FSE

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Valvatna...

The rustic port city brought back so many memories to the three as they disembarked from the ship, following the other passengers across the ramp to the pier. The town looked just as they remembered it - a collection of homes, built of thick treated lumber and brick foundations. All except for the enormous arena where Team Warmachine's tournament had been held after the destruction of their personal colosseum on their island. Chimneys belched smoke as hearth fires warmed the inside of the houses. It was spring in this part of the world technically, but the air still carried a nip to it that did not go unnoticed.

"Good call from Lashanne on the jackets," Volcan thought aloud, pulling his coat tight to him and shouldering the sack carrying their supplies. "I can already feel the chill here, and it's supposed to be summer back home. Guess it comes a little later here."

"Yeah. I had a feeling my scarf wouldn't be enough to ward off the cold weather on its own." Luke concurred, adjusting the light coat he had picked for himself. He looked over to his side and noticed Katsu hadn't put on a coat of his own, making him raise his eyebrow. "...Aren't you cold at all?"

"Nay. As a warrior of the sea, I am used to colder climates than most Water-types, and this light chill is of no bother." He assured Luke. "Though perhaps when we go further north, that might change."

"Well, good thing we found some coats that fit your bulky form." Luke joked slightly.

As they reached land, Volcan stopped to take in the sights of the town, breathing in deeply to smell the crisp air before letting out gently. "Heh... It's funny. When I last came to this town I had no clue who I was. This is one of my earlier post-amnesia memories. Now I'm back here again, after remembering myself before it all." He chuckled. "It's like visiting an old place, yet somewhere new at the same time - if that makes any sense."

"It kinda does." Luke answered with a small shrug. "When you first came here you were still finding yourself. Now that you've regained most of your lost memories, and made new ones for yourself, it's like you've become a completely different pokemon in a sense." He went on, then smiled as he rubbed his chest some. "That being said, at least this much of you hasn't changed~"

"Oh, but it has," he said, laying his arm over Luke and smiling down at him. "Last time I was here, I was incomplete. There was an open spot in my heart." He hugged Luke a little tighter. "That part has changed. A certain Lucario fills that gap now."

"You cheesy romantic sap~" Luke teased, lightly nudging Volcan's side with his elbow before returning the soft embrace. "Don't you ever change, you hear me?"

"I don't plan on it, so long as you make the same vow," he replied.

"You'd have to lock me away in solitary for me to do that." Luke answered softly. "Now, before this gets _too_passionate, let's get started in finding our way to the kingdom, shall we?"

"Right," agreed Volcan. "Meilin's letter said the road would be marked, and called the King's Road. Still, we ought to procure a map before we set out."

"Good call." Luke answered. "Perhaps there's an info center that might have a map we can purchase, or we could ask the local Guild Hall here for one." He offered.

"Let's start with the Guild Hall," suggested Volcan. "Can probably requisition a map there and save a few Poks."

"Worth a shot." Luke agreed with a nod.

Asking for directions from a passerby, they made their way to the Guild Hall in good time. They entered, and approached the reception counter where they were greeted by a oddly coloured Mr. Mime managing the front desk. Upon request, he offered them a map and directions to the King's Road, leading North out of Valvatna. Thanking the receptionist they stepped out and stood by the door as they studied the map.

"Looks like we have quite a trek ahead of us," said Volcan with a grimace. "There are two towns between us and Calygrad, as well as a couple of roadside inns and a..." He squinted. "A race track? Huh. Well anyway, we better double check our supplies for a long haul. By this we'll probably be on the road for at least a week if not longer."

"I can carry any extra supplies we'll need." Offered Katsu.

Luke chuckled. "Well, I guess there's one merrit to bringing you along." Luke joked, but nodded nonetheless back to the Samurott. "Alright then. We'll double up on rations, and we'll probably have to camp on the road once or twice. Katsu, you get us some gear while Volcan and I stock up on food - likely non-perishables, so some might be weighty." He surmised before pointing North. "We'll meet at the northern road out of town in thirty minutes. Sound fair?"

Katsu nodded. "Aye, it shall be done." he said firmly.

As the three parted ways, Volcan reached down to his hip and lifted the flap of his coin pouch. He reached into the pouch, sorting through the coins with his fingers. "I hope we brought enough money for all this," he said. "The reward I got from Torolf for the prison mission was good but it's starting to run low after all the work on the house."

"We better make sure we leave enough for accommodations on the way" Luke answered, gently patting his own coin pouch. "We'll divide the costs then. You take care of our resources and I'll handle the expenses for our lodgings."

"Okay," he agreed, unshouldering the sack on his back which held their food. He opened it, and examined the contents, muttering to himself. "I'd say if we ration what we brought, plus the light touch up, we should be able to last the whole way to Calygrad. It'll leave me with some spare funds to replenish them for the way back, and to fuel up the boat again when we get back to the islands."

"Alright then. Let's get to shopping then. Wouldn't want Katsu to beat us to the meeting point now, or he'll keep calling us slowpokes for days on end." Luke said with a laugh.

