Pokémon Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Rebirth

[Spiteful Murkrow]

Heya, it’s about that time for a fresh syndication bump to come down the pipe, and with that, a fresh review. Picking up with one of the meatier chapters in your story, though do remember to drop in the threadmark for it, since at the time of posting, it didn’t have one. ^^;

Chapter XVI

Spoiler: Line-by-Line

Camp Tempest

They should have been overjoyed. To finally be out of that damned tent, able to feel the sun on their scales, to walk about on their own legs. It was supposed to have been a liberating experience, even more so after experiencing how slowly the last few days of their recovery had seemed to crawl by.

And yet, Team Phalanx currently felt nothing of the sort.

Alice: "We're supposed to feel overjoyed about everyone we've ever known from Camp Tempest being dead?"
Flame: "Livia, Archangel, the guys who made the Haxorus joke, those Team Salient 'mons..."
- Shake head -
Flame: "I should probably stop, I'm going to wind up sitting in bed staring at the roof of the tent all day again if I keep going on like this. I just really, really thought when I first woke up that more of us made it."
Gaius: "Well, that Staraptor that fed you like a little fledgling made it."
Flame: "Gaius, that's not making me feel better here!" >.<
Gaius: "Hrmph, sorry for trying to look on the bright side, since I'm not exactly doing super chipper myself. I'm still short a hand right now." >_>;

Flame emitted let out a soft sigh as he sat among the tall grass, flanked by his teammates, waiting outside the very tent they'd been stuck in for days. He followed a pair of nurses with his eyes as they hurried a bloodied Raichu in on a stretcher, yet he wasn't really paying attention. No; his mind was kept replaying the last words said to them by Sycorax from the day before.

'From this moment, in light of the demise of Task Force Aegis, you will be integrated in the Imperial Army as part of the VII Legion.'

The words never failed to dig a cold pit in his stomach whenever he recalled them.

They were soldiers now. Not a ragtag team of glorified rescuers; they were full, salaried warriors of the Imperial Army, with their own rank and responsibilities to the Empire. Soldiers. Just repeating that word in his head seemed to make his shoulders heavier. Despite the full implications of that duty eluding him, he knew one thing: soldiers fought wars. And there was a war going on right now, a war he'd never asked to be a part of.

Flame: "... Getting regular rations of food is being salaried now?" .-.
Gaius: "Considering what happened to our last paycheck, it's probably better than being salaried at the moment." -_-;
Alice: "Yeah, and I don't think we'd exactly have much of a choice with whether or not we got roped into fighting that war even if the rest of the Task Force was still alive and kicking right now."
Gaius: "Well, we wouldn't get executed for skipping town to Capri like we would right now as technical legionaries."

Nobody asked me if I wanted to become a soldier. They never even gave us a choice, Flame thought, bitterness welling up inside him as he ran his claws through the stalks of grass at his side.

No matter how much he tried, the fear just wouldn't go away. The fear of being sent off to fight. The fear of reliving those frenzied moments all those days ago, of coming as close to death as he had, just one claw swipe or ice beam away from nothingness. Or what if they got to Alice or Gaius first?

His claws tensed to and grabbed a fistful of grass at his side. No, he was not a fighter—he could barely keep his heart in his chest during an engagement, and Alice had just recently taught him how to breathe fire. To face off against battle-hardened enemies? Madness, he thought with an involuntary shake of the head, pure madness.

Virgo: "... Weren't these guys supposed to be auxilia and lend us operational support? This is the sort of thought process I'd expect coming from some bedwetting hatchling!"
Yvaine: "I mean, we know things were disorganized enough on Task Force Aegis that these civvies were actively dumpster diving for food. Are you really surprised that they'd have morale problems even without most of them getting killed off?"
Virgo: "They'd have fewer morale problems if they followed my advice and lived a little!"
- Yvaine 'ugh' expression -
Yvaine: "Let's... stick to more traditional methods of encouragement, Virgo. I don't think contracting venereal diseases right off the bat is going to help them learn the ropes much."
Flame: “Look, we don’t need you to show us these ‘ropes’, okay?” >_>;

Sensing his quickened blood flow, Flame's mind attempted to inject soothing thoughts: perhaps he still had time to change things around. Perhaps he wouldn't be sent off right away. Didn't new recruits receive training? Yes, he thought with a great deal of relief, they would stay here in Aesernia and train before any of that could happen. Perhaps it would buy them a week, or two, or a month if luck shone on him, long enough to formulate some sort of escape plan.

The rapidness with which that thought sprung up surprised even him, but in his mind, there was simply no other way. Flame didn't even know if his teammates would approve of such an act, or if they would loathe him for thinking it. And yet, every possible scenario in his head where they stayed in the army ended with him and Alice and Gaius being shipped off to die in a nameless field, against a nameless enemy, for an Empire he knew nothing about.

I’d recommend hacking up this paragraph in two, since it’s pretty long and dense. I don’t think any further changes are needed if you divide it up here, but it might be worth giving it a once-over if you do split it.

Gaius: "... I thought we were all in mutual agreement that we wanted to bail for Capri but were stuck on how to avoid getting turned into piñatas by our new bosses if we got caught."
Alice: "Remember that none of this is canon, Gaius. It's not unreasonable for Flame to have doubts in-story." ¬_¬
Gaius: "Oh come on, how gung ho for army life do you think I am in-story with a missing hand right now?" >_>;

Deep in thought, Flame shot a tentative look at his teammates. Gaius sat to his right, paying more attention to his bandaged stump than to his surroundings. Flame hadn't heard a word coming come out of his mouth ever since the meeting with Sycorax. Frankly, he couldn't be sure whether his thoughts concerned their new employment at all, and not the two-thirds of a hand he had left—not that Flame could blame him. To his other side was Alice, her serpentine body sprawled on the grass, her cheek crushing a wilted flower. The moment he met her gaze, she shot her head up to look at him, blinking furiously. She then twisted her neck around to look, only to let her head fall to the ground with an audible groan.

He could understand her pain; Sycorax had promised someone from the army would greet them once discharged. Approximately two and a half hours had passed without anyone so much as deigning to give the three a glance—a fact made all the more exasperating now that Camp Tempest had been taken over by the Imperial Army, who now presided its entrance, inhabited its tents, and populated its many paths as if things had always been like this.

Flame: “Oh yeah, this is a great omen for how army life’s gonna be already, I can just tell.” >_>;

"Are you okay?" Flame said softly.

Alice kept staring into nothingness, her mouth forming into a bitter smile. "Do I look okay to you?"

[ ]


"No. You don't. S-sorry," Flame said, feeling the need to add that last part even knowing that her bitterness wasn't directed at him.

It might make sense to drop in a paragraph between Alice and Flame’s second lines doing some combination of describing Alice’s body language and having Flame get flustered and taken aback there.

Gaius: “To be fair, there wasn’t exactly a ton of description of what was going on with you, Alice-”
Alice: “Gaius. I’m. Not. Feeling. Well.” >.<

Alice shot him a glance and shook her head, as if in disbelief at his stubbornness, then glazed her eyes over again. "It's all so … ironic. I've spent most of my life wandering from one sorry excuse of a job to another, always on the brink of going hungry. Everywhere I went, the Army was always the one job open to me. All I had to do was enlist. But I never did. Want to know why?"

At that she lowered her head, at that her eyes seemed to gleam. "I'm scared of fighting. I don't care if you think I'm a coward. The thought of fighting this war scares me. It scares me, Flame. Ferals are one thing—they're dumb, predictable. But the Scum?" her voice wavered closer to fear. "You … you saw for yourself what they're capable of. What fighting a war really looks like."

Flame: "I thought that dropping Portal Storms on us aside, the actual fighting with the Scum was explicitly compared to fighting Ferals, just with a lot more of them at once.”
Gaius: “Pretty sure that that one was firmly out the window considering how completely they managed to overrun Camp Horizon, even if the leadership’s strategies weren’t exactly ironclad there.”
Flame: “... Yeah, I don’t have an explanation for that one. Especially since the Scum we fought in Castra Aeterna weren’t hard to take down at all!"
- Beat moment -
Flame: "Hey, wait a moment. How come the Scum in Castra Aeterna were that much easier to deal with anyways? There were dozens of them there and we just picked them apart!"
- Alice shifts uncomfortably in coils -
Alice: "There's... some possibilities I'd considered based off those stories I told you about the Scum moving mothers and younglings along with their armies right before Portus got sucked away, but I honestly think it'd make me feel worse right now to think too hard about them." ._.

Then, Alice's face softened; her gaze turned to somewhere far away again. "Years of running away … it was all for nothing. They'll just make me serve. Give my life for the same Empire that banished me just for being born."

Flame: "... Remind me why you didn't run away to Capri originally in the first place again, Alice?"
- Alice hang head -
Alice: "I- I wanted to, but... I..."
Flame: "... It's alright, Alice. Everyone has their reasons, we can try and figure out a way to make it there together."
Gaius: “Might want to get a bit creative about that strategy, since I’m pretty sure one of those reasons involves Capri being the property of the Emperor and dumping ground to exile unfavorite members of the royal family.” >_>;
- Beat moment -
Flame: “... (Huh. Maybe she is a Senator’s kid after all. Since if that’s where royal family members get exiled, it wouldn’t make sense for Alice to not have gone there… right?)”

Flame didn't speak immediately; instead, he let his vision take in the view of the dozens of faceless soldiers and nurses streaming past them, the sky above tainted by patches of rainclouds.

"I'm scared too," he admitted, a paw of his slipping onto her back. "Of fighting, I mean. If one of you … If I die without finding out who I am…"

Turning her head to him, Alice showed him a small, tired smile. "We'll be there for you. We'll find a way."

The tiniest of smiles settled on Flame's face. At least he wouldn't be in this alone. At least when the time to heed the call of battle came, they'd do it together.

Not that Flame knows it right here and now, but that line is so cruelly ironic looking back given that when these three were ultimately summoned for battle, they didn’t get sent to fight together. ^^;

...Oh, right. They were going to be deployed together on the battlefield. In danger. All three of them. Flame felt his mood immediately come crashing down again.

Gaius, who until now had been staring dazed at his wounds, made a low grunting sound. "Just so long as we don't meet up with your old buddy back there."

Flame blinked for a moment, then his frown deepened. "Oh, right. That…"

Flame: “M-Maybe he’d forget about the Flamethrower I blew into his eye?” ._.;
Gaius: “Need I remind you that we were probably about to get flying lessons off a cliff if you hadn’t breathed out that Flamethrower? Look, no matter how well that meetup would end for you, it wouldn’t end well for us.”

For the first time since their admittance to hospital, Gaius chuckled weakly. "Yeah, that. Kind of hard to forget when your teammate's the Scum's ex-leader or something," he then dropped his gaze to his feet. "Figured I'd be more worried right now."

Flame: “Gaius, can you not say that out loud while we’re in the middle of an army base? God, imagine if someone had heard you there!” >.<
Alice: “To be fair, with how much Gaius drinks, we could just say that he was just drunk and most of these ‘mons would probably believe it.”

No sooner than those words were uttered did anger enter his bloodstream; he was not one of the Scum. As the seconds passed, however, the glare Flame directed at his former leader became weaker and weaker; no, he couldn't blame the Grovyle for saying that, no matter how much he loathed the thought. After what they'd seen, it wasn't that far-fetched of a conclusion to reach.

Uh… yeah, funny story about that, Flame…

Even if some recent revelations in the most recent chapter have made it a bit murky as to how right or wrong his sentiment is there.

Flame turned to face Gaius fully, unable to hide a small sneer. "If you still think I used to be one of them, why didn't you tell Sycorax?"

Gaius raised both his shoulders in a shrug. "Don't know. Guess it felt like the right thing to do."

While you probably didn’t already plan it out this far back, considering what you recently revealed about Gaius’ backstory, he likely had a few contributing motivators he’s not being open about for hiding Flame’s background.

Gaius: "I mean, it would be kind of a dick move to get the 'mon who's the reason why we're all still standing here right now killed as soon as we got back here."

The answer caught him by surprise. So much that he forgot about his anger for a few heartbeats. Perhaps some part of him was expecting Gaius to concoct some selfish reasoning. What gave him even more of a pause was the fact that that wording sounded strangely similar to something he himself had said while they were both recovering.

Gaius: “Look, it just felt really, really wrong for me to throw you under the wagon there, alright? There’s nothing more to it.”
Flame:

Gaius: “Look, shouldn’t we be trying to find that army officer or something?” >_>;

Inevitably, though, as silence settled between them and they continued to await an officer that may well at this rate would never arrive, Flame's thoughts couldn't help but settle on his encounter with the Dusknoir all those days ago. Except being part of the Imperial Army only compounded his problem...

He could see the scenarios play out already. Say he were sent to recapture the ruins of Portus, alongside Alice and Gaius and a thousand more soldiers. What if say in the midst of fierce fighting, street to ruined street, he encountered the same Dusknoir, and it touched him gently on the shoulder before his comrades in arms? A cold shiver ran down his spine. Only now did he realise just how thin of a line he was currently treading. If something like that happened, and Alice and Gaius were deemed too close to a traitorous Scum like him…

Gaius: “Again, Flame. We’d be really, really dead if we ran into that Dusknoir again.” >_>;
Flame: “B-But suppose that you weren’t dead yet by then. You’d definitely be dead thanks to the army.”

Alice: “... Are you two seriously talking out loud about this in the middle of an army base?” >.<

He couldn't put them in that sort of danger. Not when he'd become aware of the gravity of his past connections, not after seeing with his own eyes what sort of fate was reserved for Scum sympathisers or members. He would have to consider getting away from them. The mere thought tore at his heartstrings, but deep inside he knew it was the best option for everyone.

The difficult part was broadcasting the idea to his teammates.

Flame turned to gaze at both of them. They were both looking around, trailing each passing pokémon with their eyes, turning rigid whenever someone walked particularly [ ]. How could he abandon them in their moment of need? Swallowing his feelings, he glued together an argument in his head and hoped for the best.

"Hey, guys, listen…" Flame said, shifting uncomfortably. "I've been thinking about what happened back there, and maybe it'd be best if we … part ways. Pretend we've never known each other. I don't want to risk your safety because of who I was."

Just saying. This sort of separation from the rest of Team Phalanx actually happens to Flame later on. He very, very quickly regretted getting cut off from his blue noodle crush friend circle afterwards.

Also, you’re missing a word after “particularly” there.

"What?" Alice said plainly and blinked, turning towards him. "Sorry, where did that come from?"

Flame released a heavy sigh. Why did she have to make things so difficult for him? "L-look, I … I'm not sure if I used to be one of them or not. Okay? My head's too much of a mess to think clearly. But that's not what matters here. Right now, I'm putting you in danger just by being next to you, and…" He had to stop to swallow a sudden knot that had formed in his throat. "… and I can't let that happen. I can't risk this news getting out."

Alice: “... And yet you’re just openly saying all of this on an army base where we can be overheard.” >.<
Flame: “Look, let’s just assume that we’re leaning in and whispering, okay?” >_>;

Alice stared dumbly at him with a look that bordered on anger. "Now you're just spewing nonsense. How exactly would they find out? I don't plan on selling anyone out, and neither does Gaius. You can trust us."

Gaius: "Alice, you do realize that we literally tried to do just that less than two weeks ago, right?"
Alice: "Don't undercut my moment, Gaius!"
Flame: "Yeah, and honestly, that's kinda been overtaken by events at this point. I'm honestly think I’m ready to let it go here."
Gaius: "(Still as overly eager to trust as always, I see.)" -_-;

Flame ran a paw along his forehead, closing his eyes shut. "Alice, you know what will happen if they find out. They'll go after you two. We'll have to come into contact with the Scum sooner or later, and the risk of—"

"Flame, look at me."

The firmness in her voice spurred him to comply, and so he stared directly into her deep, blue eyes, ever so bloodshot from the anxiousness that gripped them all.

"Do I look like someone who high-tails it at the first sign of trouble?" Alice asked as she stared back with an intensity that took him aback. "You, me, and Gaius are the only ones who know. Nobody else needs to find out—and if they do, we'll find a way to make things right. Please. You worry too much."

Flame stared dumbly at his lap, feeling at a complete loss for words. "I thought you said you were a coward."

"Not when it comes to friends," she raised her neck from the grass, her voice clear and determined. "You deserve better than to end up alone for something that's outside of your control. Besides, we're still a team. We don't leave teammates behind."

Well, she’s not wrong. And we get to see Alice prove this repeatedly over the course of the story. Even if there’s a couple things she’s not ready to be brave about even with her friends just yet.

Flame did not know what to say. He was fairly sure he had never seen her eyes so determined, her voice so full of conviction, even while weaved with traces of worry. An odd warmth rushed to his cheeks and chest the more she argued to make him stay.

Sensing that she'd succeeded in overcoming his momentary self-doubt, Alice showed him a candid smile, and the two of them held each other's gazes for a few heartbeats before she continued on, in a soft, quiet voice.

Gaius: “Oh blargh. Do you two have to do this sappy stuff right in front of me?” >_>;
Alice: “Gaius, hush.”

"It doesn't matter if Team Phalanx isn't in the records anymore," she said, looking between him and Gaius. "I say we stick together, no matter what the future holds for us. Arceus knows we're going to need it. It's the only way we'll make it through this damned war. Gaius?"

Gaius made another small shrug, but Flame could have sworn he saw the ghost of a smile creep upon his face. "Sure. Didn't want to die alone anyway."

Gaius: "I mean, we'll still try to make Capri work, but might as well be realistic here."
Flame: "(Was Gaius always this much of a pill before he lost his hand?)"

Alice's smile grew even wider at that, and she turned to him. "Did you hear that, Flame? It's official now. You're staying with us, no matter what your stupid sense of guilt says."

Boy is that a mood when Flame’s arguably still stitching the team back up together again in the most recently published chapter and it doesn’t firmly have all 3 members on lock yet.

"… Okay," Flame shook his head as he finally resigned to his fate, a minuscule, exasperated smile lodged on his face. Did she really want him to stay that much? He hadn't exactly given her many reasons to care—until a week and a half ago, he couldn't even breathe fire on will. Sure, he'd gotten slightly less incompetent and awkward with time, but still…

Saving someone's life raises their opinion of you. How surprising, Flame thought with a wry quirk of his lips, hugging his knees.

Gaius: “Hey, it raised my opinion of you too, you know!” >_>;
Flame: “Considering what your opinion of me was beforehand, that’s not saying much, Gaius.” >.<

Beyond what had happened back during that expedition, there also was something else, he thought. A subtle bond that tied them together—the kind of bond felt by pokémon who bled, fought, and went hungry together, those who relied on one another to make it to the next day.

His gaze wandered to Alice and Gaius for some time. In a way, Team Phalanx was still here—the three of them sitting beside each other, sticking together through everything life threw at them. Flame felt no small measure of strength flow through him at the knowledge. Perhaps they would even join his escape plan. Had Alice not confessed to his same fear? Gaius he couldn't be sure about, but the Grovyle was in no psychological condition to talk. He would have to wait for his opinion. Regardless of that, even if they did share his same fear, did that necessarily they would accept? Desertion was no small thing, he reminded himself, and the consequences of that risked forcing them to live the rest of their days as fugitives.

But if it was the only alternative to dying on the battlefield, then maybe…

I'll have to tell them soon, Flame thought, wringing his claws together. I just need more time to think this plan through.

Gaius: “... Wait, but I thought that we were already in broad agreement that we were going to skip out on the plot and bail to Capri.”

Flame: “That’s not canon, and we probably want to think that through a bit if… well… we’re going to die if we get caught.” ._.;

"No way!"

Flame's head shot up when he realised this voice belonged to none of his teammates. His eyes immediately flew to a Gabite standing in front of the three of them—one that, on second thought, looked and sounded quite familiar. [ ]

Oh, for Arceus' sake…

IMO, it probably makes sense to drop in a sentence like “When it dawned on him why he felt familiar.” in the bit in brackets to better tee up “Virgo’s here”.

Virgo: “Hey! Flamey! Fancy seeing you here!”
Flame: “... Well it was a nice, heartfelt and touching moment in the story.” >.<

"There's no way it's you guys!" Virgo said with a growing, open-mouthed smirk.

Flame had barely enough time to stand up before he was crushed in a bear hug, the legionary slapping his back hard enough to make him wince.

"Oh," Flame said flatly, unsure how to react. "Hey, uh… Virgo."

Virgo: "I'd been looking forward to getting some more screentime! We were starting to go stir-crazy watching your boss’ villa!"
Alice: "Oh gods, him again." X(
Flame: "Hey, you're not the one getting bear hugged by the syphilis-ridden land shark here!" >.<

"Ha-ha! I knew you three were tougher than you looked," Virgo said, finally releasing him. "Yvaine thought you guys were dead like all the other civvies. But a bunch of Scum ain't enough to take you guys down, eh?"

Virgo: "Guess love really does conquer all, huh, Flame? You and your girlfriend here look ready to go wild on the battlefield. And not just against the Scum either!" ^^
Flame + Alice: "..." >///<
Gaius: "(... Starting to think we should just go ahead and make a run for it. Getting caught and executed for desertion can't possibly be that much worse than having to deal with this crap.)"

"So…" Alice said, her facing bearing unease. "That means we're in the same cohort?"

"Yeah. Isn't that awesome?" Virgo replied with his customary grin. "You're lucky, you know—at least you know me and Yvaine right off the bat. Saves you the awkwardness of being around total strangers."

Flame + Alice: “...” >.<
Gaius: "Uh... what cohort is this again?"
- Virgo strikes a pose -
Virgo: "The tenth cohort, of course! Full of all of our legion's rising stars!"
Alice: "... Isn't the tenth cohort of every legion composed of its least experienced and lowest-ranked members?" >_>;
Virgo: "That's just a technicality! It's still a step up from that Task Force you were all on!"
Gaius: "Gods, we are so screwed."

Team Phalanx shared uncertain looks for a few moments.

This was not how Flame was expecting the day to develop. The Gabite's argument rang true, in a way, yet the idea of being around them constantly didn't sit well with him.

"Come on, now," Virgo waved his claw over. "The Captain's waiting for you. He'll introduce you to the squad and give you something to do."

Flame: “Gee, what could possibly go wro-?” >_>;
Gaius: “Flame, I know we owe you our lives and all. But I swear to gods, I’m going to stab you if you finish that statement.” >.<

After a reluctant pause, the three of them began following the legionary as he led them further into the camp, through orderly patrols and messengers running about with haste. Almost no civilians were to be seen, with the exception of nurses and a small outcrop of squalid tents built for denizens displaced by the earthquake.

Further ahead, Flame could see that the dirt pathway they were following led them past a vast stockpile of grain, berries, salt, seeds, orbs, and other pieces of equipment he couldn't identify overflowing from their open crates, plus dozens of other crates stacked on top of one another whose contents couldn't be seen. A fence surrounded the patch of land and a legionary stood guard in front of its only entrance. Likely to prevent looting, he supposed.

The whole city's still recovering from the earthquake, Flame mused, his thoughts turning sour. Food stores must be running low if they have to guard them like that. What will all the civilians eat in the meantime? Where will they stay?

I’d recommend hacking up the first paragraph in this block here.

Virgo: “... It’s above our pay grade, so don’t worry about it?” ^^;
Yvaine: “We do have multiple crises to respond to in the army, so…”
Flame: “Gee, way to make me feel better about being a soldier, you two.” >_>;

Part of him hoped that their first orders as legionaries would be to assist in the reconstruction efforts: clearing debris, hauling building material and the like. The other part of him, however, wasn't quite so optimistic.

"Just a word of warning," Virgo said, turning his head back. "Most of us in the Army don't take too kindly to civvies. But don't worry, we'll put in a good word for you."

Flame: “Yeah, I kinda gathered when we were in Nova Sperantia.” >_>;
Yvaine: “In Virgo’s defense, getting attacks lobbed at one’s self would make anyone cranky. Especially in a setting like this one where Pokémon aren’t exactly built strong against injuries.”

Oh, goody, Flame rolled his eyes. Perhaps having him and Yvaine in their cohort really would be a blessing, despite how obnoxious and creepy they were, respectively.

Virgo: “Don’t you know it. Why this way you can finally get to see Miss October-” ^^
Flame: “Okay, I take it back, this isn’t going to be a blessing.” >_>;

"Since we're new, will we have to … I don't know, do training?" Flame asked, his gaze wandering about the structures and legionaries they passed by.

Virgo made a small shrug as he kept looking forward. "Normally, you would, but I'm pretty sure they're gonna make an exception for you—coming from Civil Protection and all."

Virgo: "I mean, just saying, you are supposed to be able to fight well enough already to have our backs. Your assignments have already been drawn up assuming that."
Flame: "Ahahaha... Crap." o_o;

A sickly feeling began creeping up in the back of Flame's throat as he walked. There went his strategy of buying time to escape. It was now entirely plausible they would start sending them off to fight a few days from now. Sneaking a look over at Alice, he saw in her eyes the same fear. Gaius looked broody, but then again, there was hardly a moment where he wasn't.

"Aw, what's with those faces?" Virgo quirked an eyebrow as he looked behind him. "Trust me, Army life's not that bad. Most of the time, we're busy patrolling the countryside or being shuffled around on garrison duty. Kind of boring, but you'll get used to it. Oh—and none of that 'walk into a mystery dungeon' bullshit they give you in Civil Protection. Ugh. Keeps your sanity in check."

"Good. Never want to see one again," said Gaius grumbled quietly, as if to himself.

I see that the Imperial Army understands that Prinny logic is a bad idea for its rank and file when they need them to bleed against the barbarian hordes. One would think that there’d still be some MD training for survivability purposes, though from the way that evacuation efforts at Camp Horizon just completely collapsed and the Imperial Army being directed by influences that don’t necessarily prioritize optimal strategies, I suppose it wouldn’t shock me that much if that training was withheld.

A long, orderly file of soldiers passed by them. Flame found himself drawn to how synchronised and disciplined their steps were. The life that Virgo was describing didn't sound as bad as he had made it out to be—patrols meant encountering Scum, sure, but this wasn't the same thing as fighting on the front lines. Still, there was hardly any certainty things would stay that way. Not after what happened in Portus.

Yeah, let’s not get into the fact that Sycorax’s strategy at this point is already to lure the Scum to Aesernia to engage them. ^^;

"It ain't perfect, but at least they keep us fed," Virgo said as the group entered a patch of drowned sunlight. "That's more than I can say about the rest of the city."

Flame took a long, lingering look towards the horizon, where a few smokestacks still rose from the wounded city below.

"All those refugees," Alice said, following his gaze. "They escaped fled their villages only to find this. So many of them must be going hungry right now."

Flame: “Considering how a nontrivial chunk of Aesernia was already going hungry before the earthquake, I’m not sure if I want to know what’s going to happen to them with their food situation getting even more dire.” .-.

Flame kept his gaze low as he thought of how to answer. "Let's hope they'll let us do something about it. Heck, if that's all they make us do for now, maybe I'll like this job. Anything that isn't … you know."

Alice gave him a small, somber nod. "I know."

Considering how thus far, the most sympathetic Imperial Army characters have been Yvaine and Virgo, I’ll very heavily take the under on that one, Flame.

They passed a large, concrete building and began heading towards a large congregation of tents, the same kind he and his team used to live in, all arranged in a near-perfect grid pattern.

Virgo stopped momentarily, looking back at them. "C'mon, we're almost there. Keep quiet. Form up behind me, single file. Make sure you look … I don't know, soldierly. Got it, Flamey? Awesome."

Flamey? Flame creased his brow as they resumed walking.

Flame: “Oh my god. That’s seriously canon now?!” >.<
Virgo: “Well, yeah. How’d you think the writer of these things knew I’d call you that, Flamey?”
Flame: "Look, couldn't you have called me 'Ignis' or something like that instead? Alice was saying it was something that might’ve suited me, and while it's a mouthful, it sounds a hell of a lot better than 'Flamey'." >_>;
Virgo: "Nah, that sounds like something Yvvie would call you. I'm not the nerd type that throws around fancy Oldspeak left and right."
Alice: "... ('Ignis' as a Charmeleon's name? Why does that sound vaguely familiar? And why am I thinking of that killer Froslass we never ran into again?)"

The group navigated past a long row of tents, past gruff-looking soldiers sneaking looks at Gaius's hand, before Virgo stopped right in front of one of the larger tents in their vicinity, cupping his claws behind his back and stepping closer to the entrance.

"Permission to enter, sir," Virgo said with an uncharacteristic lack of excitement.

"Granted," said a grating voice from within answered.

The Gabite parted the tent flap and Team Phalanx followed inside one by one. As soon as he entered, Flame found his attention captured by the large, almost towering Scizor sitting behind a roughly cut wooden desk on the far side of the tent. The Captain regarded them with an indifferent glare, then returned to the papers strewn haphazardly across his desk.

The wide-eyed look Virgo gave them told him to wait.

Flame: “(Wait, isn’t this the same Scizor that stiffed us out of those rations before the earthquake?)”

Gaius: “(I’m really, really hoping it’s not, otherwise this is going to get awkward as hell and I’m pretty sure we’re going to have a really bad time in this Legion.)”

Flame took a few seconds to look around. The tent wasn't quite as tall as it was wide, and seeing how the Scizor towered over them all even while sitting, he doubted it could even fit the thing's full height. Aside from the desk, and a few levigated logs that served as seats, the only other thing worthy of note was a bed on the complete opposite side of the tent—an actual, framed bed, complete with a pillow.

One day, Flame thought in a somewhat solemn mood. I'll get to sleep with an actual pillow.

I mean, you technically got to already, Flame… for all of about 5 minutes, but still. :V

A distant, staticy voice streamed from what Flame identified as a communications badge sitting atop the Captain's desk, but the Scizor seemed uninterested as he sifted through more papers and attempted to organise them into neat piles, a task easier said than done.

With a grunt that sounded more like two gears screeching against one another, the Scizor raised his gaze and propped a pincer against his head.

"What is it, Sergeant?"

Virgo showed the Captain a crisp salute and stood straighter than Flame had ever seen him.

"Sir, I've brought you those new recruits. Straight out of the hospital."

… Somehow I completely forgot that Virgo’s rank or at least as a Praetorian embed was a Sergeant (though you want to capitalize that). I guess that would explain a good deal about his and Yvaine’s fighting prowess since if Urbe’s ranks track IRL structures, they’d be NCOs.

Upon hearing those words, the Scizor's eyes gleamed with interest. He immediately rose from his seat and bounded over to them, the horns atop his metallic head brushing lightly against the tent's ceiling. The Captain looked down on each of them, as if appraising them with a mere look. Flame forced himself to stand so unnaturally straight that his back started to hurt; the act of breathing itself threatened to make him quiver.

"These are the recruits who Sycorax recommended personally?" the Captain said, blinking rapidly. "Dragonair are powerful [weapons], but I fail to see what's so special with the other two. One of them's an amputee, even."

I think “weapons” likely sounds more natural as “fighters” or something like that, since these guys have proper siege machinery that they employ as weapons out on the field.

For a moment Gaius' face contorted into expression of pure hatred, and Flame's heart skipped a beat at the thought that he might say something out of line.

Flame: "Uh... Gaius, you're kinda scaring me here."
Gaius: "Why the hell were we drafted if this asshole is just going to dump on me not being fit for service?!"
Alice: "Gaius, calm down! The superior's right there!"

"You know what? It doesn't matter," the Scizor returned to his desk, and sat down. "Right now, Grovyle, you and your team are the least of my problems. If Sycorax took a liking to you three, then good for him. It's none of my business. All I need to know is that you swear loyalty to the Emperor and that you are ready to fight against any who threaten His dominions."

The implications of that the Scizor’s statement were left unsaid: even at the cost of your lives.

Flame: "... Wait, how did that implication come into play? We weren't talking about 'costs' at all here." ._.
Gaius: "I mean, this is Urbe, Flame. It's just assumed like that. Though I guess it would've been clearer if he tacked on something like 'no matter the cost' at the end or something."

"Ave Imperator," said Gaius, muttering the words.

Flame tilted his head slightly at the strange-sounding words, but interpreted it as an oath of sorts that he needed to say. This was it; he couldn't pull back now. For that, waiting would be the only option.

"Ave Imperator," repeated Flame.

Flame: “... What the hell did I just say, anyways?”
Gaius: “‘Hail, Emperor’. Y’know, the traditional profession of loyalty to him?”
Flame: “... Yeah, that didn’t survive my amnesia, so…”
Scizor: “Boy does Sycorax sure know how to pick ‘em…” >_>;
Flame: “(... Wait, this guy could hear us saying all that stuff earlier?)” O_O;

For a few heartbeats, Alice said nothing; her eyes were glazed over, directed at the ground, as if seeing some far-away image.

"… Ave Imperator," she said, traces of defeat leaking through her deadpan voice.

The sudden drop in emotion in her voice made Flame's head turn towards her. The slip in her posture lasted but a few seconds, yet even when she straightened her back and steeled her face, he could still sense a vague sadness in her eyes.

Flame: "(Yeah, I take it back. You are so not a Senator's daughter with that reaction.) Uh... Alice, are you alright? You sound... well, awful."
- Alice look away -
Alice: "... Can we please just move on past this part and into the rest of the chapter?"

There was hardly time for him to approach her, however, for the Captain acknowledged their words with a nod and went back to reorganising papers on his desk.

"Good. Just because the general told me to keep you three safe doesn't mean you get special privileges. Don't cause any problems."

Flame: “... This guy is totally going to yeet us to the front line as cannon fodder in like a day, isn’t he?” o_o;
Gaius: “The hell’s a ‘cannon’? Though… yeah, I suddenly feel a lot less confident about my life expectancy right now. And I was already not feeling too hot about it.”

Virgo, unmoving from his rigid pose, motioned another salute. "Orders, sir?"

The Captain did not raise his eyes from the desk as he spoke. "There is equipment that needs to be moved by the entrance. The rest of the cohort is already on there. Go."

Without further words exchanged, the group left the Captain's tent, and just then Flame was met with the feeling that his life had taken a turn from which he could no longer deviate.

Flame: “Uhhh… yeah, we totally should’ve skipped out to Capri like ten chapters ago.” ._.;
Alice: “Well, there’s not much we can do about it now. Let’s just try and survive this first day of army life.”

Oily shadows had settled onto the main street of Aesernia by the time the procession of soldiers and equipment marched within sight of the city walls, the first stars twinkling to life as the sun gradually dissipated into the horizon.

Colossal machines of wood and metal—catapults, ballistae—sang a with constant, unharmonious creaking as the wheeled carts they were loaded on bounced along the pothole-ridden road. They were being tugged forth by equally massive pokémon who barely seemed to be breaking a sweat.

For his part, Flame was barely sure of how he was still standing. His feet, back, and just about everything else ached after carrying the heavy backpack on his shoulders for what felt like the entire length of Aesernia. He could not tell how many hours had flowed by.

If I find out this thing is loaded with logs, I'm going to burn them…

Yeah, that’s what happens when you get thrown into endurance marches with all of like a week of practice. Fresh after a week of bedrest to boot.

The temptation to slow down was too great to resist, until he felt another backpacker run into him from behind him, followed by a sling of curses concerning family members he wasn't exactly sure of having.

Wow, rude.

Very briefly, his balance wavered, and he thought he would fall on his side and be crushed by the Aggron dragging one of the catapults near the centre of the column. He had to remember the formation, he thought as he resumed marching: one central column dealing with the heavy equipment, flanked by two columns of backpackers like him. When they'd started, he saw about two dozen artillery pieces, and at least double the amount of bags of whatever it was he was carrying.

Just a little more. The gates are right there. Just a couple more minutes… he gritted his teeth and took a breath after shaky breath.

The city walls were even more massive than he remembered them to be; they appeared to grow more gigantic the closer he approached to them, although the tall houses rising just a few metres from its length were now a heap of rubble.

As the walls grew to cover his vision, and the first catapults began pouring out of the open gates, he inferred that his legs had caught fire. Five more steps, and he could barely feel the rest of his body after being inundated by the numbing heat.

- Flame gawks at the passing catapults and ballistas -
Flame: "... Shouldn't we be concerned at how long these things will last considering how nobody seems to know Protect in this setting? I can't imagine it'd take that much to mess these things up."
Gaius: "The idea is to use them before the enemy gets into range to mess them up, Flame."
Flame: "I guess... though it seems kinda risky given how much work obviously went into them."

Relief came in the form of the column of backpackers ahead of him abandoning their loads in a pile at the base of the wall. He gathered whatever scraps of energy left and jogged the last few dozen metres out of formation, almost collapsing to the ground as he let the heavy backpack slide off his shoulders. In that moment, a massive weight was lifted off his spirit and he just wanted felt an overwhelming urge to lie down someplace cool.

Yeah, that’s kinda to be expected when you’re baking in the sun constantly as a reptile without a break. It’s a fast way to overheat.

Flame trod through the grass to a spot not too far away from the gates, rested his back against the wall, and slid down until he was in a sitting position.

I … am going to die… he panted with his mouth wide open, all threats of burning the backpack beaten out of him.

As he ran a claw along his face to wipe away some of the sweat, the question of his teammates' current whereabouts surfaced to mind. He knew Gaius was carrying a backpack somewhere along the formation, but the last he'd seen of Alice was just before the column started moving. He couldn't imagine her body shape being adept at carrying sacks; perhaps they were saddling her with some other tasks? Was she still in Camp Tempest?

I mean, they could have her pretend working like she canonically did when they were making their way out to Portus, but I’ll be nice to her and not assume that. :V

If so, Flame thought, they would see each other later that night, for he had no intention of moving from that spot.

While he waited for his frenzied heart to settle down, he turned his head towards the former column now scattered near the gates, curious to see if he could identify spot either of his teammates amongst them. The dying sun was now a tiny sliver above the horizon, and it was becoming increasingly difficult to see. He also noticed other legionaries sitting nearby, but none whose face he recognised.

The fatigue flowing through his veins almost made him miss the Gabite waving at him from within the crowd. Flame had already let out a sigh by the time it approached him, flanked by a familiar Umbreon whose yellow rings were beginning to glow in the shrinking sunlight.

Oh, Mew almighty…

This day’s just getting better and better for Flame, isn’t it?

Flame: “Seriously, why me?” >_>;

"Hey, Flamey! Don't tell me you're exhausted on your first day?"

"Shut up," Flame muttered under his breath, resting his head against the cold wall.

"I bet they never made you civvies do this, eh?" Virgo cackled to himself. "Don't worry, you'll get used to it. Maybe you'll start putting some muscle over those bones. Can't have all the girls to myself, after all."

Flame: “I’d just like to remind everyone that I’m doing this after having been on bedrest for a week.”
Virgo: “Nice try, Flamey. I saw you moving around earlier, and you weren’t exactly stiff and slow there.”

Yvaine: “It would’ve reflected better on you if you were just honest about being inexperienced at long marches.” -_-;

Flame couldn't help but openly roll his eyes, and he was glad to see Yvaine make a similar expression of skepticism.

Her expression lightened into a civil smile as she regarded him. "Hello, Flame. It is good to see you. I was under the impression you and your team had perished in the ambush near Portus, but clearly I was underestimating your abilities."

Flame: “... Is being really, really lucky an ability? Since that’s basically what carried us back there.” ^^;
Yvaine: “Well Super Luck is an ability, yes. Even if it’d be… peculiar for a ‘mon of your type to have it.”

"I … wouldn't frame it that way," said Flame, growing uncomfortable at the mention of the subject. "You make it sound easy. There was a lot of luck involved. We … we almost didn't make it out."

Yvaine made a small nod. "I see. Even so, few would be capable of living through an attack like that. While the memories may bring you pain, I would personally view the situation with pride, rather than with regret. It is only thanks to your combined efforts that you escaped with more mental wounds than physical."

Flame: “... I’d personally like to not view the situation at all, since I’d like to be able to sleep at night and not be constantly woken up by nightmares of seeing mangled corpses and hearing the sounds of death rattles.”

Yvaine: “... I suppose that that’s a valid alternative as well, yes.” -_-;
Virgo: “(Yvvie, how on earth did Sycorax think it was a good idea to enlist Flamey in the army again? Like I know we’re supposed to keep him and his buds safe, but boy is he not going to make it easy when he’s still this green.)”

"She's right, you know," said Virgo, sitting down beside him. "Besides, those sons of Lopunnies are livin' on borrowed time. It won't be long before Sycorax sends us up there for some payback, that I can tell you."

Flame: "... 'Sons of Lopunnies'?"
Virgo: "I mean, they are literal playboy bunnies. You do the math there, Flamey."
- Flame frowns -
Flame: "Do I want to know what a 'playboy bunny' is?"
Virgo: "Well, you know what my Playdrakes are right? A playboy bunny's-"
Flame: "Okay, stop, I get it already!" >_<;

Why would I want to do that? I barely know anything about this Empire I'm in; I have no motivation to risk my life for it. I have no reason to hate these Scum, either. Heck, I probably used to be with them—who says they aren't the victims in this stupid war?

Flame: “... (Okay, I suppose there was Nova Sperantia getting sacked and burnt to the ground, but still. For all I know the Scum got forced into a corner where they had no alternatives. It’d be pretty par for the course for this Empire considering everything I’ve seen of it thus far.)” .-.

For obvious reasons, however, he would never let those thoughts leak from his mind. Never mind the fact that it felt weird to excuse the same group who just under a week before had nearly killed him and his teammates.

"Honestly, I'd rather not see another one of them again for a long time," said Flame.

Flame: “Preferably ‘never’, honestly.” ._.;

"Ha! I almost wish I did," Virgo snorted. "A dozen times I must have petitioned the Captain to put us in a more active combat role—but nooooo, he always insists we're more 'strategically valuable' doing garrison duty rather than taking the fight to the enemy." he made a small shrug. "Hell, maybe that's true, but I'd rather be doing something that's not sitting on my ass all day while more of our cities are captured."

Flame: "... If we're literally the least experienced cohort in the legion, doesn't it make sense to not reflexively send us out into combat? That sounds like a really, really fast way to die painfully and horribly." o_o;
- Yvaine and Virgo trade looks with one another, before Virgo shrugs -
Virgo: "Tch, well how are we supposed to get any better that way?"

Flame began staring before he could contain himself. "You want to go to the front lines?"

The weirded out looks that both Virgo and Yvaine gave him made him conscious of how suspicious and insensitive the question sounded. Wringing his claws together, he quickly scrambled for words that would distance him from the possible image of a Scum sympathiser, not to mention a coward.

"D-don't get me wrong—the Scum are murderers, and evil, and, and rapists, but facing them on the battlefield is …" he trailed off briefly, grasping at words. "I realise it's necessary, but I simply can't imagine anyone being eager to go."

Virgo: “... Flamey, you do realize there’s the better part of a centuria all around us and that that sort of talk gets ‘mons into trouble, right? You should be more careful, not everyone’s going to be so understanding.” :|
Flamey: “Look, I have like a week of effective combat experience to work with, okay?! I’m allowed to freak out a bit about potentially going off to frontline combat!” >.<
Yvaine: “... (Maybe we should see if we can inform Sycorax about this somehow. Since this… seems kinda fundamentally at odds with his request for this Cohort to keep Flame and his companions safe.)” ._.;

For a few heartbeats, both the legionaries remained silent, visibly pensive, only heightening Flame's worry that they might suspect him of traitorous thoughts.

Surprisingly, it was Yvaine who spoke up. "Have you ever seen Edessa, Flame?"

Flame: “Yeah, Alice brought it up in passing in the Chapter VI review and then you reacted to it like she started talking about Ravenholm or something like that.”
Yvaine: “(I’m pretty sure that’s a few more violations of the fourth wall than is healthy, but…) Okay, let me repeat that. Have you seen Edessa, Flame?”
Flame: “Er… well…”

Flame responded with a shake of his head.

"I thought so," Yvaine responded in her quiet, flat tone, betraying little emotion. "No one has, ever since the Scum took control of it fifteen years ago. Not even me. I was too little at the time to remember. I only know of the stories my family told me of it: about the Imperial Library, once one of the largest in the Empire. About the Towers of Moltres, made of luminescent metals which provided lighting even at night. They told me of the rich cotton fields and the workshops made of sandstone.

[ ]

For all we know, everything I just listed brought up might have been destroyed years ago," she paused, her head arching downwards but her eyes remaining steadfast. "Me and my family escaped unharmed, but many others didn't. Long ago, I swore I'd fight until I could see Edessa with my own eyes, until I could go back to living there with my family. That is what drives me forward," she turned to regard him directly. "What is it that drives you forward, Flame?"

IMO, Yvaine’s paragraph where she goes into detail about the home she never knew works a bit better hacked up with a paragraph describing her body language or the like dropped in as a separator. Some food for thought.

Also, some of those features of Edessa Province are very

after remembering that this is a Roman-themed setting that doesn’t shy away from the less savory parts of Ancient Rome, especially the mention of cotton fields.

Flame: "Uh... being able to go to Capri with my teammates?" ._.
- Yvaine frowns -
Yvaine: "... Being able to go on an island vacation? Really?"
Virgo: "Hey, don't knock it, Yvaine. Flamey here's got ambition! Why I hear the girls on Capri are top percentage-!"
Flame: "By 'teammates', I didn't mean you Virgo!" >_>;

It was a fair question: what was it exactly that drove him to persevere in spite of all the hunger and death he'd endured during his brief existence? He supposed it was finding out about his past identity, filling the unnatural, horrible emptiness in his head wherever he turned. Other than that, he couldn't really come up with anything else. He had no ties to a specific town, or a specific nation, or any specific pokémon outside of Alice and Gaius. Perhaps a greater goal would present itself once he'd gotten his memories back.

I don’t know how much it was planned out at this point in time, but it still gets me in the wake of your most recent chapter how that lack of belonging arguably applies to the whole of Team Phalanx. A lot about Team Phalanx’s dynamic could’ve potentially been very different but for the want of a couple nails for decision-making and personality.

As of right now At that moment, however, Flame hesitated before giving an answer. He could have lied and claimed he was fighting for some imaginary family as well, but they would likely see right through it. If he claimed to fight for the safety of his country, he wouldn't even be able to tell them the Emperor's name. The only realistic option left was telling them the truth, yet the prospect of doing so unsettled him deeply. Only Gaius and Alice were aware of his current predicament—and while these two seemed nice enough, they had done little to gain his trust. Then again, by that standard, neither had Gaius.

With a deep breath, he made his choice.

"Honestly, I don't know," Flame said. "The thing is … I'm not really a normal pokémon, in a sense. Something must have happened to me in the past, because the earliest memory I have is waking up in some cave way north of this city some … three weeks ago, I think. Alice and Gaius found me there, and that's when I joined Civil Protection. Not because of a specific reason. I have nowhere to go and no family to turn to, at least that I can remember. And it's the same deal now."

You do realize you could’ve just left things at “Honestly, I don’t know”, right, Flame? ^^;

As silence stretched between them, Flame let out a small heave sigh of relief. There; his secret was out. Whether the two of them would now start to harbour suspicions or that was just his paranoia creeping into his thought process, he would soon know. He figured it was worth the risk, in the small chance they had any valuable insight into situations like his.

"Amnesia," Yvaine muttered, as if mesmerised by the word. "That would explain some of your behaviour, at least in part. What you are telling me … it's fascinating."

Flame blinked himself out of his stupor. "Huh?"

Flame: “Wait… it… is?” ._.;

"You are not the first to claim to be suffering from amnesia," Yvaine said. "I have seen heard of similar reports in recent years: soldiers who went missing in action, only to return without any bearing of who they were or what happened to them. Their minds always present signs of external probing, likely by Scum psychics searching for military intelligence. Oftentimes, their unrestrained methods lead to a complete loss of memories at best, and cerebral damage at worst."

Considering how the Empire’s SOP for dealing with Scum is either “summary execution” or “subject to a fate worse than death”, some of those mind-wipes literally would also be explainable as “soldier saw too much, captors for one reason or another didn’t have the stomach to kill them, and then covered their tracks before yeeting said soldier back to their territory”. Considering the consequences of intel being relayed back to the enemy, it’d be an almost mandatory prerequisite for giving any sort of quarter that didn’t involve lifelong captivity.

Flame: "Are- Are you telling me that I got kidnapped by Scum, got my brain picked, and then got mind-wiped?" ._.
Yvaine: "It would seem to be the most logical explanation. Why? Do you have an alternative?"
- Flame thinks back to the Scum Dusknoir trying to get chummy with him and vigorously shakes his head -
Flame: "No, no, nothing like that. It's... just a lot to take in, that's all."
Yvaine: "You do realize that I can sense that you're being evasive right now, right?"
Virgo: "Aw lay off him, Yvaine. Why's everyone need to get the third degree from you anyways?"

Flame listened intently to her recounting the Umbreon’s account, running the resulting scenarios that spawned in its wake over in his head. "So, you think I could be…"

"Perhaps," she said, staring him directly in the eye. "I would need to peer into your mind to say with any degree of certainty. Until then, I may only speculate."

Or, you're saying that I have brain damage, Flame held back a sneer. Looking into my mind, though … could she really do that? She wasn't joking, was she?

Yvaine: “I mean, I have my doubts from how relatively normal you are, but it’s not out of the question that you might have a very minor case of serious brain damage.”
Virgo: “But hey, don’t sweat it, Flamey. Yvvie will get right to the bottom of things after a quick peek.” ^^
Flame: “... Yeah okay, Virgo.”

By the Umbreon's side, Virgo hummed in thought. "One thing's for sure, Flamey. You're one hell of an interesting fella, you know that?"

"Thanks. I think," mumbled Flame, his mind wholly focused on other matters.

Flamey: “... Pretty sure that I don’t want the two ‘mons who consistently have been giving me vibes that they’re going to kill me when I’m not looking to think I’m interesting.” O_O;
Yvaine: “Oh trust me, you couldn’t hide that even if you wanted to. You… carry quite a presence with you.” ._.;

The concept of entering one's mind was … unsettling, to say the least. It was certainly possible, according to her story, that his memories had been erased by an overzealous Scum psychic; but her anecdote was referring to Imperial soldiers on the field, something he probably was not, judging by his current abilities. Plus, every time he recalled the Dusknoir touching his shoulder tenderly, he couldn't help but feel a cold shiver run through him…

Virgo: “I mean, I’m pretty sure that the average camp follower to a legion isn’t exactly a prize fighter. You could’ve always been one of them, Flamey. It’d still place you in a position to be captured like that and explain a thing or two about how you kinda suck at this whole ‘fighting’ thing.”
Flame: “... I feel as if I should probably feel insulted right now, but I guess it’d be possible? Assuming we even have camp followers in this setting…”

A feeling that he'd seen that eye before, somewhere in his past life. A feeling of familiarity.

Maybe I betrayed them and they sent me into exile. In that case, he could have been trying to forgive me. But … the question still stands, why do I understand the Empire's language, but not theirs?

I mean, at the end of the most recent offsite chapter at the time of writing, it’s an open question as to whether or not Flame actually has a blood tie to the Scum, or else if he just has his link because there’s a certain role that’s been conveniently cleared for him to fill in it by a figure the Scum deeply trust. That would definitely explain the disconnect between his role and his complete lack of knowledge of the tongue of what’s supposed to be his side.

Still nostalgic over this ‘Flame as Arminius’ hypothesis from back in the day, even if it ultimately appears that Flame’s background is something much, much more unusual.

Alice: "... I know that this is going to sound crazy, but... If Flame really is connected to the Scum somehow, is it possible he was taken from the Wastelands when he was younger to be raised in Urbe or something like that?"
Gaius: "What? Why the hell would anyone want Scum to be living in Urbe in that sort of capacity? Let alone important Scum?"
Alice: "Well just thinking back through Urbe's history, when an enemy was conquered or else forced into tribute, sometimes they'd be made to give up the children of their leaders and the like to be raised in Urbe and taught our ways.”
Gaius: “And you’re basing this off what again when what little we’ve heard about Scum that weren’t put down like the borderline ferals they are very heavily pointed towards enslavement?”

Alice: “An educated guess from how Urbe has direct historical parallels to that other Urbe and very heavily takes after its culture. I mean, think about it, Gaius. The way the Scum's leader reacted to him, the way Flame reads and speaks our language and has a natural-sounding accent to 'mons from the South... isn't that something that you'd expect from a 'mon that came from circumstances like that?"
Flame: "... I... But..."
- Flame shake head vigorously -
Flame: "B-But that's insane! If all of that somehow happened, why on earth would I have turned up in a cave in Aesernia?!"
Alice: "... I don't have an answer to that. And it's all just a theory that's probably wrong anyways. (... I hope.)"

With a breathy, self-contained growl, he dismissed the cyclone running through his head. It was pointless to hypothesise; there just wasn't enough evidence. However, what Yvaine was suggesting, however, was the first true glimpse into his past that offered no room for uncertainty. If she could somehow look into his mind and find any shred of information locked away somewhere, even the most inconsequential, it would already fill the empty pit of knowledge that ate away at his peace of mind, day by day. Knowing nothing was unbearable. He couldn't go on like this—this could be his only opportunity to figure out who he was.

"Is that something you could do?" Flame breathed quickly before he let his thoughts wander any further. "Enter my mind? Recover anything left in there?"

Yvaine remained quiet for a couple of moments. Her eyes piqued with interest. "My psychic abilities are trained enough to where I could try, yes. It is an … unusual request, though. Do you know what it entails?"

"Uh…" Flame rubbed his neck unconsciously. "Not really. I was hoping you'd explain things to me."

"Our minds would become connected via a psychic link. Technically speaking, we would both have equal access to each other's minds—among those of us with psionic powers, it is usually considered a gesture of trust, and … well, matehood," the Umbreon averted her gaze briefly, only for her steel mask of indifference to return moments later. "Yet, since you do not possess such powers, it is not a problem. Only I will have to access your memory stream."

Flame: “(Oh yeah, I totally needed thoughts of getting intimate with Yvaine on my mind.)” X(
- Flame pauses and falters briefly -
Flame: "... (Also don't I have memories of 'mons begging me for mercy and weird technology like boats made entirely out of metal that everyone insists isn't possible to exist? Is letting some random legionary I was worried about ratting me out for sympathizing just a few minutes ago really a good idea?)" .-.

"Wait, hold on, hold on," Flame held up a paw. "Is it just my memory stream? You wouldn't be able to … I don't know, access something else? Do something to my brain?"

"I could read your current emotional state, of course. I could also use mindspeak to communicate with you. That's about it. As far as changing your brain goes? That would require immense concentrations of psy waves, far outside the biological limit of any pokémon, and even then it would probably overload your nervous system as a result."


Flame blinked, and let his mouth hang open. "… Okay. I, um … didn't need to know that part."

Will need to make a note of the underlined for the future. Though I have to question if that really is the truth, or only applies to ‘normie’ Pokémon. Since… yeah, I would be hesitant to take the under on the likes of Sycorax pulling off some of those more impressive party tricks assuming they had appropriate training.

"I apologise. Back on topic: due to the way the mind functions, your memories will play in chronological order, starting with the most recent and working backwards. Whenever I access a memory, it is triggered in your head as well: you will see exactly what I see. There is a distinct possibility that I will stumble upon an intimate moment in your past, or something you consider private. I hope what I just said will ease your mind about any breaches of privacy."

The question of whether there were any moments too intimate for her to find out sprang to mind. It was certainly an interesting one. There were many moments, such as his attempted fling with that cute female Charmeleon, or that one time he was in the library, and Alice wasn't looking, and the encyclopaedia featured a reproduction section for his own species…

Oh, Arceus, she'll see everything I watched…

Flame: “I’m… starting to get second thoughts about all of this right now.” .-.
Yvaine: “Suit yourself, though I can’t exactly help you if you don’t bare your thoughts to me.”

Apart from that, he wasn't even sure if evoking a memory meant she could also access his thoughts and feelings tied to that memory. For instance, if a memory of him glaring at Virgo and herself surfaced, would she be able to read, or somehow sense his thoughts? In that case, she would find out his exact thoughts about them, which would make the situation needlessly awkward for him.

That example in and of itself didn't bother him too much, as it was fairly innocuous. It was the precedent it would set that did so.

Flame: “Er… yeah, all of this is just screaming that this is a terrible idea…” ._.;
Virgo: “Oh, so underneath that prudish exterior, you do have a wild side, Flamey. If it’s any consolation, Yvvie knows all about me and we get along just fine.” ^^
Flame: “(That’s… not a high bar to cross, Virgo.)” >_>;

If that were true, his thoughts went, she might have been able to learn about his true feelings on the war, or even worse, his earlier internal monologue concerning the Emperor, both thoughts that qualified as less than soldierly—if not outright treasonous. While the possibility of that caught in his throat, he found that it did little to dissuade him from going ahead with the procedure. In the end, while he would have much rather kept those thoughts and memories to himself, they were something he was ultimately willing to risk, especially if it meant finding out about his past identity. The opportunity was simply too unique to pass up, and the only possible revelations that came to mind were those whose consequences he could conceptually deal with.

"I see," Flame said simply, collecting his breath.

"Do keep in mind that I have never attempted reading another pokémon's mind before," Yvaine said, taking a step towards him. "I will exercise as much caution as possible, but it will not be a painless procedure for you. Are you absolutely sure you want to do this?"

Flame: “Th-This is the first time you’ve done something like this?!” O_O;
Yvaine: “... Yes? I mean, I’ve did some exercises, but this would be the first time using it in an actual field setting.”

Flame: “... I swear, it’s like the universe itself thinks this is a terrible idea…”

Flame grimaced slightly. He had imagined it wouldn't just result in a mild headache, but swept up as he was in the tide of excitement, he knew that figuring out who he was would ultimately be worth any physical pain.

"It doesn't matter," he said without skipping a heartbeat. "I need to do it. You have no idea how important this is to me. [It's … it's not knowing who I am. Why I'm here.]"

Something about Flame’s phrasing feels a bit off there, you might find something like the following worth considering as an extension / polished take:

[ [...] How much it’s bugged me… not knowing who I am. Not knowing why I’m here. ]

Food for thought, anyways.

Flame: "Screw it, I need to know. Do it, Yvaine."
- Gaius and Alice stare on from the side slack-jawed -
Alice: "Flame, what are you doing?!" O.O;
Gaius: "Oh good Arceus, don't you have a single skeptical bone in your body?!" >_<;

Yvaine dug quietly behind his eyes, giving a single, tacit nod. "Very well. I will help you. I apologise in advance if I happen to stumble upon intimate moments, or if inflict pain upon you. I trust you will forgive me. Now, I ask that you breathe deeply, and close your eyes."

"Oooh, this ought to be interesting," Virgo sat with his legs crossed, grinning with an even goofier smile. "Mind if I watch?"

"Uh … sure. I guess," Flame slurred with a raised eyebrow.

Flame: “... I’m regretting agreeing to go along with this already.” >_<;
Gaius: “Flame! For gods’ sakes! Back out now while you still can!”

With no small amount of apprehension, Flame shut his eyelids and tried to slow his breathing to manageable levels. Just as he tried to think of the possibilities locked away inside his head, his eyes flew open in the same moment that Yvaine rested her forehead against his, her own eyes resting shut.

I forgot the Dusknoir. She'll see everything. This was a terrible idea. This was—

Flame: "U-Um, Yvaine? On second thought, can we-?"
Yvaine: "Too late, I'm starting the read now."
Alice: "... We are so dead." ._.

"No, wait!" he shouted, wrapping his claws around her front legs before his whole body seemed to lock into sudden paralysis. His breaths became laborious and erratic, and there was a strange heat beginning to pulse within his head.

He was seeing the Umbreon's face pressed against his, yet at the same time, with another pair of eyes, he saw images flash by him in a quick succession: they were inconceivable at first, but after a few seconds, the broken stream stabilised and he was able to recognise the field hospital, the sleeping mat, his eyes staring into Alice and Alice's eyes staring into his. For a fleeting moment, he was able to concentrate on her drained, yet undeniably graceful features, all the while continuing to see a black, furry face pressed against his real, physical one.

"Do not worry," Yvaine's flat voice reverberated throughout his mind, though she was sporting a tiny, amused smile. "I will be discreet."

Let’s not get into how this very sequence is what Yvaine uses to pass Flame’s true identity on to the rest of the Praetorians.

His breathing[/b]’s[/b] pace only increased as the scene lost form and another took its place: again he was enclosed in the oppressive ice prison of the Boreal Chasm, alone in the feeble light of his tail. Blood completely smeared his scales, and the cold burned into his muscles, into his bones, into his very being. He cried out for help, but there was no one to save him. Only darkness. Only the freezing corpses of his friends.

If this is specifically past memories and not nightmares or the like, you want ‘(unconscious) bodies’ of his friends and not ‘corpses’. Since corpses are very specifically dead bodies and Alice and Gaius are both very much alive right now.

Yet still, with his real eyes, he continued to see Yvaine's face touching his.

The pain—it felt too real, too cold, too … it was too much. Seeing those images again, reliving the same hopelessness, but, also, knowing what was coming, sent Flame into hyperventilation.

No, no, no, no! Flame thought, hoping she would somehow hear his message. Stop! Please!

"Please, Flame, breathe," came Yvaine's reply. "This will be over quickly."

Flame: “N-No I mean it, Yvaine! I really need you to stop right now-!”

Before he could protest further, the icy walls of the mystery dungeon faded away, and in its place, a flurry of images assaulted his mind: the Dusknoir's single, smiling red eye looking down at him, the chaotic sky above Portus, Alice smiling at him—a simple, candid smile—, then again the Dusknoir laying a hand on his shoulder. Flame could mentally feel Yvaine linger at that memory.

Flame: “Oh god, why on earth did I agree to this?”

Gaius: “That’s what we’d like to know, genius! Fat lot of good us keeping your secret did for you when you just let a Legionary see it for herself!” >_>;

He wanted to scream at himself and at her for letting his secret out, yet she continued without so much as a word, a pulse of heat cutting through his head.

With his second pair of eyes, he saw Gaius' form take shape: a barely concealed sneer was etched onto his face, and his arms were crossed. Suddenly a joint sensation of shame and resentment washed over him. Trees rose hundreds of metres above them, their thick branches interlocking into a cage pattern. He remembered this place; this was the first dungeon he'd ever entered. Meeting Gaius' hateful glare was as hurtful now as it was then, except that now it also made him realise how stupid he had been for thinking any sort of friendship existed between them.

Flame: “W-Well, at least Yvaine didn’t see all the memories I had of fantasizing about injuring her or Virgo? S-So silver linings?”

Yvaine: “Oh no, I saw those, I’m just not dwelling on them since this current train of thought seems more interesting.”
Flame: “... Of course.” >.<

The scene faded into obscurity, and another quick succession of memories entered his mind: the stench of his prison cell, the high walls of Aesernia, Alice and Gaius staring him down in a cave—that very cave he'd awakened from—and then there was darkness, not as dark as the fur brushing his real nose but more so, a darkness that enveloped his being and made the cold even more—

Flame could not cry out, but his throat certainly tried to as pain pulsed through his head in distinct waves. Unable to move, unable to even clutch his skull, he felt his body quivering uncontrollably. His eyes, his real eyes, were beginning to blur in and out of focus in time with each new wave of heat.

"Huh? I … what is this?" Yvaine's voice boomed, sounding as bemused as her current face. "Uh, never mind. Fear not, Flame. We're almost through this."

Flame: “... (Considering everything she just saw from my memories, I feel that I should be a lot more worried about her having a ‘bemused’ face there.)” o_o;

Then, all at once, a weight hit Flame right in the stomach. With a choked gasp, his breath died out, and he watched what felt like a pile of rocks crumble onto his soul.

Incoherent sounds, smells, emotions, and images shot through, one after the other, sometimes overlapping, few lingering enough for him to indulge. He saw a display of blinking lights. Fire. Calm whispering; a red eye. Safety. Followed by explosions and metal tinkering on the floor. He wanted nothing more than to scream.

Just as the jumbled maelstrom was beginning to die down, a new memory punched his senses into submission. A face—no, faces, were looking at him. Surrounding him. He saw glass. More blinking lights. A pressure was beginning to build in his head.

"We are one and the same thing. The same…"

Out of nowhere, the words appeared in his mind, spoken by no voice in particular. The red eye was once again in front of him.

Flame: "What- What the hell is-?" ._.

"Yvaine!" Virgo's voice leaked from the ringing in his ears. "C'mon—he ain't looking so hot!"

He could barely distinguish one sound from the other at this point. Just as he was sure the pressure in his skull would explode, Yvaine's forehead suddenly detached from his, and the paralysis locking his muscles into place lifted, causing him to collapse into a heap, the grass prickly against his cheek. His paws shot to cradle his pulsing headache, and a much needed groan exited his throat. When he opened his eyes, he could barely make out an Umbreon laying nearby, her paws over her head. His ears wouldn't stop ringing.

Ah yes, this is where Yvaine got that encounter she talks about in Chapter XXXI that spooked her about Flame. Or at least I assume that it is since while she obviously sensed something was wrong in her prior encounters, she didn’t react like this to them.

He crawled himself into a sitting position, groaning quietly when he squinted enough for the figures of Yvaine and Virgo to not sway to and fro.

"Gods… That felt terrible," Flame clutched his stomach with both hands. "I thought I told you to wait!"

Yvaine raised herself on four paws with a sharp breath, making no attempt to mask her discomfort. "And you made it clear how important this was! Had you not done that, I would have stopped the moment you started to experience pain."

Yeah, okay Yvaine. Everyone saw you linger at the memory of Daedalus.

[ ]


"Arceus… let's just hope you at least found something," Flame muttered lowly in a low voice, rubbing his head in circles.

I feel as if there should be a paragraph dropped before the one here in where Flame stops to catch his proverbial breath after Yvaine’s retort before he speaks up. Perhaps it’s just me but it feels like it’d help show off Flame’s state of mind a bit better.

While he was somewhat mad at her for forcing herself, in truth, his mind was racing for an entirely different reason. She had to have found out his secret by now. Oh, what a stupid, idiot he was—so caught up in the rush of curiosity that he chose to bare his very soul to an Imperial soldier right after finding out he might have been related to the Scum. Stupid, stupid.

Uh… yeah, this whole moment basically is what helps Sycorax firmly put two and two together as to what Flame’s real identity is. So this kinda caused some serious second-order effects.

Yvaine panted with her head hung low, as if about to vomit. "Everything … beyond a certain point in your life was fuzzy, chaotic. Every thought, every memory. Whatever happened to you, someone clearly did a number on your mind."

Something caught in Flame's throat as he processed her words. "So … you're saying all w-we just did was pointless?" He swallowed before continuing. "That I'm a lost cause?"

Yvaine stopped shaking to look up at him with no small amount of annoyance. "As I already said, I have no previous experience probing minds. It is possible there are methods I am unaware of to bypass psychic damage, and possibly to recover intact memories. You will have to search elsewhere."

And he does! Just not in this chapter. :V

Though that makes me wonder if that other psychic is going to wind up getting similarly burned by what lies under the surface of Flame’s mind at some point. Since… yeah, Flame has some things about him that are distinctly not normal.

The two of them let a few heartbeats pass as they regained their breaths, yet Flame could feel a certain tension in the air, as if both were waiting for the other to comment on something they both knew. He had a good idea as to what it might have been.

Not knowing how to encroach the subject, Flame started with a genuine question. "I saw something after you crossed into my past. Memories, but as you said—chaotic, fuzzy. I barely even remember what they were about. Did you…?"

"I did," Yvaine said. "They were chaotic—but … I saw a Dusknoir. I seem to remember one also being present in your most recent memories."

Flame: “A-Are you sure you weren’t seeing things from inexperience? This is your first time mind-reading.”

Yvaine: “Y-Yes, I’m very sure that I saw a Dusknoir on two separate occasions. The same Dusknoir on those separate occasions.” ._.
Flame: “(W-Well, I tried...)”

Though he'd been bracing for the inevitable, the words still made his heart skip a beat. He knew that for a second, he'd let his uneasiness leak through the plaster mask on his face. She had to have noticed that—in fact, her eyes seemed to have grown ever so minutely wider.

"I apologise," Yvaine signalled a nod, sounding strangely sincere in spite of her previous anger. "I tried my best to breeze through your most recent memories as a show of respect for your privacy. As I already stated, every time I analysed a memory, your mind played it for you as well. You saw everything my own eyes saw."

Flame: “You kept reading even after I told you to stop!” >_>;
Yvaine: “Again, I thought it was just the equivalent of stage fright, okay? I didn’t know that- that was going to happen!” >.<

Despite the palpable sincerity dripping from her tone, Flame regarded her with a thinly veiled glare. What did he know of mind reading? For all he knew, she could have very well swept through his two weeks of life in a breeze, and only chosen to leak a few highlights with the excuse already crafted in her head.

Then again, he mused, if her words were indeed true, that made his situation significantly more manageable. She might not have seen the full context, and even then, she might understand his situation and not turn him in at once.

An object lesson in being careful for what you wish for there. Since… yeah, what does wind up happening because of this is arguably significantly worse than what Flame feared. ^^;

Maybe I'm just blowing things out of proportion. She's just a common soldier—I doubt she even cares as much as I think she does.

>25 words thought moments before disaster

Wandering in thought, Flame brought his head to look at the surrounding area. The sun had just dipped below the horizon; only a desperate trickle of light hit Aesernia's main street. The mob of soldiers blocking the gates had all but dissipated, and only a small unit stood guard by the stockpiled equipment, lighting torches and sharing laughs.

For the thousandth time, he wondered how much this stupid, stupid mistake was going to cost him. Maybe it didn't matter; he was planning to desert soon enough anyway.

Gaius: "Remind me, Yvaine's mind read didn't pick up anything from these cutaway gags, right?"
Flame: "That's nonsense, none of this is canon, so-"
Yvaine: "Er… by the way, Flame. You sure seemed to be thinking about Capri a lot. I know that these aren't exactly pleasant circumstances, but do try to keep yourself from spacing out, okay? It could be the difference between life and death in battle."
Gaius + Alice: "..." >.<
Flame: "... Right, thanks for the heads up, Yvaine." -_-;

"Are you okay, Flamey?" asked Virgo, who until then had simply sat there, whirling his head between the two of them.

Flame pondered the question briefly, interrupted only by the pulsing of his headache and the desire to be next to familiar faces.

"You know what? I'm going back. I, I need to rest," he said, hissing lightly as the strain of carrying a backpack half as heavy as himself caught up with his back.

Virgo: “Flamey, you could’ve just said ‘no’!” >_>;
Flame: “Fine, I’m not okay, alright?” >.<

"Awww, come on, don't be like that," Virgo made an exaggerated pout, just as Flame turned away from the two of them.

"Why don't you try having your head ripped open?" he snapped, stepping away from the duo. "Argh, sorry. I'll—I'll talk to you later. Head hurts."

"Fiiiiiine, we'll meet at the mess hall then. Got it?"

This time, Flame did not answer, but trudged onward to the main street, eyeing the faint light of Camp Tempest rising against the stormy horizon.

Flame: “... Should’ve listened to my gut to stay far, far away from those two given how that’s what happen after I let my guard down for once.” >.<
- Flame hesitates briefly -
Flame: “Though what is with those two? Have I met them somewhere? Since I’ve always felt like I wasn’t safe around them, and like I really, really wish they were dead. But I can’t for the life of me understand why...” ._.

It took nearly twenty minutes of aimless wandering before Flame spotted the table where Alice and Gaius were sitting. The building felt much larger than it probably was. A tired smile settled on his face, and he took great care as he swerved around the mass of overcrowded tables and benches, clutching the bowl of stew in his paws tightly.

An insult nearly shot from his throat when a particularly bulky Wartortle half-shoved him aside and made a small wave of stew crash out onto the grass, but he was far too tired to commit cry out in protest. He managed to close the remaining distance and round the table without further incident.

Probably for the best, since picking a fight with a trained soldier with a type advantage in this setting sounds like a recipe for a bad time. ^^;

He set his bowl down, and, ignoring the strange looks coming from the five or so other occupants of the table, sat down in the thankfully empty spot next to Alice.

When he did so, the Dragonair snapped out of her glaring contest with her untouched stew and turned to look at the new arrival. Her eyes, distant and tired, seemed to light up ever so slightly.

"Oh—hey, Flame," she said with a small, soft smile.

"Hey," he said, returning the smile. His gaze drifted briefly to her stew. "What … uh, what's wrong?"

Alice exhaled a heave. "Discrimination, that's what's wrong." She sent her meal an odious look. "Does it look like my tail was made for handling spoons, or bowls?"

Flame blinked, and glanced at her meal; indeed, a metal spoon was in her stew. "… there were spoons?"

"I told the cook I couldn't eat like this, and he basically sent me off. Said they don't have cutlery made for serpentines. Arceus, now I have to eat like some feral…"

Flame: "Wait a minute... what does cutlery for a Dragonair look like anyways? Isn't it just socially acceptable to dig into your food since you don't have limbs?"

Flame quirked an eyebrow, his lips curling upward in amusement. "Are you trying to get me to spoon-feed you?"

Alice simply stared at him, shaking her head in feigned incredulity.

"Say that again," Alice said, her smile turning mischievous, "and I'll show you I can still throw this at you just fine."

As if tied to the same switch, they both let out a hearty chuckle that lasted a good few seconds.

Alice: “But seriously, I will throw this soup at you if you try and spoon-feed me.” >:|
Flame: “Er… noted.” ^^;

Feeling strangely satisfied, Flame turned his eyes to his brown-coloured stew and the chunks of meat and potatoes floating in its midst. Once again the problem of not having a spoon presented itself. He could probably manage to gulp the whole concoction down his throat, but he wasn't ready to sympathise with Alice that far.

"So, can I…" he trailed off, his paw hovering over the spoon.

She raised her gaze to meet his, then nodded to the unspoken question.

He nodded back, and brought the dripping spoon over to his own bowl. "Thanks. I … um, didn't realise there were any."

"They were just by the platters. How did you miss them?"

Flame: “... I mean, I didn’t realize there were platters given that they didn’t exactly show up in the narration.” ^^;
Alice: “You should try to be a bit more observant, Flame. After all, you don’t want to get snuck up on if we actually get into a fight on a battlefield.”
Flame: “... Yeah, I can see how that’d be a problem.” ._.

He actively avoided looking at her as he lifted his first spoonful of stew. "… Yeah."

Chuckling quietly, Alice shook her head once again, chuckling quietly. "You're incredible."

Flame: “I-In a good way, right?”
Alice: “Well, in an amusing way, that’s for sure.”

Flame swallowed the first potato with no small amount of courage. He found the taste surprisingly decent. Granted, after a week of hospital soups, anything would have tasted better.

The potatoes disappeared in under a minute, the meat in a fraction of that time, at which point he brought the bowl to his maw and gulped down the remaining liquid. Only now did it dawn on him that this had been his first meal of the day. His first. How on earth had he managed to carry that bag while fasting on an empty stomach?

Flame: "... How do we have potatoes in a Rome-themed setting again?"
Gaius: "The same way we have Mystery Dungeons, mind probing, and a malevolent faction that styles itself after the Combine lingering in the background in a Rome-themed setting?"
Flame: "... Right, guess I won't question it too much."

Once he set his bowl down, he also realised that everyone else was still halfway through theirs. It probably wasn't healthy to eat with so much haste, he thought. Alice was in a very awkward position, her maw nearly glued to the table as she tipped the other end of the bowl towards her with her tail. Her cheeks bore a red just shy of matching her scarf, and her eyes were darting left and right, catching his glance immediately. He averted his gaze immediately with an apologetic frown.

Flame: “... Pretty sure that fact that our meals for the entire time up to that hospital stay were scraps from dumpsters surely would explain a few things about my appetite as well.” ^^;
Alice: “(Flame can you not say that out loud in front of the hall full of Legionaries that casually bully ‘civvies’ for giggles?)” >_>;

Gaius on the other hand, had his usual, distant stare. Every movement of his—from the way he held his spoon to his chewing—was slow and sluggish. Flame noticed immediately that he was hiding his stub under the table.

What he also noticed, and what grabbed his attention the most, was that the other legionaries at the table were staring intently at the three of them—more often than not, at Gaius in particular, exchanging glances he did not like the nature of.

Flame: “Boy did we sure pick a winner for a table here.” .-.

Then, the Zangoose sitting across from Flame leaned into his neighbour's ear.

"This is just getting ridiculous," he whispered, but loud enough that Flame could hear. "I mean, I know we're losing, but a damned cripple? What next, are they going to start recruiting Magikarp from river beds?"

Flame: “Wow, rude. You can at least pretend to care about hiding that from us.”
Legionary!Zangoose: “Hey, butt out, trash muncher. I wasn’t talking about you anyways.”
Alice: “(Oh gods, so they did hear that dumpster comment.)” >///<

The Zangoose had barely finished speaking when a spoon crashed against his forehead and drops of stew exploded over the table. The legionary drew back and yelped, clutching his right eye in pain. Flame's heart leapt from his throat when he turned to see that Gaius was up from his seat, leaning forward with the leaf blade on his stump hovering close to the legionary.

"I've still got everything I need to slit your throat right here, right now!" Gaius growled, raising the leaf blade on his stump.

Flame: “Oh god, this dinner’s going places already. M-Maybe we can calm the Zangoose down with an apology?”

After a moment's shock, Flame shot from his seat as well and pulled on Gaius' arm, succeeding momentarily only to receive an elbow to the snout.

Background!Legionaries: “Fight! Fight! Fight! Fight!”
Flame: “... So much for that brilliant plan.” ._.;
Gaius: “Oh shut up, Flame. I already took apart one Zangoose before, what’s another?” >:|

Flame fell back down to his seat, rubbing his aching nose, just as the Zangoose uncovered his face, showing the stew-soaked fur on the side of its face and a red eye.

"You … you're fucking mad," the legionary growled back, before a toothy grin flashed on his face. "Oh, did I hurt your feelings too much? How rude of me. It must be horrible, being a cripple and all…"

Flame jumped forward once again and pulled Gaius' arm back, but not before the tip of his leaf blade cut into the Zangoose's cheek in a haphazard swipe, sending the legionary reeling back far enough to nearly fall off his seat.

Gaius: “Say that again to my face, jackass!”

Alice: “This sure would be a handy time to have the likes of a Petrify Orb. Assuming those work outside of Mystery Dungeons.” ._.;

"Gaius—Gaius!" Flame said while struggling against the Grovyle's resistance. "Stop! There's no point!"

Flame: "Gaius, you were giving me crap for having poor impulse control?" >.<
Gaius: “Flame shut up and let me have this right now!” >_>;

The Zangoose rose from his seat in a flash, sharp claws in display extended as blood trickled down his face. "Want me to take care of that other hand for you, leaf?"

"Oh, shut it, Private," said the amused Scyther by his side as he rose as well. "You can't even look the Captain in the eye without shaking, much less start a fight. Let's just go."

One by one, the five legionaries opposite of Team Phalanx rose from their seats and vaulted over the bench, more than a few holding back a grin as they passed by their bruised comrade.

… Those are some quality friends that Zangoose has got there. :V

"Fuck you, guys," the Zangoose muttered under his breath, rubbing his cheek. He turned towards Gaius. "Let's see how long you last on the battlefield, cripple. Good to know real soldiers like us will have bait to keep the Scum busy."

Then, he disappeared behind the bustling tables.

I mean, if what that Scyther had to say about how well the guy holds up in the presence of his superiors, I’ll heavily take the under on this “real soldier” lasting more than about 5 minutes in serious battle before either devolving into a gibbering wreck or else running into problems of the terminal sort. ^^;

Although the threat had ended, Flame's eyes never left Gaius as he unhooked his arms from the Grovyle and returned to his seat. With only a single sideways glance, the Grovyle was aware of noticed him and Alice staring directly at him.

"Gaius…" murmured Alice, her eyes quiet and alert. She was visibly trying to collect her words.

"I—I know," Gaius muttered, staring down at the table. "I know. Don't ask me."

"What were you thinking?" said Alice, speaking slower than usual. "You can't get into trouble over some idiots. They have no idea what you—"

"I said I know," growled Gaius, his eyes lost among the nearby tables, his two claws clenching. "Stop lecturing me. Let … let me think."

[Thus stopped all conversation at Team Phalanx's table.]

I think the last paragraph works better as something along the lines of [All conversation at Team Phalanx’s table stopped after that. Nobody had anything further to say about the episode.] since something about “Thus stopped all conversation at Team Phalanx's table.” feels a bit stilted. There might be other ways of slicing that apple, but it’s what immediately came to mind.

Flame was suddenly unsure of what to do, despite his urge to look into Gaius' eyes. [The thought had lingered in his mind ever since their hospital stay, but now, he could no longer ignore the fact that Gaius had changed.] Losing an entire hand plus one of his digits was an experience that by all means ought to have crushed the Grovyle’s one's spirit, of course, but to witness such an outburst for himself … it scared him.

He glanced at Alice and saw similar concern etched on her face; for a few heartbeats, the two of them shared a look of understanding, of quiet resignation. Their eyes drifted apart, their heads hung low, only to then meet again moments later, seeking a distraction from the thoughts storming their heads.

It was Alice who spoke first, improvising a small, uneasy smile. "So … I saw you two head out with the supply convoy after we split up. What happened?"

Flame was puzzled by the subject matter, but he could understand the need for small talk.

Flame: “Agony.” X_X
Alice: “Yeah, I kinda gathered. Though do you mind elaborating a bit?”

He let out an exaggerated heave. "They made us carry those bags all the way to the city gates. [ Two hours—that's how long it took. ] Whatever they made you do, it couldn't have been worse than that," he said, unconsciously returning the smile. "By the way, Though what did you do anyway?"

That… is more than a little presumptuous there, Flame.

Though something about Flame’s ‘Two hours’ bit feels a little flat. I think the solution is probably to expand with details and get a touch theatrical. For instance, something like:

[ It took us two hours to carry the damn things there. From how heavy they were, I could’ve sworn they were filled with concrete! ]

Her smile crumbled at once. A vague sense of anxiety entered her features, her mouth parting for all of a second, before closing shut once again. She was visibly cobbling words together while Flame's thoughts scrambled to figure out what he'd said wrong, a nameless guilt gripping him already.

Yeah, see what I mean? ^^;

Flame: “... Me and my big mouth.” ._.

"The … Captain wanted me to train with Aerial Assault Squadron, to- to see if I could join them," she said as her breathing became ever so quicker, ever so shallower. "By Mew's grace, it's always the same story. I told him again and again that I … th-that Dragonair can't fly, that it's just a blasted urban myth that everyone seems to believe. And, and you know what he did? He accused me of lying! As if he knows better than me about my biology!"

Taken aback by the growing fierceness in her tone, he frantically cast glances around to make sure nobody was looking at them. Never had he heard such passion in her voice. Was this truly the full extent of the issue?

The look in Alice's eyes turned into one of pure hate. "He and his dear Emperor can go to hell. What does it matter what the imperial princes can or can't do? I'm not them. I am not them!" she half-shouted, before turning to him and failing to catch her breath. "Th-there's, there's a … dozens of my kind. I-in the imperial court, I mean. None of them fly. None of them."

My operating hypothesis for how Alice got disowned from the Imperial family is still that it’s precisely because she can't fly. I saw that little slip-up of hers there

Gaius: "Psst! Alice, pipe down about your axe-grinding against the Emperor there! We're in an army mess hall!"
Flame: "Yeah, calm down! Look, there was that encyclopedia of Pokémon back in the library. No urban myths, just cold, hard facts. We can go and borrow it, turn the pages over to the part about Dragonair in front of the Captain, and it should back you up, right?”
Alice: "No!" O.O
- Alice blanch before laughing nervously -
Alice: "I-I mean... we're new here, and w-we've already been getting into trouble on the first day. Maybe it's for the best if we don't make any waves." ^^;
Gaius: "... We'll wait, though I wanna see this encyclopedia entry for myself now. I'm starting to question who's getting the bad read of biology here."

Strangely enough, Gaius of all pokémon huffed loudly.

"Yeah, sure," he muttered, his eyes as distant as his voice. "Keep telling yourself that, Alice."

Oh, so Gaius has already copped a look at that ‘Dragonair’ page to that encyclopedia, huh? :V

Alice snapped her head towards him, and she made a small growling sound. "Oh, would you shut up? Go back to killing yourself with booze, why don't you!"

Something resembling anger flashed through Gaius' eyes; despite this, he continued to stare. Silence befell fell over the table.

Wow. Rude. Even if that obviously struck a nerve for Alice there. Though I’d completely forgotten that there were cracks this visible between Team Phalanx’s members this early on into the story.

Flame swallowed, trying to quell his rising fear as he swapped looks between the two. Never had his team felt so close to utter collapse before. Never had he witnessed Alice steer away from her calm, collected demeanour. Of course, he knew one could not feel calm and collected indefinitely—but it was still no less traumatising to see.

Gaius: “... No, I’m pretty sure that the moment where we were all half-dead in the snow in Boreal Chasm was the point where the team was the closest to collapsing.” >_>;
Flame: “Okay, ‘close to utter collapse’ in a fashion that doesn’t involve imminent death. Happy now?” -_-;

There were no doubts in his mind that this issue of flight affected her much more than she let on. He had a hard time believing that someone as rational as Alice could lose control over something so apparently seemingly frivolous. There had to be something she was withholding hiding. Why hide it, then But why? The more he reflected on her words, Gaius' comment, the more a single question rose above all else.

Is she lying to me?

Though yeah, she’s lying to you, Flame. Though unlike a certain life detail of Alice’s, this is one that she hasn’t come clean to you about yet even offsite.

Gaius: “How is this possibility just occurring to you now when we both tried to pass you off as-” :|
Alice: “Aius-Gay, ut-shay up-ay about-ay e-thay agauda-bay oment-may!” >.<

That doubt lingered as he stared at her, but it was nowhere near enough to drown out his chest from tightening at seeing her head hung low, lip twitching, eyes squeezed shut in a mix of bitterness and sorrow.

Flame drew in a shuddering breath, and despite his hesitation, laid a paw on her middle.

The reaction to his most likely warming touch was swift; jerking awake slightly, her head shot towards him, then relaxed slightly with an apologetic look. She held his inquisitive gaze, and, though she flashed him the faintest of smiles, her eyes told a completely different story.

I think that it probably makes sense to elaborate what sort of story those eyes told. I’m assuming that it’s something like “betrayed that she had clearly felt deeply hurt by the topic of conversation”, but it’s not explicitly laid out at the moment.

"Alice…" he said softly, then tried to come up with something, only to find his mind completely blank and his heart strangled with spasms. It dumbfounded him how hard it was to find words that didn't feel insincere or hollow.

"What's wrong?" he breathed out eventually. Arceus, why did he have to sound so trite…

Alice immediately averted her gaze, but managed to look back at him again. "I'm sorry. It's … it's something stupid. I shouldn't have taken it out on you." she looked over to the side. "What I said was wrong, Gaius. I hope you can forgive me."

"Eh," the Grovyle shrugged his slouched shoulders, not deigning either of them a look. "Guess you had a point."

Boy is Gaius’ response such a mood in light of his thought process in your most recent chapter. .-.

Flame applied a tiny bit of pressure to Alice's middle with his paw. She didn't seem to find the gesture intrusive or weird, so he kept it there, perhaps hoping to soothe her.

"It's all right," he said with a small, encouraging smile. "Can you tell me what's bothering you?"

Alice flashed him the flickers of a smile, before the tension in her expression won out and her head arched downwards again. "Honestly? I'm worried, Flame. All these preparations… They're planning something. Perhaps it is a precautionary measure to ensure Aesernia can be defended. Perhaps they are planning an expedition to the north." he saw her swallow before continuing. "Either way, th-they won't just leave an enemy army roaming the countryside. We—…"

Flame: "We're not going to make it to Capri, are we?" ._.
Alice: "(Oh thank gods, you’re not pressing on about the whole flight thi-) I mean, er… No. Probably not."
Gaius: “(Considering how Capri has come up exactly zero times canonically thus far, I’m pretty sure that’s closer to ‘definitely not’.)” >_>;
Alice: “(Hush. We’re allowed to try and find a way to get out of this story here!)”

Alice never finished that sentence, yet there was no need to. They both knew exactly what had been left unsaid. They would be sent to the battlefield very soon. Flame found that he could not look her in the eye.

"I know," he said, a sudden tightness blocking his throat.

"I, I just … I thought we'd get more time," she mumbled out, her voice rising in pitch and tightening toward the end.

Flame: “Okay, seriously, can we just go on strike from the canon and try and flatly run away at this rate? Like everything about this conversation is more or less screaming ‘Hello Capri’ loud and clear.” o_o;
Gaius: “You realize that’s just going to lead to us getting drug back kicking and screaming if there’s another chapter to review, right?”
Flame: “I-It’s still worth a shot?”

The sound of that Alice’s voice hitching was too much for his heartstrings. He brought his arms around her, and enveloped her in a hug, a tender warmth flooding his senses from within. She posed offered no resistance, and only seemed to embrace him back. Her head settled onto his shoulder, and he rubbed the back of it gently with a paw. Neither of them moved for what felt like a while. Despite being in the middle of the mess hall, packed with shouts and laughter from every direction, he was still able to hear her shaky breathing, feel her slim chest expand and contract against his.

I mean, yeah. It’s only a horrible situation where everyone’s worried about dying in painful fashion in the immediate future, but it’s still a very ‘d’aww’ moment there.

Gaius: “What am I, chopped liver here?” >_>;

Eventually, they both pulled back simultaneously. His eyes sought hers, and though they still gleamed in the room's torch light, she made an effort to steel her posture, as well as her expression.

"Th-thanks," she said simply.

He nodded back, still smiling softly. As he let his eyes wander around the room—half the tables now empty, he saw—a single thought permeated his mind: his plan.

Alice's fears of a coming confrontation may well have been true, yet there was something they could do. All it would take was the right opportunity—perhaps a reconnaissance mission, any excuse to wander outside the gates. From there, they would separate from their unit and vanish into the forest, vanish before anyone could figure out their intentions. A surge of excitement flooded his veins. He looked again between Alice and Gaius, both busy in thought. They needed to know. They needed to know there was a way to decide their own destiny.

Gaius: “That… doesn’t exactly sound like a plan, Flame.” >_>;
Flame: “I-It’s the rough outlines of one? Look, the point is that it’s a goal to start with and work towards.”

And yet, just as he was about to call for their attention, he held off.

No. Not now, he thought as his eyes swam from one table to another. If someone overhears us, we're as good as dead. I need to wait until we're alone. Maybe on the way back…

Flame: "... Why am I this worried again when Alice literally just badmouthed the Emperor in a 'half-shout'? Shouldn't I be able to just whisper this without getting overheard over the crosstalk?"
- Flame looks around mess hall again and thinks of literally everything that almost went wrong earlier tonight -
Flame: "... Egh... better not tempt fate."

As his thoughts once again wandered to his teammates, he tried his hardest to block out the thought that perhaps they might not sign onto his plan after all.

Gaius: “... I’m sorry, but why would that be an issue when we were literally just plotting ways to run away from the plot and make it someone else’s problem?”

Alice: “Gaius. Remember that none of that was canon...” >.<

The sky was devoid of stars that night. Flame didn't know whether it was his curiosity or his paranoia that made him notice that.

He, Alice, and Gaius were walking on one of Camp Tempest's many secondary pathways—perhaps they too were seeking a bit of quiet, he thought. No matter how many times he checked behind his back, the only visible signs of life were the small, shadowy figures moving manning the perimeter watchtowers, illuminated only by the faint glow of torches.

