CHAPTER 23- FAMILY ISSUES



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ARTWORK BY   damodoko



— “Master, I couldn’t locate Mei Theo and the Madresp team. It seems the Soldiers have hidden them very well.” — Shedinja with a lipstick mark on his forehead reported, Arbustos Trevenant who was sitting on graves, rose with a calm expression.

— “I only regret not being able to punish Theo and Mei for this monumental failure, but it’s not important. I already have contingency plans, and we are just two weeks away from executing our grand plan. When it happens, this strange Berserker and the Soldiers will fall before my deadly roots. However, we don’t know how much the Soldiers have discovered, and because of that, this hideout has been compromised. I’ll find another one, and warn the other Hellstalkers that our plans haven’t changed and immediately take loss control!”— Ordered Arbustos, soon after reassuring his Hellstalker ally.

After briefly admiring the view of the moon from the cemetery, where the red-leafed Trevenant was, he took a small jump using the Phantom Force move, disappearing into a dark vortex. No longer feeling his master’s presence, Shedinja used Shadow Sneak to leave as well, in order to execute the orders given to him.

Far from where the Hellstalkers were scheming, Luke Croconaw finally arrived at Argules' palace, carrying Cody Charmeleon on his back, accompanied by Nero Jolteon and Saren Larvitar. As soon as Nero spotted the gate guards, he ordered them to urgently summon the Soldiers, showing the unconscious prince:

— “YOUR HIGHNESS! FRALER, QUICK, PROTOCOL 7319!” — Exclaimed one of the palace’s Charizard soldiers, who then took the prince in his arms while the other appeared to be contacting someone.
— “Huff, finally, this nightmare is over. I’m eager to bathe in perfumed sand and go to sleep. Let’s go, Luke… WHOA!”— Said Saren casually, pulling his brother towards the palace until the gate guard extended his orange wing, preventing the Larvitar from continuing with his Croconaw brother.
— “Saren, calm down. We just handed over the unconscious prince to the palace. Do you really think they’d let us go without any kind of interrogation?”— Luke calmly explained, as the small Saren made a grumpy face, clearly tired.
— “NAAAAAH! They’ve already forgotten that I’m the king of Judicium? Surely, we can provide explanations tomorrow… HEY!”— Even with the Jolteon showing his high level of power, the Charizard guard still blocked his entrance to the palace.
— “What a fake king, huh?”— Said Luke and Saren simultaneously. However, while Croconaw showed embarrassment, Larvitar displayed a bit of disdain.
— “GHAAAAA, DON’T SAY THAT, I’M NOT A LIAR!”— Nero responded, his face flushed, ears raised high.

Fraler, the Charizard guard, explained that the Jolteon’s royal status in a situation like that only prevented him from being dragged to a cell. Nero lowered his ears, frustrated and dejected, and lay on the ground like a sad Eevee. Luke and Saren did the same, with Croconaw stroking his brother's head while gazing at the night sky, as Larvitar fiddled with his gadget. A few minutes later, the trio heard the sound of a cane tapping on the ground. It didn’t take long for the guard to turn to face another Pokémon, placing his short arm on his chest and bowing:

— “I was informed of Protocol 7319. I’m here to deal with those responsible for the attempted assassination of our highness.” — Said the cane-wielding Pokémon, and as soon as he spoke, both Luke and Nero immediately stood up. Croconaw rose so abruptly that Saren fell to the ground, losing his brother's support.
— “Y-you misunderstood, sir. Protocol 7319 is about the prince being delivered unconscious. There’s nothing there to indicate that those who brought him were respon… *BAM*… gulp!”— Fraler, the Charizard guard, raised his head from the bow, trying to explain the Pokémon's misconception. However, the Pokémon struck the ground with his cane, silencing the guard and making him return to his position.
— “DOES IT LOOK LIKE I WANT TO BE CORRECTED? GET BACK IN YOUR PLACE, SOLDIER, OR YOU'LL END UP IN A WORSE PLACE THAN THE GATE! GET OUT OF MY WAY; I WANT TO SEE THE CULPRITS FOR STAINING OUR DIGNIFIED EMPIRE!” —Yelled the mysterious Pokémon, apparently a Fire Type, as his shout brought a strong wave of heat, something typical for this type.
— “Ooow Luke Hidron and Nero Sakai, that’s what makes betrayal so cruel—you don’t expect it from allies. How dare you harm our prince? You’ll get what you deserve. GUARD! *BAM*”—Croconaw knew that Pokémon; it was Augusto Skeledirge, one of the highest aristocrats of the Flamey family.

This Skeledirge was quite unique, not just because of his monocle with a frame resembling Corviknight wings; but also because he didn’t use his bird on his snout, preferring to use it as a fire cane, allowing him to walk on his two hind legs. His position in the Flamey family tree made him responsible for maintaining discipline and order in the castle and among the guards:

— “SIR!?” — Fraler shouted, standing firm on the ground, head held high like a post.
— “I WANT THE PRISO…”
— “STOP MAKING A MIME Jr. OUT OF YOURSELF! YOU’RE NOT PUTTING ANYONE IN JAIL!”— Lúcios Feraligatr interrupted Augusto's order, causing the Skeledirge to turn and face the counselor.