Volcan let out a laugh of his own. "All respect to the big guy, he couldn't outrun you even if you had a gimp," the Blaziken said in jest as they approached the market.

~~~~~

The food available at the market came as a surprise to Volcan and Luke as they began their shopping. While there were some preserved foods to choose from such as salted fish and meats, there were also berries. Whole rows of ripe berries at the produce merchant. The sight baffled them. It was far too early in the season for there to be ripe berries, yet there they were.

The seller - a Grumpig came up to them. "May I help you find something?" He asked.

"I'm... Confused," said Luke. "Isn't it too early in the season for berries? They wouldn't be ripe for picking yet, would they?"

"Normally, no," the seller confirmed. "But these come from Calygrad. Pretty much everything you see here, except for apples - we grow those ourselves, though they aren't ready yet."

"You get them this early even with how cold it gets up here?" Volcan asked. "It's been chilly all morning since we landed."

"The mornings will always be chilly, but we _are_in the growth season - you'll see by about ten o'clock or so," the seller replied. "By then it'll be so warm you'll forget all about the morning chill."

"Pardon me, but, how does Calygrad get berries this early?" Luke pressed further. "Even if the weather is warmer, they should still only be blossoming, right?"

The merchant Grumpig tilted his head. "New to the area, eh?" He asked, then cleared his throat. "It's all thanks to King Calyrex, according to rumours. Supposedly, he can make plants - especially crops, grow in half the time they normally would. By the time berry bushes would still be budding he's already got them blossoming. Ain't seen it myself, but hard to deny it when Calygrad sells us good produce all season long." He gestured to the berries before him for emphasis.

Volcan and Luke shared a skeptical look, but shrugged and went on to pay for their supplies, selecting some of the produce as well as preserved food - might as well enjoy fresh food while it was available.

"Do you suppose there's any truth to what he said?" Volcan asked, shouldering the sack of food. "What kind of Pokémon can accelerate crop growth?"

"Probably a species we've never heard of before." Luke answered. "We are in a new land after all - bound to be some surprises here. Though, now I'm starting to wonder if there's a deeper reason as to why no one has seen his face before, or at least why there's no record of how he looks in the book Lashanne lent us."

"Could be whoever wrote the book never got to see the king for himself?" offered Volcan. "Or, couldn't afford to hire an illustrator? Having read through the book a few times I've noticed there aren't really any illustrations."

Luke gave a helpless shrug. "I don't know, maybe I'm overthinking it. Let's just focus on actually getting there before we start jumping to conclusions."

"Good idea."

The pair made their rendezvous with Katsu at the road, both arriving ahead of schedule. Seeing no reason to put it off, they set out from Valvatna, making their way along the King's Road to Calygrad.

The summer season of the North Continent, despite carrying some chill in the air as they left town, was made better by the natural beauty of the land around them. The majority of their trek took them through a range of mountains, through which the road cut a steady path. They left the mountains by duskfall and crossed over into a vast, open wilderness of rolling hills, scattered pine forests and lakes formed undoubtedly from glacial melt coming down from the mountains.

The road, once they were clear of the mountains, turned to cobblestone pavement and they passed a construction crew in the process of setting up camp for the night before resuming work the next morning, though a few were still placing stone slates into the path even as the light dimmed. The crew waved to them as they passed, giving the workers the majority of the road before continuing on. As the seller had promised, the chill vanished quickly, chased away as the sun climbed higher in the sky, and Volcan and Luke were able to take their coats off to walk.

They travelled for hours, taking in the beautiful land stretching as far as the eye could see, taken in by the natural beuaty. The chill however returned with a vengeance as the sun began to set. Just as the last rays of light vanished below the west horizon, they reached the first of the roadside inns Volcan had pointed out on the map they procured. They rented accomodations for the night, and went back to their travels at dawn. Rather than spend money and time on breakfast, they ate from their rations and kept marching along, still enjoying the magnificence of the wide lands around them.

"I know I said it yesterday, but I really never expected the north to be so beautiful" Volcan remarked as he walked, taking in the lands around them again, the mountain peaks still visible at their backs. "It's just stunning... I can only imagine what it looks like across the seasons."

"Aye, very much so... Such a sight reminds me of my island home back when I was just a young Oshawott." Katsu concurred, taking in a deep breath and letting out a long sigh after filling his lungs with the crisp air around them. "All that remains to be seen are the many cherry blossom trees that lined the streets and it will truly feel like home."

"Come to think of it, you never really do talk much of your hometown Katsu." Luke pointed out. "Though to be fair, we never really asked."

"Tis quite alright. It shall have to be a tale for another time though. We have a duty to fulfill after all." The large Samurott reminded them.

"We've got a long way to go yet, Katsu," Volcan pointed out, referring to the map held between his hands. "We're only halfway to the next town. A story might help pass the time."

"Hmm, true..." Katsu admitted. "Very well then, my friends. I shall tell you the tale of what my hometown used to be like, before I decided to venture out on my own." He began.

The Samurott recounted his early life growing up on his island home, which he described as a moderately sized feudal style village where the males were trained as warriors at a very young age, while the women were left to practice other talents that would benefit their village, which included but were not limited to being seamstresses, artists, or herbalists. He also described the village's hierarchy, in which the leader of the village was known as the Shogun, and his top two warriors were known as the Shihans, or Grand Masters, that personally oversaw every warrior's training and swordsmanship so that they could become the finest warriors the island could muster.

"I... Was what one would call the Black Mareep of my people." Katsu explained. "I wanted to be a great swordsman like my fellow trainees, but I was never satisfied with what the island offered me. I wished to see more of the world, find more ways to hone my skills and become a swordsman that the world would never forget." He then chuckled softly as a thought entered his mind. "Ironic that young Wade now has that very same goal in mind, and has grown into quite a skilled, unorthodox warrior thanks to both young Luna's and Kage's tutelage..."

"Wait, Luna taught Wade too?" Volcan asked. "I thought Luna didn't like fighting?"

"Luna may not like fighting, but that doesn't mean he didn't waste his time doing nothing." Luke replied. "He _is_Nido's firstborn after all, so he does have that hint of meeting a challenge head on within him, even if it's martial arts training."

"Indeed. Luna is passive by nature, but he can fight at speeds you can't even begin to fathom. In fact, I dare say he is even faster than Luke and yourself put together." Katsu went on. "Alas I digress. Yes, Luna did train Wade in the fundamentals of being a warrior as well as raise him as if he were his own son. Kage, however, trained him in the art of ninjitsu and further developed his swordplay, turning him into a hybrid of a Ninja and a Samurai. You have seen the results for yourself." He added.

"I have, considering he beat one of Warmachine's best in single combat," replied Volcan with a nod. "That one not even mind controlled by Bialo like the rest."

"He's got a lot of potential in him, and not to mention developing his own variant of an attack that's specific to the Greninja line is an impressive feat as well." Luke added.

"Aye... In time I feel he will achieve his goal far sooner than I will reach mine." Katsu remarked with a bit of solemn bliss in his tone.

"You've become a substantial warrior yourself, Katsu," said Volcan encouragingly. "Remember, you also squared off with one of Warmachine's best when he wasn't mind controlled. You gave Timber a run for his money, and the coward has yet to show his face ever since. Not to mention you beat Blaster and you square off with Tristan all the time, and he was already a famous gladiator before he moved to Arc." He clapped Katsu on the back. "You're one of the top fighters out there in my book, bud."

"Hahaha! And I shall continue to grow stronger still." Katsu said as he laughed heartily. "I may not be the best swordsman around, but I can say with pride that I am indeed the strongest." He said as he lifted an arm and flexed it heavily, making the fibres of his jacket stretch with how much his arm had swollen from just flexing his bicep.

"Well, that certainly brought you back in high spirits." Luke remarked with a warm smile. "Honestly I was afraid you telling us of your past would bring back haunting memories."

"Ah, nay. I've no ill memories of my home. Just that I received some... Mild scorn for my line of thinking, but I never let it bring me down." Katsu replied.

"You dared to be different, and that's okay by us," said Volcan, giving him another pat on the back. "And hey, if you need a sword training partner, you know you could ask Minato. He loves a good sparring partner."

"I will remember to ask him when we return." Katsu nodded. "Truth be told, I do not think I have seen him fight yet. From the praise you give him, he sounds exceptionally skilled."

"Exceptionally is putting it nicely. I sparred with him while we were in Hadleigh once." Luke piped up. "It was as if he was a smooth current of water running through a river. There were no openings in his movements. Every strike was followed up with a parry or dodge that he moved into seamlessly." Luke explained.

"Even sparring with him myself for years I don't think I've had a single win that wasn't a result of me just outmaneuvering him, and even then there are only three I can recount," added Volcan. "The first was-"

"Make way for the King's Guards!" A voice bellowed from ahead, startling them as they saw a column of Pokémon marching in their direction, taking up the left half of the road.

Hastily moving aside, they watched the column pass. They were led by a bird-like Pokémon that somewhat resembled a Farfetch'd, but it was bigger, and had white feathers with highlights of gold. It carried a lance in an upright position that looked to have been made from a giant leek, filed for a point with its leaves serving as the hilt and a dark green shield was held in its other win. The Pokémon following it definitely were Farfetch'd, numbering eight in total, but they were a different colour than the ones that Luke, Volcan or Katsu knew. They were black, and carried huge leeks over their shoulders. They marched in perfect unison behind the leader. At the middle of the column was a monkey-like Pokémon tapping a drum, giving the column a marching beat as they passed and continued down the road.

"...Well that's something you don't see every day," said Volcan.

"Almost looks like something out of a marching band." Luke remarked, watching the column of pokemon pass. He looked on at the Farfetch'd that stood out from the rest, narrowing his eyes slightly as he studied its features. "...Call me crazy, but I'm kind of getting Ernoul vibes from him."

"How so?" Katsu asked.

"Well,look at him. He looks like a Farfetch'd, but he's got different coloured feathers and looks more like a knight rather than a baton wielder. Ernoul was a similar case, in where he's a Ninetales, but instead of being a Fire type, he's an Ice type." Luke described.

"Those Farfetch'd following him look different too," agreed Volcan. "I think Luke's right. These must be some kind of regional variant, just like Ernoul was. And it seems unlike the Farfetch'd we know back home, these ones get an evolved form." He pointed to the white one for emphasis.

"They also mentioned they were the king's guard." Luke remarked, making him ponder for a moment. "I'm starting to wonder if their king has any correlation with these Farfetch'd."

"They did suggest he has power over plant life back in town," said Volcan. "Maybe he gave them those big leeks too. Those look a lot more solid than the regular ones Farfetch'd are known to carry."

They watched the patrol continue down the road for a time before resuming their walk, minds reeling at the possibilities of finding other regional variants in the north. This land held many surprises for them yet...

