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Asya reappeared on the deck of the ship in a flash of blue light, coming face-to-face with the towering, dark-skinned form of the corrupted Mewtwo. The Lycanroc looked up at the strange, almost alien Pokémon briefly, before opening her mind to him and allowing him to see into her thoughts for the ones who were waiting for their call.

"Well, how did it go?" Calhoun's voice piped up, as he and Sash appeared on the flanks of Mewtwo, coming around to face the Midnight Lycanroc. "Were you successful?"

"You might say so, though it did not come easily," the Lycanroc replied.

"Worthwhile endeavours never are, my dear Asya," Calhoun replied.

Asya smirked at that. "True," she agreed, "I had to prove my strength to them first..." She rubbed her side, where multiple leaves and a salve were stuck to her fur, obviously covering a wound, "but I won their allegiance."

"Best you go see Seji and get that properly dressed. I will meet with our new recruits, personally," said Calhoun.

Asya bowed her head, and stepped aside as Mewtwo finished his work. With a wave of his hand, another figure appeared where Asya had been standing only a second before. This one, as tall as Mewtwo, with a gray body and multi-coloured scales, gold and red alike, covering his form.

Behind him, multiple smaller dragonoids of a similar body type appeared, these ones lacking any red on their golden scales except on their wrists were clearly a more minor evolved form of the largest one standing at their lead. The Kommo-o warlord crossed his arms, standing at his full height as he looked down at the trio in front of him.

He said something then, speaking in the islander's tongue, but thanks to Mewtwo linking their minds, Calhoun and Sash understood him via telepathy; his spoken word was foreign, but the language of the mind was universal. "So... The Lycanroc called Asya," he began, his voice guttural and carrying much of the bloodlust they could see written across his face, "tells me that you are in need of warriors. She has passed the blood test," he indicated a claw mark on his cheek, "and has earned our allegiance. Through her, we shall serve her master. You." He gestured to Calhoun.

"As I had hoped," replied Calhoun, stepping forward, "and I have heard much about your tribe. The Bloodscale Clan; the most vicious of your kind found on Kia He. Your reputation among the islanders is truly menacing."

"Indeed," the Kommo-o replied, "and so long as you promise us battle, we shall be at your service. Just remember," he grinned, "if you want anyone alive, you will have to find them first," he licked his chops as he said this, "else you might find naught but bones."

"I will keep that in mind," said Calhoun, before looking at Sash, the mental link severed to allow them to talk privately. "What do you think? Impressive, aren't they?"

"For Asya to earn their respect, I admit they must be quite powerful." Sash remarked, keeping his arms crossed. "They'll serve our cause well, so long as they remember who holds the leash in this arrangement."

"I'm sure it will not be a problem," said Calhoun, "but we have to make sure to find a battle for them in good time - warmongering tribesmen like this tend to get restless rather quickly," he cleared his throat, once more commanding Mewtwo to link their minds. "You will find accommodations prepared for you in the lower deck," he said to the warlord, "the main cargo hold has been set aside for you and your clan."

"Must we wait in the dark for our chance at battle and food?" The Kommo-o warlord asked, sounding displeased.

"Patience, my friend. You shall have both in time, and more than you can sink your teeth into," Calhoun replied with a disarming smile.

"We better," the Kommo-o replied, and with a wave of his massive claw, he started toward the hatch leading down to the lower deck, the smaller Hakamo-o fighters following him diligently, one of them looking sidelong at Sash as if sizing him up.

The Gallade shot the smaller Hakamo-os a death glare and even flexed one of his arm blades as if to say 'try it,' hoping that one of them would dare try their luck so he could have an excuse to put them in their place. But one of his comrades slapped the insurgent warrior across the back of the head, saying something to him and leading him away.

"Yes, well," began Calhoun, "we best see other businesses. Sakkaku has been growing impatient as we gather our forces."

"Better tell him his expedition is almost ready to go," the Gallade remarked before rolling his eyes. "That one makes me want to gut him... Using us for such a petty goal," he spat in disgust.

"Think of the ends rather than the means, Sash," Calhoun advised, dismissing Mewtwo back to his chambers and walked along the deck with his hands folded behind his back, "remember, if we win Sakkaku his prize, the Kaeru Assassins will be at our disposal. Our enemies will be jumping at shadows when we start picking them off, starting with the new Guild Council."

"That is if they adhere to their beliefs and follow after whoever is the strongest," Sash remarked, "They may be traditional, but they might not be the mindless drones Sakkaku makes them out to be. If he takes out their leader, who is to say they won't try to rebel?"

"That is why we are sending him with the Vikavolt swarm," said Calhoun, "Bug and Electric-types, against the Water and Dark-type Greninja they are, it is the perfect counter to them. If they rebel, they will be put back in their places in short order. I have to trust Sakkaku has thought this through. If he hasn't, it _will_be costly for us," Calhoun admitted, "but once we have the East Nexus, it will be worth it."

"It better," Sash remarked with a scoff. "We've lost far too many of our forces to these Guilds as it is, all for the sake of this grand crusade for more power. Whatever power you plan to gain from this nexus better turn the tides in our favour..."

"Oh, my friend," Calhoun began, and could almost imagine the mighty form of his new patron standing over them at that moment, "you have no idea how worth it it shall be."

The two climbed up to an upper deck above the bridge, where they found Sakkaku waiting, staring out over the bow at the oceans beyond. They reached the top of the stairs and made their way over to the bow. Calhoun cleared his throat to get the old Zoroark's attention.

"Sakkaku," he said in greeting, "I trust your stay on the Ravager has been pleasant?"

"It has been... adequate," the elder Zoroark returned, keeping his gaze forward with his claws behind his back. "What about the expedition force? Have you found enough soldiers to venture forth into the Boglands?"

"In addition to those accompanying you, we are also sending the Vikavolt Swarm. They can handle anything you might encounter there," offered Calhoun, "but finding Ice-types is proving more difficult. We used to have dozens of them before the Battle of Hadleigh, but after the Oppression was destroyed, they scattered to the winds or were captured. A shame, too - we had a coven of Froslass who would have suited your needs."

"Have you considered Cryogonal?" Sakkaku asked. "They levitate, rendering them practically immune to the landscape, and can make more treacherous areas of the swamps traversable with minimal risk..."