Lúcios passed by Skeledirge without saying anything, asking the guard if the trio of Pokémon was okay. The Charizard promptly replied that they were. The Feraligatr confirmed receiving the alert from Protocol 7319, congratulating Fraler for not allowing the responsible ones into the palace, as well as for not imprisoning them due to Nero’s rank. The Charizard blushed, lowered his head, and thanked the counselor for his words. Lúcios ordered him to return to guarding the gate and said he would take over from there. He also informed him that his partner would return soon and thanked him for his service, making the guard even more timid:

— “YOU TAKE OVER? WHAT DO YOU MEAN? WHAT GIVES YOU THE RIGHT TO DO SUCH A THING?!” — Augusto shouted, gripping his firebird tightly.

Lúcios, without saying a word or showing aggression, grabbed the base of the cane and used his Ice Punch; causing the firebird to abandon its cane form and return to its round shape, which caused the Skeledirge to fall to the ground, landing on all fours:

— “The same right I have to do this. You may be a Flamey, but you’re not the emperor, and I’m the royal counselor. You don’t command me; I command you. Stay in your place. You three, let’s go. Leave this Wimpod on the ground to think about what he did.” — From the beginning to the end of his words, Lúcios made sure to keep his head held high, not even letting the Skeledirge see his red eyes, just to demonstrate how unworthy the Fire Type was of commanding him. The Feraligatr then continued on his way.

Luke picked up Saren and quickly carried him to avoid making awkward eye contact with Augusto. However, Larvitar pulled down his eyelid and stuck out his tongue at the Fire Type over his older brother’s shoulder:

— “WOOOOOOWWW, YOU GOT SCHOOLED, LOSER!” — Jolteon mocked as he passed by Augusto.

Already in a safe corridor, Lúcios questioned what had happened to the prince, but due to all the confusion that night and the problem they had, Croconaw couldn't answer his father's question, still feeling afraid of him. However, Nero, without any issues, summarized what happened, taking the blame and saying he misinterpreted a conversation Luke and Cody were having. However, Jolteon did not mention the choking part:

— “You attacked the prince of Argules from behind just because of a conversation between friends? Nero, you really want Lencia to be angry, don’t you?” — Feraligatr asked incredulously at the whole situation.
— “Dad, don’t punish Nero. He just wanted to help Cody… He was very harsh with me, but please don’t scold him too. Wait until Cody wakes up; I’m sure he’ll be calmer and will explain everything better…” — Luke said, rubbing his neck. He never raised his voice or looked at his father, always remaining shy.
— “Very well. You have no reason to lie, so I have no reason to question it now. Nero… Be careful… You may go to your accommodations. I want to speak with my sons.”— Lúcios didn’t lose his composure, even becoming calmer after hearing Croconaw's account with the red scarf.
— “Heheh, don’t worry, big guy. This Jolteon is very well-behaved. But, if possible, could you arrange a meeting between me and your Croconaw son? I’m interested in what I saw today and would love to make him an offer.” — Nero asked with a smile on his face, with his ears raised high.

Lúcios grumbled something unintelligible while massaging his temples. The Feraligatr then said he would arrange it but warned that the final decision would be his son’s if he’s interested or not. Jolteon did a backflip out of joy. Shortly after, he said he wasn’t worried, knowing that Croconaw would certainly be curious about the offer. King Nero, less static with joy, bid farewell to the three Pokémon in a friendly manner, heading to his quarters in the castle:

— “Arrg, I thought he’d never leave, that Jolteon… What a headache. I hope he doesn’t cause any more trouble.” — grumbled the royal counselor, now loud enough since the king of Judicium had already disappeared.
— “Well, sorry for today, dad. I didn’t mean to put Saren in danger. I’m going to the inn now.” — said Croconaw, still with his head down, as he put Larvitar on the ground, who seemed about to cry for seeing his older brother leave again.
— “Luke, please wait. It’s late. I don’t want you to leave the castle at this hour. Besides being dangerous, public transportation has already ceased operations. I’ve already prepared dinner for the three of us. Eat and spend the night here. Tomorrow, I want to talk to you, but for today, enough problems.” — stated Feraligatr with the black scarf, looking at his two sons, waiting for his eldest's response.

Luke was very worried, grabbing and squeezing his necklace with the Mystic Water. However, Saren now hugged him affectionately. Croconaw then looked at his younger brother, gently stroking his horn. The Water Type Pokémon then accepted his father’s proposal to spend the night in his old home.

Lúcios had prepared a Pumkin Berry stew that had a mixed salty and sweet taste, with crispy and tender Pumkin Berry pieces, giving a delicious touch to the meal. But unlike the food, the dining table wasn’t as palatable. Luke, with every spoonful, watched Feraligatr, who wasn’t looking at anything besides his plate, with a closed expression. Unaware of the tension in the air, Saren just ate happily, glad his brother was finally back home.
At the same time as the Hidron family were savoring their meal; Mei Servine was sneaking around, looking for a way to invade her old house to get some supplies, accompanied by Aurora Ribombee, who was hiding inside Servine’s white scarf. Mei still wore her Hellstalker outfit, even after healing, as she needed the materials, she already had at home to change her identity. Ribombee seemed calm inside the scarf, only feeling a slight discomfort because the garment was thinner and pocketless, very different from Croconaw's red scarf.
There were three guards: two were police officers, a Luxio, and a Passimian who had regressed from their statue form, and no less important a Charizard in palace soldier attire from Argules. Servine felt confident in immobilizing all three, but the last thing she needed was to add crimes to her list. Aurora, inside the scarf, claimed she could distract one of them, and Mei agreed, asking Ribombee to divert Luxio’s attention, as Servine judged him the most restless of the trio.
The Bug Type then flew out of the scarf, trying not to make noise. Aurora then used her Pollen Puff move, causing a controlled explosion among trash cans. Luxio screamed, asking who was there, appearing scared. Ribombee responded with a raspy laugh, making the Electric Type Pokémon even more frightened. Luxio asked again who was there, and this time, Aurora used her Pollen Puff move again, sending the small, glowing pollen ball blowing in the wind. The police officer called out for arrest, following the glowing ball.
With the path clear, Ribombee emerged from her hiding place, returning to Mei's white scarf as she broke into the house through the window:

— “Good evening, Mei. How’s my dear daughter?” — Amelie Serperior, in a pink vest, said as she simultaneously turned on the lights in her room, which her daughter had invaded through the window. Aurora was about to use the Escape Orb inside the scarf to escape, but Mei stopped her by touching where Ribombee was hiding.
— “In a bit of a mess, to say the least. I’m glad you came back.” — Mei knew well when her mother, Serperior, was aggressive, and this was not the case.