A little surprised at the lack of naturally bioluminescent Pokémon being pressed into service like Ampharos or other Chars, but I suppose it doesn’t take that much to get a torch going.

Nobody else seemed to be walking that path; most of the camp was likely in their quarters by then.

Thus, the more Flame spun his head to investigate every shadow of their surroundings, the more he realised they were as close to alone as one could get.

Now might be the only opportunity I'll get, he thought, trying to calm the rising pressure in his chest. There's no one around. Just tell them.

He found that his breathing was unusually shallow. Twisting his head to look around for the last time, he gradually slowed the steady pace he had maintained by his teammates' side until he came to a complete halt.

"Hey, guys…" he said. "Can we stop for a second? There's … something I need to tell you. It's important."

Gaius: “If it’s about ditching the plot, you know the answer’s going to be ‘yes’, right?”

Flame: “No, it’s about the plan. You know, to actually make that happen.”
Alice: “Hm? What is it?” :?

Gaius and Alice were now standing still too, looking back at him intently. He made an effort to meet their stares, and suddenly found the need to swallow before words could form in his throat.

"Okay. This is … going to be difficult to say," he rubbed his forearm unconsciously. "So, I've been thinking of a plan… Well, 'plan' is a bit of a strong word, since I haven't really thought of any details yet, but … it's still something worth considering. I, I think."

Flame: "Namely, let's just leg it for Capri and figure out the details as we go along."
Alice: “... On one level, that doesn’t sound like much of a plan, but-”
Gaius:

Alice: “Yeah, that.”

Alice tilted her head, yet her eyes asked him to continue. Gaius, meanwhile, was visibly evaluating whether his words were worth his attention.

He wrung his claws together, scouring his head for the right words to make his plan sound sensible.

"L-look, I never asked to be recruited. This isn't what I want for my future. I don't … I don't want to live day by day, not knowing if I might be dead a week from now. Maybe you feel the same," he shot Alice a look. "I—I know it may sound crazy, but I honestly can't think of anything else we can do."

"Please, Flame, relax," Alice said. "If you have an idea, share it."

Flame: “H-Huh? But I just shared my idea.” .-.
Alice: “Share more of it. Remember that we’re going to die if we get caught deserting, so it’d be handy to hear some firmer details.” >_>;

"We run away," he mumbled out rapidly. "Run away from Aesernia, from the military, go … I, I don't really know where we would go, but anything's better than fighting this stupid war."

Gaius: “Including being stuck with Virgo and Yvaine on a bodyguard assignment in Capri for the foreseeable future?”
Flame: “... Okay, almost anything’s better than fighting this stupid war. (Please tell me that we weren’t seriously considering that as our ticket to going out there!)”

Gaius: “(Godsdamnit, Flame. Why do you have to be so picky? We could’ve potentially done that without deserting. Virgo would’ve been all over it.)” >_>;

Flame gauged their reactions from his first word to the last: Alice's eyes seemed to light up in understanding, and an aura of vexation seemed to emanate from her features.

"Oh," she hummed, her eyes glazed over in thought. "Flame, I … d-don't get me wrong, I completely agree with how you feel. Didn't I just cry to you about it? If executed properly, we could easily do it, but I just … I just don't know."

Flame tried not to show too much hurt on his face, and by his estimates, he failed miserably.

"Oh," he said with a minute voice. "I … I understand, if it seems too dangerous. I won't force you to go."

Flame: “Even though I don’t see how we’re exactly going to fare better if we have to fight Scum on the frontlines.” o_o;

Alice's frown deepened, and guilt flashed across her. "What? No, no, it's not—it's not that. I hate being here. Every fibre of my being wants to follow your plan, believe me, but it's…"

Suddenly her eyes darted away from his, looking behind her, returning to his in a fluid motion.

"The authorities don't take desertion lightly, Flame," she said in a quiet voice, her face tense and unsure. "We'd be put to death if they found us. The only option for us would be to go into hiding—I don't know where, but certainly far away from any major cities or army camps. We'd essentially live the rest of our lives as outlaws. Well, okay—maybe not our whole lives, but … at least for a few years. Maybe longer."

I mean, Team Phalanx have canonically mugged other Pokémon by this point in time, so they could do worse than roll becoming bagaudae as a new career path. :V

Gaius: "Again, I told you this was a thing in the last review, Flame!" >.<
Flame: "That was in a cutaway gag and not in the actual story!" >_>;
Alice: "Look, the point is that this is a serious decision with serious potential consequences. I'm... iffy, to say the least about trying to play deserting to Capri by ear." ._.;

Flame gave her a small nod of understanding as thick, gooey dread filled his stomach. She wasn't going to come along. Of course she wasn't. Who would agree to be marked as a traitor for the rest of their lives in the eyes of the authorities? It was a stupid plan, just as stupid as him.

"I don't know," she whispered, looking at some point far in the distance. "I just don't know."

Alice: “I mean, I know that I have some… problems with the leadership of this Empire. But you can’t exactly keep your head down and soldier on as a wanted outlaw...” ._.;
Flame: “But you could get an awesome island lifestyle out of it!”

Unsure how to continue, he turned his gaze towards Gaius, whose eyes snapped awake upon seeing his attention.

"Honestly? She makes a good point. But…" Gaius lowered his head, watching his two claws curl back into his fist. "Hell, it's not like I have much left to live for. If there's even a small chance we can start a new life in some backwater village… you know what? I'll come with you. I owe you that, at least."

Again, one of those bits that definitely reads harsher in hindsight after the events of the most recent chapter. Gaius really got messed up by the events of Boreal Chasm given that he was showing flickers of that self-destructive impulse this far back, huh?

At that, Flame paused in surprise, for he hadn't expected Gaius to back him so readily; at that he grew pensive, for he hadn't asked himself whether he was even willing to leave without them—whether he'd still leave without her.

Gaius: “Oh my gods, seriously Flame? You’d turn down help in deserting like you wanted to over a girl you have a crush on?”

Flame: “Th-That’s not the only reason for my hesitation, okay?!” >///<

His brain refused to indulge the dilemma, yet it hung around them like a cloud of smog, as they stood there in the middle of that shaded path, refusing to stare at one another, waiting for some unspecified word to be uttered. Just the concept of leaving without her burrowed a sense of emptiness into his chest.

"W-well, I…" he swallowed, and forced himself to look her in the eye, only to waver moments later. "I don't really want to leave you behind, Alice. But I also don't want to stay here. We could come up with a new, uh, plan, but I just can't think of anyth—…"

"No," she cut him off suddenly, her quiet voice gaining confidence as she spoke. "There will be no need. I'm going with you, Flame."

- Flame exhales out of relief -
Flame: “Oh thank god, she is coming along.”

Gaius: “Not helping your case there, Flame.” >.<

The abruptness of her answer left him with his mouth hanging open from his previous sentence, her words taking a few heartbeats to process in his head.

"What—are you sure?" he mouthed off the first question that shot to mind. "I mean—not, not that I don't want you to, of course, but … are you sure?"

Alice remained quiet; she chuckled weakly, shaking her head as she did so. "This has to be the rashest and most dangerous decision I've ever taken, and that's saying a lot. But I'm ready to take it."

"Oh. O-okay," he unconsciously began rubbing his neck. "You just said…"

Gaius: “Flame, I can’t believe I have to spell this out for you. For the love of the gods, you have what you want. Stop talking already!” >.<

She shook her head again, this time, determination shining in her eyes. "And I was right. But you were right, too. This isn't living. This isn't what I want for me. I did not come this far just so he could—…" she stopped, squeezing her eyes shut as she took a sharp breath. "No matter the danger involved in your idea, it pales in comparison with what's ahead of us if we remain."

Alice trailed off and she turned her head towards the night sky, towards the faint, red glow coming from the watchtowers.

"Out there, somewhere, there's hope,” she said. “In here? If it's not the coming battle that kills us, it'll be the next one, or the next one still. And in between them all, the waiting…"

He saw her pondering for a moment, before she concluded. "Anything, even if we risk a lifetime of hiding, would be better than this."

I’d recommend hacking up Alice’s line into at least two paragraphs of dialogue with a transition in between, with the suggestion I made being one possibility. It might make sense to expand the new description paragraph further, but I’ll leave that for you to decide if you opt to go this route.

Her eyes returned to his, and when he saw the last shred of doubt in her eye cast out vanish, he felt urged compelled to hug her with inappropriate strength. It felt as though a Charmeleon's worth of weight had been lifted from his chest; the wide grin stretching across his face probably made him look idiotic, but frankly, he didn't care.

Alice smiled back—a soft, genuine smile, her voice softening as well. "Besides, I do believe we swore to always stick together when that sun was still up. What would going back on that promise say about me? A day in? Think of my reputation!"

"… Thank you," he whispered, still grinning. "Both of you."

This is once again one of those moments that’s simultaneously very

and

.

For the first time in many days, Flame felt elated at finally having a solid goal in his mind. For the first time, he could envision a future for them that didn't involve angsting about what the next day would bring.

Out there, somewhere far away from Aesernia, lay the truth to his identity. [ ]

"Keep in mind, though," Alice said, snapping him awake, "that we can't simply walk out of here on a moment's notice. We'll only get one shot at this. If we are to have a chance out there, then at the very least we're going to need supplies and money to sustain us, as well as a general direction to head to. In short, we need a plan."

Feels like you’re missing a sentence or two to to transition things back from Flame and back over to Alice. I’m admittedly sure not what would work best. Perhaps have an acknowledgement of Alice’s voice snapping him awake in the description paragraph in a new sentence, and just axe it from Alice’s speech tag?

Flame's smile perhaps grew wider at the sound of that. This was happening—they were really going to run away together. Plus, the hurdles she had just mentioned didn't seem all that insurmountable to him.

Alice: “I mean, there’s more than that. But you were having a moment and I didn’t want to freak you out.” ^^;
Flame: “...”

After a moment of thought, Gaius uncrossed his arms and stared directly at them. "It ain't much, but I can dig up the stash I left under our old tent. Bit of money and a few dungeon items. Better than nothing, right?"

Alice gave a small smile, and nodded. "It's a start."

Huh. I forgot that Team Phalanx actually had more than the clipped nummi and dust bunnies to work with under their tent. Though yeah, now would be as good a time as any to take those out to use.

Flame turned a skeptical eyebrow to the Grovyle. "Are you sure you can find it again? There's … there's probably thousands of those tents."

"After three years of living in one place, you tend to remember where it is," Gaius shrugged, a smirk growing across his face as he crossed his arms again. "Hah! I knew I made the right call stashing it there."

Flame: “... Assuming it didn’t get flooded by the rains a little over a week ago.”
Gaius: “Flame, can you seriously stop being such a wet towel? You’re a Fire-type for crying out loud!” >.<

Alice nodded with finality, excitement visibly spilling over to her face. "We need to be vigilant, and take any opportunity to steal supplies from the army. If we're going to be criminals in their eyes, we might as well double down on it, right?"

Not that Alice knows that, but that’s actually a really terrible idea versus stealing from civilians if Urbe takes after Real!Urbe for military discipline. Since theft in legionary camps was historically punished by ever-so-minor sentences of death. ^^;

"Th-the scouting missions," said Flame, tripping over his words the more adrenaline flowed in his veins. "Virgo told me they equip you with seeds and berries and the like. We could volunteer. They're dangerous, but … they could also be an opportunity to make our escape."

Alice stood still for a moment, visibly pondering his suggestion, eyes glazed over. "… Yes. Actually, that sounds perfect. Tomorrow, while Gaius digs up the stash, we should go to the library to see what we can find."

I feel like the library bit should be elaborated a bit more than what’s there, though if my memory serves me right for what they wind up taking from the library next chapter, that should be [ we should go to the library to see what we can find for a map ] .

Flame realised that he was shaking: he looked down at his open paws, and, seeing them tremble, smiled even wider and let out a small, liberatory laugh.

"So … we're actually doing this?" he asked.

"Yeah," Alice said with a smiling voice. "It sounds crazy to me, too."

It is crazy. Even Gaius is smiling…

Flame: “... Which is probably a sign that we haven’t planned things out enough, but let’s not think too hard about that.” ^^;

"And … afterwards?" he wondered aloud. "What do you think will happen if everything goes the way we intend it to?"

Alice laughed dryly, turning her gaze towards the starless void above. "Who knows? Perhaps we will find a village or town that will accept us. Perhaps we can take a ship to the far away eastern kingdoms. Somewhere out there, there has to be hope for us…"

Flame: "Wait, isn't Capri closer than all those places?"
Alice: "It's also under Urbe's control and we'd need to sneak through [Naples] to reach it. We might as well keep our options open just in case we bring down more heat on us than we expected."
- Flame sigh -
Flame: "Dammit, I was looking forward to those beaches..."

It was not long before Team Phalanx resumed walking towards their quarters, and it was not long before they started crossing the more civilised parts of Camp Tempest and were forced to halt all discussion about the topic. Nevertheless, it was obvious from the looks they kept exchanging that none of them had stopped thinking about it as much as he was.

Flame had no doubts that it would take a week at the very least to fully prepare, yet he was ready to endure the wait. He let his attention wander to the half-moon. Alice was right; they only had one chance to make this work.

Indeed, if they fled, there would be no going back. No city to take refuge in. Their lives would be marked by that choice forever.

But, if they fled, they would do it together.

Flame: “No pressure, huh?”

Gaius: “Look, we’ll have at least a night to think things over. Probably. There’s a teaser for a next chapter, after all.”

Speaking of, let’s take a gander at that glimpse into things yet to come, hm? … Or at least for this review series, since the chapter’s right there for everyone to read. ^^;

"While searching through the Imperial Archives, I have made a ghastly discovery. It would appear that for the last one hundred and forty years, approximately 30% of the Empire's grain produce, as well as approximately 20% of our wartime slaves have disappeared from official records completely. All of these disappearances seem to coincide with unmarked cargo ships departing to the Lipari Archipelago.

Hadrianus refuses to discuss the issue and pushes me away. I had always suspected that he cared for these 'gods' of his more than his own people, but this discovery is something else entirely. How much food have They taken away from our starving citizens over all these years? How many famines avoided? Do gods need to eat?"

— Private letter from Marius Alakazam, Governor of Urbe, to Ioannes Serperior, Governor of Basileia.

I mean, all that’s missing at this rate is draining the seas and yeeting hostile wildlife into Urbe’s world, and then ‘Our Benefactors’ really will complete the strong HL2 vibes they’re giving off here in this passage right now.


Gaius: "Wait, 30% of our grain has been going to some random islands? Then none of this food inflation crap needed to happen in the first place! Who the hell are these 'Benefactors' and what is their deal?! Stealing food from our mouths is a funny way of 'benefitting' us!"
Flame: "'20% of wartime slaves' for over 140 years? As in the ones Urbe took after every time it defeated an enemy in battle like Virgo mentioned back in Castra Aeterna? What on earth would they need so many 'mons for?" ._.
Alice: "I just don't understand how the Emperor could be so powerless to resist this! He's the Emperor! How can he let himself get pushed around like some little child when the fate of all Urbe is in his claws?!"
Flame: "Based off that letter, I think the point is that it's not in his claws."
Gaius: "Let's just get some rest. If that's really what the Army's fighting for, then the sooner we ditch 'em the better."
- Flame sigh -
Flame: "I really wish I'd looked at that 'Our Benefactors' book while I had the chance. Maybe it'd make more of these teasers make sense."

Alright, for my final recap of thoughts:

I thought that this chapter was a decent breather coming off the heels of the last chapter where everyone was basically picking up the pieces in the wake of the disastrous expedition to Portus. It also did a good job at showing glimpses of what life in the Imperial Army is like, the internal workings of Alice and Gaius after their big wipeout in Boreal Chasm and hints at things going on in their pasts that they don’t want to be too open about, and sets the stage for things to come since we find out in fairly short order after this point that boy was Flame’s mind read sequence with Yvaine ill-advised.

As for stuff that probably could’ve been done differently… it is a bit long as a transitional chapter, but I won’t give you too much crap over that, since I’ve written a few chunky chapters myself, and I admittedly am not sure if there’s a clean thematic break lying around anywhere in the vein of Chapter XIII. If the segment after Yvaine’s mind read was a bit longer and had a bit more going on, it might be an option worth considering, but as it stands… yeah, that theoretical “Chapter XVIS” there would be both a bit short and light on things happening as a standalone in its present form. I suppose you could’ve cliffhangered things at the part where Yvaine just starts her mind read over Flame’s objections and yeeted everything after into that “Chapter XVIS”, but meh. That’s getting into fairly gimmicky territory there, and I won’t begrudge you for sticking to your guns.

Good work as usual, @Shadow of Antioch , and kudos for supporting this version of your story. It’s been quite the journey seeing it evolve from those lonely two chapters you had up for the longest time. ^^

 

[Shadow of Antioch]

Chapter XVIII: Gloria​

---

"After all, no one is stupid enough to prefer war to peace; in peace sons bury their fathers, and in war fathers bury their sons."

—Herodotus

---

Camp Tempest

Flame's eyes flew open and his body jerked awake with a gasp, as a sudden, screeching blare exploded into his eardrums from within the tent. He shot up to a sitting position, his limbs still wobbly, the loud whine subsiding only to return mere seconds later and defying his attempts to block it out with his claws.

Although his vision abounded with shadows and forms, he could just make out his teammates and the other pokémon present stirring in the penumbra in differing states of awareness.

"Uh? Wh-what's going on?" slurred a half-awake Alice, her head lifted from her sleeping mat.

Further away from the entrance, Yvaine was already standing on four legs, albeit shakily, while the Gabite by her side was in the process of doing the same.

"The alarm," the Umbreon gasped, her eyes wide. "W-we must report to the Captain. Right now."

Flame let out a heavy groan, and continued to hold his ears closed as the alarm—which he had now determined to come from his and every other communications badge simultaneously—blared for the dozenth time in intermittent whines.

The next thing he knew, he was half-shoved to his feet by a pair of single-clawed paws, the last vestiges of his stupor shaken away alongside his shoulders by an energetic Virgo.

"Get up, Flamey!" Virgo shouted, his signature grin quickly building upon his face. "One minute's shorter than you think. Come on!"

Flame somehow managed to retain enough awareness to grab his bag and sling it over his shoulder, even as the alarm deafened his senses; then, he somehow managed to stumble one foot in front of the other until he was fully outside the tent.

The moment he let the entry flaps fall behind him, all his tentmates gathered just outside, he brought his head around in full circle to find a world that had descended into organised chaos. Frenzied shouts mixed with the ever-present alarm, as barely defined columns of legionaries kicked up small clouds of dust up and down every main and auxiliary path in sight—far too many shapes for his brain to distinguish at once.

"Why is everyone—" he started, before a speeding Feraligatr shoved him off his feet, a cry of surprise leaving his mouth.

"We're in the way—just follow us!" Virgo shouted over the repeated rise of the alarm, and began dashing in the same direction as the other legionaries without looking back once.

Flame only had a scant few seconds to gape at the fact that Gaius of all pokémon offered him a paw. He took it, and hoisted himself back onto his feet, from which he started jogging to catch up to the others. Alice had fallen behind for them too, and now the three ran side-by-side in an effort to stay within sight of the Umbreon and Gabite some ways ahead.

Whilst most of his brain remained focused on running, Flame attempted to establish eye contact with either of his friends, to read something—anything—in their eyes. They did not see his attempts. He bit his lip and cursed loudly inside his head. Now more than ever, he wanted nothing more than to figure out what this all meant for their plan, whether the battle they so feared was coming right now, right as they had agreed to finally take the final step in their plan. Would they still be able to leave? Did they have to act quickly before their last window of opportunity shut?

Then, the alarm coming from his communications badge ceased at once. Flame thought he heard a ghostly echo repeat in his ears as he continued jogging rhythmically. In its stead, a dry, unsettling voice was broadcast.

"Attention, attention all units," the voice stated with uncanny professionality. "General Sycorax has instated a threat condition level of five. Aesernia is under imminent enemy threat—I repeat: Aesernia is under imminent threat. All combat personnel must report to their commanding officer for further instructions, and await transportation. May our Emperor's light guide us toward victory. Esto perpetua."

It was not an instantaneous reaction: at some point during the speech, Flame felt a gradual spike of pressure begin to grip his chest, his innards, his spirit. His step faltered, and though he continued running out of sheer momentum, he found that he could no longer breathe—not as every single certainty he held crumbled away before his very eyes.

That was all it took in the end, he thought: one day of discrepancy, one enemy army marching just quickly enough to unfurl their plan at the seams. He kept running, but he could no longer picture in his mind the bright, warm house in some idyllic mountain town that had been occupying his dreams that night. All he heard was his heartbeat, his harrowed breaths, and a little voice in the back of his head that kept squeaking 'Oh shit, oh shit…'

His breath reemerging in shaky threads, Flame sought his teammates' eyes once again, and this time, they too found his: though he could not quite see Gaius clearly, he saw the emotion in Alice's pupil—something in between terror and finality.

However, he did not have nearly enough breath to run and talk at the same time. The opportunity came when he and the other dozen or so legionaries he was following gradually slowed and joined a large semi-circle of pokémon massed around the Captain's tent. Flame hardly paid attention to the fact that the Captain himself was standing there, in the centre of the semi-circle, and bounded his way to the edge of the crowd, where Alice and Gaius were. The reciprocal looks they exchanged all told the same story.

"What do we…" he murmured.

"Meet as soon as we're there," Alice said in a single breath. "We stay together, all right?"

"Yeah," Flame said. "O-okay."

"Like hell they can keep us here," Gaius grumbled, single fist closing. "It's today or ne—"

"All right, soldiers, listen up!" the Captain yelled out, killing Gaius' voice and drawing all eyes to his crimson carapace, pincers hidden behind his back as he steeled his posture.

"You heard it already: news from the top report that the entire contingent of Scum roaming north of here is less than two hours away from our fortified bridgehead, and closing in fast. Your orders are to reach our defensive positions before they do and pray that you actually dug them well!"

An unnatural silence followed. Everybody stood agape, a cloak of apprehension settling among the legionaries. Flame mused that he did not know of any prayer he could recite to the gods. He also mused that he hadn't really cared much for the gods before now.

The Captain, rigid as ever, unhooked a pincer from his back and pointed it at the Camp's staging area. "I want you geared up and ready at the northern gate in five. My personal contingent will be transported with me. The rest of you, get off your asses and find a carriage. Expedite!"

---

Route 165—10 km north of Aesernia

Everything that could have gone wrong, Flame reflected, had gone wrong.

The signs had begun making themselves apparent during his departure from Aesernia. First, they'd been separated from Alice—part of her duty as the Captain's bodyguard, they'd told her, to always travel alongside him—then, somewhere in the confusion to board a carriage, he'd lost sight of Gaius too.

So, not only had neither of his teammates been there when he disembarked from his carriage right on the southern bank of the Iapetus, but when the Captain shouted at him to move his tail to the trench lines across the river, he could not find them there either.

Part of him questioned why he'd crossed the bridge in the first place. Perhaps it had been the wrong choice—but under the Captain's direct scrutiny, and with his teammates yet to be found, it was not as if he could simply disobey an order.

Regardless of that, it was too late to back out.

"Take point!" one of the more senior-ranked legionaries shouted over the uncanny silence. "I want you to turn every damn inch of that hill into a killzone!"

Flame blinked out of his racing thoughts for a moment, and he became aware all at once that he was squeezed inside a muddy trench. No, the front trench. He raced his eyes around in time to witness a line of equally mud-soaked legionaries taking position inside their firing positions—small cut into the earthen rampart that separated the trench from the hillside belw, as well as the wider plateau. They were meant to expose only the head and upper body to the battlefield below, allowing long-range attacks to be exchanged while protecting most of one's body.

It was, he had to admit, a surprisingly well thought-out position: any oncoming Scum would need to charge across the entire plateau, then scale the slope the trench was built into—a task that was impossible at certain points of the hill's base—all while under the constant harassment of Imperial artillery and troops.

And yet, all that rational praise went out of the window as Flame took slow, shaky steps to his own firing position.

He reserved a look to the Dewott and Electabuzz and Ninetails doing the same to his right. They all looked no older than him—the Dewott's tiny, contorted face betrayed what could barely be passed off as an adolescent. The water-type was visibly hesitating to take the last step; his eyes were locked to the earth below, and his digits were squeezed tight around his bag's strap.

Flame could understand that sentiment perfectly. Which was why he pushed the Dewott out of his mind only moments after he'd gained his empathy.

Flame hopped onto his firing position, and for a few seconds, as he stood tall on the raised dirt platform, his eyes were greeted to a vast, untamed prairie extending hundreds of metres below—a bowl of sorts, enclosed by stubby hills on all sides but one. A stone road cut through its centre and disappeared into the sea of black pine trees to the north.

Not a moment too late, Flame threw himself onto his knees, unwilling to expose himself to the coming threat. A vague tremor shook his chest. With unsteady claws, he took hold of the strap around his shoulder, and lowered his bag into the filthy, brown sludge.

With that over, Flame slumped back against the same wall: his claws immediately flew to cover his face. He could not bring himself to care that his rear and knees and legs were now coated in filth, nor that his bag was likely suffering the same fate. All he could do was squeeze his facial muscles and hold back the sense of dread building up within him.

This is really it, muttered Flame inwardly, clutching his bag tighter against his side. It's actually happening. I can't just sit here and— … There has to be something I can do!

A series of long, primal shrieks came from far above him. Flame jumped, his claws leaving his face and his nose flew to the sky. Tiny coloured figures, all donning different-sized wings, swept across the air in a static arrowhead formation until they had disappeared over his hole's dirt wall. Overcome by curiosity, as well as a strange nervousness, he brought himself to his feet and peeked over the half-wall.

It was then, the moment he gained view of the sky above the soon-to-be battlefield below, that his eyes grew wide at the sight of a second, smaller cloud of flyers intercepting the first's path, the distance between the two shrinking by the instant.

For a few moments his mind clung onto the hope that these were two Imperial Squadrons scouting the land ahead. Then a lightning bolt snaked through the sky, he could not tell from where, followed by a beam of white energy and a stream of flames. In the blink of an eye, the whole sky seemed to erupt all at once into a cobweb of electricity and ice and fire as attacks escaped the chaotic mass of pokémon by the dozens, prompting Flame to duck his head even though most of the attacks streaked harmlessly through the air.

Despite that, he could not stop watching the spectacle unfolding before him. He continued to watch even as the communications badge pinned on his bag crackled to life.

"All units, this is Praefect Varus—callsign 'Keystone'," a sharp voice blared from the badge. "Our Aerial Squadron has just made contact with enemy air forces over our forward defences. They report heavy ground movement in the woods approximately one kilometre to your north. Prepare for immediate contact. Saturn units, prepare to fire on my orders!"

As his eyes followed the first steaming carcasses tumbling down into the forest akin to tiny meteors, Flame's spirit sunk once and for all. Pressure built behind his eyes, and every breath he took seemed to suck more air out of him than it introduced. Yet, it was no use crying.

He had to be strong—now more than ever.

They're here. They're here… he thought, sitting back down, his claws clutching his tail for dear life. There's no more time. I have to make a decision now.

Again his psyche lashed out at his cowardice, his inability to disobey his captain's orders even as his life depended on it. What if they were still out there, waiting for him in the forest? Perhaps—perhaps they had fled there upon arrival, hoping he would realise the immediate gravity of the situation, and reach them of his own accord, waiting no longer an option. If that were the case, then they really should have known better than to rely on his wits. It was far too late now.

Focus, Flame—focus! he grit his teeth, his claws gripping the sides of his head.

His foremost impulse was that of running away, right then and there; yet that option quickly stumbled onto its first obstacle. Namely, the hundred or so veteran troops hiding just a trench line away, perhaps five metres behind his, waiting for the order to attack. They were the melee troops, meant to charge past the firing positions once long-range attackers like him and the Dewott and the Weavile had softened up enemy ranks. He'd gotten a good glimpse of them while marching to the front trench: Haxorus, Aggron, Sceptile, Lucario, Scyther, and just about every scary-looking pokémon he could think of, a good portion of them covered in scars. That look in their eye…

Flame hadn't spoken a single word to those troops, but he just knew that in their eyes, a deserting Imperial soldier was no better than the Scum. He believed Alice had mentioned that to him in the past—the Army's policy on fresh recruits if they so much as retreated an inch from an enemy assault.

Running through such a narrow trench, past bulky monsters no less, just as the battle began? Absolute madness. He would be cut open on the spot—a clean cut to the neck—or perhaps his legs would be broken, wishing to use him as an example on the patibulary. How could it be otherwise? Choosing escape was tantamount to choosing suicide, and if that weren't enough, he still had no clue where Alice or Gaius were.

I can't do anything, he thought, his eyes wandering back to the main trench line. If I run back, those legionaries will kill me—and if they don't, the Captain will hang me for treason the moment I cross the bridge. It'll all have been for nothing. I can't. I can't. I…

Flame curled his claws back into his fist. It wasn't fair. He cared nothing about this stupid war! Heck, he cared nothing for the Empire—and why would he? What bond did he have with the red, eagle-donned banner, the eternal city, the Imperial family? The only thing it had done for him or his friends so far was send them here to die in some nameless hole.

Feeling defeated and running out of options, his mind clung to the only plausible plan that didn't involve him fighting through the whole battle.

I'll wait until those units start attacking, and then I'll make a run for it.

Flame took a sharp breath, chiefly to calm himself. It was the only way, he repeated. The only—

It took a single moment to overturn his train of thought. The disturbance his ears had started hearing was not going away. He realised this was not a product of his heightened paranoia, and cut his breath: there was a faint rumble, a far-off sound that grew undeniably louder the longer he listened—and everyone else heard it too, they must have heard it, for all noise within the trench seemed to have halted at once, replaced by a steep silence that weighed on the soul.

Oh, shit… he muttered in his head.

Slowly, as if part of some unspoken ceremony, Flame rose onto his knees, shaking the entire time, then just about found the courage to take a peek at the valley below. He found himself staring into the sea of black trees where the noise was coming from. The rumbling was rising steadily, ever-present, engulfing the forest, the valley, the trees, everything. His mind could not help but liken it to a thousand pokémon roaring at once.

Despite the sickening feeling rising in his stomach, he watched—felt the others, the hundreds of legionaries in the line watching, all eyes centred on the visible patch of forest. Columns of smoke rose lazily from deeper within the distant shadows.

For a time, there was stillness. Only the advancing, perpetual rumbling.

Then, about a dozen figures began seeping in between the trees.

Flame thought his legs were about to give out from under him; he watched breathless as the dozen figures turned to a hundred, bursting out of every charcoal tree and spilling over the kilometre-wide treeline at once. Quickly the plethora of different sized and coloured pokémon marched at constant pace into the open field, though still at a considerable distance from the uphill slope he was dug into.

As yet more Scum continued to spill forth from the treeline, Flame scrambled to give himself an estimate for the shapeless, living mass: there had to have been a thousand at least—he distinctly saw Aggron, Rhyperior, Rhydon, Magmar, countless more colossal pokémon rising over the smaller ones, while bug and bird pokémon too small to make out hovered above them—and that was only in the front rows!

Flame did his best to regain control of his breath and his rising panic. The growing sea of Scum was shifting slowly but steadily toward the centre of the vast plateau, even as more distant figures continued to trickle in from the treelines and join the back ranks of the burgeoning mass. The Scum did not seem to have a specific formation; they were just that, a shapeless mass, a crowd of hundreds that quickly grew closer to a thousand, filling the near width of the valley.

"No other way," he muttered to himself in one breath, trying to raise his head and squint the blurriness out of his vision. "Th-there's no other…"

Right then his claws were overtaken by a sudden tremor, snapping and clicking together uncontrollably. His teeth followed soon after, and his legs felt on the verge of giving out under him. He had to dig his quivering claws into the top of the half-wall for support.

As he struggled to keep himself together, the communications badge pinned to his bag was sparking with continuous chatter.

"Keystone, this is Lieutenant Aurelian of the forward defence," a voice younger than the Commander's streamed out with a pang of nervousness. "Be advised, the enemy has entered visual range. Our airborne units are facing heavy resistance and are unable to assist. What's the ETA for the artillery support?"

"Copy that, lieutenant. Saturn units are prepped and awaiting confirmation that the enemy has entered the designated kill zone. Esto perpetua."

A chorus of religious 'esto perpetua' flowed from the badge in quick succession, before the hurried chatter resumed.

Focus as he did on the flow of orders and information being exchanged between the Commander and alternating officers, Flame soon found his attention waning. The pressing sense of urgency inside him made it hard to focus on anything other than the expanse of individual pokémon marching across the open valley and currently approaching its centre.

He needed to be focused on the here and now; he needed to be at his sharpest, do anything necessary to have a chance at—oh! Flame jolted to attention. The entire force had stopped at once; they just stood there, lined up, while a single pokémon near the centre of the formation was walking—no, floating forward.

Growing increasingly confused, Flame leaned forward unconsciously and squinted to better make out the pokémon in question. It was too small from this distance, too blurred to say for certain, but he could have sworn it looked like…

No, he brought a paw to his chest. Please tell me it's not … that thing. Shit, shit, shit…

The dark grey speck made a motion with its arm; suddenly the entire valley was awash with a collective roar that reverberated inside Flame's body, through his spine, washed him in a cold feeling.

Flame lost the ability to breathe and remained with his jaw open as the Scum came rushing forward from their positions, letting out a violent cry as they did so; thousands of them, an organic tidal wave swooping across the open valley! Flame blinked owlishly; by the time he could come to terms with what was happening, they were already half the distance to the hill's base, a hundred metres vanishing before his very eyes, the ground itself starting to shake beneath his feet.

"Sir, the enemy's charging our position!" his communications badge crackled to life. "They're closing in on us—we need support now!"

"Acknowledged. Saturn units, fire at will!"

Flame could not hear the catapults firing—they were hidden on the other bank of the river, alongside the Praefect himself, the VII Legion's senior-most staff, and a handful of reserve forces—but he sure as hell heard, and saw their shells land. One by one, fiery meteoroids came streaking across the sky from behind him, arcing through the air before slamming right in the thick of an advancing Scum formation. Flame saw the mangled shapes of pokémon being catapulted into the air and entire columns disappearing behind clouds of fire and dust and debris; he shielded his face with his arm out of sheer impulse. Yet, the clouds had scarcely began dissipating before the same Scum units continued charging right through them as though nothing had happened. Even when a second salvo of shell after burning shell crashed into their front ranks yet again, large infernos springing up in the dozens, the bombardment seemed to barely have any effect on the advancing army's momentum.

Soon, too soon in Flame's mind, the shells had stopped raining, and the Scum were still charging—past the fires and the carcasses, so many of them, their ranks stretching across his vision, flooding ever closer…

"All units, standby for contact!" the same lieutenant's voice shouted over the constant static. "Open fire as soon as they enter your range of attack!"

With a shaky breath, Flame forced himself to tear his eyes away from the horde and knelt down to open his bag. His unsteady claws rummaged through its contents until finally clenching around the coarse surface of his lone blast seed. Cradling it in his claws, he spent a few seconds staring at the large, oval-shaped explosive. This was it. This was the moment that would decide his fate. Every question still left to answer, every moment of joy, of pain, of hunger, of cold hung in a precarious balance. Dying now would have rendered everything he'd lived through up to this point meaningless.

He wanted to live that normal, peaceful life that he and his friends had envisioned together. He wanted to live.

Flame lifted a paw to his chest to hold back his fluttering heartbeat, that by now had long surpassed unhealthy levels. Each wheeze was a struggle of its own: there was a crushing force gripping his torso—a weight pressing on his scales, on his thoughts, clawing at his very innards.

I can do this. I'm strong. I can do this… he whispered in his head as he wrapped his claws tighter around the blast seed.

"Here they come!" someone shouted from a firing position close to him.

Something inside him sunk. Yet it was all for Team Phalanx, he repeated to himself, for the hope of a better future, to see Alice's pristine smile and hear her voice again. For a brief, fluttering heartbeat, his mind drew forth the moment that their eyes had met the previous day. It had been a mere instant; the look on her face so sincere, so absorbed…

It was all for them, he thought, only for them.

Despite his stomach feeling nowhere near upright, Flame found the willpower to rise back on his feet, and peek at the bellowing horde.

Taking a sharp inhale of air, he dug his free paw into the half-wall of his firing position for reassurance as he took in the sheer number of living creatures. He could see them clearly now, as they rushed across the last five hundred metres before the sudden slope his trenches were built on. Golem, Flareon, Butterfree, Weavile, Houndoom, the mere front line stretching across half the valley! He knew there had to have been thousands, at least, but from so close … they might as well have been millions!

Seemingly just as he completed that thought, he heard a faint snap rise over the deafening howls as the first bolt of lightning shot down the hill from somewhere far to his left. And it was followed by another, and another, and a beam of ice, and suddenly the very air of the hillside was congested by crackles and snaps as a flurry of rays rained down upon the enemy, Scum being struck and falling by the dozen!

Flame could do little more than watch, chiefly because he knew the distance involved was far too great for his measly fire breath to do anything. Whilst the Empire may not have inspired any sense of loyalty in him, he had to admit to being impressed by the firepower on display before his eyes. The sheer density of the attacks flying downhill prevented him from seeing clearly: jets of high-pressured water, thunderbolts whose trajectories were so close that they merged in a shower of sparks, fireballs, beams of ice, one after the other—it felt as if every legionary on the hill except for him was vomiting forth every attack they could muster.

Nothing could survive this, Flame was tempted to think.

Seconds passed, the blast seed was still tight in his claw, and soon—fatigue had to be setting in—the intensity of the attacks from his side began to dwindle, as did the smoke.

Flame's eyes grew exponentially. Though he steeled his facial muscles in an effort to calm his nerves, he could feel gooey panic erupt in his chest at the sight before him. They were still coming. While the onslaught had succeeded in slowing the enemy's front files momentarily, it was not enough; for each Scum that was struck down by a beam of ice or lightning, another four or five behind it readily trampled its corpse to advance. Now the first few dozen Scum were at the base of the slope, bipedal pokémon clawing up on all fours, uncaring of the tactical disadvantage of the position. The hail of attacks raining downhill continued to shift closer with their targets, yet there were simply too many to track, too many spilling through gaps in the wall of fire, too many gaps that could not be tapped in time.

Struggling to keep his claws steady, Flame drew his arm back, forcing himself to breathe in through his grit teeth and visualise the trajectory of his throw. They were so close now. He quickly sighted the closest target headed in his direction—a grimy Flareon with red face paint hopping up the hill, no more than fifty metres away. It was staring him dead in the eye.

Flame took aim. Then he spotted the sheer number of heads following closely behind the Flareon, and his focus immediately switched to maintaining his disintegrating self-control.

A sense of tightness constricted Flame's chest. His eyes were flashing to and fro. There was no way he could stop all of them. They would swarm his position. One or two he could confront—but eight, twelve…!

Flame gripped the blast seed in his claws tighter than would be considered safe, his arm beginning to quiver, and his chest following suit as his breath all but evaporated in his lungs. All of a sudden, that scared little voice in the back of his head so quiet and little anymore.

Oh, shit, Flame muttered in his head, pure, unadulterated panic breaking his willpower and shaking his every nerve. Oh shit, oh shit, OH SHIT!

That was when Flame lost control to panic. Seeing the snarling Flareon, he promptly bended his arm at the farthest possible angle and swung the blast seed forward with all his might. There was a roar that made the ground heave; the fiery blast tossed dirt and Scum up in the air, their charred carcasses hitting the scorched earth only seconds later.

In spite of what he had just done, Flame did not have time to linger on the sickly feeling in his stomach. He immediately locked his sights onto the Absol still clasping its forepaws above its head and coughing violently on the dust that hung in the air.

Acting on reflex, he let forth a tendril of flames that wiggled through the air before colliding with the prone Scum head-on. The Absol shot up like lightning and let out a shriek of despair; it stumbled about, pawing at its own face, still screaming, its fur a burning pyre before a jet of high-pressured water from some other legionary put it down for good.

Flame wanted to feel abhorred: he wanted to get down on his knees and vomit his guts out.

There were still more figures approaching from behind the now-dispersing dust cloud: one Weavile, one Ivysaur, and two Sableye. This time, he could not prevent a small whine from escaping his throat. His claws unconsciously sought the edge of his parapet for reassurance.

There were too many. Too many…

Flame spat his flamethrower at the charging Ivysaur, hoping to incapacitate it in a single burst so that he could switch targets. His prediction turned out to be accurate: the single tongue of fire set fire to the Scum's plant, causing the quadruped to skid to a halt as it emitted a paralysing screech, writhing helplessly on the ground.

As Flame cut off his fire breath, though, and switched to face the next target, he saw the Weavile taking something out of the rucksack tied around its shoulder—something small enough to fit in its claws.

Something clicked in Flame's head, but it was too late.

The blast wave that followed shook the entire world. He felt his legs turn to jelly before they were knocked down from beneath him; his body twisted in mid-air before splashing tail-first in the muddy ground of the trench line.

Flame had scarcely skidded to a standstill when the earth and soot from the explosion came down. It pattered every inch of his body: his chest, his legs, his face, entering his wide eyes, his mouth just as he gasped, invading his throat. Within seconds, he was seized by a bout of violent coughing to rid his windpipe of all foreign residue—a feat all but impossible. A sickening feeling rose from his stomach as he fought the sudden urge to vomit.

Letting his aching head fall back onto the dirt, Flame let out a pitiful cry. He felt as if he had ran straight into a wall, despite the fact that he was laying still. Despite being unable to breathe, he broke into another fit of coughing, his throat muscles collapsing together. The world was hazy, so distant, his ears were ringing, everything gyrating around him…

Despite the sore jello flowing underneath his scales, Flame gathered the strength to turn on his stomach, and raised himself on his elbows. Lifting his limp head, he forced his burning eyelids to open, yet predictably had to clamp them together immediately thereafter as they pulsated with heat and tears. A tiny, restrained sob wracked his chest cavity. His claws curled shakily around a pawful of mud. The burning in his eyes, the epicentre of his thoughts, was impossible to ignore.

Breathing deeply through grit teeth, he reminded himself that the enemy would be here at any moment now, that he had to get up and fight—or perhaps run. Anything!

It took more willpower than he could ever anticipate to actually get up on four legs—then considerably more not to fall down out of the sheer dizziness once he'd risen from his knees. His breathing came in short, inconclusive gasps, he was still strangling the impulse to claw his eyes out, and his stomach still felt on the verge of spilling. As the ringing in his ears lessened, however, he became aware of the roars and voices swirling from every direction, both close and far away.

"They're everywhere!"

"Keep firing—they're too close!"

"Where the hell is our support?!"

"There's too many! Fall back!"

The urgency in those words snapped Flame back to reality. Fuck, fuck, fuck!

His eyes shot open once again, and this time, he bore through the burning sensation and the individual grains of dirt stuck in his eyelid to focus on the blurry, uniform patch of brown being presented to his brain; he heaved the pain and squinted further until he could at least make out the texture of a dirt wall. After a moment of disorientation, he twisted his body to check both sides of what he now recognised as the muddy canal where that Scizor bastard had sent him to die.

Distant figures, far too blurry to make out, were scuffling in the corridor to his right. He had just the time to push himself on his unsteady feet before a nearby Electabuzz flew backwards from its firing position, pinned by the same Mightyena that lunged for its throat. His heart was hammering in his chest; he took hesitant steps back without quite knowing what to do. He had never felt so lost and exposed in his life.

I, I can't … I can't do this. I can't die like this!

Flame moved to recover his bag without a conscious command. The sack lay on the trench floor with mounds of dirt all over it and with a few items spilled from its open lid, surely knocked away by the explosion. He bent down and threw it over his shoulder—there was not enough time to check what was in the ground, what was happening around him; only to run. With his eyes set on the closest corridor leading out of the trench, and his heart pounding his throat, he started with a steady pace—screams to the back of him, screams to the right of him, beyond the lip of the trenches over which the Scum would pour any second now.

Oh gods, oh gods, oh gods… ran through Flame's mind, blotting out all other thoughts as he sped past the figures towering over the parapet and jumping on those below. He could not concentrate on his feelings enough to feel cowardly for abandoning his post while the others were still fighting; for after the sharp corner he was still running, still panting, this time down the canal connecting the first trench line with the second.

He could feel the wind buffeting his scales and nearly managing to drown out the cries and grunts and crackles of fighting from behind him. He closed his eyes and kept running, his legs propelling him forward in a near mechanical motion as if a separate entity altogether. The sounds of battle were growing ever so fainter before they were supplemented by the droning of panicked voices spilling forth from his communications badge:

"This is Second Cohort! We have multiple enemies all around us—we cannot hold them off. We need support now!"

"They're coming from behind us!"

"The line's broken! They're everywhere!"

The fray of voices speaking over each other were drowned out by a firmer tone:

"All units, this is Keystone. Fall back to the second line and establish a defensive perimetre. Reinforcements are en route. Hold your ground—I say again, hold your ground!"

Flame heard the voices and didn't at the same time; after running another minute or so, he emerged in a larger room with a set of outward-leading wooden steps placed tantalisingly in front of him. Flame slowed down, stopping three steps in, then bent over and put his paws on his aching knees, gasping for oxygen. Raising his head, he looked at the stairs. Everything hurt—his legs, his head, his lungs—yet the stairs were so close, and he refused to allow himself to feel safe until he was somewhere far, far away from Aesernia.

He quickly hopped up the stairs…

Four steps in, he was met with the blunt end of a blade smashing into his forehead, sending him flying to the base of the stairs. Next thing he knew, he was sprawled out in the soft, sticky mud, and his head throbbed with a searing pain. With panic swelling in his chest, he raised himself on his elbows and quickly took in the figures blocking the stairway: a vicious-looking Scyther stood in front, blades raised and eyeballs drilling through his resolve, followed by a similarly imposing Lucario and Excadrill.

"What do you think you're doin', soldier?"

Flame let out an involuntary cry of fear as he found himself cornered. His claws were overtaken by a bout of quivering and he scrambled backwards through the mud as the Scyther descended each individual step with an ominous nonchalance, blades still at the ready. Flame continued scurrying away until he realised that the only thing behind him were the trenches.

With a few brisk steps, the Scyther stood towering above his form, the look on its face one of pure disgust; now it pressed the sharp end of its scythe against his suddenly tender neck, the very action of moving even a millimetre becoming impossible at once.

"What is it, coward—too scared to fight the Scum?" the Scyther muttered between its teeth. "You'd rather have 'em kill our families and kids, huh?"

"Wha? N-no," Flame tried to swallow, inwardly afraid the movement might be enough to cut him. "I, I was just … th-the Commander gave the order to—"

"Shut it—we both know you were running long before that." The Scyther's glare seemed to intensify, if such a thing were possible. "Trust me, if it weren't for cowards like you, the Scum would already be a distant memory."

Flame could do little but sit there, shivering, words aborted in his throat. He'd known this would happen. The barrier troops always stood behind the recruits, Alice had told him, ready to catch any eventual deserters—and now that he was under their heel there was no way out. A sense of outrage swelled his chest. It was unfair. What else was he supposed to do? Stay there and die?

"Sir, with all due respect," the Lucario spoke up from the top of the stairs, a sense of urgency in his voice, "There's no time for this. This recruit is right—it isn't safe here. The Scum will swarm us if we don't fall back to the line!"

The Scyther stood unmoving for some moments, considering his comrade's suggestions. Its scythe was still resting on Flame's squishy throat, his wide eyes gaping at the sheer width and thinness of the blade. It did little to help loosen his locked neck muscles, or his shimmering heartbeat, or the nauseating bile brewing at the back of his throat.

Flame shut his eyes out of sheer terror; not long after, however, the blade was lifted from his neck, at which point he immediately reopened them and took a large gasp of relief. Still panting, he looked up to the Scyther to see its body turned towards the stairs, one of its scythes still aimed at him from less than a metre's distance.

"Get up, coward."

Flame was up and at attention before those words had fully left the legionary's mouth. He wordlessly followed him up the stairs and onto the wooden platform where the Lucario and the Excadrill waited, eyeing him with a mixture of pity and disinterest.

"And stay close to me," the Scyther turned back with a clenched mouth. "You'll be dealt with by the Commander once things settle down. Try to escape, and I'll kill you myself. Let's go."

Flame did not start running so much as he was pushed into doing so by the trio of legionaries surrounding him. He forced his eyes away from the bulky forms of his de facto captors to catch a glimpse of the landscape around him as they jogged down the open hillside. The feeble sunlight of a mere hour earlier had expired, an ashen grey now covering the dry grass beneath their feet. Far in the distance, from this vantage point, he could just about see the bridge and the leather tents erected on the other bank of the river.

He kept running, concentrating on his breathing, on keeping up with his captors. His soon-to-be executioners, perhaps.

For some odd reason, as ghastly as the Scyther's threats may have been, Flame felt that they hadn't had as much of an impact as he'd thought. A sudden bout of determination clouded his every thought, a fuzziness flooding his chest. He had to get to his teammates. Nothing else mattered. He didn't care what threat this Scyther or the Commander made—he would still make a run for it, for the only possible life ahead of him was, in his eyes, the one they had envisioned together in their tent. Certainly not waiting for his inevitable execution for cowardice in some rotting cell.

He clutched the strap of his bag tighter as though to feel safer. Plans ran scattered through his mind: surely he had to have something, some item in there that could prove useful—some seed or orb to incapacitate these three and flee without anybody seeing…

He turned his attention outwards again as he continued jogging: on either side of him was a disorderly stream of pokémon making their way downhill. They were pushing and shouting over one another in a general frenzy. He could not come up with an approximate headcount, but he could only assume the dozens of them must have been headed to the second trench line. Wherever that was.

He set his eyes back on the road ahead of him, craning his head to the side to see past the Lucario blocking his sight. There! A hundred or so metres below him was an area where the hillside plateaued out a certain ways, leaving a wide enough platform to justify the earthen barricade running its entire length.

His eyes had barely started studying the barricade before he noticed that the same Lucario ahead of him was looking up at something and losing speed. Flame just barely managed to plant his feet in the ground, stumbling to a halt only to crash into the legionary's back anyway, to little reaction.

"In the air! Eyes open!" the Lucario yelled, jabbing a finger to the sky.

Suddenly there were yells of warning from all sides. Flame promptly flung himself face-first in the grass. There was a screech that pierced the air itself. An enormous Hydreigon plunged from the sky a little ahead of Flame, bit into one of the fleeing legionaries—a Breloom—with its side head, and lifted it back into the sky all while it was still screaming for mercy.

Flame lifted his head a little bit and simply stared. A knot formed in his throat. The grass-type was screaming its lungs out and flailing as it was lifted away a thousand metres above the ground, dangling from the beast's teeth, becoming smaller and smaller until it and the Hydreigon became indistinguishable from the dozens of other silhouettes suddenly swarming the air, swirling in circles, locked in combat.

It did not take long before pandemonium erupted among the ground troops. Still watching, Flame felt himself hoisted from the horn on his skull by the Lucario—an act more humiliating than it was painful.

"Get up, coward!" the Scyther behind him shouted. "Keep moving!"

Flame legged down the rocky path lined with dry grass, gaining momentum, taking irregular wheezes of air. The plateau was drawing closer: he could see the barricade clearly now, a line of discoloured sandbags, legionaries still rushing to and fro with empty bags and filling them with dirt, others pushing mounds of the same dirt to patch up the occasional gap in the barricade.

In a blur, he was at the entrance. The legionaries already manning the trench shouted them down a particular corridor which had yet to be filled, and yet again Flame cursed the gods and his luck for being unable to shake these damn pokémon off of him. As he moved down the trench he was constantly twisting his head for a sudden passage that might allow him to slip to the side, to exit this trench line completely, reach his friends still conceivably waiting for him in the woods. But there was none. No matter where he looked. Whenever he slowed down, the blunt end of a blade shoved him forward to remind him of the Scyther breathing down his neck.

He felt tempted to give in to the despair churning at his innards.

They rounded a corner into a marginally wider area of the trench, where a supply room reminiscent of the one he'd stolen from the previous morning was dug into the wall. The Excadrill and the Lucario finally broke formation from around him to head into the room.

Flame took the opportunity to give his tired body some respite: he leant onto the soft dirt wall, his breathing laboured and irregular, his legs starting from under him. If he were to run now, he thought with a ragged breath, he would need to bear through the pain. He continued to stare at the legionaries as they scrambled through the half-leaning sacks for supplies.

Plans of escape buzzed through his mind, dozens of them, confused in nature; they were interrupted by a certain realisation, accompanied by the familiar sensation of a blade pressing ever so lightly against the side of his neck. Without failure, as with the first and every other time, he felt his body shut down all motion without his consent. He could only move his eyes to meet the Scyther's hard stare at the corner of his vision.

"All right, scum—here's what's about to happen," the Scyther said slowly. "You're going to stick by my side and you're going to give those bastards everything you've got. If you do that, and survive, maybe I'll start thinking about not reporting you to the Praefect."

"O-okay," Flame gulped instinctively. He still didn't know fully whether he meant any of it.

"Good," the Scyther said simply, and removed the scythe from his neck, though continuing to stand there behind his back.

Unable to hold back an exhale of relief, Flame used his newfound freedom of movement to look up sharply. A large bird pokémon was circling above them—had been for a few minutes, now; Flame had been trailing it with his eyes, but determined it was not worthy of his concern if it hadn't attacked them yet.

He then shifted his attention to a Talonflame flying high and fast in the distance, looping up and left and right and diving suddenly to shake off a pursuing Honchkrow. Then, a circling manoeuvre came up too tight; the black bird suddenly swerved to the side, hit its target square in the wings, the Talonflame plunging right into the hillside with an implosion of dust. The Honchkrow only had time to let off a single faint crow of victory, before itself being struck by a loose beam of energy. Flame watched it dive only a few hundred metres away into a formation of charging pokémon below.

I can't tell who's killing who. Are we even winning? he found himself wondering. The thoughts only further injected his chest with despair. I … I don't care. I don't care about any of this this. I just want to get back to my friends…

Now the Lucario and the Excadrill had returned, the latter dragging a sack of what he presumed to be blast seeds from the hundreds of little shapes peeking through the fabric. Flame could still hear a phantom ringing in his ears, and shuddered at the idea of being so close to so many of those things.

"Distribute these among the recruits!" the Scyther said. "I want them to blow this entire hillside out of existence if that's what it takes!"

The two legionaries nodded, then relayed the same order together with the sack to a passing Raichu. Flame saw none of that, though, his eyes sought nothing but exits and roads to safety. There were two exit ways from this room: the one he'd entered from, which led back into the bowels of the trench system, and one he did not know of, but seemed to be placed opposite to the great imposing hill he could already see the first signs of movement on. The latter option captured his attention. He could only see a bend in the corridor from here, yet somehow he knew it led to freedom. His eyes flew between the exit and the unmoving Scyther. Was it conceivable that he could run inside before they noticed?

One of the legionaries had deposited a pawful of blast seeds in his claws, but he didn't notice until a few moments later, and quickly chucked them into his bag out of the sheer anxiety he felt at holding one in his hands. Flame then looked back at the three legionaries, deep in conversation. The Scyther seemed to be giving directives. He felt that they may have been meant for him too, but he couldn't bring himself to care. He had to make a choice. The Scum had to have been closing in on this second trench line—soon they'd be spilling down the hillside, and the legionaries would be back to hurling blast seeds and elemental beams and melee combat when the horde would wash too close.

A shiver shook his spine, reverberating through the rest of his body, up to the end of his tail—his fire even sizzled smaller for a split second. No, he couldn't go through that again. All the explosions, the blood pouring from the cadavers, the entire living plain of pokémon charging at him, drowning him…

A batch of bile reached the back of his throat. Scarcely a few minutes ago he'd managed to run away with his life, and now they wanted him to go back. It wasn't right. He shouldn't have to go through that again. Every fibre of his being was screaming at him to run. He stared longingly at the exit again. Twelve metres, perhaps fewer. Then there was the corridor; but at that point he could spit fire behind him, ward them off, and he'd already be outside of this nightmare, running into freedom.

And yet…

He turned his eyes, with a sort of reluctance, to the Scyther.

It was much faster than him; it had wings; it would slice his head off in a single leap. He could picture it, a Charmeleon head planted into the ground by the horn. It was impossible. He would never get away in time. No, no, he would have to wait—perhaps in the midst of battle…?

Right then, his communications badge crackled with the unavoidable sound of wind rushing through the other end, over which a voice could just barely be heard.

"Apollo Leader to Keystone! We're taking too much friendly fire—we need to get back into formation!" A pause followed, marked only by the crackling wind and a distant, pained shriek. "We are disengaging and falling back to base camp to regroup. I repeat, we are disengaging!"

"Acknowledged, Apollo Leader," came the Praefect's reply. "All ground units, be advised, you are on your own. Aerial support will return shortly. Hold your ground and watch the skies!"

Only when the transmission was over did Flame note that he held his jaw open. He did not know how crucial air support was for the outcome of the battle—but to Flame, it was just another domino crashing down on the idea that he could fight through the battle and survive. His breathing only became more ragged and difficult with each passing moment. What was an already perilous battle felt tantamount to suicide.

Flame heard the Scyther shouting orders and knew he was saying something about needing to get into position. Up the vast hilltop towering over the trench wall, he caught a glimpse of dark shadows making their way towards them. They were coming. The knowledge awoke a nausea in his body, and he clutched his breast with his claws. Could he really draw back at this point?

A blast coming from the hillside rattled the very air around him. He couldn't breathe. Again they called to him, the legionaries. For a brief moment, he was back at the front line, watching the sea of pokémon wash ever closer and ever larger, tumbling about his heart. He couldn't move; it would drown him.

He felt the Scyther strike his arm with the side of its blade.

"Recruit! I said let's go!" the Scyther shouted, face tensed in irritation.

Flame shook in a sudden impulse of terror. Escape! He had to escape! His friends would save him. Why should he throw his life like this? He had a right to happiness. His friends would give him a home, grant him a purpose. They would save him.

In a single motion, Flame turned his head to the Scyther shouting at him and burst a tongue of fire at his face while he was still talking. The bug-type's voice immediately devolved into cries of surprise and anguish, and before he could catch a glimpse of what he had done, Flame whirled his body around and made for the exit way as fast as he could.

He charged through the corridor, through the soft mud, around the corner, pushed his legs beyond his physical limits. The corridor was long, incredibly long, even though he felt that he was running at speeds to rival Gaius. His mind was in absolute turmoil—he felt as if a portal storm had appeared in his thoughts, picked up everything and scattered it around the empty field of his psyche. His heart throbbed against his ribs with such a frenzy that he genuinely feared it would burst free.

He kept running, squeezing his eyes shut to escape the wind and the images of the Scyther's burning head. He thought vaguely about turning around to fire off a flamethrower behind him, but he did not have the mental capacity to concentrate on anything but running.

An opening presented itself at the end of the passage—within seconds he missiled past it and spilt onto the forested path, his breakneck step slowing down somewhat as he took a few seconds to inspect his surroundings. Before long he resumed his mad dash towards the bridge, he could see in the—

"There he is!" an oddly familiar voice went. "Flamey! Hey!"

Flame planted his feet in the ground and nearly skidded to a halt at the voice, despite him questioning whether it had been a spontaneous hallucination.

After a brief fit of panting—and a spell of sudden weakness—he twisted his head around, and sure enough, he saw an all-too familiar Gabite and Umbreon pair rushing over to him from further up the path, reaching him within seconds.

"Damn, we were looking for you all over!" Virgo said and seized him by the forearms, an enormous grin on his face. "Where were you? Oh, man, I was worried there for a while!"

Flame simply blinked, his face devoid of any sort of reaction. "Huh?"

Yvaine shouldered the Gabite's leg just as he was about to talk and silenced him with a glare. "It matters not." Then, she looked at him directly. "We're here because the general has ordered us to come get you, Flame. You must come with us."

Flame felt only increasingly numb, his heart beginning to beat even faster than it was earlier. "… What?"

That name brought forth a few memories, but he was too distressed to make sense of them.

The General wants me? he thought in a flurry of paranoia, looking between the two legionaries. General Sycorax? What does he want from me? Is he trying to arrest me, or…

"No, you're not under arrest, Flame. I can guarantee that both you and your friends will be safe," Yvaine said, then turned to look behind them for a moment. "Now come! The Scum will start charging this trench at any moment now!"

Flame's heart stopped at that first part. And it wasn't because she'd apparently read his mind. It can't be. They couldn't have been caught. We never told anyone! No, she has to be lying, to get me to come with them. Unless—

His mind suddenly drew back to when he'd let the Umbreon access his memories. A curtain of dread hung over his heart.

"Th-they're with you?" he said breathlessly. "My teammates?"

Yvaine met his question with an exasperated calm. "Yes, they were intercepted by our agents and surrendered themselves voluntarily. Only you are left. Please, we shall explain as we go!"

He felt Virgo give him a push from behind. "Come on, Flamey! Get moving!"

He could do little else but follow suit when the two began running at a steady pace down the torn dirt path weaving in between the ghastly trees, just as the first rumbles of explosions and battle cries began sounding from the hill behind them.

As he jogged forth, the Umbreon and the Gabite at his flanks, Flame did his best to block those sounds, to block the guilt he felt at abandoning the soldiers and even turning on that Scyther, as necessary as it all was. A vague hope that his injuries wouldn't cause the legionary to fall in battle was all that passed through his thoughts before he turned his attention to the path ahead. He could not see the bridge and the camp erected on its opposite side anymore, yet he was certain they were going in that direction. Relief flooded his heart, yet at the same time, there was a certain uneasiness in him as to what would happen now.

It didn't make sense. What interest could the head of the Imperial Army have with three fresh recruits? Was it because of the visit—back in the medical tent? Had he seen or noticed something when he'd spoken to them? Flame tried to play back the whole exchange with the Genesect in his head, yet he could not concentrate properly enough to remember. A knot was growing in his throat.

"What … what does Sycorax want from me?" he mumbled out in between pants, his eyes firm on the path ahead. "And why are you two…?"

"We're part of the Praetorian Guard," Yvaine explained breathlessly as she sprinted. "We answer directly to the General. He has ordered us to find you three specifically and to bring you to him before you could get in harm's way."

Flame's attention piqued at the name, chiefly because it sounded important, but also because it roused some feelings of familiarity, likely something Alice had taught him. Either way, he was far too distressed to recall with certainty.

"But why does he want me?"

"Flame, I don't know the details," she replied back after a brief pause. "Only that this mission was of the highest priority. We were meant to prevent you from reaching the battlefield; it worked with your teammates, but somehow, you slipped through the net. We had to use our entire scouting force to find you."

Flame could not help but grit his teeth at the knowledge. "You could have told me before I nearly died back there!"

"Well, you're here now, so who cares?" Virgo quipped in, somehow managing to keep his sickly cheerful tone even while apace. "Once we rendezvous with the rest of our squad, we're going to the capital. I mean—isn't that awesome? Trust me, you'll love it there! There's all these temples and the forum and—"

A few moments of silence followed. When Flame turned to the Gabite in confusion, he saw the legionary staring up at the sky. They were traversing a patch of uncovered grassland, he noted. The legionary's eyes widened, and his jaw fell as he suddenly jabbed a finger at a point in the sky.

"In the air!" Virgo cried out as he forced himself to a halt. "Incoming!"

Flame scrambled to follow suit, and it was only after a few seconds that he saw the black mass of a Hydreigon swooping low along the treetops, heading straight for them. He froze in place and stifled his breath as primal roar shook the air, reverberating into his bones. For a moment it seemed conceivable that it may have been flying over them, ignoring them; but then it veered downwards, towards them, let out a titanic roar…

Flame threw himself to the ground in unison with his companions. He clutched his skull with both his hands just as a curtain of fire, dense and hot, licked every exposed inch of his body, a heat unbearable even for him. The stream of flames lasted scarcely a few seconds, yet he remained in that position even after the fire subsided, eyes squeezed together, gripped by fear.

When he finally found the courage to crane his head up, he reemerged to find a world in flames. He reared his head around; thin tongues of fire were sprouting in the tall grass all around him, crackling skyward and dancing with the wind. The treeline in front of them was not faring much better, with fire climbing down from the top branches and ejecting in spurts to the lower ones, while smouldering leaves began to fall down on the undergrowth.

For a moment, he felt surprisingly numb to what was happening around him—as if his mind had endured too many apocalyptic scenes in one day to really be surprised. Then, at once, he shot up on his knees and hands and started searching for his companions with his eyes, finding them in a patch of burnt soil to his right. Virgo was kneeling over a sprawled Yvaine, mumbling fervently under his breath as he rifled through the contents of his bag.

Flame rushed over to his side, only to recoil mentally as soon as Yvaine's full body came into view. She looked nearly unrecognisable: the black fur on her flank and thighs was nearly completely singed off. A thin cloud of steam rose lazily from the seared skin that now showed, as well as the rest of the remaining fur, in a fashion that made her look like an overcooked meal.

In a brief moment of selfishness, Flame was thankful for having fireproof scales.

He knelt by Virgo's side and watched the Gabite mash a rawst berry in his shaky claws. He then rubbed the liquids on her exposed skin to immediate effect: her feeble laments turned into screams and she jerked her body away, biting down on a mouthful of dirt, coughing and spitting it immediately.

"C'mon, Yvvy, c'mon…" Virgo held Yvaine firm, breathing heavily, hurt flooding his face as he extracted another berry from his bag. Flame remarked that this was the first time he'd seen the Gabite express a serious emotion. He loathed to admit it, but the look on Virgo's face was so disheartening that he felt genuinely guilty for thinking so badly of the 'mon before.

Flame thought about helping, remembering about the medical supplies in his own bag, but his worries were quickly gripped by the wider situation. He climbed to his feet and rotated his body in full circle to spot the Hydreigon still flying above them somewhere.

Try as he did, however, he could not find it. That fact somehow made him more nervous. They were not in a good position: they were standing wide in the open, and hell was still raging around them, spreading from shrub to shrub and along the treeline at an incredible rate, hogging the air with smoke and ash particles. In fact, of the trees that toured the clearing they stood in, it was hard to find one not showing signs of infection. Some had already been completely engulfed by the inferno.

Flame swallowed in sudden realisation: if they did not move immediately, the treeline would soon become impassable for her.

Seized by a sudden impulse of terror, Flame shot up on his feet. "Virgo, w-we have to go," He lay a paw on the Gabite's shoulder. "Th-that thing could come back around, and, and if the fire—"

"Yeah, yeah, I got it." Virgo blurted out in a near growl, shaking his claws off.

Flame took an instinctive step back at the reaction, and he watched the legionary take a deep breath as he looked down at the wounded Umbreon, who was staring up at him in return, her laboured breaths coinciding with her spasms.

"It's going to be okay, partner," Virgo whispered with a level of emotion that Flame had not thought possible for the Gabite. The two shared a look of understanding for a few seconds, and, despite being touched by the scene, Flame felt the urge to scream at them to hurry up.

Thankfully, the Gabite got up just as he turned back around from his nervous checking, hooking both claws around the front part of Yvaine's underside.

"C'mon, Flamey, help me move her!" Virgo looked at him, jerking his head to the side.

Flame started doing just that—he stepped up behind the Umbreon and brought his own arms round her underside so that he stood directly behind her tail—a position that would have looked extremely inappropriate, he realised with a brief flash of embarrassment. But it did not matter. Together, they lifted Yvaine in the air, and Virgo motioned once again to—

A large thump coming from behind them shattered both the plan and Flame's discipline into tiny fragments. Flame immediately lost grip on Yvaine and let her rear half fall limp. He sunk to his knees and tried his hardest not to hyperventilate.

He and Virgo merely stood there, frozen, sharing a fearful glance, hesitating to turn. It seemed they both knew what was behind them. Nevertheless, Flame was overwhelmed by the impulse and looked behind his shoulder.

He stifled a yelp.

The dark, three-headed dragon that stood a mere dozen metres behind them looked even more massive now that it stood on its two legs. Three pairs of eyes stared directly at him, the larger central head unmoving while the two side ones glanced and turned independently of one another at the surrounding landscape. The six tendrils that could pass for wings flailing calmly behind its back. The creature was enormous, and vicious-looking, and Flame found himself trying to breathe as quietly as possible.

To his side, Virgo took a tentative step back, still clinging on to a half-limp Yvaine; at that, the Hydreigon's arm-heads growled in unison—with a higher pitch than the central head—and the right one spat out a cautionary ember up in the air.

Flame ceased all movement, as did Virgo. He did not know why the Scum had not already torn them to pieces, but he ceased all movement.

Sensing compliance, the Hydreigon's central head made a brief grin, and then, raising its eyes to the sky, it let out a roar that split the air in half. With a cry he himself wasn't able to hear, Flame squeezed his eyes shut and mashed his hands against his ears well beyond the duration of the roar.

When he dared to peek again, however, he saw—

The ground. There was a puddle of gray sludge where there hadn't been a mere second earlier. Flame's entrails seemed to have turned into ice.

He said nothing and did nothing as the familiar shape of the Dusknoir ascended gradually from the sludge, as if phasing through a portal. Then, in a mere second, though the world seemed to have become still, the Dusknoir was floating there, sludge trickling off it, fully in view.

Flame continued to feel incredibly numb even when the Dusknoir turned towards him with that single, piercing red eye; his breath merely jolted for an instant.

He continued to feel numb even as the same Dusknoir floated closer to him, inspecting him, smiling. He merely sat there, refusing to stare him back, like a castigated child.

Virgo merely hugged Yvaine closer to him with one arm, terror emerging behind his rigid face even as he continued to interpose himself between Yvaine and the Scum.

Time stretched by inexorably. Flame still refused to raise his chin. For some reason, he wanted to cry.

Then, an icy hand engulfed his shoulder and forearm. A clear, reverberating voice echoed through his head.

My child…

Flame finally looked back.

But by then, his consciousness had already left him.

---

End of Chapter XVIII​

 

[Spiteful Murkrow]

Heya, it’s a bit sooner than normal for me to be yeeting out one of these things. But eh, there’s an offsite review event going on, so sounds like as good an excuse as any for me to get current with my review series a bit early. A good deal of this content you’ve seen in some capacity before in the past, but there’s enough new stuff thrown in that it’s hopefully worth the time to take another gander.

Chapter XVII

Spoiler: Line-by-Line

Route 165—5 km north of Aesernia

"Double time it, Jigglypuffs!" [the Captain's crimson pincer accused] a group of pokémon below. "The Scum aren't going to wait for you to finish digging!"

… Wait a minute, is this the same guy who cheated them out of those Army rations before the earthquake? Though not really feeling the bit in brackets, least of all because it feels weird to use pointing as a speech tag. You might find something like the following to be a bit smoother:

[ [...] the Captain’s metallic voice barked. The Scizor stood at attention, his crimson pincer pointing accusingly at [...] ]

Flame: “... Wait a minute, we have Jigglypuff in this setting? Since when? I’ve never so much as seen one acknowledged in passing onscreen!” .-.
Alice: “I mean, we’ve never seen Lopunny either, and they apparently exist given that they’re shorthand for females of ill-repute, so…”

Flame: “... Wait. How on earth did you shrug without shoulders?” .-.

As Flame stepped onto one the many wooden platforms used to bridge one side of the trench to the other, backpack heavy against his spine, he became glad to be up here. One downward glance revealed legionaries smeared in mud, clawing dirt away and spitting some out every so often, bodies barely able to stand or kneel without rubbing against a wall or each other as they kept digging deeper and longer.

Gaius: “... Wait, why are we investing this much effort into digging trenches as opposed to spreading Spikes or mining the fields up ahead with Blast Seeds?”

Alice: “To be fair, trenches slow down siege engines. And I presume we’re making embankments with all this mud on the other side to have ledges to attack from?”
Gaius: “... When it explicitly states that there’s bridges from one side to the other? Doesn’t that imply there isn’t an embankment on the other end? And I’m pretty sure this doesn’t stop Scum from just flying or digging past these things!”

At once, Flame felt nauseatingly clean, and hurried his step back onto the sparse grassland, now in sight of one of the more recently complete trenches, home to this sector's supply storage. The crushing weight on his back—how many bags had he carried today? Eight?—made him suffer in silence for every step. It didn't help that just then, a meager Breloom was passing by him bearing an even larger backpack than him with little effort.

… Wait a minute, is that the same Breloom that Kamerad Trikephalo took skydiving? I mean, there’s surely more than one Breloom in Urbe’s legions, but…

Oh, if I didn't know this was food, the things I would have told the Captain… he thought, squinting and gritting his teeth as he dragged himself forward.

Gaius: “... You mean ‘nothing’ since you’d probably have gotten publicly cudgeled in front of the whole cohort?”

Flame: “Th-They wouldn’t seriously do that for a little back sass, would they?” o_o;
Gaius: “Flame, need I remind you that decimatio is confirmed as of the most recent chapter still on the books as a punishment in this setting? Do you really think that talking smack to your superiors in the Army would end well?” >:|

He descended the short staircase leading down into the trench, taking one careful step after another, and finally sunk his feet into the mud. The feeling of the sloshing liquid reaching up to his ankles disgusted him. Briefly, he wondered if his friends were having more luck than he was today.

We've done so much preparing for this… he mused, a smile stretching his cheeks. I don't think it's possible to account for anything else. It's all a matter of waiting, now.

Flame: "Blaugh. There has to be a more efficient way to build a defensive line than this. Why aren't we rigging booby traps with Blast Seeds or something? Can't you farm those?" X(
Gaius: "I mean, I’m not impressed by the lack of embankment, but it is a harder fortification to overwhelm with sheer numbers. Fall in this thing, and you'll be mincemeat by the time you crawl out."
Flame: "What prevents the Scum from just riding a portal storm a kilometer past these trenches, though? Didn't we already establish that they could jump past defensive lines that way?"
Gaius: "... Don't ask me, I'm not the one coming up with this strategy and already said we should be setting mines instead. Besides, we were planning on deserting anyways. So not our problem"

He tried not to think of the filth sloshing around his toes as he rounded the corner into the small area reserved for supply storage. It was a fairly narrow trench, barely able to accommodate him without his shoulders rubbing against the wall. Not only that, it was also well hidden from sight: the few soldiers that were out and about did not seem to realise this corridor existed. They were details Flame had paid special attention to over his many trips.

Gaius: “... Wait a minute, they’re expecting the soldiers to actually fight in these things and not from an embankment behind the trenches? I thought they were just going to dump a ton of Spikes at the bottom to mess up the Scum that fell in and post the actual soldiers behind them!”

Alice: “... Wouldn’t this be a great position to dig in, though?”
Gaius: “More like a great position to get roasted by enemy air support since good luck having any mobility in this sort of environment. Gods, we can’t desert this damned army soon enough!” >_>;

Another such detail was the backpack weighing on his shoulders. He had already felt it carefully when it was still on the supply carriage, and he knew from the consistency that whatever he was carrying, that it was definitely meant to be eaten. Sliding the heavy sack down from his shoulders, Flame dropped it into the nearest crate, yet he did not grant himself the time to bask in physical relief from his burden. This might have been his first opportunity of the day, as well as his last. A quick turn of the head confirmed that nobody had followed him in. He didn't recall seeing any other backpackers besides that Breloom, but he was not about to entrust his safety to mere chance.

His heart rate rising, he knelt onto the soft mud, loosened the sack's mouth, and quickly wrapped his claws around the closest thing to the top, bringing it up for inspection. When he saw what it was, his grin widened: a slab of salted meat, its colour closer to dirt than to his scales, thick and grainy to the touch.

Bingo.

Is that thing even safe to eat with that color?

Flame could have sworn his claws had started shaking. It felt as though someone was watching him, yet when he turned to look, nothing had changed. He reached down to the bag slung around his shoulder and briefly fiddled with the opening; was this how they felt, too? Was this the risk they went through so that his escape plan would come to fruition? At once, he got the cursed bag to open, and half-threw the salted meat inside. It was followed by another slab, then a third, and though he still had plenty of space, Flame froze his trembling paw just above the sack.

No, I can't risk any more. It'll take too long. I need—I need to go.

I kinda wonder if it’d have made sense to communicate what would’ve happened had Flame gotten caught stealing here. Since while I have an idea of what that’d entail thanks to knowing how that within Real!Urbe legions that carried an ever-so-minor punishment of death and assuming that it also applies here, I’m not sure if it really comes through in the prose itself as to why just stealing supplies from the Army is risky considering how desperate the average normie in this setting is.

Adjusting his bag tighter, he jumped to his feet and he spun around to leave; good, no one had seen him. Overcome with relief, he took his first step forward.

"You are such a nervous wreck, you know that?" spoke a feminine voice from above said.

In all of an instant, Flame froze in place. His heart skipped a beat, and a cold sense of dread clamped down on his stomach. Slowly, he turned his head around and gazed up at the trench's edge, fear clogging his throat, only to lay his eyes upon a familiar Dragonair looking down at him with a wry smile spread across her cheeks.

- Flame gasps for air as his heart races -
Flame: “A-Alice! Don’t do that to me!” >///<

At the sight of her, Flame let out a heavy sigh, and in that one action he felt the charge of tension in his body exit him just as quickly as it had swelled. [ ]

"Oh, thank the gods, it's you," he wheezed, clutching his chest with a paw. "For a moment, I thought…"

She chuckled lightly, though her smile turned sheepish. "I'm sorry. I should have waited for you at the stairs. Remember, though, I could have been anyone."

"… Yeah," Flame rubbed his forearm in circles. "I'm not very good at this."

Er… yeah, that much is obvious, Flame. Pretty sure that Gaius would’ve had trouble unironically passing you off as a bagauda with that level of situational awareness. :V

I do wonder if it’d have made more sense to have Flame’s process of calming down last a bit longer than the one-sentence paragraph that’s there presently.

"All is forgiven," she said, shooting a look behind her. "Care to come up here for a moment?"

The simple mention of that caused him to smile. "Of course. Stay right there."

In a few seconds he was trodding back through the main trench line, before he took another turn and hopped onto the wooden staircase lifting him up to ground level. He was tired, but rest would have to wait.

Sure enough, she was by the trench's edge, and greeted his arrival with a soft, brief snicker. Seeing his confused expression, she pointed her tail at his lower body; he then saw that other than his feet being coated in mud, there were two circular patches around his kneecaps.

"Yeah," he chuckled, smiling at that himself. "I know. Be glad they didn't order me to dig another trench."

Flame: “I still say that there had to be a more efficient division of labor here, but the higher-ups wouldn’t hear it.”
Alice: “(Boy am I glad that they didn’t keep me wading down in this muck pretending to do work like they did with me ‘pushing wagons’ on the way to Portus.)” ._.;

"Gods know that would end poorly for me," Alice said with a wide grin. "I would probably just sink into the ground after a few minutes."

Plus Alice seems like the type to scream internally, if not externally, from getting half her body covered in mud not least of all thanks to her backstory. :V

The two of them regarded each other in relative silence, listening to the grunts of nearby legionaries and the Captain's ferrous steely voice shouting orders, though their eyes looked nowhere near that direction.

It was Flame that unwordingly wordlessly broke the silence, sending a quick glance toward the direction of the bridge over which the other sacks were waiting for him.

Alice followed his gaze and seemed to grasp at his thoughts. "If you need to go somewhere, we can talk on the way there."

The same smile still stuck on his face, Flame nodded. "I'd like that."

Flame: “Th-Though is this really a good idea to do that in earshot of a bunch of grunts from the Imperial Army-?” O_O;
Alice: “... We could just not talk about our escape plan while walking?”

The two of them began walking away from the trench lines and across the small grassland leading to the bridge, whose features they could lightly make out behind the surrounding foliage.

Gaius: “Oh my gods, there really is no embankment on the other side of the trench. I thought that those were supposed to be around for projectile throwers to make dead zones!”

Flame: “... Pretty sure that that’s anachronistic for fortification design and didn’t become widespread until cannons became things anyways. So can you really blame these guys for not thinking of it?”

Gaius: “Look, so are trench networks dug in this style, but the Army’s still making those.” >_>;

"So, did Gaius…?" Flame began.

"Yes," she followed, her voice a joyful whisper. "Everything was still there. Money, seeds—even a Luminous Orb I didn't know we had. The berries were obviously rotting by now, but they're hardly the most challenging thing to find out in the wilderness."

Flame: "... Why did you stash those berries if they were just going to rot again?"
Alice: "I think that the implication was that they were stored prior to us leaving for Portus and we just never got the chance to take them with us."
Flame: "I guess that makes sense. Guess we’re fortunate we didn’t come back to a berry bush sprouting where the tent used to be, huh?"
Alice: "... Fortunately, it’s the wrong season for that.” ^^;

Though his large smile remained unvaried, Flame felt his heart beam heat beat and spread warmth all throughout his chest.

"Good. Seeing what they're making us do, all … all of this," he said, observing the ebb and flow of legionaries showered in mud or carrying heavy supply sacks. "It doesn't make me want to stick around for much longer."

As soon as he said that, the sudden awareness of being in a public setting jumped to mind; he looked around, but thankfully, none of the passing legionaries seemed to be within earshot of them. He reminded himself to talk in vaguer terms about their intentions from now on.

Oh lol, Flame did forget to mind his surroundings briefly. :V

Alice: “(Flame, I thought that we weren’t going to talk about our escape plans in public!)” >_>;
Flame: “(It was a slip of the tongue, I swear!)”

Alice, on the other hand, gave him a simple nod. "It's not much, but … every bit helps. How about you?"

"My luck hasn't been the best," he shrugged as they trudged by a group of ground-types covered in earth. "What That chunk of meat you saw me with back there? That's all I could manage for today. Still better than nothing, I suppose. You?"

"Oh, just a few bits and pieces," she said as her gaze wandered off into towards the nearing bridge. "The Captain doesn't let us wander too far away from him. We are his official bodyguards. In fact, I'm supposed to be guarding this whole operation along with the rest of my squad."

Oh, so that’s how Sycorax tried to make sure that Alice would stay someplace safe while in the Army. Decently clever gambit there.

Flame: "Wait, how did you get bodyguard duty while I'm stuck clawing out mud from these holes? Aren't we both in the same cohort of newbies?"
Alice: "There are close to 500 of us, Flame. I don't think the Captain could come up with one single task to keep us all busy even if he wanted to."
Gaius: "Well, a Scum formation could come strolling over the horizon right about now, I'm sure that'd keep the entire cohort busy."

Flame could not help but let out a small laugh, rolling his eyes. "Oh, this makes me feel so much safer—knowing that if the Scum attack, you'll be here talking to me…"

"Try spending another hour near those stuck-ups and tell me how that goes for you," Alice smirked playfully. "Oh, I didn't tell you this, but Virgo and … what's she called, the girl? Yvaine? They're part of my squad too."

Flame: "Er... so how's that going anyways?" ^^;
Alice: "Well, Virgo keeps pestering me about whether or not we're really in a committed relationship or not and I'm constantly looking over my shoulder to make sure they're not going to report me for plotting to desert, but eh. I'm surviving."
- Flame blink -
Flame: "Wait, what have you been telling Virgo about that... erm..."
Alice: "Well just saying, I'm not interested in finding out whether a Gabite can pass syphilis onto a Dragonair, so I've been saying whatever I felt necessary to keep that little pest away from me." >_>;
Flame: "Uh... maybe you could give me some examples of what you've been telling him?" ^///^
Alice: "No. My dignity's already suffered enough over the past few days." >.<

As they passed by a puffy bush full of claw-sized leaves, he deviated strayed a bit from his straight path and attempted to rub his foot and knee on it, smearing the bush with mud but failing to accomplish much else in aesthetic terms from it.

"Damn," he sneered grumbled as he inspected his lower body. "It literally rained a few hours ago. How can he ask us to dig all this while the ground's still wet?"

"I suppose the Captain wanted to dig these trenches while the ground was softer. It doesn't matter, though. Soon, none of this will."

That much remains to be seen, since it was revealed in later chapters that the fighting in and around Aesernia was going on well after Team Phalanx ultimately ducks out of the province. So I’m not fully convinced we’ve heard the last of it.

A steady, thundering noise came from below the ground, and as they surpassed the barrier of shrubbery and stepped onto the bridge, its source became clear: an immense expanse of water tens of metres below the wooden boards. Endless waves crashed and gurgled against the disparate rocks jutting out of its surface, briefly channelled into little canals by the bridge's supporting stone piers, before mixing back together immediately thereafter as if nothing had ever impeded their path.

Despite this colossal movement, if Flame concentrated on any one spot in the water for some time, he noticed, the river would appear completely still.

Surprised that Flame isn’t having more of a reaction to this river given his moment of nerves when going fishing back in Chapter XI. I suppose it could’ve dulled a bit since his current job would have him crossing this bridge a lot, but that also feels like a detail that could’ve afforded to have been explicitly mentioned.

"Wait, don't tell me," he silenced Alice with a paw before she could speak. "This is the Iapetus river, isn't it? I remember it on the map since it was so close to Aesernia. I imagined it would be a little … larger."

Alice turned to regard him with a gleam of interest as they walked along the bridge. "I see those few lessons we had served a purpose. Indeed, it flows into the Tiberis river a little ways from here, and that one flows right into Urbe itself. We're not too far from the heart of the Empire. To think the Scum are closing in…"

No 'Albula' to make it a bit less obvious what this was to readers, huh? ‘Thybris’, ‘Rumon’, and ‘Serra’ would’ve also worked wonders for much the same purpose. Though you can’t have an in-setting river called the ‘Tiberis’ that exists in the exact same capacity as in Real!Urbe and not have some ‘Tiberius’es stomping around. >:V

I look forward to eventually seeing one in this story, since hey. It is a quintessentially ‘Urbe’ name much like ‘Gaius’.

"Heh, Urbe," Flame chuckled as he stared at nowhere in particular, picturing the shining temples and cityscape from the history book. "That's one place we won't be headed towards."

"Yeah," Alice looked off to the side as well, her smile vanishing briefly. "You won't need to convince me."

I mean, considering their present circumstances, I’m sure that the eventual transition to an Urbe Arc is likely going to be… grim, to say the least. But with how much it’s been built up as the elephant in the room, I refuse to believe that Team Phalanx will never wind up getting drug there as part of the plot.

Gaius: "... So does this mean we're writing off Capri? Or do you two have some brilliant plan of getting there without passing through Urbe first?"
Alice: "Look, if we’re absolutely dead set on going there, there is a sea route, you know. Considering everything that's been happening on land lately, it's probably the safer one to boot."

He looked at her and frowned, as if to apologise for bringing the subject up. In return, she simply shook her head and looked forward.

The two of them stepped off the bridge's last stretch without further word, trudging on past a group of legionaries setting up various tents, both their gazes stolen by the sight of catapults being lined up atop a distant hill, their outlines visible against the murky horizon. It had to have been midday, Flame thought—if so, where was the sunlight? He threw a few glances up at the carpet of clouds overhead, yet failed to locate the sun's position behind them. So long as it didn't start raining, though, he wouldn't pay that much heed.

I did a double-take there, since I distinctly remember Portus being described in similar terms right before the Portal Storm came barreling through. And well, one happening just a few hours away by walking would explain a few things about how the Scum manage to badly surprise everybody in the chapter right after this.

The supply carts now in front of them, the duo stopped at the back of a small crowd of backpackers scuffling to take their umpteenth load for the day.

"Hey, Flame," Alice interrupted the silence, her eyes cast downwards. "Before we go back to our posts, I just wanted to … thank you. And say I'm sorry. While I was busy whining about my fears, you actually came up with a solution. I … I should have known better."

Flame did not know what to say; a warm, fuzzy feeling wrapped his chest, and a large, sheepish grin was stuck on his face.

"I remember you saying I was the one who apologised too much," he muttered, feeling his cheeks heat up.

"Smartass," Alice laughed, and rolled her eyes theatrically. "Again, though, thank you. For everything you've done for us. It feels strange to say this, but we wouldn't have gotten this far without you."

Flame: “I mean, sure we’re surrounded by surly soldiers and I’m still caked in mud right now. But boy this is a great moment right now.”

Neither of them had time to continue the conversation, though, for as a screeching voice erupted from behind them and caused made both of them to jerk up to attention.

"SOLDIERS! What do you think this is, farm work?!"

Flame spun around to look behind him, and indeed, there was their Captain, his pincer wordlessly accusing him of something heinous. It took Flame no more than two seconds for him to salute his superior, hastily place a rucksack on his shoulders and half-sprint his first few steps, all while Alice did the closest thing she could to sprinting and hurried over in the complete opposite direction.

Flame:

Alice: “(Yeah, the sooner we get out of here, the better!)” >_>;

"Just because Sycorax said to keep an eye out for you doesn't make you special!" the Scizor yelled behind him. "You are my slaves! If I see you disobeying orders again, you will dig those trenches, with or without arms!"

Flame groaned inwardly as his previous fatigue started to resurface, and he knew this was going to rank among the slowest days in his life.

Uh. Yeah, that’s not remotely accurate there. For either of these two. Not that Captain Scizor there knows that.

Flame: "Wait, you can be a legionary and still be a slave? But they've been getting tons of special treatment and been arrogant as hell every time we've run into one!"
Gaius: "Miserable bug's just being metaphorical and power-tripping. The actual slaves are all among the camp followers."
Alice: "Yeesh, with an attitude like that, let's hurry up with that desertion. I'm pretty sure that this is exactly the sort of guy who'd hand down a sentence of decimatio, and not in a 'ha-ha, scared you, didn't I?' sense either." ._.

Camp Tempest

The sun's celestial arc, now mostly cleared of clouds, was beginning to wane by the time Flame found the tent his teammates, Virgo, and Yvaine were sharing. His stomach found it necessary to remind him that it was almost time to head to the mess hall, but what awaited in that tent was far more important to him than prolonging his hunger by a bit.

I like how Team Phalanx just went ahead and planned their grand escape from the army when the active spies of the cast were their roommates. You just know that they got wind of everything in short order.

Flame: “Pls no.”

Gaius: “Oi, they’re going to be out of our scales forever in a couple days! Just keep it together!” >_>;

With a deep breath, and his bag pressing against his thigh, he parted the tent's entrance and let the feeble sunlight flood its interior, only to be replaced by his tail fire as he entered. The moment he did so, two heads jerked towards him from their respective sleeping mats: Gaius had his good hand submerged in his own bag, while Alice was coiled up on herself, her head raised to meet Flame's look gaze. He couldn't help but notice that she was still wearing his crimson scarf. Despite having a few rips, it contrasted quite nicely with her scales.

"About time," Gaius muttered, extracting his hand and letting it rest upon his knee. "What took you so long?"

Flame offered them a sheepish shrug, sitting down atop his own sleeping mat just a few metres from them and letting his bag slide down from his shoulder.

Just a reminder that the text never does explicitly say that it’s just the three of them present right now. :V

And while they probably aren’t really alone, they probably wouldn’t be having this convo if they were cognizant of that.

Flame: "Wait a minute, don't we share this tent with Virgo and Yvaine? Shouldn't we be worried about them finding this or something?"
- Gaius points off at the other side of the tent at Virgo looking at an issue of Playdrake and making horny Gabite noises while Yvaine is uncomfortably trying to meditate and think about literally anything else at the moment -
Flame: "Blaugh. Remind me to never set foot on their end of the tent."