"We would need to know where we might find some," replied Calhoun, "they are pure Ice-type and would not be at home in lands such as the East Continent. Furthermore, they are not the most intelligent of creatures, so we would also need to know how to entice them into our service."

At that, Sakkaku scoffed, turning to face Calhoun with a wry smirk. "Then consider yourself fortunate that I plan ahead," he remarked, lifting a claw, and snapping his digits. Immediately after that, a group of three Cryogonal rose from below the bow and hovered behind Sakkaku, circling around him in a hypnotic manner.

Calhoun looked at each of the Cryogonal individually, raising a curious eyebrow. "You had them this whole time and said nothing?" He asked.

"A true tactician never reveals his full hand until the opportune moment," Sakkaku countered.

Calhoun grimaced at that but kept his composure otherwise. "Well then, there's no need for further delay. Once Asya's wounds have been treated, we shall get underway," he said, "I shall leave the directions to you, Sakkaku, and I shall have Mewtwo send you as close to the Boglands as possible."

Sakkaku's smirk faded slightly after hearing that, narrowing his eye slightly. "...Why not just have him teleport us right there?" he asked inquisitively, "We teleport behind enemy lines, and we catch them on the backfoot. They will not have time to prepare their defenses."

"Nor will we have time to assess the opposition," said Calhoun. "Tell me, how long has it been since you've visited the temple? Do you know their current numbers, their current defenses? Can you even be sure that the knowledge you possess is up to date?"

Sakkaku hummed as he considered the question. "I admit that they might have updated their defenses, but I also know that their leader, and by extension, the rest of the clan, are traditionalists by nature," Sakkaku said, lifting a claw to rub his chin as he thought. "The old coot was always locked away in his own world... It's one of the things that led me to despise him in the end."

"Be that as it may, if he has held on to his title of leadership for as long as you have said, it is best not to underestimate him, and assess from a distance before moving in to attack," stated Calhoun. "Now, let us finish our preparations while we wait for Asya. It should not be long before she is ready."

"Hmph. Fine," the Zoroark remarked, turning his back to Calhoun and Sash and resting his claws behind him, looking ahead toward the open sea once again.

