FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

The remnants of a mining operation were clear as day. Kage surveyed the scene from the shadows of an overhang, seeing the unnaturally hewn rock formations throughout the pit, gathered into piles as they were carted out from underground. A few stray pieces of ore remained scattered throughout the site. Only the absence of life led Kage to suspect the site was abandoned, and give the signal to Skyler to move in for a closer look. The Staraptor did a circle over the mining pit, peering into the open cave mouths from the safety of altitude before circling lower. Kage stepped out from his hiding spot, and hopped down the hill to join the Staraptor, getting closer to the site.

They studied the ground, finding no evidence of recent foot traffic. Any prints that might have been in the sandy ground had long since been washed away by rainfall, sans the trail of a pack of canid Pokemon that had passed through, but that had been at least a day ago. Broken pieces of wood - handles from pickaxes and shovels, most likely, lay scattered haphazardly all around them, abandoned when they became unusable.

"Doesn't look like anyone's been here for a while," said Skyler. "But... To this had to have been from someone not from here, right?"

"Without a doubt." Kage concurred, crossing his arms in front of his chest while his tongue scarf flicked idly behind him. "To my knowledge, these islands were never colonized by more modern Pokemon with access to metalworking - the people of these isles certainly haven't developed that far. Finding a mining operation out this far is raising a lot of red flags..." He muttered softly. "If this is indeed a potential site belonging to Calhoun's operation, then we might be one step closer to finding his base... Though that still doesn't answer the question as to WHY he's mining for ore and minerals..."

"Well he had that big iron ship, right?" Skyler asked. "The one your team sank in Hadleigh? Maybe he's trying to build more of them. Or, scarier thought, he's making weapons."

"Hmmm..." Kage narrowed his eyes suspiciously, tapping his arm with a webbed digit. "It is possible he could be trying to build a new flagship, but considering he was able to teleport the Black Titan and himself using Psychic Pokemon to two separate locations, it would eliminate the need for a new vessel." He surmised. "And in that logic, he wouldn't need weapons. His minions and his corruptive powers are enough to be considered his weapons."

"What about all those captives he's always taking?" Skyler offered. "Maybe he can't teleport all of them. He still needs something to move them or supplies around, right?"

"Supplies maybe, but I think at this point he's given up on recruiting and will focus more on taking pokemon by force through his Shadow Powers." Kage reasoned. "Maybe he'll build a smaller cargo vessel, but don't forget that he has Mewtwo under his command. His power combined with his other Psychic types could teleport an entire army to wherever he wants on a whim."

Skyler shrugged. "Well, we can't really know for sure. Fact remains, he needs them, and this place," he waved his win. "Proves that at least _someone_has been here. Someone equipped enough to survive in a place like this."

"We won't find any more clues here it seems." Kage remarked. "Let's return to the Trident and give our report to the others." He stated, turning on his back on the sight and heading back in the direction of their ship.

"Right behind ya," Skyler called after him, taking to the air and following the Greninja.

Back on the boat, Kage gave his report on the mine they found to Shamshir, along with his own hypothesis on the subject at hand. He explained that mining did seem to fit Calhoun's Modus Operandi based on other information he had prior to them working together, but as to why still eluded him.

"We've run through the idea that he might be building another ship; More ideally a cargo vessel considering the forces Calhoun has at his disposal." Kage concluded. "Regardless, he's been to these islands before, so it stands to reason his base of operations must be close."

After a moment of consideration, Shamshir asked, "was there any way to tell how long it had been abandoned?"

"Unfortunately, no." Kage returned. "Any traces of activity were swept away by the elements. The only thing resembling any form of life passing through were tracks from feral pokemon." He explained.

"Then we'll have to widen our search parameter," the Scizor said, looking at Fisher. "Any other thoughts?"

"Nothing that Kage hasn't already said." Fisher returned. "It perplexes me as well as to why Calhoun would start mining for ore, aside from needing to build his new base." He went on while rubbing his chin with his finger.

"If you're out to conquer the world, you need resources to do it," suggested Shamshir. "He could be planning to tap out these islands of everything they have for all we know, and the inhabitants won't be the wiser."

"He must know that even these islands have limited resources, perhaps moreso than the mainlands." Fisher remarked.

"But out here, no one's looking for him," Skyler pointed out. "At least as far as he knows."

"If we continue our hunt we'll find him eventually, and when we do, we'll make damn sure he has nowhere to hide." Kage remarked firmly. "He's close, that much is clear. It's just a matter of process of elimination. We'll have to scour every island we come across until we finally find the lead we need."

"I may have a suggestion," Skyler spoke up, standing tall and showing confidence in what he had to say next. "My squad specialized in tactical grid searches. It'll be harder to do on my own, but if I perform a search pattern over the islands, I might be able to find them. With my eyesight, I can cover more ground than all of us from up high."

The other four considered Skyler's suggestion, seeing the logic behind it. "He did find that mine," Shamshir offered, in favour of the Staraptor.

"I've worked with flying types before. I can vouch for their keen eyesight." Kage agreed.

Reaper shrugged softly in response. "Not a lot of options either way. Anything that helps to locate the enemy quickly will have to do..." he remarked indifferently, but nodded to the Staraptor all the same.

Skyler stood at attention, and gave a salute with his wing. "I am ready," he said.

"Then go." Kage urged him. "Begin your search. The second you find anything out of place, you notify us immediately." He stated before motioning for Skylar to take off.

Skyler turned away, and took wing once more, flying high above the islands to begin his search and leaving the others to plan their next move.

"This is the first evidence we've had that tells for certain, that someone else has been here," said Shamshir. "If this really _is_the Dark Crusade, which seems likely but not entirely certain, then our mission objective is drawing near."

"We should start discussing how we'll proceed once we do find his base." Fisher piped up. "He will most likely have guards patrolling every vulnerable spot that could be exploited, and using the front entrance is a suicude run."

"We also should discuss plans for our targets," said Shamshir. "His officers. We're here for one of them." He moved to a table in the corner, and dragged it over to put in the middle of the room. On the table rested a file, which Fisher opened on Shamshir's behalf, since the Scizor didn't really have the hands for such a task - by which, not having hands at all.

"This document contains every one of the Dark Crusade's known lieutenants," he explained, and helped Fisher spread photos and small bios across the table. "This information has been collected from multiple sources." He tapped the first photo. "Here we have Sash, his enforcer and a notorious murderer." He saw Reaper tense at the mention of the Gallade, but he continued.

"Next is an Alakazam by the name of Seji. According to our intelligence, he serves as a relic hunter under the Crusade, collecting mysterious objects for them for an unknown purpose. He is often in the company of three hired goons who we only know of by description - a Machamp, a Cacturne and a Noivern. We know little else of him beyond that."