Gaius: "We should be good for now. Just speak softly."

"The convoy that took us back to town got stuck in the mud. And I had to push my cart out along with everyone else. It was … ugh," he stretched his face in disgust, looking down at his legs. "At least we had that water turtle or whatever to wash us off."

Getting washed off with a Water Gun as a Charmeleon sounds… painful, to say the least. ^^;

Gaius: "Wait, the army still isn’t thinking of trying to freeze the ground in muddy areas before passing first? They're supposed to be the competent ones, though!"
Alice: "I mean, if we found that to be a weird idea, I can't imagine that it's an idea that'd commonly come to mind, Gaius."
Flame: "Yeah, and isn't 'competent' overselling it a bit? This is the same army that you kept complaining about making us go into Portus without giving us aerial reconnaissance to work with first."

"Doesn't matter. [Now that you're here, we can go over our current food situation. I guess I'll start]," Gaius said as he widened his bag with the aid of both his stump and two-clawed hand.

"Most of what I have comes from the stash I dug up from under our old tent. Well, that, and from the poor bastard who lives there now," he emitted a few, sly chuckles as he rummaged along. "One Luminous Orb, a few sleep and healing seeds, and even a blast seed. There's maps of this province and of the whole Empire, plus our old compass. As far as food goes, I don't have much. A few dozen berries to replace the ones that were rotting, but that's about it."

Something about the bit in brackets feels a bit unsatisfying to me with how it’s arranged. Maybe it’d make more sense to expand things a bit? Perhaps something along the lines of:

[ Now that you’re here, we can take stock of our current situation, especially with how we’re going to handle getting food. Guess I’ll start with what I was able to scrape together ]

Flame: “You sure are chipper about doing something you were adamant would get you killed if you were caught.” .-.
Gaius: “Shut up, that’s not canonically confirmed. And I’m allowed to be proud of a skillful haul.” >///<
Alice: “Considering how the story recently just confirmed that decimatio really is a thing still, I’ll take the under on ‘theft in the camp’ not getting a harsh punishment.” ._.;
Gaius: “Yeah, well we didn’t get caught yet. So how’d you two do?”

Gaius finished his sentence by gazing expectantly at the two of them. [Seeing Flame staring at her, Alice gave them a tacit nod.]

"I was able to collect quite a few meals from the mess hall. Let's see…" she lifted her bag's lid and widened its opening to peer inside. "Five loaves of bread, nine oran and pecha berries, and an extra water canteen in addition to our standard issue one." seeing their perplexed stares, Alice blinked and looked off to the side. "I, um, nabbed it off of someone's table. They looked pretty drunk, so I doubt they noticed."

I feel that the bit in brackets that’s currently on its own as a paragraph ought to be collapsed into the one beforehand and expanded a bit. Perhaps something along the lines of this?:

[ After a moment’s hesitation, Alice noticed Flame staring at her, before giving her teammates a tacit nod and speaking up next. ]

Flame: “Are you sure that’s a water canteen, Alice?”

Gaius: “You know, if you passed it over, I could give it a sip and find out-”
Alice: “Yeah, no. I’m pouring the contents out and refilling it, thanks.” >_>;

She resumed digging further into the bag, visibly moving some objects aside with her tail, leaning her head closer. "Oh, right—I almost forgot about this!"

A smile wide on her face, she took her tail out and dangled a head-sized ball of blue cloth that quickly unravelled into a full-length blanket. Its surface was wrinkled, with some spots showing repeated stitching.

"Why anybody would throw this away is beyond me, but either way, it's ours now. The rain seems to have washed it pretty well," she looked at Flame, only for some of her enthusiasm to retreat. "I … I know it's not enough for all three of us, but I doubt you of all pokémon would find a need for it."

Gaius: “Er… I can think of a few reasons given the sheer number of horny and substance-abusing ‘mons that share this camp with us-”
Alice: “Gaius, shut up and let me not think of reasons why this blanket would’ve been thrown out. I’d like to sleep comfortably with it!” >_>;
Flame: “Er… yeah, kinda glad I don’t need the extra warmth now.”

Flame could not help but smile at her thoughtfulness, shrugging his shoulders. "So long as we're not stuck in another ice cave, my body will do just fine."

"Oh, trust me, you're going to hate us come winter," she said with a playful tone. "You and that fire of yours can start kissing personal space goodbye. Although, now that I think about it, we could settle somewhere warmer…"

Flame: “Oh, I’m sure I’ll manage.” ^///^
Gaius: “Yeah, no. I’m getting first dibs on the heat, since if I have to hear you two lovebird it up through all of winter, I’m probably going to snap and step outside to freeze to death.” >.<

"Priorities, Alice," Gaius said between grit teeth, running a palm along his forehead. "First, we finish counting our supplies. Flame? What do you have?"

"Um, right. G-give me a second…" he stammered as he rummaged through his bag to ensure everything was still there. "Most of what I stole consists of medical supplies—bandages, flasks of Venusaur disinfectant, and berries I don't know the name of. Then there's a couple of potatoes, three slabs of salted meat, and … that's about it, really."

Flame: “It’s not a lot, but that should be enough to work with, right?”
Alice + Gaius: “...”

Flame: “R-Right?” o_o;

Flame bit his lip, and lifted his eyes from the bag. His words had left a heavy silence hanging in the tent. For what felt like entire several minutes, Flame found that he could not look them in the eye.

"Is that really all we have?" mumbled Gaius out loud, his head bent upward at the tent's ceiling, his eyes staring off into oblivion.

"It might not be impressive," Alice rebutted, eyes darting left and right, "but … it's essentially as much, if not more equipment than we've owned at any other point in our lives. I'd say it counts for something."

Flame: “Considering how you two have been living, that’s not saying a lot, Alice.”

Alice: “Flame, don’t undercut the mood.” >.<

Gaius brought his head down and spread his hand across his face, shaking his head vigorously. "No, no, that's not what I'm saying. As far as equipment goes, we might as well leave right now. We've got three different maps and a compass to guide us, plus all those items in case we need to…" his face contorted briefly, squeezing his eyes shut, "g-go through a mystery dungeon. Mew, I hope I never have to see those places again…"

Narrator: “He’s totally going to see another one of those places again.”

Though while I didn’t pick up on it in my first read, I see that Boreal Chasm really did do a number on Gaius. Wonder if we’ll see that lingering fear pop up again in the future.

Gaius recomposed himself, and met his teammates' looks with one of his own. "But food wise? What we have right now won't last us four days. And that's if we ration it with care."

Flame and Alice shared an anxious look as their teammate finished speaking, as if trying to reinforce each other's resolve. At least, that was what he felt, looking into her orbs, [trying to dig up any argument that would unravel the plan that had become their shining beacon of hope.]

I’m not sure if the bit in brackets is saying what you want it to. Since ideally, Flame doesn’t want to unravel the plan he and the gang are working on, but rather to make arguments for how said plan can still work and they’re not all completely screwed.

No hard ideas of where to start on that one, but it’s something you might want to play around with for phrasing.

"D-do you remember what we did in Portus?" Flame started, eyes wandering about the tent, his claws wringing each other in combat. "Even though we had no food, we managed to find something by hunting and fishing for all those hours. I'm, I'm not saying we'll be able to do that anywhere, but … it can keep us going."

Gaius emitted let out a sigh, and hugged his knees with his mutilated arms. "I know that. You have to remember, though, winter's just around the corner. Getting food that way won't be easy when everything will be covered in snow a month or two from now."

Flame: "Wait, we're going to just sit and wait here for the snow to come instead of heading further south where it's warmer? Shouldn't we also be able to make it to Capri in well under a month?"
Gaius: "Again, we're probably going to draw heat getting out of here. Depending on how much trouble we cause on the way out, we might not be able to safely move that far until after winter."

"All of us are scared," spoke Alice, her voice quiet and her eyes seeking the Grovyle's. "But we don't have the luxury of time on our side. You've seen what kind of defences they're making us prepare, what kind of battle they're expecting. If we don't execute our plan soon, we might never get a chance."

Flame scooted closer to Gaius' bed and settled a paw on his shoulder. It felt strange for him to comfort the same pokémon who until a few days before he would have gladly hit in the face. The Grovyle did not look at him, yet Flame thought he spotted a tiny, near indiscernible smile sprout on his face.

Pretty sure that you’re just feeling sorry for him at the moment, Flame. Since Gaius manages to piss you off enough for you to lose your temper and smack him around like 15 chapters down the pipe from here.

Lifting his eyes from their bags, Gaius let out another sigh, and shrugged his shoulders. "Whatever. Can't say I'm happy, but it'll have to do. So what, we really just get up and leave tomorrow?"

Alice responded with an uncannily silent stare. "I'm not sure. As I said before, the earlier we decide to enact our plan, the better our chances."

Flame: “Isn’t that an argument to leave right now, in that case?”
Alice: “Let me rephrase that. The earlier we leave when we won’t obviously get caught, the better our chances.” >_>;

"Escaping is the easy part, though," Flame bit his lip, scooting to the side along with his sleeping mat so he sat in between the two of them. "We still haven't decided on which direction we should head towards. What's more important, we need a long-term goal."

Gaius: “Well, there is Capri...”
Alice: “Considering how the most direct route there involves sneaking through [Naples]... let’s… think that one through a bit first.” o_o;

Alice shifted her head to him, nodding absentmindedly. "You're right. I've thought a lot about where we might could seek refuge, but my mind is still unclear. Sharing my thoughts with you two should definitely help us reach a decision."

Her eyes migrated to their former leader. "Gaius, the maps, if you would be so kind…"

"Sure thing, your majesty," Gaius huffed beneath his breath.

Flame couldn't be sure, but he thought he saw Alice become rigid for a tiny second, her gaze flying away as if caught by a sudden memory. Then, within mere seconds, she solidified her stance and returned to her quasi-permanent smile as Gaius extracted a roll of paper and unfurled it on the grass floor.

Flame: "Alice, are you sure that you're not-?" .-.
Alice: "Yes Flame, I'm not royalty. We've been over this!" >.<
Flame: "But you literally just went stiff as a board after Gaius called you 'Your Majesty' as a joke!" o_o;
Alice: "Again, the text was making it sound like you were seeing things. Which you were. Don't read into the matter too much." >.<

All three members of Team Phalanx leaned in to get a closer look. Flame recognised the map's shape from those times Alice had brought him to the library; the rugged landmass enclosed by the sea on all but one side, with more or less small islands littering the southern coastline, while a tall mountain range, acting as a natural barrier of sorts, ran along the peninsula's only land border. Gaius held the map's edges as Alice traced elegant drawings along the paper with her eyes, humming loudly as she did so.

"There's a lot of ground to cover, so firstly, I shall go by elimination," she decided, briefly scanning their faces and reading only agreement.

Gaius: “By elimination? Really?”

Alice: “Well, how else are we supposed to narrow down all of these options?”

Flame thought she looked majestic, concentrating as she was. He didn't know where that thought originated.

Because you have the world’s most obvious crush on her? :V

That, and presumably she might still have a few lingering mannerisms from her Augusta days.

"We," Alice tapped the round dot marked as 'Aesernia' with the tip of her tail, "are here. We can't go north, because that's where the Scum are. Similarly, heading too far south means entering Urbe province, which is tantamount to suicide."

"Seriously?" Gaius asked, gesturing with his good hand. "You're basically throwing away a good half of the Empire in one sentence. Couldn't we … hell, I don't know, walk around it?"

Gaius: “I’d like to remind you that we can’t go to Capri unless we go south.” >:|
Alice: “Well, yes, that’s why we’re not going there.”
Flame + Gaius: “...”

Flame: “Look, are we sure we can’t go there? I was really looking forward to those beaches!” O_O;

"Where would we go?" Alice rebutted, using her tail to draw a circle around the area beneath the capital. "The whole southern coastline is dotted with large cities firmly under imperial control. Caesarea, Tarsus, Sidon—there must be tens of thousands of soldiers garrisoning each of them. I'm sorry, but I can't see any refuge here that might be worth the risk."

"I'd say not dying from cold is a good enough reason to risk it. Do you know how much snow falls in the south? None!"

- Flame sighs -
Flame: "So Capri really is out of the running, then, huh?" -_-;
Alice: "Er... yeah. I know we were getting excited about it, but at this point in time, it's probably a bit much since there's not many ways of getting there from overland without going through [Naples].”
- Alice shakes head -
Alice: “Let's try setting our sights a bit lower first until we're sure we've fallen off the grid."
Gaius: "Well, we have overseas colonies don't we? I mean, the last teaser mentioned 'Our Benefactors' skimming off 140 years worth of war slaves, so they had to have gotten them from somewhere other than just this peninsula. Isn't there a [Hispania] or [Dalmatia] we can work with and jump ship to?"
Alice: "([Dalmatia] is just Basileia. Or at least partly, since I’m pretty sure the author mentioned somewhere that it’s also [Greece] and its surroundings mixed in too. Also I’m pretty sure that if we had a [Hispania] that it's been taken over by Scum tribes and local bagaudae that cast their lot with them by this point.) Uh... let's focus on places that are actually on the map first."

As the two bickered further, Flame's attention was caught by a small cluster of islands located some distance below the main landmass. In total, they must have amounted to five or six, with no visible inscription except for the tiny letters reading 'Lipari' atop the centremost isle.

Getting there would involve finding a boat willing to take us there, and we'd be dangerously close to all those places Alice mentioned. Still, might as well throw the idea out there.

Apart from that, the prospect of living somewhere sunny and by the sea was one he did not mind in the slightest.

So do they also have the colorful beach towns there in this world? If so, I can understand why a villainous faction would want it as their HQ. :V

Flame: "I mean, we won't need to sneak through [Naples] to get there, so it should be easier than going for Capri, right?" ^^
Alice + Gaius: "..." o_o;
Flame: "What's with that face? Too far south or something?"

"How about these islands here?" Flame pointed with his claw, keeping his head raised to gauge their reaction. "They don't look too inhabited."

Alice and Gaius stopped their bickering to gape at him as if he had grown a third arm.

"Wh-what?" Flame muttered, swallowing his sudden insecurity. "There has to be a village or something there. …Right?"

Gaius: “Well, there’s definitely something there alright.”

Flame: “... Is this going to be another ‘we don’t go there anymore’ moment like with Ravenholm Edessa Province?” ._.;

Alice blinked a few times, and met his confused expression with an apologetic nod. "I'm sorry, Flame. For a moment I forgot you had amnesia. Accessing those islands is impossible—it's been that way for over two centuries. The Imperial Navy has declared the area an exclusion zone, and intercepts any boat or flyer attempting go near it."

Alice: "Also, those are the islands where all those stolen slaves and grain have been being sent to from the teaser. I don't think we want to know what's on them." ._.;
Flame: "Oh. Er… yeah, that’s a good point. Well hey, how about we try this little village over here on the map labeled 'Sawgrass Town'?"
Gaius: "First off, you're picking places from the wrong story. Second off, if there was a Sawgrass Town in this setting, you couldn't pay me to set foot within a day's journey of a place that cursed!" >_<;

Incredulity hijacked Flame's expression was quickly overtaken by blank incredulity. "An exclusion zone? What for?"

Alice visibly hesitated, her eyes flying about his face. "It's… a complicated story. Not even I know the full answer. Essentially, approximately two hundred and forty-five years ago, these… creatures appeared on those very same islands. The Crown calls them our 'Benefactors', claiming they are pokémon of immense power who want to help our understanding of the world."

"Our Benefactors…" Flame hummed, testing the words with his own mouth. "I've definitely heard that somewhere. I think it was in some book at the library."

Gaius: “... Weren’t we literally just referring to that book like two cutaway gags ago?”

Flame: “Not canon, remember?”
Gaius: “... Right. (It sure would be a lot easier if we could pass that knowledge back to ourselves in the story.)” >_>;

Alice nodded in agreement. "They're allegedly the ones who introduced the modern tongue, and helped our understanding of physics, biology, and the wider universe. And…" Her face grew visibly uncomfortable. "And that they overthrew the old gods."

>Pax Urbana has lasted at most a whopping 144 years before Urbe almost got rekt by the barbarian invasion 110 years ago

I’m still eagerly awaiting the day to figure out what on earth Newspeak is. Since Flame being able to read the Mare Nostrum’s log from the twilight of the Republic when he doesn’t automatically understand Oldspeak seems to very strongly imply that it’s a descendant of some variety of an in-setting sermo vulgaris.

Since if Newspeak was a completely alien language, why would it already be used as a language for writing before Our Benefactors openly came crashing into this world?

Also, I find it hilarious metawise that if you were so inclined, you could technically write a prequel to your story set in the era that Alice speaks of that would be able to quite rightfully own the moniker ‘Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Overthrown’, even if it might get confusing in short order.

Gaius: "I'm sorry, and why would they just be farting around on these islands again instead of coming to our aid while Urbe gets overrun? Some replacement to the gods they are!"
Flame: "(Did that 'Ascension Programme' they were running hit a snag?) Though yeah, something's weird here. You'd think they'd do more to have the backs of an Empire so indebted to them..."

"Pfft, please." Gaius crossed his arms. "Don't tell me you believe that crap. I'd bet a thousand poké that it's all an allegory for how Pokémon began to worship the Emperor. Take How they took away our local pantheons."

Not sure if those suggestions are matching the intent there, but something about Gaius’ phrasing regarding the establishment of Urbe’s imperial cult doesn’t feel quite there. My assumption is that he was referring to it being an allegory for how it started, though go ahead and adjust as needed to whatever the intent was.

Flame: "Considering how a thousand Poké can't even buy a glass of wine anymore, that doesn't sound like a confident bet, Gaius." -_-;
Gaius: "... Just pretend there were a couple extra zeroes after it. You get what I was going for there."

"It is difficult to be certain," Alice conceded, "but there are those stories every child in Urbe hears. [Stories of what their parents or grandparents saw that day.] They can't all be legend. N-not to mention the sudden death of all attempted usurpations to the throne, and—"

Based off what you told me from my first readthrough of this chapter, I think you want the bit in brackets to be something more like:

[ Stories from their parents or grandparents passed down to them by their own parents and grandparents of what they saw that day. ]

Since I'd imagine there's not that many Pokémon that are 250+ years old kicking around right now to provide first-party accounts.

Gaius: "So wait, are these 'Benefactors' just straight-up deciding who gets to be Emperor? If so, how did we go from Honorius, [Augustus], and the [Nerva-Antonine] Emperors to what we have now?"
Flame: "Personal loyalty, maybe? I mean, Adrian in the Chapter 7 teaser basically sounded like he was ready to let everything outside of Urbe burn as long as those Benefactors got what they wanted."
Alice: "(Do we even have analogues to those last two, Gaius?) But, it can't just be personal loyalty. After all grandp- er... the current Emperor's father held the empire together in the Year of Seven Emperors when it was about to come apart at the seams! If they really have that much of a say in things, why would 'Our Benefactors' go through all the trouble of saving the Empire from death's door then and not now?"
Gaius: "Sounds like they had a use for us then, and they might not anymore beyond this 'Ascension Programme'."

Also, I already got some answers to that bit of speculation from back in the day in more recent chapters. But it’s still fun to have a trip down memory lane. ^^

A muffled groan came from Gaius' throat. "Can we please get on with our planning?"

"Right," Alice said, and bent her head down to the map once more. "Apologies."

Flame merely sat there, and blinked a few times. Old gods? Usurpations? He'd only just learnt who the current Emperor was and the myth of the foundation of Urbe; this was a few too many lessons away!

Boy would a lot have changed about this story if Alice had just thought to borrow that copy of Our Benefactors from the library before coming back along with this map. Since… yeah, the book’s authors weren’t exactly subtle about Our Benefactors’ antics in this world.

Thankfully, Alice seemed concentrated on the map now. "In the immediate term, the direction we take will not matter too much. Eventually, however, we will have to come to a decision. Wherever our future home is, it's not in the south."

Oh, the irony that Alice is the one saying this.

"Look, I'm not saying we walk into Urbe," Gaius said with an exasperated tone, running his hand down his face. "I just want to make it through the coming winter without starving or dying of cold. Is that too much to ask?"

That… really makes how gung ho Gaius felt about going through the Tartarus Mountains a week before first winter snows read really different in retrospect. Though clearly his sense of self-preservation was a bit healthier at this point of the story.

"If we manage to find a new home before winter comes, neither of those things will happen," Alice explained, looking at him directly. "I can promise you that."

Well that’s a bold assumption if I ever heard one.

"Yeah, sure," Gaius gruntled, rolling his eyes. "… This is about your family, isn't it? You don't want to go near Urbe because they're—"

At that Alice shot up in height, at that her face contorted in a quick sequence of shock, confusion, and anger.

"I am not basing this decision on my family!" she shouted loud enough for Flame and Gaius to recoil away from her.

Narrator: “She’s totally basing this decision on her family-”
Alice: “Shut. UP.”

Flame: “I’m… just going to give myself a bit of distance here.” O_O;

Flame stopped himself from falling with the aid of his paws, and watched wide-eyed as Alice directed a venomous stare in Gaius' direction, her heavy breaths audible by all.

Perhaps the most perplexing sight, however, was to see the Grovyle glance at the ground in shame.

Flame: "Hold on, Alice. I thought you said you didn't tell Gaius anything about your life as a- er... Senator's daughter."
Gaius: "Do you still think that given that description, Flame? And do you really think that's the only thing Alice hasn't been telling you about?"
Flame: "I mean, I figured that the flying thing was some sort of bogus cover story, but I'm not sure what you're getting at there."

"My … my emotions play no role in this decision," Alice half-whispered, still breathing through her teeth, a look of regret settling on her face as well. "I would never allow myself to influence your future out of selfish desire. Never."

Yeah, okay Alice.

A warm frown spreading across his face, Flame shuffled closer to her, and touched raised his paw to her mid-section. Despite having touched them in the past, he wondered at how soft her scales felt under his claws. Alice seemed to notice his touch, her features relaxing, her breathing slowing ever so mildly.

"Alice…" he murmured, sending her a smile of encouragement, giving her scales a quick squeeze.

"Sorry," she lowered her head to stare at the map again. Her eyes were quick to concentrate on the paper, yet he thought he saw a tiny, indistinguishable smile form on her cheeks.

I mean, I wouldn’t have pegged ‘bonding over how grating and off-putting Gaius is’ as a likely way to bring these two together, but hey, if it works… :V

Flame kept his paw in place and turned his head between his teammates, a small frown returning to him. "Guys, this isn't the time. We need to make a decision here, and for that we need to trust each other. All right?" he said, turning toward Gaius. "If Alice says the south is too dangerous, I trust her."

Boy does that read differently in light of the entire Thermae Himerae arc.

Gaius nodded back, his eyes low, a small sigh escaping his lips.

Flame returned his attention to the map, throwing his gaze at the area east of Aesernia, the province of Aesernia itself, then the distance of the largest cities marked on the map. It wasn't a very populated region, he mused, but this map did not account for military bases. The presence of Portus and another set of important-looking places mapped along the western seaboard led him to exclude that direction, for the time being, so he turned to the eastern lands. Just as lost as before in the vastness of the Empire's territory, he groaned slightly in frustration.

"We're in no position to be picky about climate right now," he mumbled out loud, dragging his claws around the map as his thoughts zapped one way or the other. "No, no, we need somewhere with a low population—somewhere the Army doesn't care about."

Isn’t that an argument for not running away towards the frontiers given that you live in a Roman-inspired setting and frontiers tended to give Romans problems that they needed military might to try and deal with?

"I think south-east is our only option," decided Alice, pointing at the area with the tip of her tail. "It will allow us access to the far eastern provinces, where the Imperial Army's presence is minimal. Furthermore, the population in this general area only amounts to a few hundred thousand."

After a few moments of pause, Alice raised her head to confront them directly with her gaze, a confident smile perking at the edge of her lips. "All Everyone agree?"

Flame nodded, seeing the logic behind her words. Unable to go north or south, and with an uncertain western option, it seemed like the only reasonable conclusion to reach. The farther away from the capital, the better, after all.

Oh, so there is no [Hispania] for these guys to choose from as an option here. Dunno if it just doesn’t exist in this setting, or if it’s already gotten conquered by the Scum like the Visigothic Kingdom or else taken a page from Galicia from this rough corresponding moment of history in reality and become Bagaudia.

Gaius only reacted with a shrug. "I guess…"

"Good," Alice flashed them a satisfied smirk. "Let us take this one step at a time, then. That way, even if we decide to change our goal mid-plan, we'll still be able to keep moving."

Her eyes narrowed in concentration, she brushed her tail about the map in thought, before it settled on a green-coloured area not far from Aesernia, giving onto a bay that separated the Empire's central peninsula from its eastern lands.

"Our first stop will be Basileia," Alice declared, eyeing both of them with careful excitement. "It borders directly with Aesernia province, and has for centuries represented the gateway to the east. The presence of many lakes and the surrounding woodland will allow us to pass through unnoticed, as will the many mystery dungeons in the area, if it ever comes to that."

Gaius: "... Isn’t Basileia supposed to be our [Dalmatia]. Though it feels strange that there'd only be a few hundred thousand Pokémon in the province on the way there. Wasn't this very region the site of massive revolts that gave the army so much trouble in the past that some Emperors had to buy up and free slaves en masse to staff auxilia regiments for the extra monpower? You'd think the army would care more about it."
Alice: "I’m pretty sure that I was pointing at a specific region of Basileia with my tail. And considering the state of the main peninsula Urbe's centered on, are you really surprised the far eastern provinces wouldn't be a priority right now?"
Flame: "... Doesn't that also mean that they'd also be completely undefended to Scum attacks right now, though?"

Flame absentmindedly nodded along with her explanation. It seemed almost too convenient to be true, however, that their first checkpoint would be so near to them and so easy to traverse. According to her description, they might well have crossed both provinces and arrived at the foot of the Tartarus Mountains (or so the map called the blackened zone to the east) in little more than two weeks.

At that point, he imagined that any present troops would cease to be an obstacle: with Scum roaming freely inside imperial territory, and a battle about to occur on the Aesernian Plain, the desertion of a few soldiers would hardly be the Army's foremost preoccupation.

Gaius: “You do realize that that doesn’t solve the issue of what’d happen if we ran into Scum along the way, right? Especially since Basileia canonically is also having problems with them.”

Flame: “W-We’d manage to get by just like in all our past encounters?”

Gaius: “I wouldn’t call anything about Portus and Camp Horizon ‘getting by’, just saying.” >.<

Like she said, one step at a time, Flame, he closed his eyes and terminated that line thought.

With a tiny breath, he lifted his eyelids and met Alice's expectant gaze with one of his own. "Any, uh … garrisons, or military bases we need to worry about?"

The Dragonair shook her head. "So long as we stay clear of Hadrianopolis—the provincial capital—we shouldn't encounter any resistance."

Ah yes, taking after Soviet leadership for the naming of your cities. Very nice. Though I have to wonder if Adrian spends any time chilling out there if he (or his dad) bothered to slap his name on the place.

Her tail slid across to the blackened mountain range Flame had just glanced at, the small twin orbs just below its tip following suit. The crystalline blue surface beamed gleamed of orange once it neared his own tail's fire.

Flame: “...” O///O
Alice: “Flame, not that this isn’t flattering, but pay attention to the map here.” >_>;

"The only significant obstacle to our journey will be here," she lifted her head momentarily to look them in the eye, "the Tartarus Mountains. They present a formidable barrier to any traveller, though they are not impassable. There are various valleys and passes that can help us navigate the area. I reckon it would take us two weeks at most. What do you think?"

Gaius: “You do realize that this is going to be two weeks through mountains named after a dungeon of torment in the afterlife in the winter, right?”

Alice: “(Wait, how do you know that? I’m supposed to be the one who knows all the mythology references here! And… er… if we make it to the mountains sooner, we can dodge the winter for at least a week? I mean, it’s not as if we were just going to sit on our tails for the next week here at Camp Tempest, right?” ^^;

Don’t worry, you’ll get your timing messed up for other reasons instead, Alice. >:V

While Flame could not exactly bring himself to smile at the prospect of ice-topped mountains and glacial winds, he could not fault her logic, either. They needed to travel away from Urbe, and the sooner the better, for the phantom of winter neared with each passing day.

Gaius, for his part, contorted his face in discomfort, or perhaps disgust. "Crossing the Tartarus passes so close to winter? Arceus help us… I hope you realise that if for any reason we get slowed down, we'll have to cross in the snow. Where would we even go from there?"

Ah yes, cue said slowdown barreling into their lives starting from the aftereffects of the very next chapter. o<o

Gaius: "No, seriously? Why are we not just trying to bribe someone to take us across the water straight to the far east again? There's gotta be plenty of refugees looking to bail on the region. A single Lapras would seat the three of us fine and we wouldn't need to take the long way around the bay over there."
Flame: "Because we're broke?"
- Gaius looks uncomfortably at where his left hand used to be -
Gaius: "... Right, that's a fair point. (Gods, this is going to be such a disaster. I can already tell.)"

"As I said, there are a lot of variables we cannot account for," Alice explained calmly. "This is merely a roadmap to give us a sense of direction; changes can be made at any point in the future."

Yet the Grovyle Gaius still did not seem convinced. Gaius The Grovyle absentmindedly felt for his bag with his good paw, and let out a sigh of defeat. "Fine, I'll humour you. Where would we even go from there?"

Alice rejoiced as though she had been anticipating that question, gesturing with her tail. "Once we've made it through the passes, ahead of us lies a vast desert plain, crossed by a single road that connects the many oases and isolated townlets in the area. And it is here, in one of the many trading hubs dotted about the province, that I propose we seek refuge." She looked them both in the eye, seemed to radiate hope from her very words. "Somewhere removed from Urbe, from the front lines of the war, and from most of civilisation; somewhere we can lie low for a few years and find meaning in our lives again."

I actually wonder if somehow we’ll ever see that desert region in the plot. Since… yeah, the team’s current trajectory isn’t exactly going to take them there.

- Gaius droops -
Gaius: "Wait, our analogue to [Dalmatia] is a desert in this setting? But I was looking forward to crystal blue water and seaside mountain forests!" :(
Alice: "I think it's also pulling a bit from [West Asia] given that there's no [Eastern Roman Empire] in this setting. Alternatively our world could be mirrored and maybe it's [Hispania] after all but just really dry. That said, Pokémon worlds do have exaggerated microclimates, and it'd be kinda boring for us story-wise to go from one Mediterranean climate straight into another, don't you think?"
Flame: "... If that desert's at the same northern latitude as Aesernia's plain, isn't it going to get really cold out there in the winter?"

Alice: "Uh... er... we'll go further south in it? And that’s more of a nighttime consideration anyways. If the northern parts of it aren't warm, the southern parts certainly should be!" ^^;
Flame: "(Also, this isn't solving the fact that if we're going someplace without the military present, wouldn't it also be easy pickings for the Scum?)" ._.;

A vague warmth was fuzzing somewhere inside Flame's chest. He was smiling because her plan sounded feasible, because her soft, genuine smile compelled him to smile, but, most importantly, because he could feel a sense of hope building within that tent, in both of his teammates' eyes, in their relaxed posture, in the tiny flash of thought crossing Gaius' face.

"I think … that might just work," Flame said carefully, trying to curb his enthusiasm. "The only thing that worries me is how far away it is from Aesernia."

Gaius: “How is that your only worry right now?!” >.<
Flame: “... I’m a Fire-type, so I’ll have a leg up on winter weather? Plus, if Alice is convinced it’ll work, it’s gotta be worth trying. It’s not like she’d ever steer me wrong…”
- Cue Alice suppressing a nervous titter -
Flame: “Er… right?” ._.;

"Yeah," Gaius said. "We would need to spend more time in the Tartarus than I'm comfortable with. The whole journey might take upwards of two months—that's if nothing goes wrong—but … hell, I can think of crazier ideas."

"Two months…" Alice said slowly, as if tasting the concept with her own mouth. "You're right, it is a lot. Should winter come sooner than expected, crossing the passes might become too perilous for us to attempt. We need more ideas."

Gaius: “Well, there is Capri. You know. Like we were originally planning.” >:|
Alice: “Look, we already went over in depth about why going south overland is a terrible idea and we don’t have money for a boat ride. Let’s find some other alternatives to keep in mind.” >_>;

Flame's eyes sought every small detail in the map; every variation of colour, every hill and plain, every unimportant looking town that could conceivably house them for the rest of their lives. It definitely helped that his search was confined to the eastern portion of the Empire. And yet, after a few silent minutes of thoughtless searching, Flame let out a tiny groan. Why, oh why had he not asked Alice to hold more lessons at the library? That there was not enough time for them mattered little to his frustrated psyche—beside some key notions, he was essentially illiterate regarding the Empire's territories, staring emptily at places and hoping they did not house some general's holiday residence.

Flame: “... I don’t suppose you see anything that stands out here, Alice?”
Alice: “Er… well, I’m trying, but it’s not exactly a small map to work with here.”

However, as his eyes swam back and forth and east and west, he caught sight of a curious feature in the lower part of the Tartarus range—an inscription, letters followed by a small dot that signified the presence of a town. When he paid closer attention, he noticed that that area was surrounded by segmented lines all within the mountains, subtly dissimilar from the ones used to outline separate provinces.

"Hey, uh … why are these mountains marked differently?"

"Hm? Oh, that's the Kingdom of Galatia—one of the Empire's many client states," Alice said matter-of-factly, her face straightening as though to prepare for a long speech. "It may seem strange that the Crown allows them to exist, but there are historical reasons for that."

Gaius: "... What on earth is that place supposed to be again? [Raetia]? [Noricum]? [Dacia]?"
Alice: "Pretty sure that all of those places were overrun a long time ago, especially [Dacia] if we had one."
- Alice shake head -
Alice: "Look, the point is that the Empire's weak right now and they probably can't do anything if Galatia just puts their foot down and says 'no'. So are we going to go for it or not?"
Flame: "But... Capri..."
- Gaius shakes head -
Gaius: "Yeah, I know it hurts. But let's take the low-hanging fruit first and move the story along. We'll worry about getting to Capri after things settle down. If there's anything left of it to visit, anyways."

"Mew, don't make her start…" Gaius grumbled, pawing his face.

Flame chuckled to himself and shook his head. He found it endearing when she entered this 'encyclopaedia' mode.

Gaius: “You find that endearing?!” O_O;
Flame: “... Yes? Remember that I do have amnesia, so every time she does it, I learn quite a lot from it.”

"You see, the Empire always found it difficult to subjugate the native pokémon, holed up as they were in their mountainous fort of Thermae Himerae, so they reached a compromise where the territory would pay tribute each year but still maintain most of their … autonomy…" she trailed off, whispering the last part as her eyes became struck by a realisation.

"Hang on, Flame… Why didn't we think of this sooner?! This—this might turn out to be a better plan than mine! The local government has no reason to give us away as their ties to the Empire are formal at best—especially now that the Imperial Army is too preoccupied to pose a threat. What reason would Galatian authorities have to create a fuss over a couple of fugitives?"

Again:

Let’s not even get into how this place allowed Praetorians to stage there in the most recent chapter offsite. Even if the team did hang around Thermae Himerae for a while, it’d ultimately have been short-lived as a refuge.

"It would be significantly closer than your suggestion…" Gaius hummed, a lone claw on his chin. "Either way, it's right in the middle of the road you suggested we take. If Galatia doesn't want us, we can continue on to the desert."

"So … that's it," Flame said solemnly. "I'd say we have an actual goal now. All that's left is…"

"… Leaving this rathole," Alice completed the sentence for him, grinning distantly. "I know. Hopefully, it'll be the hardest part of our plan."

Considering the absolute state of this setting, that’s a bold assumption if I ever heard one. ^^;

Quiet overcame the tent. Yet, it was not charged with tension or anxiety, as had happened to them been the case so often in the past; it was a peaceful sort of silence. There was nothing more to say because they had already agreed on everything that needed to be agreed on.

Now, the only thing left to confront was time.

"So, um … w-we're really doing this?" Flame stammered quietly, a tiny shivering fluttering at the base of his spine. "Tomorrow?"

Alice reacted with an absentminded nod. "If the opportunity presents itself, then … yes. I see no reason to wait. I wish we could prepare further more than we already have, but … we'll make this work. We always have."

Gaius: “I’m pretty sure that we’ve had a pretty terrible track record at that lately, just saying.”

Alice: “Gaius, think positive here!” >_>;
Flame: "(Virgo must really be getting into his porn mag for us to just go completely unnoticed in a shared tent like this.)"
Virgo: "Eh? What's that Flamey? Sorry, I was a bit distracted earlier. Were you saying something?"
Flame: "No, no, nothing at all! Don't want to get in between you and Miss October there!" o_o;
Virgo: "Heh, you really are a trooper, Flamey."
- Virgo returns to his smut as Gaius shoots a dirty glare -
Gaius: "Next time, just roll with things and don't question it, got it?" >:(

Flame chortled lightly, a smirk besieging spreading over his face. "I don't think we could plan any more even if we tried."

That comment snatched additional chuckles from the both of them, and even a quaint smile from Gaius' part.

Flame realised that the Grovyle had, in some ways, reverted to his older self prior to losing his limb—yet there was still an air of unfamiliarity surrounding him, some core aspect of the Grovyle that had morphed irreversibly. Was it because he was actually smiling? Now that Flame thought about it, he couldn't recall the Grovyle ever showing any genuine tranquility. And yet, there was a small quantity of that in the very face he was staring at, the same tranquility that currently hovered over all three of them, that seemed to permeate himself as much as Alice. (Was her body angled towards him?)

Boy is it cruel in hindsight to see Gaius’ false start of turning the corner as a character. Hopefully the third time proves to be the charm for him.

"Come on," broke Gaius suddenly, rising on his feet and slinging his bag on his shoulder. "The mess hall's got to be closing by now."

Alice gave him a curious look. "Let me guess: too much mushy stuff for one day?"

"Far too much," agreed Gaius with a nod, turning to leave.

Oh lol, I completely forgot about this comment. I was just making gags about Gaius being turned off by Flame and Alice crushing on each other as a joke.

Flame smiled warmly at the words being exchanged; as he climbed to his feet, his tail accidentally brushed against Alice's. For a fleeting instant he wondered why his mind chose to notice that detail.

Again, because you have a crush on her the size of the Mare Nostrum, Flame. You just haven’t been candid with yourself about it yet. :V

Nevertheless, their eyes met for only a single heartbeat as both slung their respective bags over their shoulder—or neck, in her case. Gaius parted the tent's flap and walked out, and Flame followed suit with Alice right behind him.

Even as his teammates began heading in the direction of the mess hall, Flame felt compelled to take in the darkened sky. Vast oceans of Dialga blue stretched far above, only dulling to thin rosey and orange bands as one's eye approached the edge of the horizon. For what felt like the thousandth time this day, Flame allowed himself to smile. He refused to believe that this was all a fantasy.

Perhaps the gods, sympathetic to their pitiful state, had chosen to grant him and his team this small shimmer of hope.

Whatever it was, it helped him feel at peace.

Gaius: “Whelp, congratulations, now we’re completely screwed from you tempting fate like that.”
Flame: “Oh come on, Gaius. We’re leaving tomorrow. Just what could this story possibly do to throw that off tra-”

Domus Aerelia

Flame: “...”

Gaius: “You just had to ask, didn’t you?” >_>;
Flame: “M-Maybe it’ll just be about Ariel moping about the earthquake damage?”

Muffled rays of sun leaked in from the empty skylight embedded in the roof's cement, granting shape to the room below and its two occupants. Only a single will-o-wisp torch adorned the richly decorated walls—swirling shapes of aqua green and red lined with golden borders, upon which pokémon and milky temples and ancient gods stood frozen in time.

That the earthquake had not outright destroyed her villa—never mind her precious murals—bore every mark of a minor miracle, thought Ariel, hands clasped behind her back. Her attention was fixated on a particular leaf floating atop her pool, having probably entered from the hole in the ceiling overnight. Losing her skylight's glass and letting the wind carry rubbish inside was a relatively low price to pay, all things considered.

Huh. Somehow I didn’t peg Ariel as being an artsy type, but you can’t say that it’s not period and setting appropriate for a Domus, since their owners could get a bit nuts about their mosaics.

However, the true reason she pondered dwelt on the damage her residence had endured was so that she would not have to entertain those lifeless, artificial red eyes staring in her direction from the room's entrance.

After a few minutes of pretending to ignore them, Ariel relented with a charged sigh, snapping her head in the Genesect's direction. "What do you want?"

Sycorax remained unmoving, standing perfectly straight with its arms crossed behind its back. "I understand that you would prefer not to see me, but you are the Governor of this province. As such, I feel an obligation to at least inform you of recent developments on the field."

Flame: “Pls no.”
Gaius: “I told you you were tempting fate, Flame!” >.<

There it was; the cold jolt running through her veins every time she heard that filtered, static-laden voice. Why Hadrianus had chosen to accept this … thing as a gift, much less name it the head of the armed forces, continued to baffle her. All of a sudden, the endless propaganda on these Benefactors' divine nature swam in her head once again, and she made an effort to clear it out.

Still proud of being able to call from the jump that Sycorax was a product of 'Our Benefactors' even before it came out his in-setting epithet was ‘the Godsgiven’.

"Ever since you got here, it's been nothing but one catastrophe after another," Ariel said dryly. "Just say it. Get it over with."

"Oh, I assure you, my presence has hardly been the catalyst for recent events," said Sycorax, seeming to grin slightly even though it did not possess a mouth at all. "It was merely a coincidence—a very fortunate one, I might add."

I am extremely skeptical of that version of events Sycorax is peddling given what it came out the Presence’s standard operating procedure with its dealings with Urbe were as of Chapter XXX.

Ariel fought hard to rein in the animosity soaking her expression. "What did I say?"

"Very well, then," Sycorax said, its metal armour rattling at each step as it strode forward to meet her face-to-face. "After making their presence known to the enemy on multiple occasions and withdrawing across the Iapetus river, our airborne scouting teams have provided updates on the enemy's activity. Barbarian forces sacking the village of Sperantia Nova have lifted the occupation, and subsequent reconnaissance missions have confirmed that they seem to be headed southward, as we had planned. All that remains is to fortify the bridge and wait."

Wait, the Scum went back and sacked Sperantia Nova again. How was there anything left to sack from that place? .-.

The news, however much expected, injected Ariel with a vaguely defined apprehension. In thirteen measly days, she had transitioned from being the unofficial queen of Aesernia, in control of her own police force, to ruling over a pile of militarised rubble with Scum encroaching on her walls. Oh, and this metallic crime against nature was bossing her around, too.

And yet, despite that, she could not bring herself to remain angry. Not when those bright red eyes singed a hole into her conscience—she was still not sure whether they emitted light or not.

Ariel:

Sycorax: “Nice try, Governor. But that’s not getting you out of this briefing right now.”

"How much time until they get here?" Ariel asked, attempting to stare past it, to concentrate on the lone leaf at the centre of her pool.

"Two days," the Genesect stated without a hint of emotion in its voice. "If they choose the direct route, and do not rest for the night, perhaps fewer. The defence condition level will be raised at sunrise."

More like ‘two hours’ since IIRC, the next chapter takes place on this very same night, but okay there, Sycorax.

"Drawing them right towards us…" Ariel whispered as she shook her head, her expression halfway between disgusted and uncertain. "I hope you know what you're doing."

I mean, Sycorax does know what he’s doing. It’s just that his objective he’s attempting to accomplish is completely decoupled from whether or not there’s still an ‘Aesernia’ that’s still standing at the end of things.

"Allowing them freedom of movement presented too much of a strategic risk. By leading them toward us we are essentially rigging the engagement in our favour by choosing its place and time," Sycorax explained, walking in circles around the immobile Ariel.

"Once they come across our legions, their options are twofold: they can either storm our fortifications and pay for every blade of grass gained in blood,” the Genesect explained. “Or, if they truly are as unintelligent as most claim, attempt an airborne and amphibious crossing of the river. There is, however, the chance that they may become aware of our trap and avoid the engagement altogether. Unlikely, indeed, but a possibility nonetheless."

Well, that hasn’t panned out given that there’s teasers like 10 chapters from here talking about an ongoing siege of Aesernia. Or at least not yet, anyways.

Flame: "... What keeps the Scum from just repeating what they did in Portus and dropping a portal storm on one of our positions?"
Alice: "Nothing, which is why we need to get out of here while we can."
Gaius: "How did the hell did the Emperor put him in charge when he's not even humoring the possibility that the Scum will just use the same trick they blindsided him with just a couple days ago in Portus? Is he trying to lose this war?"
Flame: "Considering some of the stuff involving Adrian and Sycorax in this story so far, I wouldn't totally rule it out." ._.;

A usual background of static followed that last word, and thus with it, ended all signs of life coming from the Genesect ended.

I’ll have to give props on one thing, every time Sycorax has been depicted speaking in this story, it’s done a very effective job at selling a sense of unnatural menace. I wonder how much of that just came naturally versus how much of it took some fine-tuning to pull off, since it’s quite a memorable feature of his character.

Ariel continued to stare at it expectantly, yet it did not move, did not have a mouth or face that could move, merely those red, glowing eyes, and the quiet, continuous hum coming from within its purple metallic shell.

Ariel broke the silence, narrowing her eyes. "Well? Don't pretend that's everything. How will this affect that mission of yours? You know, the one those precious 'Benefactors' assigned you. Are you just going to risk the whole battle to make sure this 'Icarus' is retrieved?"

Yes. Yes he absolutely is considering that leaflet he distributed to the Praetorians, Ariel.

"The operation will go forward as planned," Sycorax replied motionlessly, looking at nothing and straight into her soul all at once. "Two of my agents are currently monitoring the target until sunrise. As soon as the time is right, they will retrieve target Icarus and exfiltrate to a predetermined location. I can assure you that the VII Legion's mobilization and overall performance shall not be impacted by the absence of a single soldier. The battle will continue as if it had never occured."

In retrospect, it should’ve been pretty obvious that Virgo and Yvaine were these agents that Sycorax were referring to, since there’s a lot that this story hinted at about them to indicate they were dodgy and hiding stuff. I blame myself assuming that Sycorax would’ve dispatched someone a bit higher up the totem pole to do the honors for throwing me off.

Also:

>being willing to potentially lose two legions and leave the path to Urbe open to the Scum just to get at 'Icarus'

While saying ‘Our Benefactors’ didn’t have a use for Urbe anymore like back in the day in retrospect wasn’t quite right. They’re clearly at a state where they’re prepared to write it and the Empire off as collateral. And for good reason if recent offsite revelations in this story are to be believed.

The two battled with their gazes, glass clashing against tender flesh. Glass' glower won out in the end, and Ariel was forced to look away briefly. A sort of vapid animosity swelled her chest cavity at the knowledge that any pretense of authority had been cast away by that action. In any other situation it would be her glaring a recruit into tears. Couldn't she go back to those blissful times of bliss, when her bath was always steaming and her power uncontested?

Sycorax:

Ariel: “That was a rhetorical question!” >.<

"Fine. This whole situation feels wrong, but … fine," she grumbled, forcibly steeling her face and posture.

Sycorax made a nod, and its eyes lit up in scarlet. "Very well," it concluded, turning to leave. "Once the operation is complete, I shall leave alongside my agents to ensure Icarus is transferred to Creator ownership. I trust you will be able to handle yourself for a time."

Boy would things have gone differently in this story if Sycorax had just thrown subtlety to the wind and barreled in and grabbed Flame for himself. Or if Virgo and Yvaine stopped him before he left Camp Tempest.

Just like that, Ariel halted her breathing, her eyes swelling in disbelief as the as the reality of the situation kicked her in the gut.

"Farewell, governor."

At once she wanted to scream something, but by the time the words formed in her throat, the Genesect was already underneath the doorway, mere steps away from leaving her line of sight.

"What? Y-you can't just leave!" she reached out with her arm, waving an accusing claw. "Not after you started this mess with the—hey, come back here!" she shouted, dashing clumsily into the corridor. "Look me in the eye, damn it!"

Uh… yeah, Ariel. I don’t think you’re going to win this one, just saying.

Thankfully, as she pushed herself past the doorway and into the long, richly furnished hallway, she saw that the Genesect had stopped in its middle, deigning to look back at her.

"How could—how could you leave right now?" she wheezed, realising these might be the only words she'd get to use to convince it. "You yourself said the battle is in two days—two days. What the fuck could be so important that you need to leave now?"

Well, ‘the end of multiple worlds’ would certainly do the trick. Not that Sycorax is exactly open about that outside of very particular circles.

I do wonder how Ariel would’ve reacted had Sycorax given her a semi-truthful answer there, or if she’d have just have dismissed it as it jerking her around.

"Aesernia will be in capable hands: I have transferred full leadership of its defence to Praefect Varus," Sycorax stated matter-of-factly. "He will serve you well, governor. As for myself … I believe His Majesty Hadrianus would accept my offer to aid him in his duties. There is a war effort to coordinate, after all."

>Aesernia will be in capable hands: I have transferred full leadership of its defence to Praefect Varus
>I have transferred full leadership of its defence to Praefect Varus

Cue the ‘F’ in the chat for Aesernia and the Fifth + Seventh Legions. It was nice knowing you all. Literally the only way they could be screwed any worse with this setup would be if the Scum war chief assigned to call the shots tactically here was straight up named ‘Arminius’ / ’Hermann’.

"Well, the war is here, in Aesernia!" Ariel gestured by waving her arms. "You brought it here! And you're telling me you have to leave because some obscure group of divine beings the Emperor sucks up to is asking you nicely? What the fuck am I supposed to do if the battle doesn't go our way, huh?"

Well, that’s not relevant to Sycorax’s mission, now is it? :^)

No sooner than she was done, Sycorax turned its armoured body around completely. Ariel swallowed subconsciously; it had to have been the corridor, she thought, messing up the proportions in her head. How could it glare at her if its eyes did not ever move, or change?

"Irrelevant," said Sycorax simply. "You need not be concerned about the Praetorian Guard's affairs. As I have already told you, it is imperative for the betterment of the war effort that this mission ends in success. The Creators have offered Hadrianus full military support in return, and were that to happen, even the short-term loss of Aesernia would become irrelevant. It is not our place to question their interests."

I mean, the “short term loss” of Aesernia would result in it being a burnt-out, depopulated corpse of a province considering the established rules of engagement in this war, but I wouldn’t expect that to move the needle for Sycorax there.

"You and your Arceus-damned creators…" Ariel muttered lowly, baring her teeth, rolling her claws into fists. "These Benefactors, your creators—what the hell are they, anyway? Pokémon—gods? How come they haven't blown the Scum to oblivion if they're so powerful?"

Sycorax lowered its head in thought. Its eyes seemed to dim for a moment. "It is not a thing you can comprehend."

I mean, I’m pretty sure Ariel could comprehend. She’d probably be horrified and disgusted about the reason behind it, but I’m sure she could comprehend it… and probably need to be -ahem- removed for knowing too much afterwards.

"Fuck you! It is!" she drew closer, jabbing a claw at its metallic carapace.

It was an action she immediately regretted. No sooner had her face turned blank that she retreated her head and took a step back, trying to escape those rageful dual pupils of glass approaching her gradually, leaning forward as she leaned back, stepping forth as she backed away in fear.

Ariel: “... Nope nope nope nope.” O.O

After only a few metres of retreat, her tail and then her back impacted against one of the many small tables of wood: she turned around just in time to witness it careen onto the floor, and the gold-ornamented mirror upon it smashed against the ground in a single impact that spread a shower of tiny glass fragments all over the floor.

Her heart could not worry about that for too long, though, for she was forced to meet her stalker's eyes mere centimetres from hers. Her breath ripped away all at once, she could not but let out an inaudible whine when she realised her muscles were no longer complying with her commands.

Oh. So it’s basically exactly what she used to do to bully around randos on TFA. I can already tell that this is not going to be good to Ariel’s sense of pride afterwards. ^^;

Sycorax stared into her, filled her entire field of vision, seemed to tilt its head as one would with a small kit.

"There is a realm of existence so far beyond your own, you cannot even imagine it," the Genesect remarked with a voice lower than normal. "You seek to meddle in affairs far greater than yourself—dust struggling against cosmic winds. It is evident that you do not yet comprehend your place in things."

So in other words…

Spoiler

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ePypW6n1egQ

Ariel attempted to swallow; she could not. It bothered her far more than it should have that she could not swallow.

Uh… no, that’s something that’s pretty proper to freak out about, since if you can’t swallow, you probably can’t breathe either. ^^;

Even as Sycorax pulled its head back, and Ariel felt oxygen slowly start to return to her lungs, it continued to glare at her with a passion that artificial eyes should not have possessed.

"Make no mistake, Ariel: the Creators do not owe us help of any kind. We exist because they desire it; and we could end because they demand it. Before them, you and I are irrelevant."

Correction, you exist because of them since you were literally built in a lab, Sycorax.

"O-okay," she breathed out.

Seemingly content with its work, Sycorax stepped back a few paces, then gave her one last look.

"For your own future, do not interfere with the Praetorian Guard's affairs. Your current position as governor of this province is frail enough as things stand—do not complicate matters further. This meeting is adjourned."

At that, Sycorax turned completely, and with a brisk step, disappeared at the corridor's end.

Live look at Ariel about 2 minutes after this entire exchange, give or take a few fine details:

And while Ariel drowns her sorrows out in frozen treats and passum, let’s take a glimpse at what the future holds for this story, hm?

"After all, no one is stupid enough to prefer war to peace; in peace sons bury their fathers, and in war fathers bury their sons."

—Herodotus

I have to wonder what determines where and when you opt to go for real-world instead of in-setting quotes for your teasers. Not that it’s not fitting for the events of the next chapter. Though Herodotus obviously never expected the Romans to make it big since they (and Urbe) would lol hard at that commentary.

Gaius: "... Isn't the entire history of Urbe literally us being at war with somebody either outside the Empire or inside it?"
Flame: "That doesn't mean that it's something that has to be preferred."
Gaius: "Could've fooled me with the way that the army acts and official propaganda presents things."
- Alice frowns -
Alice: "I have to wonder where the author who wrote that quote is from. It just sounds so unlike anything I'd expect anyone of importance to say here in Urbe."
Gaius: “My money’s on Basileia. It sounds like something that a stuck-up philosophical type from there would write.”
Flame: "I mean, some of the commentary you two had didn't sound that far off. But let's rest up. We've got an army to skip out on next time.”

Alright, time for the postmortem for this thing:

It’s a transitional chapter, though Chapter XVII did and still does a fantastic job at building up a sense of suspense for the readers, since everything about this chapter just screams “the shoe’s about to drop”, and looking back over it a second time, I definitely picked up on a lot of details and hints of where the story was going in later chapters that I didn’t notice the first time around.

As for things I was less enthusiastic about. There’s not a ton beyond some nitpicks here and there that you can gather from this writeup. Maybe it’d have made sense to yeet part of the opening scene from the next chapter here as an outro stinger to emphasize that Flame’s about to be in for a really bad time to throw in a bit of action / extra suspense considering how it’s not exactly short, but eh. It still works decently without it.

Great work as usual @Shadow of Antioch , and I’ll be looking forward to giving a second eye to your story as it rolls out here on TR. It’s definitely a story that’s grown close to my heart ever since I decided to give it a chance on a whim last year.

 

[Shadow of Antioch]

Chapter XIX: Animus​

---

15th September, 745 AUC

Primary objective failed. Target Icarus was intercepted by enemy troops while en route to our location. Escorting agents confirm presence of enemy leadership at abduction site.

Secondary objective is safe and in good health. Awaiting further instructions.

— Message sent by Supreme General Sycorax via priority psychic channel to Emperor Adrian.

---

He opened his eyes to find himself in a dark room, on a straw bed, wide-eyed and short of breath.

Despite having just regained consciousness, he knew immediately that something was wrong from the sheer tension gripping his chest. His head still felt wobbly, however, and when he dared to shift from his prone position he groaned loudly at the sharp pain tearing his back in half.

Falling back down, he bit his lip, then spent the next few seconds sucking back precious air into his lungs. He did not understand. He could not remember why he was like this. His muscles, raw and heavy, pulsed and burned as though a remnant from some titanic physical effort.

His eyes remained fixated on the braided ceiling of whatever room he was in. This was definitely not his tent in Camp Tempest. This ceiling was triangular in shape, rising much taller than he was used to, with a long line of interwoven thin bamboo-like sticks supporting what he could have sworn was hay peeking through the cracks. He then realised that it was the light streaming from an opening in one of the walls that allowed him to see those details. Taking a deep breath through his nose, he found that the place smelt distinctly of fresh soil and unshowered warriors.

What is this place? He blinked, unconsciously grabbing onto a clawful of straw. Why am I in a bed?

After barely a moment of indecision, he caved to his curiosity and reluctantly craned his neck up, just barely managing to resist the feeling of his heavy muscles threatening to rip apart. Biting his lip, he quickly glanced around and saw nothing more than a dead fireplace and some roughly-cut wooden furniture spread around the gloomy room. He did not manage to see much more before the physical strain got to him and he was forced to let his head down amidst heavy pants.

Even still, he had the map of the room burnt behind his eyelids: his bed sat squarely at the corner, directly opposite to the only door. He did not recall ever seeing this place before in his life. Thus the question persisted: why was he here? Why did every part of him hurt so badly? What had happened?

Just as he began waddling through his mind for possible answers, he heard voices coming from somewhere beyond the walls.

His mouth froze open for a few moments. Breathing, and quickly collecting himself, he concentrated on the voices completely: there were many of them, droning on and on and sometimes taking turns to speak as though engaged in discussion. Flame thought he could discern between male and female, but not their exact number. He bent his head to look at a particular spot on the wall next to him where the voices were coming from. There was something … unsettling about their speech, though Flame could not grasp exactly what.

Suddenly the gravellier of the voices asked something, then answered his own question, a small chorus of laughter erupting at whatever had just been said.

Flame held a grimace, feeling uncomfortable for more than one reason now. The way they spoke … was it the inflection that made them feel almost alien? They were close, yet he still couldn't make out any words, and on top of that, there were certain guttural sounds—certain consonants, especially—that he was sure he had never heard before. This …couldn't be a question of regional accents, could it?

Wait, no. A thought hit him as his chest tightened. It can't be. These can't be the—…

He sat up suddenly with a fluttering heart. The Scum! These were Scum speaking! He'd been captured by their leader and brought here, with them, who knew how many kilometres away from his friends!

No, no, no, no… He clutched the side of his head with shaky paws and whispered profanities beneath his breath in an attempt not to panic.

How could he have forgotten? The mental image of the Dusknoir looming over him was still burnt into his vision, that deathly red eye drowning him with its glow. Something in his chest twisted tighter. All those memories, once buried by haziness, sprung to mind all at once to knock him out of his stupor: he saw Yvaine saying that his teammates were gone, captured by Sycorax and the Praetorian Guard before they could enact their plans; he felt the fear, the living wave of Scum rushing towards him, the fighting, the screaming all around—then the Hydreigon's blood-chilling roar, followed by Virgo's terrified face as he interposed himself between the huge Hydreigon and Yvaine. Alice…

Despite a thousand thoughts of doom running through his mind, the foremost one was somehow of never being able to see Alice or Gaius again. What would he do without them? His heavy breathing reverberated around the heavy wooden walls of the hut.

In his distress, he didn't notice that one of the voices had ceased to speak and that there was an audible pattering of feet until too late.

The door creaked open, light flooding a narrow sliver of the room. Flame shot his head towards it, suddenly incapable of breathing. A feminine-looking Braixen timidly leaned her head inside, only to jump in the air with a yip at the sight of him staring back, and slamming the door shut behind her, all in the span of a few instants. He heard the Braixen patter off yelling something along the lines of "Er ist wach! Sir, er ist wach!" over and over again.

As the voice became distant, Flame merely sat there with his eyes still pinned against the door, surprised at his own lack of reaction despite the tightness gripping his chest. Perhaps it was because he knew that nothing could be done, and it was little use worrying.

He remained still as a statue, lowering his glance, feeling the sudden urgency to do something without knowing what. It's too late now, a voice told him; they knew he was awake. They would come take him at any second. He glanced at the door, but he knew in his heart that whichever settlement or camp he was in must have been home to dozens of other Scum—and he knew that he was far too weak and exhausted to even attempt fighting his way out.

Flame couldn't help but scowl, a bitter taste entering his mouth. His eyes were still held at the floor. In a last desperate attempt, he glazed over the room for any item that would give him a clue, but nothing came to his rescue. It was a sickening feeling to know that he could do nothing to prevent whatever they intended to do to him.

The first scenario to play out in his mind was that they planned to execute or otherwise hurt him, but it did not hold up long under rational scrutiny. They would not have brought him here alive only to kill him. More importantly, though—he quivered in utter shame at the thought—there was the affection granted to him by the Scum leader on both occasions they had met. That large hand encompassing his shoulder and half his forearm, that smile, that sincere smile of the kind one would give to a long-lost friend… Those last two words, uttered into his soul…

My child, he repeated to himself, his eyes blank. He said 'my child'.

A sense of helplessness took hold of Flame as the implications of those exact words hit him like a charging Rapidash. It was beyond obvious by now. Whereas previously he'd had the luxury of being able to forget about his apparent connections to the enemy—the weight of his daily duties enough to stave off the tormenting thoughts—he would now have to face the reality of the situation. Between those repeated gestures and being brought here alive, in a bed, not even Alice's wishful thinking could circumvent the obvious truth. Not that she was here with him, anyway.

His eyes drifted slowly to the ceiling. All this time, was I really one of them?

The question shook the very core of his being. In that moment, he felt any shred of personal identity he had cobbled together since that fateful day crumble at the realisation that it had all been a lie. His southern origins, his entry in the Empire's armed forces, everything.

After all this time searching for clues about his past, he could finally be certain of one thing: that prior to losing his memories, he had been a part of the Scum. Somehow, he struggled to find joy in that.

That was, until the door creaked open.

An aurora of light swept into the room, forcing Flame to cover his eyes until the door was shut and the gentle penumbra returned. Hesitant to lower his forearm, he did not flinch upon finding a large grey phantom standing before the front door. It wasn't doing anything; it simply floated there, immobile, peering down at him with that large, glowing eye.

Flame managed to hold the creature's gaze for all of three seconds. After that he looked away, feeling himself shrink miserably like a cub cowering from an angry parent. He scolded himself for his cowardice. Though he could see the creature creeping forward from the corner of his vision, Flame insisted on staring at his modest tail fire as though it were the most interesting thing in the world.

Realising it was hovering in front of him now, he attempted to puff his chest and harden his expression to hide the utter terror that was making him quiver underneath. He could not help it: he was scared, he was genuinely scared. Still, it was impossible to pretend that the Dusknoir was not by his bedside, that he could not see its wispy tail floating off the ground. At once he became disgusted at his own cowardice. He needed to be strong, damn it!

With an air of finality, he rose his stare only to be greeted by the Dusknoir's waiting smile. Its lone eye seemed to carefully scan his body before it spoke.

"My child." The words reverberated in his soul, sending a shiver down his spine and causing him to flinch. "How are you feeling? You look … miserable," he said with a tinge of melancholy. "There are multiple scars all over your body, and you are frightfully thin. Although … I suppose that last part about you has not changed."

Flame opened his mouth and held it open for a good few seconds, but found himself unable to speak. His lips became incredibly dry all of a sudden.

It was speaking to him telepathically. This was by no means a first in his life, for he recalled Yvaine doing the same not long ago, but he could not help but be affected by it that much more. Flame's thoughts continued to race for a few moments before the Dusknoir's words finally sank in.

My … health? He blinked. He's worried about my health?

Feeling more confused than before, Flame looked down at himself from his sitting position. He winced when he noticed that indeed, he did look pretty beaten up. There was a near-contiguous rift on the scales of his thigh, the remnant of little hole marks back from when that Carnivine had chomped down halfway through his leg. That one had mostly healed, though—significantly fresher and a lot more noticeable were the patches of faint purplish scar tissue running diagonally across his individual ribs and down one of his forearms. Oh, and there was the one behind his other thigh, too.

Wracking his mind for any more scars, he remembered that there was also the one on his face; as if on cue, he brought his hand up to his cheek to feel it. The thought of the sheer number of wounds he had sustained in his short time on this world etched a scowl on his face.

Dear Arceus, he was really messed up.

He looked back up at the Dusknoir with a tiny sheepish smile, shrugging his shoulders—before realisation set in and he reverted back to his deadpan face.

The Scum leader, however still and impassible, seemed to pick up his brief overture of emotion. His eye merely enlarged with bemused interest.

"What did they do to you…?"

Flame did not utter a breath in reply.

There was something about the way that question was asked. Maybe it was the softness or slowness with which it was spoken, or maybe it was because he actually sounded sad when he'd asked it. But it filled him with a bit of warmth, as if his heart were being swathed in a blanket. That was not the voice he had expected from an enemy. But perhaps, said a whisper in his mind, it was the voice he should have expected from the Dusknoir.

What was happening to him? Was he appreciating the Dusknoir's company? Was it the sincerity in his words? Was there something seriously wrong with him?

To further confuse his train of thought, the Dusknoir smiled sympathetically and placed a hand on his shoulder, encompassing his forearm like he had done so many times before. Flame instantly turned rigid out of instinct, and flinched away from the hand.

Stop liking him! Flame shouted at himself, scurrying backwards. He's a goddamn criminal. You're supposed to hate him, not embrace him.

The Dusknoir let it fall back to his side, offering him only a look of disappointment. "There is nothing to fear, my child. You can speak. You are safe here."

Yet Flame did not feel safe; he couldn't help it. He was hungry. He was scared. He was in some gods-forsaken place he didn't know about, surrounded by pokémon he'd actively fought against all of his short life, in the presence of their leader, still wondering whether his teammates were even alive. Had they been executed for attempted desertion? Would they be hanged in the public square—forsaking him and his plan between their final sobs? Squinting as he trembled momentarily, he knew that his heart would never be able to bear such guilt.

"O-okay," breathed out Flame, unsure what else to say.

A confused warmth had settled in his chest. He became angry with himself for letting his heart steer his guard away, even if for a few seconds. His heart rate was rising noticeably with each new emotion being added to the cauldron that was his mind right now.

Damn it, Flame, focus! he scorned himself mentally as he grit his teeth. This isn't the time. He can sense that you're feeling vulnerable. Focus!

He came back to attention just in time for the soft, understanding smile on the phantom's mouthless face to vanish, his expression turning more serious.

"As glad as seeing you here after all this time makes me, there is much we need to discuss."

Flame found himself nodding; perhaps breathing fire at his face the first time they had met might have had something to do with that.

"First of all, your condition. You are acting strange. Unnatural. It is obvious that something has happened to you in the months since we became separated, and that it is weighing on your conscience."

Flame swallowed uncomfortably. He knew the discussion would come to this, and he hadn't exactly made an effort to keep his fear of the pokémon in front of him a secret.

"I can see it right now: you are scared of me," the Dusknoir looked down at him, single eye drilling through his willpower. "It is as if you do not recognise me. When we finally met again on the outskirts of Portus, you … you attacked me." He said with no small degree of hurt. "Your captors were cornered and no longer had the means to harm you. I was offering you safety. Yet you attacked me."

At that accusation, Flame felt gripped by a very uncertain degree of shame. Perhaps it was the fact that for the first time, one of the supposedly heartless Scum he had fought so many times was confronting him over his actions; perhaps it was because he was now aware of being very close to this pokémon once.

"I'm sorry," Flame muttered without quite thinking, his eyes cast low.

"I do not ask for your repentance, my child," the Dusknoir said, unmoving. "I merely seek to understand. Can you tell me why? Did you not recognise me? Did the enemy coerce you somehow? Have you forgotten our cause?"

Flame's eyes wandered off as he contemplated his response. He was in no real position to lie, was he?

"I … I don't … I don't know," Flame blurted out, lowering his gaze, shaking his head weakly. "I can't remember. I can't remember anything."

There. It was out. He took a small breath, observing that it felt good to get that out; hopefully now the Dusknoir would stop addressing him with the assumption that everything between them was how it used to be.

"My child … what do you mean by that?"

Flame scowled slightly and clenched his claws into fists.

"I mean that I can't remember anything about my life," he continued matter-of-factly, feeling oddly numb as the words came out of him. "I don't know who I am, who my parents are, who you are, or how you even know me. The earliest memories I have are waking in some cave alone and scared, with no one to turn to. I…"

He paused, chiefly because he did not know what else to add. Suddenly the ridiculousness of his situation sunk in: he was spilling his life story to someone who until not so long ago he considered his enemy. He'd been told that the Scum were rapists and murderers, a backward and brutal people who glorified violence. The images of the burnt-out ruins of Sperantia Nova resurfaced in his mind. Now, he was about to justify his allegiance to their leader.

Flame produced a tiny sigh. He hated how kind this Dusknoir was being to him.

"I joined Civil Protection because the team that found me took me in. They gave me food, and … and some form of purpose in life." He shrugged. "What else could I have done? I don't know what this 'cause' is. I don't know anything."

The Dusknoir did not appear to react immediately. When Flame lifted his gaze, he found him merely looking at him, expressionless, as though absorbing what had just been said. The phantom's expression morphed into a mild curiosity, and he made a tiny nod with his head.

"… I see. That would explain the numerous anomalies present in your behaviour. Why you are afraid of me, why you hesitate to talk. Yes, it would explain everything…"

Flame merely sat there, somewhat surprised when the Dusknoir stopped talking at that. He had expected something … more to come from his revelation. Some sort of reaction beyond mere acknowledgment.

Just as he raised his head to look at the Dusknoir directly, the phantom lowered his body closer to the ground to just above his level, only to then place both of his hands on Flame's shoulders as a look of empathy filled his face.

Flame merely gawked, turning rigid as his conscience turned ever more conflicted.

"My child, I cannot imagine how difficult it must have been for you," the Dusknoir's voice echoed in his head. "I sense that you speak the truth. It is easy to see. I am truly sorry for what has happened. They did this to you. I am certain of it."

They? The Imperial Army? Flame thought, speechless, a whirlwind of thoughts rushing through his mind at the hypothesis being presented to him.

"Think about it, my child: how else could your memories disappear like this? It had to have been deliberate. Your mention of Imperial agents finding you only further reinforces my suspicions." The Dusknoir shook his head slowly. "No, there is no other logical explanation for this. That it would happen to you of all pokémon only makes the Empire's involvement more likely."

Flame remained with his mouth open as he processed the implications of such a scenario. It seemed to be the exact reversal of the hypothesis Alice had devised upon meeting him: that some powerful Scum psychic was to blame for his state. And while he trusted her—Arceus, he trusted her completely—there was no denying that the Dusknoir's opinion was probably a lot more informed than Alice's haphazard guess. This pokémon knew him—or at least, he used to know him. If he felt that the Empire had a reason to target him specifically, then he probably ought to listen.

Flame swallowed the bitter feeling building up in his mouth. He looked away. Doubts, tiny doubts began to creep into his mind. Suppose everything had been orchestrated in advance, before his awakening; suppose that meeting Alice and Gaius was no mere coincidence, and that they had merely faked their surprise…

Something became lodged in his throat.

No, it wasn't them. It couldn't have been, he thought, clutching his head with his claws, as though to prevent those doubts from gaining any more ground. Even if someone working for the Empire did wipe my memories, there is no way that Alice and Gaius were responsible. Or—or involved. I … I don't even think they're physically capable of mind reading!

While he remained steadfast in his conviction that his teammates were innocent, he could not be so confident when it came to basically every other aspect of his situation. The Dusknoir's argument was at least plausible enough to linger in the back of his mind, much like a dull ache.

Flame could merely sigh and let his shoulders sag further downwards. He was much too tired to deal with these thoughts.

"They will pay for what they have done," the Dusknoir continued, offering him a brief smile. "Both to us and to all of pokémonkind."

Flame nodded along vaguely without really knowing why. He noticed with increasing alarm, however, that the Dusknoir seemed distracted, glancing at the door every so often. Silence hung heavy in the air—and Flame was suddenly afraid that he would float off elsewhere, leave him alone here without any of the questions buzzing in his head answered.

The Dusknoir raised his head in thought, hands clasped behind his back. Flame swallowed nervously upon noticing the yellow motif on his stomach, designed to look like a mouth with wicked eyes.

"You are exhausted," the Dusknoir spoke suddenly, causing Flame to jolt at the voice intruding in his thoughts. "That much is obvious, considering the lengths you must have gone through to survive yesterday's engagement."

As he said that, the Dusknoir hung his head, a note of sadness in his voice. "I… wanted to sincerely apologise for what happened during the battle. I ordered the assault on Aesernia in hopes of finding you inside the city—not in the front lines. Had I known…" he trailed off, his eye flashing with regret before he shook his head. "It matters not any longer. You are here, now. With me. I will ensure that our mission continues in earnest."

Frustrated at the continued mention of this 'cause' he was apparently involved in, Flame mused that the questions piling in his head significantly outweighed the ones being answered.

And it was that line of thought that brought him to a sudden realisation. One that his tired and fearful brain was somewhat aware of, but had not fully acknowledged until now.

This creature used to know him. Not only that, it … he could provide an answer to every unknown that had plagued his soul since the moment he had first awoken—an open window into his past! Unbridled excitement began rustling through his veins. Whether or not the things he would learn about his past would weigh on his conscience mattered little in the rush of adrenaline. Was this not everything he had ever hoped for? His life's goal, one that had seemed a mere hopeless fancy not a few days before, now standing right in front of him!

When he set his eyes on the Dusknoir once again, it was with a tired, newfound grin. One that faded just as quickly as it had formed when he noticed that the Dusknoir was no longer facing him.

"I … understand if you require a moment to collect your thoughts, or to rest. I have told the exiles to bring you food and water; they should be coming soon," the Dusknoir said, floating away before turning to look at him one last time. "Sleep well, my child. Know that you are safe now."

Only then did Flame jolt out of his sleepy stupor.

"N—no, wait!" he blurted out suddenly, extending his arm towards the Dusknoir. "I have so many questions—there is so much I don't understand…"

Observing that the Dusknoir had stopped and was now looking at him, he let his arm fall slightly. He had to seize this chance. He couldn't possibly be expected to sleep until at least a few basic questions were answered.

Flame breathed heavily, for a new determination swept through his veins; he had to ask. He had to relieve himself of this pressure weighing down his chest, tormenting him, pervading every moment in his life. He couldn't wait any longer.

"F-for instance, who are you? How exactly do you know me?" asked Flame before he could properly think it through.

At that, the Dusknoir looked deeply … hurt, in a way, almost as though he were directing that same question to his very life mate. It lasted for little more than a second—yet it was more than enough for Flame to feel horrible at asking what was, all things considered, a very valid question.

"I apologise, my child," the Dusknoir shook his head, sending a look of apology. "It is not your fault you are like this. I have yet to fully realise that you no longer have memories of our past experiences."

He bit his lip as the Dusknoir processed his pleas, eye staring up at the braided canes making up the roof of the hut. He could hear a soft gust of wind rustle the canes.

"While there are far too many things to explain for you to possibly comprehend, especially in the state you are in… I understand," the Dusknoir said after some time. "It is only natural that you are scared. You have been taught to view my people and I as some sort of heartless monsters. The least I can do is to provide you with peace of mind. Very well, then. I will answer your questions to the best of my abilities."

Mouth hanging open in excitement, Flame stifled his breath and leaned in, as though he might miss something critical if he didn't listen closely enough.

"I, much like you, do not have a proper name. We were not granted such a luxury by our enemy." Despite the sober tone of his words, the Dusknoir smiled suddenly with a certain fondness. "However, the exiles—those who you probably referred to as Scum—have taken a liking to the name Daedalus. I believe it belongs to some type of prophetic figure in their pantheon. If you find that easier, you are welcome to refer to me as such. It does not matter much to me, either way."

Flame felt something lodge in his throat at the implication that he'd never had a name. It would have explained why he could not remember it for the life of him. But how was that even possible? How could his parents not have given him one? So many questions, so many…

Okay, he said to himself. At least I have a name to work with for this guy. Daedalus… Doesn't really tell me much.

"… Flame," he muttered in a low voice, feeling a strange surge of determination flowing through him. "My name is Flame. I … my teammate gave it to me."

Daedalus' eye appeared to gleam with a certain paternal pride at the news.

Flame, however, found himself contemplating the finality of his declaration. Perhaps it was better this way, in a somewhat cynical sense. It would have been very strange for him to suddenly learn his true name. He could only guess at how bizarre it would feel to start calling himself something other than 'Flame'. He didn't know if he could ever get accustomed to that.

"Fascinating," Daedalus said, his smile widening. "It would seem that both of us have only been given a name of our own after coming to this world. Very well, my child … Flame. I am happy for you."

Coming to this world? he repeated in his head, merely another unsolved mystery to add to the pile that had been forming.

Although his first question—how the Dusknoir … this Daedalus knew him—had not been fully answered, the mounting pressure of ignorance in his chest meant that he could not help another from slipping through his throat.

"Why do you call me your child?"

He severely doubted that Daedalus was literally claiming to be his father, but at this point he could hardly be sure of anything.

For the first time, Flame heard the phantom chuckle in his head, something that simultaneously jolted him and made him feel strangely at ease.

"I suppose that in our brief time together before being separated, you were the closest thing I ever had to a child … and I the closest thing you ever had to a father. Let us return to your original question, lest we become lost in an ocean of petty details."

Flame had to reluctantly nod in agreement; while he did not like it, he knew that he couldn't possibly hope to understand every single detail of something as complicated as one's life. Least of all his own. All he needed for now was … something.

"So, I … I never had a name?" he said as dejection entered his voice. He'd figured he would have been more upset by that fact.

Daedalus closed his eye and hung his head in a nod. "I wish it were otherwise, my child. While in captivity, the enemy saw fit to deny us a name—to deny us our rightful family. We were nothing more than tools in their schemes of conquest. It is why, after escaping their grasp, I swore to rid the world of this menace; an oath that you swore alongside me, although you cannot remember it."

Now Flame was growing more confused. He now understood the Dusknoir's initial hesitation to reveal the details of his past. Learning that he had been born without a proper name or family was difficult enough; now he was being told that he had also been born in captivity. The ramifications of that bothered him greatly.

Was it conceivable that he had been the son of slaves—perhaps belonging to some powerful senator or provincial governor? Suppose his parents' master had taken him away from them, and raised him to remain a loyal servant, or perhaps to become yet another legionary, sparing his master's own sons from conscription…

It made sense—at least at face value. It would also have explained many things, chiefly his lack of a proper name. It would have explained why he and Daedalus would have escaped their grasp, and why they would be plotting revenge.

What it did not explain was nearly everything else.

Flame blinked as doubts began to puncture holes into that theory, one after the other. Had he not established that he was once part of the Scum? Was Daedalushimself—their leader—not a Scum, too? There was also another question that did not sit right with him as his mind raced: if he was merely a runaway slave, why would they see fit to take a measure as drastic as wiping his mind clean of memories?

Now that he thought about it, it would have made sense. Perhaps to wipe away thoughts of rebellion…

Flame squeezed his eyes shut and groaned through pursed lips. He realised that it was quite senseless to keep theorising when he could simply ask the pokémon in front of him.

He looked up to Daedalus with an uneasy look. "So, you're saying we were … born into captivity? As slaves?"

"Perhaps. Whether we were born into captivity or were prelevated as kits by the enemy's Imperial collaborators, ultimately, it doesn't matter. I cannot remember ever seeing my biological parents. I believe you told me the same thing," Daedalus said, followed by a small shake of his head. "Perhaps it is better that you do not remember, my child. Our upbringing in the enemy's captivity held no moments of joy. Perhaps … perhaps you are the lucky one between us."

Amongst the wealth of blood-chilling information that the Dusknoir had just given him, it was the words 'Imperial collaborators' that derailed Flame's train of thought completely. He remained still for some moments, his mouth hanging slightly open as he stared into nothingness in his attempt at understanding what those words could have meant.

"I … don't understand," he blinked rapidly, a scowl overtaking his expression. "When you say 'the enemy', aren't you—isn't that the Empire?"

Daedalus let a minuscule amount of frustration leak through his posture; a mouthless sigh. "That is why I was hesitant to talk while you are in this state. There are too many factors involved. Too many things you cannot yet comprehend. Your recovery will be a long and arduous process."

"I know," Flame lowered and narrowed his gaze. "But … I need to start somewhere. If you know something about my past, I deserve to be told."

Daedalus seemed to accept his reasoning, and took a few moments to think.

"Make no mistake, Flame… The Empire may have wronged my people in the past, and it may be their troops whom we fight on dozens of battlefields across the continent—yet they are far from our true enemy. No, the Imperial Court of Urbe is merely a vassal to an even greater menace to this world: the Presence."

Flame quirked his brow. The term did not tell him anything, yet it held a mysterious aura that proved to be ever so slightly disturbing.

"You may know them as Benefactors, as the Empire likes to call them. Gods of supposedly immense power that few beyond the highest echelons of the Imperial Court have ever witnessed personally."

"O—oh," Flame's eyes lit up. "I remember that. Someone … someone explained it to me."

Daedalus' eye widened ever so slightly. "Is that so?"

Sensing the Dusknoir's interest, Flame instinctively stopped to squeeze his mind of any further information—before his rational side kicked in and began wondering why on earth he would do that. Was it really a good idea to share what he knew? Even if he had once known this pokémon, there was still no reason for him to be so trusting.

"Y-yeah…" Flame muttered, eyes shooting from side to side. "I … don't know much, though. Never really had time to look into it."

Daedalus nodded understandingly, but Flame could see in his eye that they would be revisiting this issue later. It wasn't fair—what he'd said was essentially true. He knew very little that could be of use.

Nevertheless, Daedalus clasped his hands behind his body. Flame took note of how much wider that pose made him appear, how imposing he suddenly looked.

"Imperial scribes paint the Presence as gods of unimaginable capabilities, whose sole aim is to uplift us to a higher plain of knowledge, to expand our understanding of the universe around us."

Flame hummed quietly, the Dusknoir's words ringing true in his memories.

"I remember Alice…" He darted his eyes to the side. "Uh, m-my teammate explaining it the same way."

"I was certain you would have been exposed to such propaganda. The power and capabilities of the Presence are undeniable, yet I can assure you that their intentions go far beyond 'enlightening' the pokémon of this world. Their ultimate aim is to subjugate every free pokémon of this world—and if they cannot achieve that, to exterminate them."

"How … how do you know all this?"

"In the two hundred and forty-five years since they first entered our world, the Empire has undergone a cultural, linguistic, and religious shift the likes of which have never been seen—every change directing our society along the paths they desire. Their arrival heralded the first portal storms. If there is to be a single source for most of this world's ills, it can be found in the Presence."

Flame felt his soul pierce by the look that Daedalus gave him.

"We know it better than anyone, Flame. The exiles know it too."

Flame merely sat there for a few moments, absorbing all that he had just been told. So the Scum's true enemy—his enemy as well, apparently—was not the Empire? It was a group of god-like pokémon he'd never seen or heard about except through word of mouth?

He did not know what to make of that. Unsure how else to continue the conversation without further confusing himself, he turned to the most recent question running through his head.

"So, you and the Scum—uh, I-I mean…" Flame quickly muttered out, eyes fluttering to and fro as he realised the nature of the term he had used.

Daedalus' amused laughter echoed in Flame's head at his sudden nervousness.

The Dusknoir shook his head with an empathetic gleam in his eye. "Fear not, my child, I take no offence. It is the only name that you have been taught for them."

Daedalus looked back towards the door, both of them now aware of the hushed chatter coming from somewhere outside.

"The exiles refer to themselves as Teutonii—which,interestingly enough, is what the Imperial administration itself used to call them for centuries until their exile. Having no proper word in their language to refer to themselves, the tribes have appropriated the term and made it their own."

A wide, knowing smirk grew upon Daedalus' mouthless face. "I find the parallels to our own situation to be… fitting."

Once Flame caught on to what the Dusknoir was referring to, he was inclined to agree, albeit with a sense of unease. The Scum once had no identity of their own, instead accepting a name given by someone else. He could not help but feel sad for some reason.

"So…" Flame continued, not wishing to get bogged down in his thoughts. "You are the Sc—err, Teutonii's leader, correct? What I'm wondering is … if your real enemy is the 'Presence', these Benefactors, then why are your people are out there fighting the Imperial Army? What good does that do?"

Daedalus raised his lone eye up to the ceiling. "A struggle borne of ignorance. The Empire does not know of the dark shadow they are perpetrating upon this world. Regardless of that, we fight for them, too. We fight to protect all of pokémonkind, whereas the Presence fights only for its own selfish motives. If and when the Imperial Court sees this, I will gladly end the struggle and join forces."

"I just … don't understand why you're wasting your forces on the Empire. What good is it accomplishing? I mean, my…" Flame hesitated briefly, but pushed aside his doubts. He had every right and reason to say this. "My friends are in that army. They almost died because of this war."

Only once Flame was done speaking did he realise how odd it felt to be confronting the leader of the Scum so openly on his group's crimes. He briefly wondered where he had found the tenacity to speak like that.

Flame looked up to find Daedalus deep in thought, hands clasped behind his back. A sudden terror gripped him—would his mindlessness come back to haunt him? …No, Daedalus did not strike him as angry. Unable to bear the wait, he began fiddling with pieces of hay between his claws.

It was then that the door creaked open.

Flame jumped in the air, and both he and Daedalus turned their gazes to the now-open doorway. The short Braixen standing there froze in place; the tray she was holding trembled briefly as her eyes squirmed between the two occupants, before she managed to regain composure.

Stepping inside with a measure of indecision, the Braixen halted some distance away from Daedalus. She extended him the tray, showed him a sheepish, if nervous smile.

Flame craned his head up from his sitting position. He could somewhat make out the contents of the tray, namely a small porcelain jug, as well as what looked like… meat, perhaps? Gods, he hoped so.

Daedalus motioned towards the small table opposite Flame's bed, an amused look on his face; she bowed with zeal and set off across the room.

Flame followed the Braixen with his eyes as she moved to the table. Her fur was visibly unkempt, mattered with dirt and grime in some places (he thought he saw a twig poking out of her bushy tail)—yet aside from that, she looked… unremarkable.

Carefully setting the tray down on the table, the Braixen shot Flame a fleeting look of curiosity; her feminine gaze met with his for merely an instant before she broke off and made for the exit in a barely contained jog.

In her rush, she left the door wide open.

Flame had to squint as he looked towards the light streaming through the doorway. While the entire room was now bright and visible, the outside showed only ill-defined dark masses.

He blinked vigorously and rubbed his eyes to get rid of the spots floating around his vision; looking back, he found Daedalus staring at him expectantly.

"Come," The Dusknoir looked at him. "Perhaps it is better if you see them for yourself."

Flame merely stared wide-eyed as he metabolised what Daedalus had just said.

He wanted him to meet the Scum. Or Teutonii. Whatever. He presumed that's what "them" meant. Flame looked down at his tail, suddenly frozen in indecision. He didn't know if he wanted to see them for himself. These, after all, were the same pokémon who had endeavoured to kill him numerous times in his short life—quite nearly killed him during the battle—and who he had in turn slaughtered like animals. Visions of the living wave charging against his trench line sent a chill down his spine: hundreds and thousands of individual Scum crashing towards him, screaming wildly, sharp teeth lunging at his throat, their faces full of paint and bodies unwashed with mud.

And yet the Braixen that had just left had looked nothing like that.

Well … apart from the personal hygiene aspect. Now that he thought about it, though, he recalled being just as grimy as any Scum from waddling in the trenches.

His chest awash with nausea from the memories, Flame clenched his eyes and forced himself to focus on the issue at hand. Daedalus was still looking straight at him.

And Flame still could think of nothing to reply with.

Growling at his own indecisiveness, Flame was suddenly gripped by a sudden impulse. He stood up, his eyes set on the tray that sat on the table, and limped over to it in a glaze. Struggling to keep his balance without support, Flame set an arm on the table to help support his weight. He grasped the jug in his paws and tipped it over in his maw. His parched throat and lips suddenly felt alive again as he swallowed gulp after gulp of water.

Setting the now much lighter jug down on the tray, he shut his eyes and exhaled deeply.

Much better, he thought with the slightest hint of a smile.

As much as he wanted to avoid thinking about this and go back to sleep, it was not a choice. His smile disappeared as quickly as it had emerged.

He figured that so long as he was their captive, it would be pointless to hide in this hut. The Scum could still force themselves in if they so wished. Escaping, already a difficult idea to sell to himself—particularly after seeing the outcome of his last escape plan—would be unthinkable if he did not even know where on earth he was.

The more Flame reflected on the Dusknoir's offer, the more difficult it became to justify refusing. The more numb, realist portion of his mind gained ground in his general apathy. He was not looking forward to seeing and being surrounded by his former enemies, but at the same time it was not as if he could do otherwise. He was being held captive, and he had to accept that. Plus, stepping outside would at least help placate the anxiety eating at his innards by catching a glimpse at the terrain surrounding whatever village he was in. Or … at least, he assumed he was in some kind of village.

Once again, he told himself, there was no way to be certain without walking outside to see.

"O—okay," he breathed. "B-but won't they…"

Even though Flame never completed that sentence, Daedalus caught onto his core message. "Flame, you are safe here. Nobody will harm you. No matter what Imperial propaganda may have conditioned you to believe, they are your brothers in arms."

Flame stayed quiet for a few moments. He could not bring himself to believe that.

"… I killed some of them," said Flame in a near whisper, averting his eyes from the judging gaze.

"You knew no better. They will understand."

With a small sigh, Flame relented, not wishing to argue further about things the Dusknoir could not understand. He was far too tired for that.

Daedalus motioned him towards the door. His heart heavy in his chest, Flame accepted the invitation: he stepped forth, raising an arm to shield his eyes, though they had by now gotten used to the increased light levels. He saw some kind of gravel path and another house across the other side. There were voices and movements coming from fairly nearby.

Before he could go back on his resolve, Flame completed the last few steps to the doorway. He stopped only at its threshold, lowering his arm and instead squinting his eyes to look around.

The first thing to catch his attention was the house right across from the one he was in, its thatched roof at least twice as tall as the white stone walls it sat on. He saw the sky from the edge of his vision, and couldn't help but look up for a moment.

Upon convincing himself that he was outside, he followed the gravel path with his eyes down one of its ends: further down the road he saw more houses more or less exactly like the first, white stubby walls covered by oversized thatched roofs, with what looked like the steep incline of a hill towering behind them.

And yet, his eyes immediately flew to the small gathering of pokémon standing only a dozen metres away, in front of the next closest house.

Flame's heart jolted and he slammed his back against the doorframe. He saw six or seven pokémon, large and small—Marowak, Jolteon, some sort of huge steel-plated lizard, others yet he didn't recognise, speaking hushedly as if collectively awaiting some important event.

He found himself further gripped by a sudden terror when one of the barbarians noticed him—most had their backs to him, but one of the few who didn't now pointed at him with wide eyes; now the others were turning around as well: a dozen eyes homed in on his soul.

Flame flattened himself further against the doorframe. His heart began thumping in his chest, his claws shaky; his eyes began scrambling to identify escape routes. A quick glance to the other side of the road revealed yet more Scum—perhaps even more than the first group. Some were beginning to approach him.