Amelie quickly advanced and hugged her daughter without entangling her, using only her arms. It had been a long time since Mei felt her mother’s warm, soft embrace. Servine then closed her eyes, hugging her mother tightly, Amelie savoring the fragrant scent of her pink vest. Tears streamed down both their faces, finally reuniting after so long:

— “I-I felt you would come home. Deep down in my heart, I knew you would, Mei. That’s why I stayed here waiting for you since I left the shelter. I spent so much time in the void, so much time…”— Serperior affirmed with a trembling voice. Aurora knew very well how she felt, empathizing with the Grass Type.
— “F-forgive me. It was all my fault. If I hadn’t lost control, I wouldn’t have become a Hellstalker…”— Mei tortured herself.
— “NO, DON’T SAY THAT, MY DAUGHTER, please. It was all my fault, all mine. Everyone warned me of the risks; I didn’t listen and did this to both of us. You weren’t like this. You weren’t a bad Pokémon, not a bad daughter. Forgive your mother, Mei, I love you!” — Serperior begged, releasing the hug and exchanging tearful glances with her daughter.
— “I love you too, mom. By Arceus, I missed you so much. I hate myself for what I did. I’ll never forgive myself.” — Servine responded, hugging the lower part of her mother’s head.

It was a very touching moment, so much so that Aurora was crying inside Mei’s scarf. However, Serperior quickly let go of her daughter, heading towards the window, looking without sticking her head out, sniffing with her nose and forked tongue. The mother then slithered towards Servine:

— “Mei, you didn’t come here to hide, did you? You must have come to get supplies. I’ll separate some things. I’ll cover for you, daughter, just flee, just flee. Not only that, but I don’t know why you don’t want to surrender, and don’t tell me, just flee.” — Amelie said, as she packed a large bag with various items, such as a portable Wailmer sleeping bag and a Pokeblock case.
— “Hehe, mom, it’s okay. I had already prepared everything in case I was discovered. Being a Hellstalker was terrible; it was like being trapped in my own body. But I won’t run away from it. Of course, I won’t pay by surrendering, either. I’ll help the Pokémon who cured me, and for that, I need the things I set aside.” — Mei confidently replied. Shortly after, the Grass type headed to her own room.

Serperior felt like crying again, seeing how much her daughter had grown as a Pokémon and how she managed to fend for herself despite everything. Amelie slithered to her daughter’s room, bringing what she had packed, witnessing Servine placing various accessories and items in her bag. Even so, Serperior insisted that her daughter take the bag. Mei quickly glanced at what her mother had packed, thanking her:

— “Mom, I have to go now. I think you know why I’m not saying where I’m going and with whom, right?”— Servine asked in a sad voice as she strapped the backpack onto one of her shoulders.
— “I know. If I knew, a Pokémon with mind-reading powers could find out, and I’d be putting you at risk. I taught you that. I’m proud of you, Mei. Please forgive me. I’m so sorry for not seeing how much you’ve become this incredible female you are… Hm?!” — Mei advanced in the middle of Amelie’s words, giving her a hug.
— “Let’s just forgive each other. There’s no point in dwelling on this. I have to go now, mom. I promise this won’t be our last hug. Please take care. I’ll think of you every day. I love you.” — Mei said. As soon as she finished speaking, Servine let go of Serperior’s embrace, and her mother kissed her daughter’s forehead.
— “I’ll hold you to that promise. Good luck, Mei. I’ll ask Arceus or whichever legendary to protect you. I’ll always have my doors open and support you in whichever path you choose… Now go, go quickly. I’ll distract the police officers… Aw, and thank the Pokémon who cured you and saved me. I hope they put an end to this nightmare as soon as possible…” — Amelie wished. She exchanged one last look with her daughter, then wiped her tears and told Mei to get ready to leave.

Serperior headed for the front door while her daughter was in the room. Amelie then told the Charizard guard that she heard noises near the house and asked to be accompanied by him to investigate. The Fire Type Pokémon seemed inclined to refuse, but Serperior gave him a seductive look, hugging his soft belly. Cunningly, Amelie seductively said, “Please don’t leave me alone here. I’m afraid of the dark.” Blushing with shyness, Charizard accepted the female’s offer, accompanying her.
When Serperior managed to distance the Fire Type enough, Servine exited exactly where she entered, jumping among some building walls and swinging on vines from Argules’ vegetation. Mei reached the highest roofs of the megalopolis and planned to use them to get out of the city, carrying the supplies:

— “Going somewhere, dear?”