He moved to another. "Next is Asya, a Lycanroc. Our first piece of evidence that Calhoun has been recruiting fighters from here in the South, including the Defector known by the alias of 'Ana' who is currently staying in Hadleigh. Most of the information we have on these officers was provided by her. It was Asya who led the attack on Hadleigh, and though she was defeated there she is still at large." He moved to the next. "This one is known as Tory. He is a Decidueye, encountered by Team Valiant during the Hadleigh mission as well. He is described as a cunning and devious fighter, striking from the shadows. As a Grass and Ghost-type he is especially dangerous in low light areas of woodland."

He removed his claw from the table. "The only other associates we know of are hired muscle. In addition to the three thugs under Seji who I mentioned, the infamous Saberwings are currently known to be under Calhoun's employ, along with an assassin for hire known as Vlad, a Zoroark, who has yet to reappear. While none of them could offer us much intelligence, they could hinder our plans if we are discovered during operation."

"We'll have to be doubly cautious then. The Saberwings could spot us coming a mile away if we move in without cover." Fisher stated. "And even if I could shoot them out of the sky, I can only fire one Snipe Shot at a time, and one shot is all they would need to see our position."

"We might have to go in under the cover of the cover of night." Kage added in. "As sharp as a Skarmory's eyesight is, they aren't nocturnal. They wouldn't be able to see us without the aid of night vision."

"Calhoun will have contingencies for that." Fisher calmly disputed. "There are other breeds of Pokémon that_can_ see in the dark, and we can't ignore the possibility of underwater sentries either."

"If there are, I can deal with them." Kage responded confidently.

"It is too soon to consider how we approach their base - we do not yet even know what kind of terrain we will be facing," said Shamshir. "I would advise we start by formulating plans for apprehending their lieutenants. All of them are considered Class-A threats - may I remind you all, this is not a designation so readily placed on anyone. All of them are to be considered dangerous, and we need to know how we're going to deal with them."

Kage took a moment to reread each lieutenant's profiles and their descriptions regarding their species, abilities and personalities. "Out of the Pokémon listed here, three of them will be rather difficult to capture." He pointed out, tapping Tory's, Seji's and Sash's profiles with his hand. "We have two teleporters and one who can move through walls. If we're to go after them, we need some way to nullify their abilities, or at least strike them quickly enough so that they _can't_use them..."

"That leaves the Lycanroc, Asya, as our most likely target," said Shamshir, tapping his claw against his arm. "As fate would have it, there are three among us with an advantage over her. Lycanroc are Rock-types."

"Be that as it may, I don't think it'll be as easy as we're making it." Kage warned Shamshir. "My son went toe to toe with her during the siege of Hadleigh, and from what I heard, he only managed to get in a few hits before he was forced to retreat..."

"...You have a son?" Reaper asked, completely off topic.

"Not the time nor place, Reaper." Fisher commented.

"It still seems like our highest chance of success," Shamshir reaffirmed. "Of course that is assuming she is even here."

"This is true." Kage concurred. "If she's not, we'll have to settle with the other three lieutenants." He returned, rubbing his chin slightly. "Crazy as it seems, Sash might be our next best bet."

"...Explain." Fisher requested.

"Sash is a cunning and fierce warrior no doubt, but if there's one thing I've learned about him, it's that he enjoys the thrill of taking lives so much that he drags out the fight and savours the moment before he lands the killing blow." Kage explained, looking over to Reaper. "...Sound familiar?"

The Weavile flinched slightly, his eyes widening as the realization hit him. "You plan to use that obsession against him..." He answered, then when Kage kept staring at him, the Weavile started to grin a little himself. "...By using me as bait."

"Well well, he can be taught after all..." Kage snidely remarked.

"I faced Sash before, at Marilogne," Shamshir added, nodding to Kage. "He was as you describe. The fight seemed to thrill him. I think the only reason I do not carry a scar like Team Phalanx's captain is because my armour resisted his blades."

"Then if we are all in agreement, Sash will be our primary target if Asya is absent from their base." Kage concluded. "If you have any concerns, voice them now."

No one spoke. Their objective was clear to them all. Now they needed only to know where the enemy waited...

Skyler returned some time later, with more evidence of activity. At first, he had seen boats in the water that he thought might have been the Crusade, but on closer inspection he'd discovered that they were manned by the native island inhabitants - the Kommo-O war bands. Overtime he had begun to notice that most of the higher concentrations of activity belonged to the various tribes and clans that called the island home. Salazzle Matrons seemed to be the dominant power on the island where their boat was currently located, with scattered pockets of other Pokémon Skyler didn't know of.

But then he'd found something off the island's coast line. A ship, half-sunk in the ocean and crashed against rocks. It was more advanced than anything the islanders could have had, and the wreck looked recent. "At first I thought it might have been targeted by pirates, but I saw the deck up close," he explained. "The mast was definitely hit by a Draco Meteor. The ship itself had this emblem on it." he used his talon to draw a shape in the sand. A circle, followed by a line going around and through it, widening it until it looked like a ribbon.

"I know that emblem," said Shamshir, uncrossing his arms. "That's the Explorer Society. They work closely with the Guilds. Rescue Teams are often hired by them as bodyguards."

"If that's the case, what were they doing down here?" Skyler asked.

"The Society deals in cartography," explained Shamshir. "They make maps and sea charts, and explore unknown regions of the world. That would explain why one of their ships is here. As for who destroyed it," he trailed off.

"Calhoun..." Reaper remarked in a low tone. "They got too close to his base and he had the ship destroyed before they could escape."

"That certainly fits his Modus Operandi..." Kage concurred before looking to Skylar. "Where is this sunken vessel exactly?"

"Off the coast of the island about sixty kilometers from here," reported Skyler, pointing westward with his wing.

"Let's get the Trident ready," said Shamshir.

The other three nodded without hesitation, each of them departing to man their assigned posts. Fisher and Kage helped each other weigh the anchor, and then Kage departed to man the helm of the Trident, guiding it gently out to more open water before putting the engines full ahead and high tailing it along the coast as fast as the ship could travel. Skyler took position in the cabin to guide Kage while Fisher stood by in case the wheel needed to be handed off. Shamshir and Reaper stayed outside and watched from the port and broadside of the ship for anything out of the ordinary.

