing down." He finally explained, shuddering heavily as he recounted the events on that fateful day. "We managed to evade the barrage... But then _he_showed up, with a small battalion of Pokemon behind him... and his sights were set on us while the carnage ensued..."

"Where was this?" Shamshir asked, then a thought occurred to him. "Was it... Are you from Arc Island?"

"No... I hail from farther north than there." Reaper returned, still stifling sobs. "It was an island town like Arc, but it was nearer to Valvatna."

Shamshir jolted as if he had been hit. "We've seen that island... all those months ago. We saw it as we left the tournament..." His eyes narrowed again. "I know of the place you speak. It was a horrendous sight... No one should have to endure such a thing." He lifted his gaze again. "And your partner... Sash struck him down, didn't he?"

"Right before my eyes..." Reaper answered. "I was pinned by debris... My partner was on his back, pleading for his life." He tensed up, and the air around the Weavile started to get cold. "That heartless bastard slit his throat without a second thought, and he wore the most sadistic grin on his face as he did!"

He slammed his clenched claws into the ground in anger. "Then he turned to me, still wearing that grin. He would have finished me as well if another being hadn't approached him and told him to return to something called 'The Oppression.'" He went on.

"Their ship," Shamshir clarified. "They used it to attack many locations."

"He _should_have killed me..." Reaper kept going, now more remorseful than defensive. "My partner was the only one I trusted, and he took him away from me like it was just another day at the park!"

Shamshir nodded in understanding, stepping forward and kneeling before the Weavile. "I understand," he said. "You are not the first one I've met who has suffered under the Crusade. Particularly, under that Gallade." His eyes rolled to the right side as he thought of one in particular. "One of whom... carries the weight of that encounter with him every day, when he saw that Gallade kill everyone who depended on him."

Reaper scoffed. "Glad to know there's another like me..." He retorted dismissively, falling back on his rear and lifting a claw to pull back his hood, revealing his tear stained cheeks, one side mixed with the blood from his earlier injury which had begun to dry before being mixed with moisure again. "Not that it matters... All I care about is my revenge, and I don't care if I die trying to kill him. At least I'll be back with my partner in that regard..."

"Is that what you think your partner would want?" Shamshir asked, glaring disapprovingly at Reaper. "For you to throw your life away just so you two can reunite in the afterlife?"

"If that's what it takes..." Reaper remarked dismissively.

"Don't be a fool," Shamshir said sharply. "If you throw your life away like that, you would dishonour your friend's memory."

"I do not intend to just roll over and die..." Reaper retorted. "I plan to take that bastard with me if I cannot kill him myself. One way or another, he WILL die by my claw..."

Shamshir shook his head. "The reason we all live today is by the actions of those who come before," said Shamshir, rising to his feet again. "We owe it to them to live our lives to the fullest. I am not trying to dissuade you from battling Sash, but for the sake of your friend, do not forget you have a life to live ahead of you. Fight for that, and the justice that Sash's victims are owed. Think about this, if nothing else. What would your friend have wanted you to do?"

Reaper sighed again, slowly rising to his feet again and averting his gaze. "...He would tell me to continue doing what I do best..." He finally answered after several moments of silence.

"And that is?"

"Taking jobs, earning Poks, settling down once I've gone over the hill." The Weavile continued in a solemn tone. "It just will not be as fulfilling now..."

"It will, so long as you remember," offered Shamshir. "You are doing it for the memory of your comrade, and that is a worthy goal. One we will _help_you achieve, but only if you are willing to work with us." He came to stand by Reaper then, though his eyes were looking back up the beach. "Now, what say we get back to finding justice for him?"

"Fine..." Reaper softly relented, lifting his claws up and pulling his hood over his eyes again. "I'll still need space when we're back aboard the Trident though."

"Fair enough," the Scizor replied, nodding to him.

With that, the two started walking back to the Trident. From the hill of the island's center, a pair of blue eyes watched them through the darkness. Their owner, satisfied that the two were not intruding deeper into his land, turned and hopped down from his perch and started for home, to resume his duty to guard the Source.

In the morning, as promised, the Trident set out with the dawn. The team left the island of the lightning warrior behind and set a course for the next isle, to begin their search for Calhoun and the Dark Crusade...