"Have patience, Sakkaku," Calhoun said in an assuring tone, "you do not have to wait much longer."

~~~~~

The airship was in sight of Azure by morning, and the group awoke as Toby blew into a whistle to announce they had arrived. Lashanne was of course the first to awaken, followed shortly by Minato as the Delphox beside him stirred.

"Sounds like we're here," she said with a yawn, throwing off the covers as she started to get out of bed.

"Mmgghh... five more minutes," the Lucario moaned groggily, taking the covers in paw and covering himself up in them as he curled up on his side.

Lashanne picked up a fur brush from the bedside table. "We won't be in Azure long, hun; don't you think we ought to go see Caulin before we take off again?" Lashanne suggested, running the brush through the fur on her arms and legs to straighten them out.

"...Point taken," he relented, slowly getting out of bed to stand, yawning and stretching out his arms and legs before stepping over and sliding his arms around Lashanne's stomach from behind. "Looking as dazzling as ever, honey," he said with a smile.

"Oh, you're becoming as sappy as the other lovebirds below," she said, leaning into him, her tail wrapping loosely around his waist.

"Is it working?" Minato asked with a grin.

"Well of course it is," she replied, turning around and kissing him briefly. "I'm still here, aren't I?"

"Mhhh, true, though there is such a thing as too much of a good thing~" he teased as he kissed her cheek over and over while rubbing in circles along her stomach with his paws.

"Let me know when you find it," she added, chuckling as she gently pulled away from him. "In the meantime, we've got work to do, hun."

"Yes, yes, I know. Business before pleasure." He remarked, rolling his eyes as he followed her out the door.

As they stepped out of the stateroom to the deck, they noticed Volcan and Luke emerging from below, the Blaziken rubbing his eyes - having apparently just woken up, but Luke looked bright and alert as he usually did in the mornings. They said good morning to Lashanne and Minato and joined them in heading over to the railing to look down at Azure as they approached.

"Too bad we're not staying long," Volcan commented, leaning on the railing, "but we have a lot to fill the others in on."

"How do you think they'll take our theory about Calhoun?" Lashanne asked.

"I'm still hoping we're wrong about that," the Blaziken admitted, resting his head on his crossed arms.

"It's a bridge we're going to have to cross regardless," Luke pointed out, "and even if it isn't the case, we have to at least consider the possibility that it is. Based on what we've discovered, it's the only thing that makes sense as to why Calhoun is the way he is."

"I imagine Sol in particular is not going to like it," Lashanne suggested, "this draws a lot of parallels between him and Calhoun."

"It is what it is," Volcan stated, "whether he likes it or not." He stood up straight again, looking down at the town for a moment before looking at Luke. "Suppose we have time to go see Ignus before we leave?"

"You can bet your fiery tail feathers we're going to make time for him," Luke commented firmly. "What kind of parents would we be otherwise?"

Volcan smiled and gave an approving nod, "Alright."

"Lashanne," Toby called from the wheel, "I've been going all night. Can I take a break?"

"Sure thing, Toby," Lashanne said, leaving Minato's side and heading over to the helm. "Go take a nap. I'll land the ship."

"Thanks," he said, rubbing his eyes as he trudged across the deck toward the hatch.

"Thanks for getting us here, Toby," Volcan bid the Meowth.

"Sure, sure," the sleepy cat replied, "just don't hurry to head out, alright? I need some Z's."

"No promises there. We're going to have to head out as soon as possible once we're restocked." Minato stated.

"If it comes down to it, I'll fly the ship," said Lashanne, taking the wheel, "let Toby get some rest."

They flew over Azure, and Lashanne brought the airship around until they were at its docking area. She expertly maneuvered the vessel above and began a slow descent until they were resting in the scaffolding, their arrival marked by a slight jolt when the ship rested in place. Lashanne shut off the engine, and they began to disembark.

"We are stopping in Azure?" Zamazenta asked as he and Zacian, once more without their armaments, emerged from the decks below.

"Just for a bit," Volcan replied, "we need to restock, check in with our teams, let Toby sleep for a while and then we'll be on our way again. Got a ways to go."

"Hmm... So long as we do not dawdle for too long," Zacian remarked. "We should be on our way as soon as we are ready."

"We will be," Luke assured Zacian with a nod. "We need to take care of things here first and relay what we've discovered with our allies before we can start planning our next move."

The four of them jumped down from the ship and saw that their arrival had not gone unnoticed. They saw Eagle Eye, flying down from above, calling out a greeting as he approached them. The Talonflame swooped low as he approached, leveling out and landing with a small skid in front of them before tucking his wings along his body.

"You guys are back sooner than we expected!" he squawked, looking at each of them expectantly. "Didja find the clues you were looking for?"

"We think so," Volcan answered for the group. "We know where we need to go next, but we need to resupply, and we have some other info to pass along as well."

"Oh yea? Like what?" Eagle Eye chirped.

"Well for one thing, we might have a theory about the origins of Calhoun's power, and by extension, what his true motives might be," Luke answered. "Go and gather up the others. This is something they'll all need to be filled in on."

"Well, I'll try, but I'd hate to pull Mole Man and Tristan away from their work. They've been hard at work digging and reinforcing that tunnel idea of his," the Talonflame answered.

"This won't take long," Volcan assured, "but let them know to hold onto their keisters - what we're going to tell them is going to blow their minds."

A short time later, Teams Valiant and Phalanx had gathered once again, standing with their respective teammates. After greetings were exchanged, Volcan - with a nervous look to Lashanne, Minato and Luke, stepped forward to begin explaining.

"Alright. Good news, to start," the Blaziken began, "we know where we're going. Thanks to the research we did and help from Neilla and Aerendyl we've discovered a promising lead on the location of the Kaeru Assassin's hideout."

"Well great! That means you guys should be heading out and finding that Nexus thing before the Crusade," Hank remarked, shrugging his shoulders. "Dunno why you needed us here just to tell us that dud of a bombshell."

Kage swatted Hank along the back of his head with his tongue, making the Zoroark grunt and shoot him a dirty look before the Greninja spoke up next. "And what's the bad news?" he asked pointedly.

Volcan sucked in a deep breath, looking at each of his friends briefly, though his gaze lingered on Sol for a moment. Long enough for the Typhlosion to notice and give the Blaziken a questioning look. With a release of breath, Volcan spoke again.

"We have reason to believe," he said, "that Calhoun is not just a Shadow Pokémon. We think he might be another Blessed."

"Wait - say what?!" Tristan bellowed, loud enough to set some teeth on edge at how loud he was.

"Surely you jest!" Katsu blurted, equally as surprised as the others. "There is no possibility that someone so vile and demonic could be a Legendary's chosen Blessed!"

"...Not unless that Legendary was just as vile and demonic as its chosen," said Kage, casting a sidelong glance at Sol, having caught the look Volcan gave him prior to his statement.

"It's only speculation at best," Luke spoke up, waving his paws to get the others to calm down before he continued, "but given what we have researched, it's the only plausible reason as to why he's as powerful as he is. When he absorbed the Shadow Energy from the Northern Nexus, he didn't subjugate that power. He _bonded_with it; using its power to enhance his already impressive abilities and grant him access to new abilities such as spreading the corruption as well as his seemingly limitless strength and stamina. In a way, he's become a living breathing Nexus."