No matter how many times Flame told himself that he couldn't possibly escape, escape was the only thing his panicked mind could come up with. He couldn't stop staring into their eyes, feral, curious, questioning. The concentration of their gazes threatened to drill a hole into his conscience.

It took the whole of his willpower plus a quick glance around him to know that running away was impossible, as the twenty or so Scum began creeping closer and closer to get a good look at the curious newcomer.

When Flame attempted to back away into the house, he was stopped by Daedalus' hand gripping his shoulder, locking him in place. The physical contact eased his tension somehow. Seeing that he was not indeed about to be attacked, though nowhere near at ease, he took deep, slow breaths to calm himself. Now the barbarians surrounded him and the entrance to the house in a sort of semi-circle; the small crowd was three-pokémon deep in some parts, at least twenty or thirty of them, he estimated.

He turned his head about and stared each of the pokémon up and down, feeling awkward at the knowledge that they were probably doing the same to him. Among the variety of species before his eyes, Flame struggled to find any reliable similarities: he had to scan his eyes across multiple times to sense them. Some of the males had their chests or faces painted over with strange wobbly patterns; those who had fur kept it ruffled, marred by grime or paint; he could sense a general disposition against showers from the smell that surrounded the air.

And yet, if he had to be honest, he couldn't find much difference between them and the proles he would see on the streets of Aesernia.

The strangest thing to Flame was how their looks of curiosity had now turned into awe, unbridled admiration, now that their leader stood behind him. He looked at many of them in the eye, and found nearly the exact same emotion in every one of them. The Braixen from earlier was there too, smiling widely for some reason. The Marowak next to her was clutching its bone with both paws and staring at him with wide eyes, as if he were some sort of prophetic figure.

"Look at them carefully, my child," Daedalus gestured to the gathered crowd. "Look around you. Do you see it? These people are the living testimony of the enemy's ultimate goal. What they plan to do to us."

Flame looked over his shoulder at the Dusknoir, his confusion clear through his face. The sheer surrealness of this situation still made it hard to properly reason. He was surrounded by dozens of his former enemies—enemies who had slaughtered dozens of his comrades only a day before, and who were now smiling at him. Welcoming him, even.

"I imagine," Daedalus began, "that the Empire's intelligentia are squabbling to theorise why my people have migrated into their lands—why we fight a bitter struggle that is entering its twentieth year. Is that true?"

"Y-yeah," Flame darted his eyes around, recalling Alice's opinion on the matter. "There's some theories, like … like portal storms forcing you to move, but nobody knows for sure."

"The answer lies closer than they think," Daedalus said with a tiny smirk, before hanging his head slightly. "Approximately twenty-six years ago, the Presence embarked on a genocidal campaign in the lands north of the Spearhead Mountains—the lands these people had lived on for centuries. Their steel ravens rained fire on village after village, ending thousands of lives before they could even fathom it. Ask any one of them who is old enough, and they will tell you stories of the horrors they witnessed."

Flame blinked, absorbing everything in silence. Only then did it strike him: he was being given the answer to a question that plagued common soldiers and military hierarchists alike.

Well, there was no guarantee that Daedalus was not indeed lying, or even omitting parts of the truth, but… he felt compelled to trust him. Flame struggled to understand why; perhaps it was the sincerity and warmth in his words that had this effect on him. Perhaps it was all part of some plan to lure him to their side. If so, it seemed to be working quite well.

"There was no hope of fighting back," Daedalus stated matter-of-factly. "Those who survived had no choice but to flee southward. Now, they are forced to fight merely to keep the land they are living on."

Once again, Flame said nothing in response. He looked at the crowd that was still gathered around him and their leader, still listening in. He was almost certain that the Dusknoir was broadcasting their conversation: the cheeriness in everyone's eyes had subsided. A Raichu near the centre of the circle clenched its eyes and turned away from him, while many others stood rigid with as neutral an expression as they could.

And yet, Flame said nothing. He bit his lip in frustration. However insensitive it may have seemed, he genuinely didn't know what to think. With all the fears and thoughts running through his head right now, he simply didn't have the energy to feel sad about this. Their continued staring only served to make him feel guiltier somehow.

"You have asked why we fight even if the true enemy hides behind their minions," Daedalus continued, hands clasped behind his back. "Well, my child, there's little else we can do. To refrain from fighting would be equivalent to accepting our subjugation at the hands of the Presence. We cannot allow what happened to them to happen to the rest of pokémonkind."

The Dusknoir remained silent for a few moments, his head hung, as though deep in thought.

"We know that even defeating the Imperial Army is unlikely to help us. But … it's the only thing we can do to resist. Besides…"

Then, Daedalus looked straight at him, with a wide, knowing smirk that, for the first time, made Flame genuinely afraid of the Dusknoir.

"Things may be about to change."

Flame attempted to swallow the lump lodged in his throat. This look could only have one meaning: that he somehow factored into the Teutonii's plans. He'd never asked for this. All he'd ever wanted was to regain his identity, live a peaceful life with his friends. Was that too much to ask?

"You see, Flame," Daedalus said, still smirking. "Our information on both the Empire and the Presence is rather… limited. We may know their wider intentions, but what we don't know is everything else. Their organisational structure. Troop counts. Military strategy. So much else. Probing prisoners is … impossible when most are so afraid of us that they decide to kill themselves once captured."

Daedalus turned back from his musings to stare at him again.

"You, however … you have been exposed to Imperial propaganda. You know their tactics, their inner workings—perhaps even the location of their troops and major cities. Eventually, you may even help us take the fight directly to the Presence."

Flame winced slightly under his frown. Something tightened horribly in his chest.

So that's what this was about, he thought, his eyes cast to the ground.

This was what the Teutonii truly wanted from him, beyond the pleasantries and the warmth. They wanted him to turn against his former allies. The mere thought of that revolted him from the inside—and that was despite feeling no particular allegiance to the Empire in the first place.

Flame stared briefly at the awaiting Dusknoir, then darted his eyes to the side.

"If what you wanted was information, you really should have kidnapped someone else…"

Daedalus regarded him with a renewed look of shock, and an emotion bordering on betrayal. "A kidnapping? Is that what you see this as?"

"… K-kind of," Flame replied in earnest. "I don't know."

Unsure what to do, and considering that same question himself, Flame spontaneously found himself taking a few tentative steps. His face remained impassible when the crowd of Scum parted slightly as he wandered forward, granting him passage amidst the stares.

He looked around him as he did so: to his left was a great hill that towered over the village he was in, its steep incline covered in pine trees and patches of bright flowers. He stopped for a moment and looked to the other side, the house he'd woken out in no longer in the way. What lay behind it took Flame a few moments to comprehend: water, a huge, crystalline expanse of sapphire that stretched all the way to the horizon, where tiny pine trees marked the opposite shore.

Mouth agape, Flame took a few more steps forward, this time in the direction of the lake. He stared at its incredibly pure surface. Only tiny, imperceptible ripples in the surface of the water disrupted the pure reflection of the sky above and the distant mountains.

In his moment of distress, somewhere, the water helped make him feel calmer.

"Flame…" Daedalus said from behind him, sounding almost sad. "I understand that you do not wish to be here. That you would prefer to go back to the only place you have ever known. It's only natural."

Flame did not turn. He didn't want to hear it. He didn't want to stare the Dusknoir in the eye as he said it.

"Unfortunately … you can't leave."

Flame felt his heart flutter at those words, and he shot a paw to clutch his chest. It had not sunk in until now that he would more than likely never see Aesernia again. Or his team. That, according to the Dusknoir's words, this would be his new life from now on.

Flame squeezed his eyes shut as he attempted to hold back the storm of emotions brewing inside him.

He knew right away that he didn't want this. As ecstatic as he may have felt upon finally learning something about his past, it all felt meaningless without Alice and Gaius.

Flame was catapulted out of his thoughts when something cold and smooth settled on the back of his neck. It was the Dusknoir's hand. He turned and watched him stare down at him with his radiating red pupil.

"I'm sorry. I cannot let them get to you—not after I've finally found you again." Daedalus explained, his eye narrowing with each second. "Our cause is too important to risk for some friends you made. If you want the best for them, you will not escape. You will accept your new life and join our cause. You will help them in the only way that is meaningful."

Something about the Dusknoir's sudden severity made something inside Flame snap.

For the first time that day, Flame steeled his face. His paws balled into fists as determination finally flowed through his veins. He finally knew what he wanted to do now: he would find them. He didn't care if this Dusknoir would allow him to, or whether he risked some form of punishment; as soon as he figured out where on earth he was, he would go and find them.

He owed them that much.

Looking back to Daedalus, he saw that his momentarily harsh stare had subsided to a milder, sadder look.

"I … cannot possibly hope to ask for your forgiveness after ripping you away from what little life you had with the Empire. What I can offer you is safety. A home. A family."

Flame turned around when he noticed the Dusknoir gesturing with his arm. His eyes landed on the small group of Teutonii still gathered tightly on the gravel, all of them watching with interest. The Braixen from earlier was still there too, smiling warmly for some reason.

"They may speak a different language," Daedalus said with a certain warmth in his voice, "but they are warm-hearted and strengthened by their trauma. They will happily welcome you in their community, if you so wish."

Flame's face contorted in a mixture of guilt and disgust at the suggestion. He simply couldn't bring himself to live alongside pokémon whose relatives and friends he'd personally slaughtered.

Flame let out a shaky sigh, unable to stand the sheer weight of the emotions bubbling in his chest.

Raising his eyes to glaze at the shimmering lake, his mind wandered back to the last evening spent with Team Phalanx—the three of them still planning an escape, still believing. The image of Alice's hopeful smile was burnt into his memory.

There was a small whisper inside him, gripping at his heart, wishing with all its might that he was back with them again—that they could get a second chance at that peaceful life they'd dreamt of.

But it was far, far too late for that now. His stupid plan had failed, and they were all going to pay the price for it.

---

End of Chapter XIX​

 

[Spiteful Murkrow]

Heya, back for a fresh bump to this review series for one of your more pivotal chapters in the narrative thus far. Namely, the chapter in which the members of the audience less clued-in to Roman history learn exactly why you should never trust somebody named 'Varus' with anything remotely related to fighting barbarians:

Chapter XVIII

Spoiler: Line-by-Line

Camp Tempest

Flame's eyes flew open and his body jerked awake with a gasp, as a sudden, screeching blare exploded into his eardrums from within the tent. He shot up to a sitting position, his limbs still wobbly, the loud whine subsiding only to return mere seconds later and defying his attempts to block it out with his claws.

Although his vision abounded with shadows and forms, he could just make out his teammates and the other pokémon present stirring in the penumbra in differing states of awareness.

"Uh? Wh-what's going on?" slurred a half-awake Alice, her head lifted from her sleeping mat.

Further away from the entrance, Yvaine was already standing on four legs, albeit shakily, while the Gabite by her side was in the process of doing the same.

"The alarm," the Umbreon gasped, her eyes wide. "W-we must report to the Captain. Right now."

Flame: “That… ain’t good.” o_o;
Gaius: “Gee there, Pliny. Whatever made you come to that conclusion? The alarm or everyone being in a panic right now?” >.<;

Flame let out a heavy groan, and continued to hold his ears closed as the alarm—which he had now determined to come from his and every other communications badge simultaneously—blared for the dozenth time in intermittent whines.

The next thing he knew, he was half-shoved to his feet by a pair of single-clawed paws, the last vestiges of his stupor shaken away alongside his shoulders by an energetic Virgo.

"Get up, Flamey!" Virgo shouted, his signature grin quickly building upon his face. "One minute's shorter than you think. Come on!"

Flame: "'One minute'?! Who on earth builds a one minute warning system?!"
Yvaine: "It’s a one-minute warning to assemble. And would you rather have received no warning like your former comrades at Camp Horizon?"
Flame: "That doesn't make this okay! And why is Virgo smiling now of all times?!"
Gaius: "Because he's always smiling and laughing? Why, you could gut him like a fish, and I'm pretty sure he'd still find something to snicker about."
Virgo: "Well, that and I like myself some combat. And it sounds like I'll be getting a chance to show you three how it's done right now!"

Flame somehow managed to retain enough awareness to grab his bag and sling it over his shoulder, even as the alarm deafened his senses; then, he somehow managed to stumble one foot in front of the other until he was fully outside the tent.

The moment he let the entry flaps fall behind him, he saw that all his tentmates gathered just outside. He brought his head around in full circle to find a world that had descended into organised chaos. Frenzied shouts mixed with the ever-present alarm, as barely defined columns of legionaries kicked up small clouds of dust up and down every main and auxiliary path in sight—far too many shapes for his brain to distinguish at once.

Flame: “Please tell me that there’s not a Scum army right outside Camp Tempest right now!” O.O
Yvaine: “... Define ‘right outside Camp Tempest’.”

"Why is everyone—" he started, before a speeding Feraligatr shoved him off his feet, a cry of surprise leaving his mouth.

"We're in the way—just follow us!" Virgo shouted over the repeated rise of the alarm, and began dashing in the same direction as the other legionaries without looking back once.

Flame: “Wait, why am I running along with with these guys instead of in the opposite dir-”
Virgo: “Hm? Something up, Flamey? You don’t want to be running against the crowd in a moment like this!”
- Flame looks at Virgo and Yvaine -
Flame: “(Right, those would be two pretty big reasons there.) Th-Thanks for the heads-up.”

Flame only had a scant few seconds to gape at the fact that Gaius of all pokémon offered him a paw. He took it, and hoisted himself back onto his feet, from which he started jogging to catch up to the others. Alice had fallen behind for them too, and now the three ran side-by-side in an effort to stay within sight of the Umbreon and Gabite some ways ahead.

Whilst most of his brain remained focused on running, Flame attempted to establish eye contact with either of his friends, to read something—anything—in their eyes. They did not see his attempts. He bit his lip and cursed loudly inside his head. Now more than ever, he wanted nothing more than to figure out what this all meant for their plan, whether the battle they so feared was coming right now, right as they had agreed to finally take the final step in their plan. Would they still be able to leave? Did they have to act quickly before their last window of opportunity shut?

Gaius: “Yeah, great time to try and figure that out there...” >_>;
Flame: “B-Better late than never?” o_o;

Then, the alarm coming from his communications badge ceased at once. Flame thought he heard a ghostly echo repeat in his ears as he continued jogging rhythmically. In its stead, a dry, unsettling voice was broadcast.

"Attention, attention all units," the voice stated with uncanny professionality. "General Sycorax has instated a threat condition level of five. Aesernia is under imminent enemy threat—I repeat: Aesernia is under imminent threat. All combat personnel must report to their commanding officer for further instructions, and await transportation. May our Emperor's light guide us toward victory. Esto perpetua."

That feeling when that exact same phrase is likely used by another faction in this setting in a similar morale-raising capacity. Just not rendered in the same language and with some differences in nuance.

Flame: “... I never stopped to think about it, but what the hell does ‘Esto perpetua’ mean anyways?”
Alice: “‘Let it be perpetual’. Semantically, I’m pretty sure it’s supposed to mean ‘May he endure forever’ in this case since I’m pretty sure it’s directed towards the Emperor.”
Flame: “... Wait, the same Emperor who’s a Dragonite? What sort of light is he providing to guide anything-”
Gaius: “Oi! Can you not say that out loud around the dozens of Legionaries all around us here?!” >_>;

It was not an instantaneous reaction: at some point during the speech, Flame felt a gradual spike of pressure begin to grip his chest, his innards, his spirit. His step faltered, and though he continued running out of sheer momentum, he found that he could no longer breathe—not as every single certainty he held crumbled away before his very eyes.

That was all it took in the end, he thought: one day’s of discrepancy, one enemy army marching just quickly enough to unfurl their plan at the seams. He kept running, but he could no longer picture in his mind the bright, warm house in some idyllic mountain town that had been occupying his dreams that night. All he heard was his heartbeat, his harrowed breaths, and a little voice in the back of his head that kept squeaking 'Oh shit, oh shit…'

I mean, ‘plan’ is a bit of an overstatement there, Flame. ^^;

Flame: "Why did we not just cut and run while Virgo was looking at his porn mag?!" >.<
Gaius: "Sorry for us wanting not to starve the moment we bolted from camp! We weren’t exactly ready to leave anyways!" >_>;
Alice: "Just saying, I'd been recommending we run away from the plot since Chapter V. Back when Capri was still a viable option." >_>;

His breath reemerging in shaky threads, Flame sought his teammates' eyes once again, and this time, they too found his: though he could not quite see Gaius clearly, he saw the emotion in Alice's pupils—something in between terror and finality.

However, he did not have nearly enough breath to run and talk at the same time. The opportunity came when he and the other dozen or so legionaries he was following gradually slowed and joined a large semi-circle of pokémon massed around the Captain's tent. Flame hardly paid attention to the fact that the Captain himself was standing there, in the centre of the semi-circle, and bounded his way to the edge of the crowd, where Alice and Gaius were. The reciprocal looks they exchanged all told the same story.

"What do we…" he murmured.

"Meet as soon as we're there," Alice said in a single breath. "We stay together, all right?"

"Yeah," Flame said. "O-okay."

Flame: “Wait, so are we actually deserting here, or-?”
Gaius: “(Oh my gods, Flame! Learn to whisper!)” >.<

"Like hell they can keep us here," Gaius grumbled, single fist closing. "It's today or ne—"

"All right, soldiers, listen up!" the Captain yelled out, killing Gaius' voice and drawing all eyes to his crimson carapace, pincers hidden behind his back as he steeled his posture.

Gaius: “Uh… maybe they can keep us here, actually.” ._.;

"You heard it already: news from the top report that the entire contingent of Scum roaming north of here is less than two hours away from our fortified bridgehead, and closing in fast. Your orders are to reach our defensive positions before they do and pray that you actually dug them well!"

Gaius: “I’m pretty sure that I outlined at least 3 ways in which those defensive positions weren’t dug well in the last review, so…”

Alice: “(Er… yeah, about that plan to desert again? Let’s try and come up with a way to make it happen, and quick.)” o_o;

An unnatural silence followed. Everybody stood agape, a cloak of apprehension settling among the legionaries. Flame mused that he did not know of any prayer he could recite to the gods. He also mused that he hadn't really cared much for the gods before now.

Gaius: "Did an entire legion of five thousand mons seriously leave nobody at the defensive lines for a moment like this?!" >_>;
Alice: "To be fair, if they did, wouldn't we still need to hurry out to reinforce them? You saw what the Scum army did to Camp Horizon..."
Gaius: "(More like we saw what happened when Sycorax couldn't be assed to send anyone who understood basic A2AD to advise us. Even if they probably snuck in through the Mystery Dungeon, there was one uphill road we needed to cover and I don't exactly recall the story mentioning many Scum fliers!)"
Flame: "Should we be worried that the rest of the legionaries are acting this worried? They are supposed to be the experienced ones, aren't they?"
Alice: "... Just keep your eyes open for an opportunity to run. Urbe's Legions aren't what they used to be."

The Captain, rigid as ever, unhooked a pincer from his back and pointed it at the Camp's staging area. "I want you geared up and ready at the northern gate in five. My personal contingent will be transported with me. The rest of you, get off your asses and find a carriage. Expedite!"

Flame: “(F-Five minutes to desert, huh? W-We can work with five minutes! It’s still good! It’s still-!)” o_o;

Route 165—10 km north of Aesernia

Flame: “Oh my god.”

Everything that could have gone wrong, Flame reflected, had gone wrong.

The signs had begun making themselves apparent during his departure from Aesernia. First, they'd been separated from Alice—part of her duty as the Captain's bodyguard, they'd told her, was to always travel alongside him—then, somewhere in the confusion to board a carriage, he'd lost sight of Gaius too.

Gaius: “Why did we not just cut and run?!”

Alice: “... There were too many other soldiers watching us?”

Flame: “... Wait a minute, if we’re not all together right now, how can I even hear you-”
Alice: “... We all have badges?”
Flame: “Aren’t those supposed to be issued to squad leaders-?”
Gaius: “Oi! Stop questioning the one good thing we’ve got going for us already, this isn’t even canon!” >.<

So, not only had neither of his teammates been there when he disembarked from his carriage right on the southern bank of the Iapetus, but when the Captain shouted at him to move his tail to the trench lines across the river, he could not find them there either.

Gaius: "I mean, the Scum could've dropped a portal storm right on top of us before we even left Aesernia, so no. Not everything's going wrong here."
Flame: "Oh dear god, he just jinxed us, didn't he?" o_o;

Part of him questioned why he'd crossed the bridge in the first place. Perhaps it had been the wrong choice—but under the Captain's direct scrutiny, and with his teammates yet to be found, it was not as if he could simply disobey an order.

Regardless of that, it was too late to back out.

Flame: “... I don’t suppose these ‘mons would buy that I had a stomachache-?”
Captain!Scizor: “You finish that statement, and I’ll give you a stomachache by feeding you your own entrails.” >:|
Flame: “... Yeah, I didn’t think so either.” o_o;

"Take point!" one of the more senior-ranked legionaries shouted over the uncanny silence. "I want you to turn every damn inch of that hill into a killzone!"

Flame blinked out of his racing thoughts for a moment, and he became aware all at once that he was squeezed inside a muddy trench. No, the front trench. He raced his eyes around in time to witness a line of equally mud-soaked legionaries taking position inside their firing positions—small cut into the earthen rampart that separated the trench from the hillside below, as well as the wider plateau. They were meant to expose only the head and upper body to the battlefield below, allowing long-range attacks to be exchanged while protecting most of one's body.

Gaius: “Aaaaand I knew that there not being an embankment to hide behind the trench was a terrible sign. Seriously, how are the Scum not going to turn these trenches into a giant death trap if we lose air superiority for any reason?” >.<

It was, he had to admit, a surprisingly well thought-out position: any oncoming Scum would need to charge across the entire plateau, then scale the slope the trench was built into—a task that was impossible at certain points of the hill's base—all while under the constant harassment of Imperial artillery and troops.

Gaius: “Have these ‘mons never heard of a bastion fort? We have artillery. You want to be on top of the hill, and make your enemy go through the trench where they get bogged down and picked apart!” >.<
Flame: “... Isn’t that anachronistic for our setting? I’m pretty sure that those fortifications were built in mind for gunpowder weapons.”

Gaius: “These trenches are anachronistic for our setting, so that’s not an excuse!” >_>;
Flame: "Er… well… uh… A-At least we have aerial support for our positions this time? Right?"
Alice: "Eh? But shouldn't it be fine if we don’t since the Scum more or less just came overland with simple tactics last time?"
Gaius: "Because even if they didn't bring fliers this time, without aerial support, they could just rain Blast Seeds on us sitting in these cramped trenches with Psychic-Types or something like a stolen onager and blow us to bits without ever leaving the bottom of the hill?" >.<
- Beat moment -
Alice: "... Er... yeah. Seeing something like a Salamence flying over our side would be a real comfort right now." ._.

And yet, all that rational praise went out of the window as Flame took slow, shaky steps to his own firing position.

He reserved a look to the Dewott and Electabuzz and Ninetails doing the same to his right. They all looked no older than him—the Dewott's tiny, contorted face betrayed what could barely be passed off as an adolescent. The water-type was visibly hesitating to take the last step; his eyes were locked to the earth below, and his digits were squeezed tight around his bag's strap.

Well, that’s certainly a mood. And I take it that this Dewott’s no Noah in terms of experience or strength there. It’s a subtle little detail that’s very effective at selling the sense of brutality and desperation involved in the Empire’s war effort.

Flame could understand that sentiment perfectly. Which was why he pushed the Dewott out of his mind only moments after he'd gained his empathy.

Flame hopped onto his firing position, and for a few seconds, as he stood tall on the raised dirt platform, his eyes were greeted to by a vast, untamed prairie extending hundreds of metres below—a bowl of sorts, enclosed by stubby hills on all sides but one. A stone road cut through its centre and disappeared into the sea of black pine trees to the north.

Not a moment too late, Flame threw himself onto his knees, unwilling to expose himself to the coming threat. A vague tremor shook his chest. With unsteady claws, he took hold of the strap around his shoulder, and lowered his bag into the filthy, brown sludge.

Shorter version of that entire sequence:

- Flame peeks out over the trench -
Flame: “... Nope nope nope nope…” O.O;

With [that] over, Flame slumped back against the same wall: his claws immediately flew to cover his face. He could not bring himself to care that his rear and knees and legs were now coated in filth, nor that his bag was likely suffering the same fate. All he could do was squeeze his facial muscles and hold back the sense of dread building up within him.

This is really it, muttered Flame inwardly, clutching his bag tighter against his side. It's actually happening. I can't just sit here and— … There has to be something I can do!

I think that the “that” ought to be explicitly spelled out. I assume it’s something like “his flicker of bravado”, but it’s a little hard for me to divine from context.

Gaius: “I mean, right now, it seems like you’re curling up and just waiting to die.” >_>;
Flame: “I meant something other than that, Gaius.” >.<

A series of long, primal shrieks came from far above him. Flame jumped, his claws leaving his face and his nose flew to the sky. Tiny coloured figures, all donning sporting different-sized wings, swept across the air in a static arrowhead formation until they had disappeared over his hole's dirt wall. Overcome by curiosity, as well as a strange nervousness, he brought himself to his feet and peeked over the half-wall.

Flame: "Oh thank gods, we do have aerial support this time." ._.;

It was then, the moment he gained view of the sky above the soon-to-be battlefield below, that his eyes grew wide at the sight of a second, smaller cloud of flyers intercepting the first's path, the distance between the two shrinking by the instant.

Gaius: "... And so do they. Guess we lucked out that they didn't seem to show up at Camp Horizon given how south things went, since I'm pretty sure we'd all have died there if they did."
Flame: “Th-They could also be our fliers, you know!” >.<

For a few moments his mind clung onto the hope that these were two Imperial Squadrons scouting the land ahead. Then a lightning bolt snaked through the sky, he could not tell from where, followed by a beam of white energy and a stream of flames. In the blink of an eye, the whole sky seemed to erupt all at once into a cobweb of electricity and ice and fire as attacks escaped the chaotic mass of pokémon by the dozens, prompting Flame to duck his head even though most of the attacks streaked harmlessly through the air.

Flame: “...”

Gaius: “Seriously, why do you bother getting your hopes up like that, Flame?” >_>;

Despite that, he could not stop watching the spectacle unfolding before him. He continued to watch even as the communications badge pinned on his bag crackled to life.

Waaaaaaait a minute, I thought that normally those were distributed a one-per-squad basis. Or is there a difference between “receiving” and “transmitting” badges in this setting?

"All units, this is Praefect Varus—callsign 'Keystone'," a sharp voice blared from the badge. "Our Aerial Squadron has just made contact with enemy air forces over our forward defences. They report heavy ground movement in the woods approximately one kilometre to your north. Prepare for immediate contact. Saturn units, prepare to fire on my orders!"

Gaius: "Okay, why don't we have any aerial units covering us right now when for all we know that Scum formation in the woods does?"

Flame: "And shouldn't there be something our side should be doing to try and support our guys in the air? Like whipping up Tailwinds or using Rain Dance or... I dunno something?" O_O;
- Alice sharply inhales -
Alice: "It's Praefect Varus' strategy. He surely was taught from the best in Urbe and has an accomplished military record, so we should be alright... (I hope.)" ._.
Gaius: "... You don't exactly sound convinced there yourself, Alice."
Alice: "I dunno, something about being led by a 'Praefect Varus' just makes me feel uneasy, but I can't put my tail on it..." ._.;

As his eyes followed the first steaming carcasses tumbling down into the forest akin to tiny meteors, Flame's spirit sunk once and for all. Pressure built behind his eyes, and every breath he took seemed to suck more air out of him than it introduced. Yet, it was no use crying.

He had to be strong—now more than ever.

I mean, this is kinda a big reason why you don’t want to yeet fighters that haven’t gone through hardening in training out into big clashes like this. Not that the Empire’s really in a position to get too picky even if they cared.

They're here. They're here… he thought, sitting back down, his claws clutching his tail for dear life. There's no more time. I have to make a decision now.

Again his psyche lashed out at his cowardice, his inability to disobey his captain's orders even as his life depended on it. What if they Alice and Gaius were still out there, waiting for him in the forest?

Perhaps—perhaps they had fled there upon arrival, hoping he would realise the immediate gravity of the situation, and reach them of his own accord, waiting no longer an option. If that were the case, then they really should have known better than to rely on his wits. It was far too late now.

Focus, Flame—focus! he grit his teeth, his claws gripping the sides of his head.

Wait, is he talking about the same forest where the Scum are right now? If so, shouldn’t Flame have some pangs of worry as to whether or not the two are still in one piece at the moment?

His foremost impulse was that of to running away, right then and there; yet that option quickly stumbled onto its first obstacle. Namely, the hundred or so veteran troops hiding just a trench line away, perhaps five metres behind his, waiting for the order to attack. They were the melee troops, meant to charge past the firing positions once long-range attackers like him and the Dewott and the Weavile had softened up enemy ranks. He'd gotten a good glimpse of them while marching to the front trench: Haxorus, Aggron, Sceptile, Lucario, Scyther, and just about every scary-looking pokémon he could think of, a good portion of them covered in scars. That look in their eye…

That… feels like a fantastic way to get picked off by enemy beam spam halfway down to the front line.

Unfortunately, there’s no widespread Protect or barrier moves in this setting, otherwise one could sling around something like a testudo formation, or if getting anachronistic, a phoulkon to try and cut down on attrition while moving to engage the enemy.

Flame hadn't spoken a single word to those troops, but he just knew that in their eyes, a deserting Imperial soldier was no better than the Scum. He believed Alice had mentioned that to him in the past—the Army's policy on fresh recruits if they so much as retreated an inch from an enemy assault.

Ah yes, totally just the thing said fresh recruits need to raise their morale. ^^;

Alice: "I mean, without covering fire, those guys are gonna die. So... yeah, even if it's unpleasant, there is some logic to that discipline, Flame."
Flame: "Oh yeah, that makes me feel so much better right now." >_>;
Gaius: "Look, just throw a Blast Seed or something and get out of there! None of us asked for this, Flame! So screw them for not getting someone who had a say in their recruitment to watch their backs!"

Running through such a narrow trench, past bulky monsters no less, just as the battle began? Absolute madness. He would be cut open on the spot—a clean cut to the neck—or perhaps his legs would be broken, wishing to use him as an example on the patibulary gallows. How could it be otherwise? Choosing escape was tantamount to choosing suicide, and if that weren't enough, he still had no clue where Alice or Gaius were.

Would go with the simpler ‘gallows’ there. Had to look up what a ‘patibulary’ was, and they’re words for the same thing, so… yeah.

Flame: “Where are you guys anyways?”
Alice: “... That’s spoilers? Even if technically I think Virgo and Yvaine canonically pulled us away and off the battlefield by now.”

Flame: “... Boy I hate having to not blurt things out loud to the readers right now, it’d do a lot to help calm my nerves.” >///<

I can't do anything, he thought, his eyes wandering back to the main trench line. If I run back, those legionaries will kill me—and if they don't, the Captain will hang me for treason the moment I cross the bridge. It'll all have been for nothing. I can't. I can't. I…

Flame curled his claws back into his fist. It wasn't fair. He cared nothing about this stupid war! Heck, he cared nothing for the Empire—and why would he? What bond did he have with the red, eagle-donned banner, the eternal city, the Imperial family? The only thing it had done for him or his friends so far was send them here to die in some nameless hole.

Yeah, Flame’s internal panic is definitely a lot more

the second time around after seeing him thrash about desperately for any sort of hope only to keep coming up blank on every train of thought he has.

Sure explains a lot about how much he bends over backwards to try and assume the best of an alternative he gets presented right after this chapter. After all, this is what he has to choose against.

Flame: "... Well okay, I'm not so sure about that last one. But that's a member of the Imperial family I care about if I'm right..."

Feeling defeated and running out of options, his mind clung to the only plausible plan that didn't involve him fighting through the whole battle.

I'll wait until those units start attacking, and then I'll make a run for it.

Flame took a sharp breath, chiefly to calm himself. It was the only way, he repeated. The only—

It took a single moment to overturn his train of thought. The disturbance his ears had started hearing was not going away. He realised this was not a product of his heightened paranoia, and cut his breath: there was a faint rumble, a far-off sound that grew undeniably louder the longer he listened—and everyone else heard it too, they must have heard it, for all noise within the trench seemed to have halted at once, replaced by a steep silence that weighed on the soul.

Oh, shit… he muttered in his head.

Whelp, too late there, Flame. This is why you don’t hesitate and wait for better opportunities in a situation like this. They usually just don’t come.

Slowly, as if part of some unspoken ceremony, Flame rose onto his knees, shaking the entire time, then just about found the courage to take a peek at the valley below. He found himself staring into the sea of black trees where the noise was coming from. The rumbling was rising steadily, ever-present, engulfing the forest, the valley, the trees, everything. His mind could not help but liken it to a thousand pokémon roaring at once.

That now makes me curious as to if/how well Roar the Move works in this setting. Since considering SOP for when IRL!Roman Legions slung around their own war cries… that would actually translate pretty well mechanically to using Roar the Move.

Gaius: "Wait just a minute. Why the hell did we not burn those down in the first place if they were this close to our position?! Bad things happen to legions fighting in and around forests!" O.O;
- Alice sighs -
Alice: "Well, the aerial divisions led by Praefect Varus could have done so on the way out..."
- Look off at the fighting in the air over the plateau -
Alice: "But I suppose it's a bit late for that now." -_-;

Despite the sickening feeling rising in his stomach, he watched—felt the others, the hundreds of legionaries in the line watching, all eyes centred on the visible patch of forest. Columns of smoke rose lazily from deeper within the distant shadows.

For a time, there was stillness. Only the advancing, perpetual rumbling.

Then, about a dozen figures began seeping in between the trees.

Flame thought his legs were about to give out from under him; he watched breathless as the dozen figures turned to a hundred, bursting out of every charcoal tree and spilling over the kilometre-wide treeline at once. Quickly the plethora of different sized and coloured pokémon marched at constant pace into the open field, though still at a considerable distance from the uphill slope he was dug into.

As yet more Scum continued to spill forth from the treeline, Flame scrambled to give himself an estimate for the shapeless, living mass: there had to have been a thousand at least—he distinctly saw Aggron, Rhyperior, Rhydon, Magmar, countless more colossal pokémon rising over the smaller ones, while bug and bird pokémon too small to make out hovered above them—and that was only in the front rows!

Flame: “AAAAAAAAAAH!”

Gaius: “And this is why we were supposed to burn those down! We’d have been able to see all those Scum coming!” >.<
Alice: “Cripes, am I glad that I’m not really there on the frontlines right now.” O_O;
Gaius: “Well as a silver lining, I guess the text didn’t mention there being any Nidorina in the ranks-”
Flame: “Gaius, I’m not in the mood for jokes right now! I need to get anywhere but here without getting torn into bloody ribbons!”

Flame did his best to regain control of his breath and his rising panic. The growing sea of Scum was shifting slowly but steadily toward the centre of the vast plateau, even as more distant figures continued to trickle in from the treelines and join the back ranks of the burgeoning mass. The Scum did not seem to have a specific formation; they were just that, a shapeless mass, a crowd of hundreds that quickly grew closer to a thousand, filling the near width of the valley.

Gaius: “... How on earth do we not have aerial cover potshotting them right here and now? Just look at how densely packed they all are!”
- Alice points up at the battle raging in the skies above -
Gaius: “... Right. They’re kinda busy. And I guess that range is a bit far for a catapult or ballista to reach right now.”
Flame: “Oh my god.” O.O
Alice: “Look, Flame. Just take a deep breath and try to calm your nerves. There has to be a way of getting out of there. There has to be…”

"No other way," he muttered to himself in one breath, trying to raise his head and squint the blurriness out of his vision. "Th-there's no other…"

Right then his claws were overtaken by a sudden tremor, snapping and clicking together uncontrollably. His teeth followed soon after, and his legs felt on the verge of giving out under him. He had to dig his quivering claws into the top of the half-wall for support.

Flame:

Gaius: “Then start looking for a way out already! Holy crap, at least go and pretend you’re loading ballista darts at the back or something!” >.<

As he struggled to keep himself together, the communications badge pinned to his bag was sparking with continuous chatter.

"Keystone, this is Lieutenant Aurelian of the forward defence," a voice younger than the Commander's streamed out with a pang of nervousness. "Be advised, the enemy has entered visual range. Our airborne units are facing heavy resistance and are unable to assist. What's the ETA for the artillery support?"

"Copy that, lieutenant. Saturn units are prepped and awaiting confirmation that the enemy has entered the designated kill zone. Esto perpetua."

I see that Rebirth’s tradition of ironic naming continues, since… yeah. This Aurelian isn’t going to get a lot done to right the ship for Urbe in the whopping 5 minutes or so left of his life expectancy considering how well these defensive formations wind up holding

A chorus of religious 'esto perpetua' flowed from the badge in quick succession, before the hurried chatter resumed.

Focus as he did on the flow of orders and information being exchanged between the Commander and alternating officers, Flame soon found his attention waning. The pressing sense of urgency inside him made it hard to focus on anything other than the expanse of individual pokémon marching across the open valley and currently approaching its centre.

Flame: “... Crap, now I really do have a stomachache right now.”

Gaius: “Yeah, well that was never going to get you off the battlefield, so think of something else to work with here!” >_>;

He needed to be focused on the here and now; he needed to be at his sharpest, do anything necessary to have a chance at—oh! Flame jolted to attention. The entire force had stopped at once; they just stood there, lined up, while a single pokémon near the centre of the formation was walking—no, floating forward.

Growing increasingly confused, Flame leaned forward unconsciously and squinted to better make out the pokémon in question. It was too small from this distance, too blurred to say for certain, but he could have sworn it looked like…

No, he brought a paw to his chest. Please tell me it's not … that thing. Shit, shit, shit…

I see that Daedalus believes in leading from the front. Not that he likely has much of a choice otherwise from the myths he needs to live up to.

Alice: “Why is that thing here?!” O.O
Flame: "Uh... yeah, even if this strategy Praefect Varus is using is solid, I think we're screwed now." O.O
Gaius: "Well, we just listed a whole bunch of ways that it's not. So is there a level of screwed beyond screwed?" >_>;

The dark grey speck made a motion with its arm; suddenly the entire valley was awash with a collective roar that reverberated inside Flame's body, through his spine, and washed him in a cold feeling.

Flame lost the ability to breathe and remained with his jaw open as the Scum came rushing forward from their positions, letting out a violent cry as they did so; thousands of them, an organic tidal wave swooping across the open valley! Flame blinked owlishly; by the time he could come to terms with what was happening, they were already half the distance to the hill's base, a hundred metres vanishing before his very eyes, the ground itself starting to shake beneath his feet.

Oh, so Flame really is

-facing right about now. :V

"Sir, the enemy's charging our position!" his communications badge crackled to life. "They're closing in on us—we need support now!"

"Acknowledged. Saturn units, fire at will!"

Flame could not hear the catapults firing—they were hidden on the other bank of the river, alongside the Praefect himself, the VII Legion's senior-most staff, and a handful of reserve forces—but he sure as hell heard, and saw their shells land. One by one, fiery meteoroids came streaking across the sky from behind him, arcing through the air before slamming right in the thick of an advancing Scum formation.

Flame saw the mangled shapes of pokémon being catapulted into the air and entire columns disappearing behind clouds of fire and dust and debris; he shielded his face with his arm out of sheer impulse. Yet, the clouds had scarcely begun dissipating before the same Scum units continued charging right through them as though nothing had happened. Even when a second salvo of shell after burning shell crashed into their front ranks yet again, large infernos springing up in the dozens, the bombardment seemed to barely have any effect on the advancing army's momentum.

I stand by my comments that mass combat in Rebirth works under the same logic as in the Prinny games. ^^;

Of course, I suppose it helps to have some rallying figures to latch onto and your consequences of losing your campaign as a whole be ‘extermination’ to keep up morale in the midst of massive losses like this.

Also, the Seventh Legion is really fortunate that the Scum don’t seem to have artillery of their own, since… yeah, those trenches are not places you’d want to be in if they did, and they have an entire forest right now that could’ve been used to hide positions of siege engines if they had them.

Soon, too soon in Flame's mind, the shells had stopped raining, and the Scum were still charging—past the fires and the carcasses, so many of them, their ranks stretching across his vision, flooding ever closer…

"All units, standby for contact!" the same lieutenant's voice shouted over the constant static. "Open fire as soon as they enter your range of attack!"

I can already hear the chorus of quiet “nope nope nope”s from the trench right about now. Since seeing a massive army just powering through its front line getting mulched by incoming artillery can’t possibly be good for morale.

With a shaky breath, Flame forced himself to tear his eyes away from the horde and knelt down to open his bag. His unsteady claws rummaged through its contents until finally clenching around the coarse surface of his lone blast seed. Cradling it in his claws, he spent a few seconds staring at the large, oval-shaped explosive. This was it. This was the moment that would decide his fate. Every question still left to answer, every moment of joy, of pain, of hunger, of cold hung in a precarious balance. Dying now would have rendered everything he'd lived through up to this point meaningless.

He wanted to live that normal, peaceful life that he and his friends had envisioned together. He wanted to live.

Gaius: “Is that why you’re just standing there right now?!” >_>;
Flame: “Gaius, I’m going to die if those troops behind me spot me cutting and running! Cut me some slack here!” >.<

Flame lifted a paw to his chest to hold back his fluttering heartbeat, that by now had long surpassed exceeded unhealthy levels. Each wheeze was a struggle of its own: there was a crushing force gripping his torso—a weight pressing on his scales, on his thoughts, clawing at his very innards.

I can do this. I'm strong. I can do this… he whispered in his head as he wrapped his claws tighter around the blast seed.

Narrator:

Flame: “Look, I’m going to die and the story’s going to end if I can’t do this. So maybe try being supportive to me for once?!”

"Here they come!" someone shouted from a firing position close to him.

Something inside him sunk. Yet it was all for Team Phalanx, he repeated to himself, for the hope of a better future, to see Alice's pristine smile and hear her voice again. For a brief, fluttering heartbeat, his mind drew forth the moment that their eyes had met the previous day. It had been a mere instant; the look on her face so sincere, so absorbed…

It was all for them, he thought, only for them.

Gaius: “... Why am I not in your thought process there if you’re supposed to be doing this for ‘Team Phalanx’ again? I didn’t exactly keel over and die right now, you know.”

Flame: “(Because you’ve almost killed me on like half a dozen separate occasions I can think of offhand, so maybe I just don’t want to think about you?) I… uh… was getting around to you, Gaius! Totally!”

Despite his stomach feeling nowhere near upright, Flame found the willpower to rise back on his feet, and peek at the bellowing horde.

Taking a sharp inhale of air, he dug his free paw into the half-wall of his firing position for reassurance as he took in the sheer number of living creatures. He could see them clearly now, as they rushed across the last five hundred metres before the sudden slope his trenches were built on. Golem, Flareon, Butterfree, Weavile, Houndoom, the mere front line stretching across half the valley! He knew there had to have been thousands, at least, but from so close … they might as well have been millions!

Seemingly just as he completed that thought, he heard a faint snap rise over the deafening howls as the first bolt of lightning shot down the hill from somewhere far to his left. And it was followed by another, and another, and a beam of ice, and suddenly the very air of the hillside was congested by crackles and snaps as a flurry of rays rained down upon the enemy, Scum being struck and falling by the dozen!

- Flame winces -
Flame: “Yeesh, that’s gonna leave a mark.”
Alice: “I’d… be more concerned about the fact that these ‘mons seem to have a bottomless pool of reserves considering how they shrugged off the catapult strike from earlier.” ^^;
- Beat moment -
Flame: “... Actually, wait. Why aren’t there more of those strikes going on? It doesn’t take that long to reload a catapult, does it?”

Flame could do little more than watch, chiefly because he knew the distance involved was far too great for his measly fire breath to do anything. Whilst the Empire may not have inspired any sense of loyalty in him, he had to admit to being impressed by the firepower on display before his eyes. The sheer density of the attacks flying downhill prevented him from seeing clearly: jets of high-pressured water, thunderbolts whose trajectories were so close that they merged in a shower of sparks, fireballs, beams of ice, one after the other—it felt as if every legionary on the hill except for him was vomiting forth every attack they could muster.

Nothing could survive this, Flame was tempted to think.

Gaius: “And in today’s episode of ‘Four words thought seconds from disaster’...”
Flame: “Oi, the text said tempted to think! As in I didn’t think it! Give me a break here, Gaius!” >_>;

Seconds passed, the blast seed was still tight in his claw, and soon—fatigue had to be setting in—the intensity of the attacks from his side began to dwindle, as did the smoke.

Flame's eyes grew exponentially. Though he steeled his facial muscles in an effort to calm his nerves, he could feel gooey panic erupt in his chest at the sight before him. They were still coming. While the onslaught had succeeded in slowing the enemy's front files momentarily, it was not enough; for each Scum that was struck down by a beam of ice or lightning, another four or five behind it readily trampled its corpse to advance. Now the first few dozen Scum were at the base of the slope, bipedal pokémon clawing up on all fours, uncaring of the tactical disadvantage of the position. The hail of attacks raining downhill continued to shift closer with their targets, yet there were simply too many to track, too many spilling through gaps in the wall of fire, too many gaps that could not be tapped in time.

Boy is the Seventh Legion fortunate that the Scum didn’t think of doing something like deploying ground-hugging fliers embedded with those guys at the base, otherwise the ‘mons in the trenches would be beyond screwed from losing localized air superiority.

Or for that matter, not just spamming something like Earthquake at the front of the line to stun nearby defenders before running them over.

Flame: "This would have been a good time to have aerial support covering us, you know!" >.<
Gaius: "Aaand they didn't set up Spikes or mine the approach either. Again." -_-;

Struggling to keep his claws steady, Flame drew his arm back, forcing himself to breathe in through his grit teeth and visualise the trajectory of his throw. They were so close now. He quickly sighted the closest target headed in his direction—a grimy Flareon with red face paint hopping up the hill, no more than fifty metres away. It was staring him dead in the eye.

Flame took aim. Then he spotted the sheer number of heads following closely behind the Flareon, and his focus immediately switched to maintaining his disintegrating self-control.

A sense of tightness constricted Flame's chest. His eyes were flashing to and fro. There was no way he could stop all of them. They would swarm his position. One or two he could confront—but eight, twelve…!

Flame: “Boy I could’ve really gone for being on an embankment behind this trench where I could safely spit fire below me right about now!” O.O
Gaius: “See, I told you that was a better strategy than sitting in the trenches!”

Flame gripped the blast seed in his claws tighter than would be considered safe, his arm beginning to quiver, and his chest following suit as his breath all but evaporated in his lungs. All of a sudden, that scared little voice in the back of his head was not so quiet and little anymore.

Such is life when you get yeeted to a high-casualty frontline with -checks notes- less than 72 hours of effective military training.

Oh, shit, Flame muttered in his head, pure, unadulterated panic breaking his willpower and shaking his every nerve. Oh shit, oh shit, OH SHIT!

That was when Flame lost control and began to panic. Seeing the snarling Flareon, he promptly bended his arm at the farthest possible angle and swung the blast seed forward with all his might. There was a roar that made the ground heave; the fiery blast tossed dirt and Scum up in the air, their charred carcasses hitting the scorched earth only seconds later.

Boy it sure is a good thing that Daedalus doesn’t have some way of passing out a visual identification of Flame to the rank-and-file considering how if Flame had lingered for just a couple seconds, he’d likely have died right there and Daedalus’ gang and the world at large would’ve had serious problems.

I mean, ‘fog of war’ and all that, but it’s a little amazing to see how many times this narrative was almost doomed to a bad end by default in retrospect with everyone being none the wiser. ^^;

In spite of what he had just done, Flame did not have time to linger on the sickly feeling in his stomach. He immediately locked his sights onto the Absol still clasping its forepaws above its head and coughing violently on the dust that hung in the air.

Acting on reflex, he let forth a tendril of flames that wiggled through the air before colliding with the prone Scum head-on. The Absol shot up like lightning and let out a shriek of despair; it stumbled about, pawing at its own face, still screaming, its fur a burning pyre before a jet of high-pressured water from some other legionary put it down for good.

Something about the delivery of the high-pressured jet of water segment feels a bit lacking in visceral impact if the intention is to outright kill the Scum Absol instead of leaving it ambiguous as to whether or not it survived but was wounded. Like maybe it’d have made sense to slip in a detail about hearing some sort of crack of bones or seeing the Absol hit the ground in such a way that its neck got obviously broken or something like that.

Gaius: "... Didn't you gouge out some Feral Sneasel's eyes back in that ice cave? Shouldn't this be old hat for you?"
Flame: "Gaius, I felt sick then too."
Gaius: "What about that Paras that you splattered back in your very first dungeon?"
Flame: "It bled a different color, it's not the same."
Gaius: "So if that was a Scyther that bled buckets of yellow from a busted-up patch of carapace and screeching bloody murder, you'd magically not feel sick about it?"
Flame: "Look, can we not argue hypotheticals when there's Scum trying to kill me less than a hundred meters away?!"

Flame wanted to feel abhorred: he wanted to get down on his knees and vomit his guts out.

There were still more figures approaching from behind the now-dispersing dust cloud: one Weavile, one Ivysaur, and two Sableye. This time, he could not prevent a small whine from escaping his throat. His claws unconsciously sought the edge of his parapet for reassurance.

There were too many. Too many…

Gaius: “There would be fewer if you cut and run right now!” >_>;
Alice: “Er… not to be a pill, Flame. But you probably should consider getting out of that trench sometime soon.” ._.
Flame: “Look, can we worry about this sometime when I’m not about to die here?!” >.<

Flame spat his flamethrower at the charging Ivysaur, hoping to incapacitate it in a single burst so that he could switch targets. His prediction turned out to be accurate: the single tongue of fire set fire to the Scum's plant, causing the quadruped to skid to a halt as it emitted a paralysing screech, writhing helplessly on the ground.

Well, at least the Ivysaur went down in a nicer fashion than that one Colonial one from the second-to-last chapter of Overthrown that got his bulb ripped out from his back in a bloody mess. Still would rather not be that guy, though.

As Flame cut off his fire breath, though, and switched to face the next target, he saw the Weavile taking something out of the rucksack tied around its shoulder—something small enough to fit in its claws.

Scum!Weavile: “Schachmatt, Kollaborateur.”

Flame: “Things are really gonna suck in a couple of seconds, aren’t they?” O_O;

Something clicked in Flame's head, but it was too late.

The blast wave that followed shook the entire world. He felt his legs turn to jelly before they were knocked down from beneath him; his body twisted in mid-air before splashing tail-first in the muddy ground of the trench line.

Ouch. Dunno what it feels like to douse a Char’s tail flame in mud, but that can’t possibly feel good to go through.

Flame: "Augh! I- I can't feel my legs!"
Gaius: "Well at least they didn't think of doing that from the bottom of the hill and then charging you." -_-;
Alice: "Uh... Flame? That is just concussed shock talking, right?" ._.

Flame had scarcely skidded to a standstill when the earth and soot from the explosion came down. It pattered every inch of his body: his chest, his legs, his face, entering his wide eyes, his mouth just as he gasped, invading his throat. Within seconds, he was seized by a bout of violent coughing to rid his windpipe of all foreign residue—a feat all but impossible. A sickening feeling rose from his stomach as he fought the sudden urge to vomit.

Letting his aching head fall back onto the dirt, Flame let out a pitiful cry. He felt as if he had run straight into a wall, despite the fact that he was laying still. Despite being unable to breathe, he broke into another fit of coughing, his throat muscles collapsing together. The world was hazy, so distant, his ears were ringing, everything gyrating around him…

Despite the sore jello flowing underneath his scales, Flame gathered the strength to turn on his stomach, and raised himself on his elbows. Lifting his limp head, he forced his burning eyelids to open, yet predictably had to clamp them together immediately thereafter as they pulsated with heat and tears. A tiny, restrained sob wracked his chest cavity. His claws curled shakily around a pawful of mud. The burning in his eyes, the epicentre of his thoughts, was impossible to ignore.

Oh yeah, that’s gonna be a fun explanation for Kamerad Snibbuna there to pass along if s/he ever puts two and two together about ‘that one time that I almost blew up [Our -------]’ assuming that s/he’s even still alive in the present day. ^^;

Breathing deeply through grit teeth, he reminded himself that the enemy would be here at any moment now, that he had to get up and fight—or perhaps run. Anything!

It took more willpower than he could ever anticipate to actually get up on four legs—then considerably more not to fall down out of the sheer dizziness once he'd risen from his knees. His breathing came in short, inconclusive gasps, he was still strangling the impulse to claw his eyes out, and his stomach still felt on the verge of spilling. As the ringing in his ears lessened, however, he became aware of the roars and voices swirling from every direction, both close and far away.

"They're everywhere!"

"Keep firing—they're too close!"

"Where the hell is our support?!"

"There's too many! Fall back!"

Alice: “... Exactly none of that sounds good right now.” o_o;
Flame: “A-At least the trench didn’t get invaded yet?”

The urgency in those words snapped Flame back to reality. Fuck, fuck, fuck!

His eyes shot open once again, and this time, he bore through the burning sensation and the individual grains of dirt stuck in his eyelid to focus on the blurry, uniform patch of brown being presented to his brain; he heaved from the pain and squinted further until he could at least make out the texture of a dirt wall. After a moment of disorientation, he twisted his body to check both sides of what he now recognised as the muddy canal where that Scizor bastard had sent him to die.

Distant figures, far too blurry to make out, were scuffling in the corridor to his right. He had just the time to push himself on his unsteady feet before a nearby Electabuzz flew backwards from its firing position, pinned by the same Mightyena that lunged for its throat. His heart was hammering in his chest; he took hesitant steps back without quite knowing what to do. He had never felt so lost and exposed in his life.

Flame: “... Oh my god.”

Alice: “... You kinda were tempting fate back there, Flame.” ._.;
Gaius: “Look, just cut and run already. What on earth are you waiting for at this point?!”

I, I can't … I can't do this. I can't die like this!

Flame moved to recover his bag without a conscious command. The sack lay on the trench floor with mounds of dirt all over it and with a few items spilled from its open lid, surely knocked away by the explosion. He bent down and threw it over his shoulder—there was not enough time to check what was in the ground, what was happening around him; only to run. With his eyes set on the closest corridor leading out of the trench, and his heart pounding his throat, he started with a steady pace—screams to the back of him, screams to the right of him, beyond the lip of the trenches over which the Scum would pour any second now.

Oh gods, oh gods, oh gods… ran through Flame's mind, blotting out all other thoughts as he sped past the figures towering over the parapet and jumping on those below. He could not concentrate on his feelings enough to feel cowardly for abandoning his post while the others were still fighting; for after the sharp corner he was still running, still panting, this time down the canal connecting the first trench line with the second.

I am looking forward to the day that we find out what on earth happened to Flame to make him feel this way about abandoning others to horrible fates such that it extends to Pokémon that arguably would be hostile to him.

Probably a good thing Flame didn’t stop to look around at what was going on, since the audio alone would probably push him into that “time to have nightmares” macro territory. ^^;

He could feel the wind buffeting his scales and nearly managing to drown out the cries and grunts and crackles of fighting from behind him. He closed his eyes and kept running, his legs propelling him forward in a near mechanical motion as if they were a separate entity altogether. The sounds of battle were growing ever so fainter before they were supplemented by the droning of panicked voices spilling forth from his communications badge:

"This is Second Cohort! We have multiple enemies all around us—we cannot hold them off. We need support now!"

"They're coming from behind us!"

"The line's broken! They're everywhere!"

The fray of voices speaking over each other were drowned out by a firmer tone:

"All units, this is Keystone. Fall back to the second line and establish a defensive perimetre. Reinforcements are en route. Hold your ground—I say again, hold your ground!"

No Latin / Greek callsign, huh? Though I suppose something like ‘Ensis’ wouldn’t really fit a flyer unless Varus was a Skarmory or Corviknight, even if it’d work on a couple of levels thanks to poetic meanings and how among other things, that’s how his historical namesake offed himself when things really went south.

Though again, while I’m sure it was deliberate on your part as an author, having a ‘Varus’ as the ‘Keystone’ of a transparent Roman-themed legion is one of those “why would you do that?” moments in terms of how awful an omen that is.

Gaius: "Is this asshole even listening to the same badge channel that we are?! If the second toughest cohort in the entire legion is having trouble and calling for help, how the hell are we supposed to hold anything right now?!" >.<
Alice: "... Why were we not being filled in with more regular updates from them anyways?" ._.
Flame: "Better question, how are we hearing messages from other cohorts? I thought that these were given out on a per-squad basis and there's around 500 'mons in each. Doesn't that mean there'd be at least 60 speakers per cohort, so shouldn't each one have its own teams of dispatchers precisely to cut down on moments like this?"

Flame heard the voices and didn't at the same time; after running another minute or so, he emerged in a larger room with a set of outward-leading wooden steps placed tantalisingly in front of him. Flame slowed down, stopping three steps in, then bent over and put his paws on his aching knees, gasping for oxygen. Raising his head, he looked at the stairs. Everything hurt—his legs, his head, his lungs—yet the stairs were so close, and he refused to allow himself to feel safe until he was somewhere far, far away from Aesernia.

He quickly hopped up the stairs…

Four steps in, he was met with the blunt end of a blade smashing into his forehead, sending him flying to the base of the stairs. Next thing he knew, he was sprawled out in the soft, sticky mud, and his head throbbed with a searing pain. With panic swelling in his chest, he raised himself on his elbows and quickly took in the figures blocking the stairway: a vicious-looking Scyther stood in front, blades raised and eyeballs drilling through his resolve, followed by a similarly imposing Lucario and Excadrill.

Ah yes, time for Flame to get that implied subconscious fear/trauma of Scyther from before he got mind lazored picked at again by the story some more. ^^;

Flame: “Uh… hi there? Um… I have a perfectly good explanation for all of this.”

"What do you think you're doin', soldier?"

Flame let out an involuntary cry of fear as he found himself cornered. His claws were overtaken by a bout of quivering and he scrambled backwards through the mud as the Scyther descended each individual step with an ominous nonchalance, blades still at the ready. Flame continued scurrying away until he realised that the only thing behind him were the trenches.

With a few brisk steps, the Scyther stood towering above his form, the look on its face one of pure disgust; now it pressed the sharp end of its scythe against his suddenly tender neck, the very action of making moving even a millimetre becoming suddenly an impossible at once task.

"What is it, coward—too scared to fight the Scum?" the Scyther muttered between its teeth. "You'd rather have 'em kill our families and kids, huh?"

Since... yeah, given what happened in Nova Sperantia, you really don't want these guys to force their way into Aesernia if there's anyone you have particularly strong attachments to within its walls. It won't end well for them considering established rules of engagement for battle.
I mean, the Scyther’s kinda undercutting this whole chewout moment by just chilling at the back waiting to hack up scared and undertrained kids bolting in a panic instead of throwing his weight and superior training around in actual combat, but such is life as a bland-name triarius. Plus I’m pretty sure he’s not really intended to be portrayed in a sympathetic light by the story anyways.

"Wha? N-no," Flame tried to swallow, inwardly afraid the movement might be enough to cut him. "I, I was just … th-the Commander gave the order to—"

"Shut it—we both know you were running long before that." The Scyther's glare seemed to intensify, if such a thing were possible. "Trust me, if it weren't for cowards like you, the Scum would already be a distant memory."

Flame: “... I’m sorry, but how do you know this again when you’ve been outside the trenches the entire time?”

Triarius!Scyther: “A: You just admitted I was right. B: Do you really think I couldn’t see you turning tail like a little Rattata in the trenches from up here?”

Flame could do little but sit there, shivering, words aborted in his throat. He'd known this would happen. The barrier troops always stood behind the recruits, Alice had told him, ready to catch any eventual deserters—and now that he was under their heel there was no way out. A sense of outrage swelled his chest. It was unfair. What else was he supposed to do? Stay there and die?

Ah yes, the Red Army solution for desertion. A bit more efficient than decimatio there.

Triarius!Scyther: "And regarding your question there, Charmeleon, the answer is 'yes'."
Flame: "Have you just been sitting and watching us get mulched from up there?!"
Triarius!Scyther: "Meh, not my job to help you. Never heard of res ad triarios venit? We’re supposed to step in after you’ve all keeled over."
Flame: "Who the hell thought this was a good strategy for how to run an army?!" >.<

"Sir, with all due respect," the Lucario spoke up from the top of the stairs, a sense of urgency in his voice, "There's no time for this. This recruit is right—it isn't safe here. The Scum will swarm us if we don't fall back to the line!"

The Scyther stood unmoving for some moments, considering his comrade's suggestions. Its scythe was still resting on Flame's squishy throat, his wide eyes gaping at the sheer width and thinness of the blade. It did little to help loosen his locked neck muscles, or his shimmering heartbeat, or the nauseating bile brewing at the back of his throat.

Flame shut his eyes out of sheer terror; not long after, however, the blade was lifted from his neck, at which point he immediately reopened them and took a large gasp of relief. Still panting, he looked up to the Scyther to see its body turned towards the stairs, one of its scythes still aimed at him from less than a metre's distance.

"Get up, coward."

Flame: “A-As if you’d have been any braver if something like a Rhyhorn jabbed its pointy bits into your neck!” >///<
Triarius!Scyther: “Shut your face before I throw you to the Scum as a distraction, Charmeleon. So are you coming or what?”

Flame was up and at attention before those words had fully left the legionary's mouth. He wordlessly followed him up the stairs and onto the wooden platform where the Lucario and the Excadrill waited, eyeing him with a mixture of pity and disinterest.

"And stay close to me," the Scyther turned back with a clenched mouth. "You'll be dealt with by the Commander once things settle down. Try to escape, and I'll kill you myself. Let's go."

Flame: "I- But- Your own buddy admitted I had a point and Praefect Varus just ordered us to-!" O_O;
Triarius!Scyther: "I'll kill you right now if you don't shut your damn face!" >:|

Flame did not start running so much as he was pushed into doing so by the trio of legionaries surrounding him. He forced his eyes away from the bulky forms of his de facto captors to catch a glimpse of the landscape around him as they jogged down the open hillside. The feeble sunlight of a mere hour earlier had expired was now gone, an ashen grey now covering the dry grass beneath their feet. Far in the distance, from this vantage point, he could just about see make out the bridge and the leather tents erected on the other bank of the river.

He kept running, concentrating on his breathing, on keeping up with his captors. His soon-to-be executioners, perhaps.

Flame: “Boy, this is really motivating for me to fight well right now.” >_>;
Triarius!Lucario: “Well, I’d hope it is. Since one way or another, you’re going to die if you don’t.”

For some odd reason, as ghastly as the Scyther's threats may have been, Flame felt that they hadn't had as much of an impact as he'd thought. A sudden bout of determination clouded his every thought, a fuzziness flooding his chest. He had to get to his teammates. Nothing else mattered. He didn't care what threat this Scyther or the Commander made—he would still make a run for it, for the only possible life ahead of him was, in his eyes, the one they had envisioned together in their tent. Certainly not waiting for his inevitable execution for cowardice in some rotting cell.

Bold of you to assume that you wouldn’t yeeted to a penal unit after this considering those usually went hand-in-hand with blocking troops, Flame. Assuming you survived decimatio or whatever the preferred sentence for fresh meat that cuts and runs is.

He clutched the strap of his bag tighter as though to feel safer. Plans ran swirled scattered through his mind: surely he had to have something, some item in there that could prove useful—some seed or orb to incapacitate these three and flee without anybody seeing…

He turned his attention outwards again as he continued jogging: on either side of him was a disorderly stream of pokémon making their way downhill. They were pushing and shouting over one another in a general frenzy. He could not come up with an approximate headcount, but he could only assume the dozens of them must have been headed to the second trench line. Wherever that was.

I… completely forgot that that was a part of the second line of defense for the Aesernian front lines. Those Benefactors really aren’t messing around with their strategy of keeping Urbe’s leadership compliant and dependent on them if they’re okaying tactical decisions like that.

Gaius: “Why would the second line of defenses be dug in at a lower elevation than the first?! If the Scum take the first line and it’s higher than the second, they can just rain death from above down on our fallback position!” >_>;
Flame: “Gaius, can you play armchair general about tactical missteps sometime when I don’t have a pointy blade stuck at my throat right now? I’d like to think about literally anything other than dying horribly to help calm me down right now, thanks.” >///<
Alice: “... You know, I think I’d suddenly feel a lot more confident if this defense was being run by a Legate right now. And I’m starting to understand why I was feeling uneasy about us being commanded by a ‘Varus’.” ._.
Gaius: “I swear, is someone trying to sabotage this campaign?!” >.<

I mean, someone kinda is, not that Gaius would logically know that right here and now. ^^;

He set his eyes back on the road ahead of him, craning his head to the side to see past the Lucario blocking his sight. There! A hundred or so metres below him was an area where the hillside plateaued out a certain ways, leaving a wide enough platform to justify the earthen barricade running its entire length.

His eyes had barely started studying the barricade before he noticed that the same Lucario ahead of him was looking up at something and losing speed. Flame just barely managed to plant his feet in the ground, stumbling to a halt only to crash into the legionary's back anyway, to little reaction.

"In the air! Eyes open!" the Lucario yelled, jabbing a finger to the sky.

Flame: “Wait, what? What’s in the sky-?”

Suddenly there were yells of warning from all sides. Flame promptly flung himself face-first in the grass. There was a screech that pierced the air itself. An enormous Hydreigon plunged from the sky a little ahead of Flame, bit into one of the fleeing legionaries—a Breloom—with its side head, and lifted it the grass-type back into the sky all while it was still screaming crying out pleas for mercy.

A bit nitpicky, but would either axe the ‘screaming’ here or in the next paragraph since they pop up in rapid succession to one another and

Flame: “Yeesh, sorry I asked. Though wasn’t that the same guy that I saw while working in the trenches last chapter? I swear that he looked familiar.” ._.

Flame lifted his head a little bit and simply stared. A knot formed in his throat. The grass-type was screaming its lungs out and flailing as it was lifted away a thousand metres above the ground, dangling from the beast's teeth, becoming smaller and smaller until it and the Hydreigon became indistinguishable from the dozens of other silhouettes suddenly swarming the air, swirling in circles, locked in combat.

Flame: "Wait a moment... don't Breloom have Effect Spore? Wasn't that insanely risky of the Hydreigon to carry it off like that instead of just torching it and moving on?"
Triarius!Excadrill: "Well clearly it didn't kick in, or else the thing got poisoned and not paralyzed or put to sleep. Also, are you seriously complaining right now that that Scum didn't do the smart thing and just fly circles overhead while roasting us on the ground?!"
Flame: "Right. 'Never look a gift horse in the mouth'... or whatever the equivalent saying here is."
Triarius!Scyther: "Honestly, we should have you executed for not shutting your trap. Just imagine if that thing could've understood what you were saying and came back for us!"
Flame: "(Is that bug always on? Also, I wasn't the one who spelled out what the Hydreigon could've done differently!)" >_>;

It did not take long before pandemonium erupted among the ground troops. Still watching, Flame felt himself hoisted from the horn on his skull by the Lucario—an act more humiliating than it was painful.

"Get up, coward!" the Scyther behind him shouted. "Keep moving!"

Flame: “Yeesh. With ‘friends’ like these, who needs enemies?” >_>;

Flame legged down the rocky path lined with dry grass, gaining momentum, taking irregular wheezes of air. The plateau was drawing closer: he could see the barricade clearly now, a line of discoloured sandbags, legionaries still rushing to and fro with empty bags and filling them with dirt, others pushing mounds of the same dirt to patch up the occasional gap in the barricade.

… Everything about this barricade sounds like a massive deathtrap, least of all the fact that it’s not fully finished in the middle of a raging battle. ^^;

Flame: “... Please tell me that this isn’t seriously our fallback position.” o_o;
Triarius!Scyther: “Well, it is. And if you value your life, you’ll fight to the bitter end to hold it.”
Flame: “(How is that not the definition of an oxymoronic statement?!)” >.<

In a blur, he was at the entrance. The legionaries already manning the trench shouted them down a particular corridor which had yet to be filled, and yet again Flame cursed the gods and his luck for being unable to shake these damn pokémon off of him. As he moved down the trench he was constantly twisting his head for a sudden passage that might allow him to slip to the side, to exit this trench line completely, reach his friends still conceivably waiting for him in the woods. But there was none. No matter where he looked. Whenever he slowed down, the blunt end of a blade shoved him forward to remind him of the Scyther breathing down his neck.

He felt tempted to give in to the despair churning at his innards.

They rounded a corner into a marginally wider area of the trench, where a supply room reminiscent of the one he'd stolen from the previous morning was dug into the wall. The Excadrill and the Lucario finally broke formation from around him to head into the room.

Ah yes, dive right into the trench that’s lower than the overlooking hill between you and the Scum. What could possibly go wrong for trying to hold this position?

Flame took the opportunity to give his tired body some respite: he leaned onto the soft dirt wall, his breathing laboured and irregular, his legs starting to give out from under him. If he were to run now, he thought with a ragged breath, he would need to bear through the pain. He continued to stare at the legionaries as they scrambled through the half-leaning sacks for supplies.

Plans of escape buzzed through his mind, dozens of them, confused in nature; they were interrupted by a certain realisation, accompanied by the familiar sensation of a blade pressing ever so lightly against the side of his neck. Without failure, as with the first and every other time, he felt his body shut down all motion without his consent. He could only move his eyes to meet the Scyther's hard stare at the corner of his vision.

Flame: “Seriously! Don’t you have anything better to do right now than jab that blade of yours into my neck?!” >.<
Triarius!Scyther:

"All right, scum—here's what's about to happen," the Scyther said slowly. "You're going to stick by my side and you're going to give those bastards everything you've got. If you do that, and survive, maybe I'll start thinking about not reporting you to the Praefect."

Flame: "You expect me to be motivated to fight with a 'maybe'?! What the hell is wrong with this army?!" >.<
Triarius!Scyther: "Alternatively, I can separate your head from your shoulders and spare myself the effort. That enough motivation for you?" >:|
Flame: "Ulp. Yes." ._.

"O-okay," Flame gulped instinctively. He still didn't know fully whether he meant any of it.

Narrator: “He didn’t mean any of it.”

"Good," the Scyther said simply, and removed the scythe from his neck, though continuing to stand there behind his back.

Unable to hold back an exhale of relief, Flame used his newfound freedom of movement to look up sharply. A large bird pokémon was circling above them—had been for a few minutes, now; Flame had been trailing it with his eyes, but determined it was not worthy of his concern if it hadn't attacked them yet.

Oh, so they did have aerial cover for their cohort after all. Or at least here anyways. If they were around in the first position before falling back, they obviously jobbed fairly hard out there. ^^;

He then shifted his attention to a Talonflame flying high and fast in the distance, looping up and left and right and diving suddenly to shake off a pursuing Honchkrow. Then, a circling manoeuvre came up too tight; the black bird suddenly swerved to the side, hit its target square in the wings, the Talonflame plunging right into the hillside with an implosion of dust. The Honchkrow only had time to let off a single faint crow of victory, before itself being struck by a loose beam of energy. Flame watched it dive only a few hundred metres away into a formation of charging pokémon below.

I can't tell who's killing who. Are we even winning? he found himself wondering. The thoughts only further injected his chest with despair. I … I don't care. I don't care about any of this this. I just want to get back to my friends…

You know, this would be a handy time to have something like a standardized identifier. Like, I dunno… coordinated scarves. Or armor… or something.

Triarius!Lucario: “Is it really that hard to put together ‘hostiles have body paint and nasty body odor, friendlies don’t’?”

Flame: “How do you expect me to notice that for ‘mons at least a hundred meters in the air?” >_>;

Now the Lucario and the Excadrill had returned, the latter dragging a sack of what he presumed to be blast seeds from the hundreds of little shapes peeking through the fabric. Flame could still hear a phantom ringing in his ears, and shuddered at the idea of being so close to so many of those things.

"Distribute these among the recruits!" the Scyther said. "I want them to blow this entire hillside out of existence if that's what it takes!"

Also, I’m not sure if it was intentional, but it’s the little details like the layout of this battlefield that hammer home just how hopeless and futile this engagement is. Really dovetails well with the bleak “everything is going wrong” atmosphere that life in the Empire writ large gives off.

Flame: “Why are we doing this from the bottom of the hill when the Scum can literally just rain Blast Seeds on us from the ridge?!”

Triarius!Scyther: “Why aren’t you just shutting up and giving me a reason not to report you to the Praefect, huh?” >:|

The two legionaries nodded, then relayed the same order together with the sack to a passing Raichu. Flame saw none of that, though, his eyes sought nothing but exits and roads to safety. There were two exit ways from this room: the one he'd entered from, which led back into the bowels of the trench system, and one he did not know of, but seemed to be placed opposite to the great imposing hill he could already see the first signs of movement on. The latter option captured his attention. He could only see a bend in the corridor from here, yet somehow he knew it led to freedom. His eyes flew between the exit and the unmoving Scyther. Was it conceivable that he could run inside before they noticed?

Wow, this really is one cursed campaign Varus is running right now. Not that this isn’t extremely on-brand for a ‘Varus’ being tasked to fight barbarians.

Flame: “Uh… yeah, I’m very obviously gonna die if I don’t get out of here quickly. Gaius? Alice? Please tell me that you two see a way for me to get out of dodge from wherever you are!” O_O;
- Cue getting static on the other end -
Flame: “G-Gaius? A-Alice?”

One of the legionaries had deposited a pawful of blast seeds in his claws, but he didn't notice until a few moments later, and quickly chucked them into his bag out of the sheer anxiety he felt at holding one in his hands. Flame then looked back at the three legionaries, deep in conversation. The Scyther seemed to be giving directives. He felt that they may have been meant for him too, but he couldn't bring himself to care. He had to make a choice. The Scum had to have been closing in on this second trench line—soon they'd be spilling down the hillside, and the legionaries would be back to hurling blast seeds and elemental beams and melee combat when the horde would wash draw too close.

A shiver shook his spine, reverberating through the rest of his body, up to the end of his tail—his fire even sizzled smaller for a split second. No, he couldn't go through that again. All the explosions, the blood pouring from the cadavers, the entire living plain of pokémon charging at him, drowning him…

Flame: “... And this time, they’d be doing all of that from the high ground, so yeah. I’m getting the hell out of here. Even if I don’t know how just yet.” o_o;

A batch of bile reached the back of his throat. Scarcely a few minutes ago he'd managed to run away with his life, and now they wanted him to go back. It wasn't right. He shouldn't have to go through that again. Every fibre of his being was screaming at him to run. He stared longingly at the exit again. Twelve metres, perhaps fewer. Then there was the corridor; but at that point he could spit fire behind him, ward them off, and he'd already be outside of this nightmare, running into freedom.

And yet…

He turned his eyes, with a sort of reluctance, to the Scyther.

It was much faster than him; it had wings; it would slice his head off in a single leap. He could picture it, a Charmeleon head planted into the ground by the horn. It was impossible. He would never get away in time. No, no, he would have to wait—perhaps in the midst of battle…?

Flame: “Oh what I’d give for a Petrify Orb right about now… Then I could just cut and run after hitting those Legionaries with it.”

- Beat moment -
Flame: “Actually. Wait. Do I have an item that’d let me do that?”

Right then, his communications badge crackled with the unavoidable sound of wind rushing through the other end, over which a voice could just barely be heard.

"Apollo Leader to Keystone! We're taking too much friendly fire—we need to get back into formation!" A pause followed, marked only by the crackling wind and a distant, pained shriek. "We are disengaging and falling back to base camp to regroup. I repeat, we are disengaging!"

inb4 that’s what happened to the Talonflame and Honchkrow a few blocks back there.

Flame: “Oh, so it’s not just me who’s having trouble telling the difference between friend and foe right now.” -_-;

"Acknowledged, Apollo Leader," came the Praefect's reply. "All ground units, be advised, you are on your own. Aerial support will return shortly. Hold your ground and watch the skies!"

Yeah good luck with that when you’re in fixed trenches and your enemy now has complete air superiority over them. Sounds like a recipe for a massive turkey shoot, not that Sycorax would likely care too much about that either way.

Gaius: "What was that about Praefect Varus being 'taught from the best in Urbe and having an accomplished military record'? The asshole just ceded air superiority over the entire frontline to the Scum!"
Alice: "I... Uh... Yeah, I've got nothing. (And I'm starting to understand why I had that uneasy feeling now.)"
Gaius: "Just saying, this wouldn't be happening to us right now if some of the air cover was assigned to each cohort from the start!" >_>;
Flame: “Wait, you two are back? Stay on the channel and let me know where you are-!”

Only when the transmission was over did Flame note that he held his jaw open. He did not know how crucial air support was for the outcome of the battle—but to Flame, it was just another domino crashing down on the idea that he could fight through the battle and survive. His breathing only became more ragged and difficult with each passing moment. What was an already perilous battle felt tantamount to suicide.

Uh… yeah, it’s probably for the best that he didn’t know how important air superiority would be for the sorts of defensive lines they had, since… yeah, those feelings about this battle being suicidal aren’t terribly far off the mark from everything that’s been described about this position. I don’t think Flame needs more reasons to run around like a beheaded Torchic right about now. ^^;

Flame heard the Scyther shouting orders and knew he was saying something about needing to get into position. Up the vast hilltop towering over the trench wall, he caught a glimpse of dark shadows making their way towards them. They were coming. The knowledge awoke a nausea in his body, and he clutched his breast with his claws. Could he really draw back at this point?

Gaius: “Flame, for crying out loud! Stop dawdling and get out of there!”
Flame: “I can’t believe I’m actually saying this, but oh thank god, you are alive right now, Gaius.”

Gaius: “Yeah, well you won’t be alive in about a minute if you keep dawdling like that. Get a move on already!”

A blast coming from the hillside rattled the very air around him. He couldn't breathe. Again they called to him, the legionaries. For a brief moment, he was back at the front line, watching the sea of pokémon wash ever closer and ever larger, tumbling about his heart. He couldn't move; it would drown him.

He felt the Scyther strike his arm with the side of its blade.

"Recruit! I said let's go!" the Scyther shouted, face tensed in irritation.

Flame: “Oh screw that noise! You’re trying to defend the bottom of a hill from an overlooking ridge right now!” O_O;

Flame shook in a sudden impulse of terror. Escape! He had to escape! His friends would save him. Why should he throw his life away like this? He had a right to happiness. His friends would give him a home, grant him a purpose. They would save him.

Alice: “... Uh… yeah. I don’t think that we can magically fight our way over to that position of yours to extract you-” ._.
Flame: “I meant after I cut and run!”
Triarius!Scyther: “Charmeleon! I’m literally right here listening to you talk!” >:(

In a single motion, Flame turned his head to the Scyther shouting at him and burst a tongue of fire at his face while he was still talking. The bug-type's voice immediately devolved into cries of surprise and anguish, and before he could catch a glimpse of what he had done, Flame whirled his body around and made for the exit way as fast as he could.

He charged through the corridor, through the soft mud, around the corner, pushed his legs beyond his physical limits. The corridor was long, incredibly long, even though he felt that he was running at speeds to rival Gaius. His mind was in absolute turmoil—he felt as if a portal storm had appeared in his thoughts, picked up everything and scattered it around the empty field of his psyche. His heart throbbed against his ribs with such a frenzy that he genuinely feared it would burst free.

Uh, yeah. Funny story about that line there considering what the most recent offsite chapter implied about you, Flame… ^^;

He kept running, squeezing his eyes shut to escape the wind and the images of the Scyther's burning head. He thought vaguely about turning around to fire off a flamethrower behind him, but he did not have the mental capacity to concentrate on anything but running.

An opening presented itself at the end of the passage—within seconds he missiled past it and spilt onto the forested path, his breakneck steps slowing down somewhat as he took a few seconds to inspect his surroundings. Before long he resumed his mad dash towards the bridge, he could see in the—

"There he is!" an oddly familiar voice went. "Flamey! Hey!"

Virgo: "How are you doing anyways?"
Flame: "A-AAAH! Uh... I mean... Hi Virgo?"
- Blanch moment -
Flame: "How much of all that did you just see?" ._.
Virgo: "What, you running around like a beheaded Torchic right now?"
Flame: "(Okay, whew, so 'not much' then.) Er... Yeah, let's go with that." o_o;

Flame planted his feet in the ground and nearly skidded to a halt at the voice, despite him questioning whether it had been a spontaneous hallucination.

After a brief fit of panting—and a spell of sudden weakness—he twisted his head around, and sure enough, he saw an all-too familiar Gabite and Umbreon pair rushing over to him from further up the path, reaching him within seconds.

"Damn, we were looking for you all over!" Virgo said and seized him by the forearms, an enormous grin on his face. "Where were you? Oh, man, I was worried there for a while!"

Flame simply blinked, his face devoid of any sort of reaction. "Huh?"

Flame: “Oh my god, are you two seriously stalking me now of all times?!” >.<
Yvaine: “I’d just like to point out that our observations of you in these reviews were all non-canonical, so you should hardly think of this as ‘stalking’ right now.”
Virgo: “Yeah, besides. Did you really want to be off in the woods alone in the middle of a raging battle with the Scum?”
Flame: “... Okay, fair point.” ._.

Yvaine shouldered the Gabite's leg just as he was about to talk and silenced him with a glare. "It matters not." Then, she looked at him directly. "We're here because the general has ordered us to come get you, Flame. You must come with us."

Flame felt only increasingly numb, his heart beginning to beat even faster than it was earlier. "… What?"

That name brought forth a few memories, but he was too distressed to make sense of them.

The General wants me? he thought in a flurry of paranoia, looking between the two legionaries. General Sycorax? What does he want from me? Is he trying to arrest me, or…

I kinda wonder if Virgo and Yvaine would’ve really been this gung ho about this mission had they known just what Sycorax was going to do with Flame. Especially in light of Virgo’s increasing unease in recent chapters about having to potentially physically harm Flame as part of his job.

Flame: "Wait a minute, Sycorax seriously trusted a mid-evo and an Eeveelution to pull me out of the middle of a battlefield?"

Virgo: "I have an Eviolite, you know. And I'm not that low-leveled."

"No, you're not under arrest, Flame. I can guarantee that both you and your friends will be safe," Yvaine said, then turned to look behind them for a moment. "Now come! The Scum will start charging this trench at any moment now!"

>imagine trusting members of the Praetorian Guard in a Roman-themed setting

Flame's heart stopped at that first part. And it wasn't because she'd apparently read his mind. It can't be. They couldn't have been caught. We never told anyone! No, she has to be lying, to get me to come with them. Unless—

His mind suddenly drew back to when he'd let the Umbreon access his memories. A curtain of dread hung over his heart.

Yvaine: “Also, you were kinda talking your plans to run away with your teammates in our shared tent. While we were in it.”
Virgo: “It was kinda distracting from my Playdrakes, Flamey.”

- Flame’s eye twitches -
Flame: “... Oh goddammit! (Even if I’m pretty sure that wasn’t canon.)” >.<

"Th-they're with you?" he said breathlessly. "My teammates?"

Yvaine met his question with an exasperated calm. "Yes, they were intercepted by our agents and surrendered themselves voluntarily. Only you are left. Please, we shall explain as we go!"

Flame: “Th-That’s really not making me feel better about any of this right about now-” o_o;

He felt Virgo give him a push from behind. "Come on, Flamey! Get moving!"

He could do little else but follow suit when the two began running at a steady pace down the torn dirt path weaving in between the ghastly trees, just as the first rumbles of explosions and battle cries began sounding from the hill behind them.

Flame: “Er… yeah, I’ll take the under on that defensive line holding for more than about five minutes.”

Virgo: “All the more reason to keep running, Flamey!”

As he jogged forth, the Umbreon and the Gabite at his flanks, Flame did his best to block those sounds, to block the guilt he felt at abandoning the soldiers and even turning on that Scyther, as necessary as it all was. A vague hope that his injuries wouldn't cause the legionary to fall in battle was all that passed through his thoughts before he turned his attention to the path ahead. He could not see the bridge and the camp erected on its opposite side anymore, yet he was certain they were going in that direction. Relief flooded his heart, yet at the same time, there was a certain uneasiness in him as to what would happen now.

I’d just like to point out that literally everything described about the site of battle to the allied air cover cutting and running very heavily disadvantaged the defenders on the ground. Like at some point, you need to let natural selection take over for the guys who couldn’t read the obvious writing on the wall and take their chances with the barrier troops in the hopes that the third defensive line was built someplace that wasn’t a tactical nightmare to hold.

Gaius: "I'm sorry, but why are you feeling guilty about the asshole who almost beheaded you multiple times, tried to force you to fight to hold an indefensible position, and couldn't even give a hard commitment to not rat you out for losing your nerve?"
Flame: "(Wait, how on earth did those Praetorians not confiscate your badge yet?) And… er... I don't like seeing 'mons suffer because of me?"
- Gaius sighs -
Gaius: "You really need to get pickier about who you feel sorry for, Flame."

It didn't make sense. What interest could the head of the Imperial Army have with three fresh recruits? Was it because of the visit—back in the medical tent? Had he seen or noticed something when he'd spoken to them? Flame tried to play back the whole exchange with the Genesect in his head, yet he could not concentrate properly enough to remember. A knot was growing in his throat.

Well there’s a simple answer to that question. It’s because two of you three aren’t just fresh recruits. I mean, all that’s left is for it to come out that Gaius has some long-forgotten claim to a role of importance through his parentage that Sycorax somehow knows about, and we’ll complete the trio.

"What … what does Sycorax want from me?" he mumbled out in between pants, his eyes firm on the path ahead. "And why are you two…?"

"We're part of the Praetorian Guard," Yvaine explained breathlessly as she sprinted. "We answer directly to the General. He has ordered us to find you three specifically and to bring you to him before you could get in harm's way."

it's gonna hurt to reach that inevitable point down the road where the bridge with these two is going to have to be burnt. Seeing as the Praetorian Guard of this setting is working directly with the Not!Combine.

- Flame stares blankly, making Virgo tilt his head back -
Virgo: "Why the silence, Flamey?"
Flame: "(Oh dear god, my memories got seen by someone working as part of Sycorax's creepy Ascension Programme?) Uh... it's just that... I'd heard stories about the Praetorian Guard. And..."
- Yvaine shifts uncomfortably as Virgo tries to brush the matter off -
Virgo: "Eh. It happens when you're part of the big shots. Don't worry, you can't believe everything you hear on the street. And I'm still the same old fan of Playdrakes you met back at the bar!"
Flame: "(Yeah, I'm not buying that.) Also you two let me go to the battlefield and almost die repeatedly when we woke up in the same tent instead of just pulling me aside there and saving me from traveling two hours from Aesernia to this hellhole." >_>
- Beat moment -
Yvaine: "... Circumstances tied our paws. Now come on, let's hurry up and get out of here!"

Flame's attention piqued at the name, chiefly because it sounded important, but also because it roused some feelings of familiarity, likely something Alice had taught him. Either way, he was far too distressed to recall with certainty.

So how asleep was Flame during all of Alice’s infodumping of the world around him given that he doesn’t understand the importance of Praetorian Guards even if he finds the term familiar-sounding?

"But why does he want me?"

"Flame, I don't know the details," she replied back after a brief pause. "Only that this mission was of the highest priority. We were meant to prevent you from reaching the battlefield; it worked with your teammates, but somehow, you slipped through the net. We had to use our entire scouting force to find you."

That… actually makes me wonder what on earth happened there. Since you’d think that Sycorax would have passed word immediately onto the leadership at Camp Tempest that “under no circumstances are these three recruits allowed to leave the camp grounds, and I’ll dish out fustuarium myself if you cock this up” before he even left to chat with Ariel. Almost as if someone sabotaged things to allow this to happen, and given that we have seen Daedalus mingling among the ranks of Camp Tempest in the past...

… Though then again, I suppose it could’ve just been underling incompetence, with some lackeys on the shortlist for winding up very, very dead for allowing this to happen. But it’s definitely a “for want of a nail” moment as to what would’ve happened had Team Phalanx not fallen through the cracks there.

Flame could not help but grit his teeth at the knowledge. "You could have told me before I nearly died back there!"

"Well, you're here now, so who cares?" Virgo quipped in, somehow managing to keep his sickly cheerful tone even while apace. "Once we rendezvous with the rest of our squad, we're going to the capital. I mean—isn't that awesome? Trust me, you'll love it there! There's all these temples and the forum and—"

Flame: “Virgo, I’m literally going to be scarred for life from the stuff I saw while fighting out there!” >.<
Virgo: “... You’ll get over after you take in the sights at Urbe? Nothing like some fine girls in the capital to get your mind off the world burning.” ^^

A few moments of silence followed. When Flame turned to the Gabite in confusion, he saw the legionary staring up at the sky. They were traversing a patch of uncovered grassland, he noted. The legionary's eyes widened, and his jaw fell as he suddenly jabbed a finger at a point in the sky.

"In the air!" Virgo cried out as he forced himself to a halt. "Incoming!"

Flame scrambled to follow suit, and it was only after a few seconds that he saw the black mass of a Hydreigon swooping low along the treetops, heading straight for them. He froze in place and stifled his breath as primal roar shook the air, reverberating into his bones. For a moment it seemed conceivable that it may have been flying over them, ignoring them; but then it veered downwards, towards them, let out a titanic roar…

Ah yes, Kamerad Trikephalo makes his return. I’m going to die of laughter if it turns out at some point this guy is more properly called ‘Hauptmann Hermann’ or something like that, since based off what we wind up learning about the bits and pieces of his past, it wouldn’t be that unfitting of a moniker for him. :V

Flame: "Oh, so having friendly air cover was important. I... I don't suppose that Breloom from earlier poisoned it, did it?"

Flame threw himself to the ground in unison with his companions. He clutched his skull with both his hands just as a curtain of fire, dense and hot, licked every exposed inch of his body, a heat unbearable even for him. The stream of flames lasted scarcely a few seconds, yet he remained in that position even after the fire subsided, eyes squeezed together, gripped by fear.

When he finally found the courage to crane his head up, he reemerged to find a world in flames. He reared his head around; thin tongues of fire were sprouting in the tall grass all around him, crackling skyward and dancing with the wind. The treeline in front of them was not faring much better, with fire climbing down from the top branches and ejecting in spurts to the lower ones, while smouldering leaves began to fall down on the undergrowth.

Boy that one must’ve been awkward to explain to Daedalus afterwards given that Flame technically got hit by this attack as well.

For a moment, he felt surprisingly numb to what was happening around him—as if his mind had endured too many apocalyptic scenes in one day to really be surprised. Then, at once, he shot up on his knees and hands and started searching for his companions with his eyes, finding them in a patch of burnt soil to his right. Virgo was kneeling over a sprawled Yvaine, mumbling fervently under his breath as he rifled through the contents of his bag.

Flame rushed over to his side, only to recoil mentally as soon as Yvaine's full body came into view. She looked nearly unrecognisable: the black fur on her flank and thighs was nearly completely singed off. A thin cloud of steam rose lazily from the seared skin that now showed, as well as the rest of the remaining fur, in a fashion that made her look like an overcooked meal.

In a brief moment of selfishness, Flame was thankful for having fireproof scales.

Virgo: "C-Come on Yvvy, don’t die on me here!"

Flame: "(If Gaius was here, he'd yell at me for feeling sorry about 'mons this obviously shady, but gods this is hard to watch.)" ._.