~~~~~

The journey to Calygrad took a total of eight days from when the three had left Valvatna, delayed only when they stopped to see a few sights such as the race track Volcan had seen on the map. A collection of speedy Pokémon raced down a long lane, among them including a yellow and green hound who held the lead for a time, until a white and red rabbit-like Pokémon overtook him with a powerful sprint, powering ahead just enough to beat the hound and receive the cheers of the audience.

They stayed long enough to watch a few races before continuing on to the walled city. At the gate, they encountered more of those white and black Farfetch'd, and above, dark iron birds flew an aerial patrol above the city walls. One swept low for them to see, stopping to talk to one of the knightly looking Farfetch'd where they saw it up close. The entirety of the bird's body was covered in black armour, they were massive in size, each one nearly as big as Katsu, and two red eyes peered out through the sockets of their helmet-like head, with black sclera that made only the red portion visible.

One of the guards asked them about the purpose of their visit. They explained to him that they were part of the guilds and running an investigation. He directed them to the guild hall, which sat just in sight of the gate, and told them they needed to register their names there before they could explore the city.

"They sure take security pretty seriously here," said Volcan as they approached the hall, the partially emptied sack of their travel rations still being carried over his shoulder. "Guards above and below."

"If anything, it ensures that the people residing behind the Castle walls are well protected by both the defenses, and the warriors lining them." Katsu remarked. "These warriors seem similar to the ones back in my village... only they are clad in protective armour."

"If it helps them better survive a battle, then they're allowed to use it as they see fit." Luke piped up.

"I admit those armoured fliers are a little intimidating," said Volcan, looking up as a trio of the black armoured birds flew over. "You suppose those are the regional variant of Skarmory?"

uke looked up at the armoured birds up above. "...Probably not? I mean, they don't really _look_like a Skarmory. Skarmory are sleek and fast, but those birds appear to be flying tanks. The Regional species variants we've seen at least resemble the Pokemon they are variants of, so it is unlikely these metal ravens have any relation to Skarmory."

"Yeah, true," agreed the Blaziken, acknowling Luke's logic.

They entered the guild hall, and approached the main desk. They explained to the receptionist that they were new in town, showing their guild emblems to confirm their identities before entering their names on a list. They were given new items - amulets bearing the official seal of the guild, to be worn at all times while they were in the city and returned when they departed. There were guild posts at each of the city entrances where the amulets could be dropped off.