The Trident rode the waves smoothly, cutting apart the choppy waters around the island. The hum of its dual prop engines was enough to drown out the crashing of the ocean against the shores. On the nearest beach they passed, they saw a collective of Salandit and a Salazzle watching over them, casting lines out to the water to catch fish. The clan watched them curiously as they passed, some even backing away from the water fearfully and retreating to their Matron's side. She too watched the boat, as much with suspicion as curiosity. Kage made sure to give them a respectful berth, not wanting to provoke the Matron or her clan.

Rounding a cliff face, they reached an array of rock formations, forming like a row of teeth along the island's shore.

Skyler directed Kage further along the rocks, until they saw it. The wreck of a schooner, smashed against the rocks, missing its main mast and a portion of its hull, reduced to the timbers floating below it. They pulled as close to the shipwreck as the rocks would allow them to, and gathered on the deck to study the wreck.

"Do you think all of the crew managed to abandon ship before that happened?" Skyler asked, mournfully.

"That or were picked up," the Scizor answered as his wings began to beat, carrying him into the air. "I'm going to take a closer look."

"Careful Shamshir." Fisher warned the Scizor, readying a Snipe Shot to cover him. "The ship's deck is most likely unstable."

"Understood," he called back over the buzz of his wings as he flew over the churning waters to the ship.

The Scizor made multiple passes over the deck, checking the damages thoroughly before moving to the rear and studying the damage there, as well as the flotsam below. He disappeared inside the ship for a moment, making everyone jump when the ship creaked and they suspected he had landed inside. The ship groaned a few times, then became silent. A moment later Shamshir flew back out again, and hovered back over to the Trident. A book was lodged in his claws, looking the worse for wear from ocean spray, but intact.

"No signs of a fight," he said as he landed on the deck. "No blood, no bodies anywhere. Damage to the top was external, but the back of the ship definitely snapped off when it was thrown into the rocks. They must have disabled the rudder as well to stop the ship from steering away."

"It's possible they either managed to swim away after they were disabled, or Calhoun's forces picked them up and took them prisoner." Kage muttered, then gestured to the book in the Scizor's claw. "A manifest? Journal?"

"The captain's log, I believe," he replied, showing the book to Kage. "It was trapped under a desk in the upper cabin. It's taken some spray but it seemed intact."

"It could hold a clue as to what happened prior to their ship running aground." Fisher pointed out, holding his hand out to take the book so he could look through it.

Shamshir placed the book gently in Fisher's hand, letting the Inteleon turn it over and open it. Most of the log detailed the ship's voyage, starting out from Westport and working it's way south. He leafed through it until he found a date closer to the current, and went back a page to see what else was there. He read the log aloud to let the others know what was being said.

"Captain Gord's log,

Sixty third day, mid summer. Sunny, hot

"Mister Kip keeps claiming he's seeing eyes watching us from the shores. Red eyes, and they really creep him out. I keep telling him that it's probably just one of the locals, curious to the new visitors. He insists that the eyes feel hostile, and he's coming to me every morning saying we need to hire more guards, and I have to remind him we can't afford it. He is one jumpy Golduck..."

The next day..

"Blow me down, Kip was right. Someone is definitely watching us out there. I looked out the back window as we were passing this cliff with some overlooking the jungle and two red eyes were looking right back at me. They looked close too. I swear I blinked and then they were twenty feet further away than when I saw them the first time. That's definitely one of them Decidueye I heard about... creepy bastards. Why do their eyes have to shine in the dark like that?"

The last entry...

"Sabotage! Someone hit our rudder last night. The whole thing was broken off so violently that the ship actually tilted! What monstrosity could be strong enough to tip a whole schooner like that? I dropped to low sail to keep the ship moving slower until we can fix it. That damn Decidueye is still out there too... I wonder if he had something to do with this? In a moment I plan to head out to the crew and-"

A splotch of ink trailed across the page from the last word, like someone or something had startled the captain while he was writing. The log ended there...

"By the date of this entry... this was almost a month ago," said Shamshir. "If the crew did get away somehow, they might still be alive."

"On this island, with those toxic lizards and Lycanroc hunting packs?" Skyler asked, skeptical. "The Society is worldly but if they didn't have any guards I can't see them lasting long out here..."

"We can't worry about them." Reaper remarked quickly. "The journal mentioned a Decidueye before they were hit a second time. That has to be Tory without a doubt."

"Which confirms my suspicion that they got too close to their base." Kage remarked, looking to the island. "This must be the place... otherwise why go to do much trouble to protect it from a simple cartography expedition?"

"Violent tendencies aside, it does make sense," agreed Skyler. "The Explorers work right alongside the guilds. If they saw something they thought they should know about they'd tell them. And the fact the rudder was disabled, that's a typical ship hunting tactic. Though, I am a little scared wondering what could be strong enough to break the rudder."

Just as Fisher began to speak, Shamshir suddenly held up a claw. "Wait... be quiet..." he said, sternly as his gaze studied the sea around them.

Everyone held completely still upon Shamshir's order, with Fisher still keeping a Snipe Shot ready and Kage placing his hand on the hilt of his sword. The latter began looking around the immediate area around him as well, looking for any sign of something out of the ordinary. They saw nothing at first but there was a sound in the air... a sound that didn't belong. A whirring, growing steadily louder...

A boat's motor - no... several of them, all of them closing in.

"...Get to the helm. Get us moving," Shamshir said to Fisher, in a calm manner that somehow was more frightening than a roar.

The Inteleon was quick to follow that order, dashing to the helm and quickly bringing the Trident around and back the way they came before putting the engine to full ahead. Both Kage and Reaper were standing at the stern, readying their distance attack in case they were spotted and needed to provide cover while they escaped whatever was coming their way. As they watched, they saw movement coming from the nearest island, across the short channel between the two. Three motorboats sped out into open water and raced toward them.

"The enemy is upon us!" Reaper hissed.

"We've been compromised!" Kage growled, then he and Reaper began hurling their respective distance attacks at the incoming boats as hastily as they could, showering them in a hail fire of Water Shuriken and Ice Shards.

The boats were too far for accurate shots, bouncing along the waves. Each boat had one driver, and two passengers. Each of the passengers were Dragon-types, lightweight ones, so as not to compromise the stability of the boats. They drew back their heads, and fired Draco Meteors into the sky, arching toward the Trident.

"Incoming, six o'clock!" Skyler, squawked, beating his wings frantically and taking to the air.

"Evasive action!" Shamshir called.

Fisher scoffed as he looked over his shoulder, seeing the Draco Meteors coming down on them. He jerked the helm hard to port, and the vessel veered to the left at a moderate pace and avoiding the first salvo of meteors.