Doug waved his middle head back and forth as if to gesture that he had a question. "Wait, but... If what you're saying is true, and Calhoun's really a Blessed, then, why hasn't he shown us a Blessed form during the times we fought him?" The Dugtrio asked. "I mean, that one time we had him on the backfoot down South, he had a golden opportunity to transform and gain the upper hand. Why didn't he-"

"...Because his bond with whatever fucked up God he's struck a deal with isn't complete," Sol interrupted the Dugtrio, his brow furrowing angrily.

"So... He's like you then?" Tristan asked, cluelessly. Sol shot him a furious glare, and the Aggron put up his hands. "Whoa, easy! I mean from when we first met you, not how you are now! You're good, kid!"

"Sadly, Tristan's not far off," Volcan added, "and Sol is absolutely right - Calhoun's bond is incomplete, and that's the only reason we haven't seen him use a Blessed form. However, it's the only explanation for those other, seemingly supernatural abilities he possesses. His stamina, his ability to regenerate, and his ability to pass on the curse to others."

"...This does beg the question," Katsu remarked. "Of all the Legendary Pokémon in the world, which one did he bond with in order to attain such power?"

"Maybe Yveltal?" Eagle Eye offered. "He is the God of Death and Oblivion."

"Nah man, I doubt even he'd be crazy enough to wanna grant his power to someone that psychotic," Hank remarked. "Guy's got way more than a few screws loose in that deranged noggin of his."

"We... Figured that part out too," Lashanne spoke up.

Volcan nodded. "Some time back, Master Chen told us about the Nexuses - like the one where we met Koa," he explained, "they are... Focal points, where energy from another world bleeds through into ours, and the cause of all Shadow Pokémon ever seen across history. That's what the Nexuses are - these focal points, and those structures built around them, intended to gather the energy to be used for one purpose. A purpose that the ancestors of Koa, and other guardians like him, were meant to prevent."

Serena stepped forward, looking up at Volcan. "What purpose?" She asked.

"...To free the Lord of the Lost," he replied, "the energy bleedover comes from the Distortion World. Calhoun is bonded with Giratina himself."

A deathly silence fell over the group as Volcan let his words sink in. Everyone was staring at Volcan and the others in silent shock, unable to form words as the reality of this reveal sunk in. Even Kage was left speechless, though he did a far better job at reining in his shock than the others.

Luke stepped in and cleared his throat to gain their attention. "With this information in our possession, one thing has become clear. Calhoun is a far greater threat than we could ever have anticipated. We have to treat his presence as a Class-S threat and prevent him from ever realizing his goal," he explained, and then turned to Doug and Tristan. "How are the tunnels coming along?"

"W-Well, we were just in the process of reinforcing the main escape tunnel when you guys arrived," Doug stammered, visibly shaken, "Striker and his team are still working on it, but even with their help it's been a pretty daunting task."

Luke nodded before he spoke again, "I hate to ask this of you, but I need you guys to pick up the pace on it," he stated firmly, "The sooner it's finished, the sooner we can start bolstering the rest of our defenses and making any last-minute additions to our contingency plan in case he invades sooner than we anticipate."

"Consider it done, boss." The Dugtrio answered firmly, nodding with each of his three heads.

"I know this is a lot to take in," Volcan spoke up, "but... If we weren't sure of it, we wouldn't have come forward about it. I want all of you to stay on guard and stay alert."

"You can count on us," Tristan spoke up, with more certainty than he likely felt.

"Azure will not fall so long as we stand firm," Katsu added, pounding his chest firmly.

"What the big guys said," chirped Eagle Eye.

Volcan nodded. "Alright. Dismissed," he said, "except you, Kage - we need some council from you before we proceed."

The Greninja nodded, approaching the Blaziken while the others turned and went about their duties. When Kage came to stand with the others, Lashanne produced the map they had borrowed from Aerendyl. Dropping to her knees, she spread the map over the ground and showed him the marked spot.

"There it is," said Lashanne, "the clues we found point us here, where these two lines converge, deep in the heart of the Boglands."

"That sound right to you?" Volcan asked.

Kage quickly looked over the map, scanning where the lines intersected and remembering back to the time he escaped the Brotherhood with his now wife. "...That would make the most logical sense, yes," he concurred. "They know how treacherous the Boglands are. Only a fool would dare to venture in that deep without any prior knowledge of what was lying in wait."

"I guess that makes us fools, then," said Volcan, "for that's where we have to go. We need to get to that Nexus and destroy it before Calhoun finds it first."

"The only difference between us is that we're aware of what awaits us in there," Luke added, "and we know how to at least prepare for them should we encounter them."

"Do you?" Kage began to ask, challenging Luke as he looked at him square in the eyes. "Do you have the means to prepare for the worst should the worst come to happen?"

Luke seemed a little taken aback by Kage's question, but he remained steadfast and clenched his paws at his sides. "Like I said, we know what to expect, and we'll prepare for it the best we can."

Kage gave him a stern, deep look, almost as if sizing up Luke in that awkward silence before he seemed to sneer. "...Foolish Lucario," he muttered coldly. "You have no idea what to expect and you'll panic the second something goes wrong," he added, turning on his heel and walking away from them. "You haven't experienced true fear until you've survived that hellhole, assuming you do."

"We just_found out that the enemy is the enforcer to the destroyer," Lashanne stated, looking harshly at Kage, "you think we're _not_scared after finding that out? We're literally fighting a dark _god!"

Minato placed his paw on Lashanne's shoulder, "Hon... Just let it go," he urged her, staring off firmly after the Greninja. "He's allowed to believe what he wants, and we've already made our decision. No use trying to tell him off when he clearly won't listen."

"After everything we did to even find the assassins he could at least offer something besides," she put on a deep voice - a poor imitation of Kage, "'you're doomed'."

"Not to mention outwardly insulting Luke," Minato added, looking at the other Lucario, "I mean, yea he was pretty emotional that one time but he's learned from that experience. Whatever plan he and Volcan concoct for our trek in that area, I trust them completely with. No stuck-up negative frog's gonna change my mind on that."

Lashanne let out a huff. "Fine... What's our next move?"

"First, let's see to our boys," said Volcan, "I'd like to see Ignus before we head out again."

"Agreed," said Minato. "We should check on Caulin ourselves, just to see what kind of trouble he's stirred up while we've been gone," he added with a smirk.

"Let's get over to Degra's place then, and get her damage assessment," Lashanne joked.

"Okay boys, they're ready," Degra called from the kitchen, having just finished cutting the two loaves of banana bread and setting aside some pieces for Caulin and Ignus.

They came running into the kitchen, Ignus darting ahead of the Riolu, yipping happily as Degra put his plate in front of him. She passed the other to Caulin, the Riolu reaching eagerly for the wonderful-smelling banana bread.

The Rockruff quickly started eating the bread once it had been plated, chewing into it while holding it down with his paws so that it didn't slide off his plate or out of his mouth. Caulin took a piece of the bread into his paws and popped it into his mouth, chewing it for a bit before swallowing and tilting his head back.

"Mhhhh-MHH! Dang, that is so good!" Caulin exclaimed with a satisfied grin before he took another piece off his slice. "You still make the best bread in the world, Momma Bird!"

Degra chuckled. "So everyone keeps telling me," she said, taking a piece off the counter for herself and taking a bite, "Perhaps I have just gotten used to this, but I really don't think my banana bread recipe is that special."

"Are you kidding??" Caulin asked, aghast. "You should be making bank with this stuff! Heck, I'd put my money on you if you took this to a baking competition!"