With that, they left the hall and ventured into the city. On the way out, Volcan requisitioned a new guidebook - one about Calygrad itself, written by a local tourist center. The book offered a much more detailed explanation of the city proper, and even had its own map. He leafed through the book, before finding an entry about the city security.

"Corviknight," he said. "That's what those black metal birds are," he added for Katsu and Luke's benefit before he continued reading. "The Corviknight brigade of Calygrad keep the peace in the skies above, and are often called upon for quick response when there are incidents at the outer communities. They're like an aerial police force."

"Wonder if they've ever worked with any of the other aerial rescue teams?" Luke pondered out loud.

They walked through the city streets, taking in the architecture of the buildings. Compared to other major cities Luke had visited in recent months, namely Hadleigh and Princeport, Calygrad followed a completely different approach with its architecture. Princeport had been designed with function over form, with buildings designed more to withstand the elements than to be visually appealing.

Hadleigh had been intended to be beautiful in both how unique its buildings were, yet complimented each other at the same time - no two were alike. But Calygrad seemed to fit a middle ground between the two, with buildings following a more uniformed design - clearly all designed by the same architect or at least ones with similar ideas. They were built tall, making up for the confined space within the walls with height, with blue-tiled angular roofs and red-brown brick walls, with neatly-placed windows.

Despite the rather uniform architecture, each of the house's front yards had been personalized to suit the owners, resulting in an array of gardens with many different flowers. In their windows, different coloured drapes and accessories of all varieties further added to the character of the individual houses. The uniformity only broke when they passed through the market, becoming an open plaza surrounded by a circle of shops to border an already packed area of town, with numerous market stalls and hundreds of shoppers.

Both Katsu and Luke were mildly awestruck by the architecture of the city, the latter more so impressed that they were able to find that middle ground of style and resistance to the elements. Katsu on the other hand was already marveling at the market plaza and its many shops. One in particular caught his interest that made him gravitate toward it almost immediately, as it was a kiosk that sold fish related products, ranging from smoked Remoraid all the way to different kinds of sushi.

"By the lords above..." Katsu whispered as he looked at the wide selection of fish products, licking his lips at the selection of fish.

"Suppose those are the fish that get imported here from Valvatna?" Volcan asked.

"That has to be the case." Luke remarked, smirking slightly as Katsu was practically salivating over the fish food. "It seems to have swooned our mighty glacier, that's for sure." He said as he looked in his pouch and counted his Poks. "...I think I can afford to treat him to a couple morsels."

"Go ahead," replied Volcan, looking again at the guidebook. "I'll see about finding us somewhere to stay."

"Alright then." Luke returned, leaning up and giving Volcan a small peck on his cheek before he walked over to Katsu. "Alright, big guy. Pick what you want. My treat."

"Oh, Luke. I could not bear to ask-"

"Ah ah!" Luke lifted his paw to silence the Samurott. "None of that. You're hungry and I will not let you starve while we're out here." He insisted before gesturing for Katsu to decide what he wanted to eat.

In capitulation, Katsu accepted Luke's generous offer, buying himself some pieces of freshly cooked fish to enjoy. As they bought their snack, Volcan located a nearby inn with prices to suit them - it wouldn't be the most comfortable but it would tide them over while they sought out a guide to the temple. Taking point, Volcan followed the map to the inn's location, and they rented a couple of rooms. But as they prepared to leave the inn to head back to the guild hall, hoping to ask about a guide, someone stepped into the inn and blocked the door.

Three of the King's guard stood there, one of them the mysterious white Farfetch'd species - according to the guidebook, it was a 'Sirfetch'd', an evolved form found only in the northlands. The other two were Corviknights, standing at attention. The Sirfetch'd, still armed even as he stepped inside, seemed of a higher rank in the King's peacekeeping force, wearing an ornate helmet as a badge of office. The bird knight took in the room, eyes meeting each of the patrons including Luke and his cohorts.

"I seek two individuals, by the names of Luke and Volcan. I was told they were staying here. Do they stand here now in this room?" The guard asked.

"They're... looking for us?" Volcan asked in a low, wary voice.

"No idea why. I don't think we've done anything wrong." Luke whispered back to Volcan. "That being said, I don't think we should leave a bad impression on our first day here..."

Having made up his mind, Luke then stepped forward into the open so the Sirfetch'd and his guards could plainly see him. He then reached into his scarf and pulled out his team emblem for them to see. "I do stand before you today. As do my colleagues." He replied, motioning for Katsu and Volcan to stand with him.

Volcan also showed his emblem, attached to the belt of his shoulder harness and then, "May we ask what this is about?" he inquired.

"Is the Samurott part of your group?" The Sirfetch'd inquired.

"He is," Volcan replied.

With a nod, the duck-knight continued. "The King has summoned the captains of Team Valiant and Phalanx to the royal palace," he said. "He wishes to meet you, in person."

They were utterly floored by the request. When the knight had first asked about them, they feared they might have already committed a violation in the city, but they certainly hadn't expected the king himself to be summoning them! The question remained though... Why?

Katsu cleared his throat and straightened up as best he could while he was standing on all fours. "Forgive our confusion, but did we just hear you say the lord of the state wishes to see us?" He asked cautiously.

"May we ask why?" Luke followed up, scratching the back of his head.

"He did not tell me," the officer answered. "He only asked for you by name. We are to escort you." He tapped the floor with his shield. The Two Corviknight raised their right wings in salute.

Nearly everyone in the inn was staring at them now, making the three feel quite uncomfortable. They looked at each other, considering the request. They couldn't rightly refuse the summons of a king - not unless they wanted to anger him. With no choice, they nodded in agreement to the Sirfetch'd, and followed him out of the Inn.The Corviknights took to the air while the Sirfetch'd led the three through the streets, eyes forward and motioning people aside as they marched.

"What could the king want with us? And how did he even know we're here, or who we are?" Volcan asked.

"The guild hall." Luke answered. "Remember what Lashanne's book said? They register the names of those affiliated with the guilds so that rescue teams can conduct their work freely within city limits." Luke answered. "Though it kind of perplexes me on how fast news seems to travel around here."