"Kage! Take the helm!" Fisher announced, to which the Greninja responded immediately and leapt over to the wheelhouse in one bound. They exchanged places quickly and Fisher joined Reaper at the stern of the ship, putting on his Scope Lens and pointing his finger at the next salvo that rained down on top of them. He sought out the meteor that posed the most immediate threats to their ship, and fired his Snipe Shot at it, the streak of water piercing through the attack and causing it to fragment around the Trident harmlessly while Kage avoided the rest.

Another volley followed shortly after. This time, two meteors threatened the Trident. Shamshir put his claws together, concentrating two Flash Cannons through each into a single beam, which he fired at one of the meteors. He only grazed it, but it threw it off course. It splashed into the water beside the Trident, harmlessly dissipating. The second was taken out once again by Fisher.

The Trident was fast. Once it was at maximum speed, it was slowly but surely outracing the speedboats. The next volley of Draco Meteors proved it, when they fell short of the vessel, followed by the volley immediately after. But as the team started to feel some relief, plumes in the water told them that they weren't out of danger yet. Two Sharpedo had surfaced, and were coming at them with all speed, mouths open to draw in seawater to shoot it out its back end like jets, closing in on the Trident quickly.

"Hostiles in the water!" Shamshir warned Kage. "They're going for the props!"

"Fisher! Switch!" Kage hollered, not even waiting for the Inteleon to turn as he left the wheel and bolted for the stern. Kage then leapt into the air once he was at the stern, locking on visually to the closest Sharpedo that was visible. He then dropped down on top of it with a U-Turn attack, dealing considerable damage and allowing Kage to safely return to the Trident after he attacked.

The other one closed in from the side, still making for the starboard propellor, but as its dorsal ridge broke the surface, Skyler swooped down out of the air and picked it up with his talons, pulling the Sharpedo out of the water. It flailed and bit at the air as he carried it aloft. They passed a beach - the same one where they had seen the Salandit clan before, which was still there. Skyler threw the Sharpedo to the sandy beach hard, letting it flop on the sand as it tried to scurry itself back to water. He'd made sure to drop it near enough that they tide would eventually pull it back in, hopefully before it suffocated. By then the Trident would be long gone...

But they still weren't out of danger. The Trident suddenly lurched as it sped on, and its speed drastically decreased. Fisher tried moving the throttle back and forth, trying to correct it, but the Trident was still moving too slow. Even as he tried to get them back up to speed, the enemy speedboats were closing in.

"What's happening?!" Shamshir demanded.

"I-I don't know!" Fisher answered back, constantly pulling the throttle back, then pushing it forward again. "I'm running full ahead! Something must be wrong with the engine!"

"That can't be! The Trident was fine tuned at the last port we visited!" Reaper hollered, quickly looking back at Fisher, then to the boats closing in.

Kage however, had his sights set upon the island, eyes narrowing suspiciously. "...They've caught onto us..." He muttered.

Then, as Fisher tried the throttle again, the window in front of him shattered. Instinctively he put up his hands to protect his eyes, and in that split second of blindness, something snapped forward. He felt a pressure around his neck, and when he saw it, he found a gray tentacle had noosed him. Almost immediately, it pulled, yanking him into the ship's wheel as it tried to drag him back through the window.

Kage quickly charged toward the tentacle trying to drag Fisher through the window, sword drawn and slicing no more than three times at the appendage in rapid succession. He sliced at the noose around Fisher's neck, and twice along the length of the appendage, freeing the Inteleon and making the tentacle retreat back into water.

Fisher gagged and coughed as he caught his breath again, rubbing his neck and looking up at Kage. "Much appreciated." He said hoarsely.

"We're not safe yet." He sternly informed Fisher as he helped him to his feet.

"Guys, you got a stowaway!" Skyler called, making a pass over the boat. "There's a Tentacruel clinging to the keel!"

Now Fisher understood why the Trident had slowed down so much. The added weight and bulk of the Tentacruel was dragging them. Even as Skyler called out, more tentacles burst out of the water, most heading for the cabin and trying to reach for Kage and Fisher or attacking the instruments, while the strays grasped for Reaper and Shamshir, forcing the two on the defensive as they slashed away at the tentacles trying to catch them.

Kage knew better though. He knew that Tentacruel had hundreds of tentacles to ensnare their prey with. By the time they cut all of them down, the Trident would already be half submerged in the water, and the speedboats would be on top of them before they could react. He looked toward the island for a brief moment, then gave a quick sigh before he came to his decision.

"We have to abandon ship!" He called to his comrades. "The Trident is lost! Make for the island!"

"There has to be a way to shake it off!" Shamshir protested. "If we lose the Trident we'll be stranded on these islands!"

"Stay and we'll be dead for sure!" Kage remarked back quickly.

"Or I can do this!" Reaper shouted, then he brought his arms in front of his chest and sucked in a deep breath. The air around him started to get colder for a few moments, then he spread his arms out wide and exhaled the air he took in heavily. The result was a heavy Icy Wind attack that quickly started to freeze the tentacles all at once, hindering their movements until they were completely frozen in place.

Finally, the Tentacruel pulled away, losing all feeling in its tentacles. The Trident shot forward with the loss of the weight, though it was too late to escape the motorboats. One of them had made it close enough that the passenger and the dragon - a Garchomp and an unknown Pokemon, jumped aboard. It resembled a Cephalopod, but it was not one any of them had ever seen, standing on several of its tentacles as if they were legs, and the others positioned like a wrestler's arms - which, as it happened, the strange Pokemon resembled a wrestler.

Reaper had his sights set on the Garchomp, already flexing his claws and glaring intensely at it before he rushed in, creating several doubles of himself that rushed around him in an attempt to confuse him. With that, he then started attacking from within the crowd with Ice Punches and Ice Shards, aiming to whittle its stamina down with its weakness to ice based attacks. Shamshir moved to engage the other, snapping at it with his pincers. The creature was faster than its anatomy suggested, bobbing down out of the way of the clamping claw before it threw itself upon the Scizor, flailing tentacles swarming over him as they grappled.

The next boat arrived, and out of it sprang a Scyther, who made an immediate dash for the cabin, blades swinging as it dashed for Kage who was closest. The Greninja brought up his sword to defend against the blade arm, both their blades clashing with each other for a brief moment before they broke off. Kage then began to utilize leaping slashes within the cabin, bounding off of each wall and attacking the Scyther from every angle available to him, leaving his foe little room for error in the enclosed space.

Fisher had no chance for a clear shot, forced to take cover to avoid the whirlwind of blades. However, during the fight, he got a clear shot at the creature grappling Shamshir. He quickly took aim at the cephalopod Pokémon, waiting for the perfect shot to present itself to him. It didn't take long, as a maneuver from Shamshir forced the Pokémon further into the air, and Fisher took his shot.