Servine looked to the side, seeing Naz Gabite there, high up, looking at her. Mei quickly took her fan from her waist, opening it to cover her mouth and part of her neck:

— “How considerate of you. You could have attacked me immediately or called the guards, but you prefer to get my attention instead of catching me off guard.” — Servine mocked without taking her eyes off Gabite.
— “I’m not here to fight. According to what Luke and Saren Hidron reported, Rubro has already taken care of you; you’re no longer a Hellstalker. I’m here only to take you in for questioning.” — Naz explained while storing one of her sacred items, in this case, her incense, in a bag behind her tail.

Mei noticed Gabite’s movement, knowing that Soldiers are incapacitated when they attack Network. Servine figured that if the Ground Type took this precaution, it was because she was ready to fight:

— “Run behind my scarf and take all the supplies to the dungeon. I’ll follow you right after…”— Mei whispered, taking advantage of the fan blocking her mouth, then taking a few steps back as Naz took a few steps forward.
— “I won’t leave you here alone. Together, we can deal with her!” — Ribombee retorted.
— “Don’t be a Mudbray! I won’t be fast enough to run with this weight. You haven’t been discovered yet, and if there’s a Soldier here now, others may come. If you escape with the supplies, you’ll give me a chance to run.” — Servine counter-argued, still trying to keep her distance from the Soldier.
— “WHO ARE YOU TALKING TO?! I MAY NOT HAVE EARS, BUT I CAN STILL HEAR YOU MUMBLING!” — Naz warned, raising her arms, her fins glowing dark blue, indicating that the Dual Chop move was ready.
— “GO!!” — Mei shouted as she acted as quickly as possible, cutting the strap of her backpack with her tessen’s blades, while simultaneously using the retractable vine on the side of her neck to grab and throw Aurora towards the backpack.

Gabite had already gotten close enough, taking advantage of Servine’s partner’s carelessness. However, with a spin, Mei managed to use Iron Tail to block the first hit of the Dual Chop, but there was still the second hit, which the renegade barely managed to parry with her trusty tessen. The biggest problem was that Naz was much stronger, dragging Mei a bit on the ground. Ribombee then used the Dazzling Gleam move, shining brightly and repelling Gabite with the Fairy Type move, causing her to fall off the building:

— “LET’S GO; I WON’T LEAVE YOU, MEI!” — Aurora affirmed while helping Servine, who had fallen on her back on the ground.
— “I already told you not to be such a Mudbray. If we both use the Escape Orb, its Magitronic force won’t be able to take us with the items, and the priority is our mission. Take the items to Akeldama. TRUST ME!” — Mei justified, initially appearing calm, but in the end, shouting at her Ribombee partner.

They both started hearing a very loud sound, imagining it was Naz using her natural propulsion to return to the confrontation. Servine let out a small growl, glaring at Aurora with a fierce look. With no other option, Ribombee decided to trust her ally, using the Escape Orb. The Bug Type magically transported herself to the Lost Dreams Dungeon with all the items Mei had taken from her house:

— “NOOOO!” — Gabite shouted upon reaching the top of the building, only to see the Escape Orb’s flash dissipating.
— “Too bad, you were so close, but I did what I had to do. Rubro will be very happy with the things I managed to steal.” — Servine mocked, blowing a kiss to Naz.

The Grass Type’s mocking words served not only as a warning to Gabite, but as enough motivation to stop her for questioning. Mei started running very fast, but then heard the sound of bells and realized she was running toward Naz. Initially, Servine didn’t understand, turning back to run again, only to hear the sound of the bells, finding herself even closer to the Ground Type. The Grass Type didn’t understand how this was happening, starting to feel cornered, realizing she couldn’t escape:

— “I’ll give you one last chance to surrender. I don’t want to hurt you; I just want answers.” Gabite said frankly and calmly, almost coldly.

The truth was that after all the events of that fateful night, Naz couldn’t imagine Rubro being a threat, especially since he was curing the Hellstalkers. However, the decision to capture him came from Madame Xerneas herself and had to be carried out. Currently, the mission was to capture and interrogate any Pokémon with an apparent connection to Croconaw. Mei was the best lead at that moment, and despite Servine’s behavior, Gabite wanted to avoid the barbaric methods she saw her allies using.
Seeing that there was no point in running, Mei simply stood still, seriously looking at Naz. Gabite slowly approached, still carefully keeping her sacred item ready in case Servine tried something:

— “Are you working for the Croconaw known as Rubro?” — the Ground Type asked.
— “No, our relationship isn’t work-related. I’m not his subordinate; I have my own interests.” — Grass Type replied. With a quick glance, Mei noticed the bells tied to an orange ribbon fastened to the golden bracelet on the Soldier’s arm.
— “What do you gain from all this? You’re risking your life for a bloodthirsty criminal. You knew that?” — Naz questioned. The Soldier used her connection to the earth to sense if her adversary was lying or not. So far, Servine had been honest in her answers. However, being on top of a building, Gabite feared her assessment wasn’t as accurate.
— “Bloodthirsty? Him? Nhehehe, it seems you’re the ones who don’t know who you’re dealing with… I, I want to suffer for having allied myself with a cursed parasite like Dark Matter, but I want to do it on my terms. I’ve been controlled by a being without empathy. Likewise, I won’t become a Soldier to be a victim of another!” — Mei affirmed with a slight regret, even offending the organization Gabite served. However, Gabite remained unfazed.
— “Where is Rubro?” — The Ground Type asked, imagining that Servine would betray Croconaw for her own well-being.

Mei responded by quickly moving her body. However, Naz was faster, touching her bells, which caused the Leaf Tornado that was directed at the Soldier to be launched in another direction since, with the ringing of the bell, Servine’s position was altered:

— “I already told you it’s no use. You’re just wasting my time and yours.”— Gabite warned once again, still remaining calm. Grass Type growled softly, frustrated to see that even long-range attacks wouldn’t give her an advantage.