He knelt by Virgo's side and watched the Gabite mash a rawst berry in his shaky claws. He then rubbed the liquids on her exposed skin to immediate effect: her feeble laments turned into screams and she jerked her body away, biting down on a mouthful of dirt, coughing and spitting it up immediately.

Huh. Somehow, I completely forgot that medicinal berries in this setting work like they do in Verus and in yours truly’s writings. Even if we’ve seen them more in the “nom in a pinch” usage up until this point.

Though assuming he’s not blindly panicking right about now, you’d think that Virgo would’ve either tried to just pop the Rawst Berry in Yvaine’s mouth or else try to scurry to cover before doing this, since… yeah, doing this in an open field right after you got torched from above by a pseudolegendary sounds like a recipe for having a short life expectancy.

"C'mon, Yvvy, c'mon…" Virgo held Yvaine firm, breathing heavily, visible hurt flooding his face as he extracted another berry from his bag. Flame remarked that this was the first time he'd seen the Gabite express a serious emotion. He loathed to admit it, but the look on Virgo's face was so disheartening that he felt genuinely guilty for thinking so badly of the 'mon before.

Well, until he brutally reminds you of why you think of him so badly at some point in the future, anyways.

Flame thought about helping, remembering about the medical supplies in his own bag, but his worries were quickly gripped by the wider situation. He climbed to his feet and rotated his body in full circle to spot the Hydreigon still flying above them somewhere.

Flame: “R-Right. Aren’t we supposed to be finding cover right about now?” o_o;

Try as he did, however, he could not find it. That fact somehow made him more nervous. They were not in a good position: they were standing wide in the open, and hell was still raging around them, spreading from shrub to shrub and along the treeline at an incredible rate, hogging the air with smoke and ash particles. In fact, of the trees that toured the clearing they stood in, it was hard to find one not showing signs of infection. Some had already been completely engulfed by the inferno.

Flame: “... Well that’s going to be a lot easier said than done.” O.O

Flame swallowed in sudden realisation: if they did not move immediately, the treeline would soon become impassable for her.

Seized by a sudden impulse of terror, Flame shot up on his feet. "Virgo, w-we have to go," He lay a paw on the Gabite's shoulder. "Th-that thing could come back around, and, and if the fire—"

"Yeah, yeah, I got it." Virgo blurted out in a near growl, shaking his claws off.

Virgo: “Flamey, Yvvy’s dying here!” >.<
Flame: “Yeah, well we’re going to be flatly dead if we don’t get out of here!” O_O;

Flame took an instinctive step back at the reaction, and he watched the legionary take a deep breath as he looked down at the wounded Umbreon, who was staring up at him in return, her laboured breaths coinciding with her spasms.

"It's going to be okay, partner," Virgo whispered with a level of emotion that Flame had not thought possible for the Gabite. The two shared a look of understanding for a few seconds, and, despite being touched by the scene, Flame felt the urge to scream at them to hurry up.

Thankfully, the Gabite got up just as he turned back around from his nervous checking, hooking both claws around the front part of Yvaine's underside.

Wait, as in under Yvaine’s forearms? Considering how any movement or stress on the burnt side of her body is sure to put her in agony and this isn’t exactly supporting Yvaine’s weight well, wouldn’t it be more sensible to cup his claws under Yvaine’s non-burnt side and have her curl up kinda like a cat?

Of course, kinda a bad situation here, and Virgo doesn’t strike me as a professional medic, so maybe it didn’t occur to him, but still.

"C'mon, Flamey, help me move her!" Virgo looked at him, jerking his head to the side.

Flame started doing just that—he stepped up behind the Umbreon and brought his own arms round her underside so that he stood directly behind her tail—a position that would have looked extremely inappropriate, he realised with a brief flash of embarrassment. But it did not matter. Together, they lifted Yvaine in the air, and Virgo motioned once again to—

Waaaaaait a minute, I could’ve sworn that Virgo was depicted as being able to hold Yvaine in his arms on his own in later chapters. Unless if Virgo got hurt enough from that incoming Flamethrower or whatever that was for that not to be viable, or else Yvaine can’t adopt an appropriate pose to support that, why exactly isn’t he able to do the same here given that would allow the lot of them to flee a lot faster than this, and probably be significantly less painful for Yvaine while moving around?

A large thump coming from behind them shattered both the plan and Flame's discipline into tiny fragments. Flame immediately lost grip on Yvaine and let her rear half fall limp. He sunk to his knees and tried his hardest not to hyperventilate.

He and Virgo merely stood there, frozen, sharing a fearful glance, hesitating to turn. It seemed they both knew what was behind them. Nevertheless, Flame was overwhelmed by the impulse and looked behind his shoulder.

Flame: “... Why am I doing this when we both know that we’re not going to like what we see?” O_O;
Virgo: “Er… yeah, that’s what I’d like to know too, Flamey.”

He stifled a yelp.

The dark, three-headed dragon that stood a mere dozen metres behind them looked even more massive now that it stood on its two legs. Three pairs of eyes stared directly at him, the larger central head unmoving while the two side ones glanced and turned independently of one another at the surrounding landscape. The six tendrils that could pass for wings flailing calmly behind its back. The creature was enormous, and vicious-looking, and Flame found himself trying to breathe as quietly as possible.

Oh, so Hydreigon in this setting don’t have Levitate, huh? It’s certainly different, but can’t say that it doesn’t make for imposing imagery there.

Flame: "(Wait, don't Hydreigon also have a really keen sense of smell-?)"
Virgo: "(Flamey, shut up while the giant Scum dragon's right there okay?!)" >.<

To his side, Virgo took a tentative step back, still clinging on to a half-limp Yvaine; at that, the Hydreigon's arm-heads growled in unison—with a higher pitch than the central head—and the right one spat out a cautionary ember up in the air.

Flame ceased all movement froze, as did Virgo. He did not know why the Scum had not already torn them to pieces, but he ceased all movement didn’t move a muscle.

Sensing compliance, the Hydreigon's central head made a brief grin, and then, raising its eyes to the sky, it let out a roar that split the air in half. With a cry he himself wasn't able to hear, Flame squeezed his eyes shut and mashed his hands against his ears well beyond the duration of the roar.

Scum!Hydreigon: “Ich habe ihn gefunden, Herr Dädalus!”
Flame: “Argh! My ears are ringing!” @.@
Virgo: “F-Flamey? I-I think we’re going to die.” ._.

When he dared to peek again, however, he saw—

The ground. There was a puddle of gray sludge where there hadn't been a mere second earlier. Flame's entrails seemed to have turned into ice.

He said nothing and did nothing as the familiar shape of the Dusknoir ascended gradually from the sludge, as if phasing through a portal. Then, in a mere second, though the world seemed to have become still, the Dusknoir was floating there, sludge trickling off it, fully in view.

Flame: “... Scratch the ‘think’ there. We are going to die.” O.O

Flame continued to feel incredibly numb even when the Dusknoir turned towards him with that single, piercing red eye; his breath merely jolted for an instant.

He continued to feel numb even as the same Dusknoir floated closer to him, inspecting him, smiling. He merely sat there, refusing to stare back at him back, like a castigated scolded child.

Virgo merely hugged Yvaine closer to him with one arm, terror emerging behind his rigid face even as he continued to interpose himself between Yvaine and the Scum.

Wait, how should I be envisioning that? Since isn’t it a bit hard for Virgo to be hugging Yvaine to him while also standing in the way of the Scum there? Or is Virgo meant to have his back turned and trying to shelter Yvaine with his body as he looks over his shoulder or something like that? Either way, you might want to more explicitly describe what Virgo’s body language there is.

Time stretched by inexorably. Flame still refused to raise his chin. For some reason, he wanted to cry.

I mean, being scared out of your wits while being cornered by a much stronger apparent foe will do that, yes. Especially since you're not the only Charmeleon that's happened to onscreen in this story.

Then, an icy hand engulfed his shoulder and forearm. A clear, reverberating voice echoed through his head.

My child…

Flame finally looked back.

But by then, his consciousness had already left him.

Daedalus: "Flame... I am your father."
Flame: "I... I... Ungh..."
- Flame fainted! -
Virgo: "... Kinda was expecting more you to loudly scream ‘No!’ there, Flamey. You know, to complete the reference."

15th September, 745 AUC

Primary objective failed. Target Icarus was intercepted by enemy troops while en route to our location. Escorting agents confirm presence of enemy leadership at abduction site.

Secondary objective is safe and in good health. Awaiting further instructions.

— Message sent by Supreme General Sycorax via priority psychic channel to Emperor Adrian.

... Waaaaaaaait a minute, but the newspaper clipping said that General Valentinian was arrested a full month after this. Three chapters ago. Is this a typo and this supposed to be something like "17th/18th October", or is this what was happening to Flame around / just before the events of the Prologue?

Gaius: "Holy crap, Flame really is Icarus?! That was just something I said on a lark back in Chapter XII!"
Alice: "Wait, are we the secondary objective? But just what would-?"
- Alice looks at message label more closely and has her eyes shrink to pins -
Alice: "Oh no. OH NO." O.O
Gaius: "So is this confirmation that you do have daddy problems here? Though that teaser clearly states that Flame was intercepted by the Scum.”
Alice: “... A-Are we sure? Since I’m pretty sure that timestamp is wrong for a present-day event!"
- Beat moment -
Alice: "Though wait a minute... even if he was, where on earth did they take him, and creepy sentimental value from that Dusknoir aside, why would he be important to them?"

Alright, time for the chapter postmortem:

Well, it goes without saying, but I enjoyed it, obviously. Otherwise I wouldn’t have written this much about the chapter. Though I dunno why, but something about Chapter XVIII in spite of arguably being more visceral than Chapter XIII has always never really made me uncomfortable in the same way XIII did. Probably because Flame doesn’t start forming any real bonds or attachments with the ‘mons that are getting brutally put down onscreen, and the fact that barring that one Dewott, there’s not exactly a ton of characters we don’t already know about that feel particularly sympathetic or pitiable. There’s definitely a lot of little details here and there that stood out to me on a re-read that I didn’t notice the first time around, and it better helped me get into the vibe and train of thought of the characters in the process.

As for things that I was less fond of… Well, I would harp on how disastrous those tactics were, but A: it’s a campaign run by a Praefect Varus against barbarians, so it was always going to go spectacularly sideways in some fashion, B: there are plot reasons established later on for why the Empire, or more accurately, its Benefactors, would allow a military campaign with tactics bordering on self-sabotage to happen. But honestly, I don’t think I had many complaints that I didn’t already elaborate on. I mean, I suppose there’s leaving a ray of hope for faces that you get the audience sympathetic to, but that’s not really how this story rolls, so that’s not something I really find an issue. Maybe the story could’ve given a few more hints as to what happened such that the Praetorians had their plan to intercept Flame hit a snag, but that’s honestly something that could very easily be worked into later or current chapters without a ton of effort.

Kudos on the chapter @Shadow of Antioch , and thanks again for diligently bumping your TR version here as it slowly catches pace with your offsite version of the story. It’s been a wild ride revisiting the twists and turns of Team Phalanx’s trip through the twilight ages of their world.

 

[Shadow of Antioch]

Chapter XX: Stasis​

---

"All Points: Down target Icarus. Priority One. Await final coordinates."

— Encrypted radio transmission sent from Vulcano Isle to Supreme General Sycorax.

---

In her mind, it was all so simple.

She would see him just as danger set in. The lumbering Hydreigon would sweep down and settle in the middle of his escape path, fires raging all around. He'd have nowhere else to run. Without thinking, Alice spewed an ice beam from behind the great beast to distract it. It turned to her, each of the three heads snapping at her and roaring independently.

She'd be terrified, cursing her audacity, no doubt. But then, perhaps, he might see an opportunity to attack, and with Virgo and Yvaine—

No. That wouldn't work. Ah, yes!—they'd pull out some kind of orb or seed to stun the creature; rush past it in a panic, she herself turning around and leading them to the safety of friendly lines. The Dusknoir would arrive too late to take him away. Then they would be back at the base camp: together once more, all in a moment of gladness. How close they'd come to losing him! Overcome by emotion, she wrapped around him several times, his arms surrounding her too, her snout nuzzling him softly.

I was so worried, she said, and he would say something stupid and witty in reply. It would be enough; and it would mean everything to her.

And all the while, she'd be rotting from the inside; for she knew that she was no proper friend. For friends didn't abandon one another because they were too scared to—

Somewhere nearby, a Spearow cried.

Alice blinked once before she jerked awake, raising her head from the grass. The same Spearow squawked again and landed on the tallest branch of the oak just across from where she was laying.

Alice wiped her nose on her bag's strap, then let her head fall onto the crumpled grass again. It was starting to get darker. She stared off into nothingness for a few moments before she squeezed her eyes shut, groaning. It was so strange; she'd never been one to lose herself in fantasies, not even in much more stressful periods of her life. Now, she couldn't go five minutes between them.

Alice sighed again slightly, and twisted around so that she rest on her cheek. Her eyes were fixated on the river Sontium, mere metres from her snout—its murky water boiling off into a steady flow…

She'd chosen this place in hopes that the bubbling of the water would soothe her mind. Alas, it was hopeless.

Flame was gone. It was all she could think of. It was all she wanted to think of. At least then, whenever the guilt wasn't consuming every living thought of hers, she could picture his nervous smile; his paw resting on her scales, leaving that residual warmth… She struggled to smile at the mental image. Her eyes teared up as she curled and uncurled her tail slightly.

Everything had gone wrong.

She wasn't exactly sure at what point the plan had unravelled. Maybe it was when Flame failed to show up at the rendezvous with Gaius and her, or perhaps when the Praetorian Guard swept in to seize them. It hardly mattered now. What mattered was that she hadn't been there for him in his moment of greatest need. As a result, he was now being held prisoner gods-knew where by the Scum.

I told you I was nothing but a coward, muttered Alice in her head, looking up at the overcast sky.

She needed not fantasise about the details of how it happened: Virgo and Yvaine had already given Sycorax a full debriefing, and she'd been there to hear it all. How it unfolded. How they'd found him. She could only imagine how he must have felt: he'd just escaped the heat of battle, only to find out that their plan had fallen apart, that Gaius and her had been taken by the Praetorian Guard—that all his dreams for a happy future amounted to naught.

The Praetorian Guard… She blinked, coming to her senses. It surprised her how little she found herself thinking about that.

She suddenly became aware of the crackling of dry leaves some distance behind her. She listened for a few seconds, and then determined that the praetorian watching over her must have been pacing back and forth in boredom.

Her head somehow sunk lower. Try as she might, she couldn't bring herself to care about them right now. Not even about that … demon, Sycorax, coming back to haunt her. No; she coiled up tighter and let her mind wander back to Flame, to his warmth, to him fighting for his life in the front lines.

What must have been his thoughts, in those moments? Even now, she could not help but picture his screams—his terror as the battle raged on around him, Scum pouring over the trenches in the hundreds and gutting fellow soldiers all around.

He must have felt terrified—betrayed, even. Avoiding that battle had been the entire point of their escape plan. Perhaps he'd imagined Gaius and her running off on their own, leaving him to be ripped open by barbarians.

Was it … was it plausible he was thinking the same thing in this very moment, rotting in some mud hut in a village, surrounded by those monsters?

And all I've done about it is to sit here crying… she thought with a vaguely angry scowl.

Her resolve to take action was burdened by not knowing where Flame even was. A quivering Dratini, that's what she'd reverted to. How could a Charmeleon she had barely met a month ago affect her so much? Especially after knowing what she now knew…

"Dragonair," a stern voice came from behind her, the constant crackling of leaves halting briefly, "do you intend to lie there for the rest of tomorrow, too?"

"Oh, shut it," muttered Alice, not budging a centimetre.

The praetorian merely grumbled something offensive and returned right back to pacing.

Alice closed her eyes and sighed through pursed lips. Where was she?

So he was a Scum, then. Her face contorted into a scowl as she said those words in her head. But it was beyond doubt by now: there could be no other explanation for what had taken place. The Scum never took prisoners. The possibility had been fermenting in her head for a while, truth be told—ever since their first run-in with the Scum's leader.

She let out a minute sigh.

What are you, Flame?

The whirring breeze in her ears was the only answer she received.

She let out another charged sigh, and retreated tighter into her coils. She could still remember the way Gaius had reacted right after the incident, pinning the poor Charmeleon to the icy ground with a leaf blade to his throat. While a bit extreme, she could certainly sympathise with Gaius: it wasn't easy to accept that one's teammate was once part of a group of mass murderers.

It was then that the question imposed itself in her mind: did that matter to her?

Alice raised her neck for perhaps the first time in hours. Her eyes rose to meet the sky, and through her tumultuous thoughts, she came to the realisation that she didn't care. She genuinely didn't.

Former Scum or not, Flame was a good pokémon—whatever horrible deeds he'd committed prior to losing his memories, in her eyes, he had more than redeemed himself. Wasn't that all that mattered? The memory wipe, however it may have happened, had to have purified his being, she thought; cleansed away the death-worship and the indoctrination, leaving only the good and kind-hearted pokémon that lay underneath.

Flame had always put Team Phalanx before all else. His intentions were always pure, ineptitude or not. He had helped Gaius and her in their daily struggle to get by; he'd saved their lives in that icy hell of a mystery dungeon, despite the danger to himself, despite the terrible things they'd done to him.

Alice knew all too well what it was like to get dealt a bad hand by life.

And yet…

That still didn't explain why she found herself this bothered by his disappearance.

Alice shook her head to focus, eyes narrowed. There had to be something more, something just outside her rhetorical grasp. Ever since he'd saved her life in that cave back in Portus, she had tried to make sense of what Flame was to her. He was her teammate and friend, but some corner of her mind whispered that he meant something mo—

Something inside her stopped.

Friend. She had just called him her friend.

Alice opened her mouth as if to utter something, then closed it shut. It was true: in all these years of wandering and surviving, Flame had been her first true friend. A grin bloomed across her face even as tears welled in her eyes, and she chuckled dryly at her reaction.

How had it taken her this long to realise? Perhaps she just wasn't used to calling other pokémon friends. Yet the signs were there, undoubtedly so. He cared about her—always had, through every act of kindness he'd shown her in their brief time together. And if there was any doubt she cared for him in return, it had been tossed aside now that he was gone.

What was even crazier was that Alice could not say the same for Gaius.

Her smile turned sour just as the focus of her thoughts switched. Even after two years—two years of constant teamwork, of struggling through hunger and winters together, of seeing each other every day … she still struggled to see the Grovyle as anything more than a colleague. They were bound together by sheer need and lack of alternative—little more.

She wished they could have taken Gaius instead. Alice immediately felt shame rise through her cheeks for thinking that, yet it did not make her feelings any less true.

Flame was different. Alice smiled fondly at the memory of the Charmeleon sharing his meal with her when Gaius did not care to do the same. No one else had cared that much before.

A sheepish smile settled back on her face. For a moment, she was back in the icy cave, his scales pressed against hers—his heat her only grasp on reality. Tears continued to well in her eyes.

Yes, there was no longer a doubt in her mind—throughout it all, Flame had been her first real friend.

And now he's gone.

Alice squeezed her eyes shut to eject the built-up tears. Seized by a frenzy of energy, she shot up and looked around, blinking; staying still suddenly became intolerable.

It took only a second of indecision before she resolved to head back to camp. As impossible as it seemed, her impulse to lie down and mope had been burdened by the need to do something for Flame.

He deserved as much.

She turned to the Gallade that was supposed to watch over her: he was leaning against a tree a scant few metres away, inspecting his arm-blade idly and slashing at thin air. Several seconds passed before he noticed her staring at him, at which he jolted awake.

"Mew almighty," the praetorian muttered with wide eyes, standing upright, "you finally answered my prayers."

Alice did her best to ignore him, maintaining a stoic mask. She held her irritation at bay. What frustrated her the most was that, truth be told, she wasn't quite sure what she could do to help Flame.

For he was somewhere beyond those distant hills, beyond the blue horizon, perhaps still believing in their shared dream.

And she was here.

Sniffling against her will, Alice steeled her face once more. She wouldn't live in her past's shadow again. Not anymore. She was no longer a scared, lost little Dragonair trying to piece together a life out of nothing. There were things in her life worth fighting for. And crying here wasn't going to help with that.

---

They emerged from the blackened forest just before sundown.

The heavy storm clouds looming near the horizon now displayed their bright pink underside, while vestigial sunlight washed the tops of distant hills in yellow-pink. Alice might have found the sight beautiful at any other time.

Instead, she stopped to readjust the bag around her neck.

Breathing deeply, and with eyes shut, she tried to quell the vicious vortex swirling about her head. Thoughts came and went for seconds at a time—concentrating on any one was impossible. Visions flashed in the eye of her mind: Flame, Gaius, Sycorax, her father, then Flame again… Gods, she needed—

Alice yipped loudly when a hand settled on the back of her neck, shaking her lightly.

"Come on, Dragonair." The Gallade produced a tiny sigh and pointed his arm-blade. "That way. See the torches?"

Indeed, she could. Just uphill from where they stood she could make out a suffused torchlight and the shapes of tents.

Alice moved off again, gritting her teeth as she began the uphill climb.

For an ad-hoc encampment, it was incredibly well thought-out, she thought. The hill provided both a defensive position and a lookout over the surrounding terrain. She assumed it was ad-hoc, at least—set up just outside of Aesernia in order to nab Team Phalanx away and retreat.

To be fair, Alice wasn't sure where they were compared to Aesernia. Heck, she didn't even know how the battle had ended. Or if it had ended. Was it conceivable that the city walls had already been breached? Shuddering, she tried to suppress that thought.

No, she needed to get her mental bearings again. Figure out why the Praetorians were here, what they wanted from them. No more crying.

The first step would be to talk things over with Gaius.

Her efforts to concentrate were made all the harder when her escort suddenly walked up to her side.

"Say, Dragonair…" the Gallade spoke up, staring her in the eye. "Have we met before?"

Weirded out, Alice stopped for a moment and sent the praetorian a scrutinising glance. She blinked. Was he … hitting on her? It was such a strange question to ask. She had never seen a praetorian since she'd been a Dratini, much less spoken to one.

"I don't believe so," replied Alice, before she carried on moving.

The Gallade didn't seem to give up.

"Okay—maybe not met, but you look familiar. Must have seen you somewhere," he continued looking her up and down, arms crossed.

Now she pursed her lips. What did this soldier want from her? She gave him another look, but could not find in his face a shred of familiarity. The only possible place a praetorian could have seen her was at one of the big Imperial Army parades held yearly in Urbe.

Father stopped bringing me to public events after I evolved, she recalled. He can't be remembering me as a Dratini, can he?

"Doubtful," said Alice simply.

It was in that moment that they reached the brow of the hill: in front of them stood a neat row of large tents with their backs to them. One of the Sceptile patrolling the perimeter waved in their direction.

"Whatever you say, princess," the Gallade shrugged. "Just making conversation. Take care."

Alice took the cue and moved off, squeezing between two of the tents to avoid making the long way around.

Upon reaching the other side, Alice took a deep, long, and shaky breath. In front of her, a host of Flygon, Staraptor, and Salamence idled in the grass, all wearing saddles on their backs. The crates stacked around them were already bundled up with rope.

She moved past them in a hurry, barely aware of where she was headed, her breathing becoming increasingly shallow with every moment.

The Gallade's questions had bothered her a lot more than she'd care to admit. Just the possibility that someone might have recognised her from when she was little… It triggered an avalanche of unwelcome thoughts, of memories from a place and time that she thought she'd left behind.

Did anyone still remember her? If this praetorian could recognise her from a parade nearly a decade ago, then … there had to be people that remembered her. All the ministers and servants—some of them had to recall that extra Dratini playing with her sisters in the Imperial Gardens all those years ago.

Moving further into the camp, she wondered: what was the official story surrounding her? Assuming it even acknowledged her existence, that was. The records might have had her sent off to marry a foreign prince, if not dead from a tragic illness.

Or maybe they had expunged her from the records. It would hardly surprise her.

I shouldn't care anymore, Alice squeezed her eyes together, breathing through her nostrils. I shouldn't.

She stopped herself just before entering Gaius' tent. She turned around and wiped her eyes with her tail, to mask the fact she'd been crying, but knew that there was nothing she could do about red eyes.

She parted the tent flap with her nose to peek inside: there he was, sitting cross-legged towards the back. She could also see the praetorian Weavile standing guard in the penumbra behind him, utterly still.

"Hey," she said simply to announce her entry.

Alice slithered over to him to coil up by his side. Gaius merely lifted his eyes to glance at her, still chewing the blade of grass hanging from his mouth.

"Hey," he replied back, his voice lacking any discernible enthusiasm.

Alice followed his downwards gaze, and frowned. His wrists were still bound with Ariados string, forcing him to hunch over slightly. Not only that, he also appeared to be clutching his stump with the palm of his other hand—as if attempting to hide his own injury.

"Are you okay?"

Gaius shrugged, refusing to lift his gaze from his paws. "I guess. Just glad you're back."

The answer gave Alice a pause. It was gratifying to hear, certainly, but it wasn't the type of answer she'd come to expect from Gaius.

Alice studied his face intensely for a few moment, then blinked. "You're not … angry at me."

Gaius lifted his chin to look at her, raising an eyebrow. "Should I be?"

Again, Alice did not know what to say. Just how much had their near-death experience in Portus affected him?

"I held us up," she muttered quickly. "Said we couldn't leave without Flame. Since that got us captured, I just figured you'd be…" She left the sentence hanging, yet still no reaction came. "I, I don't know. Blaming me. For the situation we're in."

Gaius seemed to consider her point for a few seconds beneath his drained stare, then shrugged. "What's the point?"

Silence stretched between them. Alice glanced nervously around the tent in the search for something to say. The tent gave her nothing.

Before she could, though, Gaius continued with a small sigh.

"Besides," he uttered while tracing his remaining claws in the dirt. "I can't really … fault you for what you did. Our plan was a longshot. We all knew it."

He suddenly sat up straighter despite his bounds, looking directly at her. "We agreed that we'd stick together, no matter what."

For a moment, Alice became conscious of the Weavile standing in the penumbra just behind him, and whether it was wise to bring up certain things around it. Then she mused that the Praetorian Guard already knew exactly what they'd tried to do—it was no use being secretive.

Alice nodded, and gave Gaius a somber smile.

"We did," she said, eyes cast downwards. "And now he's gone."

Silence filled the tent once again. Alice rested her head on her coils. There was a vague throbbing behind her eyes, but the tears in her had long been exhausted. Instead, only bitterness remained.

To her astonishment, Gaius scooted closer to her and touched his bound stump and hand on her middle, in what she interpreted as a comforting gesture. The action elicited the tiniest hint of a smile on her cheeks.

"We have to put things right, Gaius," she whispered.

The Grovyle sneered. "Yeah, good luck with that. Just look at what you got us into."

Alice lifted her head to peer at him inquisitively.

"Me?"

She tried her hardest to feel offended by his accusation; in her heart, she knew it to be true.

Gaius withdrew his touch, and gave her a stern glare. "Alice. You're the Emperor's daughter. They sent the Praetorian freaking Guard to capture us. Don't tell me those things aren't related."

Alice opened her mouth as if to speak, only to close it again. He was right. She couldn't tell him that. Her gaze dropped.

"… it doesn't make sense," she whispered. "My father couldn't care less about me. A-all these years, he—he hasn't even tried to reach me. Find out if I'm alive. Wh-why would—"

Alice's voice caught in her throat. Her distress awoke a nausea in her body.

Gaius shrugged. "Fuck if I know—you never told me all the details. Maybe he's having a mid-life crisis or something."

Alice was too focused on breathing in and out properly to listen. She felt her cheek pale and cold at the implications of it all. If Gaius was right, in a few days she would be in Urbe with her father, hearing his forgiveness or perhaps his disappointment that she hadn't changed whatsoever. Could she still bear to hear that, after so long?

Memories swarmed back of her last moments with her father, those final moments of rejection; she was again in the cold dark atrium of the palace, at dead of night, soldiers all around her bagging supplies for the waiting caravan. His eyes—she could still feel them, staring at her from atop the balcony with nothing but disappointment.

"… why now?" she asked no one in particular, her voice trembling.

Gaius exhaled forcefully through his nose.

"I don't know. Fact is: we both tried to desert. Why am I not allowed to walk around freely? Heck—why have you not been tied up?" he lifted his wrists to show the Ariados string binding them together.

"I-in my defence," Alice blurted weakly, attempting a sheepish smile, "tying me into a knot wouldn't work as well."

Gaius flashed the briefest of smiles. "This isn't the time."

"Sorry," Alice dropped her gaze. "I, I just—I don't know, okay?" She squeezed her eyes together and breathed. "I don't know what he could want. Why the Praetorians are here."

Groaning, Alice buried her head in her coils. Right now, she almost wanted to go back to brooding over Flame. At least those thoughts were pleasant ones.

"Talk to him."

Alice turned to stare at Gaius with the most confused look she could muster.

"Sycorax," he clarified. "Find out what he wants from us."

Alice suddenly found it incredibly hard to look him in the eye. Her gaze wandering, she knew at once that she could not escape this—not while Gaius risked being hanged for his crimes.

Not while Flame was still out there.

A sudden impetus seized her body and made her stand up; she uncoiled from her spot in the grass. After a deep breath, she turned to face the Grovyle.

"I'll try my best, Gaius," she offered him a small smile. "I will."

After holding his gaze for a few moments, she turned to leave the tent.

"Hey…"

Alice paused upon hearing Gaius speak again. She turned back around, and found the Grovyle fiddling with his two remaining claws.

"I'm sorry," he said quietly, eyes down. "For … for everything. For the drinking, for the awful things I've said to you, for … how I treated Flame."

Alice stared at him as if he'd completely lost it. She tried to say something but failed. Never, not since she'd known him, had he apologised to her about anything. What should have been a wonderful change now made her worry for his well-being.

"Sorry, I'm just … surprised," she blinked quickly. "Why this change of heart, Gaius?"

In response, Gaius simply stared back for a few moments, saying nothing. Then, he shrugged.

An incredulous smile grew on Alice's face. She now felt even worse about having wished that he'd been taken away rather than Flame. Yet it was still true. There was little she could do to change that feeling.

Nevertheless, she felt moved enough by his apology to move closer and hug him. Her head rested on one shoulder while her tail was draped around the other, pressing against the back of his neck.

"Thank you," she drew back, still smiling, letting her tail fall. "I … can't forgive you for everything you did. But you have no idea how much that means to me."

Gaius gave a slow nod. Through his tired face, she could now spot the hint of a smile on his lips.

For a few moments, all felt right again. Just like in those rare moments they'd had as a team—sharing a meal, or cheering at a larger than usual payout.

Yet the nostalgia only made the absence of Flame's tail glow all the more jarring for her.

Alice took a deep breath.

Slowly she proceeded towards the exit, but stopped just shy of it.

"I won't leave you to die." She looked back to her teammate. "Either of you. I promise."

Sending a final nod to her teammate, Alice turned and left the tent.

Her mind felt strangely at ease as she crossed the threshold into the outside world. Only the faintest yellow glow lingered in the sky now. She could hear a group of pokémon somewhere nearby, stomping together and singing of a girl they'd left back home.

Holding her head up high, and with a confident smile, Alice set off through the dimly-lit streets. The continued chanting of the soldiers accompanied her for a considerable distance, and made it all the harder for her to repress her own emotions right now.

It was true, the thought of speaking to Sycorax again made her heart throb faster—but she was done living in the shadow of her past. There was nothing to fear. He was not her father, and she was not a helpless Dratini anymore.

Soon, though, her bout of confidence sputtered; she slowed down gradually until she stopped completely, biting her lip.

Even if she were to negotiate Gaius' life, what of Flame's? He could have been anywhere in Scum territory. She could not see a way to convince the Praetorians or the Army to mount such a risky expedition—not for one pokémon. And even if she refused to abide by the their demands unless a search party was organised, surely they could just chuck her into a box and carry her to Urbe!

Damn it…

Alice clenched her eyes sharply and breathed in to contain her sudden rush of anger. Of course it wouldn't be easy. But she had to do it nevertheless. Her teammates were counting on her.

Her friend was counting on her.

She opened her eyes again, and stared forward. Just a short distance ahead there was a large tent flying the Imperial banner from a nearby pole. She could barely make out the heraldic eagle from the background in the dark.

I'm not leaving him, Alice raised her chin and drew her chest in. Even if it costs my life.

---

End of Chapter XX​

 

[Spiteful Murkrow]

Wow, we’ve already gotten to this point of the story here, huh? Hard to imagine that you resumed syndication of this story here just -checks notes- eight months ago, but we’re finally here at the first big watershed (or potentially second if you count Chapters XIII-XIV as the first) where the framing of the story completely changes, and I’m honestly a bit excited to revisit it.

Though I suppose that’s a sign to get right into things, huh?

Chapter XIX

Spoiler: Line-by-Line

He opened his eyes to find himself in a dark room, on a straw bed, wide-eyed and short of breath.

Despite having just regained consciousness, he knew immediately that something was wrong from the sheer tension gripping his chest. His head still felt wobbly, however, and when he dared to shift from his prone position he groaned loudly at the sharp pain tearing his back in half.

Falling back down, he bit his lip, then spent the next few seconds sucking back precious air into his lungs. He did not understand. He could not remember why he was like this. His muscles, raw and heavy, pulsed and burned as though a remnant from some titanic physical effort.

Flame: “Blugh… where am I? That weird ‘pass out and teleport to safety’ thing didn’t happen again did it?”
- Beat moment -
Flame: “... Wait, but the last times that happened, I was in a Mystery Dungeon. I was out in a normal forest that time.” ._.;

His eyes remained fixated on the braided ceiling of whatever room he was in. This was definitely not his tent in Camp Tempest. This ceiling was triangular in shape, rising much taller than he was used to, with a long line of interwoven thin bamboo-like sticks supporting what he could have sworn was hay peeking through the cracks. He then realised that it there was the light streaming from an opening in one of the walls that allowed him to see those details in the first place. Taking a deep breath through his nose, he found that the place smelt distinctly of fresh soil and unshowered warriors.

Flame: “Eww… though how badly did those ‘mons in Camp Tempest reek if I instantly know from the smell that I’m near soldiers who haven’t taken a shower lately?”

What is this place? He blinked, unconsciously grabbing onto a clawful of straw. Why am I in a bed?

Flame: "Whew, well at least I'm still alive and that Dusknoir's nowhere to be-"
- Flame has a moment of realization that where it occurs to him that he’s in a weird, unrecognizable with zero sign of Virgo or Yvaine around him -
Flame: "Oh crap. V-Virgo didn’t manage to help me get away!" o_o

After barely a moment of indecision, he caved to his curiosity and reluctantly craned his neck up, just barely managing to resist the feeling of his heavy muscles threatening to rip apart. Biting his lip, he quickly glanced around and saw nothing more than a dead fireplace and some roughly-cut wooden furniture spread around the gloomy room. He did not manage to see much more before the physical strain got to him and he was forced to let his head down amidst heavy pants.

Even still, he had the map of the room burnt behind his eyelids: his bed sat squarely at the corner, directly opposite to the only door. He did not recall ever seeing this place before in his life. Thus the question persisted: why was he here? Why did every part of him hurt so badly? What had happened?

Flame: “Okay Flame, calm down. It’s just a random hut. M-Maybe some peasants in the woods found you and took you in! There’s plenty of other things that could’ve happened to you other than being captured by the Scum!”

Just as he began waddling through his mind for possible answers, he heard voices coming from somewhere beyond the walls.

His mouth froze open for a few moments. Breathing, and quickly collecting himself, he concentrated on the voices completely: there were many of them, droning on and on and sometimes taking turns to speak as though engaged in discussion. Flame thought he could discern between male and female, but not their exact number. He bent his head to look at a particular spot on the wall next to him where the voices were coming from. There was something … unsettling about their speech, though Flame could not grasp exactly what.

Flame: "H-Hey, on a positive note, I'm not explicitly comparing that speech to what I heard from the Scum in Portus so there's a chance that-"

Suddenly the gravellier of the voices asked something, then answered his own question, a small chorus of laughter erupting at whatever had just been said.

Flame held a grimace, feeling uncomfortable for more than one reason now. The way they spoke … was it the inflection that made them feel almost alien? They were close, yet he still couldn't make out any words, and on top of that, there were certain guttural sounds—certain consonants, especially—that he was sure he had never heard before. This …couldn't be a question of regional accents, could it?

I mean, if there’s dialects of Newspeak that might as well be Romanian to its Italian, sure. But given that that description is very consistently used to describe a particular type of speech in this story… :V

Wait, no. A thought hit him as his chest tightened. It can't be. These can't be the—…

He sat up suddenly with a fluttering heart. The Scum! These were Scum speaking! He'd been captured by their leader and brought here, with them, who knew how many kilometres away from his friends!

Yeah, that sounds about right.

Flame: "Oh my god. Why on earth did I ever get my hopes up?"

No, no, no, no… He clutched the side of his head with shaky paws and whispered profanities beneath his breath in an attempt not to panic.

Pretty sure that’s not how that works, Flame. But alrighty then.

How could he have forgotten? The mental image of the Dusknoir looming over him was still burnt into his vision, that deathly red eye drowning him with its glow. Something in his chest twisted tighter. All those memories, once buried by haziness, sprung to mind all at once to knock him out of his stupor: he saw Yvaine saying that his teammates were gone, captured by Sycorax and the Praetorian Guard before they could enact their plans; he felt the fear, the living wave of Scum rushing towards him, the fighting, the screaming all around—then the Hydreigon's blood-chilling roar, followed by Virgo's terrified face as he interposed himself between the huge Hydreigon and Yvaine. Alice…

Flame: “I mean, it was less ‘forgotten’ and more that I was hoping that somehow I was hoping that someone bailed me out while I passed out.”

- Beat moment -
Flame: “... Though wait a minute. We were cornered. By the Scum. So th-then Virgo and Yvaine are…?”

- Blink moment -
Flame: “Though actually… why am I worried about those two again when they were always creepy and gave me vibes like they were going to kill me in my sleep?” .-.

Despite a thousand thoughts of doom running through his mind, the foremost one was somehow of never being able to see Alice or Gaius again. What would he do without them? His heavy breathing reverberated around the heavy wooden walls of the hut.

- Flame thinks back over everything Gaius has done to screw him over over the past 18 chapters -
Flame: "... I mean, he'd been getting better since he lost his hand. But eh... I honestly think I'd survive without seeing Gaius again."
- Somewhere off in Schrodinger's location, Gaius stiffens up -
Alice: "Gaius? Is something wrong?"
Gaius: "I can't place it, but I feel as if I should be offended right about now."

In his distress, he didn't notice that one of the voices had ceased to speak and that there was an audible pattering of feet until too late.

The door creaked open, light flooding a narrow sliver of the room. Flame shot his head towards it, suddenly incapable of breathing. A feminine-looking Braixen timidly leaned her head inside, only to jump in the air with a yip at the sight of him staring back, and slamming the door shut behind her, all in the span of a few instants. He heard the Braixen patter off yelling something along the lines of "[He is awake! Sir, he is awake!]" over and over again.

Brynn: "Herr Dädalus, das Glutexo ist wach!"
Flame: "Glutexo? What the hell is that supposed to mean? ‘Enemy’? 'Prisoner'? 'Imperial'?"

As the voice became distant, Flame merely sat there with his eyes still pinned against the door, surprised at his own lack of reaction despite the tightness gripping his chest. Perhaps it was because he knew that nothing could be done, and it was little use worrying.

He remained still as a statue, lowering his glance, feeling the sudden urgency to do something without knowing what. It's too late now, a voice told him; they knew he was awake. They would come to take him at any second. He glanced at the door, but he knew in his heart that whichever settlement or camp he was in must have been home to dozens of other Scum—and he knew that he was far too weak and exhausted to even attempt fighting his way out.

I’m now morbidly curious how this chapter would’ve played out from this point if something like a dozen Teutonii came into the room to fawn over him and he went full panicked “AAAAHNOGOAWAYGOAWAY” in response. :V

Flame couldn't help but scowl, a bitter taste entering his mouth. His eyes were still held at fixed on the floor. In a last desperate attempt, he glazed over the room for any item that would give him a clue, but nothing came to his rescue. It was a sickening feeling to know that he could do nothing to prevent whatever they intended to do to him.

The first scenario to play out in his mind was that they planned to execute or otherwise hurt him, but it did not hold up long under rational scrutiny. They would not have brought him here alive only to kill him. More importantly, though—he quivered in utter shame at the thought—there was the affection granted to him by the Scum leader on both occasions they had met. That large hand encompassing his shoulder and half his forearm, that smile, that sincere smile of the kind one would give to a long-lost friend… Those last two words, uttered into his soul…

Not that he wouldn’t have realized that he was in the clear either way, but it was probably a good thing for Flame’s nerves there that nobody got around to telling him stories about this setting’s analogue to the Clades Variana and things that would’ve happened in the aftermath if it tracked with its real-life counterpart. Since there were a few reasons back in the day why being taken alive by parties like the Teutonii wasn’t a guarantee that they weren’t going to kill you later.

My child, he repeated to himself, his eyes blank. He said 'my child'.

Flame: "... Not that it makes me feel any better right now, but how did the Dusknoir know to speak to me in Urbe's language? Shouldn't he have said something to me in Scum like-?"
Daedalus: "’Mein Kind’?”
Flame: "Yeah, something like tha-"
- Beat moment -
Flame: "Uh-oh." o_o

A sense of helplessness took hold of Flame as the implications of those exact words hit him like a charging Rapidash. It was beyond obvious by now. Whereas previously he'd had the luxury of being able to forget about his apparent connections to the enemy—the weight of his daily duties enough to stave off the tormenting thoughts—he would now have to face the reality of the situation. Between those repeated gestures and being brought here alive, in a bed, not even Alice's wishful thinking could circumvent the obvious truth. Not that she was here with him, anyway.

His eyes drifted slowly to the ceiling. All this time, was I really one of them?

That question is honestly still open a full dozen chapters from this point in the story, since it seemed to tilt heavily to the idea that Flame doesn’t have a tie by heritage to the Teutonii. But if nothing else, Flame’s seen by them as being one of them, and in a fashion that goes well, well beyond merely being another foot soldier.

The question shook the very core of his being. In that moment, he felt any shred of personal identity he had cobbled together since that fateful day crumble at under the realisation that it had all been a lie. His southern origins, his entry in the Empire's armed forces, everything.

Assuming Flame’s accent thing doesn’t one day get lazored from existence by a retcon, that is something that I’m still curious as to how he has. Since it would imply that he has quite a backstory, and one with origins that are potentially very far away from his present company.

After all this time searching for clues about his past, he could finally be certain of one thing: that prior to losing his memories, he had been a part of the Scum. Somehow, he struggled to find joy in that.

Well, that you made cause with them anyways. Since in light of the most recent chapter’s revelations, I’m not fully convinced you were originally part of the Scum.

That was, until the door creaked open.

An aurora of light swept into the room, forcing Flame to cover his eyes until the door was shut and the gentle penumbra returned. Hesitant to lower his forearm, he did not flinch upon finding a large grey phantom standing before the front door. It wasn't doing anything; it simply floated there, immobile, peering down at him with that large, glowing eye.

Flame: “Oh, oh god. Just when this day couldn’t get any worse right now.”

Flame managed to hold the creature's gaze for all of three seconds. After that he looked away, feeling himself shrink miserably like a cub cowering from an angry parent. He scolded himself for his cowardice. Though he could see the creature creeping forward from the corner of his vision, Flame insisted on staring at his modest tail fire as though it were the most interesting thing in the world.

Realising it was hovering in front of him now, he attempted to puff his chest and harden his expression to hide the utter terror that was making him quiver underneath. He could not help it: he was scared, he was genuinely scared. Still, it was impossible to pretend that the Dusknoir was not by his bedside, that he could not see its wispy tail floating off the ground. At once he became disgusted at his own cowardice. He needed to be strong, damn it!

Flame: "(Maybe if I try and say some expression of defiance in its language, it'll sell me not being scared better.)"
- Flame tries to think of the snatches of Scum language he heard from around the tent and tries to summon the toughest-sounding thing he can string together -
Flame: "I-Ich... bin... der Glutexo!"
- Daedalus pauses and looks down in confusion -
Daedalus: "... Was?"
- Flame blinks -
Flame: "(That actually worked? Better strike while the iron's hot!)"
- Flame forces a confident smirk over his face and speaks again -
Flame: "Ich bin der Glutexo!"
- Only to be met by snickers and barely-stifled laughter from Scum beyond the tent entrance -
Brynn: "‘Ich bin der Glutexo?’ Götter im Himmel, wie peinlich!"

Flame: "(... What on earth did I just say?)" ._.;

With an air of finality, he raised his stare only to be greeted by the Dusknoir's waiting smile. Its lone eye seemed to carefully scan his body before it spoke.

"My child." The words reverberated in his soul, sending a shiver down his spine and causing him to flinch. "How are you feeling? You look … miserable," he said with a tinge of melancholy. "There are multiple scars all over your body, and you are frightfully thin. Although … I suppose that last part about you has not changed [ ]."

Would personally add something to the effect of “since we last met” or “since we last saw each other” in those brackets to have Daedalus better sell the vibe of “it’s been a while, don’t you remember me?” from his dialogue.

Daedalus: "Cute show there, but let's stick to talking to each other in languages you actually understand for now, hm? Also, you wanted ‘Ich bin das Glutexo’ there."
Flame: "Uh... (boy that’s embarrassing) fair enough, I guess. Though how are you able to do this right now anyways?"

Flame opened his mouth and held it open for a good few seconds, but found himself unable to speak. His lips became incredibly dry all of a sudden.

It was speaking to him telepathically. This was by no means a first in his life, for he recalled Yvaine doing the same not long ago, but he could not help but be affected by it that much more. Flame's thoughts continued to race for a few moments before the Dusknoir's words finally sank in.

My … health? He blinked. He's worried about my health?

Flame: "Wait a minute, but shouldn't your thoughts still be in Scum language though? How on earth am I understanding-?"
Daedalus: "Look, it works well enough in the anime movies in spite of a spoken language barrier. Just go with it."
- Flame paw at back of head awkwardly -
Flame: "Er... just how dumb did I make myself look trying to sound tough earlier?"
Daedalus: "Pretty dumb. On the positive side, you'd probably have been entertaining after a few drinks."

Feeling more confused than before, Flame looked down at himself from his sitting position. He winced when he noticed that indeed, he did look pretty beaten up. There was a near-contiguous rift on the scales of his thigh, the remnant of little hole marks back from when that Carnivine had chomped down halfway through his leg. That one had mostly healed, though—significantly fresher and a lot more noticeable were the patches of faint purplish scar tissue running diagonally across his individual ribs and down one of his forearms. Oh, and there was the one behind his other thigh, too.

Wracking his mind for any more scars, he remembered that there was also the one on his face; as if on cue, he brought his hand up to his cheek to feel it. The thought of the sheer number of wounds he had sustained in his short time on this world etched a scowl on his face.

Dear Arceus, he was really messed up.

Yeeeeeah, life in Civil Protection / the army really wasn’t kind on Flame there. With the rate he’d picked up those love taps, I have to wonder if he’d have lasted much longer than another 2 weeks in their orbit.

He looked back up at the Dusknoir with a tiny sheepish smile, shrugging his shoulders—before realisation set in and he reverted back to his deadpan face.

The Scum leader, however still and impassible, seemed to pick up his brief overture of emotion. His eye merely enlarged with bemused interest.

"What did they do to you…?"

I’m not sure if “bemused interest” is quite the right term here, since Daedalus feels significantly less “ha ha, real funny” here and a lot more startled or horrified at seeing Flame in his present condition. Something that vibes a bit more along with that would probably be a better word choice.

- Flame grimace -
Flame: "'Wh-What did they do to me'? Y-You mean that theory Alice spitballed about me getting taken from here as a hatchling was right?"
Brynn: "Na... Das gleiche passierte [Hermann]..."
Flame: "Uh... Who is '[Hermann]' again?"
Daedalus: "You'd probably know him better as [Arminius]."
- Flame stare back blankly -
Flame: "Dammit, guess I really should have read that history book back in Aesernia." -_-;

Flame did not utter a breath in reply.

There was something about the way that question was asked. Maybe it was the softness or slowness with which it was spoken, or maybe it was because he actually sounded sad when he'd asked it. But it filled him with a bit of warmth, as if his heart were being swathed in a blanket. That was not the voice he had expected from an enemy. But perhaps, said a whisper in his mind, it was the voice he should have expected from the Dusknoir.

What was happening to him? Was he appreciating the Dusknoir's company? Was it the sincerity in his words? Was there something seriously wrong with him?

I mean, Daedalus is canonically a charismatic figure, Flame. And you do have lingering memories of going around with him in your mind going as far back as Chapter I, so…

To further confuse his train of thought, the Dusknoir smiled sympathetically and placed a hand on his shoulder, encompassing his forearm like he had done so many times before. Flame instantly turned rigid out of instinct, and flinched away from the hand.

Stop liking him! Flame shouted at himself, scurrying backwards. He's a goddamn criminal. You're supposed to hate him, not embrace him.

Nothing ever said that being a criminal meant that you couldn’t be endearing. I’ve got a pretty long track record of writing characters in that mold. Even if they’re significantly more ‘petty criminal’ in nature. :V

The Dusknoir let it fall back to his side, offering him only a look of disappointment. "There is nothing to fear, my child. You can speak. You are safe here."

Yet Flame did not feel safe; he couldn't help it. He was hungry. He was scared. He was in some gods-forsaken place he didn't know about, surrounded by pokémon he'd actively fought against all of his short life, in the presence of their leader, still wondering whether his teammates were even alive. Had they been executed for attempted desertion? Would they be hanged in the public square—forsaking him and his plan between their final sobs? Squinting as he trembled momentarily, he knew that his heart would never be able to bear such guilt.

"O-okay," breathed out Flame, unsure what else to say.

Uh… yeah. Not sure how I forgot about that part, but if nothing else “my friends are probably dying in horrific fashion right about now” would certainly put a damper on one’s mood and enthusiasm.

Flame: “... Uh? Can I get a re-roll? Because I’m pretty sure what I wanted to say was ‘I want to go back to my friends and I want to go home’.”

Daedalus: “I don’t think you understand. You are home right now.”

A confused warmth had settled in his chest. He became angry with himself for letting his heart steer his guard away, even if for a few seconds. His heart rate was rising noticeably with each new emotion being added to the cauldron that was his mind right now.

Damn it, Flame, focus! he scorned himself mentally as he grit his teeth. This isn't the time. He can sense that you're feeling vulnerable. Focus!

Flame: “... Wait a minute, if this guy’s telepathic, then can’t he literally hear everything I’m thinking right about now?” ._.;
Daedalus: “I certainly can if you voice them out loud like that.”
Flame: “Er… oops.”

He came back to attention just in time for the soft, understanding smile on the phantom's mouthless face to vanish, his expression turning more serious.

"As glad as seeing you here after all this time makes me, there is much we need to discuss."

Flame found himself nodding; perhaps breathing fire at his face the first time they had met might have had something to do with that.

Flame: “Wait, we do? Since I’m pretty sure that I’m feeling really crap right now and could go with curling up back and bed and crying a bit.”

"First of all, your condition. You are acting strange. Unnatural. It is obvious that something has happened to you in the months since we became separated, and that it is weighing on your conscience."

Flame: "(Er... I guess we can rule out Alice's theory of my background out if it's only been 'months' since we got separated.)"
- Blanch moment -
Flame: "(Oh gods, was Gaius actually right about me being some sort of monstrous Scum killer?)"

Flame swallowed uncomfortably. He knew the discussion would come to this, and he hadn't exactly made an effort to keep his fear of the pokémon in front of him a secret.

"I can see it right now: you are scared of me," the Dusknoir looked down at him, single eye drilling through his willpower. "It is as if you do not recognise me. When we finally met again on the outskirts of Portus, you … you attacked me." He said with no small degree of hurt. "Your captors were cornered and no longer had the means to harm you. I was offering you safety. Yet you attacked me."

Flame: “I’d just like to point out that I had literally gone through like half a dozen near-death experiences with your underlings up to that point and you cornered me and my friends at a Mystery Dungeon entrance right next to a cliff.” >_>;
Daedalus: “... Yeah, in retrospect I should’ve listened to Comrade Nidorino and said something there to explain what was going on, huh?”
Flame: “(Wait, that’s what he was saying? Boy does that make that moment feel different.)” ^^;

At that accusation, Flame felt gripped by a very uncertain degree of shame. Perhaps it was the fact that for the first time, one of the supposedly heartless Scum he had fought so many times was confronting him over his actions; perhaps it was because he was now aware of being very close to this pokémon once.

"I'm sorry," Flame muttered without quite thinking, his eyes cast low.

Wow, Daedalus really is a charismatic figure if he can guilt you effectively into forgetting about “Your lackeys almost killed me! I could’ve died!” from about a paragraph’s worth of dialogue. :V

"I do not ask for your repentance, my child," the Dusknoir said, unmoving. "I merely seek to understand. Can you tell me why? Did you not recognise me? Did the enemy coerce you somehow? Have you forgotten our cause?"

Flame: "Look, I don't know who you are, but I can't even speak to you in your normal language right now. I think you can safely assume that I remember bupkis about anything up until right about 3 weeks ago."
Daedalus: "It was worth asking, at least."

Flame's eyes wandered off as he contemplated his response. He was in no real position to lie, was he?

"I … I don't … I don't know," Flame blurted out, lowering his gaze, shaking his head weakly. "I can't remember. I can't remember anything."

There. It was out. He took a small breath, observing that it felt good to get that out; hopefully now the Dusknoir would stop addressing him with the assumption that everything between them was how it used to be.

"My child … what do you mean by that?"

Flame: “Again, my mind is literally a void from before about 3 weeks ago.” >_>;
Daedalus: “Well, these segments aren’t exactly canon, so can you blame me for being curious?”

Flame scowled slightly and clenched his claws into fists.

"I mean that I can't remember anything about my life," he continued matter-of-factly, feeling oddly numb as the words came out of him. "I don't know who I am, who my parents are, who you are, or how you even know me. The earliest memories I have are waking in some cave alone and scared, with no one to turn to. I…"

He paused, chiefly because he did not know what else to add. Suddenly the ridiculousness of his situation sunk in: he was spilling his life story to someone who until not so long ago he considered his enemy. He'd been told that the Scum were rapists and murderers, a backward and brutal people who glorified violence. The images of the burnt-out ruins of Sperantia Nova resurfaced in his mind. Now, he was about to justify his allegiance to their leader.

Flame: “And… I should be a lot more hesitant to be this open to someone who commands a marauding army, huh?”
Daedalus: "Armies, plural. Though you do realize that everything you just said is what literally every Pokémon who lives outside of the Empire would call their people and their legions to a 'T', right?"
- Flame pauses and paws at the back of his head -
Flame: "Again. Things have been... confusing. But if you're not the bad guys, shouldn't you be a bit less... well.. brutal?"
Daedalus: "You were never taught about 'vae victis' in the last few weeks in Urbe, huh? If you understood that as the fundamental rule this world operates around, you'd be a bit less judging."

Flame produced let out a tiny sigh. He hated how kind this Dusknoir was being to him.

Considering what the alternative is, Flame. I think that you should be really careful about what you wish for. ^^;

Though as chummy as Daedalus outwardly is to Flame, something about his dynamic has always struck me as ‘off’ and having foreboding undertones. Guess we’ll see whether those remain in play after a second readthrough, huh?

"I joined Civil Protection because the team that found me took me in. They gave me food, and … and some form of purpose in life." He shrugged. "What else could I have done? I don't know what this 'cause' is. I don't know anything."

Flame: “Okay, ‘food and purpose’ is really pushing it there given that we had to dumpster dive for food, but again, didn’t have a ton of alternatives to work with.” >_>;

The Dusknoir did not appear to react immediately. When Flame lifted his gaze, he found him merely looking at him, expressionless, as though absorbing what had just been said. The phantom's expression morphed into a mild curiosity, and he made a tiny nod with his head.

"… I see. That would explain the numerous anomalies present in your behaviour. Why you are afraid of me, why you hesitate to talk. Yes, it would explain everything…"

Flame merely sat there, somewhat surprised when the Dusknoir stopped talking at that. He had expected something … more to come from his revelation. Some sort of reaction beyond mere acknowledgment.

Flame: “... Wait, what exactly are you getting at anyways? Am I going to get an explanation here, or…?
Daedalus: “I’m getting there. Be patient, my child.”

Just as he raised his head to look at the Dusknoir directly, the phantom lowered his body closer to the ground to just above his level, only to then place both of his hands on Flame's shoulders as a look of empathy filled his face.

Flame merely gawked, turning rigid as his conscience turned ever more conflicted.

"My child, I cannot imagine how difficult it must have been for you," the Dusknoir's voice echoed in his head. "I sense that you speak the truth. It is easy to see. I am truly sorry for what has happened. They did this to you. I am certain of it."

They? The Imperial Army? Flame thought, speechless, a whirlwind of thoughts rushing through his mind at the hypothesis being presented to him.

I mean… yeah, I honestly expect that something like this happened back in the day, since A: I can see Flame’s reaction to Yvaine and Virgo throughout the story, B: I also noticed the date stamp from this chapter’s teaser. If it’s not an error… well, that’s at least one party who would’ve been present around the time that Flame’s mind got wiped, who also would quite plausibly have the power to do the job on its own.

"Think about it, my child: how else could your memories disappear like this? It had to have been deliberate. Your mention of Imperial agents finding you only further reinforces my suspicions." The Dusknoir shook his head slowly. "No, there is no other logical explanation for this. That it would happen to you of all pokémon only makes the Empire's involvement more likely."

Flame: "(I mean, they think that I'm some 'Icarus' that's important enough that they're willing to let their empire burn to have me, so there's motive at least even if I'm completely lost as to what's going on.) Wait, so is that also the reason why I'm not speaking Scum-? Er... your language?"

Flame remained with his mouth open as he processed the implications of such a scenario. It seemed to be the exact reversal of the hypothesis Alice had devised upon meeting him: that some powerful Scum psychic was to blame for his state. And while he trusted her—Arceus, he trusted her completely—there was no denying that the Dusknoir's opinion was probably a lot more informed than Alice's haphazard guess. This pokémon knew him—or at least, he used to know him. If he felt that the Empire had a reason to target him specifically, then he probably ought to listen.

Flame: “Boy am I starting to feel that I dodged a bullet by not successfully going with General Sycorax last night.”

- Daedalus tenses up -
Daedalus: “‘General Sycorax’? Oh my child, you have no idea.”

Flame: “... Wait, should I find it weird at all that you apparently know who Sycorax is?” .-.
- Beat moment -
Daedalus: “One, he’s a major enemy commander. Two, none of this is canon anyways, so don’t sweat it.”

Flame swallowed the bitter feeling building up in his mouth. He looked away. Doubts, tiny doubts began to creep into his mind. Suppose everything had been orchestrated in advance, before his awakening; suppose that meeting Alice and Gaius was no mere coincidence, and that they had merely faked their surprise…

Something became lodged in his throat.

Flame: “They- They couldn’t have possibly known about this when they tried to turn me in, right?”

- Beat moment -
Flame: “... Wait a minute, they couldn’t have known. Since even before the noncanon ‘bagauda’ thing, I’m pretty sure that Gaius would have slit my throat if he knew I was Scum all along.”

No, it wasn't them. It couldn't have been, he thought, clutching his head with his claws, as though to prevent those doubts from gaining any more ground. Even if someone working for the Empire did wipe my memories, there is no way that Alice and Gaius were responsible. Or—or involved. I … I don't even think they're physically capable of mind reading!

- Flame thinks back to how all this time he's had an aversion to Yvaine and Virgo well beyond what their antics would logically justify, and how Yvaine sat on his memories in spite of being from the Praetorian Guard -
Flame: "N-No way..." O.O;
Daedalus: "Hm? Did you remember something, my child?"
Flame: "It's- It's a random suspicion of what might have happened that crossed my mind, it's just a wild theory right now. (Gods I hope I'm wrong about those two, otherwise Alice and Gaius really are in trouble.)" o_o;

While he remained steadfast in his conviction that his teammates were innocent, he could not be so confident when it came to basically every other aspect of his situation. The Dusknoir's argument was at least plausible enough to linger in the back of his mind, much like a dull ache.

Flame could merely sigh and let his shoulders sag further downwards. He was much too tired to deal with these thoughts.

"They will pay for what they have done," the Dusknoir continued, offering him a brief smile. "Both to us and to all of pokémonkind."

Flame: “Wait, for us and who now?”
Daedalus: “Pokémonkind? You know, the entire reason for our cause and why we’re fighting?”
- Beat moment -
Daedalus: “... Right, the mind wipe. I suppose that I needed to explain those details to the reader anyways, so giving you a reminder would be a convenient way of pulling that off.” ^;

Flame nodded along vaguely without really knowing why. He noticed with increasing alarm, however, that the Dusknoir seemed distracted, glancing at the door every so often. Silence hung heavy in the air—and Flame was suddenly afraid that he would float off elsewhere, leaving him alone here without any of the questions buzzing in his head answered.

The Dusknoir raised his head in thought, hands clasped behind his back. Flame swallowed nervously upon noticing the yellow motif on his stomach, designed to look like a mouth with wicked eyes.

Oh, so that doesn’t open up into a second mouth in this setting, huh? But yeah. Dusknoir’s body pattern has always been quite the eerie sight to behold.

"You are exhausted," the Dusknoir spoke suddenly, causing Flame to jolt at the voice intruding in his thoughts. "That much is obvious, considering the lengths you must have gone through to survive yesterday's engagement."

As he said that, the Dusknoir hung his head, a note of sadness in his voice. "I… wanted to sincerely apologise for what happened during the battle. I ordered the assault on Aesernia in hopes of finding you inside the city—not in the front lines. Had I known…" he trailed off, his eye flashing with regret before he shook his head. "It matters not any longer. You are here, now. With me. I will ensure that our mission continues in earnest."

Considering what happened to Nova Sperantia, that’s a really awful omen for what would’ve happened to Aesernia. And still might happen to it, since there’s later teasers that reveal that the city’s still under active siege after this chapter.

Also, when your brilliant attempt to rescue your friend almost ended the plot and the world as a whole. I take it that the Teutonii haven’t gotten a firm handle on small-group infiltrations just yet, since… yeah, you’d think that it’d be vastly less costly in manpower to bait Team Phalanx out to the likes of a MD and snatch them there with a small group. Unless “capturing Aesernia” is just an objective that needed to happen anyways, so might as well bump up the timetable. ^^;

Flame: "O-Our mission?! Just what sort of mission justifies everything that's been happening because of you?!"
Daedalus: "Well, we live in a setting where the average Pokémon has the durability of a wet paper bag. Some collateral damage is to be expected when you're facing down opposing armies."
- Shake head -
Daedalus: "Though really, let me finish getting through my explanation. Maybe it'll make things a bit less black-and-white for you."

Frustrated at the continued mention of this 'cause' he was apparently involved in, Flame mused that the questions piling in his head significantly outweighed the ones being answered.

And it was that line of thought that brought him to a sudden realisation. One that his tired and fearful brain was somewhat aware of, but had not fully acknowledged until now.

This creature used to know him. Not only that, it … he could provide an answer to every unknown that had plagued his soul since the moment he had first awoken—an open window into his past! Unbridled excitement began rustling through his veins. Whether or not the things he would learn about his past would weigh on his conscience mattered little in the rush of adrenaline. Was this not everything he had ever hoped for? His life's goal, one that had seemed a mere hopeless fancy not a few days before, now standing right in front of him!

Flame: “I… should probably have more doubts about this guy’s trustworthiness considering how wartime situations often heavily incentivize deception and distortion of facts, but hey! Getting to finally know my past!” ^^

When he set his eyes on the Dusknoir once again, it was with a tired, newfound grin. One that faded just as quickly as it had formed when he noticed that the Dusknoir was no longer facing him.

"I … understand if you require a moment to collect your thoughts, or to rest. I have told the exiles to bring you food and water; they should be coming soon," the Dusknoir said, floating away before turning to look at him one last time. "Sleep well, my child. Know that you are safe now."

Only then did Flame jolt out of his sleepy stupor.

"N—no, wait!" he blurted out suddenly, extending his arm towards the Dusknoir. "I have so many questions—there is so much I don't understand…"

Flame: “You can’t just just tell me that my whole life has been a lie and then leave me hanging with no explanation!”
Daedalus: “Your ‘life’ that you remember has been about three weeks. And even scratching the surface would require a chapter’s worth of exposition.”
- Flame taps his foot impatiently -
Flame: “Well? We’ve got a chapter, don’t we? Come on, I need to know this stuff!”

Observing that the Dusknoir had stopped and was now looking at him, he let his arm fall slightly. He had to seize this chance. He couldn't possibly be expected to sleep until at least a few basic questions were answered.

Flame breathed heavily, for a new determination swept through his veins; he had to ask. He had to relieve himself of this pressure weighing down his chest, tormenting him, pervading every moment in his life. He couldn't wait any longer.

Daedalus: “So are you going to ask something, or…?
Flame: “I-I’m thinking of something! There’s a lot of places to potentially start from here!”

"F-for instance, who are you? How exactly do you know me?" asked Flame before he could properly think it through.

At that, the Dusknoir looked deeply … hurt, in a way, almost as though he were directing that same question to his very life mate. It lasted for little more than a second—yet it was more than enough for Flame to feel horrible at asking what was, all things considered, a very valid question.

It’s going to be quite something to see what on earth the dynamic two was really like? Since Daedalus clearly has very strong emotional attachments to Flame, but even without the amnesia and in the fragments Flame can remember, something about their dynamic has always felt very asymmetric, almost like an overbearing father that doesn’t fully pay mind to what his child wants when it conflicts with his own goals.

"I apologise, my child," the Dusknoir shook his head, sending a look of apology. "It is not your fault you are like this. I have yet to fully [realise] that you no longer have memories of our past experiences."

I’m not sure if it makes sense to say that Daedalus “has yet to fully realize” Flame no longer has memories of him. Like he knows that, but it’s more that he has yet to fully process that fact or come to terms with it, and the word choice might be better off being tweaked accordingly.

He bit his lip as the Dusknoir processed his pleas, eye staring up at the braided canes making up the roof of the hut. He could hear a soft gust of wind rustle the canes.

"While there are far too many things to explain for you to possibly comprehend, especially in the state you are in… I understand," the Dusknoir said after some time. "It is only natural that you are scared. You have been taught to view my people and I as some sort of heartless monsters. The least I can do is to provide you with peace of mind. Very well, then. I will answer your questions to the best of my abilities."

Flame: "You… didn’t exactly answer my question there. And I have only come across 'your people' either trying to kill me and my friends or leaving behind a bunch of mangled corpses. If you're all really not a bunch of heartless monsters, I haven't exactly gotten a chance to see it yet."
Daedalus: "... If you're feeling well enough, get a few pints of lager in tonight with the boys and show off your new catchphrase. That oughta help speed the process up a bit. Though as for who I am…"

Mouth hanging open in excitement, Flame stifled his breath and leaned in, as though he might miss something critical if he didn't listen closely enough.

"I, much like you, do not have a proper name. We were not granted such a luxury by our enemy." Despite the sober tone of his words, the Dusknoir smiled suddenly with a certain fondness. "However, the exiles—those who you probably referred to as Scum—have taken a liking to the name Daedalus. I believe it belongs to some type of prophetic figure in their pantheon. If you find that easier, you are welcome to refer to me as such. It does not matter much to me, either way."

I dunno how much I believe Daedalus’ claim there, since part of me strongly suspects that Daedalus once upon a time was named ‘Arcadius’. Since I saw what the original version of that journal entry in Castra Aeterna looked like about a year ago, and in light of how some… parties speak of Daedalus later on in the story, along with implications that time flows a bit differently between this world and the Presence’s, it would really, really not shock me if that was him who wrote that journal entry.

I mean, I suppose that wouldn’t still rule out Daedalus being an in-setting analogue to Arminius or Gaius Julius Civilis for the Teutonii. I doubt it given a certain specific line that was said in reference to Daedalus, but it wouldn’t be impossible. But it does mean that even if that were true, he wasn’t exactly being forthright to Flame with his answer here.

Flame: "'Exiles'? As in the Pokémon that used to live in the North? But-?”
Daedalus: “Yes, and? They didn’t exactly go anywhere after being pushed past the Spearhead Mountains, you know.”
Flame: “So… uh… what exactly brings them back here again? Since it sure feels like a bad time to suddenly want that land of theirs back.”
- Cue awkward pause -
Daedalus: “We’ll get to that a bit later, it’ll be a long story. Though in the interim, more about you and me here…”

Flame felt something lodge in his throat at the implication that he'd never had a name. It would have explained why he could not remember it for the life of him. But how was that even possible? How could his parents not have given him one? So many questions, so many…

I’m not sure if I fully believe that one either. Like sure, it might have been a bunch of letters and numbers, but given implications that come out about who Daedalus used to be in the past in later chapters, I’m not totally sold that Flame never had at least the equivalent of a working name. After all, he is called ‘Icarus’ in Sycorax’s radio chatter.

Okay, he said to himself. At least I have a name to work with for this guy. Daedalus… Doesn't really tell me much.

"… Flame," he muttered in a low voice, feeling a strange surge of determination flowing through him. "My name is Flame. I … my teammate gave it to me."

Daedalus' eye appeared to gleam with a certain paternal pride at the news.

Oh, so Daedalus is the overbearing father figure for Flame. Can’t tell if you’re going to build up to something going horribly wrong at some point from Flame going off and doing his own thing ignoring Daedalus, since… that’d be really on-brand for an ‘Icarus’ paired with one, but it’s something that I’ll keep an eye on since it’s been confirmed that the two are linked together in Teutonii mythology.

Also, part of me wonders if ‘Daedalus’ and ‘Icarus’ are adoptive glosses for something much older for the Teutonii, given that there is a long tradition IRL of historical Roman authors parsing Germanic peoples worshipping their gods as aspects of various members of the Roman pantheon. After all, it wouldn’t have been that unfitting for ‘Daedalus’ and ‘Icarus’ to be styled vibe-wise as something like ‘Siegmund’/’Sigmund’ and ‘Siegfried’/’Sigurd’. Especially with how dragon-heavy the nobility of the Empire has become.

Flame, however, found himself contemplating the finality of his declaration. Perhaps it was better this way, in a somewhat cynical sense. It would have been very strange for him to suddenly learn his true name. He could only guess at how bizarre it would feel to start calling himself something other than 'Flame'. He didn't know if he could ever get accustomed to that.

I mean, it worked for Guiding Light.

Though hilariously enough, if you remapped Flame’s name semantically to the language kicking around in his current neck of the woods and got a bit flowery about it, you would have a valid name for him, even if I can’t think of a situation where it’s not used as a surname IRL.

I still am going to be shilling ‘Rufus’ as an option, since it’s another one of those ‘simple and very on-the-nose’ names like how ‘Flame’ is, even if it sounds much more natural at first glance. Though hey, who knows? Maybe he’ll come around on ‘Cornelius’ in the end after all. :V

"Fascinating," Daedalus said, his smile widening. "It would seem that both of us have only been given a name of our own after coming to this world. Very well, my child … Flame. I am happy for you."

Coming to this world? he repeated in his head, merely another unsolved mystery to add to the pile that had been forming.

I mean, I can buy this tale, or at least the broad strokes of it. I just don’t buy that the name that Daedalus got was really ‘Daedalus’. Or at least not at first given the outro scene of your most recent offsite chapter at the time of writing.

Flame: "Uh... was everyone just as prone to getting mulched in the world that we apparently came from? Or is that specific to this one?"

Daedalus: "I would assume that it's the same, since we’re in a common story. But admittedly it has been a while. Why?"
Flame: "It's just that in PMD stories, when protagonists switch worlds, sometimes their bodies change quite a bit. So it made me curious. (And if 'our mission' really is going to require burning Urbe to the ground, even if it really is justified and the right thing to do, I think I'd like to get Alice and Gaius to some world where it takes more than an errant Slash to kill them. For their own safety.)"

Although his first question—how the Dusknoir … this Daedalus knew him—had not been fully answered, the mounting pressure of ignorance in his chest meant that he could not help another from slipping through his throat.

"Why do you call me your child?"

He severely doubted that Daedalus was literally claiming to be his father, but at this point he could hardly be sure of anything.

I mean, ‘my child’ is a valid form of address coming from a guardian figure in general to another party young enough for said guardian to parse as a child, so…

For the first time, Flame heard the phantom chuckle in his head, something that simultaneously jolted him and made him feel strangely at ease.

"I suppose that in our brief time together before being separated, you were the closest thing I ever had to a child … and I the closest thing you ever had to a father. Let us return to your original question, lest we become lost in an ocean of petty details."

Yeah, that.

Daedalus: “Guess that now that you’re back, I should go ahead and make it official by formally adopting you, huh?”

Flame: “Daedalus, one thing at a time here! I still don’t fully understand what’s going on around me!” ._.;

Flame had to reluctantly nod in agreement; while he did not like it, he knew that he couldn't possibly hope to understand every single detail of something as complicated as one's life. Least of all his own. All he needed for now was … something.

"So, I … I never had a name?" he said as dejection entered his voice. He'd figured he would have been more upset by that fact.

Daedalus: “I mean, I suppose you’ve got ‘Icarus’, but that came after you got here, so…”
Flame: “Yeah, I don’t count that. But yeesh. ‘Flame’ really is the first name I’ve ever had, huh?” ._.;

Daedalus closed his eye and hung his head in a nod. "I wish it were otherwise, my child. While in captivity, the enemy saw fit to deny us a name—to deny us our rightful family. We were nothing more than tools in their schemes of conquest. It is why, after escaping their grasp, I swore to rid the world of this menace; an oath that you swore alongside me, although you cannot remember it."

Flame: "Isn't there any way we could do this without wiping an entire peninsula of Pokémon off the map?" ._.
Daedalus: "They could get out of our way. And I entertained the idea of trying to get the Exiles to work with bagaudae to get more local buy-in, but unfortunately that was more of a [Gaul] and [Hispania] phenomenon (and I'm not sure if any analogues to them even exist in this setting in the first place)."
- Daedalus shakes head -
Daedalus: "Besides, if Urbe really insists on fighting us to the bitter end to defend their 'Benefactors', can you tell me with a straight face after all you've been through that there's anything worth saving about it?"
- Flame hesitates a moment and looks away as his thoughts turn to his teammates on Team Phalanx -
Flame: "I... I mean, I can think of a couple things..."

Now Flame was growing more confused. He now understood the Dusknoir's initial hesitation to reveal the details of his past. Learning that he had been born without a proper name or family was difficult enough; now he was being told that he had also been born in captivity. The ramifications of that bothered him greatly.

Was it conceivable that he had been the son of slaves—perhaps belonging to some powerful senator or provincial governor? Suppose his parents' master had taken him away from them, and raised him to remain a loyal servant, or perhaps to become yet another legionary, sparing his master's own sons from conscription…

It made sense—at least at face value. It would also have explained many things, chiefly his lack of a proper name. It would have explained why he and Daedalus would have escaped their grasp, and why they would be plotting revenge.

Hey now, the likes of ‘Gaipor’ is a proper name. I mean, it’s an extremely demeaning one to have, but it beats ‘Charmeleon’. Maybe. Probably. Depends on how you feel about names that beat it over your head that you’re someone else’s property.

And boy does this section hit differently reading it a second time since it’s actually another character’s background in this story, minus the bit about being reared as a stand-in for conscription. Just not Flame’s.

Though I have to wonder if Flame’s imagination is getting ahead of him here, or if he’s learned enough offscreen about how Urbe works to know that this background wouldn’t be that impossible to have happen in-setting.

Flame: "Wait, hold on. Didn't Daedalus just flatly tell me earlier that we're not even from this world? Why am I instantly assuming that I still even grew up in Urbe?"
Daedalus: "Bold of you to assume that I was talking about Urbe, they are just a collaborating force."

What it did not explain was nearly everything else.

Flame blinked as doubts began to puncture holes into that theory, one after the other. Had he not established that he was once part of the Scum? Was Daedalus himself—their leader—not a Scum, too? There was also another question that did not sit right with him as his mind raced: if he was merely a runaway slave, why would they see fit to take a measure as drastic as wiping his mind clean of memories?

Now that he thought about it, it would have made sense. Perhaps to wipe away thoughts of rebellion…

That… actually makes me morbidly curious as to if that happens in this setting now. Since it’s been established a couple chapters ago that some Psychic-types can nuke the memories of other Pokémon, and considering how much Urbe’s history takes after its IRL counterpart’s in broad strokes, I can think of at least three historical reasons why the Imperials would want to get rid of those pesky memories of their slaves if they had a way of doing so easily.

Like obviously, it doesn’t happen for everybody considering a bit of backstory in Chapter XXXI, but still.

Flame squeezed his eyes shut and groaned through pursed lips. He realised that it was quite senseless to keep theorising when he could simply ask the pokémon in front of him.

He looked up to Daedalus with an uneasy look. "So, you're saying we were … born into captivity? As slaves?"

"Perhaps. Whether we were born into captivity or were prelevated taken away as kits by the enemy's Imperial collaborators, ultimately, it doesn't matter. I cannot remember ever seeing my biological parents. I believe you told me the same thing," Daedalus said, followed by a small shake of his head. "Perhaps it is better that you do not remember, my child. Our upbringing in the enemy's captivity held no moments of joy. Perhaps … perhaps you are the lucky one between us."

I swear that I didn’t remember Daedalus explicitly bringing up the possibility of Flame and him getting nicked as kids by the Imperials. Though it’d be pretty on-brand for a bland-name Rome to do something like that. Can’t tell whether that’s the year of separation that led to that, or if this was added since then.

Also, I’m… pretty sure that ‘prevelated’ isn’t an English verb, since I couldn't find a dictionary entry for it for the life of me. I think that might be a stray Italianism of yours given that that’s not far off from some conjugations of prelevare there, which would fit semantically. Whatever the story behind that word, you probably want to drop in something like “taken away” or “snatched” instead, since I admittedly got thrown in a loop by that word at first.

Amongst the wealth of blood-chilling information that the Dusknoir had just given him, it was the words 'Imperial collaborators' that derailed Flame's train of thought completely. He remained still for some moments, his mouth hanging slightly open as he stared into nothingness in his attempt at understanding what those words could have meant.

"I … don't understand," he blinked rapidly, a scowl overtaking his expression. "When you say 'the enemy', aren't you—isn't that the Empire?"

Daedalus let a minuscule amount of frustration leak through his posture; a mouthless sigh. "That is why I was hesitant to talk while you are in this state. There are too many factors involved. Too many things you cannot yet comprehend. Your recovery will be a long and arduous process."

Daedalus: “I mean, seriously. You literally don’t remember anything from before 3 weeks ago. Did you expect me to give an entire world history to you and to retain it?”
Flame: “... How about a Cliff’s Notes of the important bits, then?”

"I know," Flame lowered and narrowed his gaze. "But … I need to start somewhere. If you know something about my past, I deserve to be told."

Daedalus seemed to accept his reasoning, and took a few moments to think.

"Make no mistake, Flame… The Empire may have wronged my people in the past, and it may be their troops whom we fight on dozens of battlefields across the continent—yet they are far from our true enemy. No, the Imperial Court of Urbe is merely a vassal to an even greater menace to this world: the Presence."

Flame: “Wait, they’re a vassal to what now? Since when were ‘Empires’ vassals to anybody?” .-.

Flame quirked his brow. The term did not tell him anything, yet it held a mysterious aura that proved to be ever so slightly disturbing.

"You may know them as Benefactors, as the Empire likes to call them. Gods of supposedly immense power that few beyond the highest echelons of the Imperial Court have ever witnessed personally."

Flame: "Oh. Them. Right, I already knew they were bad news."
- Daedalus droops in visible disappointment -
Daedalus: "I suppose that this makes things easier, though how did you know?"
Flame: "I mean, they bragged about killing off the original gods of this world in a book stocked in public libraries and openly style themselves in exactly the same fashion as the Combine from HL2. Kinda screams 'villainous faction' there, don't you think?"
Daedalus: "Mrph. Well… you're perceptive at least."

"O—oh," Flame's eyes lit up. "I remember that. Someone … someone explained it to me."

Daedalus' eye widened ever so slightly. "Is that so?"

Sensing the Dusknoir's interest, Flame instinctively stopped to squeeze his mind of for any further information—before his rational side kicked in and began wondering why on earth he would do that. Was it really a good idea to share what he knew? Even if he had once known this pokémon, there was still no reason for him to be so trusting.

You know, if that thought had occurred to you two chapters ago back when you were with Virgo and Yvaine, your life probably would’ve been a lot easier, Flame. :V

"Y-yeah…" Flame muttered, eyes shooting from side to side. "I … don't know much, though. Never really had time to look into it."

Daedalus nodded understandingly in understanding, but Flame could see in his eye that they would be revisiting this issue later. It wasn't fair—what he'd said was essentially true. He knew very little that could be of use.

I mean, he knows that Praefect Varus apparently can’t build a competent defensive line to save its life. So he knows something.

Nevertheless, Daedalus clasped his hands behind his body. Flame took note of how much wider that pose made him appear, how imposing he suddenly looked.

"Imperial scribes paint the Presence as gods of unimaginable capabilities, whose sole aim is to uplift us to a higher plain of knowledge, to expand our understanding of the universe around us."

So how many ‘mons do the Imperials wind up having to execute here and there for being unable to avoid calling out the obvious BS of that statement by just looking about at the world surrounding them?

Flame hummed quietly, the Dusknoir's words ringing true in his memories.

"I remember Alice…" He darted his eyes to the side. "Uh, m-my teammate explaining it the same way."

Flame: “(Dammit, Flame. Don’t just blurt that out in front of him!)” >///<
- Daedalus cocks a brow -
Daedalus: “‘Alice’, huh? Well that’s an ironic name for an Imperial in light of current events if I ever heard one.”
- Flame blinks in confusion -
Flame: “Wait. It is?”
Daedalus: “Let’s just say that with a few tweaks, it wouldn’t be that out of place for this neck of the woods.”

"I was certain you would have been exposed to such propaganda. The power and capabilities of the Presence are undeniable, yet I can assure you that their intentions go far beyond 'enlightening' the pokémon of this world. Their ultimate aim is to subjugate every free pokémon of this world—and if they cannot achieve that, to exterminate them."

Flame: "'E-Exterminate them'?! Why wouldn't they just move onto the next world if they were having that much trouble?!" o_o;
Daedalus: "If they're evil enough to try and conquer our world, do you really think they're not evil enough to also pull a spite move like that if they're denied their goals? Plus it's psychological warfare 101 for any future conquests."

"How … how do you know all this?"

"In the two hundred and forty-five years since they first entered our world, the Empire has undergone a cultural, linguistic, and religious shift the likes of which have this world never been seen by this world—every change directing our society along the paths they desire. Their arrival heralded the first portal storms. If there is to be a single source for most of this world's ills, it can be found in the Presence."

Part of me is not convinced that it’s only been 245 years that the Presence has been influencing Urbe, since there’s a lot about Urbe’s history even before formally recorded contact that would strongly suggest that an external force was molding and directing their society even before then.

Least of all the fact that they were using Latin script back then and have a history that tracks suspiciously after a human polity down to sharing major watershed eras. Almost as if somebody gave them a nudge to make those happen so that way they could step in when a major social change was due to arrive on their script. Which wouldn’t exactly be out of character from the Presence’s established MO in more recent chapters at the time of posting.

- Flame paws at the back of his head -
Flame: "I mean, I don't think that Sperantia Nova would really agree with you there..."
Daedalus: "Hrmph, second order effects. And what do you expect the Exiles to do when their attempts at seeking out allies on the other side keep getting rebuffed? Just lay down, give up, and die?"

Flame felt his soul pierce by the look that Daedalus gave him.

"We know it better than anyone, Flame. The exiles know it too."

Flame merely sat there for a few moments, absorbing all that he had just been told. So the Scum's true enemy—his enemy as well, apparently—was not the Empire? It was a group of god-like pokémon he'd never seen or heard about except through word of mouth?

Flame: “Boy it sure is a good thing that nobody ever stopped to explain this to anyone on the Imperial side in the past.” >_>;
Daedalus: “Bold of you to assume that we never tried that. Or that the Presence would allow that to get anywhere.”

He did not know what to make of that. Unsure how else to continue the conversation without further confusing himself, he turned to the most recent question running through his head.

"So, you and the Scum—uh, I-I mean…" Flame quickly muttered out, eyes fluttering to and fro as he realised the nature of the term he had used.

Daedalus' amused laughter echoed in Flame's head at his sudden nervousness.

The Dusknoir shook his head with an empathetic gleam in his eye. "Fear not, my child, I take no offence. It is the only name that you have been taught for them."

Flame: “Wait, you mean that they have a different one?”
Daedalus: “I mean, I know that word reclamation is the in thing nowadays, but… yeah, kinda hard to spin ‘Scum’ into anything other than a strong pejorative as a name.”

Daedalus looked back towards the door, both of them now aware of the hushed chatter coming from somewhere outside.

"The exiles refer to themselves as Teutonii—which,interestingly enough, is what the Imperial administration itself used to call them for centuries until their exile. Having no proper word in their language to refer to themselves, the tribes have appropriated the term and made it their own."

I dunno, man, ‘Wahrheiter’ has a bit of a ring to it as a name if you’re really so short on ideas to the point of not being able to think of a name for yourself. Sure, it involves picking a really on-the-nose name for your homeland and might sound a little dippy, plus these guys don’t have a patron that leans into things as much, but hilariously enough, it wouldn’t be that thematically unfitting as an endonym for these ‘mons considering what their official mission statement later in this chapter for why they’re fighting is.

Also, that makes the ‘Namenlos’ from their ‘Namenloslieder’ that gets mentioned in passing like 10 chapters from now suddenly hit fairly differently now that I’m reminded of this bit. At first I thought it was just about their ‘Daedalus and Icarus’, but that term applies to the Teutonii as a whole as a faction/people. Since they literally had no name for themselves until they nicked one.

And while I’m not sure how much of it was planned, but under more flowery meanings of the term, one could actually do worse than going around with some variant or play off of ‘namenlos’ as a moniker. Since ‘namenlos’ in German can be used as a poetic adjective to describe something that is “very big, very strong, such that it cannot be named or described in words”. e.x. ‘die namenlose Macht’, which lends itself pretty well to “we are legion”-style boasts.

It also didn’t occur to me at the time of my first reading, but I sure hope that the ‘Teutonii’ draw more thematically from ‘Germanii’ writ large than after that one specific tribe called the Teutoni in history that fought alongside the Cimbri back in the day. Since… even if they wound up getting immortalized in history through getting Real!Urbe to come up with the term ‘Furor Teutonicus’ in reference to them, things didn’t exactly end well for those Teutonii.

Flame: "Wait, so do the Scu- er... Teutonii just straight-up call themselves 'Teutonii' in their own language? I don't think I've heard a single trailing 'ee' sound (or whatever that sounds like to Pokémon like us) in their speech so far. Wouldn't it be something more like 'Teutonen'?"
Daedalus: "Yes, they do call themselves ‘Teutonii’, it’s literally been confirmed by the author. Also ‘Teutonen’ means the exact same thing and it's separated by a single phoneme. Don't get yourself too worked up over splitting hairs here, there's literally dialects of speech in Urbe that diverge more than that."
- Daedalus folds his arm -
Daedalus: “Besides, if they took their name from the Imperials, do you really think there aren’t other words they borrowed from them?”
Flame: “... (Wait, so they have other words of Imperial origin that they use? I wonder if there’s anything that I’d recognize?)”

A wide, knowing smirk grew upon Daedalus' mouthless face. "I find the parallels to our own situation to be… fitting."

Not least of all because it helped you pass yourself off as a prophet figure of theirs, Daedalus. >:V

Once Flame caught on to what the Dusknoir was referring to, he was inclined to agree, albeit with a sense of unease. The Scum once had no identity of their own, instead accepting a name given by someone else. He could not help but feel sad for some reason.

inb4 they technically had a bunch of tribal names and couldn’t agree on a collective term for themselves other than ‘Teutonii’ without coming to blows. Since I’m pretty sure that later chapters of the story are building towards the various tribes of Teutonii having their own internal languages separate from this ‘German’ that are not mutually intelligible to each other.

"So…" Flame continued, not wishing to get bogged down in his thoughts. "You are the Sc—err, Teutonii's leader, correct? What I'm wondering is … if your real enemy is the 'Presence', these Benefactors, then why are your people are out there fighting the Imperial Army? What good does that do?"

Daedalus raised his lone eye up to the ceiling. "A struggle borne of ignorance. The Empire does not know of the dark shadow they are perpetrating upon this world. Regardless of that, we fight for them, too. We fight to protect all of pokémonkind, whereas the Presence fights only for its own selfish motives. If and when the Imperial Court sees this, I will gladly end the struggle and join forces."

Flame: "(Um... yeah, even if they're in the wrong right now, I have no idea how he expects Urbe's 'mons to overlook 20 years of getting back their loved ones in mangled heaps anytime soon. Let alone to overlook all of the other times they got into conflict with the Teutonii historically before that.)"

Daedalus: "Again, it was an 'if'. I'm not exactly holding my breath for them to come around to things."

"I just … don't understand why you're wasting your forces on the Empire. What good is it accomplishing? I mean, my…" Flame hesitated briefly, but pushed aside his doubts. He had every right and reason to say this. "My friends are in that army. They almost died because of this war."

Flame: “Also, I’d like to remind you that I almost died because of this war. Multiple times.” >_>;

Only once Flame was done speaking did he realise how odd it felt to be confronting the leader of the Scum so openly on his group's crimes. He briefly wondered where he had found the tenacity to speak like that.

From character development, duh. After all, it’d get old if you spent the entire story being the exact same naive doormat you were at the start. :V

Flame looked up to find Daedalus deep in thought, hands clasped behind his back. A sudden terror gripped him—would his mindlessness come back to haunt him? …No, Daedalus did not strike him as angry. Unable to bear the wait, he began fiddling with pieces of hay between his claws.

It was then that the door creaked open.

Flame jumped in the air, and both he and Daedalus turned their gazes to the now-open doorway. The short Braixen standing there froze in place; the tray she was holding trembled briefly as her eyes squirmed between the two occupants, before she managed to regain composure.

Stepping inside with a measure of indecision, the Braixen halted some distance away from Daedalus. She extended him the tray, showed him a sheepish, if nervous smile.

Huh. No dialogue at all coming from Brynn there in this sequence, huh? Though I suppose that she wouldn’t need it, since she gets established as being a skilled telepath like two chapters after this point. Especially if Daedalus talked to her first and asked her to keep mum.

Flame craned his head up from his sitting position. He could somewhat make out the contents of the tray, namely a small porcelain jug, as well as what looked like… meat, perhaps? Gods, he hoped so.

I mean, considering how the average Imperial prole in this setting is half-starved with not terribly great morale, you’d think that it’d have occurred to somebody to try bribing a few with food and drink into being friendly. Since I can read that thought process there. :V

Daedalus motioned towards the small table opposite Flame's bed, an amused look on his face; she bowed with zeal and set off across the room.