The water bullet nailed the creature clean in the head, inflicting critical damage to it and stunning it long enough for Shamshir to finish him off. He wound back his arm and punched it square in the core of its boneless, muscular body, sending it flying back into the sea. Shamshir looked at Fisher, and nodded in gratitude to him.

The Garchomp had endured several damaging hits from Reaper, and was quickly running out of steam. It seemed to understand it had a disadvantage, and disengaged, jumping back onto the boat that had brought it there and escaping. The third motorboat closed in, ready to deposit its passengers to resume the fight. Skyler, however, was not having it this time. He dove into the fray, slamming the driver with a Wing Attack and sending them reeling. Their hand caught the boat wheel as they stumbled, and the boat careened off-course, making two sharp a turn and throwing all of its occupants into the water.

"The Tentacruel is coming back for more!" Skyler shouted, pointing into the water with a talon, where a dark shape was forming..

"Fisher, get us out of here!" Shamshir shouted as he moved to help Kage, dragging the scyther out of the cabin to fight on the deck.

Now able to resume the helm safely, Fisher quickly forced the engines into full ahead, practically slamming the lever onto the console and steering the Trident away from danger as fast as the ship would allow. He also turned the vessel so that it hugged along the coast as closely as he could without running the Trident aground. The Scyther was at a standoff with Reaper, Kage and Shamshir outside, holding its ground despite being outnumbered and waving its blades threateningly as it waited.

Reaper acted first, quickly shooting a short burst of Icy Wind to bring its guard up. With its eyes covered, Kage sunk into his shadow and slid under the Scyther. He then appeared behind him and sliced along its back with his sword, then discharged a Scald at its now exposed wound. The Scyther shrieked and stumbled away, and a spin-kick from Shamshir launched it over the side of the boat, splashing into the waters. They did not wait to see if the Scyther surfaced, putting distance between themselves and their pursuers.

Reaper let out a sigh once things had quieted down after a few moments, leaning against the edge of the railing and slumping his shoulders. "Normally I would say that was fun..." He admitted. "But that was too close for comfort..."

"They must have been watching us... and when we found the wreck, made their move," said Shamshir. "That Tentacruel that grabbed onto us was lying in wait. They were prepared."

"And now they'll inform Calhoun of our presence..." Kage remarked, his leer increasing in intensity. "The mission is compromised... They'll know we're coming now."

"What is our next move then?" Shamshir asked, as Fisher stepped out to join them.

"The obvious answer would be to return to Hadleigh..." Kage answered, scowling at the idea. "We can't risk trying to infiltrate their base now that they know we're onto them..."

"They might not, actually!" Skyler's voice called as he landed to join them.

"Explain," Shamshir demanded.

"They haven't started returning to base yet," explained Skyler. "They're still picking themselves up. None of them have radios either. I think our anonymity is still intact, at least for now."

"Then we still have a window of opportunity." Fisher returned, looking to Shamshir for confirmation. "We may as well take it while we still can. What say you?"

"If we can, I say yes," he answered. "What do we do?"

"We saw what direction they came from," said Skyler. "Those motorboats aren't meant to travel far. Their base has to be nearby. The Trident is fast enough that we can beat them there, especially if I work a little wind power."

Kage let out a relenting sigh. "So be it then." Kage admitted, nodding to Skyler. "Take off. Fisher, on the wheel."

"Of course." The Inteleon returned, quickly returning to the helm.

"...Reaper." Kage stated, getting the Weavile's attention. "...Good thinking with the Tentacruel... You're starting to understand what it means to work as a team." He said.

Reaper was stunned to say the least. He wasn't expecting a compliment for his efforts, _especially_from Kage of all people. He couldn't even form a response, not that Kage waited for one as he turned his back on Reaper and headed back into the cabin.

Skyler did his part. He used hit-and-run maneuvers to sabotage the enemy boats, and after rendering their motors unusable, he used a Whirlwind to throw the boats into the rocks of the island. Their occupants swam ashore, shouting curses and threats at the Staraptor. He had done what he needed to do. With that, he turned and flew off to rejoin his comrades.

Meanwhile, the others had found their way to one of the largest of the isles. This one had a small range of mountains, stretching across the length of the landmass, and it was here they saw it. They rounded the island, searching for the enemy, and it appeared. A massive castle keep with two adjoining towers, built into the mountainside overlooking the ravine, loomed in the shadow of the peak. The central keep's design closely resembled an actual face, with massive windows closely resembling eyes on the upper floors, and the gate doors akin to a mouth resting on the front. A short canal had been dug up to the castle, and was occupied by multiple boats.

"We found it," said Shamshir from their cover from the low ridge overlooking the ravine in which the castle stood. "We finally found it."

"Seems Castles are also Calhoun's taste in fortresses." Fisher remarked. "Wasn't his last fortress also some sort of castle on an island?" He asked Kage in particular.

"More or less." Kage answered, looking on at the castle with suspicion. "...That said, there's something off about this one. I can't put my finger on it, but I'm getting even worse vibes than I did with the one Sickle and I snuck into..."

"Does anyone see a way in without being seen?" Shamshir asked.

The terrain leading up to the castle was open from ground level. But, the castle did sit close to the cliff face, over which some precarious terrain seemed to lead toward the castle. Though it was uncertain terrain, to Kage it seemed the best option...

He pointed to the cliffside. "That's our best way in." He informed the rest of the team. "We'll have to scale the wall and find a hidden way inside. Once we do, we can commence our mission."

"That... might be a problem for me." Fisher stated. "I'm not much of a climber, what with these hands." He said, looking at his smooth hands.

"You may be better covering us out here," offered Shamshir. He gestured to a low hill with a moderate view of the ravine and the ground beyond. It wasn't true high ground, but it was the best they could get, and it kept him in close proximity to the Trident.

"Fair enough." Fisher concurred with a nod. "Good luck in there...Arceus knows you'll need it." He added.

"If we play our cards right, we won't need luck." Kage remarked.

The team took to the cliffs as planned, finding a good spot to climb. Shamshir was able to fly up, but didn't fly ahead of Kage or Reaper in case he was needed. Eventually they crested the top of the ridge, and followed its wide berth around behind the castle. Down below they could see dozens of Pokémon patrolling the perimeter, and thankfully none of them had the insight to look up at the cliffs - though the team stayed behind cover just in case.

Once they got to the precarious path Kage had pointed out, the real challenge began. Kage leapt onto the first ledge, which was barely wide enough for his feet. The next was no better, and it was slanted. Six more potential footholds sat between him and the roof of the castle. Once more Shamshir was flying, staying close in case Kage needed help, and Reaper waited his turn.