Despite everything being against her, Servine refused to give up without a fight. Betraying Luke was not an option for her, and she knew that if she were caught, the Soldiers would discover the truth even if she didn’t say anything. Mei then tried to hit the building floor with Iron Tail, but was once again stopped by Naz, as she made the attack land in another direction:

— “It’s a pity. I thought I could do this without resorting to violence, but if you won’t talk willingly, maybe the Musharna of Argules will find out what we want inside your memories.” — Gabite lamented impatiently while preparing the Iron Head attack.

Showing no concern, Servine readied her Iron Tail to enter the conflict. However, the moment the moves were about to collide, the Soldier rang her bells. As soon as the sound of the bells reverberated, Mei found herself with her back to Naz, and thus, was struck from behind by the Iron Head, being thrown and dragging her body on the ground.
Not knowing what to do only irritated the Pokémon with white scarf more and more. The Gabite with golden bracelet kept moving, always shaking them, making the orange ribbon attached to them activate the bells. It seemed impossible to hit the Soldier, as she would always be able to manipulate her opponent’s movements. Mei quickly shook her head. She couldn’t think it was impossible. If she did, she wouldn’t find a solution to her problem, and the situation would only get worse. For Luke and her mother, who had placed their trust in her even after everything she had done, she couldn’t allow herself to give up.
Naz then approached, using the Dual Chop activated in the fins on her arms. Mei saw this as an opportunity to take the Soldier’s sacred item and escape. The first blow was blocked again by Servine’s tessen, but now the sound of the bells returned to haunt the Grass Type. The perception shift caused Mei to turn sideways to Naz. However, the Grass Type had anticipated something like this, managing not only to dodge the second hit but also to use her Wrap move, wrapping herself around the Soldier’s body.
Taking advantage of the fact that Gabite hadn’t yet reacted to her attack, Servine closed her tessen, turning it into a dagger, and was about to cut the orange ribbon of the bells. However, she was still no faster than the ringing of the bells, and thus, once again, Mei’s perception of space was altered, affecting her attack. At that moment, something completely out of both females' control happened. Naz thought the Grass Type’s target was her body, when in reality, it was her sacred item. So, when she manipulated the angle of the tessen, it hit the side of her belly, piercing it:

— “KYAAAA!! WHAT IN GIRATINA’S NAME DID YOU DO? AARG!” — Gabite screamed, bleeding so much that it stained her skirt with blood.
— “OH, MY ARCEUS, I… I SWEAR I DIDN’T MEAN TO DO THIS!”— Servine explained, simultaneously canceling the Wrap move, then facing the Soldier, who had fallen to the ground in great pain and bleeding profusely.
— “We need to stop your bleeding quickly, or you might die!”— Mei said, concerned for Naz.

Wasting no more time, Servine began searching through the small pouch on her waist for something that could at least help Gabite. The Grass Type then found some Revive Herb leaves:

— “Damn it! I wanted to save this for myself! Arrrg DAMN, you’re so lucky!” — Servine affirmed, frustrated as she tore and ripped some leaves from the Revive Herb.

With the sap from some leaves, Mei smeared the wound, now being able to remove her tessen from Naz without her suffering more risks. Although Gabite still howled in pain from the whole procedure, Servine placed the stem with other leaves in the Dragon Type’s mouth, using her retractable vines. The Grass Type asked the Soldier to chew the Revive Herb, so her body could accelerate the healing process. Crying out in pain, Naz did exactly that, still feeling pain. Finally, Mei used the remaining leaves with dripping sap to secure them over the wound, thus stopping the bleeding:

— “Now you better stay still there; otherwise, your wound might reopen… Please don’t hate me for this. Good luck to you. GOODBYE!”—Taking advantage of the opportunity, Servine fled, leaving Gabite behind.

The Soldier looked up at the night sky, feeling humiliated for failing the mission. She couldn’t call Rex or Cody to rescue her due to shame. When she managed to grab her Gadget from the bag on her back, Naz contacted the only Pokémon she believed would rescue her without making her feel worse is Melissa Zoroark, the only female Pokémon in King Nero’s entourage.
Hours passed, and the long night gave way to a new day. The news about Rubro Croconaw began to circulate. The Time Flowers throughout the kingdom reported the same story, the tale of the hooded Croconaw Berserker responsible for stopping the sandstorm that affected part of the city. Not only that; but many petrified Pokémon returned to their normal state, many of them seeking out the Argules police stations, which had also recently resumed full operations; as Madame Xerneas reversed the petrification of all police officers and returned them to the capital.
Even so, the Lacustre base couldn’t reduce its activities. The entire Madresp team revealed the locations where the petrified Pokémon were being deposited, not just their victims, but those of other Hellstalkers as well. As soon as Trevor Houndoom obtained this vital information, he began mobilizing Pokémon teams to conduct site reconnaissance and rescue missions. Coordinating search and rescue missions for various Pokémon teams wasn’t easy, but Houndoom managed to handle the work. Teams of lower classification searched within the city, while higher-ranked teams were sent to the dungeons. Even teams that weren’t specialized in rescue had to carry out these missions due to high demand.
Trevor let out a long yawn; he hadn’t slept that night due to the workload and could only now enter his office. Houndoom rubbed his paws on his soft rug with Bonsly patterns, then headed towards one of the plant pots near the wall, where a small Oran Berry tree grew. The Dark Type Pokémon plucked one of the fruits, chewing it and swallowing it only after sitting behind his wooden desk. The base master sat on the floor, placing one of his forepaws on the desk, activating a holographic screen generated by the Gadget attached to the desk.
However, before he could even use it, he heard knocks on his door. Trevor then deactivated the screen and asked them to enter his office. The ones who entered to meet him were a Musharna wearing a sleeping cap and two Lycanroc Midday with collars, who were subordinates of Houndoom. One of the Lycanroc apologized for the intrusion, and the other added that the Musharna leader had requested to speak with Trevor to update him on the mental interrogation. Houndoom placed both his forepaws on the desk, emphasizing there was no problem, and raised one of his paws, asking Musharna to speak:

— “Master… We investigated all memory traces of the Madresp team… There are no more depots to add to the report… UAAAAHH!” — Musharna said in a very slow manner, with long pauses, something typical of her species.
— “That’s a relief, then. I don’t need to send any teams to conduct rescues, and those I’ve sent are enough. What else did you discover in the minds of the former Hellstalkers?” — Trevor asked, trying to stay firm. Musharna's yawn was contagious, making both Lycanroc beside her yawn together.
— “We discovered the names of several Hellstalkers… Master… We couldn’t see where the members of the Madresp team… UAAAAH… were sent after the abduction… It seems all members are mentally blocking the memory, and…” — Before Musharna could finish her report, Houndoom interrupted her, already tired of the sleepy conversation.
— “Since they are no longer Hellstalkers, the Soldiers no longer have sovereignty over the case, and now that they are Network, we must adhere to the law and not invade their minds without judicial or royal authorization and blah, blah, blah.” — Trevor looked up at the ceiling of his office and sighed in frustration after a small murmur, then continued speaking.
— “Yes, yes, I’m aware of our limitations. Anyway, you did an excellent job. Please, Craw and Alter, accompany Pinkye and the Musharna team to start recording in orbs everything relevant seen in the Madresp team’s memory fog and ask to forward them to the police station.” — Trevor respectfully ordered.

As soon as the Pokémon left his office, Houndoom let out a big yawn, even howling unintentionally, something that embarrassed him, especially when all his subordinates started howling due to his howl. After the embarrassment, the base master reactivated his holographic screen to contact Rex Lucario and Raijin Heliolisk; as he already had the names and addresses of all the Hellstalkers denounced by the Madresp team, and handling them was the mission of the Soldiers and the Entourage.

Simultaneously with Trevor's conversation with Musharna, Luke was waking up in his quarters. Croconaw felt something warm on his chest, adjusting his head to see what it was, and it was just Saren lying on top of his older brother. Luke gave a small smile, switching places with a fluffy pillow. Croconaw managed to get out from under Larvitar without waking him. Luke then put his red scarf on in front of the mirror, contemplating whether to wear the garment in its old position. However, he shook his head, deciding to leave the red scarf in its new position, with the Mystic Water showing.

Croconaw then left his room slowly so as not to wake his brother. However, when he was about to turn to leave, he almost bumped into his father, who was holding a tray with food:

— “You’re already leaving so early. Where are you planning to go?” — Lúcios asked as he placed the tray on a nearby piece of furniture.
— “I need to go to my job at the Argules library, after all, my rent won’t pay itself…” — Luke replied, looking at a wall while fiddling with his Mystic Water.
— “You don’t need to go there anymore. You were dismissed from your job at the library yesterday. Amelie, the Serperior who worked with Alice, contacted the police. It seems she was petrified and returned to life… So, she’s going back to her post at the library.” — Feraligatr affirmed. The Water Type Pokémon then took two Apicot Berry pastries filled with Yago Berry from the tray, eating one and offering the other to his son, who seemed surprised and nervous.
— “ARRRRG, WHY DOES THIS HAPPEN TO ME?! NOW HOW AM I GOING TO PAY MY RENT?!” — Croconaw exclaimed, grabbing the pastry and taking a frustrated bite. However, the dry taste and toasted texture of the pastry cheered the Water Type Pokémon a bit, as he chewed the food, calming down.
— “Luke, I’m sorry…” — Lúcios said, sitting on a nearby bench and slightly bending over to face his son. Already this one started coughing because he choked on the pastry after hearing his father’s apology.
— “COUGH COUGH ACK, you… Are you apologizing to me?” — Luke asked, surprised by Feraligatr's attitude.

Lúcios stood up shortly after, kneeling to get closer to his son, and then he hugged him affectionately. Croconaw tried to speak, but the words wouldn’t come out; only tears fell from Luke's eyes as he dropped the food on the floor and returned his father’s embrace:

— “I shouldn’t have hit you or kicked you out of the house. So many things happened, so many, and I wasn’t fair to you, Luke. Please accept my apology and come back to live with me and Saren here at home. We need you…” — Feraligatr affirmed without letting go of his son from the hug.

Croconaw cried a lot, and after those words, he wanted to cry even more, not just because he was happy that his father had called him back, but also out of sadness, as due to the life of Rubro he had embraced, he could no longer live with his father in the palace because the place was heavily guarded:

— “Dad, I… I really wanted to accept, but I can’t… I want to continue living my life on my own two feet. Sorry, please forgive me for saying this; I must only bring you disappointment…” — Luke self-deprecated as his father released the hug and looked him in the eyes.
— “You were doing very well at the library, helping even the most idiotic Pokémon. You helped find Nadim, even though he was a Hellstalker. You were working alongside the Ribombee unofficially, improving your moves, fought a team of six Hellstalkers alone using a staff, and weren’t corrupted!” — Feraligatr pointed out, leaving his Croconaw son speechless as he realized his father was watching him.