"To our own credit, both of our teams have worked up quite a substantial reputation from our last endeavours." Katsu pointed out. "It is possible that we were already well known before we even arrived here, and his highness might just want to meet us in person."

"Still, for it to get back to him so fast..." Volcan pondered, and then his head cocked forward as he had a thought. "Do you suppose he has an informant in the guild itself?"

"It's possible." Luke replied. "Though I guess we won't find out until we meet him. The fact that not even his guards know why he wants to meet us is setting off a few alarm bells for me..." He admitted, narrowing his eyes suspiciously.

The trio crossed at least eight blocks of the city before finally leaving the confines of the city streets, stepping through an open inner gate. They entered a yard, and before them sat a massive, open area enclosed in stone walls and the expanse of the great palace before them.

The sheer breadth of the space could have nearly engulfed half of Port Azure by Luke's estimate, and outside of the marble-paved sidewalk were richly tended gardens ringed by green grass. The palace was built of stone and doubled the number of floors, and while Torolf's mansion was painted white, this stone palace was built of light gray bricks, decorated with bright blue tapestries hanging below its many windows. Its roof was angular, like many of the other buildings in town, with small spires resting at each corner of the roof which looked to be more decorative than practical.

"Dayum," Volcan said, eyes wide as he practically breathed the word out.

"And here I thought I'd seen everything when we visited Torolf's mansion during our trip home from the West." Luke breathed as well, having to pinch himself to see if he was hallucinating.

"It's as if I'm looking at the Shogun's estate back home." Katsu remarked in awe. "Only several times larger... What kind of monarch requires such a living space?"

"Hey, if ya have it, why not-"

Volcan was cut off when a shrill voice broke the relative silence. "Stop!" A voice called out, causing the officer to tense and the two Corviknights to come down in a rush. All three stood, alert, looking for signs of trouble.

"Come back, Qiang!" The voice called again. It was a female voice. The group turned to see a Kengaskhan running after a small, ursine figure. "Please, stop him!" She called out as the small bear got closer.

"Young master, stop!" The Sirfetch'd ordered, dropping his weapons and attempting to catch the little ursine in his wings.

In a startling display of acrobatics though, the ursine sprang up and over the Sirfetch'd, clearing him in a single bound. Luke hopped up to try to seize him, but by the time he reached his height the cub had already passed over him. Fortunately, Volcan - much taller than Luke, was standing right behind him and managed to catch the cub between his hands.

"Whoa there, little guy!" Volcan exclaimed.

"Let me go!" The little ursine demanded, pounding on Volcan's hands.

"Now just calm down a moment. What's all the - _AGH!"_The cub kicked the Blaziken across the cheek.

Volcan reeled and dropped the cub, who landed on his feet and dashed between Volcan's leg, resuming his beeline toward the gate.

"Hey, hold on there!" Luke hollered, using Extreme Speed to quickly move in front of the small bear Pokémon and grabbing him so that his arms were pinned to his sides and was facing away from him so he couldn't kick him in the face like he did Volcan. "Calm down! Stop already!" Luke stated firmly as he struggled to keep him restrained. For such a small Pokemon, the cub was surprisingly strong.

"Let me go!" The cub repeated, struggling against Luke even as the Kangaskhan arrived. She gently took the cub from Luke, and held him to her, shushing him and trying to calm him though he fought her for a moment.

The kangaskhan looked at Luke, seeming frightfully embarassed. "I'm so sorry about that!" She said, before returning her attention to the cub.

Volcan rubbed his jaw where the cub had kicked him. "Ow. Was _not_expecting that."

"You ok?" Luke asked, turning his attention to Volcan.

"I'm fine. But wow, for such a little guy, that cub packs a wallop!" Volcan said, sounding equally impressed and pained as he rubbed his cheek. "That's gonna hurt later."

"Please, forgive young master Qiang," the Sirfetch'd officer spoke up. "He often attempts to run out like this."

"Any particular reason why?" Katsu asked, watching what he assumed was Qiang's caretaker walk back to the palace with him in her arms.

"It is... Difficult to explain, but I suspect it is relative to why King Calyrex has summoned you," he answered as he retrieved his equipment. "Let us continue on."

They resumed their approach to the palace, seeing the cub and his caretaker arguing near the door. She still held him in her arms to ensure he didn't try to run away again, and he clearly wasn't happy about it, constantly trying to free himself from her grasp. Eventually, as the entourage entered the palace, she took him through another door and they vanished from sight.

The inside of the palace was even more regal than the exterior, with decorative banners hanging from the upper walkways bearing the city's standard. A plush carpet softened their steps as they were led through the foyer to the double doors ahead. They opened, and Luke, Volcan and Katsumoto were bid to enter following the Sirfetch'd. The doors slammed shut behind them, and they found themselves in a brightly lit open room, illuminated by a crystalline chandelier that hung from the ceiling, catching the light coming in through the tall windows on either side and reflecting the light until not a shadow remained. The carpet was a rich green, like the grass outside, and led all the way to a single throne at the top of a five step dais, where possible the strangest Pokemon any of them had ever seen sat waiting.

The being resting in the throne was small - shorter than even Luke and much thinner. It was lapine in appearance, but unlike a Lopunny or a Diggersby, it lacked the long, floppy ears of most rabbit-like Pokemon. Instead, it had an enormous swollen bulb atop its head, large and round and seemingly supported by four appendages that almost seemed like they could have been the ears that Luke initially thought were missing. Around his neck he wore a necklace of round, green and blue spheres shining like pearls. His legs were so skinny, they did not appear to be useable, and his arms were little better.

Yet, Luke felt an air of power as they walked closer to the being, who he knew could only have been King Calyrex. Curious, and using the time it took for them to cross the room, he reached into himself to summon his aura sense. There, he saw it. Calyrex was indeed much more powerful than he appeared - his aura was bright and mighty. Comparable to Sol if Luke had to make a guess.