At the fifth foothold, the rock beneath his foot gave out and he ended up slipping on his foothold. He barely managed to catch himself by drawing his sword and stabbing it into the rock, halting his fall to the bottom. He heaved a sigh, then motioned for the Scizor above to give him some assistance in reaching the final foothold. Shamshir flew close to him, going low and offering his shoulder a foothold for the Greninja, to which he used with great effect. Thanks to his light figure, he was able to stand on Shamshir's shoulders without weighing him down, then pushed off of him toward the final foothold, and then onto the castle itself. Once he was secure, he then motioned for Reaper to make his move.

The Weavile had a slightly more unorthodox manner of moving. Instead of leaping from platform to platform, he'd use Icy Wind to create slopes that lead to each foothold save for the one that fell under Kage's weight. On the final foothold, he leapt forward and used another Icy Wind to propel himself forward even further, landing next to the Greninja in a crouch.

Shamshir was the last to arrive, landing beside them and looking for a point of entry for them to use. He peered over the side of the castle toward the ground below. They were quite high off the ground, he noted. After looking around for a moment, he spotted something.

"I think we can fit in through one of those windows," he said, pointing to the adjacent tower from where they stood, and the openings along its upper crown.

"Let's go then." Reaper replied quietly, motioning for the others to follow him as he made a dash for the tower, leaping over to it and digging his claws into the side to anchor himself before he began climbing along the wall toward the window. Kage was quick to follow, leaping over with much more grace than Reaper did and sticking to the wall, then began to hop up after Reaper until he reached their target and slipped right in.

Shamshir was just behind them, folding his wings as he landed on the ledge and carefully ducked inside, being careful not to slip on the contrails of his coat as he stepped out. The padded footwear he wore helped muffle the sound of his feet on the stone floor. Kage would have to thank Fisher for his insight in that regard when they next saw each other.

They looked around the tower, seeing very little other than a bench beside the core column. A book had been left out on the bench, bookmarked to indicate where the reader had left off - and a telltale sign they intended to come back to it soon. The door into the tower was just beside the bench, around the bend of the column. It was not fully shut, further emphasizing the idea someone was spending time up there.

"What first?" Shamshir asked, pointing to the book and partially open door. "Wait to see who comes out, or head in now?"

"If we head out now, we'll risk running into whoever comes through." Kage pointed out, taking another quick gander around the room. "...Reaper, go hide behind the door. You'll be most concealed there." He ordered, then he turned to Shamshir and grasped his shoulder. "...Better clench up." He warned, before he and the Scizor suddenly vanished into Kage's shadow, which crawled toward the bench and hid there while Reaper moved over to his directed hiding spot.

Moments later, a figure emerged from the tower and moved to the bench, carrying a glass of water in one hand. It was not one of their targets, unfortunately. It was an ape-like Pokémon with white fur and a purple cloak trailing from the back of its neck. It picked up the book that had been left behind and went back to reading it. Kage happened to glimpse the title of the book - 'History of the East' - as the strange Pokémon flipped it open, completely oblivious to the presence of the team.

He felt it odd that such a pokemon would spend his time up by himself reading when he _should_be out performing his rounds, but he didn't have time to question the matter, he exposed his head from his shadow just enough to motion for Reaper to move for the door, before he disappeared back into his own shadow and silently moved for the exit himself.

Reaper silently stepped toward the door himself, doing his best to remain inconspicuous while the sentry was absorbed by his book. Once or twice he froze when he saw the sentry move his head away from his book, but it was only to grab a sip from his water, and Reaper was ultimately able to exit the door without being detected.

Kage and Shamshir emerged from their hiding spot once Reaper was outside, nodding to the Weavile before consulting Shamshir once more. "Your call... Split up or find our targets as a group?" He asked silently.

"They're too dangerous to tackle alone," he said, barely giving it any thought. "We find them together, and defeat them as a team. It's the only way."

Back on the hill, Skyler had rejoined Fisher, landing beside him after making sure to let the Inteleon know it was him so as not to startle him. They watched the left tower of the castle, seeing the others vanish from sight as a white ape stepped out into view. The team never reappeared, but Fisher had to believe they'd slipped past the sentry and made it inside...

"Think they're okay?" Skyler whispered, voicing Fisher's own thoughts.

"They haven't come back out yet, so it's safe to assume they're inside." Fisher answered, still keeping an eye out on the rest of the castle with his Scope Lens. "Though what worries me is if they're in there for _too_long, since I won't be able to back them up if they get caught..."

Skyler huffed. "Never had a mission where I had to sit on the sidelines like this..." he bemoaned. "I feel useless."

"We've played our parts, Skyler. Now they're playing theirs." Fisher answered calmly. "They're the best in their trades, those three. They won't go down silently if push comes to shove."

"I certainly hope so," he replied. He stood there, shifting impatiently but said nothing more.

Long moments passed, watching the castle for signs of activity. For a while, all they saw were the variety of Pokémon patrolling the outer grounds. Calhoun's lack of uniformity in the forces he recruited - contrary to the report of the attack on Hadleigh, was to Fisher a sign his forces were indeed diminishing. Uniformity in an army was important for intimidating enemy forces, but now he didn't seem to have enough of any Pokémon species to maintain it. Fisher felt a slight hope that this meant the crisis would soon be over, once they captured an officer and found out what their plans were...

The attack was so sudden, Fisher barely had time to react. He heard Skyler starting to say something, then go silent. He didn't think anything of it until the Staraptor fell beside him, wrapped in a cocoon of silk. He looked over his shoulder to find a trio of large beetle-like creatures standing beside them, each of them with massive mandible like protrusions. One of them was already shooting a spray of string at the Inteleon too even as he saw them.

"Damnit!" He cursed, instinctively bringing his arm up to take aim, but he was quickly covered in the String Shot and left almost completely immoble. He tried to struggle out of the sticky web around him, but all he succeeded in doing was falling onto his side with a grunt, his visible eye glaring back at his attackers dangerously.

The bugs formed a triangle around their two captives as a Cacturne stepped into view, standing over Fisher and Skyler with a menacing glare visible below the rim of his hat-like head. "And here I thought there would be more of a fight," he said, sounding disappointed. "Bring them to the castle. And make sure they're quiet. Don't want their other friends hearing them."

Without warning, one of the bugs drove its mandible into Fisher's side, and an explosion of pain washed over him. The unmistakable agony of electricity surged through him. He let out a muffled, yet agonized yell of pain as he was electrocuted into submission, his body twitching violently as the electricity shocked him until he was numb all over. When it finally ceased, hsi eyes rolled back into their sockets as his consciousness slipped away, leaving him in a black void as he went still...