She chuckled again. "Well, thank you, love," she said, "I'm always happy to please."

Ignus finished his slices of the bread and licked the crumbs from his muzzle. As he inhaled through his nose, he caught another scent - one he knew well... He quickly shot from his seat and bolted for the door, barking excitedly as he ran and started scratching at it frantically when he arrived at the door.

"Only one reason why he'd go nuts at the door like that." Caulin remarked as he got up himself.

"I quite agree," said Degra, setting down the slice of bread in her hand and following Caulin to the door.

Ignus was pawing at the door even before it opened; he jumped back as he heard the handle squeak, and the first one in the house was Luke. Ignus barked again as he jumped up into Luke's arms, making him stop moving forward and take a step back to brace himself for the incoming Rockruff pup.

"W-Whoa!" Luke exclaimed, chuckling afterward, and hugging his son tight against him. "Hey, Ignus."

"Daddy!" Ignus stated happily, giving the Lucario an excited onslaught of licks to his face as he was hugged against him.

"So much for surprising him," came Volcan's voice as he joined Luke on the porch, "no fooling that nose, is there?"

"The nose knows, as they say," Lashanne piped up from behind the Blaziken.

"Hey Mom!" Caulin stated as he trotted up and hugged around her waist happily. "How was the trip?"

"Quite the tale to tell, kiddo," she replied, putting her arms around him. "Usually, research is slow and boring but this time, we got an adventure. Can't wait to tell you all about it."

"Well, tell me at the table! Momma bird just made another loaf of her Banana Bread! It'd be criminal if you didn't try it!" Caulin stated.

"That, I can vouch for," Minato added as he stepped in. "Her bread makes my heart melt and my taste buds dance, it's that good."

"Well now I have to try it," said Lashanne.

"Come on in! There's plenty for all," Degra called, heading back into the kitchen.

They recounted their short but perilous adventure in the south, with Caulin becoming especially invested when they spoke of the assassin's ancient fortress in the mountains. During the story, Degra made a pot of tea and sipped from her cup as they came to the end of the recounting.

"Well now, that was quite an adventure," she said. "Here I assumed you would find everything at the archives, but you ventured into a ruin too?"

"One with an infestation problem," Lashanne piped up, "there must have been a thousand_of those Durant." She cast Volcan an annoyed look. "And _this crazy bugger used me for a shotput."

Volcan slumped back in his chair. "It's not like I threw you at the Durant," he moaned, "I needed my hands!"

"Yeeeaa, I gotta side with Mom on this one, Uncle," Caulin piped up, "You should never really throw a lady like that, even if you have good intentions behind it."

"Exactly what I said," Minato remarked with a smirk, "especially after you make a jab at her implying her weight."

Caulin winced. "Ooohh... Double ouch there, Uncle."

Volcan threw up his hands in defeat. "I'm not going to hear the end of that one anytime soon, am I?" he asked.

"Nope," Lashanne replied flatly.

Degra looked at Luke next. "And an Eelektrik bit you? You're not hurt too badly, I hope?" she asked, eyeing his shoulder where the gauze bandage was visible.

"Only a few bite marks and a bit of numbness. Nothing too serious," Luke assured her. "I've faced worse."

"Strange to find one in a glacial lake, so far from the sea," Degra commented.

"Well, we've speculated it was brought over by the assassins as a means to defend their sacred entrance in case it was ever discovered," Minato responded.

Degra grimaced. "If that's the case they must have brought more of them to last the years since they abandoned the fort," she said, "I suppose we should consider ourselves fortunate you did not encounter a whole school of them."

"Yeah, I'd rather not imagine what would have happened if that were the case." Luke remarked, rubbing his neck and peering off to the side.

"Nor would I. Those things were a menace back at Arc Island," she said. "Serena and her mother probably treated more bites and shocks than any other injury at their clinic."

Volcan looked over at his mother, deciding that was the time to change the topic. "So... We only came back to Azure to restock," he began, "we still have to go to the Boglands and find the assassins and the Nexus. We're not done yet."

Degra nodded. "Understood," she said, "the boys are welcome to stay with me for a few more days if you need them to."

"Aww, you mean you can't stay?" Caulin asked, his ears wilting "I was hoping to show you guys what I learned while you were off on your trip." He added, with Ignus also whining after hearing his fathers would have to leave once again.

"Now that we know where we're going," began Volcan as he picked up Ignus, "it will hopefully not be for very long. Once we've destroyed the Nexus, we will come right back." He smiled at his adopted son as Ignus looked up at him. "It'll be over before you know it."

Luke smiled along with Volcan and gently scratched along Ignus' head. "What your father said," Luke assured Ignus. "We're just going in, doing our jobs, then we're coming right back."

Ignus seemed to perk up at hearing that, panting excitedly before he started to formulate words. "C...Come right back!" He repeated.

The two were surprised and looked over at Degra. The older Blaziken was smiling and shook her head. "He did not learn that from me," she said.

"This special boy never ceases to surprise us," said Volcan. "He's so bright I'm starting to think he's going to be a certified genius!"

Degra chuckled. "Have you ever noticed, ever really watched him, when you take him outside? And I mean very closely."

Volcan looked quizzically at Luke, not understanding what Degra was getting at. Luke looked back at Volcan with an equally quizzical expression, then looked back at Degra with a tilted head. "Noticed what, Degra?"

She chuckled again. "So even my son with his keen observation missed it," she said. "I mean how he looks upon the world around him. Those adorable eyes of his, looking at everything, wanting to consume every sight - metaphorically, that is. By that, I mean he wants to take in everything he sees, eagerly and openly."

She stood from her chair, walking over to pet Ignus on the head. "You took him in, taking him from a world he had barely begun to understand, into a place all new, yet you never noticed he was never afraid? That he took in everything with excitement and eagerness instead of fear and wariness?"

Volcan looked at Ignus, seeing the Rockruff's big blue eyes looking back at him. "I... Guess I didn't notice, no," he admitted, "I'd never really considered it. I just thought it was normal behavior for a little pup to be curious."

"It is, most of the time, but you brought him into a completely new world and new way of life, and he has adapted so well because he wants to take in everything he sees, hears and experiences," she gave Ignus a peck on the head. "There is a sharp mind in this cute little noggin, of that there is no doubt, and it is that combined with his curiosity and, dare I say, innate courage that makes him so bright."

"Curious and brave," Luke repeated, turning his attention back to his son, who panted happily and wagged his tail quickly behind him. "A truly amazing, yet potentially terrifying combination," he admitted, "but it makes him all the more special to us." He concluded before hugging the Rockruff tightly against him.

"Don't forget hyperactive," Minato remarked with a chuckle. "I've seen that pup give Caulin a run for his money in the bouncing off the walls department."

"Kinda have to agree. Ignus just doesn't seem to get tired or anything," Caulin added.

"Well of course not - he's still in his dawn years," said Degra. "He will have energy to burn for more years to come yet, just as you did, Caulin, and just as Volcan did when he was the same age."

Volcan laughed lightly. "Well, at least we know he's using it productively," he said, hugging Luke and Ignus together. Ignus quickly started attacking Volcan with kisses as he was held, barking a few times and pressing up against the Blaziken.

"Love Daddy!"

The Blaziken trilled with delight as Ignus spoke those two words once more, remembering the day that he had first said them, when the Blaziken was at his lowest. Volcan picked him up and hugged him all the tighter.

"I love you too, Ignus," he said.