Luke was so stunned by just how much power this lean figure had that he couldn't hide his shock. His eyes were open wide and his jaw hung open slightly as he stared up at King Calyrex. He didn't even respond to Katsu's attempts to get his attention, which made him look to Volcan with a helpless shrug, unable to determine what had come over his captain. Eventually, Volcan had to nudge Luke to snap him out of it, reminding him that they were expected to show the king proper respect. Volcan bent low at the waist before the King, with Katsu following his example, though more lowering himself as he was already down on all fours.

Luke followed suit once he was snapped out of his stupour, quickly lowering himself to one knee and bowing his head respectfully to the king, waiting for him to address them before he dared to speak up.

"My greetings to you, warriors of the East Continent," the king spoke up. His voice was likely the only thing that matched his unimpressive physique. It was not deep, nor high, but seemingly resting at the perfect balance of pitch. "Rise, and be welcome in my humble home."

They rose at Calyrex's word, and looked up at him. "It is an honour, your majesty," said Volcan, likely improvising based on books he had read or some such. It wasn't likely he had anymore experience speaking to royalty than Luke did - which was, to say, none at all.

"The honour is mine, to have such renowned heroes grace my halls," replied Calyrex. "Luke, Captain of Team Valiant, and Volcan, Captain of Team Phalanx. Word of your exploits reaches far. And you, Samurott. You are of Team Valiant, if I am not mistaken?" He asked, regarding Katsumoto. "I would have your name as well, if you would be so kind."

"Aye, t'would be my honour." Katsu returned formally, standing tall on his hind legs and placing his arm over his chest. "I am Katsumoto, the Mighty Glacier of Team Valiant. My comrades usually refer to me as Katsu for short, my lord." He explained.

"Katsumoto... by your name, I would wager you hail from the Maelstrom Isle. Were you in service to Shogun Hizashi?" He asked.

He was momentarily taken aback by such a claim, clearly not expecting the king to know of his origins so easily. "A-Aye, that would be correct." He stammered, having to take a moment to recollect his composure. "Forgive my ignorance, but how is it you know of my island home?"

"I have lived much longer than you might expect," replied Calyrex, leaning forward in his seat. "I have visited many lands in my travels, before and after I became King." He then lifted himself from his seat.

To say lifted was not accurate, for his feet were not touching the ground. He was levitating, and it was then Luke knew this strange Pokemon had to be a Psychic-type.

The king descended the dais, and floated closer to them. "I met Hizashi shortly before he became Shogun, and shared some of my wisdom. I have often wondered how he applied the knowledge I bestowed upon him after I left."

"I... Unfortunately do not know." Katsu admitted, looking away slightly. "I left the village almost immediately after I evolved into a Dewott, and I never was graced by his presence during my youngling days."

"I see," he replied, before clearing his throat and regarding each of them. "But I digress. I haven't yet explained why I summoned you all. You see, I have a hunch that I know why you are here." This earned the king a collective look of curiosity. "You seek information, about a certain someone. Would that someone happen to be a dark Blaziken?"

All three of them gawker at the king. Volcan was the first to ask the question that was on all of their minds. "How could you know that?" He asked.

"I understand you seek information, and I am well informed about the plight in the south," Calyrex replied. "I knew the trail would lead hear eventually. In fact, you are not the first to come here - some time back, there was a Skarmory who was also looking for this information." He grimaced. "Though whether or not he did, I could not say. The wilderness can be a dangerous place, even within sight of my walls."

"That must've been Razorwing of Team Warmachine." Luke replied. "Torolf did mention he sent someone up North to investigate a potential lead when Volcan and I stopped by his mansion during our venture from the West." He explained before nodding to the king. "He did make it back to his allies if that helps ease your concerns, your highness."

"Ah, that is good to hear," he said with a nod. "Especially after what I am about to tell you." His tone matched the seriousness of his expression. "I'll start at the beginning. That dark Blaziken you are seeking. He first appeared outside the city walls two years ago, and launched an attack upon the walls. Fortunately, he was alone and unable to get beyond the walls. But he was tenacious, and gathered outcasts from the wilderness, raising a small battalion that he snuck into the city. We still don't know _how_he did it, but at least a hundred outlaws were let loose into the streets that night."

He levitated across the dais, his eyes toward the ceiling in recollection as he told his story. "The eastern quarter became a battleground. I myself was forced to step in, to bring an end to the slaughter on both sides. I battled him, and managed to drive him away while the insurgents who aided were apprehended or surrendered. That was the last I saw of the Dark Blaziken, but I found out later we were in fact not his first victims."

"The monastery," Volcan dared to speak up.

Calyrex looked at him, clear surprise showing in his gray eyes. "I see you are better informed than I initially thought."

"Razorwing, who we mentioned before, found proof that the Dark Blaziken - Calhoun is his name, was-"

This time, Calyrex jerked so sharply it seemed like he might attack, looking squarely at Volcan. "That Dark Blaziken was Calhoun?" He demanded.

"You know him?" Volcan asked, alarmed.

"I know the name, but I only saw the boy a few times," said Calyrex, still looking stunned by the news. "The prize student of Master Zheng... how could it be?" He turned to them again. "You are _sure_it's him?"

"Aye," Katsu confirmed with a slow nod. "My captain, Volcan, Captain Romulus and Shamshir of Warmachine all faced him at once when we raided one of his fortresses to free prisoners of Volcan's island home."

"We couldn't even touch him..." Luke continued on, lowering his gaze and frowning heavily. "And we barely escaped with our lives at that..."

Calyrex shook his head slowly, utterly in disbelief at the truth. "The amethyst eyes... how could I have missed it?" He asked. "It was him all along..."

"Your highness," began Volcan. "How did you know him? Or, know _of_him, should I say?"

"I also studied at that monastery once - mostly of their less physical arts." He held out his arms, as if in regard to his unimposing physique. "Even after my studies ended, many times I had made pilgrimages there to offer a tribute for the kindness the Shifu brothers showed me. I saw Calhoun many times. He was the star pupil of Master Zheng." He rubbed his eyes again. "How could I not have realized it was him?"