The halls of the castle were surprisingly vacant as the three made their way through. Once they reached the adjoining walkway from the tower and entered the keep, things had become eerily quiet. They had started on the middle floor, which seemed to consist mostly of guard rooms - cramped quarters with bunkbeds and a unused room behind them. The back room had only a few crates, which upon inspection they found were merely filled with preserved food.

Shamshir seemed to find this suspect, though. "Three crates, for at least three dozen guards?" Shamshir asked, puzzled. "They will be out food within the week, regardless of rationing. What could this mean?"

"Perhaps they do not have a means of procuring more food." Reaper muttered. "Those boats we encountered were not for long range travel. It's possible they're running out since they don't have a flagship to make cargo runs."

Kage's suspicions were growing by the second. He had a sense of dread that he'd been suppressing ever since they entered the castle, but the longer they were inside, the more that dread forced its way to the surface, making him clenched his hands tightly at his sides.

"...These islands are plentiful for all kinds of food for them to just take. They wouldn't need long range vessels to gather them." Kage remarked. "There's more to this place than we're being led to believe... Something's off. I can feel it."

"Let's just focus on finding one of our targets," said Shamshir. "Should we go up to the next floor, or one of the ones below?"

"Knowing the lieutenants, they'd probably get the higher levels. That tends to be how a regular power hierarchy works." Kage pointed out.

"Then I guess we're going up." Reaper muttered.

Finding their way to the stairs, they ascended to the fourth floor. This time, they found a more promising sign of activity. They could hear talking, coming from one of the rooms ahead. The sound led them to a pair of double doors. They heard a clink of utensils on ceramic, and knew they were likely coming to a dining hall. Shamshir peered through the crack in the door, and stiffened.

"It's Asya, and Seji," he whispered, shifting to get a better view. "I see nor hear anyone else inside..."

Leaning closer, Reaper and Kage could just make out the conversation.

"Has your research uncovered anything about the other three sites yet?" A female voice, obviously Asya, asked the Alakazam seated across from her before she bit into a cut of meat she had taken from the steak in front of her.

"Nothing aside from what we already know." Seji answered, using his telekinesis to manipulate his utensils to mix together a salad in front of him. "Only that they're a sort of well full of shadow energy which is allowing the corruption to seep into our world... That said, I do have a hunch about its source; something Calhoun might find promising to hear..."

Reaper tensed, ready to make the first move, but Shamshir motioned for him to stay. "This could be significant," he whispered.

"Indeed...and it might also have something to do with what Zeraora was so adamant on guarding back on that island." Kage whispered back.

"Do tell," Asya bade her companion.

"My hypothesis suggests that this Shadow Energy is a manifestation of the chaotic nature of the Distortion World, and that these sites are merely leaks in the barrier that divides our world from...his." He concluded, taking a bite into his salad. "They could be the result of an overflow of energy trying to seep out through the cracks, and by draining those sites of said energy we are effectively easing the pressure on those leaks; at least temporarily."

"What effect could this have if they were left unchecked?" Asya asked. "The sites themselves are already hundreds of years old."

"Well as I explained, these are possible leaks in the seal dividing our world from his." Seji reiterated. "Think of them like a series of Volcanoes. What happens to a volcano when there's too much pressure inside of it?"

"It erupts, of course, releasing the pressure," said Asya. "The northern site we know is already drained... could that affect the other three?"

The Alakazam nodded. "Depending on the conditions, draining the northern site will either ease the pressure on the rest of the sites, making it slightly more stable, or bring them closer to erupting and releasing all of that energy in the area... Although since we're draining the leaks and not _plugging_them, it's safe to assume the former." He then leaned forward toward Asya. "In summation, it'll be easier for Calhoun to absorb that energy into himself and gain even more power..."

Asya huffed, lowering her fork. "With all that in mind, you would think it would be easier to locate these sites," she said. "I was born among these islands yet I had never even heard of it before I joined the Crusade."

"That is the difficult part..." Seji returned with an irritated huff. "They're well hidden, and despite my archaeological experience, they continue to elude me..." he answered.

"The only clue we have about the one here in the isles is that it rests alone amongst giants, and is guarded by one who moves as lightning," Asya added. "The guardian has to be the Lightning Warrior, told of in stories among the clans, though I always thought him a mere tale." She huffed again. "Had I not met Calhoun, I would think I am hunting a ghost story... and this is our focus now while Calhoun replenishes our forces."

That last bit caught Kage's attention, making him flinch and look to the others quickly. "...He's not here." He whispered.

"And they're talking about the source," added Shamshir. "They're looking for it..."

Their eyes met, and Kage knew he and Shamshir were having the same thought.

Zeraora...

"Well," Asya spoke up suddenly as she finished the last bite of her steak and wiping her claws on a handkerchief. "I suppose since our eavesdroppers aren't making the first move, I shall have to do so instead."

Wait, what?!

"She knows!" Shamshir said. "She knows we're here!"

They started to move back from the door, expecting the Lycanroc to come bursting out to attack them. But as Kage moved only three steps, he felt a vice-like grip around his foot suddenly, painfully squeezing his foot and pulling at it. He looked down, and saw to his utter disbelief, his foot had seemingly been sucked into the floor, the stones conforming around it and holding it securely. As Reaper and Shamshir moved, they both let out surprised cries as their feet were similarly absorbed by the floor, anchoring them in place as the floor seemed to pull them deeper, bricks seemingly reverting to sand as it pulled them in.

"What in the?!" Reaper exclaimed, frantically trying to pull his legs free from the sand, already down to just over his knees thanks to his small stature. "What sorcery is this?!"

Kage grunted and kept trying to pull his legs free as well, but the sand had a vice grip on them like a constrictor squeezing its prey. In an attempt to try and soften the grains, he discharged a Scald attack down at the shifting sands, drenching them in boiling hot water. To his horror, the sands quickly dried right back up, as if they were never drenched to begin with. Shamshir tried digging at the sand with his claws, trying to scoop it away to free his legs, but it never stayed away for long, and continued to draw him in until he too was up to his knees.

The doors to the hall opened, and Asya and Seji stepped out, the former wearing a smile of triumph as she regarded the three intruders, particularly lingering on Kage for a moment. "Hm... perhaps not," she said. "But you look familiar."

"We've never met..." Kage remarked venomously, glaring right back at Asya as he ceased his struggles now that they all were properly bogged down. "But I know of _you_all too well..." He added.

"Seems you were right, Kage," said Shamshir, sounding apologetic. "The sentries beat us here, and warned her..."