~~~~~

That evening, Kage was standing atop a tree branch overlooking the town itself, scanning its borders while everyone else was tucking in for the night after a long day. As he stood watch from his perch, he reflected on what he had been told earlier that day by Luke, Volcan, Lashanne and Minato, and how grave the situation had become now that they had a solid hypothesis on Calhoun's true goals and the source of his powers. Calhoun was now a much bigger threat than they could have ever prepared for, and somewhere in his mind he thought back to Luke's tenure as a Guild Councilor, specifically when Romulus had made the motion to elevate Calhoun's threat level to S-Class, and pondered that Romulus might have been right to have done so from the very start...

He tore his gaze away from Azure to the dense forest behind him, toward the death trap that he escaped from over twenty years ago. Memory flashes occurred in front of him as he recalled the night of his escape, finding shelter in the woods and practically eking out their lives for twenty years before finally moving to Port Azure and running into Luke for the first time. He sighed heavily, mulling over what he felt should be the best course of action before crouching low on his perch.

"...My apologies, Luke. But you of all Pokémon know that I never leave anything to chance," he muttered to himself before springing off the branch quietly, soaring through the air and landing on the next perch, then started leaping from branch to branch and traveling deeper into the forest. If the others were going to take their sweet time in finding the Brotherhood, then he was going to take matters into his own webbed hands and find them himself... He knew the coordinates; it was just a matter of navigating the treacherous environment once he arrived.

The teams gathered once again that morning to see off their captains and teammates as they prepared to leave. The ship was loaded with new supplies, levitated onto the deck by Lashanne and Minato while Volcan and Luke carried them below decks. Zamazenta assisted as well, balancing one of the boxes on his back with surprising grace, his sister following him until he was below the deck in case it tipped over.

As Lashanne levitated the last box onto the deck, she turned to regard the team. Her half-smile faded as she did a quick head-count, noticing they were absent one. "Hang on... Where's Kage?" she asked.

Luke looked over his shoulder toward his team, noticing that they were one short and feeling his heart rate increasing when he noticed a lack of a stoic Greninja among his ranks. "Uhm... Any of you guys see him at all this morning?" he asked warily.

They looked at one another in confusion, shaking their heads at each other, then at Luke. "I just figured he was already here," Doug piped up, "since he's usually as much of an early bird as you are, Cap."

"Maybe he's havin' an off day? Slept in?" Hank offered.

"Nay. Kage is perhaps even more dedicated to this line of work than Luke is. He is not one to shirk his duties, especially given the severity of our situation," Katsumoto pointed out.

"...Then that only leaves one possibility..." Luke stated, groaning and slapping his face with his paw. "Damnit, Kage!"

Volcan caught on quickly. "Oh no, he didn't!" the Blaziken groaned, throwing his hands over his eyes.

"What? What'd he do?" Lashanne asked.

"Took off on his own!" Volcan replied. "_Again,_without telling anybody, just like when he went to the islands!"

Lashanne's flat expression was almost comical as her arms fell to her sides. "Are... You... Kidding me?"

"...Guess he really does have a tendency to disobey orders after all..." Minato remarked, looking off to the side absently.

Zacian let out a small scoff. "No doubt he has left to find his kin, perhaps to rejoin their ranks or seek safe haven among them."

"Doubt it," Minato shot back. "Kage's a prick, but he's a loyal prick. He wouldn't abandon us to seek sanctuary like a coward."

Volcan rubbed his temples for a moment, anticipating a coming headache. "Okay... So, now what?" he asked, turning to Luke. "Kage was the head of the teams here in our absence and now he's absent... We can't leave them leaderless. So, who stays behind?"

"Well, it can't be Luke - we need him and Minato to purge that Nexus," Lashanne replied, "neither of them can do it by themselves, or at least I'd rather not risk them trying."

"And we'll need Volcan to light our way through the swamp if we ever have to travel by night, as well as his strength and tactical expertise," Minato added, casting a look at their current expedition team, before his eyes locked on Lashanne and grimaced.

She caught on to the unspoken meaning behind Minato's gaze, and sighed. "You know... It may be for the best, actually," she said.

"I know you really wanted to come," Minato said somberly, "but aside from Volcan and Luke, you're the only tactical brainiac we have left."

"And you're unorthodox enough to think outside the box when it comes to unconventional tactics; something Volcan's team is renowned for," Luke added with a confident nod.

"Well, on that we'd disagree, but I was more referring to something simpler," she said, "if we have to face off with the assassins, and they're all Greninja, I'm about the worst one to go up against them."

Volcan perked up. "Shit, she's right... She's Fire and Psychic; they're Water and Dark-types," he said.

"Bingo," the Delphox confirmed, "and, Volcan's the only other one who knows anything about navigation. So, without me along, it has to be him."

"W-Wait, me? Fly the ship?" Volcan asked, looking at the deck of the airship, almost terrified. "I don't know how to drive this thing!"

"Steering it is just like steering a boat. Just your props are pushing air instead of water," she said, assuring him. "Toby will give you a crash course. So long as you know," her expression turned hard, "what will happen to you if you crash my ship, we'll have an understanding."

Volcan swallowed nervously.

Luke gently held Volcan's hand in his paw. "It's alright love. It'll just be like you teaching me how to operate your boat," he assured him. "It has a similar layout to it; the biggest difference is that you'll be navigating through air, not water."

"I get that, but besides this hulk being in the air it's eight times bigger than my boat, so, I need to account for that too."

"Ah, I'm sure you got this," Minato assured Volcan, patting him on the back gently. "Besides facing my girlfriend's wrath should you wreck it, what's the worst that could happen?"

Slowly, Volcan turned until he was looking squarely at Minato. His expression was as flat as his tone. "Do you really want me to answer that?" he asked.

"At your own peril, and my own entertainment," he answered with a smug grin.

"...I hate you right now," the Blaziken muttered. He let out a long breath, and then looked at Lashanne. "Alright Lashanne. We're counting on you."

The Delphox gave a weak smile. "If it's any consolation... I'm as nervous as you are," she said.

"About letting someone else - aside from Toby - fly your ship?" Volcan asked.

"About leading someone else's crew," the Delphox replied.

Volcan chuckled. "That is... Quite fair, actually," he agreed.

This time Luke spoke up with a confident smile. "I have faith that you can do it, Lashanne," he said with a nod. "You helped us put together the plan and its contingencies for when Calhoun decides to attack. Granted I hope it doesn't come to that, but even so... I think you got this."

She sucked in a deep breath and let it out slowly. "I guess we'll find out... I've been working mostly alone for my entire life. This is..." she trailed off briefly, "a really big change."

Serena came up beside the Delphox. "We're with you, Lashanne," she offered encouragingly, "and we have faith in you. Don't we?" She looked back at Tristan and Sol, and Team Valiant was well.

"Hey, she's smarter than all of us. I'd say we're in good paws," Tristan offered.