"If it's any consolation, your highness." Luke offered. "When we found out Calhoun was once a monk, we were as shocked as you are now... That's why we've come all this way up to the North. We're hoping to venture to the Monastery and figure out any clues as to what made him turn rogue, as well as any hints on how we can defeat him."

Calyrex cleared his throat again, regaining his composure once more after a few deep breaths. "Yes... Then our goals align. As I meant to say, following the attack on the city I sent some of my men out to try to find the Blaziken. They found where he came from - namely the monastery you speak of which was in ruins. They also found three survivors of the destruction."

"Someone survived?" Volcan asked, hopeful.

"Yes. The Shifu Brothers who were the masters of the monastery," explained Calyrex. "The third was a young Kubfu, the son of the elder brother. They were barely clinging to life, so my soldiers rushed them back here to Calygrad. We oversaw their recovery."

"Where are these Shifu brothers, if I may ask?" Luke inquired with mild hesitance.

"That is why I need your expertise," replied Calyrex. "After a year in recovery, and several more months in rehabilitation, the brothers travelled back to the monastery hoping to find clues of more survivors, and perhaps rebuild what they had lost. Days later, the younger brother, Master Chen, came running back carrying his nephew in his arms. He begged me to take Qiang and watch over him. I did, and then he left again. He never returned, nor did the elder brother, Master Zheng."

"Qiang... Was that the boy we saw outside?" Volcan asked, connecting the dots.

Katsu perked up at that. "...That's why he was trying to run away." He said in realization, looking at the King. "The lad was trying to head back to the monastery and reunite with his kin."

"That would be an accurate assessment," replied Calyrex. "But I fear the monastery may have some new danger. Master Chen fears no one, but when he barged into the palace that day, I saw pure terror plain as day in his eyes. For something to frighten him so, I worry my soldiers would be ill prepared to face whatever danger brought him back."

Luke looked back over to Volcan with mild concern in his eyes. "...You don't suppose..." He trailed off, hoping Volcan understood what he was getting at.

"Yeah... We may find our answers yet," he finished, looking back at Luke.

Luke nodded back to Volcan, then turned back to King Calyrex. "With your permission, your highness, we'd like to head out to the Monastery as soon as possible." He stated firmly, but with enough restraint so as not to overstep his boundaries. "If whatever happened to the Shifu brothers is what I fear has happened, then I may be the only one among us capable of bringing them back alive." He added.

"You will find them, then?" Calyrex asked, his face brightening.

"I will." Luke returned, then gently raised his paws and placed them on both Volcan and Katsu's shoulders respectively. "_We_will bring them to the safety of this castle. You have my word."

"And my sword." Katsu added, pounding his chest firmly with his arm.

Calyrex nodded to them, and even dipped his head slightly. "Thank you," he said. "If you need anything for your journey, just ask. I will provide what help I can."

"We appreciate it." Luke answered with a nod of his own. "Let's get going, you two... We have a Monastery to investigate." He said in a firm tone before turning on his heel and walking back toward the main doors.

~~~~~

The three left the palace, reflecting on what they had been told by the King. Calygrad had been the site of Calhoun's first attack, and given his penchant for striking cities dedicated to legendary Pokémon it was likely Calyrex himself had been his intended target. Thankfully, he had failed, and Calygrad had withstood the onslaught. But now there were two martial arts mentors out there, with the son of one of them waiting for them at Calyrex's palace to come home.

Luke had a suspicion he knew what had stopped the brothers from returning, and he dreaded finding out if he was right...

During their walk back to the inn, Luke cast a sidelong glance to Volcan, already having a good idea on what might be going through his lover's head. He gently reached for his hand and grasped it gently in his paw. "I sincerely hope that I'm wrong about this." He tried to reassure the Blaziken. "But if this is what I think this might be, you know we don't have a lot of other options at this point."

"I know," he replied. "But this time it's two Pokémon... Just freeing Lugia put you into a coma. What will two times do to you?"

"Not if I take them both simultaneously. If we can bunch them together, I think I can remove the corruption from both at the same time." Luke answered firmly. "Besides, it's not like they're legendary pokemon this time around. The corruption might not have much of a backlash as it did on Lugia when I freed him."

"Be that as it may, the risk of you turning into a Shadow Pokemon is still present." Katsu remarked firmly. "If what Volcan is saying is true, and I do not doubt his word, extracting the corruption from two pokemon simultaneously will put an immense strain on your body." He added, walking in front of Luke and standing before him. "I would rather it not come to us trading blows as enemies, Luke... It would tear my soul to ribbons to fight a man I respect so highly."

"All we're asking is that you be careful," said Volcan. "I can't, in my own good conscience, not ask you to help the brothers if they have indeed become corrupted... But losing you..." he trailed off, unable to find the words.

Luke turned to Volcan and gently brought him down to his level, looking him square in the eyes. "You _won't_lose me." He assured Volcan before he gave him a soft kiss to his beak. "You're what anchors me to keeping true to myself, after all." He added as a joke.

Volcan held his gaze for a moment, and then leaned in to hug the Lucario tightly, holding him like he might lose him if he let go at that moment. "And I wouldn't be where I am now without you," he whispered back.

Luke held onto that embrace as long as he could, his tail slowly swaying from side to side as he relished in the moment before hesitantly pulling back from him. "I'll make it up to you later, alright?" He said with a warm smile. "For now, we have a job to do."

"Right," Volcan replied shakily, rubbing his eyes. "Let's go get some rest and set out for the monastery first thing in the morning."

"Agreed. We will need to be at our fullest if we're to save those two." Katsu concurred.

"Yea, I have to agree too. After all of that walking my feet could use a break..." Luke moaned, lifting a leg up and rubbing his sore feet slowly with a paw.

"Not the furthest we've walked before," Volcan pointed out, teasing his lover. "Hadleigh was a good five days and we only had the road to camp by then. Then again I did carry you part of the way," he added with a grin.

"True... and there's also the West as well." Luke teased back. "Somewhere I bet you're just itching to return to."

"...I am confused." Katsu admitted offhandedly.

"Just a joke, Katsu," replied Volcan. "Although you don't know annoying until you've dug sand out from between your feathers and talons for a whole week because there's no running water." He said the last few words through a clenched beak.

"Well you won't have to worry about that." Luke said with a smile, kissing Volcan's cheek. "...For now at least." He teased, grinning at him before he playfully pushed him aside and began running in the direction of the inn they were staying at.

"Oye!" Volcan called before sprinting after him.

Confused as he was, Katsu couldn't help but laugh a little as he saw the two of them running ahead, shouting back and forth at each other as they bolted away. "Aye... At least their love for one another remains strong in these trying times." He muttered before looking to the sky and sighing heavily. "Just a little longer, my fair maiden..." He whispered before giving chase himself, not wanting to be left behind.