Flame followed the Braixen with his eyes as she moved to the table. Her fur was visibly unkempt, mattered with dirt and grime in some places (he thought he saw a twig poking out of her bushy tail)—yet aside from that, she looked… unremarkable.

Carefully setting the tray down on the table, the Braixen shot Flame a fleeting look of curiosity; her feminine gaze met with his for merely an instant before she broke off and made for the exit in a barely contained jog.

Flame: “Huh. She… was kinda cute, honestly.”
Daedalus: “Glad to hear, really. Since that’s hardly the last time you’ll be seeing her, might as well take the opportunity to get to know her.” ^

In her rush, she left the door wide open.

Flame had to squint as he looked towards the light streaming through the doorway. While the entire room was now bright and visible, the outside showed only ill-defined dark masses.

He blinked vigorously and rubbed his eyes to get rid of the spots floating around his vision; looking back, he found Daedalus staring at him expectantly.

"Come," The Dusknoir looked at him. "Perhaps it is better if you see them for yourself."

Flame: “Uh… Daedalus, I’m not sure if I want to see a bunch of ‘mons that were baying and screeching at me and almost killed me in brutal fashion on multiple occasions throughout this story. Look, I get that they had a tragic backstory, but I think I’d like to stay in bed right now…”

Daedalus: “And you’ve never been curious as to what they’re like off the battlefield? You didn’t think it was just that Braixen that was normal, did you?”
Flame: “... I mean, I guess I can try it out…?”

Flame merely stared wide-eyed as he metabolised what Daedalus had just said.

He wanted him to meet the Scum. Or Teutonii. Whatever. He presumed that's what "them" meant. Flame looked down at his tail, suddenly frozen in indecision. He didn't know if he wanted to see them for himself. These, after all, were the same pokémon who had endeavoured to kill him numerous times in his short life—quite nearly killed him during the battle—and who he had in turn slaughtered like animals. Visions of the living wave charging against his trench line sent a chill down his spine: hundreds and thousands of individual Scum crashing towards him, screaming wildly, sharp teeth lunging at his throat, their faces full of paint and bodies unwashed with mud.

Flame: “... Boy this is going to be the world’s most awkward meeting. Especially if there’s family members of the likes of that one Crobat or Leafeon just chilling in that crowd.”

Daedalus: “My child, you worry too much. Seriously, just go out there and keep an open mind.”

And yet the Braixen that had just left had looked nothing like that.

Well … apart from the personal hygiene aspect. Now that he thought about it, though, he recalled being just as grimy as any Scum from waddling in the trenches.

Flame: “Yeah, even before the very obviously inadequate battle strategy on display out there, that couldn’t possibly have helped my morale. Being stuck in a trench with a bunch of muddy, reeking Pokémon.”

His chest awash with nausea from the memories, Flame clenched his eyes and forced himself to focus on the issue at hand. Daedalus was still looking straight at him.

And Flame still could think of nothing to reply with.

Growling at his own indecisiveness, Flame was suddenly gripped by a sudden impulse. He stood up, his eyes set on the tray that sat on the table, and limped over to it in a glaze. Struggling to keep his balance without support, Flame set an arm on the table to help support his weight. He grasped the jug in his paws and tipped it over in his maw. His parched throat and lips suddenly felt alive again as he swallowed gulp after gulp of water.

Setting the now much lighter jug down on the tray, he shut his eyes and exhaled deeply.

Much better, he thought with the slightest hint of a smile.

Oh hey, it’s the story of half of Flame’s decision-making in the fic thus far. Even if he’s been progressively growing out of it in recent chapters. :V

As much as he wanted to avoid thinking about this the matter and go back to sleep, it was not a choice. His smile disappeared as quickly as it had emerged.

He figured that so long as he was their captive, it would be pointless to hide in this hut. The Scum could still force themselves in if they so wished. Escaping, already a difficult idea to sell to himself—particularly after seeing the outcome of his last escape plan—would be unthinkable if he did not even know where on earth he was.

The more Flame reflected on weighed the Dusknoir's offer, the more difficult it became to justify refusing it. The more numb, realist portion of his mind gained ground in his general apathy. He was not looking forward to seeing and being surrounded by his former enemies, but at the same time it was not as if he could do otherwise. He was being held captive, and he had to accept that. Plus, stepping outside would at least help placate the anxiety eating at his innards by catching a glimpse at the terrain surrounding whatever village he was in. Or … at least, he assumed he was in some kind of village.

Once again, he told himself, there was no way to be certain without walking outside to see.

Daedalus: “... My child, you do realize that you can just ask me these questions, right? I’d have happily answered them for you.”
Flame: “... Didn’t you weasel out of like half the questions that I’d been asking thus far? And the point is that I’ve got butterflies in my stomach right now! Of course my thought process is going to reflect that!” >_>;

"O—okay," he breathed. "B-but won't they…"

Even though Flame never completed that sentence, Daedalus caught onto his core message. "Flame, you are safe here. Nobody will harm you. No matter what Imperial propaganda may have conditioned you to believe, they are your brothers in arms."

Flame: “‘Just tried to brutally kill each other on multiple occasions’ sure is a funny definition of ‘brothers in arms’...”

- Beat moment -
Flame: “... Actually, considering that applies to Gaius as well, maybe I should be less judging after all.” >.<

Flame stayed quiet for a few moments. He could not bring himself to believe that.

"… I killed some of them," said Flame in a near whisper, averting his eyes from the judging gaze.

"You knew no better. They will understand."

I still want to see how that plays out one day, since I’m not fully convinced that even if they’re dealing with [Our -------] that the Teutonii that got loved ones or friends killed off from Flame or his friends would not at a bare minimum be severely disquieted about it.

Daedalus: "'Brainwashed and crazy' does happen regularly enough in stories. These are your friends now. It'll be awkward, but we'll work through it."
Flame: "Daedalus, you can't just expect me to forget about Alice and Gaius and assume that they're not going to get horribly killed during all of this! And I can't even speak these 'mons' language!"
Daedalus: "You figured out most of 'Ich bin das Glutexo', didn’t you? Even if you got the definite article wrong, that'll get you a bit further than you think."

With a small sigh, Flame relented, not wishing to argue further about things the Dusknoir could not understand. He was far too tired for that.

Daedalus motioned him towards the door. His heart heavy in his chest, Flame accepted the invitation: he stepped forth, raising an arm to shield his eyes, though they had by now gotten used to the increased light levels. He saw some kind of gravel path and another house across the other side. There were voices and movements coming from fairly nearby.

Before he could go back on his resolve, Flame completed the last few steps to the doorway. He stopped only at its threshold, lowering his arm and instead squinting his eyes to look around.

The first thing to catch his attention was the house right across from the one he was in, its thatched roof at least twice as tall as the white stone walls it sat on. He saw the sky from the edge of his vision, and couldn't help but look up for a moment.

Flame: “... Somehow I was expecting more mud and squalor lying about everywhere.”
Daedalus: “Again, my child. You’ve been propagandized.”
Flame: “I dunno, that didn’t seem that far off from the camp we came across in Castra Aeterna.”
Daedalus: “That was a camp, this is a village. There’s a difference. (Also, even with the language barrier, you probably don’t want to talk too much about that out here.)”

Upon convincing himself that he was outside, he followed the gravel path with his eyes down one of its ends: further down the road he saw more houses more or less exactly like the first, white stubby walls covered by oversized thatched roofs, with what looked like the steep incline of a hill towering behind them.

And yet, his eyes immediately flew to the small gathering of pokémon standing only a dozen metres away, in front of the next closest house.

Flame's heart jolted and he slammed his back against the doorframe. He saw six or seven pokémon, large and small—Marowak, Jolteon, some sort of huge steel-plated lizard, others yet he didn't recognise, speaking hushedly as if collectively awaiting some important event.

Flame: “I mean, they’re not instantly jumping me and ripping me to pieces, at the sight of me, so… it’s a start?” ^^;

He found himself further gripped by a sudden terror when one of the barbarians noticed him—most had their backs to him, but one of the few who didn't now pointed at him with wide eyes; now the others were turning around as well: a dozen eyes homed in on his soul.

Flame flattened himself further against the doorframe. His heart began thumping in his chest, his claws shaky; his eyes began scrambling to identify escape routes. A quick glance to the other side of the road revealed yet more Scum—perhaps even more than the first group. Some were beginning to approach him.

Flame: “... Why on earth do I keep doing this to myself?”

Daedalus: “Calm down, my child. You’re fine. Just wait and let the Exiles gather around, they won’t bring you any harm.”

No matter how many times Flame told himself that he couldn't possibly escape, escape was the only thing his panicked mind could come up with. He couldn't stop staring into their eyes, feral, curious, questioning. The concentration of their gazes threatened to drill a hole into his conscience.

It took the whole of his willpower plus a quick glance around him to know that running away was impossible, as the twenty or so Scum began creeping closer and closer to get a good look at the curious newcomer.

When Flame attempted to back away into the house, he was stopped by Daedalus' hand gripping his shoulder, locking him in place. The physical contact eased his tension somehow. Seeing that he was not indeed about to be attacked, though nowhere near at ease, he took deep, slow breaths to calm himself. Now the barbarians surrounded him and the entrance to the house in a sort of semi-circle; the small crowd was three-pokémon deep in some parts, at least twenty or thirty of them, he estimated.

Flame: “I should be a lot more bothered by this, but somehow this feels… reassuring? Maybe we really were close before I lost my memories.”
Daedalus: “Look, if nothing else, these Pokémon will respect me enough to not harm a guest of mine. Not that I’d have any trouble needing to convince them to do that.”
Flame: “... You wouldn’t? But why?”

He turned his head about and stared each of the pokémon up and down, feeling awkward at the knowledge that they were probably doing the same to him. Among the variety of species before his eyes, Flame struggled to find any reliable similarities: he had to scan his eyes across multiple times to sense them. Some of the males had their chests or faces painted over with strange wobbly patterns; those who had fur kept it ruffled, marred by grime or paint; he could sense a general disposition against showers from the smell that surrounded the air.

Well, I suppose that would be one reason why the Teutonii seem to have trouble with small-team infiltrations. Since when you’re trying to go around and be sneaky… you probably don’t want noticeable body odor on you.

And yet, if he had to be honest, he couldn't find much difference between them and the proles he would see on the streets of Aesernia.

Flame: “... Which considering what I saw of them in that one execution that was about to happen in Victory Square, I’m not sure if that’s really a reassuring thought there.”

The strangest thing to Flame was how their looks of curiosity had now turned into awe, unbridled admiration, now that their leader stood behind him. He looked at many of them in the eye, and found nearly the exact same emotion in every one of them. The Braixen from earlier was there too, smiling widely for some reason. The Marowak next to her was clutching its bone with both paws and staring at him with wide eyes, as if he were some sort of prophetic figure.

No Flame, that’s Daedalus right beside you. You’re someone a bit different, if still pretty important to the Teutonii.

Flame: "(Psst, Daedalus. Why are they looking at me like that? It’s kinda creepy.)" ._.;
Daedalus: "You'll figure it out soon enough. I've got some more exposition for you anyways."

"Look at them carefully, my child," Daedalus gestured to the gathered crowd. "Look around you. Do you see it? These people are the living testimony of the enemy's ultimate goal. What they plan to do to us."

Flame: “They look like a bunch of unwashed and kinda scary ‘mons who are looking at me like I just fell from another planet?”
- Beat moment -
Daedalus: “I meant their experiences are testimony of the enemy’s ultimate goal, my child. But… you’re actually more on the right track than you think.”

Flame looked over his shoulder at the Dusknoir, his confusion clear through his face. The sheer surrealness of this situation still made it hard to properly reason. He was surrounded by dozens of his former enemies—enemies who had slaughtered dozens of his comrades only a day before, and who were now smiling at him. Welcoming him, even.

Flame: “Yeah, and let’s not get into what happened in Camp Horizon, but the point is that this still feels creepy and off-putting right now.”

Daedalus: “Again, none of that was supposed to happen. You’ll get over it eventually.”

"I imagine," Daedalus began, "that the Empire's intelligentia are squabbling to theorise why my people have migrated into their lands—why we fight a bitter struggle that is entering its twentieth year. Is that true?"

"Y-yeah," Flame darted his eyes around, recalling Alice's opinion on the matter. "There's some theories, like … like portal storms forcing you to move, but nobody knows for sure."

"The answer lies closer than they think," Daedalus said with a tiny smirk, before hanging his head slightly. "Approximately twenty-six years ago, the Presence embarked on a genocidal campaign in the lands north of the Spearhead Mountains—the lands these people had lived on for centuries. Their steel ravens rained fire on village after village, ending thousands of lives before they could even fathom it. Ask any one of them who is old enough, and they will tell you stories of the horrors they witnessed."

Also waiting on that one to come up in the plot, since if nothing else, it’ll give some more solid ideas of what happened out there. Even if I already have some ideas. And hey, you could do a lot worse than something like ‘Stahlrabe’ as a term for a deeply feared and reviled weapon that brings mass death.

Flame: "I'm guessing those weren't a bunch of Corviknight that spewed that fire on their villages." ._.
Daedalus: "More like they were Hinds like the one visible in the cover art of the story if you squint and look carefully. After all, if they were Corviknight, we'd have called them such, and had a shot at fighting them off."
Flame: "I just- Why didn't you try telling anyone about this? Surely you could've-"
Daedalus: "Collaborating faction, remember? And we couldn't find any allies in Urbe's territory."
Flame: "Right. (Though I don't think you'll have any more luck now.)"

Flame blinked, absorbing everything in silence. Only then did it strike him: he was being given the answer to a question that plagued common soldiers and military hierarchists alike.

Well, there was no guarantee that Daedalus was not indeed lying, or even omitting parts of the truth, but… he felt compelled to trust him. Flame struggled to understand why; perhaps it was the sincerity and warmth in his words that had this effect on him. Perhaps it was all part of some plan to lure him to their side. If so, it seemed to be working quite well.

Uh. Yeah. He’s doing that a lot right about now, Flame. Like just the tip of the iceberg of what we’ve definitively found out in later chapters would hugely sour your mood right about now.

"There was no hope of fighting back," Daedalus stated matter-of-factly. "Those who survived had no choice but to flee southward. Now, they are forced to fight merely to keep the land they are living on."

Once again, Flame said nothing in response. He looked at the crowd that was still gathered around him and their leader, still listening in. He was almost certain that the Dusknoir was broadcasting their conversation: the cheeriness in everyone's eyes had subsided. A Raichu near the centre of the circle clenched its eyes and turned away from him, while many others stood rigid with as neutral an expression as they could.

Flame: “... I hope that that’s just them having a mood at you bringing up past events, since otherwise this captivity is going to be really, really awkward.”

Daedalus: “... I suppose the text could’ve been clearer, but that is what’s happening, yes.”
- Flame blinking moment -
Flame: “Wait a minute, are you just talking to them and cutting me out of the loop entirely right now? What else have you done that with-?” .-.
Daedalus: “Not pertinent to this conversation, moving on.”

And yet, Flame said nothing. He bit his lip in frustration. However insensitive it may have seemed, he genuinely didn't know what to think. With all the fears and thoughts running through his head right now, he simply didn't have the energy to feel sad about this. Their continued staring only served to make him feel guiltier somehow.

"You have asked why we fight even if the true enemy hides behind their minions," Daedalus continued, hands clasped behind his back. "Well, my child, there's little else we can do. To refrain from fighting would be equivalent to accepting our subjugation at the hands of the Presence. We cannot allow what happened to them to happen to the rest of pokémonkind."

Daedalus: “Since, you know. Yielding kinda means mass enslavement or extermination. Kinda a bit of a deal-breaker there.”
Flame: "... Wait a minute, what prevents those 'steel ravens' from just chasing you over to this side of the mountains even if you do smash Urbe to bits?"
Daedalus: "Er... we're presuming that those tributes the Empire gives to the Presence have some strategic importance. Also, there’s a major staging grounds for the Presence just chilling right offshore. So if we put an end to them, it should also prevent them from mounting reprisal raids?"
- Daedalus shake head -
Daedalus: "But look, the point is that we don't have any other options here. So if the Empire is really going to make this a binary 'us' or 'them', we're choosing 'us' even if things get a bit messy along the way."

The Dusknoir remained silent for a few moments, his head hung, as though deep in thought.

"We know that even defeating the Imperial Army is unlikely to help us. But … it's the only thing we can do to resist. Besides…"

Daedalus: “Okay, so we know of another thing we can do to resist, but the Imperial Army’s kinda in the way of us being able to do that. Plus that’s a thing to bring up in about ten chapters.”
- Daedalus shakes head and looks at Flame -
Daedalus: “But that’s neither here nor now…”

Then, Daedalus looked straight at him, with a wide, knowing smirk that, for the first time, made Flame genuinely afraid of the Dusknoir.

"Things may be about to change."

Flame: “... Daedalus, why are you looking at me like that?” O_O;

Flame attempted to swallow the lump lodged in his throat. This look could only have one meaning: that he somehow factored into the Teutonii's plans. He'd never asked for this. All he'd ever wanted was to regain his identity, live a peaceful life with his friends. Was that too much to ask?

Considering how the world’s about to end in spectacular fashion, yes. That is too much to ask, Flame. Not that you know that at this point in time. o<o

"You see, Flame," Daedalus said, still smirking. "Our information on both the Empire and the Presence is rather… limited. We may know their wider intentions, but what we don't know is everything else. Their organisational structure. Troop counts. Military strategy. So much else. Probing prisoners is … impossible when most are so afraid of us that they decide to kill themselves once captured."

Daedalus turned back from his musings to stare at him again.

"You, however … you have been exposed to Imperial propaganda. You know their tactics, their inner workings—perhaps even the location of their troops and major cities. Eventually, you may even help us take the fight directly to the Presence."

Flame:

Daedalus: “That was uncalled for, really.”
Flame: "Daedalus, I've literally been getting by with the skin of my teeth in a neglected backwoods province for the last month, getting blasted with propaganda that can't even tell citizens when they're two weeks out from getting wiped from the face of the earth, and almost gotten killed as a put-upon foot soldier by commanders who thought it was a good idea to try and hold defensive trenches built under an overlooking ridge.”
- Flame folds his arms with a sharp huff -
Flame: “You'd literally get more useful information just by sneaking into Aesernia's library and swiping the copies of 'Our Benefactors' and 'The Kingdom, the Republic, and the Empire' on the shelves there!"
Daedalus: "Oh come now, you're a protagonist. Surely you must've found something out."
Flame: "(I mean, there was that thing about the Lipari Archipelago. It sounded like this Presence has something going on there, but is it the right thing to bring it up here?)"

Flame winced slightly under his frown. Something tightened horribly in his chest.

So that's what this was about, he thought, his eyes cast to the ground.

This was what the Teutonii truly wanted from him, beyond the pleasantries and the warmth. They wanted him to turn against his former allies. The mere thought of that revolted him from the inside—and that was despite feeling no particular allegiance to the Empire in the first place.

Well, that and Daedalus kinda needs you to complete a mythological casting he’s adopted among the Teutonii and you’re also a living MacGuffin with the world hanging in the balance around you. But minor details there!

Flame stared briefly at the awaiting Dusknoir, then darted his eyes to the side.

"If what you wanted was information, you really should have kidnapped someone else…"

Flame: "Or again, just nicked a copy of ‘Our Benefactors’ from Aesernia’s library. I mean, seriously. Even if this wasn't something that'd be directly responsible for the deaths of thousands of 'mons. I woke up half-dead in a cave. Who do you think I was in Urbe that I'd know any of this, Daedalus? A member of the Imperial family or something?"
- Meanwhile, off in Schrodinger's Location, Alice abruptly tenses up -
Gaius: "Eh? Alice? What's with that expression?"
Alice: "I just felt like Flame brought up something really uncomfortable right now. And that I'm really glad that I'm not wherever he is at the moment."

Daedalus regarded him with a renewed look of shock, and an emotion bordering on betrayal. "A kidnapping? Is that what you see this as?"

"… K-kind of," Flame replied in earnest. "I don't know."

Flame: “I mean, I didn’t exactly get asked about getting taken away from my friends and everything that I ever knew.”
Daedalus: “Again, my child. None of that was supposed to happen. The sooner you come to terms with it being an aberration, the better it’ll ultimately be for you.”

Unsure what to do, and considering that same question himself, Flame spontaneously found himself taking a few tentative steps. His face remained impassible when the crowd of Scum parted slightly as he wandered forward, granting him passage amidst the stares.

Flame: “... Well that’s more than a little creepy. Daedalus, what on earth am I to these guys? A god?”
Daedalus: “I… will let you figure that one out on your own since you seem to be reeling from everything you’ve re-learned thus far. But you’re an important figure to the Exiles, yes.”

He looked around him as he did so: to his left was a great hill that towered over the village he was in, its steep incline covered in pine trees and patches of bright flowers. He stopped for a moment and looked to the other side, the house he'd woken out in no longer in the way. What lay behind it took Flame a few moments to comprehend: water, a huge, crystalline expanse of sapphire that stretched all the way to the horizon, where tiny pine trees marked the opposite shore.

Ah yes, the Lake Constance expy. That description almost makes you forget that there’s a brutal war of extermination raging in the background. I can totally see how its IRL counterpart is a popular place to visit.

Mouth agape, Flame took a few more steps forward, this time in the direction of the lake. He stared at its incredibly pure surface. Only tiny, imperceptible ripples in the surface of the water disrupted the pure reflection of the sky above and the distant mountains.

In his moment of distress, somewhere, the water helped make him feel calmer.

Flame: "Not that this isn't great, but when am I going to get to see my friends again-?"
Daedalus: "I'm sorry, Flame. I can't let you do that."

"Flame…" Daedalus said from behind him, sounding almost sad. "I understand that you do not wish to be here. That you would prefer to go back to the only place you have ever known. It's only natural."

Flame did not turn. He didn't want to hear it. He didn't want to stare the Dusknoir in the eye as he said it.

"Unfortunately … you can't leave."

Flame: “Wh-What? But why? What good does keeping me penned up here against my will accomplish?!” O_O;
Daedalus: “... More than you could ever know, my child. Though if nothing else, considering how you’ve apparently almost violently died on multiple occasions from the war, it’ll keep you safe from that.”

Flame felt his heart flutter at those words, and he shot a paw to clutch his chest. It had not sunk in until now that he would more than likely never see Aesernia again. Or his team. That, according to the Dusknoir's words, this would be his new life from now on.

Considering how we find out in like 7 or 8 chapters that there was ongoing fighting in and around Aesernia, and the city walls themselves had been penetrated at least briefly, I’m not sure Flame would want to see Aesernia again. I doubt he’d be happy with what he found.

Flame squeezed his eyes shut as he attempted to hold back the storm of emotions brewing inside him.

He knew right away that he didn't want this. As ecstatic as he may have felt upon finally learning something about his past, it all felt meaningless without Alice and Gaius.

Flame: “... Okay, ‘Alice’ is very heavily carrying that duo there, but still. I don’t like this feeling right about now.” ._.

Flame was catapulted out of his thoughts when something cold and smooth settled on the back of his neck. It was the Dusknoir's hand. He turned and watched him stare down at him with his radiating red pupil.

"I'm sorry. I cannot let them get to you—not after I've finally found you again." Daedalus explained, his eye narrowing with each second. "Our cause is too important to risk for some friends you made. If you want the best for them, you will not escape. You will accept your new life and join our cause. You will help them in the only way that is meaningful."

Ouch. Ice cold. Like the only way Daedalus could’ve twisted the knife harder there would’ve been if he out and out said, “don’t worry, you’ll make new ones”.

Daedalus: "Also, the prior chapters made it clear that the Presence or some aligned dark force in Urbe intends to use you for some manner of horrific experiment. So better safe than sorry here, really."
Flame: "Daedalus, if you expected me to be okay with this, you could at least have offered to bring me my friends so we could live out our days in peace! Aren't I entitled to the two things I care about most from that accursed Empire?!"
Daedalus: "Considering how you were never supposed to meet them in the first place, no."

Something about the Dusknoir's sudden severity made something inside Flame snap.

For the first time that day, Flame steeled his face. His paws balled into fists as determination finally flowed through his veins. He finally knew what he wanted to do now: he would find them. He didn't care if this Dusknoir would allow him to, or whether he risked some form of punishment; as soon as he figured out where on earth he was, he would go and find them.

He owed them that much.

Oh, I see that you’re building up to Flame cutting and running from the Teutonii in about five chapters a lot earlier on now. Since I certainly didn’t remember that thought process from Flame in my first readthrough.

I mean, I don’t disapprove, since one of the recurring criticisms of that moment was that it originally felt very sudden, and I think that planting this seed will help a lot for smoothing that over, assuming that this also pops up in later chapters.

Looking back to Daedalus, he saw that his momentarily harsh stare had subsided to a milder, sadder look.

"I … cannot possibly hope to ask for your forgiveness after ripping you away from what little life you had with the Empire. What I can offer you is safety. A home. A family."

Flame: “But… my friends…”
Daedalus: “... You’ll make better ones? I mean, considering the state we found you in, how good of friends could they have been?”

- Flame winces internally -
Flame: “(Uh… yeah, even if I’m sure I could make a solid case for Alice, probably best not to bring up Gaius too much, huh? Since that’d kinda prove his point.)”

Flame turned around when he noticed the Dusknoir gesturing with his arm. His eyes landed on the small group of Teutonii still gathered tightly on the gravel, all of them watching with interest. The Braixen from earlier was still there too, smiling warmly for some reason.

"They may speak a different language," Daedalus said with a certain warmth in his voice, "but they are warm-hearted and strengthened by their trauma. They will happily welcome you in their community, if you so wish."

Flame: "Daedalus, this isn't helping!"
Daedalus: "You've been going through a lot, my child. Just take some time to decompress a bit. Oh, and to work on your Teutonii. Not that you repeating 'Ich bin das Glutexo' over and over again wouldn't be amusing, but I assume you wish to develop a more robust vocabulary than that."

Flame's face contorted in a mixture of guilt and disgust at the suggestion. He simply couldn't bring himself to live alongside pokémon whose relatives and friends he'd personally slaughtered.

Well that’s certainly different from his present thought process. Though getting a few weeks to get to know these ‘mons and get into a non-canon beer hall sequence or two would surely help warm him up to them.

I do wonder how his current mood about the Teutonii will hold up once he gets a good view of the full picture, though. Since he has kinda gone from one extreme to another for skewed perspectives in this story.

Flame let out a shaky sigh, unable to stand the sheer weight of the emotions bubbling in his chest.

Raising his eyes to glaze at the shimmering lake, his mind wandered back to the last evening spent with Team Phalanx—the three of them still planning an escape, still believing. The image of Alice's hopeful smile was burnt into his memory.

There was a small whisper inside him, gripping at his heart, wishing with all its might that he was back with them again—that they could get a second chance at that peaceful life they'd dreamt of.

But it was far, far too late for that now. His stupid plan had failed, and they were all going to pay the price for it.

- Flame droops thinking about how he's most likely never going to see his friends again and the Teutonii that he understands nothing of still eagerly gawking at him, with the Braixen that will totally become a major named character in like two chapters approaching -
Brynn: "[------] Glutexo, g-geht es dir gut? Kann ich Ihnen helfen?"
- Flame hangs his head -
Flame: "Not that I don't appreciate the sentiment, but can we do this later? I'm really not in the mood right now."

Well that’s a bit of a downer note to end on. No guarantees that the German in those cutaway gags is totally solid since I hit up a lot of phrasebooks for them and didn’t run them by a resource for sanity-checking, but I’d like to think they’re at least more accurate than my first bite at the apple for them. Also, it’s about time to take a peek ahead at things to come in this story:

"All Points: Down target Icarus. Priority One. Await final coordinates."

— Encrypted radio transmission sent from Vulcano Isle to Supreme General Sycorax.

Whelp, guess it makes it obvious that the Presence is either human given what's most likely a not-so-subtle reference to attack aircraft in the last chapter or else has access to human-level technology kinda like the Ultra Recon Squad 'mons from GL.

Gaius: "What the hell is a 'radio' and how the hell can Sycorax hear it?"
Alice: "I'm... not really sure. Though I'm not sure what happened to us over the last chapter."
Gaius: "Basically just farting around in Praetorian custody. Though if the Scum got Flame, why do they think there's anything left of him to recover right now?"
Alice: "Well, we had a feeling he's alive, so that counts for something. Though being caught by the Scum..."
- Alice involuntarily shudders -
Alice: "I've heard no shortage of stories of what happened to 'mons that fell into their clutches in the past. Even if he's not seriously hurt, poor Flame must be terrified right now."
- Meanwhile back in the Teutonii village, Flame continues to mope by the lake as Brynn paws at him -
Alice: "Absolutely terrified."

Well that was certainly quite a ride. There was definitely quite a bit of stuff in the chapter that I either didn’t remember seeing the first time I read it or just plain forgot about. And some of those things read very differently in light of where the plot currently is offsite.

I mean, as you can gather from the sheer volume of stuff I had to say this time. This is one of the chapters that has always stood out to me quite a bit about Rebirth, since it was a huge trip back in the day from how it shook up almost everything about the story and its framing. Even though it’s basically a big exposition chapter, it very effectively catches its readers off guard by getting them to look at almost everything that happened in a new light. Even if I’m sure there’ll be another such chapter in the future since Daedalus isn’t giving a fully honest account of events or what he’s up to right now. I can’t vouch for how things will play up to that one moment down the pipe that you used to feel iffy about, but from what I could spot of buildup that you added in… I honestly am feeling pretty confident that it’ll play out more solidly than I remembered this time around.

As for criticisms… I don’t think I have too many beyond nitpicks here and there that I raised in my writeup. I mean, perhaps doing 10,000 or so words for a chapter that’s basically set in a house and then a short walk outside of it in a longcut is a bit much to take in, but I can’t think of any place that would feel like an organic dividing point for what is there. And honestly, I was too busy having fun to really mind it.

I’m honestly thrilled that you decided to give publishing your story here on TR another bite at the apple, @Shadow of Antioch . Since even when coming back to it a second time, it’s as much a wild ride as I remembered. And hey, you’re not that far off from getting caught up with your main version of events.

Til next time!

 

[Shadow of Antioch]

Chapter XXI: Princeps​

---

Neuhoffnung – Northern Edessa Province

Of all the places to be, sitting around a campfire crowded with Scum was not exactly where Flame had imagined he'd end up.

Yet there he was, sitting cross-legged near the front of the pack with a beer jug in his claws and absolutely no clue what any of the banter meant. He stopped staring at his drink to watch his newfound comrades: there were dozens of them, Krookodile, Jolteon, Marowak, Braixen, Sableye—all sat there in a circle, drinking and laughing and hurling what sounded like jokes across the pyre.

"K-kameraden!" a Raichu with a sleepy grin rose his jug to the air. "Ich weiss, d-der sieg ist nahe!"

The whole group let out a common cheer and raised their own glasses or jugs, before bursting out in spontaneous laughter.

Flame glanced around in confusion, smiled, then started laughing too—he couldn't understand what they were saying, but the cheeriness, the sheer energy radiating from everyone, it was … contagious.

Still distracted, he brought the jug to his lips and took a short sip. The strong bitter taste gave him pause. He swallowed reluctantly. One more certainty about his past life: he wasn't an avid drinker.

Suddenly a Zangoose to his right seized his shoulder, pulled his body closer.

"Ein trink für unseren neuen bruder!" he raised his own chalice, bounced it against Flame's and proceeded to chug his drink merrily to a huge cheer.

Flame felt strangely at ease even though everyone was looking straight at him. He rose to sit straighter, returning everyone's stare with another wide smile. He wondered briefly why he felt so calm. It almost felt … wrong. Sitting with his tail tucked into his lap for the sake of others, his tail flame sparked as happily as its larger brethren.

"Th-thank you," Flame said tentatively, raising his jug in the air to another round of gratuitous cheering.

He took another generous sip, and swallowed with some effort. This was nothing like he'd expected. With all the pats in the back, and hugs, and jokes he couldn't understand, he was truly being made to feel like a long-lost brother to these pokémon. Not just that, either—the look they were giving him … it was one of reverence. Or something close to it, at least. He'd seen their eyes light up in the same way whenever Daedalus was around.

Watching the fire crackle, and wiggling his toes idly, he thought back to Alice. The thought always put a tiny smile on his face. The memories rushed back to him of the afternoons they'd spent together at the city library—what she'd told him about the Scum. How they razed entire villages, raped their women, slaughtered surrendering legionaries without mercy. Yet when he spun his head to take a good look around him, he found none of that. These pokémon looked battle-hardened, for sure. And maybe a bit backwards. But they hardly gave him the impression of blood-lusting ferals.

Then again, he couldn't blame Alice for being wrong. She was only reading from the encyclopaedias—some pro-imperial bias was inevitable. It wasn't her fault. She had to have never met one of them outside of battle.

And yet…

Flame stopped himself from taking another sip of his drink. The doubt stung in the back of his mind. He looked around himself again: the Raichu from before was slumped over, seemingly dozing off from the alcohol.

While these pokémon looked perfectly normal, he struggled to believe that all those stories were fabrications. At least some of them, in some part, had to be true. That was the nature of war, was it not?

Yet in the same heartbeat, he still couldn't get over how astonishing it felt to sit peacefully among them—for them to eye him as if he'd always been one of their own!

Or maybe they just think I'm their god-king's son. He pursed his lips slightly, and looked up.

Flame shook off the cynicism as quickly as it came. Ever since waking up here, these pokémon had treated him with nothing but camaraderie. All that in spite of him being with the enemy until a few days ago.

In spite of the fact he'd murdered some of them.

A pit of nausea opened in Flame's stomach. His smile disappeared in seconds, and he placed his jug of beer back down on the grass; the thought of finishing it suddenly became intolerable.

Breathing heavily, and clutching his tail with both paws, Flame scrambled to get rid of the thoughts invading his head. He glazed over the crowd around him. But his eyes settled on a Vaporeon sitting opposite him: and again he was flooded with images of the Flareon charging uphill at his trench, the explosion of the blast seed he'd thrown, the same mangled Flareon careening through the air and landing somewhere behind the smoke. He remembered all the fires, the battle cries echoing throughout the valley, the fear—

Flame closed his eyes and took a deep, calming breath. The flood stymied. Temporarily, at least.

"I'm … I'm going back," he mumbled to the Zangoose as he got up, despite the language barrier between them.

His cheeriness ruined for good, he squeezed and hopped between the still-laughing Teutonii sitting further away from the campfire. Once he was free of the crowd, he mindlessly turned into the main street of the village. His eyes were completely inattentive to the darkening sky above him.

They were coming for me, he thought, clenching his fists tightly. I had to fight back. I had to…

While his argument felt perfectly logical, it didn't help much with the guilt.

Flame slumped his shoulders slightly as he trudged on. He now wished he'd never come to see the Teutonii in this light. He wished they'd just remained Scum in his head—mindless ferals to feel nothing toward except hate.

And the battle!

He shook his head to himself. They were never meant to fight in it in the first place. That was what all the planning with Alice and Gaius had been for: to get away from almost certain death on the battlefield, from a stupid war that was not their own. It had been his idea at the beginning. They'd make a run for it and start a new life somewhere in the far east—and Alice's eyes had lit up at that, and for a single night, they'd all shared a moment of hope. A moment of inner peace.

Flame smiled softly at the memory.

In his distraction, he nearly missed the small thatched hut they now called his home. Flame stared at its door for several seconds, blinked a few times, then chose to walk around the back. Right now, he wanted to think.

Once he was past the houses, Flame was presented with the large, shimmering plain of water that the whole village gave onto. He stopped for a moment to appreciate the sight, his tail swaying slowly behind him. The water was almost completely still. In the distance, a weak orange hue faded quickly before sinking into a deep, inky blue that nearly brushed the houses.

The earth beneath Flame's feet compacted into pebbles as he neared the shore. He sat down with his legs crossed, and raised his gaze to look at the horizon again.

A day. It had been an entire day since he'd first woken up in this place.

Flame grabbed a pebble from the ground and rolled it mindlessly in his palm. He wondered where Alice and Gaius were right now. The last he'd seen of them, they were being hurried onto different transport carts in the rush before the battle. What had become of them?

He rolled the pebble from one hand to the next. Perhaps they had really made it, he thought—left without him once they deemed him lost. Maybe they would have waited until the last second—but with the general frenzy, and so little time to enact their plan, he wouldn't have blamed them. Perhaps … perhaps they were journeying east right now, just as he sat here. He pictured them in the eye of his mind: marching through the forest underbrush and thinking of him, mourning his absence. A smirk flashed across his face. Even in his own fantasies, he couldn't hold back from being narcissistic.

Wherever you two are, Flame looked at the horizon and smiled, as if sending a telepathic message, I hope you're alright.

His only response was the wind whistling in his ear.

"You appear to be adapting quickly."

The voice startled Flame out of his thoughts. He turned to look behind him. Sure enough, there was Daedalus, floating motionless with its arms clasped behind its back. Its red eye was bright enough to pierce the settling darkness.

"Huh? Oh. I … guess so," Flame shrugged, and turned back towards the lake.

He could have sworn there was now a faint red reflection in the water, right beside the wobbly orange patch from his tail fire.

"I was happy to see you at the gathering, my child," Daedalus said. "The exiles have already accepted you. Perhaps, you are starting to do the same."

Flame did not look back, instead continuing to stare at the horizon. He clutched the pebble in his fist tightly. There were many, many things he wanted to ask the Dusknoir. For one, he wanted to know more about his past. About the Presence. Why the Teutonii were so eager to accept him, the enemy…

He didn't even know where to start.

"I'm glad you haven't tried to escape." A pause, as if anticipating his reaction. "That you are giving this new life a chance."

Yeah, as if I knew where I'd be going otherwise.

"No one's tried to kill me," he muttered. "Not yet. First time in a while."

Daedalus studied him for a few moments. "I see you are still troubled, my child."

As if to validate its observation, Flame slung the pebble as far as he could. He watched it bounce a few times, before it sputtered and sank into the depths of the lake. 'Troubled', huh?

"This wasn't exactly my choice," Flame turned to face the Dusknoir's glaring red eye. "It was yours. Remember? The least I can be about this is 'troubled'."

Daedalus hung its head. "You have every right to feel that way. However, as you regain your past memories, I'm confident you will see that this was the right choice to make."

Flame huffed at that. Perhaps the Dusknoir was right—still that strange voice inside him pushed him to trust it—but it still felt no less of an affront.

Riding a wave of sudden courage, Flame stood up fully and turned to face Daedalus. "I want to know," he said simply. "I want to know everything. About who I was, who the Scum are. If you want me to stay, you will tell me."

A light breeze whistled in his ears. Claws balled into fists, Flame's gaze drifted away as he scrambled for something else to say.

"Th-the only people I trust right now are my teammates." He glanced down briefly. "And you took me away from them."

There was a gap of several seconds filled only by the evening breeze.

Then, slowly, as if still considering his next action, Daedalus gave a single nod. "Come inside."

---

Flame took care to slide his tail properly into the gap of the chair before taking a seat, and facing the motionless Dusknoir at the other end of the table. The house—his house, he supposed, as he saw only a single bed—was lit by a combination of his tail fire and a series of candles littered throughout the room.

Flame shifted into the chair. His blank stare masked a whirlwind of questions clashing for priority in his head. Where would he even start? 'Who am I?' came to mind, but…

It was then that his eyes fell on an unfurled map on the table. His pupils dilated slightly at the sight. After a few seconds of deciphering the green landmass' shape, he recognised it immediately: it was a map of the Empire, complete with Urbe in the centre, the southern shoreline, the mountains in the north and east.

The sight of it helped focus his fractured mind on what his first question would be.

"What did you do to Aesernia?" Flame said, trying not to feel intimidated as he glared Daedalus directly in the eye.

"Why do you ask, my child?"

"You launched an assault on the city," Flame insisted. "Your forces did. You're their leader, aren't you? What happened to Aesernia?"

"The primary aim of our assault was to locate and retrieve you from enemy hands," Daedalus said. "Since that happened so quickly, I ordered my forces to withdraw—to act as a rearguard against any possible rescue operation."

Flame leaned closer in anticipation, cupping his paws together as if uttering a wordless prayer for Aesernia.

"Your city is safe, my child," Daedalus nodded with an amused smile. "I respect your emotional attachment to it."

At that, Flame felt a massive weight lifted from his conscience. He leaned back in his chair, and closed his eyes. Aesernia was okay. The Via Palatina, the library, Camp Tempest—they were still standing. Even if he were to never see those places again, knowing that helped him feel more at peace.

However, Daedalus' thought process still left him troubled. The Empire might have wanted to rescue him?

"Yeah, 'rescue operation'," Flame narrowed his eyes, scowling. "You clearly weren't there. If they cared that much about me, I wouldn't have nearly died in those trenches."

"And I take full responsibility for endangering your life," Daedalus closed its eye and hung its head. "I assure you, my child, that finding you in the field of battle was not something I had planned for—that is the reason my troops attacked indiscriminately. The only plausible explanation is that the local authorities had not yet realised your true identity. If so, we are lucky to have found you in time."

Flame hummed and let his eyes wander down toward the map, lips pursed together in thought.

Something in that explanation didn't sit well with him. Tapping his index claw on the table, he rummaged through his memories of the exchange they'd had earlier that morning. Amidst his hazy, emotionally-charged recollection of it, one detail in particular came to mind.

"I thought you said the Empire was involved in wiping my memories." Flame narrowed his eyes ever so slightly.

For the first time, Flame saw the Dusknoir exhibit something approximating discomfort in the way it shifted from its immobile, impeccable posture.

"Those … those are both hypotheses, my child," Daedalus uttered in polite shame. "No matter how much I wish to satisfy your hunger for the truth, I cannot be certain what happened to you after we became separated. I may only speculate, based on the information at hand."

That was it, then; it was all pointless. Flame sat back against his chair, shoulders slumped. He could have sworn Alice had said those exact same words what felt like ages ago. It was so naive of him to expect all the answers to rain down from the sky.

Still, though, he reasoned. He knows me. He can remember who I was.

"Tell me who I was, then," Flame said. "You remember that, can't you? Before … before we got separated. How, um, did we get separated?"

"That, my child, is something I am still trying to figure out," Daedalus said, smiling slightly in affection. "The Gateway settings were altered correctly. We took precautions to enter it at the same time. And yet, once I crossed into this world, I found myself alone. Not a single trace of you for so long." A fond smile found its way on the Dusknoir's face. "I felt so worried for you, my child."

A confused gratitude bubbled up in Flame's chest, but it was overshadowed by the magnitude of the words he'd just heard.

"Gateway?" he blinked, mouth hanging open. "Th-this world? You mean … we came here from another dimension? Had we always been there?"

"Again, I can't be sure of our early life," Daedalus bowed his head in apology. "Neither of us remembered it. What I do know, however, is that our captivity took place on a different world. I suspect it is where the Presence originated from."

Flame shifted in his chair. He was not sure how to take that. Another dimension…? What did that even look like? Maybe it was like entering a mystery dungeon. Did those count?

Daedalus turned his head toward the wall. Its eye narrowed in thought. "I remember all the pokémon held there with me. We gathered at dawn every day, all in perfect file. I remember the combat training, the experiments… "

Flame paused his breathing, afraid that he'd miss a word if he made any noise whatsoever. A distant song from outside leaked through the walls.

"They were raising us to become their slaves. Mere foot soldiers, molded to their desires. It took me some time to understand that. I used the power they gave me to escape." Daedalus turned back to him, smiling. "And when I did, I found you. Just as thin as you are now."

Flame reflexively brought a paw to his chest to cover his ribs.

"Neither of us possessed a name," Daedalus looked straight into Flame's eyes again. "A family. For a brief period, we were the only family we had. We fought and survived together. By sharing our experiences, we understood what we had to do to thwart their plans."

Flame stared back into the Dusknoir's eye, trying to absorb everything he was being told. No matter how hard he tried to recall those events, nothing came back. His mind was empty. And the emptiness tormented him.

Nevertheless, he paused to make sense of what he'd just been told. We were slaves of … whatever the Presence is, in another dimension. Then we escaped, pledged to stop them, and crossed into this world?

It sure didn't sound like his life had been a boring one.

"And the Teutonii, they…"

"I came across the exiles shortly after arriving in this world." Daedalus completed his sentence. "When I discovered what the Presence did to them, I rallied them to the cause."

Kicking his feet back and forth, Flame glazed blankly over the table. Silence hung over the room for some time.

I guess I'm not a Scum after all, he chuckled uneasily.

His first thought was that Gaius would have been happy to learn that. In a way, though, it was a step back; at least he could picture what a Scum was in his head.

"Although it pains me that you have forgotten your oath, and everything that happened to you…" Daedalus spoke quietly and with his head bowed. "I can at least find comfort in the fact that you're here, now."

"I'm sorry." Flame bit his lip, and lowered his gaze to the table.

Daedalus shook his head slowly. "It is not your fault, my child." A soft smile was etched on his face. "After all these years of knowing nothing about your fate, of questioning whether you were even alive… You … you have no idea how happy I am."

Flame felt the faintest hint of tears well in his eyes. The sincerity in those words moved him. Although he couldn't remember, somewhere in the recesses of his psyche, something just … felt right about them.

That was, until he noticed Daedalus moving towards him. Through the table. Flame watched dumbstruck.

"Please, my child, allow me…"

Before Flame could react, the Dusknoir leaned down and … embraced him. Flame felt his body lock into place at the cold, soft body wrapped around him. His heart sputtered. After a few seconds to recover from the shock, Flame hugged him back as best as he could. The difference in body size meant that his arms reached only to its sides.

They stayed like that for a few seconds longer. When Daedalus finally let go of him—lower body still phasing through the table—he looked down at him with a smile that Flame could only describe as paternal. And Flame smiled too, feeling a strange warmth bubbling in his chest.

However, there was something that the Dusknoir had said before the embrace that bothered him. He took a moment to recall.

"H-how long ago did you say we got separated?"

"Twenty-one months, and eleven days," Daedalus said. "That is when we crossed the Gateway to this world."

Flame stared blankly. His face gradually morphed into one of horror. "I've … only been alive for a month," he muttered. "That—that's how much I remember, at least."

Daedalus' gaze mellowed into one of compassion.

Flame now felt even more lost about himself, if such a thing was even possible.

"Why can't I remember?" Flame's gaze wandered upwards to the ceiling.

"I promise," Daedalus said, placing both hands on his shoulders, "that we will do our best to discover what it is that happened to you. Though it may be hard to feel optimistic … what matters most is that you're here, now. You're safe."

Flame nodded at that, and gave a small smile, but could not find it in him to place much hope in that promise.

"Everything you just told me," Flame began, clenching his jaw. "About how we came here. I was hoping it'd help me remember, but…" He shook his head. "Nothing. It might as well have been a story you made up."

Daedalus merely bowed its head, retreating back to the other side of the table.

Flame's gaze continued to wander around the room, his tail swaying to and fro. He didn't know whether to feel hopeless or resentful right now. Judging from how much brighter the room felt, orange patches of light dancing across every inch, his tail fire seemed to be favouring resentment.

When I woke up in that cave… I felt like I was on the verge of dying. But I wasn't injured, per se. It felt like … I'd just gone through something unimaginable.

Flame watched his first encounter with Alice and Gaius play back in his mind. He remembered the cold, the mountains outside, the vastness of the sky, the walls of Aesernia in the distance. At the time, it all felt so … new. It still did, in a way.

Flame stared Daedalus in the eye suddenly.

"Could you help me remember?" Flame asked, struggling to keep desperation out of his voice.

Daedalus stared at him for several seconds, eye still in thought. "My child… You must understand, your mind is in a very precarious state right now. Though it will heal, it may take months. Perhaps years. By attempting to force the healing process, I fear that … we may damage your psyche beyond all repair."

Flame flinched.

"Way to put it lightly," he muttered, gaze wandering off to the side.

In a brief stretch of silence, he could hear a group of voices and laughter passing by his house. Flame tapped his claws idly on the table.

"Maybe you could…" Flame said, eyes brightening. "Project one of your memories to me. I, I don't know—there has to be something!"

"I … don't know, Flame," Daedalus shook his head slowly. "While certainly less invasive, it could trigger a cascade of your own memories. A lifetime's worth of memories. You may still be young, but your mind cannot possibly handle that in your current state."

Flame was about to protest, but he knew it was no use. Daedalus was right. When he'd allowed Yvaine to probe his memories, his head felt like it was about to split open. He brought a paw to his head almost on reflex.

"I'm sorry. I cannot afford to take undue risks. Not after losing you for so long."

Flame gave a small nod. His eyes arched downwards, then narrowed slightly as he sighed. He was beginning to grow accustomed to the thought that maybe he'd never discover what had happened to him. And just two days ago, when he and the rest of Team Phalanx were planning their new lives in the east, he was almost all right with that. Now that he'd finally gotten a glimpse into his past, though, the disappointment stung back all the harder.

Flame sighed softly. He wished Alice were here.

"However…"

Flame's head shot back up. He stared at the Dusknoir expectantly.

"One of the exiles stationed here possesses advanced psionic abilities," Daedalus said, arms behind its back. "I will assign them to aid you in your recovery. If they deem it safe enough, I will happily share my own memories with you."

Flame grew a tiny smile. Though it was not nearly enough, he decided to take what he could get.

"Thank you."

"You deserve to live a normal life, my child," Daedalus said softly, nodding. "It is getting late. Tomorrow will be a long day."

"Hold on," Flame leaned forward on the table. "One last question. Please."

It had been gnawing at the back of his mind ever since first waking up here. He had to get an answer to it to even consider living here another day.

Daedalus merely nodded again.

Flame stared the Dusknoir straight in the eye. "Are all those stories about the Teutonii true? All the massacres, the rapes, the killing of prisoners?"

"I had no doubt the Empire would jump at the occasion to demonise the exiles." Daedalus stared back. "When the Presence began slaughtering them in the thousands, they found no choice but to cross the Tartarus Mountains to safer lands. It is a migratory crisis of the Empire's own making. What would you have them do? Lay down and die?"

"Answer the question," Flame narrowed his eyes. "I've been to a village they burnt down—Sperantia Nova. There wasn't even a garrison. Why?"

Daedalus rose its head in thought. If it had a mouth, Flame imagined it would have sighed. "At the same time, I cannot deny that violence and warfare are inextricably linked," it continued. "Though I try my best, I can only be in so many places at a time to command my troops. Some merely fight to live here in peace; others, they seek vengeance for the way they were wronged. Occasionally, some take it too far."

Flame looked down to the table for a few seconds, eyes still narrowed. His claws clenched briefly.

"That's not an excuse…"

"Indeed," Daedalus said. "But our mission is simply too important, my child. Should we fail, none of their sacrifices will have meant anything. Pokémonkind will be but a slave to the Presence. Many more innocents will pay the price."

Flame wanted to accept that explanation—he really did, but the smouldering shell of Sperantia Nova just kept flashing in his mind. He wasn't sure how to reconcile that with the campfire and the camaraderie.

Before he could raise another objection, however, Daedalus moved toward the door. It turned just before the threshold to look straight at him again.

"You should sleep, my child." Daedalus smiled softly. A few seconds passed in silence. "Though this war may be far from over, you can finally rest easy. You're safe here. You can start living a normal life, like you've always deserved."

With that, Daedalus's gaze lingered on him for one final, paternal smile. Then it turned back, and phased right through the door.

And thus, Flame was alone, alone with his thoughts.

After staying still for a few seconds, almost as if to ensure it was gone, Flame released a shaky sigh. Slumping over the table, he put a hand to his forehead and groaned. He barely even had the energy to think right now.

Perhaps he'd genuinely hoped for the answer to his last question to be 'no'—despite having seen Sperantia Nova with his own two eyes. Seeing them today had scraped off the layer of propaganda off those stories, but … he had little doubt that many of those were true.

Then again, the Empire was probably doing many of the same things.

I just want to be done with this stupid war…

His eyes wandered to the map on the table again. A simple question popped up in his mind: where was he? He dragged the map closer to himself, and propped his elbows on either side to concentrate.

He recognised this as the map he'd packed in his bag, the one they'd meant to use in their escape plan. All the cities were marked—thank the gods. Unable to find Aesernia at a first glance, he went back down to Urbe and traced the course of the Tiberius river with a claw, then that of its subsidiary, the Sontium, snaking up to the northern plains.

There.

Flame tapped his claw on the black circle marked 'Aesernia'. He gave himself a small smile for the progress. Alice's geography lessons were serving him well. From here, he knew he had to look further north. That was where the Scum had migrated from—where the front lines of the war had been dug. For there to be a full-on village here, he had to be in enemy territory.

Lake, lake, lake… he mouthed, his eyes pouring over the northern reaches of the Aesernian plain. He kept a claw on the city itself to keep track of it.

His eyes lit up when he spotted the small blue blob in the north-western corner of Portus province; before he could get too excited, though, he noticed another lake a bit to the east, nestled in some hilly terrain. When he looked further to the north-east, he realised how far away he was from finding the answer: scattered along the foot of the Tartarus Mountains must have been a half dozen more.

A sense of hopelessness began taking hold of Flame. Frowning, he tried his best to recall the landscape around the village—it was too dark to check outside for himself.

There's … a tall hill that overlooks the village. He laced his claws together and wriggled them. The terrain on the other side of the lake is hilly, too. Or are those mountains…?

He looked back down at the map, yet that description could have applied to most of the lakes here: surrounded by either local hills or the Spearhead or Tartarus mountain ranges.

It's no use.

With a small yawn, Flame pushed the map away and hopped off his chair. Perhaps he'd try again in the morning, when he could get a better look at the shape of the lake and the surrounding terrain. It was the best he could do. He suspected he wouldn't get an answer out of Daedalus, were he to ask.

He made his way to his bed and threw himself onto the soft hay. The tension in his muscles mellowed as the sheer exhaustion of the last few days set in.

Flame shut his eyes. Not a second after trying to settle into sleep, though, did he start feeling it: the feeling of emptiness next to his bed. The utter silence. He sighed softly. This was the first time he'd slept without them.

Turning onto his back, he wondered if he would ever see them again. Daedalus spoke so often of all this as his 'new life', something he'd have to settle into and accept. While his heart was still conflicted over whether he wanted this or not, it almost certainly entailed abandoning his team forever.

Flame's scurrying heartbeat began to drown out his thoughts, and he tucked his legs closer to his chest for comfort. He didn't want that. He couldn't cope with the thought of thought of all those moments lived together amounting to nothing, in the end—of never hearing Alice's voice again.

The only conceivable solution to that dilemma was escaping. Yet that once again presented the problem that he had no idea where his teammates were. Whether in Aesernia, already marching eastward across Basileia, or perhaps in a mass grave, having been caught and hanged for their crimes.

He swallowed and shook his head to stave off the image.

Aside from that, he was in no shape to play daredevil: the battle yesterday had left him completely drained, both physically and mentally. How could he possibly hope to cross hundreds of kilometres of wild terrain, let alone hunt for food, in this condition?

A frown overtook his face. That was if he could even outrun the Scum inevitably patrolling the village.

Laying on his side, Flame clutched a clawful of straw. It was no use lying to himself: at the moment, he had no choice but to stay here.

At the same time, he also couldn't deny the fact that he'd never felt this safe before. Certainly not in Aesernia. Not having to worry about where to source each meal was a feeling he could certainly get used to. Perhaps it wouldn't be so bad.

He felt so welcome here, too. The pokémon at Camp Tempest never did that…

Somewhere in his train of thought, Flame felt his concentration slipping into a current of sleep. He did not resist, and settled in his bed soon afterwards.

---

"Princess Alice. I am glad you came here."

Alice breathed sharply at hearing Sycorax's cold, synthesised voice pronounce her name once again.

She froze just as the tent flaps fell behind her. The whole room before her quivered at the light of a lantern hanging from the ceiling, illuminating the stares of both the Genesect and Yvaine and Virgo, whose conversation with the general she'd just interrupted. Virgo waved at her with a goofy smile, whereas Yvaine, barely able to stand, smiled weakly and sent her a nod.

Alice, however, was too busy staring a hole into the ground to fully pay attention. Her brain refused to meet Sycorax's gaze even by accident. Just a flash of his bright, red eyes staring at her sent her heart throbbing.

Breathing heavily, she grit her teeth together. It was so stupid. Just before coming in she'd felt so confident—so prepared to put everything on the line for her team! Now, she'd finally reverted back to a scared little Dratini, one who couldn't let go of her past even when people were counting on her.

She felt Sycorax study her for several more seconds, before addressing the praetorians. "That will be all for now," Sycorax said. "You may finish your report in the morning. Dismissed."

"Ave Imperator!" Virgo replied. She saw him give a sharp salute from the corner of her vision.

Yet still Alice was frozen in place, heart throbbing, lip quivering as a plethora of emotions battled inside her. She didn't want to go back. To see him again. To hear his forgiveness or perhaps worse, his disappointment that she hadn't changed whatsoever. She felt her heart would crumble; that would be it for her.

For a fleeting moment, she felt panic begin to creep into her thoughts, but she dispelled it quickly and brought her breathing back under control.

He is not my father, Alice shut her eyes. And I'm not a helpless Dratini.

He is not my father.

"Alice?"

She opened her eyes to see Virgo right in front of her, carrying Yvaine in his arms as if she were a kit. This close, Alice couldn't look at the Umbreon without wincing mentally. Where once there was black fur, the entire left side of her body bared a fleshy patch of burnt pink—including her left thighs and cheek.

She prayed that Flame hadn't been hurt in the same way.

"I said we can talk tomorrow," Yvaine looked at her with a weak smile.

"O-oh," Alice blinked. "Y-yes. Of course."

Virgo sent her another of his grins, adjusting Yvaine in his hold. "Just don't go moping around all day." He tilted his head as they went past her. "Or we won't find you!"

"Virgo!" hissed Yvaine from behind her. "That's disrespectful!"

"What? Flamey's gonna be fine—someone's gotta tell her she's exaggerating!"

The duo's back-and-forth became fainter and fainter, until the only sound Alice could hear was that of her own throbbing heartbeat.

They were alone, now.

She knew that Sycorax was still looking at her, yet she kept her gaze stuck firmly to the ground, unwilling to meet his. To what end, though? She shook her head. There was nowhere for her to hide. She hadn't come here for that, anyway.

I'm here for them.

That thought cut through her doubts. She wasn't sure about Gaius, but she knew Flame would have done it for her, too. They were counting on her.

Alice looked up.

She met the Genesect's bright, red eyes with only a sharp breath on her part. Its dual pupils seemed to shine with a light of their own, hidden behind a layer of glass. The two continued to glare for several prolonged seconds.

"I understand your discomfort at my presence." Sycorax turned to face its desk. "I shall be brief."

Alice furrowed her brow further as Sycorax spoke. The way its mouth didn't move, and the way its voice was always accompanied by slight crackles never failed to unsettle her. Even knowing the Genesect her whole life, it simply never did.

"What does he want from me?" she said coldly.

Sycorax glanced back at her curiously, almost as if it weren't expecting her to be the one asking questions.

In response, Alice found the strength to stand taller. Despite all the emotions coursing through her—her shaking, her throbbing heartbeat, the urge to look away … she could only reserve the Genesect a look of pure hatred.

It observed her for a while longer. "I expected you to take that line of questioning." Sycorax stopped sifting through the papers on its desk. "Very well, then."

Sycorax then turned to face her fully. It seemed to be impassible to her spiteful glare. "Recently, His Majesty has begun expressing … concern, for your safety. He instructed me to ensure you would not be seeing live combat yesterday."

Alice swung her tail to and fro as she processed everything. It didn't—it didn't make sense. Concern!? After all that he'd put her through? Maybe that was his plan: to torment her even in her exile. Unless…

Was he… Was he feeling guilty?

He also assigned us those missions, didn't he? Alice began breathing raggedly. To keep Team Phalanx afloat. Because he was … 'concerned'.

Her face drew blank. This was too much. The last four years of her life had been nothing but cold winters, hunger, loneliness, and dejection. And it turned out he was sorry, after all. Somehow, the thought angered her even more. She had to fight back tears of exasperation and force her face into a neutral expression.

"Go back to his palace, and tell him," Alice said slowly and deliberately, "that he's forfeited the right to worry about me."

Again, Sycorax stood unfazed. "I believe His Majesty would disagree."

Alice pressed her lips together and clenched her jaw to hold back the stream of insults that threatened to come out. Like she could care less. Her father couldn't even decide whether or not he hated her, it seemed.

"So what now?" Alice kept her eyes narrowed. "I take it you'll bring me to Urbe. It was the entire reason behind you kidnapping my team, wasn't it?"

"No."

Alice blinked. She hadn't been expecting that answer.

"While your father did give me that order," Sycorax stood taller, the top of its large cannon poking against the tent's ceiling. "You were not the main objective behind our mission."

With her train of thought derailed completely, Alice could only manage to stare dumbly at the general. She imagined that if its mouth could move, it'd be smirking right now.

"Your friend—the Charmeleon," Sycorax buzzed. "Do you care for him?"

"… Yes."

"Good. Because we want to free him, too."

Alice's heart stopped. She felt her cheek cold and pale, her mind rushing at the implications of it all. They knew. They knew. They had to know that he was a part of the Scum! They were going to find him and have him killed, or, or—

Wait…

She blinked, then furrowed her brow as she stared at nothing in particular. Something in that thought process didn't quite sound right. Normally, treason or desertion were grounds for immediate execution—but Flame was not here. He was with the Scum, likely far behind the front lines.

It made no sense to launch a rescue mission—to risk praetorian lives, dedicate praetorian resources—for someone who was going to be hanged either way.

Alice tried to swallow, but she felt a knot blocking her throat. There had to be something else at play here.

Something she wasn't aware of.

"It appears you already know part of the reason," Sycorax said, arms crossed behind its back. Its metal carapace shone against the lantern's light. "You see, your friend is … important to us. But more than that, he's also a soldier." It crossed an arm over its chest. "My responsibility."

Before she could fully process everything that she'd just heard, Sycorax took a step towards her.

"We are close to finding his location. I have one request to make of you, Alice," Sycorax leaned down closer to her level. "Once we rescue your friend, convince him to cooperate. If you do, your Grovyle comrade here will receive a full pardon and compensation for his injuries." She could feel it smirking again. "I may also deny His Majesty's request to bring you to Urbe."

Sycorax leaned in even closer with its head, forcing Alice to look away from its glare. She hated how. He was blackmailing her. Using Gaius' life, no less. In a moment of desperation, she wished this could have all stayed about her father.

"… why are you after him?" she mumbled out.

"The Creators—our Benefactors—have found a higher purpose for him." Sycorax shook its head slowly. "I'm afraid you wouldn't understand. I can assure you, however, that we will bring him back by your side, safe and sound."

The Genesect then pulled away and walked to its desk, turning its back to the trembling Dragonair.

"The choice is yours." It said in a final bout of static. "I am sure you will see reason."

Yet Alice wasn't listening; her mind was busy playing back the scene of the Scum leader laying a hand on Flame's shoulder. She remembered how they met: how fearful he was, wounded and alone, remembering absolutely nothing. Finally, she remembered the moment they'd shared in the infirmary bed, staring into each other's eyes as if their lives depended on it.

Flame … who are you?

---

End of Chapter XXI​

 

[Spiteful Murkrow]

Heya, rolled this story for Reading Rookidee as a way to light a fire under me and make sure that I didn’t put off reviewing it for too long. Though after casually blowing up the fundamental framing of the story last time, I suppose it’s time we checked in on the loose ends of the party, huh?

Chapter XX

Spoiler: Line-by-Line

In her mind, it was all so simple.

She would see him just as danger set in. The lumbering Hydreigon would sweep down and settle in the middle of his escape path, fires raging all around. He'd have nowhere else to run. Without thinking, Alice spewed an ice beam from behind the great beast to distract it. It turned to her, each of the three heads snapping at her and roaring independently.

She'd be terrified, cursing her audacity, no doubt. But then, perhaps, he might see an opportunity to attack, and with Virgo and Yvaine—

Oh so Alice knows that move, huh. Rare for a Dragon-type, but it’s definitely mechanically possible for her. Dunno whether that’s a sign that Move Tutors/TMs exist in this setting, or if that’s just a standard party trick for Urbe Dratini line ‘mons.

Narrator:

Alice: “... Okay, I forgot that Yvaine was seriously wounded at the time, but you could’ve been nicer about it!” >.<

No. That wouldn't work. Ah, yes!—they'd pull out some kind of orb or seed to stun the creature; rush past it in a panic, she herself turning around and leading them to the safety of friendly lines. The Dusknoir would arrive too late to take him away. Then they would be back at the base camp: together once more, all in a moment of gladness. How close they'd come to losing him! Overcome by emotion, she wrapped around him several times, his arms surrounding her too, her snout nuzzling him softly.

Gaius: “And then everybody clapped.” :|
Alice: “Gaius, nobody asked you!” >.<
Gaius: "I’m sorry, but you could at least try to make your daydreams less obviously wish fulfillment. And how do we even know that any of those details about how Flame got captured again?"
Alice: “... It’s a part of my daydream?”

I was so worried, she said, and he would say something stupid and witty in reply. It would be enough; and it would mean everything to her.

And all the while, she'd be rotting from the inside; for she knew that she was no proper friend. For friends didn't abandon one another because they were too scared to—

Somewhere nearby, a Spearow cried.

Wait, is that a reference to the time that Alice and Gaius tried to pass Flame off as Scum? Or is that something else that her mind is turning to?

Alice blinked once before she jerked awake, raising her head from the grass. The same Spearow squawked again and landed on the tallest branch of the oak just across from where she was laying.

Alice: “... Dammit, I didn’t need to get dragged back to reality like this.”

Gaius: “Gods, I can already tell that this is going to be quite the chapter to sit through.” >_>;

Alice wiped her nose on her bag's strap, then let her head fall onto the crumpled grass again. It was starting to get darker. She stared off into nothingness for a few moments before she squeezed her eyes shut, groaning.

It was so strange; she'd never been one to lose herself in fantasies, not even in much more stressful periods of her life. Now, she couldn't go five minutes between them.

Part of me wonders if this paragraph functions better as two. Something about the added space and implicit pause I think just gives a better sense of the passage of time that doesn’t come through with one paragraph.

Alice sighed again slightly, and twisted around so that she rest on her cheek. Her eyes were fixated on the river Sontium, mere metres from her snout—its murky water boiling off into a steady flow…

She'd chosen this place in hopes that the bubbling of the water would soothe her mind. Alas, it was hopeless.

Huh, so there’s a ‘Sontium’ in Aesernia Province as well in spitting distance of the Iapetus, huh? Well you can’t say that it doesn’t live up to its namesake with its described attributes there.

Flame was gone. It was all she could think of. It was all she wanted to think of. At least then, whenever the guilt wasn't consuming every living thought of hers, she could picture his nervous smile; his paw resting on her scales, leaving that residual warmth… She struggled to smile at the mental image. Her eyes teared up as she curled and uncurled her tail slightly.

Everything had gone wrong.

I mean, yeah. That tends to happen with plans that are pantsed over the course of a couple of days, especially when they involve stuff like deserting from an army on territory it controls.

She wasn't exactly sure at what point the plan had unravelled. Maybe it was when Flame failed to show up at the rendezvous with Gaius and her, or perhaps when the Praetorian Guard swept in to seize them. It hardly mattered now. What mattered was that she hadn't been there for him in his moment of greatest need. As a result, he was now being held prisoner gods-knew where by the Scum.

Virgo: “I mean, you were just blatantly planning your little runaway out while I was in the middle of getting acquainted with Miss Octob-”
Alice: “Virgo, shut up. That’s not the canonical explanation and you’re not even supposed to be here right now!” >.<

I told you I was nothing but a coward, muttered Alice in her head, looking up at the overcast sky.

Not that it doesn’t make sense for Alice to have some self-blame going on, but I’m not sure how her actions in the last block really leaned into her being a ‘coward’. Like maybe if she and Gaius had thought of going to look for him but chickened out thanks to the sound of raging battle in the distance and noping out, but assuming this isn’t irrational spiraling of hers, something feels like it’s missing for Alice’s thought process here.

Also, I see Alice seems to have a thing for putting down her bravery at moments where she’s at her emotional lowest. It definitely gave me vibes this time around that I didn’t pick up on in my first readthrough.

She needed not fantasise about the details of how it happened: Virgo and Yvaine had already given Sycorax a full debriefing, and she'd been there to hear it all. How it unfolded. How they'd found him. She could only imagine how he must have felt: he'd just escaped the heat of battle, only to find out that their plan had fallen apart, that Gaius and her had been taken by the Praetorian Guard—that all his dreams for a happy future amounted to naught.

Gaius: "... Didn't Virgo and Yvaine say this same Hydreigon that cornered them was giving Legionaries free skydives earlier? Without a parachute? How on earth are those two still alive right now?" .-.
Alice: "... Maybe the Dusknoir assumed they were friends of Flame and ordered it to spare them? Otherwise, I'm admittedly not really sure myself."
Gaius: "Not even a theory from Virgo and Yvaine that stuck out, huh?”
Alice: “Nope.”
Gaius: “Mrph. Must’ve been the shock of events getting to them. Though why exactly are we still being held by the Praetorian Guard again? I mean, I get that this probably has something to do with your family problems. But you'd think they'd have higher priorities than just babysitting us."

The Praetorian Guard… She blinked, coming to her senses. It surprised her how little she found herself thinking about that.

She suddenly became aware of the crackling of dry leaves some distance behind her. She listened for a few seconds, and then determined that the praetorian watching over her must have been pacing back and forth in boredom.

Alice: “... Boy I sure hope that I was fantasizing quietly earlier, otherwise boy is that going to be embarrassing to explain.”

Her head somehow sunk lower. Try as she might, she couldn't bring herself to care about them right now. Not even about that … demon, Sycorax, coming back to haunt her. No; she coiled up tighter and let her mind wander back to Flame, to his warmth, to him fighting for his life in the front lines.

That’s definitely ironic to read coming from Alice considering how radically different her father’s opinion of him is. Though I suppose being daddy’s most trusted confidante wouldn’t exactly help Sycorax’s inherent off-puttingness.

What must have been his thoughts, in those moments? Even now, she could not help but picture his screams—his terror as the battle raged on around him, Scum pouring over the trenches in the hundreds and gutting fellow soldiers all around.

Gaius: “Didn’t we have a whole badge sequence overhearing all of that-?”

Alice: “All non-canon, remember?”
Gaius: “... Right. (Can’t tell if you’d be less weepy or more if it were, honestly.)”

He must have felt terrified—betrayed, even. Avoiding that battle had been the entire point of their escape plan. Perhaps he'd imagined Gaius and her running off on their own, leaving him to be ripped open by barbarians.

Was it … was it plausible he was thinking the same thing at this very moment, rotting in some mud hut in a village, surrounded by those monsters?

Gaius: "It's not our fault, Alice. We literally got pulled aside by Praetorians before we could do anything about it."
Alice: "I... I just can't bear to think about what he's going through right now."
- Meanwhile in Neuhoffnung, Flame has been roped along to a beer hall and crowded by excited locals and is shifting uncomfortably -
Flame: "Uh... guys? I'm really not in the mood for-"
- Cue Brynn all but shoving a pint of lager into his claws -
Brynn: "Prost, [------] Glutexo!"
Flame: "(Daedalus said to show off 'my catchphrase'. Maybe that'd satisfy them and get them to let me go back to mope in peace.) Uh... Ich bin das Glutexo?"
- Cue laughter and cheers from the surrounding Teutonii -
Flame: "(... Well, that didn't work. Maybe I should-?)"
Beer Hall!Teutonii: "Eins! Zwei! Drei! G'suffa!"
- Flame notices everyone is staring at him and his pint and blinks -
Flame: "(So they want me to drink this? I don't see what's so special about it, but if it'll quiet them down...)"
- Flame gulps down his pint and smacks his mouth a moment before his eyes light up -
Flame: "... Hey, not bad! What is this stuff anyways? Since I could get used to it!"
- Meanwhile back at camp in Aesernia -
Alice: "F-For all we know, he's going through unspeakable torture right now." ;_;
Gaius: "(Gods, is she going to be like this for the entire chapter?)" >_>;

And all I've done about it is to sit here crying… she thought with a vaguely angry scowl.

Her resolve to take action was burdened by not knowing where Flame even was. A quivering Dratini, that's what she'd reverted to. How could a Charmeleon she had barely met a month ago affect her so much? Especially after knowing what she now knew…

Because he’s visually cute to you, he’s vulnerable and gives you a sense that you’re making a difference, and you’re lonely since your one friend before all of this was Gaius?

I mean, maybe it’s a bit implausible on paper. But… yeah, I can totally see how you’d have gotten attached to Flame really quickly even before the whole episode in Boreal Chasm.

"Dragonair," a stern voice came from behind her, the constant crackling of leaves halting briefly, "do you intend to lie there for the rest of tomorrow, too?"

"Oh, shut it," muttered Alice, not budging a centimetre.

Wew. Being feisty with Praetorians, huh? Can’t tell if that’s the depressive slump talking or if Alice has always had a part of her that’s lived life on the edge.

The praetorian merely grumbled something offensive and returned right back to pacing.

Alice closed her eyes and sighed through pursed lips. Where was she?

Gaius: “You know, I’m starting to think the Praetorian had the right idea there.” >_>;

So he was a Scum, then. Her face contorted into a scowl as she said those words in her head. But it was beyond doubt by now: there could be no other explanation for what had taken place. The Scum never took prisoners. The possibility had been fermenting in her head for a while, truth be told—ever since their first run-in with the Scum's leader.

In light of how it’s come out in recent chapters that the Presence has been lying about their ability to make intelligible contact with the Teutonii, I have to wonder how true the underlined really is. Like there’s some dialogue from Daedalus that would seem to indicate that Alice isn’t wrong as a general rule of thumb, but it’s a big warfront. Lots of room for reality to be a bit more complicated than the story that Alice has gotten in the Empire.

She let out a minute small sigh.

What are you, Flame?

The whirring breeze in her ears was the only answer she received.

IMO “minute” sounds better with a simpler synonym. In this case, I rolled “small”.

[------] Glutexo, of course. Not that she knows that just yet.

She let out another charged sigh, and retreated tighter into her coils. She could still remember the way Gaius had reacted right after the incident with the Dusknoir, pinning the poor Charmeleon to the icy ground with a leaf blade to his throat. While a bit extreme, she could certainly sympathise with Gaius: it wasn't easy to accept that one's teammate was once part of a group of mass murderers.

IMO, you probably want to be a bit more explicit about what incident Alice is referring to. Since it’s not immediately obvious from the jump that she’s talking about the run-in with Daedalus.

Gaius: "You... weren't exactly sympathetic to me back then, just saying." >_>;
Alice: "I meant that I can sympathize now."
Gaius: "But if Flame's really with the Scum, why are you so worried about what he's going through? Wouldn't they be throwing a party in his honor or something?"
Alice: "After spending the last three weeks slaughtering their own? What are the odds of that?"
- Meanwhile back at the beer hall, a noticeably less sober Flame is working through his third or fourth pint at this point -
Brynn: "Sag das noch einmal!"
Flame: "Wuzzat? Again? Well, okay nice... fairy fox thingy..."
- Flame chugs his current pint and lets out a bellowing cry -
Flame: "Ich bin das Glutexo!"
- Cue laughter and cheers as Gaius shakes head blissfully unaware back in Aesernia -
Gaius: "I guess it would be a bit much for them to just let that go as water under the bridge... but I just can't shake this feeling that something's different about Flame."

It was then that the question imposed itself in her mind: did that matter to her?

Alice raised her neck for perhaps the first time in hours. Her eyes rose to meet the sky, and through her tumultuous thoughts, she came to the realisation that she didn't care. She genuinely didn't.

Gaius: “... Oh my gods. Alice, are you seriously saying-?”

Alice: “Look, we owe our lives to him, alright? Are you really going to hold things that Flame can’t remember anymore against him in light of that?”
Gaius: “Well, no… b-but… Look, just make sure nobody’s reading your thoughts, alright? Since we’re beyond toast if someone picks up on that thought process of yours.” ._.

Former Scum or not, Flame was a good pokémon—whatever horrible deeds he'd committed prior to losing his memories, in her eyes, he had more than redeemed himself. Wasn't that all that mattered? The memory wipe, however it may have happened, had to have purified his being, she thought; cleansed away the death-worship and the indoctrination, leaving only the good and kind-hearted pokémon that lay underneath.

Boy is that an ironic perspective flip to how Daedalus was treating Flame in Neuhoffnung.

Alice: "Though... if it worked that well on Flame, shouldn't we be trying to figure out whatever happened to him to try and do it to others? Why, we could literally end the entire war if we could just repeat this on enough of the Scum!"
Gaius: "Leaving aside the fact that you'd need to wrangle all of them into the process first... you're kinda creeping me out here, Alice. Are you really turning a 'mon into a good person by giving them amnesia and messing with the language they speak? Like isn't this just one step above snatching eggs from their mothers?" ._.
Alice: “Er… I mean, I suppose it’s a bit questionable, but-”
- Blink moment -
Alice: "Hey wait a minute... since when were you the type to consider the ethical angle of things, Gaius?"
Gaius: "Since when it'd potentially involve me getting buddy-buddy with 'mons who would normally want to rip my throat out and would need to be taught the importance of bathing." >_>;

Flame had always put Team Phalanx before all else. His intentions were always pure, ineptitude or not. He had helped Gaius and her in their daily struggle to get by; he'd saved their lives in that icy hell of a mystery dungeon, despite the danger to himself, despite the terrible things they'd done to him.

Gaius: “Pretty sure that half of that is just because he thinks you’re cute, Alice.” >_>;
Alice: “Gaius, can you not right now?” >.<

Alice knew all too well what it was like to get dealt a bad hand by life.

And yet…

That still didn't explain why she found herself this bothered by his disappearance.

Uh… yeah, I hadn’t really thought about it, but that would explain a lot about how Flame and Alice just really took to each other. They saw kindred spirits in what they could piece together of each other’s backgrounds. Well, that and again, they almost certainly found each other cute-looking. :V

Shame that Gaius was such a massive dick to them both, since he’s not exactly a stranger to this sort of feeling and fate himself. If it weren’t for the literal years of baggage and the personality problems, I’d suspect they would’ve had a chance to get along quite well.

Alice shook her head to focus, eyes narrowed. There had to be something more, something just outside her rhetorical grasp. Ever since he'd saved her life in that cave back in Portus, she had tried to make sense of what Flame was to her. He was her teammate and friend, but some corner of her mind whispered that he meant something mo—

Something inside her stopped.

Friend. She had just called him her friend.

Gaius: “... Alice, why’s this affecting you so much? You realize that we’re also friends, right?”

Alice: “...”

Gaius: “... Alice?” ._.

Alice opened her mouth as if to utter something, then closed it shut. It was true: in all these years of wandering and surviving, Flame had been her first true friend. A grin bloomed across her face even as tears welled in her eyes, and she chuckled dryly at her reaction.

How had it taken her this long to realise? Perhaps she just wasn't used to calling other pokémon friends. Yet the signs were there, undoubtedly so. He cared about her—always had, through every act of kindness he'd shown her in their brief time together. And if there was any doubt she cared for him in return, it had been tossed aside now that he was gone.

Yeah, I suppose loss does throw your true feelings about others into sharp relief, huh? Also, don’t get too crazy about ‘true friend’ just yet, since you were kinda lying directly to Flame’s face about a number of details about your backstory, and you do it a bit more directly a few chapters down the road from this point.

What was even crazier was that Alice could not say the same for Gaius.

Her smile turned sour just as the focus of her thoughts switched. Even after two years—two years of constant teamwork, of struggling through hunger and winters together, of seeing each other every day … she still struggled to see the Grovyle as anything more than a colleague. They were bound together by sheer need and lack of alternative—little more.

I made an old saw about Team Phalanx holding together since nobody else would take either Gaius or Alice during my first readthrough. I still stand by it, since there’s something particularly sad about being in an organization of a thousand other ‘mons and Gaius is the best thing you could get to a companion from it. I mean, I get that Task Force Aegis’ work culture wasn’t exactly healthy, but still.

- Gaius' mouth flops open -

Gaius: "What- What the hell Alice? Does nothing that we've been through in the last two years mean anything to you?!"

Alice: "Gaius, you've spent most of those two years either getting drunk with our money, ranting about how much you hate the South and its ‘mons, or doing both at the same time. And a good deal of those moments happened right in front of me." >:|
Gaius: "B-But by your own admission there was stuff other than that in those two years! Doesn't that count for something?" O_O;
Alice: "I mean, I see you as a colleague and not a complete waste of air and flesh. So I suppose it does." >:|

She wished they could have taken Gaius instead. Alice immediately felt shame rise through her cheeks for thinking that, yet it did not make her feelings any less true.

Given what happens when this actually happens to Gaius in a sense, words do not begin to describe how poorly that would’ve ended for everyone involved.

Flame was different. Alice smiled fondly at the memory of the Charmeleon sharing his meal with her when Gaius did not care to do the same. No one else had cared that much before.

A sheepish smile settled back on her face. For a moment, she was back in the icy cave, his scales pressed against hers—his heat her only grasp on reality. Tears continued to well in her eyes.

Yes, there was no longer a doubt in her mind—throughout it all, Flame had been her first real friend.

And now he's gone.

Gaius: "... Did you seriously not make any friends when you were still living in Urbe?"
Alice: "None that actually stuck up for me after I was kicked out. So functionally, no."

Alice squeezed her eyes shut to eject push out the built-up tears. Seized by a frenzy of energy, she shot up and looked around, blinking; staying still suddenly became intolerable.

It took only a second of indecision before she resolved to head back to camp. As impossible as it seemed, her impulse to lie down and mope had been burdened by the need to do something for Flame.

He deserved as much.

Alice: “I… mean, I don’t know what that is just yet, but I suppose I’ve got some time to figure that out.” ^^;

She turned to the Gallade that was supposed to watch over her: he was leaning against a tree a scant few metres away, inspecting his arm-blade idly and slashing at thin air. Several seconds passed before he noticed her staring at him, at which he jolted awake.

"Mew almighty," the praetorian muttered with wide eyes, standing upright, "you finally answered my prayers."

Can’t tell if that’s meant to be directed at Alice or at Mew. Both are pretty funny possibilities to consider.

Alice did her best to ignore him, maintaining a stoic mask. She held her irritation at bay. What frustrated her the most was that, truth be told, she wasn't quite sure what she could do to help Flame.

For he was somewhere beyond those distant hills, beyond the blue horizon, perhaps still believing in their shared dream.

And she was here.

Sniffling against her will, Alice steeled her face once more. She wouldn't live in her past's shadow again. Not anymore. She was no longer a scared, lost little Dragonair trying to piece together a life out of nothing. There were things in her life worth fighting for. And crying here wasn't going to help with that.

Well, it’s a nice thought. Even if it takes Alice another 8 or so chapters to properly start making good on that resolution.

They emerged from the blackened forest just before sundown.

The heavy storm clouds looming near the horizon now displayed their bright pink underside, while vestigial sunlight washed the tops of distant hills in yellow-pink. Alice might have found the sight beautiful at any other time.

Huh. Wouldn’t have thought Alice would be so indifferent to obvious storm clouds, though filing that one away for the future. Might also explain a few things about that time down the pipe when she goes to gawk at that one Portal Storm.

Instead, she stopped to readjust the bag around her neck.

Breathing deeply, and with eyes shut, she tried to quell the vicious vortex swirling about her head. Thoughts came and went for seconds at a time—concentrating on any one was impossible. Visions flashed in the eye of her mind: Flame, Gaius, Sycorax, her father, then Flame again… Gods, she needed—

Alice yipped loudly when a hand settled on the back of her neck, shaking her lightly.

"Come on, Dragonair." The Gallade produced a tiny sigh and pointed his arm-blade. "That way. See the torches?"

Alice: “You could’ve just spoken up, you know!” >.<
Gallade: “Look, I tried that and you still weren’t hearing me. So come off of it.” >_>;

Indeed, she could. Just uphill from where they stood she could make out a suffused torchlight and the shapes of tents.

Alice moved off again, gritting her teeth as she began the uphill climb.

For an ad-hoc encampment, it was incredibly well thought-out, she thought. The hill provided both a defensive position and a lookout over the surrounding terrain. She assumed it was ad-hoc, at least—set up just outside of Aesernia in order to nab Team Phalanx away and retreat.

Alice: “... How on earth have you not gotten this camp wiped from existence by Scum fliers when we’re this close to frontline?” .-.
Gallade: “... We invested in A2AD to chew up any of ‘em who got cute ideas?”

Alice: “(Sure would’ve been nice to have some of that on the actual battlefield.)” >_>;

To be fair, Alice wasn't sure where they were compared to Aesernia. Heck, she didn't even know how the battle had ended. Or if it had ended. Was it conceivable that the city walls had already been breached? Shuddering, she tried to suppress that thought.

Considering how the battle turns out to have still been going on 8 chapters later in Aesernia, it’s probably for the best that Alice didn’t know about how things were going considering how she’s developed an affinity for the town.

Alice: "You Praetorians are supposed to be elite units and seem suspiciously well-prepared. How come you didn't come to Praefect Varus' aid beyond just trying to spirit Flame away anyways?"
Praetorian!Gallade: "Look missy, we just follow whatever our orders are. And our orders said nothing about giving anyone backup."
Alice: "But you- And-"
Praetorian!Gallade: "I don't understand why you have such a hangup about this, we might be tough, but we have limited ‘monpower. Those barrier troops in your legion didn't exactly lend a hand until things were really going pear-shaped because that's what their job entails. So this should be old hat for you."
Alice: "(Way to omit the part where they cut down deserters from the lower ranks, they were doing that for quite a while before they got involved in battle.) Ugh. Never mind, just forget about it." >.<

No, she needed to get her mental bearings again. Figure out why the Praetorians were here, what they wanted from them. No more crying.

The first step would be to talk things over with Gaius.

Alice: “... Not sure why that’s my first step in light of all the grief he’s given me. But I suppose I ought to make sure that he’s still in one piece and didn’t bait a Praetorian to run him through with that mouth of his.” ^^;

Her efforts to concentrate were made all the harder when her escort suddenly walked up to her side.

"Say, Dragonair…" the Gallade spoke up, staring her in the eye. "Have we met before?"

Alice: “I’m… really hoping the answer is ‘no’, honestly.”

Weirded out, Alice stopped for a moment and sent the praetorian a scrutinising glance. She blinked. Was he … hitting on her? It was such a strange question to ask. She had never seen a praetorian since she'd been a Dratini, much less spoken to one.

Alice: “(Mew almighty, I hope he’s not hitting on me, since I didn’t need to have the image of Gallade that had the hots for dragons on my mind.)” X(

"I don't believe so," replied Alice, before she carried on moving.

The Gallade didn't seem to give up.

"Okay—maybe not met, but you look familiar. Must have seen you somewhere," he continued looking her up and down, arms crossed.

Alice: "That's insane. The only way we could've met before is if he shadowed me without knowing it, or if you saw me back when I was in Ur-"
- Moment of realization -
Alice: "Oh. Oh." ._.;

Now she pursed her lips. What did this soldier want from her? She gave him another look, but could not find in his face a shred of familiarity. The only possible place a praetorian could have seen her was at one of the big Imperial Army parades held yearly in Urbe.

Father stopped bringing me to public events after I evolved, she recalled. He can't be remembering me as a Dratini, can he?

Really, really making it obvious as to what Alice's background here is even though you're not explicitly spelling it out loud. Just saying. Though I wonder if the post-evolution exclusion means that something has been up with Alice and her flight since then, or if that was something unrelated / a coming of age thing.

Alice: "... Was this Gallade formerly posted at the palace? It seems insane that he'd wind up getting moved all the way out here since then, but..."

"Doubtful," said Alice simply.

It was in that moment that they reached the brow of the hill: in front of them stood a neat row of large tents with their backs to them. One of the Sceptile patrolling the perimeter waved in their direction.

Oh, so the Praetorians like their geckos, huh? I mean, could do worse given that they’re pretty good swordsmen archetypes, and if their line’s dex entries are to be believed, they’d probably make good rangers and forest skirmishers.

"Whatever you say, princess," the Gallade shrugged. "Just making conversation. Take care."

This guy totally ran into Alice way back in the day, huh? Since that choice of words there hardly seems coincidental.

Alice took the cue and moved off, squeezing between two of the tents to avoid taking the long way around.

Upon reaching the other side, Alice took a deep, long, and shaky breath. In front of her, a host of Flygon, Staraptor, and Salamence idled in the grass, all wearing saddles on their backs. The crates stacked around them were already bundled up with rope.

Ah yes, aquilae and dracones. Could do worse for elite mooks of “Ancient Rome - the PMD setting”, really.

Alice: “... Looks like they’re planning on moving out soon. Guess I’d better hurry this up.” ._.;

She moved past them in a hurry, barely aware of where she was headed, her breathing becoming increasingly shallow with every moment.

The Gallade's questions had bothered her a lot more than she cared to admit. Just the possibility that someone might have recognised her from when she was little… It triggered an avalanche of unwelcome thoughts, of memories from a place and time that she thought she'd left behind.

Alice: “Least of all because I’m pretty sure that getting brought back there isn’t exactly going to end well for me.

Did anyone still remember her? If this praetorian could recognise her from a parade nearly a decade ago, then … there had to be people that remembered her. All the ministers and servants—some of them had to recall that extra Dratini playing with her sisters in the Imperial Gardens all those years ago.

Wait, so then what was Demetrius up to back then? Can’t tell if he was just meant to be Adrian and Elena’s only son or if that’s Urbe’s gender roles it cribbed from its namesake in action.

Moving further into the camp, she wondered: what was the official story surrounding her? Assuming it even acknowledged her existence, that was. The records might have had her sent off to marry a foreign prince, if not list her as dead from a tragic illness.

Or maybe they had expunged her from the records. It would hardly surprise her.

Gaius: "Okay, now can you fess up that you're royalty, Alice? How do you plan on explaining that one away to the readers?"
Alice: "I suppose that there's no point in beating around the bush any longer..."
Gaius: "Also, what did you do if you're seriously wondering if you got hit with damnatio memoriae? Doesn't that normally happen to 'mons from the nobility who wind up becoming enemies of the state?"
- Alice sucks in a sharp breath and looks away -
Alice: "It's... a long story."

I shouldn't care anymore, Alice squeezed her eyes together, breathing through her nostrils. I shouldn't.

Well, you obviously still do, so… have you considered just being honest with yourself? It feels like it’d be a lot healthier for you in the long run.

She stopped herself just before entering Gaius' tent. She turned around and wiped her eyes with her tail, to mask the fact she'd been crying, but knew that there was nothing she could do about red eyes.

Gaius: “Wait a minute, but I’ve been with you this entire-”
Alice: “Noncanon, remember. You’re supposed to be busy being tied up right now.”
Gaius: “... Godsdammit, can’t I catch any breaks in this story?”

She parted the tent flap with her nose to peek inside: there he was, sitting cross-legged towards the back. She could also see the praetorian Weavile standing guard in the penumbra behind him, utterly still.

"Hey," she said simply to announce her entry.

Alice slithered over to him to coil up by his side. Gaius merely lifted his eyes to glance at her, still chewing the blade of grass hanging from his mouth.