Sol snorted in response, crossing his arms in front of his chest, and giving her a single nod. "You'll do fine... Cap vouches for ya, so I'll follow you as if you were him."

"The way I see it, you've been one hell of a team player lately," Hank remarked with a grin and a wink. "Can't wait to see what kinda team leader you'll make."

"Ditto what Hank said," Eagle Eye chirped.

"And I second that," Katsu said with a nod. "You have my sword, Lashanne."

Volcan put his hand on Lashanne's shoulder. "You got their confidence; that's step one. You got this," he said, and the two nodded to each other before Volcan turned to ship. "Alright guys, let's go," he said before he put his arm around Luke, picking him up and jumping up to the deck of the airship, taking his husband with him.

Luke grunted as he was lifted up with Volcan into the air, smirking back at him after he released him and poked his chest. "Show off."

"When you got it, you use it, right?" Volcan asked, smiling.

"Fair enough," Luke agreed, stroking Volcan's chest with his paw. "Now, let's go get you acquainted with the controls; see if we can get a head start over Toby teaching you how everything works," he offered as Minato came up over the side to join them.

Volcan nodded, heading over to the helm to study the various controls. "Okay, I've watched them do this a few times," said the Blaziken, studying the various mechanisms around the ship's wheel. "This lever is the throttle... This other one here should be the gas bag controls..." On the console behind the ship's wheel was a turnkey, made of dense wrought-iron. "And this should be the ignition, just like my boat, only way bigger."

He turned it, and the engine roared to life. They heard the propellers beginning to spin behind the ship, and the hull lightly jostled as they went. Not fast enough to propel the ship yet, but enough that they were starting to warm up. Volcan gripped the lever for the gas bag's pumps, pulling it back gently...

The ship dipped slightly, the back end settling back in the dock again and just jostling it once more. "Whoops!" He exclaimed, instinctively lifting his hand away before grasping the handle again. "Pulling this back is for drawing oxygen in, not forcing it out," he said, and pushed the lever the other direction, slowly at first, but when nothing happened, he pushed it halfway.

The ship began to lift, and with a push of the lever the rest of the way, it rose quicker... But then came a scraping sound as the ship moved forward, the keel rubbing against the sides of the ship's docking area, setting Luke and Minato's teeth on edge and making Volcan pull in his head like he was ducking a projectile. He looked at his left arm and noticed that his elbow had _just_slightly nudged the throttle forward.

"She is going to kill me," he muttered, straightening his posture and clearing his throat. "From now on, let's make sure we've lifted fully off before I turn on the props."

"Good idea," Minato concurred. "She's probably expecting maybe a few scrapes, but let's try not to put a hole in the hull before we even take off," he added dryly.

"Give him some credit, he's trying his best," Luke retorted. "You'd struggle too if you were in his position."

"Oh, I'd wreck this thing before it even took off, I won't deny that," the elder Lucario returned. "Hell, I can barely drive our own boat, let alone an airship."

Volcan remained silent for a while, letting the ship climb until it reached its ideal cruising altitude. He eased back the oxygen pump lever just slightly, drawing in some oxygen to hold their current altitude, and turned the ship's wheel. The ship began to turn, and Volcan marveled at the responsive controls of the vessel, having not expected such a hulking craft to be so easy to maneuver.

"This thing handles better than I expected," said the Blaziken, dividing his attention between the boat and the compass, aligning their course eastward. "I thought it was just Lashanne and Toby that made it look easy because they know it so well but, it's not so hard."

"Perhaps I'm going to have to give it a try when the chance arises," Luke offered, standing at the helm next to Volcan.

Volcan nodded and looked over at Minato. "You got that map handy, Minato?" He asked.

"Right here," The elder Lucario returned, pulling up the map from the pocket of his coat and unrolling it so that Volcan could see it.

"Okay, let's see here," said Volcan, looking over at the map. "If Azure is there... The Boglands are there..." he adjusted the wheel as he reviewed their direction. "Then we want to keep a northeast course. That should bring us straight to the Boglands."

Luke's ears then pricked up as he realized something. "Wait... What do we do when we arrive?" He asked suddenly. "If the Boglands are as dangerous as we've heard about, then we can't just set the ship down when we get there."

"We'll have to cross that bridge when we get to it," Volcan replied, "as it is now, we don't even know if we'll be able to land the ship there at all."

"Good thing this thing can hover if we can't find a spot to land," Minato remarked. "Though once we disembark, we'll be walking into unknown territory. We'll have to stick together while we move, that way if something happens, we'll be able to cover for each other before shit hits the fan."

"A good idea," said Volcan, nodding. He looked around the deck then. "Where are the Royal Knights; below deck?" He asked.

"Yea, they never came up after we landed yesterday." Minato answered.

"Anyone wanna bet that Zamazenta's probably trying to teach Zacian how to play chess?" Luke joked. "He seemed really interested in having a round with us when we were playing."

Volcan snorted. "If she even has the patience to sit through a game, I'll be blown away," he remarked.

"I'll take that bet," Minato remarked with a laugh. "Ohh, I can picture the table crashing against the wall right now."

"For Zacian's sake I hope not - that's a vintage set down there," said Volcan, scowling.

"...IIIII better go down and check on them," Luke offered, walking hastily over to the stairs to head down to the main deck, and making a beeline for the hold.

In a short time, he found the two wolves. Indeed, they were in the - for lack of a better name, recreational room, playing a game of chess. Their respective weapons were set aside in the corner of the room, leaving both in their scarred forms, sitting on either side of the table. The chairs had also been moved, both of which were too small for the large wolves, and they sat on the floor as they played.

It was apparently Zamazenta's turn, as he clutched a piece between the digits of his paw and moved it, then pulled his paw back again to let Zacian take her turn. The sword wolf looked agitated as she studied the board carefully, trying to come up with a way out of the situation she was in. Her rook was stuck in a position so that if she moved it, her King would be in check, and she only had a few other Pawns, a Bishop and a Knight on the board; all in places that wouldn't help her out of the situation she was in. She had no choice but to move her King one space to the left in an attempt to get herself out of her awful position.

Zamazenta was patient, letting Zacian think her move through and never speaking out in a way that might distract her. But his nose twitched as he took in a breath, and he looked up to see Luke peering in at them. "Ah, Luke," he said, "is something amiss or are you merely checking on us?"