~~~~~

Meanwhile, in Azure...

The bell for the bakery door rang as Luminara gently pulled it open, stepping inside to the smell of fresh baked goods. A female Blaziken perked up behind the front counter, and gave her a welcoming smile. "Good morning," she said.

She looked over to the counter, managing a small smile in return as the two locked eyes with one another. "Good morning." She returned, gently shutting the door behind her and approaching Degra slowly.

They met each other's eyes for a moment, and then after a short silence, a look of shared recognition crossed both their features. Both women knew who they were looking at now. Fortunately, before the situation could become awkward, Degra kept up her professional composure, clearing her throat and speaking up.

"May I help you find anything?" She asked.

"I wouldn't mind sampling a few sweets. A couple doughnuts should do." Luminara returned, then leaned forward slightly. "And if you have a moment, I'd like to share a few words with you..." She added in a slightly more serious tone.

"Certainly," replied Degra, looking across the bakery to the kitchen area as if checking for someone. "My break is in about ten minutes, if you're able to wait." She added lowly, before reaching behind the counter for a sampling platter, carrying a variety of doughnuts as Luminara had asked. "These are our specialty items for today." She said, before going on to explain the flavors of each one for Luminara to decide upon.

"I can wait." Luminara returned, then returned to her customer demeanour and listened intently to each of the selections Degra had offered her before taking a sample herself. She ultimately decided on a jelly doughnut with sprinkles and a classic glazed one to snack on.

When Degra's break came, and her replacement arrived to fill in for her, the two females stepped outside. They walked over to the teashop to purchase beverages for themselves, before taking a seat on a bench beside the shop. They sat there quietly for a moment, both waiting for the other to speak. Once again, Degra stopped the situation from becoming awkward.

"I understand our eldest sons had an... Altercation, recently," she said. "Lighris is no longer a boy, and should be more responsible for his actions. But he is impulsive. I hope your son was not hurt."

Luminara smiled reassuringly. "Rigel is as tough as he is stubborn, which is both a blessing and a curse sometimes. He did not receive any serious injuries." Luminara returned, then sighed heavily and rubbed her forehead with her paw. "I feel... I am mostly to blame for this divide between our families, and for not acting sooner to mend it."

Degra nodded in understanding, taking a sip of her tea before she spoke. "I know it was never Volcan's intention to hurt your family," she said, earning a look from Luminara. "I heard about your husband... About his son, Sol, and how his return caused a divide between you two."

Luminara sighed guiltily. "No," she said with a shake of her head. "That was not Volcan's fault. It was mine. I acted on impulse when I heard Sol had returned, remembering the damage he caused when he was last here. I couldn't fathom Volcan's reason for letting him come back, and Nido continued to defend his son - as any father has the right to."

She frowned. "I didn't like what I was hearing, and eventually... I snapped." She said as she began to wipe a tear from her eye. "I knew the passion in our relationship was waning, even before Sol came home - Nido was never good about settling down. But that fight... It was the final nail in the coffin."

Luminara took a sip of her drink to help regain her composure before she addressed Degra again. "So, for what it is worth, I apologize for the divide that has come between our families. I want to at least start closing that rift so that our boys can truly be happy again when they see us interacting positively with one another."

Degra smiled at her. "I am glad to hear it. I really don't want to see this dissolve into a feud either," she said, shaking her head. "But for Volcan... I think he thinks you hate him for what happened." She let out a sad sigh, "when he knows he's wronged someone he becomes intimidated by them, and fears any effort to ease tensions will make them worse."

"There was a time where yes, you would be right..." Luminara admitted. "Alas, that was a time where, like Luke, I was unwilling to listen to what anyone had to say due to my anger." She stated softly. "When he returns, I will have a talk with him to reassure him that those harsh feelings are no more."

"I'm sure he would appreciate that," replied Degra. "If you want, I can pass the word along to him for you. He usually comes to visit me after a mission."

"I'd appreciate that, thank you." Luminara returned with a smile. "You know... I don't think we've ever been properly acquainted ever since you started living here."

"No, we haven't," she said with an amused chuckle. "Even when our sons are dating each other, we never really took the time, did we?"

"Well no time like the present, considering that they're once again out of town." Luminara replied with a small laugh of her own. "Could possibly surprise them when they return by sharing a coffee together as they're wandering through the streets." She added with an amused grin on her face.

She shrugged. "I'd be up for it," she said as she took another sip of her drink. She took a glance up at the sky, and frowned. "I hate to cut this short, but I need to get back to work," she said as she rose from the bench, taking another, longer sip of her tea before turning to Luminara and offering her hand. "It's been wonderful talking to you, Luminara." She said with a smile.

"Same to you, Degra." Luminara returned, taking the Blaziken's hand in her paw and shaking it gently, then quickly pulled her in for a quick embrace afterward. "Try not to overwork yourself in that bakery." She added teasingly as they pulled apart from one another.

"I consider it a privilege to serve baked goods to others," she replied, smiling broadly as she turned to head back to her job, waving to Luminara. "Stop by anytime, now. I'll make sure the sample plate has some new items."

"I will, and I might recommend you to my boys and their families as well." Luminara called back, smiling broadly as she watched Degra head back to her job. "Well, that went rather well... Now to have a talk with Rigel." She muttered to herself before she turned in the opposite direction and headed down the street to her eldest son's resident, feeling quite chipper now that she had made a good friend in Degra.