Alice: “... Wait, since when were you into chewing grass?” o_ó
Gaius: “Since when I’ve been stuck in here for hours on end and had nothing better to do. And hey, if the anime could have a ‘mon of my species chew twigs, I’m allowed to chew grass.”

"Hey," he replied back, his voice lacking any discernible enthusiasm.

Alice followed his downwards gaze, and frowned. His wrists were still bound with Ariados string, forcing him to hunch over slightly. Not only that, he also appeared to be clutching his stump with the palm of his other hand—as if attempting to hide his own injury.

"Are you okay?"

Gaius: “Gee, what do you think right now?” >_>;
Alice: “Well, you could obviously be doing better, but I was more worried that if you were in physical pain or discomfort at the moment.” ^^;

Gaius shrugged, refusing to lift his gaze from his paws. "I guess. Just glad you're back."

The answer gave Alice a pause. It was gratifying to hear, certainly, but it wasn't the type of answer she'd come to expect from Gaius.

Gaius: “Alice, did you really expect me to go on an extended rant about how much life sucks right now in front of the Praetorian right there?”

Alice: “No, but that doesn’t mean that I was expecting an answer as listless as that, Gaius. You sound… well… defeated, to say the least.”

Alice studied his face intensely for a few moments, then blinked. "You're not … angry at me."

Gaius lifted his chin to look at her, raising an eyebrow. "Should I be?"

Again, Alice did not know what to say. Just how much had their near-death experience in Portus affected him?

Boy it sure is a great thing you went out of your way to alienate everyone around you for the first 14 chapters, Gaius. Though boy does this read differently in light of how Gaius continues to deteriorate from this point over the next 10-ish chapters after this point. It makes it very easy to imagine him having not been doing well for much longer until things finally boil over on-screen.

"I held us up," she muttered quickly. "Said we couldn't leave without Flame. Since that got us captured, I just figured you'd be…" She left the sentence hanging, yet still no reaction came. "I, I don't know. Blaming me. For the situation we're in."

I… kinda wonder if this should’ve been mentioned or at least hinted at in passing earlier on in this chapter. Since it’d probably ground Alice’s feelings of guilt and sorrow a bit better since we as readers don’t get that good of an idea of what’s going on on that front.

Gaius seemed to consider her point for a few seconds beneath his drained stare, then shrugged. "What's the point?"

Alice: “... Gaius, are you sure you’re alright? Since this sounds about a step removed from you just laying down and waiting to die.” .-.
Gaius: “In case if you haven’t noticed, but we don’t have that many more options than that to work with. So excuse me if I’m feeling a bit apathetic right now.” >_>;

Silence stretched between them. Alice glanced nervously around the tent in the search for something to say. The tent gave her nothing.

Before she could, though, Gaius continued with a small sigh.

"Besides," he uttered while tracing his remaining claws in the dirt. "I can't really … fault you for what you did. Our plan was a longshot. We all knew it."

He suddenly sat up straighter despite his bounds, looking directly at her. "We agreed that we'd stick together, no matter what."

Gaius: “I mean, it kinda went to hell in a handbasket, but…” >_>;

For a moment, Alice became conscious of the Weavile standing in the penumbra just behind him, and whether it was wise to bring up certain things around it. Then she mused that the Praetorian Guard already knew exactly what they'd tried to do—it was no use being secretive.

Gaius: "Alice, just saying, if there's something you're thinking of that would potentially piss off the knifecat from the creepy State Sec division of the army that kills Emperors, not mentioning it out loud in earshot would probably be wise."

Alice nodded, and gave Gaius a somber smile.

"We did," she said, eyes cast downwards. "And now he's gone."

Silence filled the tent once again. Alice rested her head on her coils. There was a vague throbbing behind her eyes, but the tears in her had long been exhausted. Instead, only bitterness remained.

Alice: “So… uh… what now?”

To her astonishment, Gaius scooted closer to her and touched his bound stump and hand on her middle, in what she interpreted as a comforting gesture. The action elicited the tiniest hint of a smile on her cheeks.

Wow. Gaius is actually being nice in a non-transactional way again. The world must be ending. And well, it kinda is, so good enough. :V

"We have to put things right, Gaius," she whispered.

The Grovyle sneered. "Yeah, good luck with that. Just look at what you got us into."

Well, it was a cute and touching moment there. Emphasis on was, even if it’s hard to fault Gaius for seeing how they exactly have a ton of options to work with to chase Alice’s priorities there.

Alice lifted her head to peer at him inquisitively.

"Me?"

She tried her hardest to feel offended by his accusation; in her heart, she knew it to be true.

No hon, that’s the self-blame and self-pity in you speaking right now. If your self-confidence was a bit better, I’m pretty sure you could give Gaius a pretty good chewout right about-

Gaius withdrew his touch, and gave her a stern glare. "Alice. You're the Emperor's daughter. They sent the Praetorian freaking Guard to capture us. Don't tell me those things aren't related."

… Right. Maybe Alice wouldn’t have been able to give a good counter to that.

Alice:

Gaius: "Oh come on, it's been beyond obvious since the chapter we bailed into Boreal Chasm for anyone who knew what an Augusta was or could be bothered to look it up. And you haven't exactly been giving many countersignals since then to suggest it was a red herring, so what is with that expression?" >_>;
Alice: "... Had to keep things in-character, really."

Alice opened her mouth as if to speak, only to close it again. He was right. She couldn't tell him that. Her gaze dropped.

Gaius: “Alice, you have a gold medallion with an image of the late empress on it. You didn’t seriously expect me to believe that it was a party favor, did you?” >_>;
- Alice catches a glimpse of a glint coming from her bag -
Alice: “... I’m pretty sure that it’s not canonically confirmed that I still have this thing… b-but that’s getting beside the point! It’s not that unreasonable an explanation, is it? Flame found it reasonable!”
Gaius: “Oh yeah, that’s saying a lot there. And again, the Praetorian Guard came after you!” >.<

"… it doesn't make sense," she whispered. "My father couldn't care less about me. A-all these years, he—he hasn't even tried to reach me. Find out if I'm alive. Wh-why would—"

Gaius: “I mean, it’s been all but confirmed that he’s been giving missions for us to do.”
Alice: “That’s not ‘reaching out to me’, considering the sorts of conditions we had to endure, that might as well be classified as an assassination attempt.” >.<

Alice's voice caught in her throat. Her distress awoke a nausea in suddenly made her body feel nauseous.

Gaius shrugged. "Fuck if I know—you never told me all the details. Maybe he's having a mid-life crisis or something."

Hilariously enough, while Gaius doesn’t know it. That… is not that far off the mark for a read, even if it’s more of a “whole worldview crisis” given that Adrian’s watched his gods leave him twisting in the wind for years at this point as everything just goes more and more downhill in his Empire.

Alice was too focused on breathing in and out properly to listen. She felt her cheek pale and cold at the implications of it all. If Gaius was right, in a few days she would be in Urbe with her father, hearing his forgiveness or perhaps his disappointment that she hadn't changed whatsoever. Could she still bear to hear that, after so long?

Gaius: “... If the ‘mon hates your guts, what difference does it make, really?”

Alice: “Since if he’s still disappointed in me, I’m pretty sure my life is going to be over really quickly. And not just in a figurative sense.”

Memories swarmed back of her last moments with her father, those final moments of rejection; she was again in the cold dark atrium of the palace, at dead of night, soldiers all around her bagging supplies for the waiting caravan. His eyes—she could still feel them, staring at her from atop the balcony with nothing but disappointment.

Uh… yeah, that would also be a good reason to not want to see Adrian again even if he did try to smooth things over. That feels like the sort of thing that would be really hard to forgive, especially in light of everything that followed afterwards.

"… why now?" she asked no one in particular, her voice trembling.

Gaius exhaled forcefully through his nose.

"I don't know. Fact is: we both tried to desert. Why am I not allowed to walk around freely? Heck—why have you not been tied up?" he lifted his wrists to show the Ariados string binding them together.

Gaius: "So… yeah. Think you can put in a good word here? Since I didn't know Ariados silk chafed this much."
Alice: "Gaius, my dad threw me out and left me to fend for myself in the wilderness instead of sending me to Capri like 'mons in my position are normally dealt with when they fall out of favor with him. I think me trying to plead your case would hurt it and get you condemned to some cruel and unusual death like getting thrown into a pool of feral Eelektrik."
- Gaius blink -
Gaius: "(W-Wasn't that supposed to be an execution method that was seen as so cruel that a past Emperor literally personally intervened to stop an occasion of it at one point?) Uh... maybe he's come around since then? Though hey, a free trip to Capri doesn't sound half bad. If he really has come around, why not ask him to punt us both off there?"

"I-in my defence," Alice blurted weakly, attempting a sheepish smile, "tying me into a knot wouldn't work as well."

Gaius flashed the briefest of smiles [ ]. "This isn't the time."

Can’t tell if Gaius is supposed to get sour-faced or not before he speaks, since his dialogue seems a bit at odds with the description there. You might want to consider patching something like “before his features curled into a frown” as an addition there.

"Sorry," Alice dropped her gaze. "I, I just—I don't know, okay?" She squeezed her eyes together and breathed. "I don't know what he could want. Why the Praetorians are here."

I… honestly don’t remember if there was any hint that Adrian had any awareness of Alice being picked up by Sycorax, or if he went ahead and unilaterally decided to use her as bait to try and get Flame back. Both wouldn’t be too shocking of a development, so it’s something I’ll need to keep an eye out for in this second go-around.

Groaning, Alice buried her head in her coils. Right now, she almost wanted to go back to brooding over Flame. At least those thoughts were pleasant ones.

Alice: “... Well, okay ‘pleasant’ is probably pushing it since I’m pretty sure I was bawling for half the day while stewing on those thoughts in particular. But they’re thoughts I’d rather be dealing with right about now.” -_-;

"Talk to him."

Alice turned to stare at Gaius with the most confused look she could muster.

"Sycorax," he clarified. "Find out what he wants from us."

Alice:

Gaius: “Need I remind you that Sycorax is our best ticket to actually finding Flame right now and I’m staring down probable execution if we don’t figure out a way to change the current script? Seriously. Two birds with one stone here.” ^^;

Alice suddenly found it incredibly hard to look him in the eye. Her gaze wandering, she knew at once that she could not escape this—not while Gaius risked being hanged for his crimes.

Not while Flame was still out there.

Alice: “And even if I’m kinda crabby about the whole three or so years of being the world’s worst teammate, leaving you to get hanged while I went on with my life would be a little messed up.”

Gaius: “A little messed up?” >_>;

A sudden impetus impulse seized her body and made her stand up; she uncoiled from her spot in the grass. After a deep breath, she turned to face the Grovyle.

"I'll try my best, Gaius," she offered him a small smile. "I will."

Gaius: “Considering how you tried your best for that desertion, maybe you should pick some other words of reassur-”
Alice: “Gaius, seriously. Stop. Talking.” >.<

After holding his gaze for a few moments, she turned to leave the tent.

"Hey…"

Alice paused upon hearing Gaius speak again. She turned back around, and found the Grovyle fiddling with his two remaining claws.

"I'm sorry," he said quietly, eyes down. "For … for everything. For the drinking, for the awful things I've said to you, for … how I treated Flame."

Alice:

Gaius: “Look, I’m allowed to feel remorse for my actions, okay?”

Alice stared at him as if he'd completely lost it. She tried to say something but failed. Never, not since she'd known him, had he apologised to her about anything. What should have been a wonderful change now made her worry for his well-being.

"Sorry, I'm just … surprised," she blinked quickly. "Why this change of heart, Gaius?"

In response, Gaius simply stared back for a few moments, saying nothing. Then, he shrugged.

Gaius: "I mean, I am about to die unless you can put your royal heritage to work and get me out of here. Kinda throws the things you've done in life into relief, don't you think?"
Alice: "(Oh, so it's because of self-preservation...)" -_-;

An incredulous smile grew on Alice's face. She now felt even worse about having wished that he'd been taken away rather than Flame. Yet it was still true. There was little she could do to change that feeling.

Not sure if the “smile” works with her feeling worse about leaving Gaius behind for the Scum. I would opt for either saying “A part of her now [...]” or else have her facial expression change a bit.

Nevertheless, she felt moved enough by his apology to move closer and hug him. Her head rested on one shoulder while her tail was draped around the other, pressing against the back of his neck.

"Thank you," she drew back, still smiling, letting her tail fall. "I … can't forgive you for everything you did. But you have no idea how much that means to me."

Alice: “So is this going to be a new trend for you, or…?” ^^;
Gaius: “Again, focus on getting my head off the chopping block first. Then we’ll talk.” >_>;

Gaius gave a slow nod. Through his tired face, she could now spot the hint of a smile on his lips.

For a few moments, all felt right again. Just like in those rare moments they'd had as a team—sharing a meal, or cheering at a larger than usual payout.

Gaius: “You know, if you’d actually joined me to go out drinking instead of forcing me to hide it from how cheap you were, I’m sure you’d have more of those moments where things felt right in the past.”
Alice: “I’m pretty sure that if I’d followed your advice, we’d have starved together that first winter.”

Yet the nostalgia only made the absence of Flame's tail glow all the more jarring for her.

Alice took a deep breath.

Slowly she proceeded towards the exit, but stopped just shy of it.

"I won't leave you to die." She looked back to her teammate. "Either of you. I promise."

Alice: “I mean, I can’t guarantee I’ll succeed, but… at least I’ll have tried?”

Gaius: “Oh great, I feel so much more confident right now.” >.<

Sending a final nod to her teammate, Alice turned and left the tent.

Her mind felt strangely at ease as she crossed the threshold into the outside world. Only the faintest yellow glow lingered in the sky now. She could hear a group of pokémon somewhere nearby, stomping together and singing of a girl they'd left back home.

It’s a little weird to see characters from as hard a villainous faction as this one just kicking back and living a bit. Not complaining though, since even baddies have lives of their own, and moments like these in this story help sell the sense that even the randoms are living and breathing. It makes those scenes when Morta comes to snip their threads of fate all the more impactful.

Holding her head up high, and with a confident smile, Alice set off through the dimly-lit streets. The continued chanting of the soldiers accompanied her for a considerable distance, and made it all the harder for her to repress her own emotions right now.

Wait, but aren’t they in a temporary encampment right now? Like I get that Roman-style encampments are laid out in a grid style, but somehow I wouldn’t have instantly called the paths between ‘streets’. They don’t feel permanent enough to be deserving of the moniker.

It was true, the thought of speaking to Sycorax again made her heart throb faster—but she was done living in the shadow of her past. There was nothing to fear. He was not her father, and she was not a helpless Dratini anymore.

Soon, though, her bout of confidence sputtered; she slowed down gradually until she stopped completely, biting her lip.

Alice: “... Boy it sure is a good thing that I didn’t think of trying to badger that Weavile into letting me borrow Gaius for this, since I really could’ve used someone at my back right about now.” o_o;

Even if she were to negotiate Gaius' life, what of Flame's? He could have been anywhere in Scum territory. She could not see a way to convince the Praetorians or the Army to mount such a risky expedition—not for one pokémon. And even if she refused to abide by the their demands unless a search party was organised, surely they could just chuck her into a box and carry her to Urbe!

Oh Alice, if only you knew. I mean, I suspect you’d be a lot more scared right about now, but still.

Gaius: "I mean, don't we already know that Sycorax specifically wants Flame? I don't think you'd have any trouble talking him into sending a search party out."
Alice: "That doesn't mean that they're going to take us along. Or that Sycorax needs Flame alive."

Damn it…

Alice clenched her eyes sharply and breathed in to contain her sudden rush of anger. Of course it wouldn't be easy. But she had to do it nevertheless. Her teammates were counting on her.

Her friend was counting on her.

She opened her eyes again, and stared forward. Just a short distance ahead there was a large tent flying the Imperial banner from a nearby pole. She could barely make out the heraldic eagle from the background in the dark.

- Alice sucks in a sharp breath -

Alice: “Whelp, here goes nothing…”

I'm not leaving him, Alice raised her chin and drew her chest in. Even if it costs my life.

Gaius: "... Virgo was right. You do like him, don't you?"
Alice: "I-It's completely platonic! It's just because I haven't had any genuine friends in life before!" >///<
Gaius: "Uh-huh, sure. Don't think that I can't read those same lines of text as you, Alice."

And that's a wrap for Ch. 20. Checking the Chapter 21 teaser-

Gaius: "There’s still none. Saved you some time."
Alice: "Whelp, I'm off to Sycorax's to plead my case. Don't worry Flame... one way or another, we'll free you from that hellhole."
- Meanwhile back in Neuhoffnung, Flame is drunkenly trying and mostly failing to sing along with a number of villagers, every now and then interjecting with... -
Flame: "Ich bin das Glutexo!"
- Back in the Praetorian camp, blissfully ignorant of the drunken cheering and singing, Alice nods determinedly -
Alice: "I swear on my tail. We're going to survive this story and make it to Capri. Together."

And now onto the postmortem:

I presume that this was around the time when you were shaking up your overall style for how long your chapters were, since boy is it short compared to everything that came beforehand. Not that I’m complaining, mind you. It was also the first glimpse at someone’s POV other than Flame’s. I’m not sure if that could’ve been helped mechanically given that Alice and Gaius both have certain aspects of their personalities and backstories that shake things up quite a bit once they get thrown out into the open, but the abrupt switchover here definitely kept things fresh, and it’s a convenient mechanism for going back to see how things are holding up back in Imperial territory.

As for things that I was a bit more iffy about… I kinda wonder if it’d have made sense to have actually shown that encounter with Sycorax here in this chapter. Or at least the very beginning of it. Since while brevity isn’t bad, the chapter was short enough that I felt you could’ve very easily slipped more content into what you had without missing a beat, and ending with Sycorax rearing up and going full “Hello, Princess Alice” in that creepy monotone cyber-bug voice of his might have made for a tenser cliffhanger to end on.

But altogether, I thought it was a nice transitional piece. And it’s quite a trip to see how different things were for Team Phalanx just a little over 10 chapters from where they presently are in the story. Kudos on the work as always, @Shadow of Antioch , and I’ll be looking forward to revisiting the rest of your wild ride as it hits TR throughout this year.

 

[OrionTheAbsol]

Heyo. A few people told me you were writing a dark war story. I am too, so I thought I would drop by and do some reading for Reading Rookidee. I also recently learned that you approached me about your story on FFN years ago. Funny how life works sometimes, huh?

Spoiler: My Commentary

Chapter I: Awakening

• Seems like things were already tense between Gaius and Alice.
• A Charmeleon sweating. Funnily, I once got a critique for making a reptile sweat. But there's just something deeply amusing about a fire lizard actually needing to sweat to keep his body from overheating.
• Curious to know what this 'Scum' is. Right now, kinda sounds like a slur, lol

Chapter II: Astray

• Wow. Gaius is a douche.
• Legion? As in an ancient Roman legion? Interesting.
• What/Who's Urbe?
• Ariel hates Slowpokes? Pft, racist.
• What did Ariel do to them? Did she fire them off-screen or something?
• Man, Gaius sure likes to throw people under the bus, not realizing that he's the asshole for selling out an amnesiac Charmeleon for something that he has no evidence for. Either that or he knows he is one and he just doesn't care, lol
• A wooden plank as a mattress? Yeeeeah, I think I'll pick sleeping on the cold floor instead.
• I just realized ... how did a Scyther open a door? Did he just ... fiddle with the knob with his blade-arms until it miraculously opens?
• The pacing after Flame's release is a bit weird. A few paragraphs in, we see the same Scyther warden who released him from his cell, and he was already falling asleep in a different location. How much time had passed since then?
• The jail didn't have food? lol, no wonder it's so empty. They don't feed their prisoners! Makes me wonder what the jailers do with the bodies.
• It took me a moment to process what the "four-legged, black fox-like creature with yellow rings" is.
• The description of the kangaroo Pokémon is more confusing. The only Pokémon I remember at the top of my head that meets that description is a Kangaskhan, but then you brought up the "mushroom on the head." I'm drawing a blank here.
• "a blue quadruped creature made entirely out of rock" - am I correct to assume that this is a Gigalith? Because I think its red gems would be a major noticeable feature to bring up instead of "various spiny, crystal-like features."
• "They used me, and I fell right into it like a sheep" - There are ordinary sheep in this setting?
• "he raised an eyebrow," - Charmeleons have eyebrows?

Chapter III: Diagnosis

• So based on this little prologue, I'm going to guess the Scum are just wild Pokémon.
• Bombs and gunshots? Pardon?
• Nothing like wandering into dangerous pocket dimensions to make ends meet. It's a tough world we live in.
• Ah, wonderful. Death and decay already.
• We even got non-Pokémon flies.
• Oh, the Breloom's dead. Well, that bites.
• Ah, there's that word again: ascension
• Well, that almost ended on a grim note.

This is not going to be a full review since I'm strapped for time, but I'll summarize my thoughts.

What I Liked So Far

• Going with your own premise instead of using an existing story from the series. Nothing wrong with the latter, but I'm a sucker for more original content.
• Flame's inner reactions to his situations, especially when he first woke up without his memory. One thing I never quite liked about PMD was that the blank-slate protagonist will be alarmed about having no identity or past memories, but then just gets over it in a minute. I always found that jarring as it tends to downplay the whole "amnesia" bit. So, well done with that!
• A glimpse of Team Phalanx's daily life and the reality of still having to spend money in a Pokémon-run society. Even with no humans around, we still can't escape the eternal evil that is cold-hard cash.
• The character dynamic of the trio: the gruff Gaius, the affable Alice and the flabbergasted Flame.
• Some interesting worldbuilding, like the concept of the portal storm and how mystery dungeons came to be.
• The dark turn in chapter 3. I live for grim stuff!
• Flame's failure to retaliate at the end of chapter 3, that "mind over matter" doesn't quite work here. He'll still have to learn how use his fire abilities the right way.

What I'm Not a Fan of

• Overall pacing is pretty slow. While your prose is great, there are times when I feel like the writing got the point across, then kept on going about the same point. This happens a lot with Flame's inner monologuing, and it's rather intrusive during action sequences. I agree with Nebula's points here regarding that. Because of the wordiness, it gives me the sense that not a whole lot happens in each chapter despite the word count.

You got a neat little story here. I'm interested to see how you expanded upon the concept of Pokémon warfare.

Until next time!

 

[Shadow of Antioch]

Chapter XXII: Memento​

---

Neuhoffnung

Flame was roused out of his sleep by the sound of a door creaking open. He grumbled something incoherent, and reflexively brought a paw up to ward away the sudden light bleeding through his eyelids.

"Herr Flame?" a feminine voice spoke up.

Propping himself up on his elbows, he craned his neck to find the Braixen from yesterday peeking from the doorway. She took a step back at the sight of him still sprawled in his bed.

"Wha? N-no, no—come in," he slurred, then rubbed his eyes. "I was just … getting up."

The Braixen looked hesitant for a moment, before stepping inside with a timid smile. She shut the door, casting the room in darkness, before removing one of the heavy cloths draped over one of the windows. Light streamed in again, this time accompanied by a gust of cold, fresh air. Flame paused at that for a few moments: the windows here were literal openings in the wall, with nothing to separate the room from the outside.

After carefully folding the cloth on the table, the Braixen turned to regard him with a sheepish smile. She clasped her hands in front of her.

Flame took the opportunity to briefly run his eyes over the length of her body. Her fur was ruffled, even slightly grimy in some places. But she looked robust enough to be well-fed and thin enough to keep a slender physique, especially around her hips and legs. In fact, when he looked more closely at her thighs, he realised that the fur on them was much more well-groomed than the more tangled yellow and white fluff that covered most of the rest of her body. They were so toned, too…

The Braixen made a noise that vaguely resembled a cough, and Flame realised how long he'd been staring. He looked away and muttered an apology.

"Sorry for waking you," a sudden feminine voice invaded his head.

Breathing sharply, Flame jerked up into a sitting position and stared directly at her. That woke him up. She took a step back at his reaction, wringing her hands together. That was her, wasn't it? It had to have been.

"You know my language?" Flame said.

"No. Well, a little," the Braixen chuckled briefly. "Mindspeak doesn't work like normal speech. We're talking with our thoughts and emotions, not a language."

Indeed, he noticed that he didn't actually hear the specific words she was saying. His mind seemed to just understand what she was trying to say on a deeper level.

"… Huh. Okay," he furrowed his brow as he sat up properly.

While he hadn't been expecting it, Flame felt his spirits lifted at learning that the language barrier wasn't insurmountable. At the very least, there would still be someone to talk to while he stayed here. Maybe he wouldn't be so lonely after all.

The Braixen took a step forward, still clasping her hands together. "Lord Daedalus asked me to help you remember." She smiled wider, laughing under her breath. "I still can't believe it. When my mother heard, she—"

The Braixen quickly stopped herself, stiffening visibly.

"Sorry." She bowed her head to him. "It's just an honour. For my family. If Lord Daedalus trusts me enough to help his son…"

Flame frowned. "I'm not his…"

But already he gave up on contesting that claim. With how much the Dusknoir called him its 'child', he wouldn't have been surprised if the Teutonii took that literally.

Instead, he offered her a polite smile. "Thank you. I … I appreciate you coming here."

With a tiny squeal, the Braixen crossed a fist over her chest. "I won't disappoint you, Herr Flame."

Her enthusiasm caused him to chuckle. Careful not to bend his tail, he twisted around in his hay bed and scooted over to one side, leaving the other empty.

"You can sit here." Flame patted the spot next to him. "If you want."

The Braixen graciously took the offer and settled on the bed next to him, legs crossed. As a moment of silence ensued, Flame couldn't help but note how strangely relaxed he was, especially this close to someone who, just two days ago, he'd have called 'Scum'.

He wasn't sure how to feel about that fact.

The Braixen's eyes arched around the room. "You are so lucky—you have this entire house to yourself."

"I … do?" Flame blinked, before glancing around him.

"I wish I had this much space," the Braixen gave him a sad smile. "I share mine with five other comrades."

"… Oh."

Flame nibbed at his tongue. He darted his eyes around the room in search of something to say. The village did feel a bit small, especially compared to the number of pokémon that were around. Already, guilt was starting to eat away at his insides.

"I—I'll tell Daedalus I can share," Flame said. "It's not right. I'm not this special."

Once again, Flame was surprised at just how comfortable he'd become around the Teutonii. He supposed that if they weren't murdering him during the day, they had no reason to do so in his sleep.

The Braixen merely chuckled at his words. "Nonsense. It's the least you deserve after all you've been through."

Again, Flame merely kept his face blank. He was unsure how to take such praise. Perhaps he simply wasn't used to other people's kindness.

"So," Flame glanced away briefly. "Are you going to read my mind, or…"

"Sort of," she said, her bushy tail wagging slightly behind her. "Need to see what condition your psyche is in, first. Nothing invasive."

With a nod, Flame shifted to face her and crossed his legs. The memories of his first mind reading flashed into his mind, but he managed to force those thoughts out and smile nervously at the awaiting Braixen. It wasn't invasive this time. He'd be all right.

"Okay," Flame said, looking her in the eye. "If Daedalus trusts you, I trust you."

The Braixen seemed to beam at that, her tail wagging even more rapidly before she breathed in and composed herself.

"What's, uh," Flame said. "What's your name?"

"Brynn."

The Braixen scooted closer to him. Cross-legged as they both were, and facing each other, their shins were just shy of touching.

"Close your eyes."

When he saw her face leaning into his, Flame worried briefly that Brynn was trying to kiss him. He breathed a tiny sigh of relief when she merely touched her forehead to his; the tip of her nose brushed against his snout, too. For some time, her large, amber eyes filled his entire field of vision. Each soft breath of hers washed down his neck. Feeling flustered at everything about the position they were in, Flame shut his eyelids and tried to slow his breathing to manageable levels.

Thank the gods Alice isn't here…

He waited and waited, yet still Flame felt … nothing. He was about to peek out of one eye and ask her what was wrong, when he started feeling a tiny, nearly imperceptible, warm fuzz deep inside his skull. The breathing on his neck slowed even further, and he followed suit, slowing until they breathed in near unison. The confused fuzz quickly developed into a strange tingling, which now spread out from the centre to the rest of his brain, to his edges of his head, and eventually travelled down his spine.

Flame tensed his claws, ready for the pain. It never came. This was different from what he recalled of Yvaine's mind reading. It was a strange, almost ticklish feeling: Brynn's presence only lightly glided around the edges of his consciousness, never penetrating deeper as the legionary Umbreon had. It almost felt … comforting.

Flame only just started to crack a smile before the tingling devolved into a sharp burst of pain. He gasped and nearly fell forward; Brynn grabbed him by the shoulders to keep him upright. Flame only kept breathing, in and out. The pain quickly mellowed into a widespread tingling again, shifting and migrating throughout his body like a colony of tiny insects.

He'd only just started to relax again before he felt Brynn's presence brush over another painful spot in his skull. He grunted through grit teeth at the sudden inflammation of pain, but Brynn held him through it all. She pressed her forehead even further against his, her dainty nose arching upwards against his snout.

Once the pain died down, however, so did everything else. Flame felt individual nerves and limbs rid themselves of the weird tingling, followed by his spine, and lastly, his brain. Another couple of seconds and even the original fuzzy feeling in his brain dissipated slowly, leaving only a Charmeleon and Braixen sitting perfectly still, with their noses and foreheads touching gently.

They both opened their eyes and pulled back at the same moment, gazes locked together as they started to recover their breaths.

"Just a moment," she panted with her mouth open, eyes glazing over her legs.

Feeling somewhat dizzy, Flame gave her a vague nod. He panted heavily, then glanced down at her hands—she was still clutching his upper forearms tightly. It was a few moments before Brynn seemed to notice and immediately let go, bowing her head in apology.

Flame squeezed his eyes together and let out another groan, rubbing the residual pain from his temples. At least that wasn't as bad as last time. Still, he wondered whether the pain was part and parcel of any psychic activity, or whether his mind was just that fragile—even under non-invasive procedures. He could still feel the heat in his cheeks, too. Couldn't she have been less awkward about it?

When he glanced at Brynn again, she was still staring into oblivion, blinking every few seconds as if still processing what she'd seen.

Come on, just say it. Flame grimaced as he rubbed his temples. My head's messed up, and you don't know how to help me.

Brynn turned towards him again; he noticed a certain gleam in her eye, almost a newfound respect towards him.

"Your mind, it's…" She clasped her hands in her lap. "Everything before a certain point in time is just scrambled. The psionic force that caused this must have been immense. One of our comrades I met in battle, a Xatu—even she wouldn't be able to do that."

Flame's shoulders drooped slightly. There went the first part of his prediction.

"The pokémon that did this to you—if it was a pokémon … must have extraordinary psionic abilities."

Flame took a second to absorb that, moving his eyes to the ceiling. At the very least, if he had to find a positive aspect to this attempt, it was that the field of possible culprits was shrinking quickly. There could only be so many pokémon around with the kind of power she was describing.

He cracked a grin. Track down the most powerful psychics in the whole Empire. Trivial.

"So what?" he said. "I'll just have to live with it for the rest of my life?"

Brynn shook her head, and smiled reassuringly. "Your memories are still there; your brain just can't make sense of them yet. Give it time, and it'll untangle the mess on its own."

Flame's heart stopped. "Wait. You mean that one day—"

"Yes. You'll have your memories back."

Eyes wide, Flame suddenly felt like the fire on his tail was climbing its way into his chest and warming him up from the inside out. He brought a quivering paw to his heart. My memories aren't lost. They're … they're still here.

I'll get to know who I am.

Flame felt like crying. For the first time in his life, it was now entirely conceivable that he'd one day be able to remember everything again. He was almost scared of believing her, in the off-chance his hopes would be dashed.

"Gods, Brynn, I—I didn't think it would…" Flame blurted out underneath his grin. "H-how long?"

She glanced left and right. "Um … a year? No, no, two. Probably two."

The look Flame gave her seemed to put her on the spot. He gripped the hay of his bed even tighter. Two? She didn't sound very certain, but—two! The fact she was using such low numbers to begin with…

Brynn gave a chuckle at his reaction. "I could also help you … coax your memories out. Like exercising your mind. It'll help you heal faster."

Flame looked down at his hands. The warmth in his chest was radiating into a fire. He'd fully expected to wait until he became a Charizard—or even longer. Not this! This was almost too much. He struggled to find the right words to express his gratitude.

Flame laced his claws together. "Th-that sounds amazing." He glanced up at her, his eyes glistening. "Thank you."

Gods, a part of him wanted to run out and tell the world the good news! He could only imagine the look on Alice's face when he'd tell her that—

And just like that, Flame's smile collapsed bit by bit. For a moment, he'd forgotten how far away he was from them—that it was very possible he'd never get to see her again. His gaze drifted down to his lap. He imagined how happy she'd be to learn that he'd be okay—that he was going to remember everything again. The sheer smile on Alice's snout that he'd never get to see…

In a way, regaining his memories without them felt didn't feel nearly as exciting.

Brynn's tail had started to wag again, only to adopt a more serious expression when she noticed his shift in mood.

"You look … tense." Her bright eyes regarded him with concern. "I sensed it in your mind, too. Are you all right, Herr Flame?"

Sighing, he looked up at the ceiling, pondering whether he could be bothered to share his troubles with her. He tucked his legs closer to himself. He ought to have been joyful, after all.

"I guess," Flame replied with a small, forced smile. "I just need to … get used to everything." He glanced off to the side. "Being here, I mean."

"Lord Daedalus told us what happened," she placed a hand on his knee. "You're among your people now. We'll help you remember, Herr Flame."

"I know," he smiled back, this time genuinely. "And, and I really appreciate what you're doing for me! I'm discovering so much about myself. It's just…"

The Braixen tilted her head. Her eyes beckoned him to continue.

Flame let out a long, heavy sigh. "I miss my teammates."

"They were collaborators," she said, eyes narrowed slightly. "You're better off here, with your people."

Flame shot her an immediate glare. "They were my friends!" he snarled back at her.

That was a mistake. The look that put on Brynn's face—all of the color suddenly drained from her cheeks, and her ears completely flattened. Seeing her sudden fear, his anger mellowed just as quickly.

"Sorry." He looked away, then sighed.

Of course she wouldn't understand. He traced his claws along the hay absentmindedly before he stood up. He needed to think.

"I'm taking a walk."

"Can I come with you?" Brynn pleaded with her eyes.

Flame's first instinct was that to deny her. However much the insult stung, though, he couldn't quite bring himself to begrudge her over it. She was just another cog in this stupid war. Much like Alice and her hatred of the Teutonii, she couldn't know any better.

His tail swung erratically a few times before he sighed softly. "All right."

---

It wasn't until Flame was walking through the busy communal field with a bowl of steaming soup in his hands that he realised there weren't any tables. He remembered eating at long rectangular wooden tables with other teams back at Camp Tempest. But here with the Teutonii, tabletops were replaced with nothing but the flat ground. He didn't expect that small thing to be a luxury he'd miss.

With no other option, he plopped himself down on the grass like everyone else, mindful not to spill his meal. Packs of gray cloud formations brewed above their heads, yet nobody here seemed fazed at the looming prospect on rain pouring down onto their lunches.

Don't they have some building or cover for that? Flame quirked a brow, casting a wary glance at the sky. Somehow, he figured they weren't the types to be bothered by the rain.

He looked down at the bowl of soup in his claws: it was orange-coloured, with floating chunks of what looked and smelled like fish. The aroma got his mouth watering. Gods, it felt nice to just walk up to the cook and be given food. No scavenging, no stealing food, no going hungry…

Still smiling, Flame twisted around to check if his Braixen companion was coming. That's when he saw it: everyone was staring at him. Flame jumped a little. His claws fumbled and nearly spilt his soup. There must have been dozens of Teutonii sitting on the grass with their lunch—and nearly every single one of them was staring in his direction.

This again? Flame grimaced.

Now far too uncomfortable to eat, Flame forced a smile and waved at everyone. Some smiled and waved back, others merely whispered to one another with a look of near-awe. He noticed a Krookodile parent nudge his kit's attention before pointing towards him.

Another kit, a tiny Eevee, rushed to tackle him from the other side of the field.

"Unser keiser!" he squeaked in excitement, weaving between the scattered crowd. "Unser keiser!"

Then a flustered-looking Leafeon leapt out of a group of pokémon just ahead of Flame, grabbed her kit by the scruff of his neck, and leapt away, all in one motion.

Thankfully, he was saved from further embarrassment by the approaching sound of soft giggles. He glanced behind him to find Brynn sitting down next to him, holding her own lunch. She scooted over to his side: from the way she looked around at everyone and smirked, he got the feeling she enjoyed being seen next to him.

"Sorry." She returned his gaze. "I can tell them to stop. If … if you want."

"… Huh?" Flame blinked, his claws still squeezing around his bowl. "O-oh. Please do."

Nodding, the Braixen cupped her hands around her mouth and shouted something angry-sounding that made everyone turn away, displaying varying degrees of shame.

Flame breathed a sigh of relief. I get it in the first day, but this is just ridiculous.

"I'm so sorry, Herr Flame," Brynn said. "We didn't think you'd become uncomfortable."

Flame shook his head slowly, and glanced down at his bowl. "Why are you all treating me like this?"

"You're Lord Daedalus' son." She smiled and looked him in the eye. "We're just honoured to have you live with us."

Even though she wasn't using her mouth to speak, Brynn waited until she'd finished before lifting the bowl to her muzzle.

Flame furrowed his brow. Only now did he understand Alice's complaint about eating like this. Nevertheless, he too gulped some soup, licking his lips as he brought his bowl back down.

"I'm not his son, though," he said.

"Of course he didn't generate you," Brynn chuckled, "but you are a son to him. He told us how you fought the Presence by his side. How brave you were…"

No matter how hard he tried, he simply couldn't find himself in the Flame she spoke of. His gaze drifted off to the side. "… I don't remember any of that."

"I know." She leaned closer to him and smiled. "We will help you remember, Herr Flame. It's the least we can do to repay you."

The puzzled look he gave her spoke for itself.

"Why, though?" He blinked. "I was with the Empire until—basically yesterday! I was fighting your people. How come no one…?" His voice caught in his throat.

Yet the Braixen's smile was unflinching. "They were manipulating you." She placed a hand on his knee. "It's not your fault. You're with your people, now."

Flame bashfully looked down at his soup. His heart warmed at her forgiveness, but he wasn't sure if he could bring himself to do the same. Being around more Teutonii in the years to come wouldn't make those thoughts any less frequent.

Do I even want that?

Haunted by flashes of Alice and Gaius, he took a long sip from his bowl to distract himself. This one had bits of fish he could chew.

Yet Brynn did not lift her hand from his knee. She only squeezed it tighter, still leaning forward, demanding his attention. Flame was forced to swallow and gaze back into her eyes once again.

"After the Presence took our homeland," Brynn said, "we were lost and hopeless. Lord Daedalus … he revealed the truth to us. What the invaders are planning."

Her look of affection for him gradually morphed into one of outright admiration.

"You started that, Herr Flame," she said. "You and Lord Daedalus were the first to fight back against the Presence. You gave our people direction. We owe everything to you two."

Flame sat still. Despite his blush, he felt a certain … disconnection from her words. It felt as though she were talking about somebody else—some other Charmeleon who just happened to look like him. He tried to think of something to counter with, but nothing came to his mind.

The awestruck stare she was giving him didn't help.

"Well… Thanks," Flame smiled uneasily. "I, I don't remember any of it, but … thank you."

Brynn beamed at his words, her tail wagging excitedly, before she turned her attention to her soup.

Now able to think, Flame turned away from her and took a deep breath. He sipped from his bowl a few more times. His thoughts kept returning to the Flame she'd talked about: brave, fearless, fighting against overwhelming odds.

Was that even me?

He frowned and shook his head at that thought. Of course it had been him. He could feel the tangible bond of familiarity whenever Daedalus was near him—that deep trust they shared. It wasn't something he could just be imagining.

He snorted, grinning to himself. Sure could use some of that bravery again…

Wrapped up in his thoughts, Flame brought his bowl to his maw only to realise it was empty. He chuckled briefly to himself. He stood up from his spot next to Brynn and turned towards the stand where food was being served. Maybe the cook would let him have seconds…

Flame took a step forward—only for his foot to sink into a puddle of sticky grey goo.

He let out a small squeal. He dropped his bowl and fell back on his tail, eyes wide, then scrambled back when the goo started to bloat in diametre. Once at a safe enough distance, Flame clutched his chest and gawked: a head was emerging from the thick sludge. It took another moment before he realised it was just Daedalus.

His momentary panic subsiding, Flame merely sat there, panting as he watched the Dusknoir's wispy tail emerge from the grey liquid. The puddle on the ground dissipated soon after. Daedalus opened its eye, and turned to Flame, arms clasped behind its back.

"My child," Daedalys said. "I am happy to see you."

"Do you—" Flame took a series of deep breaths. "Do you need to do that?"

Daedalus frowned. "I apologise. It was not my intention to scare you. I shall emerge at a greater distance from now on."

"Yeah, maybe not right under my feet," Flame muttered, reaching around his back to rub his aching tail.

From the tail of his eye, he noticed Brynn's eyes were lit up at the sight of her leader.

"Herr Daedalus!" She quickly cupped her hands in her lap, but her wagging tail betrayed her excitement.

The Dusknoir looked to her and nodded; after that, the two then merely stared at one another in perfect silence. Flame blinked and tilted his head at them, before realising they must have been speaking through telepathy.

Why can't I do that? He furrowed his brow.

Daedalus eventually turned back to him, and noticed his expression. "Apologies, my child. I was just thanking comrade Brynn here for her help."

Nodding, Flame shot a glance towards said Braixen. From the way she sat tall, and with an enormous grin, she was having the time of her life being seen next to the two of them.

Flame, on the other hand, found himself smiling as he peered up at the Dusknoir's red eye.

"Where were you?" he said. "You disappeared all morning."

"I assembled the council of chieftains, to discuss the war effort," Daedalus replied. "Although … truth be told, we also discussed the matter of your safety."

Flame raised his brow slightly. "… And?"

Daedalus hesitated for a few seconds. "My child." The Dusknoir hung its head. "I'm afraid you will have to leave this place."

Flame's smile collapsed.

"Wh-why?" he stammered. "You said…"

A somber look overtook the Dusknoir's gaze. "Please, understand: I chose to bring you to Neuhoffnung as a matter of convenience. Now, however, my subordinates have brought a number of issues to my attention. Not only is this village within operational range of the Empire; open-air settlements in general leave you exposed to enemy aerial scouts." Daedalus shook its head. "That is an unacceptable risk."

Flame only kept scowling.

"In light of that, I have decided to take you somewhere more discreet." Daedalus looked him in the eye. "An underground settlement, just across the Tartarus mountain passes. You will be safer there."

Flame's gaze drifted downwards; his hands balled into shaky fists. It wasn't fair. Every time he planned to escape, something just had to stand in the way. He hadn't even finished surveying the land here for his escape! Now, it wouldn't matter. Soon he would be moving again, most likely even farther away from Aesernia.

Flame narrowed his eyes. "… So much for living a normal life, huh?"

"Soon, my child," Daedalus said quickly. "I promise. We're taking you somewhere safer. It is populated with your kind. Once you're there, you won't have to worry about the war ever again."

The more Flame thought over those words, the hotter a fire burnt in the back of his throat. It was the premise of it all. Why did things have to be this way? Why did he always have to fall in line, to work his plans around someone else's choices?

He was tired of others deciding for him.

Before he knew it, he felt Daedalus rest its large hands on his shoulders. It could only maintain eye contact for a few heartbeats before it looked away, ashamed. "I'm sorry, my child. You are … right to be disappointed in me. I promise, this is all being done for your own good. I only wish the best for you."

Suddenly, Flame couldn't find it in him to feel angry. It was hard for him to harbour any sort of animosity towards Daedalus: he trusted it. He truly did.

For my own good…

The glare returned to Flame's face. No, this was a matter that went beyond trust.

When it became clear to Daedalus that Flame's resentful expression wasn't going anywhere, the Dusknoir pulled back. It let its arms fall at its sides, before turning away.

"We will depart tomorrow at dawn," Daedalus said quietly. "I recommend you sleep early."

Then, in a single swift movement, Daedalus sank into the ground below and melted into a steaming pool of grey goo. It, too, dissipated quickly.

For several more moments Flame kept his eyes trained on the spot in the grass, as if to ensure Daedalus wouldn't suddenly reappear. When it didn't, he breathed out in relief and hugged his knees. He just wanted to be done with it all. In his distraction, his eyes wandered over to the upside-down bowl he'd dropped. The distress hadn't quite dented his hunger yet.

May as well…

He was about to lean forward to pick it up, only to pause when he felt a soft, furry paw clasp his shoulder.

"Herr Flame?"

Flame turned to find a concerned-looking Brynn leaning close to him. She withdrew her paw as soon as their eyes locked, as if afraid he'd lash out.

"Are you … okay?"

Despite the leftover resentment brewing in his chest, Flame only shut his eyes.

"I will be," he said. "Hopefully."

"Lord Daedalus wants me to come with you," she added with an uneasy smile. "If, if that helps."

Flame somehow found it in him to smile back. If he was going to move, having a friendly face to talk with wouldn't be so bad.

"It does." He glanced at her. "But … don't you have family here? You mentioned your mother…"

"They'll understand." She cupped her paws together, smiling. "They're so happy for me, Herr Flame. Besides, you deserve your memories back."

Flame's soft smile morphed into a grin. He turned to look her in the eye. "Thank you again." He placed a hand on her shoulder. "I … I really appreciate it."

He had to stifle a laugh at how quickly Brynn's tail started to wag behind her. He didn't have the heart to point it out to her.

Bowl back in hand, Flame rose up and started making his way in the direction of the cooks. The Teutonii on the grass that noticed him readily shuffled around to let him pass, but he hardly paid them more than a glance.

Soon he was at the back of a small crowd buzzing in front of the table where food was being served. He stopped near the back to wait, but it only took a handful of seconds for someone to shout something and for the crowd to immediately part, all looking eagerly in his direction.

Flame grew red in the face. "Wh-what? No, guys, there's no need to…"

But his protests went unheard. The cheerful Druddigon cook snatched the bowl from his claws and poured him another generous portion of soup. The smile she offered him as she handed it back left Flame speechless.

"Th-thank you." He grabbed it with fumbling claws. "Thank you all so much…"

Flame walked away quickly, bowl in hand and feeling incredibly flustered. Not to mention a little guilty. He wasn't sure how he felt about this reverence with which they treated him. While flattering, it was a bit too much. He'd barely been in the village for two days! What contributions had he made to warrant that kind of admiration in their eyes?

Focused as he was on holding his bowl straight, Flame nearly walked past the spot where Brynn was sitting.

"Still hungry, Herr Flame?" she grinned up at him.

He sat down in the same spot as before, and soaked in the beautiful sight of his soup.

"Just this once."

A lengthy sip calmed the tension in Flame's back. As he chewed a chunk of fish, Flame threw a glance at the vegetation behind him. In the gaps between the leaves, he could just about make out the lake's shimmering water. The sight focused his mind on what to do next. He'd been planning on scouting the land for his map—but if he were going to leave this place tomorrow, there would be no point.

A frown took over his face. Something always had to interfere with his plans. Just like after the battle, he was back to square one. The only thing he could do for now was plan ahead. Perhaps look over the map as they travelled through the mountain passes, and figure out where—

The Tartarus Mountains. His eyes shot wide. I know where those are on the map.

It was only a matter of figuring out which valley he'd be in. If he could pinpoint where he was, the main obstacle getting in the way of him escaping would be lifted. For the first time in a while, Flame actually felt excited. Gods knew it wouldn't be easy; but, when compared to guessing at every lake on the map, maybe it could be a little easier.

Maybe all was not lost.

Flame breathed in deeply, and for a moment merely enjoyed the breeze and the chatter around him. No matter what happened, he was done falling in line.

He wasn't going to give up. For he still dreamt of a life together with Alice and Gaius. He still dreamt of rolling mountains surrounding a quiet little cabin. He still dreamt of gentleness, of hearts at peace, and of a destiny shared with his dearest friends.

---

"Little one?"

A rumbling voice stirred Alice from her slumber. Strange; she did not recognise it. Eyes squeezed tighter, she buried her nose further into her coils.

"Wake up, little one."

Alice continued to ignore it, until the bed she was laying on rocked gently side to side, jolting her awake.

"Wha…?" she blinked her eyes open. "I'm not li—"

Staring back at her was the huge face of a Salamence. One easily two times her own.

O-okay. She grinned sheepishly. I suppose you have a point.

From the way he was craning his neck back to look at her, Alice realised she was coiled up on his back. In fact, not only that—she looked down at herself, and found her midsection wrapped around the base of his wings for safety.

"We've landed here to rest, little one" the Salamence rumbled softly with a smile. "You should join the others and eat."

"O-oh," Alice rapidly uncoiled herself from his wings. "Apologies…"

With a small yawn, Alice slid down onto the thin grass below. She raised her tail tip to rub her eyes, then looked around. The plateau they were standing on dipped gradually earthwards until it dove into a forested valley, flanked by yet more jagged hills that continued for as far as the eye could see. In a gap between two hills, far away, she spotted towering white mountains that took up almost half of the horizon.

How far north are we? Alice kept staring, mouth slightly agape.

The sheer scale of the surrounding landscape enchanted her. To think that Flame was somewhere here, perhaps being kept in some cavern, under guard…

A gust of freezing wind snapped the lingering tiredness out of Alice. Still quivering, she turned in the hopes of spotting Gaius somewhere. There were praetorians all around the plateau: dozens of winged transports sitting to rest, surrounded by their smaller riders and stacks of crates bundled together with rope.

"I think your friend was just over there," the Salamence tilted his head to one side. "By my Flygon colleague."

Alice's first reaction was to stare blankly. "O-oh." She offered him a kind smile. "Bless you, sir."

She slithered away feeling strangely refreshed by the interaction.

Friendly pokémon? she thought. In the Praetorian Guard? Surely the world must be coming to an end.

She slithered past resting soldiers and their mounts alike, her gaze wandering about to find this Flygon. There were yet more Salamence, Altaria, Talonflame, all surrounded with praetorians eating and stretching their legs.

Soon enough, Alice realised she'd already forgotten her Salamence's directions. It took another stretch of aimless wandering before she finally spotted the lithe green Flygon resting on its side. A smaller, darker-green Grovyle was sitting back against its belly. He didn't seem to notice her as she approached, busy as he was munching on a loaf of bread.

"Hey, Gaius."

Alice slithered over to him to coil up by his side. Gaius merely paused his chewing to look up at her with his tired eyes.

"Hey."

"I see you've survived the journey," said Alice jovially.

In response, Gaius only produced the slightest hint of a smile.

"Barely." He glanced to the Flygon, then to his stump. "One hell of a ride I'm stuck with. Damn nearly dropped me a few times."

Alice chuckled softly at that. She saw the Flygon part one goggle-covered eye to glance at them, before returning to its nap. In any case, she was glad to see her teammate feeling a little better. Resting her head on her coils, she watched Gaius' face closely. His features still appeared drained, or … confused. Almost as if he only somewhat realised where he was. Or as if he didn't quite care.

Alice's smile retreated. She may not have felt quite as close to Gaius as she did to Flame, but he was still her teammate. They'd suffered together for long enough that she still wished for him to be well, despite everything.

Gaius bit into his loaf of bread and tore off another chunk. "The hell is this place, anyway?" he said, chewing. "Since you're so good at geography."

Alice bit her lip. Her eyes darted around. "I'm not sure," she said. "If I had to guess, perhaps … Basileia province? It's quite difficult to gauge from—why are you laughing?"

Gaius only laughed harder. She stared dumbly and waited for him to settle down.

"W-wow," he wheezed. "Never thought I'd see the day. Smartass Alice can't survive being one day without a library, huh?"

"Oh, hush, you," she chuckled, and gave up on trying to look offended.

Another cold breeze whipped her scales. She grit her shivering teeth and blinked furiously. They had to be farther north: the change in temperature was unmistakable. A glance towards Gaius confirmed that he'd felt it, too, but didn't react apart from returning to his tired, blank stare.

Alice remembered something. She reached her tail tip into her bag and began fishing for its contents. It was nearly empty; the praetorians had confiscated all their seeds and orbs and other potentially dangerous items. The only things left inside were useless coins and various personal trinkets.

Her brow furrowed as her tail kept sifting through. Surely they wouldn't confiscate my—

In a swift movement Alice fished out the crimson scarf that Flame had given to her, appraising it as she let it dangle from her tail tip. Blood rushed to her cheeks as relief and warmth slipped through her. She threw it around her neck, then wrapped it around a few times with her tail. She smiled fondly despite the clumsiness—perhaps she could ask Flame to tie it for her again, once they reunited.

Alice was about to rest her head on her coils again, when she noticed Gaius giving her an odd stare.

"Oh—my apologies, Gaius." She quickly sat up and tugged on her scarf with her tail. "Do you wish to wear it instead? I'll manage."

"… Eh." He focused back on his bread. "Still too girly."

With a small sigh, Alice finally rested her head on her coils. Seeing him like this was disheartening. She would have to petition the praetorians for a second scarf—she doubted Gaius would care enough to ask one by himself.

"… Alice?"

Alice blinked, then raised her head at her teammate. He wasn't looking at her; his eyes were lost in nothingness, as had become usual.

"When they find Flame," Gaius said, "will you do it?"

"Wh-what do you—"

Gaius turned to glance at her. "Sycorax's offer."

Alice felt her cheek grow cold and pale at the question.

"I, I don't know." Alice glanced off to the side. "I don't know what they plan to do to him. By the gods, Gaius—our Benefactors? If they're involved…"

Gaius merely continued to stare at some unspecified point in the distance. Then, slowly, he shook his head. "… What the hell is he?"

As she buried her nose in her coils, Alice cracked a dry smile; she'd asked the same question yesterday. Flame was a part of the Scum. Was that truly the whole story, though? The more she thought about it, the more she felt like something wasn't adding up. How come he spoke the imperial tongue to begin with?

A rotten feeling spread through Alice's chest at the thought of it all. Nevertheless, she shut her eyes and swept those thoughts aside: she knew only one Flame.

"He's my friend," Alice answered promptly. "And our teammate. I—I can't simply give him up like that, Gaius. Not again… Not—"

She was about to continue, when a realisation stung her heart. Her eyes shifted towards Gaius, then drooped to the ground. Sycorax had put his pardon on the line. She had no right to toy with his life like that.

But what were her options? Either she played along with Sycorax, and let them take Flame away forever, or Gaius would be hanged. Her breaths became ragged and heavy.

"I, I can't make that choice." Alice shook her head. As much as she wanted to hide it, tears blurred her vision. "Which one of you dies. I can't…"

"I know what you're thinking." Gaius glanced towards her. "If it means somethin', I don't want their pardon."

Alice perked her head up. "Excuse me?"

The look on Gaius' face hardened considerably. He was still staring somewhere off in the distance, but his eyes no longer seemed lost.

"What for?" Gaius looked into her eyes. "They'll just give me some money and send me back to Aesernia. Same old life. If it means they'll take Flame away and do … something to him, it ain't worth it."

She stared at Gaius as if he'd completely lost it.

"Gaius … are you sure?" Alice frowned with concern. "Perhaps I could go back to Sycorax, insist that you get a lifetime pension, or—or a villa. I can't in good conscience make that choice for—"

"Alice." He gritted his teeth. "Stop that. It's not you choosing."

Alice did not know what to say. Wasn't that all he'd ever wanted? From her coils, she peered up inquisitively at her teammate's expression. There was a strange determination in his eyes. Yet it made no sense: for as long as she'd known him, never had he spoken of any desire besides financial security.

And now that it was being offered to him on a silver platter, he didn't want it.

Alice stared deadpan. "Is it for Flame?"

Gaius kept staring forward, but she could see that she was right.

"I never imagined you'd grow a conscience, one day." She narrowed her eyes at him.

Gaius' face tensed at that. After a few moments he sighed, and slumped his shoulders. "Yeah, yeah, go ahead—laugh about it all you want."

"Oh, I'm hardly laughing," Alice raised her head from her coils. "Gaius … what's happened to you? Ever since Portus, you haven't…" She stared him up and down. "You haven't been the same."

A dry chuckle left his mouth. "Crazy Gaius finally snaps, huh?" he said. "Only took me a hand and a claw..."

Alice frowned. "That isn't what I was trying to..."

But it was too late. With a heavy groan, Gaius slumped even further, and hugged his knees. His gaze became lost in infinity again.

"Fuck, I don't know," he muttered. "Maybe I've just … realised what having a dream feels like."

Alice perked up and stared at him with disbelieving eyes. He believed in their dream, too? Their lives joined together in a distant land—away from the war, from the hunger, from the cold?

Alice felt the faintest hint of tears welling in her eyes. "I didn't know you…" she glanced downwards. "… cared."

"Me neither."

Although he wasn't looking at her, Alice sent her teammate a genuine smile. There was probably more to this sudden change, but knowing Gaius, he wouldn't express it just yet. Though she still felt concerned for him … maybe something good had come out of that near-death experience.

Who knows, Alice smirked to herself, maybe it finally set his head straight.

A small part of her felt guilty for thinking something so insensitive; but it didn't matter. Soon, none of it would. A fond warmth flooded her chest; she breathed in and shut her eyes.

Once Flame was back by her side, they could all dream of freedom again. Perhaps they'd even be able to put their desertion plan into motion. Whatever the case, she and he would be there for Gaius. He wouldn't need to suffer alone.

Once Flame was back…

A frown took over Alice's face; she slumped into her coils. Just as she was starting to brood over him for the thousandth time, though, a voice shouting from afar caught her attention.

"Hey! Civvies!"

Alice blinked, and peeked above her coils. What greeted her was the sight of a chippy Gabite approaching them, cradling a scarred Umbreon in his arms. A small sigh escaped Alice's nostrils, and part of her grumbled about being left alone to brood. She nevertheless gave the two a polite nod as they neared.

"Hey—what's with those long faces?" Virgo grinned at Team Phalanx. The Gabite carefully set Yvaine down by Alice's side, then plopped himself in front of Gaius.

"Nothing," Alice kept her head on her coils. "We're just … tired. That's all."

"Aww, c'mon, we brought you food!"

"Oh," Alice perked up. "For us? Th-thank you. You didn't have to…"

"Nonsense!" Virgo reached into his bag and fished out two loaves of bread wrapped in cloth. He handed one to Alice. His innocent smirk disarmed any thoughts of protest.

"… Thank you," Alice said.

Next, Virgo extended one to Gaius; upon noticing that he was lost in thought, Virgo tilted his head.

"Hey, stumpy,"—Virgo poked a claw at the Grovyle's nose—"you sleepin' or something?"

"Ah!" Gaius flinched and clutched his nose. "The hell are you…?" he glared at Virgo, only to finally notice the bread. His glare softened. "No thanks. I've already had—"

"C'mooon, you're all scales and bones!"

Gaius made a puzzled face, but accepted the loaf regardless.

"There we go, grassie!" Virgo chuckled and grinned. "Y'know, you remind me of Flamey. Just less shy and a lot grumpier."

As Alice watched the scene, she felt a soft paw prodding at her middle; it was Yvaine.

"Hello, Alice." Yvaine offered her a polite smile. "How was your flight here?"

"Pleasant, I suppose," Alice smiled back. "Slept through most of it."

Yvaine nodded. "We're … sorry for deceiving you." She looked Alice in the eye. "About who we are. Our undercover work in the Seventh Legion meant we could not reveal our identities."

The Umbreon's flat voice hardly conveyed much emotion, but Alice appreciated it nevertheless.

"Don't worry about it." Alice tightened her coils. "With all that's happened, it was hardly on my mind."

The Umbreon kept staring at her. After a few seconds, she frowned.

"You're worried about Flame," said Yvaine. "Is that right?"

Alice's gaze drifted downwards. "… Yes."

Yvaine nodded slowly. "I'm sorry I couldn't protect him."

"No." Alice shut her eyes. "It's all right. I know you tried."

Before she could retreat back into her thoughts, she felt a soft paw prod at her side again.

"Alice—look at me."

Alice cracked an eye open to find Yvaine looking directly at her.

"The general said we're about to find him." Yvaine smiled. "It won't be long now, I promise."

Alice's lips gradually formed into a somber smile. While a part of her still felt like brooding in solitude… it was nice having someone to talk to.

"Thank you," Alice whispered softly. "I just—I want to know that he's okay."

"If it helps," Yvaine added, "I'm sure he's just as worried about you right now."

"Hopefully." Alice chuckled, and glanced up at the sky. "Who knows—maybe … maybe he's enjoying life with his people. Perhaps he found out who he is…" Her half-smile quivered. "Gods, what if he's happier there?"

Yvaine rested her head on her front paws. "I think he'd be a lot happier with you."

Alice blinked, then turned to her. "Hm?"

"Oh, nothing."

Alice quirked a brow at the Umbreon. She was going to ask what that tiny smirk on her face was for, but relented with a sigh. She had too many thoughts running through her head to bother inquiring. Breathing another sigh, she shifted her attention to the chatter between Gaius and Virgo.

"Hey, hey—I should introduce you to this Servine girl in our cohort!" Virgo grinned, arm slung over Gaius' shoulder. "Reeeal hottie. I think she'd totally be into you."

Gaius sat by his side, eating his meal with his good hand. Most impressive of all, though, he was smiling. Not even a faint smile like before: an actual smile!

"What," Gaius raised an eyebrow. "You're not that into grass-types?"

"Hey, hey—that's not what I'm sayin'!" Virgo raised his arms in mock surrender. "I dig grassies too, you know? She's just … really freaky with those vines."

The sight of Gaius actually smiling triggered a warmth in Alice's chest. She hadn't seen him smile like that in … years, perhaps? Nevertheless, the sight only strengthened Alice's resolve as to the future of Team Phalanx.

Soon, we will be free.

Alice closed her eyes, and smiled at the pleasant warmth of that dream. Indeed, they would—all three of them. They would flee from the Praetorian Guard's clutches and into the mountains, off to lands unknown. There, they could find honest jobs, build themselves a cabin, maybe even find meaning in this senseless world.

And then, they would be happy.

Alice's cheeks began hurting from how large her smile was. For after all, was her dream so unreasonable? To wish for no more cold, no more hunger—no more Father?

Still smiling confidently, Alice turned her gaze to the praetorians sitting all around them. She caught sight of the Gallade from yesterday, sitting under the shade of an Altaria with his Luxray and Infernape squadmates. Further in the air, her eyes locked onto a distant Charizard flying towards them. It was slinging a bundle of crates underneath as it flew, tied to the dragon via a rope. As it came almost overhead, the Charizard beat its mighty wings back to decelerate, and landed both the swinging boxes and itself under the arm directions of a Lucario on the ground.

So these were the soldiers they'd have to get through to escape.

No matter. Alice shut her eyes, and smiled. We'll find a way.

They'd failed the first time, but perhaps they'd get a second chance. They deserved happiness. If they had to become outlaws to get there, then so be it.

Besides, the life of an outlaw did have a certain romantic appeal to it…

Laughing at her own musings like an idiot, Alice used her tail to unfurl the cloth from around her meal. She took a bite out of her bread and meeped in pleasant surprise at the cheese and tomato slices inside.

"Like it?" asked Yvaine with a polite smile.

"Mh-hm." Alice hummed before swallowing. "By the way—do you know where we are?"

Yvaine only looked at her for a couple of seconds before answering.

"The Tartarus Mountains."

---

End of Chapter XXII​

 

[Spiteful Murkrow]

Heya, took a bit longer than expected to get this one together, but back with a fresh review in my series.

Chapter XXI

Spoiler: Line-by-Line

Neuhoffnung – Northern Edessa Province

Of all the places to be, sitting around a campfire crowded with Scum was not exactly where Flame had imagined he'd end up.

Yet there he was, sitting cross-legged near the front of the pack with a beer jug in his claws and absolutely no clue what any of the banter meant. He stopped staring at his drink to watch his newfound comrades: there were dozens of them, Krookodile, Jolteon, Marowak, Braixen, Sableye—all sat there in a circle, drinking and laughing and hurling what sounded like jokes across the pyre.

"[C-Comrades!]" a Raichu with a sleepy grin rose his jug to the air. "[I know v-victory is near!]"

Well that’s not quite a joke there, though I suppose it’s a bit hard to tell the difference with a language barrier once a sufficient quantity of booze comes into play. :V

I still find it hilarious that in my first readthrough I somewhat predicted that this was where things were going narratively, even if I overestimated how much Flame would take to alcohol.

The whole group let out a common cheer and raised their own glasses or jugs, before bursting out in spontaneous laughter.

Flame glanced around in confusion, smiled, then started laughing too—he couldn't understand what they were saying, but the cheeriness, the sheer energy radiating from everyone, it was … contagious.

Still distracted, he brought the jug to his lips and took a short sip. The strong bitter taste gave him pause. He swallowed reluctantly. One more certainty about his past life: he wasn't an avid drinker.

Give it a week and he’ll get there. I mean, both the factions Flame’s ping-ponged between in this story thus far have some pretty strong drinking cultures, so I don’t expect him to remain a teetotaler for long. ^^;

Suddenly a Zangoose to his right seized his shoulder, pulled his body closer.

"[A drink for our new brother!]" he raised his own chalice, bounced it against Flame's and proceeded to chug his drink merrily to a huge cheer.

I’m still of the opinion that these cutesy moments are going to wind up getting really awkward in the future since:

A: I doubt the plot's gonna let Flame get away with just futzing around getting drunk in the mountains indefinitely.
B: I’m very, very convinced that there’s a lot about how how things work among the Teutonii that would be very off-putting, if not outright horrifying to Flame once he finds out about them.

Flame felt strangely at ease even though everyone was looking straight at him. He rose to sit straighter, returning everyone's stares with another wide smile. He wondered briefly why he felt so calm. It almost felt … wrong. Sitting with his tail tucked into his lap for the sake of others, his tail flame sparked as happily as its larger brethren.

"Th-thank you," Flame said tentatively, raising his jug in the air to another round of gratuitous cheering.

Flame: “(Maybe it’s just residual memories acting up? But boy is it different to not constantly be ignored or put upon for once.)” ^^;

He took another generous sip, and swallowed with some effort. This was nothing like he'd expected. With all the pats on the back, and hugs, and jokes he couldn't understand, he was truly being made to feel like a long-lost brother to these pokémon. Not just that, either—the looks they were giving him … it was they were ones of reverence. Or something close to it, at least. He'd seen their eyes light up in the same way whenever Daedalus was around.

Flame: “Wait a minute, didn’t Daedalus say that he was seen as some sort of prophet figure among you guys? If that’s the case, then what am I supposed to be exactly given that you’re looking at me the exact same way?” .-.
Brynn: “Unser [------].”
Flame: “... No idea what that means, but I’m gonna assume that’s important.” ^^;

Watching the fire crackle, and wiggling his toes idly, he thought back to Alice. The thought always put a tiny smile on his face. The memories rushed back to him of the afternoons they'd spent together at the city library—what she'd told him about the Scum. How they razed entire villages, raped their women, and slaughtered surrendering legionaries without mercy. Yet when he spun his head to take a good look around him, he found none of that. These pokémon looked battle-hardened, for sure. And maybe a bit backwards. But they hardly gave him the impression of blood-lusting ferals.

>implying that any of those things are mutually exclusive when the Teutonii have hundreds of years of grievances built up against the Empire that drove them from the North
>the same Empire that is actively aligned with the faction that bombed them out of their adopted home past the mountains less than 30 years ago
>the one and the same Empire where Teutonii defeated by it can basically expect to either be summarily killed or be met with a fate that'd make a 'mon wish for death

Let’s not even get into how if Urbe’s legionaires are remotely like their IRL counterparts, that they’d frequently dabble with enslaving defeated enemies on a regular basis since that was not exactly uncommon among them throughout Roman history, and it’d be a relatively reliable means to obtain a windfall in a setting where their rations are more valuable than their formal pay.

Just saying, in such circumstances, I'd probably be a vicious SOB as a victor myself. Since… uh, yeah, kinda hard to not listen to your shoulder devil encouraging you to go full Attila with that constantly at the back of one’s mind.

Daedalus: "I don't know whether I should be relieved or really, really concerned that your trust is this easy to secure, Flame."

Then again, he couldn't blame Alice for being wrong. She was only reading from the encyclopaedias—some pro-imperial bias was inevitable. It wasn't her fault. She had to have never met one of them outside of battle.

And yet…

Flame stopped himself from taking another sip of his drink. The doubt stung in the back of his mind. He looked around himself again: the Raichu from before was slumped over, seemingly dozing off from the alcohol.

While these pokémon looked perfectly normal, he struggled to believe that all those stories were fabrications. At least some of them, in some part, had to be true. That was the nature of war, was it not?

Wew, not even two days in and already bending over backwards to try and assume the best of your new company, huh? Not that I blame you given that Imperials… honestly need to work on their outward warmth and camaraderie from how they treated you in the 20 chapters prior to this. ^^;

Yet in the same heartbeat, he still couldn't get over how astonishing it felt to sit peacefully among them—for them to eye him as if he'd always been one of their own!

Or maybe they just think I'm their god-king's son.He pursed his lips slightly, and looked up.

Well, it’s a bit deeper than that, but that certainly doesn’t hurt, no. I do have to wonder if the Teutonii are fully cognizant of what Flame is, or if him being their ‘Icarus’ is a convenient means to an end for Daedalus to protect Flame as a living MacGuffin.

Flame shook off the cynicism as quickly as it came. Ever since waking up here, these pokémon had treated him with nothing but camaraderie. All that in spite of him being with the enemy until a few days ago.

In spite of the fact he'd murdered some of them.

Uh… yeah, no. Flame, your life expectancy would be a lot worse right now were you not Daedalus’ “son”. Like let’s not even get into how Kamerad Nidorino from Chapter XIII was about to use you as a living ramming bag before Daedalus stepped in and pointed out that you weren’t some random Imperial foot soldier.

I mean, it could still wind up becoming pretty terrible in the future since I’m pretty sure that Daedalus has been lying through his teeth about his and your relative roles that you adopted in Teutonii society and that you two don’t have a legitimate claim to them.

I do wonder if Flame would parse his killings in battle as “murdered” or as something more neutral like “killed”, since a large chunk of those killings were very much “me or them” in circumstance.

A pit of nausea opened in Flame's stomach. His smile disappeared in seconds, and he placed his jug of beer back down on the grass; the thought of finishing it suddenly became intolerable.

Breathing heavily, and clutching his tail with both paws, Flame scrambled to get rid of the thoughts invading his head. He glazed over the crowd around him. But his eyes settled on a Vaporeon sitting opposite him: and again he was flooded with images of the Flareon charging uphill at his trench, the explosion of the blast seed he'd thrown, the same mangled Flareon careening through the air and landing somewhere behind the smoke. He remembered all the fires, the battle cries echoing throughout the valley, the fear—

Ah yes, nothing like some good old-fashioned war flashbacks to ruin your fun and games over beer with your new buddies.

Flame closed his eyes and took a deep, calming breath. The flood stymied. Temporarily, at least.

"I'm … I'm going back," he mumbled to the Zangoose as he got up, despite the language barrier between them.

Teutonii!Zangoose: “Ach… Mein [-------]? Geht es dir gut?” .-.
Flame: “I’m pretty sure that’s a question of some sort, and if you have to ask it, I’m pretty sure the answer is ‘no’.” -_-;

His cheeriness ruined for good, he squeezed and hopped between the still-laughing Teutonii sitting further away from the campfire. Once he was free of the crowd, he mindlessly turned into the main street of the village. His eyes were completely inattentive to the darkening sky above him.

They were coming for me, he thought, clenching his fists tightly. I had to fight back. I had to…

While his argument felt perfectly logical, it didn't help much with the guilt.

Flame: “In retrospect, Daedalus really should’ve distributed posters or something to his fighters, since… uh… yeah, this is gonna get really awkward if I run into the family of any of the ‘mons that I killed over the past couple weeks.” >_>;

Flame slumped his shoulders slightly as he trudged on. He now wished he'd never come to see the Teutonii in this light. He wished they'd just remained Scum in his head—mindless ferals to feel nothing toward except hate.

Flame: "Um. Just saying, but I was feeling like there was something obviously off all the way back when we caught that Leafeon and was still feeling ill over cutting down Teutonii on the battlefield.”
- Flame gapes back at the bonfire where the Teutonii are continuing to laugh it up and lose sobriety in live time -
Flame: “Did I ever really feel this way outside a couple moments like right after Camp Horizon got slaughtered? … Or am I just being dishonest with myself here?"

And the battle!

He shook his head to himself. They were never meant to fight in it in the first place. That was what all the planning with Alice and Gaius had been for: to get away from almost certain death on the battlefield, from a stupid war that was not their own. It had been his idea at the beginning. They'd make a run for it and start a new life somewhere in the far east—and Alice's eyes had lit up at that, and for a single night, they'd all shared a moment of hope. A moment of inner peace.

Flame smiled softly at the memory.

Boy is it ironic to think that had Team Phalanx somehow succeeded there, they’d have basically doomed this story to a BAD END™ . Since it comes out in like 8 or 9 chapters that running away and hiding from the plot is flatly not an option for this world to have a long-term future.

In his distraction, he nearly missed the small thatched hut they he now called his home. Flame stared at its door for several seconds, blinked a few times, then chose to walk around the back. Right now, he wanted to think.

Once he was past the houses, Flame was presented with the large, shimmering plain of water that the whole village gave onto. He stopped for a moment to appreciate the sight, his tail swaying slowly behind him. The water was almost completely still. In the distance, a weak orange hue faded quickly before sinking into a deep, inky blue that nearly brushed the houses.

One of those moments in the story where it honestly would be really neat to see a picture of it made sometime, since Not!Lake Constance there sounds beautiful just from the description.

The earth beneath Flame's feet compacted into pebbles as he neared the shore. He sat down with his legs crossed, and raised his gaze to look at the horizon again.

A day. It had been an entire day since he'd first woken up in this place.

Wow, that soon, huh? Somehow, when I originally read this, I’d seen it as being a couple days at the least from how familiar Flame becomes to the locals, but I guess getting treated like royalty from the jump helps smooth a lot of initial bumps over.

Flame grabbed a pebble from the ground and rolled it mindlessly in his palm. He wondered where Alice and Gaius were right now. The last he'd seen of them, they were being hurried onto different transport carts in the rush before the battle. What had become of them?

Flame: “... I mean, I know that they were intercepted by Praetorians, which is probably a really terrible omen for how well they’re doing, but I’d really rather not be depressed for the rest of the day here so let’s assume that they’re still alive right now.”

He rolled the pebble from one hand to the next. Perhaps they had really made it, he thought—left without him once they deemed him lost. Maybe they would have waited until the last second—but with the general frenzy, and so little time to enact their plan, he wouldn't have blamed them. Perhaps … perhaps they were journeying east right now, just as he sat here. He pictured them in the eye of his mind: marching through the forest underbrush and thinking of him, mourning his absence. A smirk flashed across his face. Even in his own fantasies, he couldn't hold back from being narcissistic.

Wait, I could’ve sworn that Virgo and Yvaine already explicitly mentioned that the Praetorians picked up Gaius and Alice back in that one sequence of Chapter XVIII. Shouldn’t Flame’s thought process be a bit different here in light of that?

Wherever you two are, Flame looked at the horizon and smiled, as if sending a telepathic message, I hope you're alright.

His only response was the wind whistling in his ear.

"You appear to be adapting quickly."

The voice startled Flame out of his thoughts. He turned to look behind him. Sure enough, there was Daedalus, floating motionless with its arms clasped behind its back. Its red eye was bright enough to pierce the settling darkness.

- Flame jumps up with a loud yelp -
Flame: “AAAH! Daedalus! Don’t do that!” >.<
Daedalus: “In my defense, I don’t exactly make footsteps while walking around, so…”

"Huh? Oh. I … guess so," Flame shrugged, and turned back towards the lake.

He could have sworn there was now a faint red reflection in the water, right beside the wobbly orange patch from his tail fire.

Oh, so that eye straight-up glows in the dark, huh? Something about the imagery here feels incredibly ominous, can’t tell if that’s deliberate or not.

"I was happy to see you at the gathering, my child," Daedalus said. "The exiles have already accepted you. Perhaps, you are starting to do the same."

Flame: "Yeah, 'Ich bin das Glutexo' really did go a long way. Not that I've learned a lot of the local language other than that."
Daedalus: "Well, drinks and humor do tend endear a 'mon to others. Though I'm glad to hear you're progressing so far."
- Flame shift uncomfortably -
Flame: "Hey Daedalus? What exactly is with that weird hero-worship reaction that everyone here has going on with me? Like even if they respect you and your judgment, shouldn't they be afraid of me? Or at least a bit uncomfortable? Some of these 'mons are probably orphaned or widowed because of me, and I can only speak the language of their hated enemy outside of 'Ich bin das Glutexo'."
Daedalus: "Flame, you weren't exactly just a random foot soldier before we were separated. Even if you truly don't remember that, the Pokémon here do."
Flame: "... Wait, then what was I-?"
- Flame looks up at the chapter title -
Flame: "(Wait a minute, ‘Princeps’? Didn’t Alice tell me before that was an Oldspeak term that meant…)”
- Flame’s eyes widen in realization -
Flame: “(N-No way! Is Daedalus implying that I'm a-?!)"

Flame did not look back, instead continuing to stare at the horizon. He clutched the pebble in his fist tightly. There were many, many things he wanted to ask the Dusknoir. For one, he wanted to know more about his past. About the Presence. About why the Teutonii were so eager to accept him, their enemy…

He didn't even know where to start.

Flame: “F-For starters, we are actually this important to the Teutonii since we’re supposed to be, right?”

Daedalus: “Importance is relative, and a ‘mon can make himself important through his own agency, my child.”

Flame: “Daedalus, that’s the exact opposite of what you should be telling me to reassure me right now!”

"I'm glad you haven't tried to escape." A pause, as if anticipating his reaction. "That you are giving this new life a chance."

Yeah, as if I knew where I'd be going otherwise.

"No one's tried to kill me," he muttered. "Not yet. First time in a while."

Flame: “I mean, I know that that sounds really pathetic from me, but you’d be surprised at how hard it’s been to manage that these past couple weeks.”

Daedalus: “Uh… no, I completely understand. It’s a harsh world out there, that’s why I brought you here as a refuge from all of that.” ^;

Daedalus studied him for a few moments. "I see you are still troubled, my child."

As if to validate its observation, Flame slung the pebble as far as he could. He watched it bounce a few times, before it sputtered and sank into the depths of the lake. 'Troubled', huh?

"This wasn't exactly my choice," Flame turned to face the Dusknoir's glaring red eye. "It was yours. Remember? The least I can be feel about this is 'troubled'."

Daedalus: “My child, need I remind you that even before finding yourself on the wrong end of our allies, that you were dumpster diving for food and experiencing near-death experiences in Mystery Dungeons? Try to keep things in perspective here about your ‘choices’.”

Flame: “Look, I’m just saying that if I had been the one making the choice of how to come here, I’d be sitting next to a cute blue noodle right now.” >_>;

Daedalus hung its head. "You have every right to feel that way. However, as you regain your past memories, I'm confident you will see that this was the right choice to make."

Flame huffed at that. Perhaps the Dusknoir was right—still that strange voice inside him pushed him to trust it—but it still felt no less of an affront.

Flame: “Seriously, what next? Are you going to literally tell me ‘don’t worry about your friends, you’ll make better ones’?”

Daedalus: “Haven’t your ‘friends’ literally almost killed you on multiple occasions within the span of two weeks? With all due respect, my child, but you shouldn’t be so dismissive of the idea.”

Riding a wave of sudden courage, Flame stood up fully and turned to face Daedalus. "[ ] I want to know," he said simply. "I want to know everything. About who I was, who the Scum are. If you want me to stay, you will tell me."

IMO, Flame’s line here would work better if there was more acknowledgement of the prior train of thought plus a transition. For instance, something like the following might be worth considering:

[ “We’ll see about that. Though if I really do have a right to feel that way, then I want to know,” ]

Flame: "(Urk! Even if this doesn't piss Daedalus off, do I really want to know everything? Trusting Yvaine to try and find out burned me last time, how do I know that this won't blow up in my face either?)"
Daedalus: "You should whisper from more than a half-meter away from me if you want me not to hear things, Flame. But if you do want to find out, I'm more than happy to oblige." -;

A light breeze whistled in his ears. Claws balled into fists, Flame's gaze drifted away as he scrambled for something else to say

"Th-the only people I trust right now are my teammates." He glanced down briefly. "And you took me away from them."

- Daedalus frowns and folds his arms -
Daedalus: "You know, before the sudden amnesia, we were teammates to each other."
Flame: "Teammates that I can remember, Daedalus. (And okay, Alice is really heavily carrying the 'teammates' there, but Gaius was at least starting to come around before I got brought here.)"

There was a gap of several seconds filled only by the evening breeze.

Then, slowly, as if still considering his next action, Daedalus gave a single nod. "Come inside."

Flame: “Why? What’s inside?” .-.
Daedalus: “Nothing harmful, my child. And it’ll be faster if you just go in and see for yourself.”

Flame took care to slide his tail properly into the gap of the chair before taking a seat, and facing the motionless Dusknoir at the other end of the table. The house—his house, he supposed, as he saw only a single bed—was lit by a combination of his tail fire and a series of candles littered throughout the room.

Flame shifted into the chair. His blank stare masked a whirlwind of questions clashing for priority in his head. Where would he even start? 'Who am I?' came to mind, but…

It was then that his eyes fell on an unfurled map on the table. His pupils dilated slightly at the sight. After a few seconds of deciphering the green landmass' shape, he recognised it immediately: it was a map of the Empire, complete with Urbe in the centre, the southern shoreline, the mountains in the north and east.

Flame: “Daedalus, if this is going to be asking me for intelligence again, my mind from before about three weeks ago is a total void.”

Daedalus: “You asked for an explanation, did you not? Might as well start with what’s going on on my end.

The sight of it helped focus his fractured mind on what his first question would be.

"What did you do to Aesernia?" Flame said, trying not to feel intimidated as he glared Daedalus directly in the eye.

"Why do you ask, my child?"

Flame: “Oh, I don’t know… because I don’t want to know that the first town that I have memory of is a smoking crater right now?” O_O;
Daedalus: “... You sure have a way of forming attachments, my child.” -;

"You launched an assault on the city," Flame insisted. "Your forces did. You're their leader, aren't you? What happened to Aesernia?"

"The primary aim of our assault was to locate and retrieve you from enemy hands," Daedalus said. "Since that happened so quickly, I ordered my forces to withdraw—to act as a rearguard against any possible rescue operation."

Flame leaned closer in anticipation, cupping his paws together as if uttering a wordless prayer for Aesernia.

"Your city is safe, my child," Daedalus nodded with an amused smile. "I respect your emotional attachment to it."

Wow, so just baldly lying to Flame’s face, huh? Especially since it comes out in a chapter teaser like 6 chapters down the pipe that Aesernia was still being actively besieged at the time. Like I’d always gotten a vibe that Daedalus wasn’t being forthright with Flame from the very beginning, but knowing what I know about where the plot’s events wind up going, this definitely takes the amount of respect that I have for him down a peg or two.

At that, Flame felt a massive weight lifted from his conscience. He leaned back in his chair, and closed his eyes. Aesernia was okay. The Via Palatina, the library, Camp Tempest—they were still standing. Even if he were to never see those places again, knowing that helped him feel more at peace.

So Daedalus just flatly did not plan on Flame ever going back anywhere close to Imperial territory after this, huh? Since it wouldn’t exactly be hard to disprove Daedalus’ claimed events if Flame was able to pick up any news about the Empire at all.

Flame: "Er... well, as 'standing' as they were after the earthquake. Though not that I'm really complaining here, did you really just randomly spare a city because of my feelings, Daedalus? How on earth did you even know that I'd have any attachment to it?"
Daedalus: "You blew a Flamethrower into my eye to try and run away from me. It was pretty clear after that that you'd developed an attachment to your surroundings, and I didn't want to risk rubbing those wrong when bringing you back here."
Flame: "(Sure would've been nice if you could've had that realization before you killed off Task Force Aegis and our legionary escort...)"
Daedalus: "Well, I hadn't seen your reaction at that point, and what's done is done. Besides, didn't that Task Force literally force you to dumpster dive for your meals? Just what was there to get attached to?"
- Flame thinks back to Livia and the randoms he joked around with on the night right before going to Portus and sighs -
Flame: "Just… Nevermind. I wouldn't expect you to understand."

However, Daedalus' thought process still left him troubled. The Empire might have wanted to rescue him?

"Yeah, 'rescue operation'," Flame narrowed his eyes, scowling. "You clearly weren't there. If they cared that much about me, I wouldn't have nearly died in those trenches [ ]."

"And I take full responsibility for endangering your life," Daedalus closed his eye and hung his head. "I assure you, my child, that finding you in the field of battle was not something I had planned for—that is the reason my troops attacked indiscriminately. The only plausible explanation is that the local authorities had not yet realised your true identity. If so, we are lucky to have found you in time."

I’m… not sure if Daedalus’ reply follows Flame’s comment there, actually. Since Flame’s comment is basically “lol, as if the Empire would care enough to mount a rescue attempt” while Daedalus is “er… right, sorry for almost killing you”. Like one quick and dirty workaround would basically be to tack on “because of your fighters/soldiers” in the bit in brackets, since that feels like a fairly organic way of teeing up Daedalus’ apology there without requiring a ton of extra work.

Flame hummed and let his eyes wander down toward the map, lips pursed together in thought.

Something in that explanation didn't sit well with him. Tapping his index claw on the table, he rummaged through his memories of the exchange they'd had earlier that morning. Amidst his hazy, emotionally-charged recollection of it, one detail in particular came to mind.

"I thought you said the Empire was involved in wiping my memories." Flame narrowed his eyes ever so slightly.

Flame: “If they were willing to do that to me, just what on earth is there to ‘rescue’?”

For the first time, Flame saw the Dusknoir exhibit something approximating discomfort in the way it shifted from its immobile, impeccable posture.

"Those … those are both hypotheses, my child," Daedalus uttered in polite shame. "No matter how much I wish to satisfy your hunger for the truth, I cannot be certain what happened to you after we became separated. I may only speculate, based on the information at hand."

Boy would it be one hell of a plot twist if it turned out that Daedalus and the Teutonii are somehow responsible for Flame’s mind-wipe, since I can see that hesitation. I’m not fully convinced that that’s how things went down since all of the ultra-strong psychics we’ve seen in the story thus far are firmly on Team Presence, but Daedalus’ reaction there to “wait, but I thought you said the Empire mind-wiped me” has definitely tripped my sus-o-meter.

Flame: "So in other words, for all we know, all of this happened because someone hit me over the head with a rock and left me for dead in that cave."
Daedalus: "It's possible, but I doubt it's probable. Remember, the Presence wants you, Flame."

That was it, then; it was all pointless. Flame sat back against his chair, shoulders slumped. He could have sworn Alice had said those exact same words what felt like ages ago. It was so naive of him to expect all the answers to rain down from the sky.

Still, though, he reasoned. He knows me. He can remember who I was.

"Tell me who I was, then," Flame said. "You remember that, can't you? Before … before we got separated. How, um, did we get separated?"

That’s not asking who you were prior to losing your memories, just saying, Flame. I mean, Daedalus has reasons to not necessarily give you a straight answer to that, but still.

"That, my child, is something I am still trying to figure out," Daedalus said, smiling slightly in affection. "The Gateway settings were altered correctly. We took precautions to enter it at the same time. And yet, once I crossed into this world, I found myself alone. Not a single trace of you for so long." A fond smile found its way on the Dusknoir's face. "I felt so worried for you, my child."

A confused gratitude bubbled up in Flame's chest, but it was overshadowed by the magnitude of the words he'd just heard.

"Gateway?" he blinked, mouth hanging open. "Th-this world? You mean … we came here from another dimension? Had we always been there?"

Alright, cue the theme music:

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ePypW6n1egQ

"Again, I can't be sure of our early life," Daedalus bowed his head in apology. "Neither of us remembered it. What I do know, however, is that our captivity took place on a different world. I suspect it is where the Presence originated from."

Pretty sure that Daedalus is lying through his nonexistent teeth here in light of the most recent chapter offsite, but I digress. We’ll get there soon enough in this story.

Flame shifted in his chair. He was not sure how to take that. Another dimension…? What did that even look like? Maybe it was like entering a mystery dungeon. Did those count?

I kinda wonder if Daedalus at some point should explicitly conflate “world” and “dimension” in the same way that Flame does. Or is that a deliberate hint at latent memories from Flame? I know that I raised this comment in my original readthrough, though I don’t think I ever got an answer there.

Flame: "(I suppose that would explain why you don't remember if Pokémon from our original world were also this fragile...) Though are we sure that time and space even flows consistently between this world and our own, Daedalus? What's to say that this Gateway didn't mess me up and spit me out a few months into that cave after you?"
Daedalus: "I mean, there’s enough between the lines from this story that would actually make that a fairly decent hypothesis. But I guess I shouldn’t get in the way of the story revealing these things, huh?"

Daedalus turned his head toward the wall. His eye narrowed in thought. "I remember all the pokémon held there with me. We gathered at dawn every day, all in perfect file. I remember the combat training, the experiments… "

Flame paused his breathing, afraid that he'd miss a word if he made any noise whatsoever. A distant song from outside leaked through the walls.

Flame: “... Why is this giving me uncomfortable reminders of how the Imperial Army worked right now?”

Daedalus: “Are you really all that surprised that a collaborating faction would pick up a thing or two from thier masters?”

"They were raising us to become their slaves. Mere foot soldiers, molded to their desires. It took me some time to understand that. I used the power they gave me to escape." Daedalus turned back to him, smiling. "And when I did, I found you. Just as thin as you are now."

Flame reflexively brought a paw to his chest to cover his ribs.

Flame: "Th-This Presence had me in a condition like this even then?! What sort of fighting slave would they have expected me to become like this?!"
Daedalus: "Again, remember they also performed experiments at that site. I'm fairly convinced that you were one of their guinea pigs and that they had some other purpose in mind for you."
- Flame blanches and has his mind turn to the Ascension Programme and how it aligned with the one arc word he dropped looking on at the portal storm -
Flame: "I... I think you might be onto something, Daedalus. But I just don't understand what they were planning to do with me..."

"Neither of us possessed a name," Daedalus looked straight into Flame's eyes again. "A family. For a brief period, we were the only family we had. We fought and survived together. By sharing our experiences, we understood what we had to do to thwart their plans."

Still not convinced that Daedalus didn’t get assigned a name given that he’s addressed specifically as a traitor to the presence by some other characters in later chapters. Money’s still on ‘Arcadius’ since I’m not at all convinced that the signature in the original version of the Castra Aeterna diary was all a big coinkydink.

Flame stared back into the Dusknoir's eye, trying to absorb everything he was being told. No matter how hard he tried to recall those events, nothing came back. His mind was empty. And the emptiness tormented him.

Nevertheless, he paused to make sense of what he'd just been told. We were slaves of … whatever the Presence is, in another dimension. Then we escaped, pledged to stop them, and crossed into this world?