"Oh, don't discredit yourself so," Asya said, mockingly. "No one told me you were coming. I really didn't know until you arrived."

"How?" Reaper demanded angrily. "If no one notified you, and no one saw us, how did you discern we were even here!?"

"You might say the walls of this castle have ears," she replied with a grin. "I knew you were here the moment your feet touched the roof."

"Impossible." Kage retorted. "There's no such thing as a building with sentience. You must have rigged this establishment with some sort of sensor network."

"My goodness, you need to get out more..." Seji remarked with an amused chuckle, which earned him a scathing glare from Kage.

They heard footsteps at the stairs, and all eyes turned as several figures stepped into view. A Cacturne, three beetles with huge mandibles, and two captives wrapped in silk thread. Fisher and Skyler were both conscious, and struggling to escape their binds to no avail. As the Cacturne dropped both of them to the floor, Fisher turned over, still thrashing to free himself, and received a punch across the cheek.

"We'll get to you in a moment," the Cacturne said coldly before looking at Asya and Seji. "Found these two outside, just like you said. There's a boat out in the water too."

Kage leered even more dangerously now that he saw the rest of his team was captured as well, glancing at his trapped comrades. For the first time in his career, the Greninja felt truly hopeless. Despite all of the careful planning and team building they had undergone before arriving at this cursed place, the enemy was still one step ahead of them. Now they were either bound in silk or trapped in shifting grains of sand that he still couldn't understand how they formed from solid stone...

"Kage, don't give up yet," said Shamshir, speaking lowly. Kage looked at him, but Shamshir's eyes were solely on Asya, seemingly waiting for something.

"Seji," said Asya. "See if you can extract anything useful from one of them. Perhaps the lizard, or the bird. I imagine they'll be more susceptible to your psychic power." She then added with a grin. "And don't worry about making it hurt."

"Understood." Seji returned, looking at the Inteleon first and casting a psychic hold on him, lifting him up effortlessly into the air. "I think I'll start with you..." He remarked with a grin as he turned and walked down the hall with his captive in tow.

"Stop! What're you going to do to him?!" Skyler shouted, and received a kick from the Cacturne for his outburst.

Kage shifted his gaze slightly to Shamshir, trying to remain inconspicuous. "...What are you planning?" He whispered quietly back to him.

"Your hands are still free," said Shamshir, who then rolled his eyes at Skyler, and to the window across from them, trying to hint his plan. "It may be our only chance..."

Kage nodded softly, keeping his arms loose at his sides as he watched closely for the window of opportunity, his gaze solely on Asya as she gave her orders to her cohorts.

"Bring the ship aground," she instructed the Cacturne. "See what you can find on it as well. I suspect they came from the Guilds. Then get these ones to the holding cells."

"Yes, ma'am," he replied.

There was an agonized cry from the hall where Seji had taken Fisher. It was brief, but the scream that they knew to be their comrade's cut Kage and Shamshir to the core. However, it did make Asya and the Cacturne look away, and Shamshir whispered. "Do it!" To Kage.

Asya heard him, and started to turn. She was too late. The Greninja quickly threw his arms forward, launching two Water Shuriken he had been silently building up. One of them hit Asya square in the face, the other sliced along the bindings holding Skyler in place, freeing him from his restraints.

"Skyler, GO!" Shamshir boomed, mustering all of his strength to free his claws from the sand binding them, and fired two Flash Cannons. One at the Cacturne as he turned, the other at the window that was the Staraptor's escape route.

Skyler did not hesitate. He looked at his friends apologetically even as he moved, spreading his wings and beelining for the window. The trio of beetles were after him immediately. One of them passed close to Reaper, who used his own claws to swipe at his wing, slashing through it and ultimately grounding him. Then he fired two more Ice Shards at the other two beetle Pokémon as they pursued Skyler, aiming for their wings in an attempt to ground them as well. One was grazed by the shard, throwing it off course. The other made it out the window in hot pursuit of the Staraptor.

Skyler flew for all of his worth, hounded by bolts of electricity. But he was faster, getting enough distance that soon the electric beetles could not keep up...

Asya stood up slowly, rubbing her face where Kage's water shuriken had hit her. There was blood. He'd scored a direct hit, and nearly taken her eye. Her red eyes fixed on him, and she stalked closer to him, even as the sand shifted more around him and managed to suck his arms in, pulling him and Shamshir up to their chests. She flexed her claws, clearly intent on Kage.

Shamshir stepped in. "Leave him!" He called. "Face _me_if you dare!"

She turned to him, fangs revealing themselves as she snarled. She passed Kage, and approached the Scizor. "You have something to say, bug?" She asked.

"It was my idea to free the Staraptor," he returned. "Now, you will soon have more of us to deal with."

"Will I?" She asked, her tone more jovial than her expression suggested.

Metal splitting broke the silence in the room. Shamshir jerked, his body going rigid, looking down at Asya's claws, half-buried in his chestplate. He groaned as she twisted her claws, her teeth bared as she growled to the Scizor

"I'm counting on it," she said, and pulled her claw free, dripping with Shamshir's life fluids.

Kage stared wide eyed as Asya inflicted a critical wound on his chest, then immediately started struggling once more to get free from his predicament. Using what remained of his strength, he ripped his arm free of the shifting sand and drew his Ninjato. His eyes were solely on Asya as he lined the blade with water energy, then he hurled the sword point first toward her skull. She spun as she heard the blade slicing the air, and barely managed to duck under the flying sword, though it slashed through a portion of her mane as she ducked.

She turned on Kage, and moved toward him. "I don't need _all_of you alive to be bait," she said, drawing back her bloodied claw. "I can make due with the Weavile and the Li-"

She was interrupted as Seji came running back into the hall, shouting her name. She looked up, looking at the Alakazam. "Asya!" He called stopping short of her and taking a moment to catch his breath and regain his composure. "M'lady, I have discovered the location of the Southern source. Apparently it was right under our noses all along."

Slowly, Asya lowered her claw, her eyes narrowing. "Explain," she said, the foulness of her mood apparent.

"The Inteleon's mind revealed it to me plain as day... with some minor persuasion, I might add." He said with a small grin of his own. "Alas, the island neighbours our own, roughly six miles to the east... They encountered a creature there. A yellow furred creature that moved as if it were lightning itself.."

Asya's eyes widened, the anger dissipating to surprise. "The Lightning Warrior..." she whispered, and then looked down at Kage. "...Congratulations, amphibian," she said, her lip curling into a smile. "You get to live another day..."

Then, with a strike of her clenched fist, Kage fell into blackness...