"The latter, Ser Zamazenta," Luke answered. "We wanted to inform you that we've taken off and are heading toward the Boglands." He added before taking a gander at their game. "...So, who's winning, if I might ask?"

"At present, I am ahead," replied Zamazenta, looking at the board again.

Luke's eyes studied the board, and he could not hide his grimace, seeing that Zamazenta had more pieces and that they were better positioned. "...By a wide margin too," he said, trying to speak lowly.

The keen-eared wolves did not miss it, and Zacian's brow furrowed. "Spare us your commentary," Zacian sharply remarked, already quite irritated with how poorly she was doing as she moved a piece. "It is your move, brother."

"Very well," said Zamazenta, before he lifted his paw to take hold of one of his knights and moved it to take out another of Zacian's last two pawns.

Zacian growled, her lips curling back as she lost yet another piece. She resisted the urge to slam her paw on the table before sighing and taking her King and gently laying it down on its side. "...You win," she reluctantly said.

Zamazenta nodded. He made no attempt to gloat about his victory, simply gathering the pieces to set the board again for the next ones who wanted to use it. "You did well, sister," he complimented her, trying to soften the loss for her.

"Don't," She firmly said, turning her head away from him. "That was an absolute wreck of a game. You had me beat at turn ten and rather than secure victory, you toyed with me and made me believe I could turn it around," she remarked scathingly.

"I would never toy with you, Zacian," Zamazenta returned, "you and I have fought together for hundreds of years - why would I ever compromise our bond by insulting your honour like that?"

"Fighting on the battlefield is one thing," Zacian retorted. She looked like she had more to say, but instead just scoffed and stood up from her seat. "I am going outside," she growled as she squeezed through the doorway, using her hind leg to firmly shut the door behind her, making Luke wince from the loud slam that followed.

"...And here I thought Sol was a sore loser," Luke muttered.

Zamazenta let out a long, tired sigh. "What am I going to do with her?" He asked in a low, tired voice.

Luke took a seat next to Zamazenta. "How long ago did she start acting like this? So... proud, yet so arrogant?" he asked.

"Almost a century ago," replied Zamazenta, lying down on the floor and making himself comfortable. "For nearly two hundred years, we were practically undefeated in battle, fighting for the kingdom. The victories and praise and admiration of Calygrad and the northern colonies... It changed her, and she began to look down on others, to see the citizens in the same way a shepherd sees his Wooloo herd and see potential rivals as upstarts seeking glory for themselves, waiting for her to put them in their place."

He looked over at Zacian's sword, still leaning against the wall. "She has grown arrogant in her power and has forgotten what it truly means to be a knight. In that, when Minato was able to challenge her on that night that we sparred, when he was able to stop her most powerful attack... It was like everything she had come to believe was now a lie. That she is not infallible as she believes."

Luke let out a sigh and rubbed his face for a moment before he looked back at Zamazenta for a moment. "For what it's worth, I apologize on Minato's behalf on how he's been treating your sister," he began. "With that being said, and I don't exactly condone his methods, but there is a reason why he's treating her the way he is."

"Because he went through a similar phase himself," Zamazenta stated plainly, surprising Luke, "I overheard what Lashanne said that night," he added in explanation.

"I..." Luke stammered, then sighed once again. "Yea, he's... He's been in that situation before. However, from what I heard about it, he dealt with his insecurities and his fears in a far more destructive way," he went on, "From what I understand, when Minato went looking for his former master and eventually found him, they had a fight so intense that he nearly killed his mentor..."

"I think all that pain he was trying to hold back finally broke him in that moment, and after he took time to reflect on the events leading up to that point, he was able to rebuild himself back to the man he now is. I guess... What he's trying to do with Zacian is accelerate the process he himself went through so that she can reflect and rebuild herself into a better Pokémon."

"I do not know if it is working," Zamazenta said with a shake of his head. "My sister does not respond well to criticism, especially not from those she knows lack her experience."

"To be fair, she doesn't seem to respond well to criticism, period," Luke countered. "It's like you said, she's become so sure of her power that she thinks she's infallible, when in reality no one is," he added, gently patting Zamazenta's flank. "Call me crazy, but... I think Minato might just be the one to beat some sense into her, since he's been where she is right now. Just... not as long as she has."

Zamazenta lets out another sigh, sounding defeated, "I have tried everything to reason with her... But she sees me only as her younger brother, even if only by minutes," he said, "and as her one combative equal; as in all these years it is only against me that she has struggled whenever we have dueled."

"Then perhaps the best thing for her to do to set her straight was experience a failure so resounding that she has no choice but to open her eyes and see where she went wrong," offered Luke. "Maybe take a step back and let her make mistakes instead of trying to guide her down the best path. The best teacher in life _is_failure after all."

"That is true," he agreed, nodding. "I have, in my life, made my share of mistakes, and I make a point never to forget them, lest I fall into the same trap as my sister. A shield, after all, isn't just strong for its metal, but also the one who carries it," he added with a gentle smile.

Luke smiled back just as warmly. "And a sword is only as strong as the one who wields it. Otherwise, it may as well just be an oversized stick." He added. "I remember back when I was training with Nido before settling down in Azure, he told me that true strength comes from the heart, but only when it's tempered by the mind." He then chuckled. "Honestly, it was the most profound thing he ever said to me, and that's coming from someone who's built like a literal mountain."

"Your friend sounds wise," said Zamazenta, nodding in approval.

Luke shrugged. "Only when he wants to be," he replied. "Most of the time he's either just building up his body or," he cleared his throat and looked away slightly, not wanting to finish what he was thinking of. "E-E-Either way, I say we just watch them for a while. Let Minato do his thing without interfering much and if it gets too heated, then we can step in. Same with Zacian - if she gets in over her head, then we can pull her back just enough to help her realize that she's not as invincible as she thinks."

"I am inclined to agree," said Zamazenta, nodding again, "I only hope, as her brother, it comes soon... I don't want to see her hurt, but it may take no less to finally get through to her."

"Like I said, failure is the best teacher," Luke repeated, then he gently slid the chess board in front of him. "Now, with that said... I believe you mentioned you wanted a crack at me back when I was playing with Volcan."

Zamazenta's face lit up as Luke made his suggestion, taking his place by the chess board once more. "By all means, captain," he said.