However, this made Luke very happy soon after. Until that moment, the Pokémon with the red scarf imagined that Lúcios didn’t care about him and had discarded him as a useless piece of trash:

— “You don’t just bring me joy; that’s a fact, but you’re far from bringing me disappointment. I should have trusted you more, Luke. I’ve seen things during this time that I didn’t see when you lived with me. I wanted to keep you away to continue witnessing your evolution, but…”— Feraligatr paused his speech as he began to rub his eyes, trying to hide his tears.
— “But after what happened with those Hellstalkers trying to kill you and your brother, all because I was a horrible father… I was so close to losing you both. I don’t want to take that risk again, never again. LUKE, I INSIST, COME BACK TO LIVE WITH ME!” — Lúcios shouted, grabbing Luke’s arms with his claws.
— “Hehe, Dad, you said you would trust me more.” — Croconaw said, calmer, still crying but less distressed.

Those words were enough to make Feraligatr embarrassed by his attitude and release his son’s arms. Luke then hugged Lúcios’s belly lovingly:

— “Thank you very much, Dad. I-i-i promise I’ll do my best! I’ll visit more often and keep in touch as much as I can. And whenever you want, I can try to come and take care of Saren!” — Luke had stopped crying, smiling, showing all his excitement for this new phase in his life. The Croconaw couldn't remember the last time he had been this happy.

Luke then climbed a bit up Feraligatr’s giant body, reaching the side of the large Water Type Pokémon’s head. Croconaw then gave a few kisses on the side of Lúcios’s face, staying hugged around his neck for a short time. Feraligatr reciprocated the hug, not hiding his sadness over his son’s decision. However, Lúcios understood that this was a consequence of having acted harshly with his dear Totodile, and for better or worse, all he could do now was has accepted that his Totodile was evolving.
In another room of the castle, not far from where the Hidron family was reconciling, Cody Charmeleon finally woke up after the sudden attack he suffered the previous night. However, the Fire Type Pokémon woke up agitated and nervous, breathing rapidly and looking around with concern. Charmeleon began to calm down, growling afterward as he remembered what he had done that night, placing both claws on his head, squeezing it tightly and blaming himself:

— “Luke… Damn it, DAMN IT… What… WHAT THE HELL DID I DO? GRRRR GRAAAAA!!” — Cody screamed so loudly that he almost accidentally activated his Heat Wave move. Charmeleon then saw the screen of his Gadget glowing and went to check it.
— “Yo Cody, see this message as soon as possible. I don’t know all the details, but Nero destroyed your sacred item. The bastard didn’t tell me how he did something like that, and I’ve never seen anything like it before.” — Rex Lucario explained in an unusually calm manner through a recorded message. Cody was very puzzled by his boss’s behavior, as he seemed like a different Pokémon.
— “It’s too dangerous for you to act on your own without a sacred item. Take the day to cool off; I’ll handle things with the Entourage. Good luck!” — The message ended with Rex giving a farewell gesture, placing his paw on his forehead, and then pointing at the Gadget screen.

Lucario’s behavior sparked a lot of curiosity in Charmeleon, but at that moment, he was more concerned with the state of his friend Croconaw. So, without even putting on clothes or preparing for the day, the Fire Type Pokémon began trying to contact Luke’s Gadget. While the Bronzor-shaped device tried to connect with the Water Type Pokémon, the prince thought of things to say and ways to apologize, and the longer Croconaw took to answer, the more Cody trembled.
It was then that the Gadget screen displayed the message “connection rejected,” indicating not only that Luke had received the message but also that he had rejected it. Charmeleon couldn’t believe what he was seeing. Cody then held the device with both claws and sat on the bed, his arms trembling and drops of hot water falling onto the Gadget screen. Charmeleon dropped the device on the floor, starting to cry heavily:

— “Your Highness, you have a visitor!” — Said one of the Charizard guards standing at the prince Flamey’s chamber door.
— “SEND THEM AWAY; I DON’T WANT TO SEE ANYONE!!” — The prince shouted, his voice trembling, showing a mix of fury and sadness.
— “CODY, IT’S ME, LUKE, I’M SORRY!” — Croconaw shouted from the other side of the door, immediately reprimanded by the Charizard guards, who said he would be punished for disturbing the prince in such a way.

Like a lightning bolt, Cody jumped out of bed, forcefully opening the large pivoting door of his room. The force was so strong that it knocked the two Charizard guards against the wall. Luke’s first reaction was to give a small scream of surprise, and the second was to ask if the Charizard guards were okay. Without caring about his subordinates’ well-being, Charmeleon grabbed Croconaw’s arm, pulling him into his room. As soon as Luke entered the chamber, Cody pulled the door to close it:

— “I DON’T WANT TO BE DISTURBED. IF ANYONE COMES TO TALK TO ME, STOP THEM!” — Charmeleon ordered as he closed the door. As soon as he did, they could hear the sound of the Charizard guards falling to the ground after being freed from the door’s pressure.
— “CODY, AT LEAST ASK IF THEY’RE OKAY!” — Croconaw said, as the force of his friend’s pull caused him to lose balance and fall on his butt in front of the prince. But at that moment, Cody threw himself on top of Luke, giving him a hug.
— “Cody…?”— The Water Type Pokémon said, surprised again. Croconaw then felt the Fire Type’s heavy breathing on his dorsal fin, as well as his hot tears.
— “It’s okay, I’m here. It’s okay, everything’s going to be okay…” — Luke said serenely as he returned the hug to his friend. Croconaw took a small relieved breath, now imagining he had lost his dear friend.
— “You shouldn’t have forgiven me. I *sniff* wouldn’t have forgiven me. I hurt your brother, accused you *sniff* tried to force a confession out of you… I crossed all the lines…” — Charmeleon recalled as he cried, seemingly wanting to be punished for what he did.
— “I was there, Cody. You don’t need to remind me of what you did…”— Before he could finish speaking, Luke felt Cody’s claws tightening their grip, and he also heard a growl from the prince.
— “I forgive you because I know you didn’t do even half of what you’re capable of, and I imagine you’re under a lot of pressure, and all of this added up to the accusations you made. Even I would start to get suspicious. But seriously, did you really think I could be Rubro? Me, Luke Hidron? Sounds like a joke.” — Croconaw said, even letting out a light laugh. At that moment, Charmeleon broke away from the hug, facing Luke and pushing him weakly.
— “YES, YOU, LUKE HIDRON, DAMN IT. LUKE, I HATE WHEN YOU UNDERVALUE YOURSELF. I TRAINED WITH YOU; I STUDIED WITH YOU. YOU THINK I DON’T KNOW YOU?!” — Cody shouted while wiping away his tears. Luke blushed, looking at Charmeleon.
— “Luke, I know you can do much more than you show. I just wish you would show more… If you did, maybe we could be Soldiers together… Since I met you, I haven’t wanted anything more than to be by your side.” — Cody justified caring. He then touched the side of Croconaw’s face gently, then began to approach him, intending to kiss him. However, Luke intercepted him with his hand.
— “I understand, Cody, and I’ve already said that I like you too. But right now, there’s a lot going on around me, and I see you’re going through the same. For now, I don’t want to be the Croconaw who dates the prince of Argules. I want to find my path.” — the Water Type Pokémon affirmed with a determined look. The Fire Type Pokémon closed his eyes tightly, forcing his eyelids shut. The prince then turned his head and spat out a spark.
— “Come on, Cody. I just don’t want this now, but I’m still your friend, and I can stand by your side in other ways…” — Luke said confidently as he stood up and faced Cody.
— “Hehehe, okay, you said ‘now,’ which means one day you’ll be mine. *Huff* I didn’t want to wait, but it’s okay. Until then, I’m happy we’re together.” — Charmeleon then got up from the floor, calmer, hugging Croconaw affectionately.

The two Pokémon then sat on the bed and started talking like they always did before graduation and all the craziness happening in Argules. However, the atmosphere wasn’t the same. On one hand, Luke felt like a cowardly traitor for not admitting his double life to his best friend. On the other hand, Cody took advantage of the hugs and proximity to study his friend’s body heat and noticed many similarities with Rubro. It wasn’t definitive proof, but he didn’t rule out his suspicions that Luke might be Rubro.
Far from the palace, in a less busy place without curious eyes, Augusto walked calmly, moving on his hind legs, supported by his flaming bird, which remained as a fire cane. Being a Pokémon of elegant lineage, he caught the attention of two delinquents, who followed him through the vegetation of the megalopolis. The Dark Type Nickit and Linoone pursued the Skeledirge into an alley, imagining it would be the perfect moment to attack him. Both advanced quickly:

— “YOU LOST, YOU LOST, HAND OVER EVERYTHING OF VA…lue?” — Linoone shouted, announcing the robbery. However, neither he nor his partner Nickit saw Augusto, only a pile of trash and dead vines.
— “GHAAAA!!” — Nickit screamed as one of the dead vines wrapped around him, lifting him into the vegetation above them.

The thieving Linoone used the move Pin Missile to assist his partner. However, the dead vine tightened even more around Nickit as he pleaded for help. Seeing himself unable to save the small Dark-type, Linoone decided it was time to flee. But one of the vines grabbed his leg, so the Pokémon used the move Night Slash to escape, something that seemed to affect the plant, though it didn’t retreat at all.
The vine continued to coil around his body as he still fought for his life. It was then that he heard the sound of something falling beside him, making him stop for a moment out of shock. When he turned to see what it was, Linoone vomited in disgust, realizing it was his partner Nickit, crushed like a dirty rag. The vines climbed even higher up his body as he begged for his life, pleading for forgiveness for everything he had done in a pitiful effort:

— “How cruel of you. You could have come here with the orb you possess, but instead, you chose to walk to lure an innocent victim.” — Arbustos mocked, emerging from the ground using the move Phantom Force, beside Augusto.

The Skeledirge stood at the entrance of the alley, watching the two Dark-type Pokémon convulse, writhing in agony. It turned out that what both Linoone and Nickit were seeing was a macabre illusion caused by the move Curse, which was slowly draining their lives:

— “A Hellstalker calling me cruel, what a sweet compliment, but all I’m doing is justice. These brats wanted to rob me, and they’re getting what they deserve. However, you could be merciful and end their suffering now if seeing them like this bothers you so much.” — The coldness in the Skeledirge's Machiavellian words was enough to terrify any Pokémon. To make matters worse, Augusto stepped aside from in front of the Trevenant and extended one of his arms, giving an obvious signal to the Hellstalker.

Smiling, Arbustos approached the two Pokémon and petrified them instantly:

— “Arrg, I needed that, thank you very much, Augusto. Whenever we meet, I can expect quality Flamey treatment, but I didn’t call you here to feed me. Come, follow me, we’ll talk business.” — After his polite words, the Trevenant snapped his wooden fingers, creating a dark vortex on the ground. Augusto stepped into it, being swallowed by the ground alongside the Hellstalker.