It sure didn't sound like his life had been a boring one.

Flame: "B-But why would we escape to this world? Even if it wasn't for the Presence messing with things here, most things I've seen from this world in the past three weeks have been beyond awful. We could've run away to some world where there'd be someone stronger to hide behind that could ward this Presence off, some sort of guiding light or something like that!"
Daedalus: “Bold of you to assume that we had options, since Word of God has confirmed the Presence hasn’t gone full Combine yet on the multiverse… yet, anyways.”
- Flame shift uneasily -
Flame: "I mean, I guess... but then why Urbe specifically? Surely there's other places that we could've fought the Presence from in this world, so what makes this part so special-?"
- Flame thinks back to the teaser mentioning all the stolen war slaves going to the Lipari Archipelago -
Flame: "Daedalus, are you sure we're not from here originally? Like, what if we were brought from this world to be enslaved wherever the Presence was, and that's what gave us the idea to come back?"
Daedalus: "It's a fun theory, but ultimately it's just that. A theory. Remember, I barely remember anything from the Presence's world, let alone places I might have been beforehand."

"And the Teutonii, they…"

"I came across the exiles shortly after arriving in this world." Daedalus completed his sentence. "When I discovered what the Presence did to them, I rallied them to the cause."

Well that’s a bit different in nuance from the version that I remember reading like a year ago. Also pretty sure that Daedalus is lying through his nonexistent teeth again..

Flame: "... How did you accomplish all of this in just a few months when they've been at this for 20 years? Let alone get a leadership position with them?"
Daedalus: "... I joined an ongoing campaign and shared the information and expertise I had and happened to get a bit of a lucky break for circumstances? Admittedly time's been a bit of a blur hopping dimensions, so it's probably longer than that in this world. Also, I made it a point to chum it up with locals in their beer halls."
Flame: "(Oh, so that explains the advice...)"

Kicking his feet back and forth, Flame glazed blankly over the table. Silence hung over the room for some time.

I guess I'm not a Scum after all, he chuckled uneasily.

Flame: “Wait, so then if I’m not Scum, then why are they all… like that whenever I’m around them?” .-.
Daedalus: “I mean, they thought I was a prophetic figure. Who they call ‘Daedalus’. You’re called ‘Icarus’ as a codename. So do the math there, Flame.”

Flame: “Mind’s blank from before three weeks ago, remember?”
- Daedalus blinks -
Daedalus: “(Right, gotta stop forgetting about that.) But look, the point is that we align with related figures in their mythology.”
Flame: “And you’ve never felt a reason to correct them on this why?”

Daedalus: “Because hey, if the boot fits, why not claim it?”

His first thought was that Gaius would have been happy to learn that. In a way, though, it was a step back; at least he could picture what a Scum was in his head.

That would be really debatable, especially after Gaius gets wind of what the Benefactors really are and finding out that you hail from their world.

"Although it pains me that you have forgotten your oath, and everything that happened to you…" Daedalus spoke quietly and with his head bowed. "I can at least find comfort in the fact that you're here, now."

"I'm sorry." Flame bit his lip, and lowered his gaze to the table.

Daedalus shook his head slowly. "It is not your fault, my child." A soft smile was etched on his face. "After all these years of knowing nothing about your fate, of questioning whether you were even alive… You … you have no idea how happy I am."

Flame felt the faintest hint of tears well in his eyes. The sincerity in those words moved him. Although he couldn't remember, somewhere in the recesses of his psyche, something just … felt right about them.

Boy does Daedalus know how to wrap Flame around his fingers given that turn in the scene there. Though I suppose it makes sense since he’s also doing this to an entire culture writ large.

That was, until he noticed Daedalus moving towards him. Through the table. Flame watched dumbstruck.

"Please, my child, allow me…"

Before Flame could react, the Dusknoir leaned down and … embraced him. Flame felt his body lock into place at the cold, soft body wrapped around him. His heart sputtered. After a few seconds to recover from the shock, Flame hugged him back as best as he could. The difference in body size meant that his arms reached only to its sides.

They stayed like that for a few seconds longer. When Daedalus finally let go of him—lower body still phasing through the table—he looked down at him with a smile that Flame could only describe as paternal. And Flame smiled too, feeling a strange warmth bubbling in his chest.

D’aww… I mean, I’m still incredibly

about Daedalus, but you can’t say that’s not a cute moment there.

However, there was something that the Dusknoir had said before the embrace that bothered him. He took a moment to recall.

"H-how long ago did you say we got separated?"

"Twenty-one months, and eleven days," Daedalus said. "That is when we crossed the Gateway to this world."

Flame: "... Why did you keep saying it in terms of 'months' then? That was almost two years ago! Here I thought that you had lost track of me back in the spring or something!" .-.
Daedalus: "... I'm a Ghost-Type and have a different perception of time? It didn't feel right to use 'years' when it hasn't even been two yet."

Flame stared blankly. His face gradually morphed into one of horror. "I've … only been alive for a month," he muttered. "That—that's how much I remember, at least."

Daedalus' gaze mellowed into one of compassion.

Flame now felt even more lost about himself, if such a thing was even possible.

"Why can't I remember?" Flame's gaze wandered upwards to the ceiling.

Daedalus: “Because you got your memories wiped so naturally you wouldn’t have remembered a whole lot?” ^;
Flame: “Yeah, but I had literally zero memories of being here with the Scu- er… Exiles when I got mind probed. The Gateway wouldn’t have magically spat me out 21 months after you a few hundred kilometers off-base, would it?”

"I promise," Daedalus said, placing both hands on his shoulders, "that we will do our best to discover what it is that happened to you. Though it may be hard to feel optimistic … what matters most is that you're here, now. That you're safe."

Flame nodded at that, and gave a small smile, but could not find it in him to place much hope in that promise.

"Everything you just told me," Flame began, clenching his jaw. "About how we came here. I was hoping it'd help me remember, but…" He shook his head. "Nothing. It might as well have been a story you made up."

Daedalus merely bowed its head, retreating back to the other side of the table.

I could see that reaction. Now I’m starting to think that it really was all made up. Since a number of things that Daedalus has told Flame this chapter stood out as bald lies in a second readthrough, and if Daedalus was willing to lie about them...

Flame's gaze continued to wander around the room, his tail swaying to and fro. He didn't know whether to feel hopeless or resentful right now. Judging from how much brighter the room felt, orange patches of light dancing across every inch, his tail fire seemed to be favouring resentment.

When I woke up in that cave… I felt like I was on the verge of dying. But I wasn't injured, per se. It felt like … I'd just gone through something unimaginable.

Flame: “Scratch that, I know I was dying since my tail flame was almost out. And I mean, I guess getting yeeted across universes would fit the bill there, but…”

Flame watched his first encounter with Alice and Gaius play back in his mind. He remembered the cold, the mountains outside, the vastness of the sky, the walls of Aesernia in the distance. At the time, it all felt so … new. It still did, in a way.

Flame stared Daedalus in the eye suddenly.

"Could you help me remember?" Flame asked, struggling to keep desperation out of his voice.

Bold of you to assume you can blindly trust what Daedalus has to offer as the truth, Flame. Though I suppose if you managed to talk yourself into thinking it was safe to have Yvaine mind probe you... >:V

Daedalus stared at him for several seconds, eye still in thought. "My child… You must understand, your mind is in a very precarious state right now. Though it will heal, it may take months. Perhaps years. By attempting to force the healing process, I fear that … we may damage your psyche beyond all repair."

I am not convinced at all that Daedalus doesn’t have ulterior motives there, but okay then.

Daedalus: "Saw the effects of a permanently damaged psyche on another Charmeleon like you named 'Leo'. Even if I didn't stick around for the ending, it was obviously not going anywhere good for him."
Flame: "(Wait, so there are Charmeleon out there named ‘Leo’?) Also, not leaving me here in the world with ongoing wars that hover at exterminatory levels of carnage and 'steel ravens' that can show up overnight and blast villages from existence would help if I potentially need years to bounce back from this."
Daedalus: "Well, we don't have access to another Gateway, now do we? So just try and do your best with what we have."

Flame flinched.

"Way to put it lightly," he muttered, gaze wandering off to the side.

In a brief stretch of silence, he could hear a group of voices and laughter passing by his house. Flame tapped his claws idly on the table.

"Maybe you could…" Flame said, eyes brightening. "Project one of your memories to me. I, I don't know—there has to be something!"

Yeeeah, I’ll seriously take the under on Daedalus ever willfully doing that since after getting a second look-over, he’s pretty obviously keeping secrets from you.

"I … don't know, Flame," Daedalus shook his head slowly. "While certainly less invasive, it could trigger a cascade of your own memories. A lifetime's worth of memories. You may still be young, but your mind cannot possibly handle that in your current state."

Flame was about to protest, but he knew it was no use. Daedalus was right. When he'd allowed Yvaine to probe his memories, his head felt like it was about to split open. He brought a paw to his head almost on reflex.

Flame: "So... it'd cause a cascade of resonating memories. A 'resonance cascade' of memories, even."
- Flame squirms uncomfortably -
Flame: "Uh... what exactly would that do to me again? Leave me a vegetable?" ._.;
Daedalus: "Well, 'resonance cascade' in general are two words that you don't want to see side by side with each other, let alone in a story that makes as many Half-Life nods as this. If you happen to have any residual memories of that one movie night back in the Presence's world when [AKIRA] was being shown and all the randoms that got splattered by psychic powers in it, it'd probably have non-zero odds of turning out a little like that."
Flame: “Okay, so I definitely don’t want to try that, then.” O_O;

"I'm sorry. I cannot afford to take undue risks. Not after losing you for so long."

I mean, you’re kinda doing that in live-time by telling Flame untruths that can literally be falsifiable just by him picking up the local lingo and overhearing chatter in taverns from the wrong ‘mon, but you do you, Daedalus.

Flame gave a small nod. His eyes arched downwards, then narrowed slightly as he sighed. He was beginning to grow accustomed to the thought that maybe he'd never discover what had happened to him. And just two days ago, when he and the rest of Team Phalanx were planning their new lives in the east, he was almost all right with that. Now that he'd finally gotten a glimpse into his past, though, the disappointment stung back all the harder.

Flame sighed softly. He wished Alice were here.

Daedalus: “Again, were never supposed to meet her in the first place-”
Flame: “Oh come on, Daedalus. Surely your plan has room for being tweaked to involve two extra Pokémon in it. (Or really, just the blue noodle will do since Gaius is admittedly kinda a dick.)” >.<

"However…"

Flame's head shot back up. He stared at the Dusknoir expectantly.

"One of the exiles stationed here possesses advanced psionic abilities," Daedalus said, arms behind its back. "I will assign them to aid you in your recovery. If they deem it safe enough, I will happily share my own memories with you."

Flame grew a tiny smile. Though it was not nearly enough, he decided to take what he could get.

"Thank you."

Wonder if you should’ve just revealed the psychic was a ‘her’ in Daedalus’ dialogue there, especially since it comes out in later chapters that he and this psychic are fairly close to each other on a personal level.

Flame: "Wait, but out of curiosity. Who is going to be the psychic-?"
- Cue the Braixen from the past couple chapters strolling in -
Brynn: "Hallo, [------] Glutexo!"
Flame: "Her?! She's the psychic?!" O_O;
Daedalus: "Well, she's a Psychic-type, she's been appearing regularly around you... (Oh and the writer of these cutaway gags has been through this story before so he knows where the plot’s going.) So, seems as solid a choice as any."
Flame: "Er... I don't suppose that you have other candidates for this Psychic as well?"
Daedalus: "Mrph. Not my call, I just go with whatever the best candidate dictates me to. So we'll have to wait and see (even if I seriously doubt either of us will be surprised here)."

"You deserve to live a normal life, my child," Daedalus said softly, nodding. "It is getting late. Tomorrow will be a long day."

"Hold on," Flame leaned forward on the table. "One last question. Please."

It had been gnawing at the back of his mind ever since first waking up here. He had to get an answer to it to even consider living here another day.

Daedalus merely nodded again.

Flame stared the Dusknoir straight in the eye. "Are all those stories about the Teutonii true? All the massacres, the rapes, the killing of prisoners?"

Daedalus: “You do realize that I’m not just going to say ‘yes, everything you’ve heard about them is right’ right? Like if nothing else, the Imperial perspective is missing a lot of context-”

Flame: “Look, it’s not that hard of a question, Daedalus.” >_>;

[ ]

"I had no doubt the Empire would jump at the occasion to demonise the exiles." Daedalus stared back. "When the Presence began slaughtering them in the thousands, they found no choice but to cross the Tartarus Mountains to safer lands. It is a migratory crisis of the Empire's own making. What would you have them do? Lay down and die?"

I mean, I’m pretty sure that Teutonii ROE isn’t exactly making things better, but still. Though I kinda wonder if it’d have made sense to drop in a paragraph showing Daedalus’ initial reaction to Flame’s question there.

"Answer the question," Flame narrowed his eyes. "I've been to a village they burnt down—Sperantia Nova. There wasn't even a garrison there. Why?"

Daedalus rose its head in thought. If it had a mouth, Flame imagined it would have sighed. "At the same time, I cannot deny that violence and warfare are inextricably linked," it continued. "Though I try my best, I can only be in so many places at a time to command my troops. Some merely fight to live here in peace; others, they seek vengeance for the way they were wronged. Occasionally, some take it too far."

>“““Occasionally”””

Yeah, okay Daedalus, one of your underlings immediately under you was literally committing war crimes onscreen. In a battle where you were personally present for.

I mean, I can understand where it’s coming from, but this is the definition of a disingenuous deflection here.

Flame looked down to the table for a few seconds, eyes still narrowed. His claws clenched briefly.

"That's not an excuse…"

Flame: "No seriously, Daedalus, how do you expect me to just be okay with this?"
Daedalus: - points at the earlier block of ha-text about rules of engagement in-setting -
Flame: "(Wait, we can reference our own cutaways like that?)" .-.
Daedalus: "Well you didn't expect me to just repeat something that basically said all of that a second time, did you? Let alone me going through a lecture about what 'vae victis' is all over again.”
- Daedalus shakes head -
Daedalus: “But the point is, everything that you were taught about what the Scum were like in Urbe, that's what a huge chunk of the Exiles see Urbe's Pokémon as. And they've never encountered anything to make them think twice about it. Does that put things into perspective?"
- Flame thinks back to the way Gaius all but wished constant suffering and death on the Scum, the way they cut down everyone they trapped at the encampment in Castra Aeterna, the way the Teutonii!Leafeon was abused and bullied all the way back to Ariel's, and Alice's casual mention of Teutonii being forced into arena fights and blanches -
Flame: "I... That's..."
Daedalus: "Flame, even if every single Teutonii division had someone like me to try and push back on things, there'd still be stuff like that happening. There's that much bad blood out there and there's limits to how much I can smooth things over short of one of the gods coming back from the dead to play peacemaker."

"Indeed," Daedalus said. "But our mission is simply too important, my child. Should we fail, none of their sacrifices will have meant anything. Pokémonkind will be but a slave to the Presence. Many more innocents will pay the price."

Flame wanted to accept that explanation—he really did, but the smouldering shell of Sperantia Nova just kept flashing in his mind. He wasn't sure how to reconcile that with the campfire and the camaraderie.

Simple. They see the ‘mons they’re brutally putting down as monsters that will either kill them or put them through things that will make them wish they were dead and at least one later chapter reveals regularly engages in perfidy against attempted diplomatic contacts. And they’re not wholly unjustified in that perception. Like that’s a fast way to just stop caring about the fates of the angry, snarling ‘mons shouting at you in what sounds to you like unintelligible gibberish.

Flame: "Say... uh... about that [bagaudae] idea again. Wouldn't that get the average Teutonii to see that Urbe's Pokémon are more than just the assortment of demons they fear them as-?"
Daedalus: "Sorry, already tried that (and the story's not set in [Galicia] where that team-up had the happiest ending), so good luck with that one."
Flame: "Ugh... it was worth a shot, at least."

Before he could raise another objection, however, Daedalus moved toward the door. It turned just before the threshold to look straight at him again.

"You should sleep, my child." Daedalus smiled softly. A few seconds passed in silence. "Though this war may be far from over, you can finally rest easy. You're safe here. You can start living a normal life, like you've always deserved."

With that, Daedalus's gaze lingered on him for one final, paternal smile. Then it turned back, and phased right through the door.

And thus, Flame was alone, alone with his thoughts.

After staying still for a few seconds, almost as if to ensure it was gone, Flame released a shaky sigh. Slumping over the table, he put a hand to his forehead and groaned. He barely even had the energy to think right now.

Perhaps he'd genuinely hoped for the answer to his last question to be 'no'—despite having seen Sperantia Nova with his own two eyes. Seeing them today had scraped off the layer of propaganda off those stories, but … he had little doubt that many of those were true.

Then again, the Empire was probably doing many of the same things.

Part of me is actually a little surprised in retrospect that Daedalus didn’t take the opportunity to flip the script on the Imperials, since with a passing knowledge of the sorts of antics Real!Urbe got up to, and established stuff from passing details it’s really easy to draw up a list of grievances from the Teutonii perspective and package it in a nice sob story that would play to Flame’s biases since the Empire didn’t exactly put its best foot forward for making a positive impression with him.

Like even if it’d be a reach to get Flame into “you know what, it’s okay if Aesernia burns” after a single speech, from the perspective of aiming to break any affinity that Flame might have picked up towards the Empire, attempting to present them as the greater evil seems like a fairly effective route of pulling that off. And given how Flame is a touch on the reflexively trusting side, not all that hard to manage.

I just want to be done with this stupid war…

His eyes wandered to the map on the table again. A simple question popped up in his mind: where was he? He dragged the map closer to himself, and propped his elbows on either side to concentrate.

He recognised this as the map he'd packed in his bag, the one they'd meant to use in their escape plan. All the cities were marked—thank the gods. Unable to find Aesernia at a first glance, he went back down to Urbe and traced the course of the Tiberius river with a claw, then that of its tributary, the Sontium, snaking up to the northern plains.

There.

Assuming that the Sontium feeds into the Tiberius River in this setting, I think that you actually want ‘tributary’ there instead of ‘subsidiary’ for a river. Though I’m pretty sure that you called it ‘Tiberis’ in the past, so make sure to keep the nomenclature consistent.

Flame: “... I feel as if I should have more questions about why Daedalus was studying a map that Alice borrowed from a public library as a military commander, but let’s think about that another time.”

Flame tapped his claw on the black circle marked 'Aesernia'. He gave himself a small smile for the progress. Alice's geography lessons were serving him well. From here, he knew he had to look further north. That was where the Scum had migrated from—where the front lines of the war had been dug. For there to be a full-on village here, he had to be in enemy territory.

Lake, lake, lake… he mouthed, his eyes pouring over the northern reaches of the Aesernian plain. He kept a claw on the city itself to keep track of it.

His eyes lit up when he spotted the small blue blob in the north-western corner of Portus province; before he could get too excited, though, he noticed another lake a bit to the east, nestled in some hilly terrain. When he looked further to the north-east, he realised how far away he was from finding the answer: scattered along the foot of the Tartarus Mountains must have been a half dozen more.

Flame: “... So much for getting a lead. Should’ve asked Daedalus where on earth I was while I had the chance.”

A sense of hopelessness began taking hold of Flame. Frowning, he tried his best to recall the landscape around the village—it was too dark to check outside for himself.

There's … a tall hill that overlooks the village. He laced his claws together and wriggled them. The terrain on the other side of the lake is hilly, too. Or are those mountains…?

He looked back down at the map, yet that description could have applied to most of the lakes here: surrounded by either local hills or the Spearhead or Tartarus mountain ranges.

I mean, you could mentally note what the possible potential candidate lakes there were and try to line up details when it’s light again, but… yeah, that would probably be pretty soul-crushing.

Flame: “Why on earth didn’t Daedalus just tell me where we were? I thought we were supposed to be friends!” >_>;

It's no use.

With a small yawn, Flame pushed the map away and hopped off his chair. Perhaps he'd try again in the morning, when he could get a better look at the shape of the lake and the surrounding terrain. It was the best he could do. He suspected he wouldn't get an answer out of Daedalus, were he to ask.

I mean, not that he’s wrong there, but what exactly is Flame using to ground his suspicion there? Since he didn’t exactly try yet or get close to broaching the topic of geography in his earlier questions to Daedalus.

He made his way to his bed and threw himself onto the soft hay. The tension in his muscles mellowed as the sheer exhaustion of the last few days set in.

Flame shut his eyes. Not a second after trying to settle into sleep, though, did he start feeling it: the feeling of emptiness next to his bed. The utter silence. He sighed softly. This was the first time he'd slept without them.

Flame: “Well, I suppose there was also that bed on the Mare Nostrum but that was for like five minutes, so it doesn’t count.” >_>;

Turning onto his back, he wondered if he would ever see them again. Daedalus spoke so often of all this as his 'new life', something he'd have to settle into and accept. While his heart was still conflicted over whether he wanted this or not, it almost certainly entailed abandoning his team forever.

Flame's scurrying heartbeat began to drown out his thoughts, and he tucked his legs closer to his chest for comfort. He didn't want that. He couldn't cope with the thought of thought of all those moments lived together amounting to nothing, in the end—of never hearing Alice's voice again.

- Meanwhile back in Sycorax’s camp -
Gaius: “Why am I getting the feeling that Flame’s going on about something mushy that would gag right about now?” >_>;
Praetorian!Weavile: “Do you get in the habit of talking to yourself a lot, Grovyle?”
- Beat moment -
Grovyle: “... Right, Alice is busy trying to argue for my life right about now and not here to respond. Forgot about that one.” >.<

The only conceivable solution to that dilemma was escaping. Yet that once again presented the problem that he had no idea where his teammates were. Whether in Aesernia, already marching eastward across Basileia, or perhaps in a mass grave, having been caught and hanged for their crimes.

He swallowed and shook his head to stave off the image.

Flame: “Least of all because I’d like to not bawl myself to sleep tonight. Why on earth did I even think of that possibility?”

Aside from that, he was in no shape to play daredevil: the battle yesterday had left him completely drained, both physically and mentally. How could he possibly hope to cross what could be hundreds of kilometres of wild terrain, let alone hunt for food, in this condition?

Reminder that Flame technically doesn’t know how far he is from the frontlines right now. It probably makes sense for him to parse his distance from Team Phalanx in terms of possibilities rather than definite distances.

A frown overtook his face. That was if he could even outrun the Scum inevitably patrolling the village.

Flame: “Which considering how I can barely set foot outside without them trying to worship the ground I walk on… is… uh… not terribly likely, to say the least.”

Laying on his side, Flame clutched a clawful of straw. It was no use lying to himself: at the moment, he had no choice but to stay here.

At the same time, he also couldn't deny the fact that he'd never felt this safe before. Certainly not in Aesernia. Not having to worry about where to source each meal was a feeling he could certainly get used to. Perhaps it wouldn't be so bad.

He felt so welcome here, too. The pokémon at Camp Tempest never did that…

Somewhere in his train of thought, Flame felt his concentration slipping into a current of sleep. He did not resist, and settled in his bed soon afterwards.

Oh, so this is where Flame’s affinity for the Teutonii he has in the most recent chapters gets its jump start. I mean, it makes sense, since this is literally the one corner of this world that hasn’t been indifferent or outright nasty towards him from the jump.

"Princess Alice. I am glad you came here."

Putting that right in the open, eh? Though a surprised that Sycorax didn't address her as an Augusta per Imperial convention unless that's deliberate. Or use her proper name for that matter, though that might be an attempt to butter her up here.

Alice breathed sharply at hearing Sycorax's cold, synthesised voice pronounce her name once again.

She froze just as the tent flaps fell behind her. The whole room before her quivered at the light of a lantern hanging from the ceiling, illuminating the stares of both the Genesect and Yvaine and Virgo, whose conversation with the general she'd just interrupted. Virgo waved at her with a goofy smile, whereas Yvaine, barely able to stand, smiled weakly and sent her a nod.

Alice: “Wait a minute, why are you two here right now?” .-.
Virgo: “We heard you wanted to talk with the General about something and wanted to give support? We’re not that distant from each other, are we?”
Alice: “(Look, I don’t want to get close to you, Virgo.) And, uh… why exactly is Yvaine here instead of being on bedrest in her present state?” .-.
Yvaine: “Duty of a soldier? I’d like to remind that I can still perform auxiliary duties even while injured as an aura sensitive ‘mon, so…”

Alice, however, was too busy staring a hole into the ground to fully pay attention. Her brain refused to meet Sycorax's gaze even by accident. Just a flash of his bright, red eyes staring at her sent her heart throbbing.

I wonder if that whole “nope nope nope” thing that Sycorax has going on is just something that everyone who’s not a Praetorian or else named Adrian has going on. Since it didn’t cross my mind until now, but we’ve seen a lot of Pokémon get creeped out by just being in Sycorax’s presence in this story.

Breathing heavily, she grit her teeth together. It was so stupid. Just before coming in she'd felt so confident—so prepared to put everything on the line for her team! Now, she'd finally reverted back to a scared little Dratini, one who couldn't let go of her past even when people were counting on her.

I mean Sycorax is a Genesect. I can't imagine it's easy to keep your nerve around them, especially as a NFE Pokémon.

She felt Sycorax study her for several more seconds, before addressing the praetorians. "That will be all for now," Sycorax said. "You may finish your report in the morning. Dismissed."

"Ave Imperator!" Virgo replied. She saw him give a sharp salute from the corner of her vision.

Wait, was ‘Ave Imperator’ employable as a generic salute thing back in the day, or is this deliberate parallelism to some certain less savory regimes from the 20th century?

Yet still Alice was frozen in place, heart throbbing, lip quivering as a plethora of emotions battled inside her. She didn't want to go back. To see him again. To hear his forgiveness or perhaps worse, his disappointment that she hadn't changed whatsoever. She felt her heart would crumble; that would be it for her.

Boy is that inevitable meeting between her and Adrian down the pipe going to get awkward, since I’m not convinced for a moment that it won’t happen given how you’ve bothered to actually give Adrian screentime, and he’s the one major character who has yet to cross paths directly with Team Phalanx in any version of this story presently up.

For a fleeting moment, she felt panic begin to creep into her thoughts, but she dispelled it quickly and brought her breathing back under control.

He is not my father, Alice shut her eyes. And I'm not a helpless Dratini.

He is not my father.

I mean, yeah. Getting thrown to fend for yourself against the wolves for 4+ years will certainly do a number on your paternal affinity. I’m now really morbidly curious as to how much of a trainwreck the inevitable reunion is going to be.

"Alice?"

She opened her eyes to see Virgo right in front of her, carrying Yvaine in his arms as if she were a kit. This close, Alice couldn't look at the Umbreon without wincing mentally. Where once there was black fur, the entire left side of her body bared a fleshy patch of burnt pink—including her left thighs and cheek.

I’m actually wondering why Virgo didn’t attempt to do this back in Chapter XVIII, since… yeah, this seems like a lot more secure of a stance to try and hold her than what he and Flame ultimately opted with.

Alice: "Again. Virgo, why is Yvaine here in this state and not on bedrest?" ._.
Virgo: "Ask her. She's the one who insisted on being here for this."

She prayed that Flame hadn't been hurt in the same way.

"I said we can talk tomorrow," Yvaine looked at her with a weak smile.

"O-oh," Alice blinked. "Y-yes. Of course."

Alice: “W-Wait, have I just been zoning out in public, or…?”

Virgo + Yvaine:

Alice: “... (Boy is this not selling the impression that I wanted to give off to Sycorax, not that obviously quivering the moment I set foot through the door really helped.)”

Virgo sent her another of his grins, adjusting Yvaine in his hold. "Just don't go moping around all day." He tilted his head as they went past her. "Or we won't find you!"

"Virgo!" hissed Yvaine from behind her. "That's disrespectful!"

"What? Flamey's gonna be fine—someone's gotta tell her she's exaggerating!"

I actually wonder how much of that is something Virgo genuinely believes in light of knowing that Flame is Icarus versus something that he’s saying to make himself feel better considering how the prospects for the average Imperial in Teutonii custody are… uh… not bright, to say the least, and Virgo would likely know that very well.

The duo's back-and-forth became fainter and fainter, until the only sound Alice could hear was that of her own throbbing heartbeat.

They were alone, now.

She knew that Sycorax was still looking at her, yet she kept her gaze stuck firmly to the ground, unwilling to meet his. To what end, though? She shook her head. There was nowhere for her to hide. She hadn't come here for that, anyway.

I'm here for them.

Alice: “... (Now I just need to say that aloud and with the same conviction.)”
Sycorax: “Princess Alice, you do realize that I’m a highly experienced Psychic, right?”

Alice: “... Right. I should’ve had that in mind when coming here.”

That thought cut through her doubts. She wasn't sure about Gaius, but she knew Flame would have done it for her, too. They were counting on her.

Alice looked up.

She met the Genesect's bright, red eyes with only a sharp breath on her part. Its dual pupils seemed to shine with a light of their own, hidden behind a layer of glass. The two continued to glare for several prolonged seconds.

Alice is as stiff as a board right about now, isn’t she? Since from the way she was reacting to Sycorax earlier, I can’t imagine that she wasn’t visibly on-edge throughout all this.

"I understand your discomfort at my presence." Sycorax turned to face its desk. "I shall be brief."

Yup, I called it.

Alice furrowed her brow further as Sycorax spoke. The way its mouth didn't move, and the way its voice was always accompanied by slight crackles never failed to unsettle her. Even knowing the Genesect her whole life, it simply never did.

I wonder what on earth happened between Adrian and Sycorax such that Adrian doesn’t find Sycorax weird and creepy, but rather is the one figure in all of the Empire that he trusts the most.

"What does he want from me?" she said coldly.

Sycorax glanced back at her curiously, almost as if it weren't expecting her to be the one asking questions.

In response, Alice found the strength to stand taller. Despite all the emotions coursing through her—her shaking, her throbbing heartbeat, the urge to look away … [she could only reserve] the Genesect a look of pure hatred.

I think that the bit in brackets probably would sound better rephrased to something along the lines of [she stood firm and shot] , since something about ‘could only reserve’ feels at-odds with the description of Alice basically fighting a whole bunch of feelings basically screaming “break eye contact with the creepy cyborg bug” to her.

It observed her for a while longer. "I expected you to take that line of questioning." Sycorax stopped sifting through the papers on its desk. "Very well, then."

Sycorax then turned to face her fully. It seemed to be impassible to her spiteful glare. "Recently, His Majesty has begun expressing … concern, for your safety. He instructed me to ensure you would not be seeing live combat yesterday."

Alice: “Wait, what the actual-?”

Alice swung her tail to and fro as she processed everything. It didn't—it didn't make sense. Concern!? After all that he'd put her through? Maybe that was his plan: to torment her even in her exile. Unless…

Was he… Was he feeling guilty?

He also assigned us those missions, didn't he? Alice began breathing raggedly. To keep Team Phalanx afloat. Because he was … 'concerned'.

>picking out missions where you risk life and limb to earn just enough to buy bread loaves is """concern"""

Alice: "Yeah, no, dad's totally just doing this to mess with me. If he was really concerned about me, he'd have just sent me to Capri away from this hell like a normal exile from the royal family." >_>;
Sycorax: "Bold of you to assume there is still a Capri standing in this setting considering how destructive and frequent portal storms have become as of late."
Alice: "Honestly, if there's not, I think I'm gonna lose it considering all the crap I've been through so far."

Her face drew a blank. This was too much. The last four years of her life had been nothing but cold winters, hunger, loneliness, and dejection. And it turned out he was sorry, after all. Somehow, the thought angered her even more. She had to fight back tears of exasperation and force her face into a neutral expression.

I’m still curious as to what on earth were the first two years were like where Alice was genuinely on her own. Since given that whatever happened was apparently bad enough that she felt motivated to stick out Gaius and look the other way on his neverending list of self-destructive antics…

"Go back to his palace, and tell him," Alice said slowly and deliberately, "that he's forfeited the right to worry about me."

Again, Sycorax stood unfazed. "I believe His Majesty would disagree."

Alice pressed her lips together and clenched her jaw to hold back the stream of insults that threatened to come out. Like she could care less. Her father couldn't even decide whether or not he hated her, it seemed.

My money is still on the falling out between these two having something to do with Alice’s -ahem- flight problems. Like I’m not sure why it would be such a big deal, but from how touchy Alice consistently is about it, to the way that her treatment in the royal family apparently dramatically changed the moment she evolved from a Dratini… it just seems very unlikely that there’s no connection at all.

"So what now?" Alice kept her eyes narrowed. "I take it that you'll bring me to Urbe. It was the entire reason behind you kidnapping my team, wasn't it?"

"No."

Alice blinked. She hadn't been expecting that answer.

"While your father did give me that order," Sycorax stood taller, the top of its large cannon poking against the tent's ceiling. "You were not the main objective behind our mission."

Oh, so Alice was the secondary objective for the Chapter XIX teaser. Still can’t tell whether or not that date was off, or else if something else was up given that it was set in like a month in the past relative to when the present would’ve been back then.

With her train of thought derailed completely, Alice could only manage to stare dumbly at the general. She imagined that if its mouth could move, it'd be smirking right now.

"Your friend—the Charmeleon," Sycorax buzzed. "Do you care for him?"

"… Yes."

Alice: “I’m pretty sure that I’m going to regret being honest about this to you really fast, but…”

"Good. Because we want to free him, too."

Alice's heart stopped. She felt her cheek cold and pale, her mind rushing at the implications of it all. They knew. They knew. They had to know that he was a part of the Scum! They were going to find him and have him killed, or, or—

Wait…

She blinked, then furrowed her brow as she stared at nothing in particular. Something in that thought process didn't quite sound right. Normally, treason or desertion were grounds for immediate execution—but Flame was not here. He was with the Scum, likely far behind the front lines.

It made no sense to launch a rescue mission—to risk praetorian lives, dedicate praetorian resources—for someone who was going to be hanged either way.

I mean, unless he’s not normal Scum, of course.

Alice: "This would be so much easier if we could just speak to our counterparts in the story."
Gaius: "'Flame is Icarus and that's why Sycorax is about to charge off into the middle of Scum territory to get him back.' Am I missing anything there?"
Alice: "... Aren't you supposed to be tied up in a tent right now?"
Gaius: "Not canon, remember? I can fudge the rules on presence a bit."
- Blink moment -
Gaius: "Actually... wait a moment, what was Sycorax planning on doing to Flame with his Ascension Programme such that he didn't immediately pull him aside after he walked in on us in the field hospital? If he'd just done that right then and there, he'd never have lost him in the first place!"
Alice: "... Could he have not figured that out until the last moment? Yvaine did see Flame's memories the night before the battle outside Aesernia. Maybe even if he had a hunch, he only found out hard proof then?"
- Gaius frown -
Gaius: "... Still feels like that bug's a few olives shy of an arena meal if you ask me."

Alice tried to swallow, but she felt a knot blocking her throat. There had to be something else at play here.

Something she wasn't aware of.

Try looking up at the chapter title, hon. You’d be able to appreciate the meanings very well given that you’re canonically the member of Team Phalanx that’s fluent in Latin Oldspeak.

"It appears you already know part of the reason," Sycorax said, arms crossed behind its back. Its metal carapace shone against the lantern's light. "You see, your friend is … important to us. But more than that, he's also a soldier." It crossed an arm over its chest. "My responsibility."

Time to trot out Bender again:

- Alice scoff -
Alice: "'He's also a soldier'? Your forces were more than content to sit back and allow Praefect Varus' legions to get butchered just a couple days ago. Does he honestly expect me to buy that explanation?"
Gaius: "... Yeah, that's a bit of a reach there. Maybe if he'd emphasized if he was one of his soldiers. (Even if that doesn't explain Sycorax letting Flame getting in a position where he could get captured like that.)"
Sycorax: "If you two are done trying to talk behind my back, need I remind you that there's only so much that can be done when a 'Praefect Varus' is handling an offensive against the Scum?"
Alice: "(Erk! I thought this one was just going to be me and Gaius!) Er... I'm not sure if I follow the point there, General Sycorax."
Gaius: "(Maybe it's some sort of bad omen thing from history to send a 'Varus' out to fight? Though if he knew that, why'd he put 'Praefect Varus' in charge of Aesernia's front line in the first place?!)" >_>;

Before she could fully process everything that she'd just heard, Sycorax took a step towards her.

"We are close to finding his location. I have one request to make of you, Alice," Sycorax leaned down closer to her level. "Once we rescue your friend, convince him to cooperate. If you do, your Grovyle comrade here will receive a full pardon and compensation for his injuries." She could feel it smirking again. "I may also deny His Majesty's request to bring you to Urbe."

I’m still curious as to how on earth Sycorax and the gang are managing this one in the story. I can basically think of two potential routes for him to pull this off since he gets things really, really precise when he does catch up, I just haven’t settled on which of the two are more plausible, or else if they’re working in concert.

Alice: “Uh… and why should I trust you again when you’re smirking so obviously that it’s palpable right now?”

Sycorax: “Because, Princess Alice. You are short on alternative options at the moment.”

Sycorax leaned in even closer with its head, forcing Alice to look away from its glare. She hated how he was blackmailing her. Using Gaius' life, no less. In a moment of desperation, she wished this could have all stayed about her father.

Alice: “Look, can I at least get some sort of hard commitment that you’re not going to renege-?”
Sycorax:

"… why are you after him?" she mumbled out.

"The Creators—our Benefactors—have found a higher purpose for him." Sycorax shook its head slowly. "I'm afraid you wouldn't understand. I can assure you, however, that we will bring him back by your side, safe and sound."

I mean, not that Alice in the proper story likely realizes it, but those two things are literally mutually incompatible with one another, so…

The Genesect then pulled away and walked to its desk, turning its back to the trembling Dragonair.

"The choice is yours." It said in a final bout of static. "I am sure you will see reason."

Alice: "This is one of those deals that I can't refuse, isn't it?"
Sycorax: "Do you really wish to find out, Princess Alice?"
Alice: "... No. No I do not." ._.

Yet Alice wasn't listening; her mind was busy playing back the scene of the Scum leader laying a hand on Flame's shoulder. She remembered how they met: how fearful he was, wounded and alone, remembering absolutely nothing. Finally, she remembered the moment they'd shared in the infirmary bed, staring into each other's eyes as if their lives depended on it.

Flame … who are you?

- Alice finally looks up at the chapter title and pauses -
Alice: “W-Wait a minute. Is that what Flame is? The leader of the Scum?! But- That doesn’t explain why Sycorax would need him alive, and-”
Gaius: “Oi, save something for next chapter, would ya?” >_>;

And made it to the end. Pulling up the next chapter-

Gaius: "There's no teaser again. Saved you some commentary."
Alice: "I just... Wh-What did I just get ourselves into?"
Gaius: "Hey, well it's getting my head off the chopping block here, so play along with it. If it's really a bad deal we'll try and work some way to weasel out of it."
Alice: "Also, Sycorax was convinced that we'd still be able to rescue Flame. Not that it doesn't make sense for plot reasons, but what is he really? What is this 'Icarus' that he is? And why do I have a really, really bad feeling about all of this?" ._.

Still think that it might be worth patching in “outside looking in” teasers regarding the Teutonii for some of these chapters that presently lack them. Especially since it might give some hints to the readers for things like how Sycorax is managing to get his leads.

Alright, onto the postmortem:

Boy was that a different experience going back to look at this chapter a second time, since there was a lot of stuff that came up what was very

-worthy, especially between Flame and Daedalus. It’s one of those chapters where even if there wasn’t a lot of forward progress, it sets up quite a few things about where the plot is going, and for those with a keen eye a lot of the things that come up here that get contradicted later on by developments that happen help tee up some serious red flags about what’s going on with Daedalus and the ship that he runs

As for things that I’m less sold on… I dunno if there really is anything. Maybe some of this content could’ve been pulled into the prior chapter while some content from the next such as the initial meet and greet with Brynn could’ve been pulled forward to give more of a sense of progression / more of a cliffhanger ending, but that’s not exactly a trivial ask, and what’s there does still work pretty well, especially after understanding the full context of how it slots into the story.

Kudos as always, @Shadow of Antioch . Even if it took a while longer than in the past, I’m happy to have caught up with this chapter again, and am looking forward to seeing your story’s full run make it here later this year. Even if I’m pretty sure that Flame’s peaceful days in and among the Teutonii are pretty numbered right about now.

 

[Shadow of Antioch]

Chapter XXIII: Audere​

---

"Prepare Down Target: Icarus. Final coordinates received. Priority supersedes all previous instructions."

— Encrypted radio transmission sent from Vulcano Isle to Supreme General Sycorax.

---

Imperial Palace – Urbe

Adrian should have felt wonderful.

Sunlight streamed softly through the large glass window of his study. Sitting at his desk near the centre of the room, the light bathed his scales directly and granted him a pleasant warmth. That must have been why his father had positioned it here, Adrian thought, staring down at all the white ministry reports and decrees scattered across his desk. He could not concentrate long enough to read any single one.

"… the present decree," a mild voice droned on from beside him, "would authorise the construction of a further fifty-four portal storm shelters throughout the Empire. Completion time is estimated at five months and eleven days…"

Adrian slowly raised his sunken eyes to gaze at his the contents of his study. The milky marble walls of the chamber were etched with swirling golden patterns, which gleamed happily in the morning light. Mahogany bookshelves and cabinets lined both of the small room.

Yet as he looked at each gold-framed painting and extravagant golden fixture on the cabinets, somehow, he felt only emptiness.

"… Father?"

The lone word sent Adrian into a fit of blinking. He quickly glanced to his side. A pink-scaled Dragonair stood by his chair, staring back with narrowed eyes.

"Enlighten me, father," the Dragonair said, his voice fair and milky. "Why request my presence if you're just going to doze off?"

Adrian sighed and slumped back into his padded chair. "It's nothing, Demetrius." He waved a paw. "Just keep going."

"Have you even heard anything I was—"

"I said," Adrian repeated, his eyes shut, "continue."

Demetrius continued to glare at him briefly, before once again craning his head over the desk to glance at the document on top of the pile.

Adrian instinctively turned to glance at the opposite side of the room.

"As I was saying," the Dragonair said, "the Ministry of Infrastructure has readied the necessary construction materials for transportation. The only form of complication that seems to be facing this decree comes from the Senate."

"As ever," Adrian muttered, cheek resting on his paw.

Demetrius produced a smirk. "Indeed. You might remember the senators from Aesernia and Basileia questioning the financial sense of such an undertaking. And…" He lifted his eyes from the document, and looked Adrian in the eye. "If I may be frank with you, father, I share their concerns. We have yet to verify whether these shelters actually work."

"They do work," Adrian replied dryly. "I have our Benefactors' assurance."

"Perhaps so," Demetrius said, refusing to meet his father's gaze. "Yet I am sceptical that the Senate will care as much."

Adrian let out something in between a groan and a sigh. "They'll thank me when a portal storm hits their hometowns."

It would mean the gods are smiling on us, for once.

Rubbing his temple, Adrian cast his gaze towards the study's large window. It was such a beautiful day outside…

Adrian sat up straight and shook his head. Before he could get distracted any further, he dipped three of his claws in a bowl of ink before pressing them against the white bottom of the document, right beside the Imperial Seal.

The Emperor paused to look down at his work. After a few seconds, he smiled—his first such smile in a few hours. He wiped his claws on a tissue. "Find me the next decree, Demetrius."

The pink-scaled Dragonair nodded, and brought his tail onto the desk to fish through the documents, neck craned forward to read.

Adrian looked off in another direction again. He couldn't help but notice that his son's neck and tail orbs fit well with the desk's decorations: both were a muddy gold hue. He supposed he should have found something poetic about that.

"You know, father." Demetrius shot him a sideways glance. "It's rather curious that you requested my help at all."

Adrian sighed, head in hand. "Sycorax is away on a mission," he said. "I needed someone I can trust."

A single, bitter chuckle left Demetrius' nostrils. "Trust."

Adrian looked to his son, who was still lifting papers with his tail. "Why do you say that? Of course I trust you."

"Oh, 'tis nothing."

"Demetrius…"

The Dragonair paused, but did not lift his eyes from the papers on his desk. "I can't seem to recall—when were the last gladiatorial games you took me to?"

Adrian shut his eyes and took a deep breath. "Please, Demetrius, not now." He rubbed his temples. "Tomorrow I'll take you to the Imperial Gardens. I promise."

Demetrius paused in the middle of sliding a paper away with his tail. "I can see those from my window," he said. "How peculiar that you seem to take my sisters to every game, hm?"

"Stop it." Adrian pushed his chair back and turned to his son. "You know that's not true. Y-you're my pride and joy, just like your sisters. It's just—"

"Just like Alice?"

Adrian's heart skipped a beat and sucked the blood out of his face. He felt the blood run out of his face. His lip quivering, Adrian opened his maw but no words came.

Demetrius snorted again, showing the slightest hint of a smirk. "I thought so."

Desperately, Adrian rushed for something, anything to say, but it was no use. The Dragonair slid a paper before him with his tail tip.

"Here. The present decree," Demetrius leaned closer to read, "concerns the resettlement of one-thousand two hundred refugees from Portus, and other towns hit by recent portal storms. Nine hundred of them are to be transferred to Agia Marina, where local Civil Protection units have already…"

Adrian slumped back into his chair. It was no use trying to concentrate. Besides, it was always the same story: the numbers had long stopped mattering to him.

It's mocking me. He shut his eyes. This world, it's mocking me…

Slumped over his desk and head in hand, he suddenly found himself looking away from his desk, and towards the large glass windows of his office. From the hill that the Imperial Palace stood on, it was possible to make out nearly the entirety of Urbe. Dozens of black specks flew above the sea of red roofs and narrow streets stretching as far as the eye could see. On another, distant hill directly opposite the Palace stood the grand white columns of the Temple of Cresselia; to its right, at ground level, the great brown dome of the Pantheon towered over the surrounding housing blocks.

A fond smile found its way to Adrian's face. There it was: his pride and joy, the city of his father and forefathers. The seat of his dominion. He wondered how many of his subjects were outside today…

Adrian blinked. He narrowed his eyes to make sure he was seeing right; one of the black figures flying above the city seemed to be growing larger. In fact, it seemed to be headed straight for—

A sudden tightness gripped his chest.

"…overall," Demetrius continued reading, "the last refugees are estimated to reach—father? Are you even listening?"

Yet Adrian had long stopped listening. Paws gripping the sides of his desk, his attention was now focused entirely on the odd orange creature approaching the palace grounds, slowing down gradually as it did so.

Adrian stood up from his chair. "Demetrius," he said flatly. "Leave this room. Shut the door behind you, and ensure that no one enters until I give the all-clear."

"I beg your pardon? Why would—" Demetrius followed his father's stare to the window, whereupon his face turned a paler shade of pink.

The lithe creature was levitating in full view just behind the glass. It penetrated them with its empty stare, dangling its twin pair of whip-like arms.

"… Wh-who is that?" Demetrius stuttered.

"Leave," Adrian said through gritted teeth.

Demetrius shrunk slightly at the sternness in his voice. Alternating looks between Adrian and the creature, he sat there undecided for a few heartbeats before directing his father a vague glare. "Very well, then."

Then the Dragonair lifted off the ground, and flew towards the ornate door to the chamber.

A heavy thud echoed through the room. Finally, the Emperor stood alone.

Adrian's paws shook slightly, still holding the sides of his desk—his eyes still glued to the Deoxys levitating motionless behind the window. Though his heart throbbed wildly in his chest, Adrian did his best to keep his face steeled and jaw clenched. They could sense his weakness.

With three urgent strides, he was at the window. Trembling slightly from the proximity, he struggled to undo the latch. The Dragonite's breaths grew heavier and heavier. A metallic click echoed through his study and he eased the glass pane open.

A flurry of cold air immediately struck Adrian's face. Eyes squinted, he stepped back from the opened window and watched as the Deoxys floated inside. Its blank eyes never left Adrian's as it touched its tapered feet to the floor, producing no sound.

"Your Majesty," the Deoxys spoke.

A shiver ran through Adrian's back. This creature's voice lacked the background static characteristic of Sycorax, but was just as lifeless.

The Emperor instinctively brought his quivering paws behind his back, and splayed his wings out to adopt a more regal look. "You never come here in person."

"Circumstances change." The Deoxys turned its head about the room. "Diplomatic Unit Sycorax is not here to relay our messages."

Adrian perked slightly at the name. His eyes opened ever so wider. "H-has he been successful?"

"Not yet." The Deoxys peered into his eyes. "That is why we're here. You of all beings should know how sensitive the details of this operation are."

Adrian swallowed on nothing. All of a sudden, the marble-tiled floor felt cold underneath his feet.

"Once Icarus is captured," the Deoxys went on, "an extraction force will be dispatched for retrieval within eight hours. You will order your army to grant us safe passage. You will also order them to not interfere with the operation in any way."

Adrian produced a single nod. "My troops are strong and noble," he said. "I have the utmost confidence in them."

The Deoxys let its whip-like arms wave gently in the breeze as it stared. "Very well. The success of the Ascension Programme rests on this operation. Should you help us, we intend to abide by our promise."

Still standing with his back rigid, Adrian allowed himself a tiny smile at the thought. All these years of subservience, all the humiliations—they were finally paying off! The Benefactors had the means to observe every pokémon on this planet. He could already see it: within days, all major Scum strongholds would be identified and obliterated by their steel ravens. Within a week at most, the Imperial Army would once again be advancing northward into the occupied territories. His legionaries would sweep through any remaining barbarians; morale would boom again. They would enter Mylae, Edessa, all towns and cities long thought lost!

And then, as impossible as it seemed, the war would be over.

Assuming a portal storm doesn't swallow them first…

His smile quickly collapsed.

"Your Majesty," the Deoxys said. "Is something the matter?"

An irritated sigh left Adrian. He hated how easily they sensed his weakness.

"To be frank, Administrator," Adrian met the creature's gaze, "I am no longer sure if victory alone will suffice." He bit his lip. "Th-this is not to say that your support isn't invaluable. Rest assured, it is. I and millions of other souls would be forever grateful. It's just…"

"You wish for portal storms to stop," the Deoxys interjected. "Is that correct?"

Adrian began fiddling with his claws behind his back. "I … I just want everything to go back to normal. To how things were…"

Before you came, he was tempted to add.

The Deoxys merely stood there for a few seconds. It turned its head slowly to look around the room again, focusing on one of his richly-stacked bookcases.

"Our researchers are close to finding a solution," it said.

"T-to portal storms?" Adrian dropped his arms to his sides. "And spatial anomalies?"

"Yes. However, that will not be possible until the Ascension Programme is brought to completion."

Underneath his numb stare, Adrian could feel his thoughts starting to rush. He breathed in and out deeply to keep his nerves under check. Could it be true? It felt like too much. They were offering to end every ill that had been plaguing his realm in a fell swoop. The war, portal storms, mystery dungeons, the trust of his subjects!

All that, in exchange for one pokémon.

A single pokémon. Somehow, that thought made him queasy.

"You see now," the Deoxys said, "why the Empire's collaboration is imperative. Our goals align quite closely, Your Majesty. You need our help, and we need your help."

Adrian quickly averted his eyes. "I—I understand." He swallowed. "I shall relay the orders immediately."

Holding an air of finality, the Deoxys turned around to face the window and the outside world. "Our monthly tribute was scheduled for three days ago. Ensure that it does not experience further delay."

"It w-won't," Adrian began playing with his claws.

A stretch of silence followed between them, filled with nothing but the swirling wind and Adrian's thumping heartbeat.

The Deoxys slowly gazed up at the sky and held its arms out like thin, outstretched wings. "Farewell. Await further instructions."

With that, it lifted itself and flew outside of the open window.

Feeling numb, Adrian stumbled towards the window. He grabbed onto the ledge with shaky claws. His eyes followed the orange form shrinking in the sky above Urbe. It lifted higher and higher towards the clouds, accelerating away ever faster. By the time he saw the tiny dark spot enter a cloud, it was already gone.

And thus Adrian was left there, staring emptily at the sky with his hands clasped onto the window ledge.

Only a gust of freezing wind awoke him from his stupor. Eyes clenched shut and teeth gritted, the Dragonite reached an arm out blindly for the window and threw it shut with a heavy thump.

With the howling wind now down to a whisper, Adrian pressed a paw against the window and breathed heavily. It was always the same story. Even when it wasn't Sycorax, he was still the one taking orders.

That thought triggered something in Adrian's head. A fiery rage erupted in his veins; his face contorted with anger.

"Damn them… Damn them ALL!" He banged his paw on the glass.

Still shaking with unbridled tension, Adrian shuffled back towards the desk. His breaths grew laboured with each step. The wave of pulsating emotions swam around his head, and refused to let him rest. Once he'd neared the desk, he felt himself stumble and grabbed onto its edge for support.

"Further instructions…" he repeated with a spiteful hiss.

He was the Emperor, by Dialga's gems! First citizen, father of the country, god among mortals! Why did they have to give him orders? What kind of ruler took orders from others?!

With a groan, Adrian clawed at his temples, and slumped over his desk once again. He wished he could go back. Back to a time before they came—for everything seemed to have gone wrong the moment they'd showed up.

Drawing ragged breaths, he squeezed his eyes together and allowed his mind to wander. He somehow found himself remembering the day of his coronation. He remembered the streets of Urbe awash with pokémon, cheering the passing of his chariot. He remembered his father tall and proud, the laughter of his newly-hatched children, the soft kiss of his mate…

But that was a long time ago. Now his subjects hated him and Elana was dead. His father was dead, too, and his children…

His eyes tired, Adrian glanced to the door. Demetrius was gone. He was alone now. In some ways he was actually thankful for that fact, were it not for the dozens or so of decree papers still stacked on his desk, waiting for Crown approval.

He sat there and stared at them emptily. Could he really be asked to call for Demetrius again…?

Without quite thinking he began sifting through the documents. There had to be something else he could occupy himself with. Something that didn't require his son's—ah, the tribute! Yes, he could see to it that the situation with the tribute was solved. Live prisoners always proved the hardest to ship out. He began shifting papers around once more, his eyes glazing over the title of each and every one. There had to be an Imperial Navy report, or perhaps a letter from the High Admiral…

Just as he slid aside the very stack of decree papers that Demetrius had been reading, his claws fell upon a cold, gold-coloured badge nestled just behind his ink bottle. Adrian blinked. He picked it up, and twirled it in his claws. A heraldic eagle was carved into its back, alongside the letters laid in a semicircular fashion.

He stared at the object with vague animosity. Here it was: the foremost example of what the Benefactors were giving the Empire in return. His father's generation would have dismissed this kind of device as impossible. Now, these tiny badges allowed his armies to coordinate from across the continent—to say nothing of the encyclopaedias they'd helped fill of the universe around them, of biology, of physics…!

I don't want their enlightenment! Adrian clenched his paw tightly around the badge. I just—I just want the whole damn world to stop dying!

Adrian took a deep breath, if only to stop himself from shaking. His arms felt weak all of a sudden. He crossed them both on the desk, uncaring of the sensitive documents he was crumpling, then slumped his head on top.

Out of a maze of distress, he did the only thing he could think of. He pressed the small button on its back.

"S-Sycorax," he rasped.

For the longest time, Adrian stared blankly at the window. All to no avail. After another stretch of waiting, he even felt the creeping suspicion that he was turning mad—speaking to objects that couldn't possibly talk back. He pressed the button again.

"… Sycorax?"

Then, Adrian jolted in his chair as the badge suddenly erupted in static, before giving way to a smooth, metallic voice.

"Your Majesty," came Sycorax's reply, voice flat and emotionless as ever. "Is there something you require?"

Adrian sat up again, staring at the golden badge in his palm. On second thought, he wasn't quite sure why he'd called. He hadn't even thought of what to ask.

"So, I—I take it you are well?" Adrian said, swallowing.

"Affirmative. The mission is nearing its completion."

"Good, good. I expected nothing less. And how…" Adrian felt his breathing pick up pace. "… how is she?"

A pause. Adrian did not know so many heartbeats could fit into a pause so short.

"Your daughter is in good health," Sycorax said flatly. "You shall see her soon, my lord."

"Good. Tell her…"

… Yet his mind suddenly turned blank. His eyes slowly drifted down to his lap. This was a mistake, he told himself. Why had he called? There was nothing he could say to her. Nothing.

"… J-just keep her safe," he mumbled.

"As you wish, my lord. We shall enter radio silence soon. Esto perpetua."

With that, the badge fell silent again, and Adrian collapsed into his chair. He breathed in ragged gasps as though he'd just undergone some colossal effort. Not now, he told himself—he couldn't afford to start thinking about her now. Not with so many duties to attend to. He needed to fetch Demetrius again, and ready the decrees for the following day. By the gods, he would have to face the Senate without Sycorax, wouldn't he?

With weak paws, he gripped the armrests of his chair. I need to think. He pushed himself up shakily. I need to think. I need to…

Adrian shuffled towards the door with his shoulders sagged and his wings drooped. He could almost sense it as he walked by: the gaze of emperors of old mocking their shameful descendant. He snapped his head to glare at the painting hanging closest to him, only to shrink once he realised who exactly was on that canvas.

It was his father.

An old warmth swelled within Adrian's chest at the sight of the elder Dragonite standing proud against a dark background, draped by the purple of his imperial robes. The dragon's eyes, full of confidence, were turned to look directly at the viewer—directly at him.

Adrian's lip quivered. You didn't have to deal with all this, father.

Yet the weight of his glare still pressed against Adrian's scales. He could feel himself grow smaller with each passing second. Soon he would revert back into a Dragonair, he felt—bunched up into a coil and cowering under his father's scrutiny. Scowling, he looked down to his claws and gritted his teeth together.

At least your children brought you joy!

Adrian sent the flat rendition of his father one last, pleading look. Yet the elder Dragonite's eyes gave him no sign of love, or sympathy, or recognition.

---

Aurina Valley – Tartarus Mountains

Silence hung heavy over the stationary convoy.

From the back of the Arcanine he was sat on, Flame could do little more than stare forward as his claws mindlessly played with the Arcanine's mane. He found it hard to breathe. The oppressive rock walls of the crevice rose above and around the convoy like a prison, leaving barely enough space for the pokémon to stand in double file. There were thirteen of them—Flame had counted them all to pass the time—all set up with a bipedal Teutonii riding a capable quadruped, which also carried supply bags.

Thirteen. He remembered being nervous about their small number upon leaving the village: it was necessary, Daedalus had explained, for a group their size would attract little attention.

Flame couldn't help but snort. A lot of good that did to us.

Still twirling the Arcanine's mane in his claws, Flame growled lightly under his breath. How much longer would they have to stand here? He raised his gaze and spotted Daedalus' broad form floating at the head of the convoy, blocking their view of the outside world. Had they been spotted or not?

Flame took a shaky breath, and squeezed his eyes together.

Their journey had been going so well, too! They'd left Neuhoffnung at dawn—he'd turned back and watched the quaint little lakeside village disappearing behind the horizon, enveloped in an orange glow. Now they'd most likely been spotted, and they were all just waiting here for death to—

A soft paw settled on his shoulder.

"Herr Flame?"

He opened his eyes and turned to find Brynn tilting her head from atop her Gogoat ride. Even in his mind, her voice was down to a whisper—perhaps to avoid startling him.

"Huh?" He blinked and sat up straighter.

"Are you okay?"

Flame glanced off to the side. "Y-yeah. I mean, m-maybe. I think so."

"This happens all the time." Brynn smiled reassuringly. "Nearly every trip I've been on." She gave his shoulder a small squeeze.

"And in how many of those did you see an entire army moving through the valley?"

"Well…" Brynn gave a sheepish grin. "… none. But I'm sure we'll be fine."

Flame rolled his eyes theatrically. "Wow, thanks," he said with heavy sarcasm, smirking, "I feel so much better now."

Yet Brynn did not lift her paw from his shoulder. She only squeezed it tighter, and leaned closer to him.

"Even if they found us, Herr Flame, what can they do? Lord Daedalus is here. You're here. You'd beat them back in an instant!" She said that last part with beaming eyes, her tail wagging excitedly.

Once again, Flame didn't know what to say. That awe-struck look she was giving him caught him unprepared.

"I…" He rubbed the back of his neck. "I, um, wouldn't set my expectations so high."

Yet Brynn did not seem to have heard. Unable to hold her gaze, Flame bashfully looked down to the Arcanine's thick mane, running his claws absent-mindedly through the hairs. He wished she would stop treating him like… like some hero. Like someone he wasn't. Then again, everyone else was treating him the same way, weren't they?

As if to prove his own point, Flame lifted his eyes to the Teutonii queued up ahead. It hardly took him a second to spot a Weavile shooting back a glance at him, the same awestruck look in its eyes. Beside it, a Dewott riding a Rhyhorn perked up and waved at him.

Flame waved back weakly and saw the Dewott turn away quickly, blushing. Gods, why him?

I haven't done anything for them. Flame narrowed his eyes. I'm just some coward who apparently used to be—

Suddenly, a primal roar boomed from outside, reverberating off the rocky walls of the crevice and through his bones. Choking on his breath, Flame gripped the Arcanine's mane tightly. He darted his eyes around in alarm; first towards the sliver of cloudy sky visible above them, then to Brynn who was calm as ever, then he craned his head to see Daedalus.

Floating by the exit to the crevice, the Dusknoir merely turned around to face the rest of the convoy. "It is safe once again," it said. "We may proceed."

And just like that, the convoy was moving again.

"O-oh." Flame slowly eased his death grip on the Arcanine's mane as his ride took its first few steps forward. His breathing began to ease.

Within a few seconds, he started laughing—perhaps at his own silliness, perhaps to dispel the tension gripping his chest. Even the Arcanine below craned its head back to send him a smile.

"Keine angst," she whispered sweetly.

Still holding onto her mane, Flame managed to smile back. "Thanks." He rubbed the fur on her head with a paw, much to his ride's happiness.

Feeling calmer now, Flame raised his head to look forward again. With each step they inched closer to the end of the crevice, the narrow sliver of outside world widening up bit by bit, until with a single stride they stepped outside.

Flame nearly forgot to breathe at the sight of the landscape.

Rugged, craggy mountains towered all around them. Their rocky base quickly gathered a thick layer of snow as they ascended closer to the sky. Hundreds of metres below the narrow path they stood on, a small water stream snaked along the valley's forested length. It went on for so long! No matter which direction he jerked his head, the valley only seemed to grow larger in scale.

Flame held onto the Arcanine's mane and kept twisting his head around as his ride and the rest of the convoy ahead settled into a light jog.

I wouldn't mind living here… Flame thought, sweeping over distant mountainsides.

Suddenly, he saw Daedalus emerge from the corner of his vision. The Dusknoir seemed to have no issue floating at the convoy's speed, as if drifting by the push of an air current. It was holding some sort of green cloth in its hand.

His smile collapsed.

"Flame." Daedalus dangled the cape from its hand. "Your disguise."

Flame let out a groan and squeezed his eyes together.

"Do I have to?"

"You do."

Resigned to his fate, Flame snatched the cape from Daedalus' hand. He threw it over his shoulders and fumbled his claws at his neck to tie the ends into a sloppy knot. After that was done, he glanced down at himself with pursed lips. The cloth was clearly too large for him, extending down below his feet and leaving only a narrow sliver of his belly exposed to the outside world. He felt ridiculous.

"There," Flame said. "Happy?"

In one motion Daedalus lifted the hood of the cape up to his head, and in one motion half of Flame's field of view was replaced by olive green.

He remained with a deadpan expression, coming to terms with his now non-existent peripheral vision. Frustration festered in his chest. He lifted his arms within the cape—even like this, his feet were barely poking out from the bottom, and he could still feel the cape smothering the entire length of his tail. His tail tip, too, ached slightly as his etheral fire struggled to burn.

From beside him he could hear Brynn saddled on a Gogoat, and he turned to find her hiding her giggles with a paw.

"What am I supposed to look like?" he grumbled. "A Grovyle?"

"Your scales are easily visible from the air," Daedalus replied. "Even if we are spotted, it is imperative that they do not identify you."

Yet all the logical explanations in the world couldn't stop Flame from glaring down at the large sags in his cape. For all the hurdles he'd prepared to face, this was not one of them. How was he supposed to find an escape route when he could see so little? How was he supposed to run away like this?

I look like a grass-type, too… He frowned.

Suddenly, another roar boomed through the valley from behind them.

Flame barely had the time to jolt in his saddle before a dark, three-headed dragon zoomed right past the convoy, throwing up a current that threw various pebbles into the abyss below. Immediately he felt a measure of apprehension as he trailed the dragon's flight path with his eyes. He'd seen this pokémon flying over the convoy a few times, but now that he'd heard its roar, Flame knew for certain: this was the same Hydreigon from the battle of Aesernia. The one who'd helped kidnap him.

As the dragon bellowed another distant roar, Flame felt his blood run cold at the memory.

Daedalus followed his upwards gaze. "Do not be afraid. Our comrade will alert us to further enemy scouts."

"D-don't you think he's a little too…" Flame trailed off, biting his lip. "… noticeable?"

"Feral Hydreigon have inhabited these mountains for centuries," the Dusknoir observed. "He will draw the least attention of us all."

Flame said nothing in response. Instead, he turned his eyes back to the rolling mountainside as the Arcanine beneath him bobbed up and down at a jogging pace. The path they were on seemed to be gently sloping downwards. The ends of his oversized cape fluttered behind him in the cold breeze.

"You look troubled, child," Daedalus said softly.

Flame merely shifted his eyes to an even more distant mountaintop, avoiding the Dusknoir's eye. What could he possibly say? Too many thoughts and sensations were swirling around his head right now. Having Daedalus speak to him in such loving tones was helping none of them.

He felt the Dusknoir's large hand settle on his shoulder.

Even through the cape, Daedalus' touch was too strong to ignore. Biting his lip, Flame pulled back the side of his hood to meet Daedalus' penetrating gaze.

"I presume you are sad about leaving Neuhoffnung," Daedalus said. "Is that correct?"

"Yeah," Flame replied. "A-a little bit."

Daedalus shook his head slowly. "Don't be. Your new home is many times more beautiful."

Flame felt a pleasant warmth ignite in his chest. While that wasn't quite enough to lift his spirits, it was enough for him to pause and produce a tiny, imperceptible smile.

"… Are you trying to make me feel better?" he mumbled as the convoy slowed down to take a sharp turn along the cliff face.

"Hardly," Daedalus smiled, hands clasped behind its back. "You need to see for yourself to truly understand."

Too bad I don't plan on getting there.

As if tied to a trigger, blood rushed to his cheeks as excitement and guilt slipped through him. It took him a few heartbeats to realise he was grinning, so he looked elsewhere, praying that Daedalus hadn't seen. Gods, he needed to be careful with his thoughts. He couldn't risk the Dusknoir or anyone else catching onto his plan—even a simple grin could be revealing.

Still unnerved by his slip-up, he quickly thought of something unsuspicious to ask.

"Wh-what's it like?" he asked with a barely-convincing smile.

"The town stands deep underground." Daedalus said softly. "The central ravine is home to hundreds of families over several levels, while the surrounding cave systems house many more—including fire-types. With so many pokémon of your age, finding a suitable mate will be trivial."

Flame felt his cheeks burn slightly at that last part. "Th-that sounds nice."

He felt the Dusknoir's large hand pat his back.

"Two more days, my child. After that, you'll be able to live a normal life. Like you've always deserved."

Flame nodded along. He felt a tinge of guilt at those kind words, but it was quickly smothered by the warmth rising through his chest as one thought came to dominate his mind.

Soon, he would be free.

The thought introduced a host of pleasant new sensations to his stomach. Still holding onto the Arcanine's mane under his cape, Flame let out a minuscule giggle at the thought.

It felt almost surreal to think, after so many days of planning. Yet the time was nearly upon him. They'd reached the Tartarus Mountains. It was only a matter of another day—a little longer, at most.

The next step was to figure out his exact position on the map. Flame lowered his gaze to study the pokémon marching in double column in front of him. While riders and rides alike seemed concentrated on the narrow path ahead, they still turned occasionally, still exchanged a few words amongst each other.

No… Not now. Flame bit his lip.

He would have to wait another while, when the monotony of marching would start to make everyone's minds less attentive. The risk of someone noticing as he consulted his map was intolerably high. Then again—he doubted that the others would catch onto his plan. Perhaps Daedalus would, but…

Flame shut his eyes, and allowed himself to breathe.

Soon.

He pushed those worries away and revelled in the warm optimism flooding his chest. After all, there were many factors that looked to be in his favour. He'd carefully stuffed a variety of items in his bag that would help him escape: from stun seeds to orbs to food and medical supplies for when he would be travelling through the wilderness. He was being closely guarded as they travelled, true—but he also had Daedalus' full trust. So long as the Dusknoir remained unsuspecting, he felt, he would have a good chance at staging his escape.

He cracked a smirk. And then, once Alice and Gaius were back by his side, they could all dream of freedom again. It took all his strength not to begin fantasising straight away.

Incessantly the convoy marched on, suspended on a narrow dirt path hundreds of metres above the valley. An icy current of air buffeted the group head-on. Yet Flame merely smiled, sitting a little straighter on his saddle and letting the wind drag his cape backwards. In between gusts, he could hear Brynn humming a chippy tune beside him.

It felt good to finally be in charge of his own destiny. To not feel like a child, whose life dependent on other pokémon's approval—whether it was Ariel, the Captain, or Daedalus. They would build a new life for themselves devoid of misery.

Once again, in the midst of his thoughts, Flame found his eyes captivated by the colossal depth of the valley. He gazed far into the distance, at the lush mountainsides, the towering spires of snow, the blue sky above.

Two days. He had a little over two days to make things right.

Alice, Gaius… I'm coming.

---

It was not often that Flame thought himself as fortunate.

Yet as he sat hunched over on his Arcanine's back, staring down at the map in his claws, Flame could not find a better word to describe the situation. He hovered a shaky claw over a specific spot on the map.

Is this it?

Flame barely realised that he'd stopped breathing. The gentle gargle of water alternated in his ears with the rhythmic crumpling of grass from the marching column.

Suddenly afraid that he may have been getting worked up over nothing, he set down his map and lifted his gaze to the convoy in front of him. They were travelling near the flat centre of the valley along the course of its central creek, which was surrounded by grass and even the occasional tree. What had captured his full attention, though, was the sight of an enormous lake ahead of them, far into the distance. It was ringed by colossal mountains on nearly all sides. It was absolutely stunning—but it was not the lake's beauty that had Flame's heart racing in his chest.

He glanced around himself to make sure no one was looking; Daedalus was at the head of the convoy, while Brynn's Gogoat ride had fallen slightly behind. The Zangoose riding closest to him seemed asleep. He snuck his map out from under his cape and unfurled it again, his claws trembling slightly. His eyes flew to the vertical patch of brown in the Empire's east, with the words 'TARTARUS MOUNTAINS' running sideways across the middle.

Narrowing his eyes in focus, Flame recounted what he knew for certain in his head. He knew that they'd approached the mountains from the west. He also knew that they were somewhere in the northern half of the chain, if the icy wind buffeting his cape was anything to go by.

Which meant that the only viable lake in that area was…

There.

Flame tapped his claw on a small blue blot on the map, splitting the larger valley it was in down the middle.

From there, he slowly traced his claw back across the supposed path he'd walked. Indeed, here was that bifurcation in the main valley they'd encountered some ways earlier. Tracing his claw further down, it grazed across a small circle with a name he could barely read—it was that village they'd passed by! Flame remembered it clearly: it was a cosy little hamlet, with wooden houses prettier than the ones in Neuhoffnung. Daedalus had made them steer far away to avoid detection.

It can't be anywhere else, Flame thought, eyes running over the surrounding terrain. No other valley has that.

Slowly, a large grin grew on Flame's face. He couldn't hold his excitement back any longer.

I know where I am!

A wave of euphoria washed over him as warmth and slipped through his chest. In a blur of tears, he clutched the map against his chest, underneath his cape. He was so close to being free!

Flame laughed under his breath and revelled in the pleasant sensations running through him. He felt strangely lightweight. Now, the only thing that stood between him and freedom was the physical act of escape. Already he was running through all the possible scenarios: he would slip away from the convoy under the cover of darkness—or perhaps in a mystery dungeon, disappearing into another corridor while the others fought some feral.

Either way, he was going to be free.

I'll reach the closest town, he thought, And then I'll find them. Whatever it takes…

As he sat there, enjoying the cold breeze washing against him, Flame grinned. He almost wanted to run away then and there—leap into the rushing creek, swim away until he was out of sight. He wasn't even sure if he could swim, but it didn't matter, for Flame giggled nevertheless.

Perhaps he would pay Alice back for those geography lessons, he thought, once they reunited. He could already envision the scene in his head: first they'd all rush into an embrace, crying with joy, all in a moment of gladness.

He would tell them that he was sorry, and like clockwork Alice would again scold him again for apologising too much. Then they'd both laugh about it; his paw would slip to her cheek. 'I missed you,' she'd say. It would be enough, and it would mean everything to him. Wordlessly, they'd hold each other close, scales against scales, until the warmth boiled all else away…

"You look happy."

Flame jolted at the sudden voice intruding in his fantasies, blinking himself awake. He turned to find Brynn peering at him from atop her Gogoat ride with an amused smile.

"O-oh, do I?" He laughed. "I was just thinking…" A large smile still on his face, he glanced off to the side. "O-of my new home. Of the things I can finally do there."

Brynn nodded, blushing a little. "I'm just glad I'll be there by your side."

Flame's smile shrunk considerably. Except you won't.

The comment had stung more than he'd expected. His gaze travelled downwards until it was back on the Arcanine's mane. It hadn't quite sunk in yet that he would be escaping soon. That he would be leaving the Teutonii behind—Brynn, Daedalus, all these pokémon who insisted on treating him like some hero he wasn't.

Flame felt an odd smile climb onto his face as he thought about the pokémon he had met since being kidnapped. The Teutonii were labelled as monsters. They were rougher and less advanced than the Empire, all perfectly capable of killing him with little effort. Yet without mistake, all of them had treated him with nothing short of generosity, if not outright reverence. They'd helped him figure out who he was. No, there wasn't a doubt in his mind: he would always be thankful to the Teutonii.

But they couldn't replace his teammates. Flame narrowed his eyes. He had to go back to them. Without them, everything seemed to stop mattering.

Biting his lip, he tugged his hood back to look at Brynn again. She was holding onto her Gogoat ride's fur, and staring up at the sky.

"Hey… Brynn?"

She turned to him with that inquisitive smile again.

"I…" He wasn't sure why he was saying this. Perhaps it was to feel some sort of closure. To curb the guilt now seeded in his chest.

Flame swallowed. "I just want you to know that…" He glanced downwards. "… You're a good pokémon. And, and I appreciate what you're doing to help me get my memories back."

At his words, Brynn's face blossomed with joy. She darted her eyes to and fro, unable to hold his gaze. "Th-thank you. I thought…" Her furry cheeks flushed with red. "I was scared you'd still be mad at me for what I said about your teammates."

Flame looked up to the sky, then shut his eyes. "It's fine," he said, shutting his eyes. " I know you meant well."

Was that true, though? In some corner of his mind, he supposed he still did resent her a little.

"What were they like?"

Flame blinked and turned to look at her. "Huh?"

"Your teammates," Brynn repeated, staring back. "What were they like?"

"They're not dead." He paused. "At least, I … I don't think so." His gaze drifted downwards, before he shook his head. "A-anyway, they found me right after I woke up for the first time. One's Dragonair, the other a Grovyle. We had a rough start, but … they took me in when I had no one to turn to. They gave me a purpose, and a home, and, and…" He could not help it; a fond smile overtook his face. "… they happened to be the best friends I could have asked for."

Well… He snickered to himself, looking up at the sky. One of them. The other's a work-in-progress.

"But… didn't they choose to ally with the Presence?"

"They barely even know what the Presence is," he half-whispered, looking ahead. "All they're trying to do is buy food. To survive."

Brynn made no attempt to hide the surprise on her face. "I see." For a moment she stared off pensively, before looking back to him. "Maybe after the war is over, we can meet them again!"

"Y-yeah." He averted his gaze. "Hopefully…"

Flame suddenly felt overtaken by a strange tranquility. Breathing in deeply, he shut his eyes and allowed himself to smile. Like hell he'd wait that long. Soon, he would be back with his team. They would be happy. There would be no more war, no more portal storms, no more hunger. Still smiling, he opened his eyes to glance at Brynn, who was kicking her legs and humming softly on her saddle.

He only hoped that they wouldn't blame him for following his dreams.

---

Darkness engulfed the valley in a matter of minutes. With tall mountain crests taking up the horizon, it took less time than usual for the sun's lively light to dry up all at once. It was also just as quickly that they noticed just how bright Flame's tail fire proved to be—perhaps the only source of light in the valley, save for a few Illumise and Volbeat drifting between the trees. Unable to camp out in the open, their Hydreigon scout soon directed them all into a nearby cave just up the mountain slope. Flame had shrunk away and apologised multiple times, asking Brynn to translate for him, yet nobody seemed to mind. The cavern chamber they were holed up in was spacious enough to accommodate everyone, and his tail fire had turned into the group's sole source of light.

It also felt good to finally get out of that stupid cape for a while.

Now, Flame sat cross-legged near the centre of the chamber, staring at a set of little marbles on the ground. There were about two dozen in total, ringed by a strand of rope acting as a perimeter. Brynn sat on the other side of the circle.

"So…" Flame twirled the glass marble in his claws and stared at it. "The winner is whoever knocks the most marbles out of the circle?"

The Braixen nodded quickly.

"Honestly?" he said. "This feels like a game kits would play."

"They do." Brynn shot back,. "As a Fennekin, I was one of the best. Every kit learns to play it."

Flame raised his eyes to meet hers, a sly grin curled at the corner of his snout. "… So you're making me play a children's game."

"Hey!" Brynn crossed her arms in mock offence. "Grown-ups play it too. It's fun."

Flame laughed alongside her, but he couldn't bring himself to match her enthusiasm. These may well have been their last few hours together. If so, it wouldn't hurt to enjoy them—to leave at least a precious few happy memories between them. He supposed he'd grown to care for her a little, after all.

Brynn shuffled closer. "I'll go first." She glanced up at him. "That way, you can watch."

Flame nodded, regaining some of his smile. He sat forward and watched as the Braixen lined up her shot and prepared the marble in her closed fist, just between her thumb and index. After a few seconds, she flicked the larger marble toward the central bunch: it clattered against four or five smaller ones in the centre, knocking three close to the perimeter.

Brynn sat back up with a satisfied grin. "Your turn. Want me to show you again?"

"N-no, no." He shook his head. "I think I've got it."

After shuffling closer to the circle, he took a few seconds to inspect the small orb resting in his palm. It was impeccably round, and made of solid glass with what looked like spirals of red suspended in the middle.

He didn't know why, but the mere sight of it spawned an odd tingle in his stomach. It was pretty, no doubt about it. Not to mention how smooth it felt against his scales!

He squeezed his eyes together briefly. Concentrate.

Flame leaned forward and darted his eyes around the glass orbs inside the circle. There were about a dozen, most of which clustered together in the middle. Those would prove difficult to budge. But then he saw a good angle, three or four separated from the main pile—the ones that Brynn had just moved. With a small smirk, Flame brought his clasped paws down, then flicked his thumb: his larger marble clattered against a smaller one, which in turn rolled into two more, knocking them straight out of the perimeter.

Flame felt a strange rush of euphoria at that. "Wow," he mumbled, "This is… easy. I see what you meant about kits playing it."

When he glanced up at her, Brynn looked even more confused. "… Lucky."

"What do you mean?" He smiled wryly. "Maybe I'm just a natural prodigy."

Narrowing her eyes in concentration, she shot another marble into the circle. This one moved more marbles than her first attempt, now that the central cluster was looser; two rolled straight out of the circle.

Brynn crossed her arms triumphantly. "Two-to-one for you. Try now."

Wasting no time, Flame leaned down to line up his paws. Somehow, the movements came natural to him. He flicked his shooter marble again and grinned triumphantly as it knocked two more out with precision.

"Ah-ha!" Flame exclaimed, feeling his tail swing rapidly behind him. "What was that, Brynn?"

The flabbergasted look on Brynn's face only made the taste of victory that much sweeter. "But… how? I thought you'd never…"

He crossed his arms and raised a smug eyebrow. "Oh, don't worry—I'm sure it was just luck."

"I see your skill hasn't left you, my child."

Flame perked up, and looked behind himself. Floating some twenty metres away by the cavern's entrance was Daedalus, floating with its back turned to them. It was standing guard for the night, he presumed.

He blinked. "Skill? What do you mean by—" Realisation struck him. His gaze drifted down to the remaining marbles in the ring. "… I used to play this, didn't I?"

Daedalus finally glanced back. Its red eye pierced the penumbra of the cavern. "Nearly every day," it said softly. "Hiding from our former captors granted us more idle time than you'd think. It was … difficult. I remember you were so happy when we found those…"

Flame drifted his eyes up to the rocky ceiling. He tried to picture the scene: two of them flicking marbles together in a damp room, lit only by the fire of his tail. No matter how hard he furrowed his brow, though, nothing came up. Only a vague warmth that seemed to nestle into his chest.

Flame slowly brought his knees closer to himself. "… I can't remember."

"Indeed. But it would appear that a deeper part of you can."

With a minute sigh, Flame merely rolled the marble in his palm. He stared at it, as if hoping that it would magically unlock the secrets to his past. "I guess…"

A few moments of silence followed. Brynn was staring awe-struck between the two of them. When Flame turned around, he noticed that nearly every Teutonii who was still awake was perked up and listening to their conversation. That did not help with the tension shaking his scales.

"When we reach your new home," Daedalus turned around fully, arms clasped behind its back. "Do you wish to … play together again?"

Flame's heart stopped. In the span of a few words, an array of emotions crashed into his body. On one hand his cheeks were burning up, yet on the other hand he felt a sudden, foreboding pit in his stomach.

"I…" He felt a knot blocking his throat. "I don't—y-yes."

"Thank you. You don't know how happy that would make me."

And yet, in spite of the candour behind Daedalus' voice—or perhaps because of it—Flame felt nothing short of monstrous. He turned around to face Brynn again, biting back the tears welling in his eyes, praying that Daedalus hadn't noticed.

I'm sorry…

Soon, though, he lifted his gaze again and found Brynn regarding him with eyes full of concern.

"… Herr Flame?"

Flame quickly forced a smile and squared his shoulders. "N-nothing. Your turn." He motioned with a paw.

"Did I do something?" Brynn asked, her ears flattened completely.

In response, Flame forced out a weak chuckle and shook his head. Why couldn't they get back to the game? He looked down at the remaining marbles, pretending to count them and analyse their distribution. From the tail of his eye, though, he noticed Brynn still staring at him.

No—behind him.

Before Flame could react, he felt Daedalus' large, cold hand land envelop his shoulder.

"My child. I want you to look at me."

Flame felt his entire body freeze into place. His jaw hung petrified in mid-breath, an onslaught of thoughts rushing through his head. Did it know? How could it know?

Swallowing, he spun around with the toothiest grin he could manage.

"Y-yeah?"

Yet Daedalus kept floating there unperturbed, staring down at him with its bright red eye. Analysing him.

"Something is troubling you." Daedalus said. "I sensed it earlier in our journey, and it is even more obvious now."

Flame felt his cheek cold and pale; a spasm ran through his claws.

"Wh-what? No!" He glanced off to the side. "Nothing's wrong, I swear! I'm j-just… tired. And, and nervous. I'll be all right."

"Flame…" Daedalus' voice softened. "Come. We shall talk in private."

"Th-there's no need…" he mumbled weakly, before the Dusknoir's eye met his and silenced any thoughts of protest.

Eyes shut, Flame used his arms to push himself to his feet. It was no use arguing.

"Comrade Brynn," Daedalus looked to her, "stand guard in my place. We won't be long."

The Braixen was on her feet in mere heartbeats. Her ears perking up, she stuttered something affirmative and sprinted off towards the cave entrance—nearly tripping on a marble in the process.

Suddenly he felt a set of large, cold fingers grip the entirety of his forearm, tugging lightly. Flame walked tentatively, his heart quivering in his chest, yet Daedalus tugged him on. Together, they headed down a dark passageway leading into the cavern's depths.

As he walked behind Daedalus, his tail illuminating the path ahead, Flame swallowed dryly as he felt his heart shrivel up and quiver at the same time. Daedalus had to know—or at the very least, it had to suspect something. How could he be so careless as to let this all happen?

His thoughts began rushing again. In his mind he returned to that split second of weakness, when he'd let sorrow leak on his face. What if Daedalus had peered into his mind after that? Only a quick peek, sufficient to see every traitorous thought he harboured. A knot formed in Flame's throat. What if Daedalus knew everything? He would be made an example of—drugged and tied up for the rest of the journey, never to dream of freedom again!

No, no, no, no… he mouthed as Daedalus continued to tug him by the arm, leading him further into the cavern. Close to hyperventilating, Flame gritted his teeth together. A confused determination coalesced from the panicked thoughts rushing through his head. It couldn't end like this. He refused to let it end like this!

As he mused, they stopped abruptly. Flame felt Daedalus let go of his arm, and he took a few moments to look around them. They were in another rocky chamber, only significantly smaller than the one the caravan had taken refuge in. The light of his tail refracted off the damp stone and illuminated every contour of the chamber. Apart from his ragged breaths, the only other sound to graze his ears were occasional droplets trickling from the ceiling.

"Please, sit," Daedalus beckoned him.

In lieu of an obvious rock to sit on, Flame elected to sit cross-legged on the cold, naked floor. Eyeing the Dusknoir's wispy tail, it was with great hesitation that he gazed up along its body.

The edges of the fire on his tail tickled the red of Daedalus' eye. Though he still felt his breathing ragged, Flame couldn't help but be taken aback. There was warmth in that eye. There was warmth in its smile. It was nothing like the accusatory glare he'd been expecting.

Flame could only maintain eye contact for a few heartbeats before he looked away, ashamed. "Wh-why did we come here?" he mumbled.

"Oh, my child…" Daedalus whispered, hanging its head. "Seeing you like this strains my heart. You of all pokémon should know that." It drifted closer to him. "Can you tell me what's weighing on you?"

Flame wrung his claws together. "A-a lot of things…"

Before he knew it, he felt Daedalus rest its large hands on his shoulders. He peered up at the Dusknoir's eye, feeling a strange warmth in his chest.

"Flame, please," Daedalus continued. "Talk to me. I only want you to be happy."

Unable to formulate a coherent response, Flame squeezed his eyes shut and breathed shakily. If he lied, Daedalus would undoubtedly sense it. He looked down at his claws. Perhaps he should just tell the truth. Not the whole truth, but… just enough. Was that wise?

"I, I'm just…" Flame felt a lump blocking his throat. With a shaky breath, he uttered his final prayers. "I'm still trying to figure all this out, okay? I b-barely know anything about our cause. About this stupid war I apparently helped start. I've only been with you for a few days, and you're already asking me t-to trust you with my future, with—"

Flame stopped himself, breathing shakily as tears began to well in his eyes. Gods, why did he have to start crying? He gritted his teeth together, frustrated at his own sensitivity.

"I … see." The Dusknoir looked away in shame, its hands still on his shoulders. "You do not trust me yet. It's only understandable."

Flame sniffled. "No, no, it's not that I don't trust you." He offered Daedalus a soft smile. "I do. It's that… D-do you know what it's like, for someone t-to tell you things about yourself that you can't remember? Th-there's so much to digest! You and Brynn keep saying that I was courageous, and strong, while everyone treats me like some hero, and…" He shook his head, a lone tear sliding down his cheek. "… it's not me. I'm not the Charmeleon they're talking about. I'm just a c-coward."

Flame sniffled loudly again, the lone tear now a small stream pouring from his eyes. Eyes squeezed shut, he felt Daedalus use one of its oversized fingers to wipe his cheeks.

"I can't begin to fathom how distressing it must be." Daedalus whispered lovingly. "However, my child, I assure you: the fact that you've made it so far demonstrates just how strong you are."

He curled his lips into a grin, and produced a sound halfway between sobbing and laughter. "Y-you're doing it again…"

"No, Flame. I am being sincere. What you had to endure—losing knowledge of everything and everyone, even yourself…" Daedalus's gaze trailed off. "The sheer trauma would be too much for most pokémon to endure. Not you. You managed to build a new life for yourself. My child, you can't imagine how incredibly proud I am of you."

Even as tears continued to stream down his cheeks, Flame felt himself blushing. He'd never thought of himself that way. It was true: against all odds, he'd managed to cobble together a life from nothing. In a scant few days he'd found friends, a home—even a purpose for himself!

Rather than comfort him, though, the memories merely reminded him of how far he was from his teammates.

Hands still on his shoulders, Daedalus shot him another loving look."Flame, I understand that I'm asking a great deal of you. However… I promise that once we reach your new home, everything will start to make sense again."

"I-I don't know…" Flame's eyes drifted downwards.

"It will," insisted Daedalus. "There is an entire community ready to love and support you. You can make friends, find a suitable mate—perhaps even start a family. The Presence won't be able to harm you anymore." Daedalus stroked his cheek with its finger. "It will be all right, Flame."

For a few heartbeats Flame merely sat there cross-legged, feeling increasingly confused. Not once had Daedalus alluded to his desire to escape. He stopped wringing his claws and stared up at the Dusknoir through tearful eyes. 'That's it?' he wanted to ask. Did it not even suspect anything?

Flame brought a quivering paw to his chest. His plan was alive! All hope was not lost! A rush of joy slipped through him before he quickly suppressed it, forcing a milder smile on his snout.

"Thank you," he said quickly, "For … for being here…"

Daedalus beamed at his words, before averting its gaze. "As much as it saddens me, my child… I won't be able to stay by your side very long in your new home. Our people are engaged in a struggle for survival. They need me to lead them."

"Oh…" He gulped. "I—I understand."

Somehow Flame found no need to fake his disappointment, and that fact troubled him.

Sniffling, he lifted his eyes to Daedalus'. "W-will you come visit?"

"As often as I can."

"… Good."

Hugging his knees closer, Flame found his chest awash with this rotten sensation. He couldn't bear to look Daedalus in the eye. Why did it have to speak with such paternal warmth, to touch his shoulders so tenderly? It only helped to pour more strain onto his conscience. For Daedalus trusted him implicitly, and he was going to throw that trust away.

Before he could stop himself, he started imagining how they would all react upon finding him disappeared from the Arcanine's back. Brynn would be devastated, no doubt. Daedalus would—would it cry? Did ghost-types cry?

Tears welled in Flame's eyes again. Tension mounting in his chest, he pushed those images away and quickly replaced them with ones of Gaius and Alice. Mostly Alice. He squeezed his eyes shut, and thought back to their shared meal outside of Camp Tempest. For just a moment, he saw their smiles—her smile, burnt into his dreams…

Something inside him sunk. Yet it was all for Team Phalanx, he repeated to himself, for the hope of a better future. To see Alice's pristine smile and hear her voice again.

I'm doing this for them. He squeezed his eyes shut. It's all for them…

"Please, my child, do not cry." Daedalus caressed his head. "It will all make sense soon."

"Y-yeah, yeah." He sniffled. "I'm b-better."

As he looked up into the Dusknoir's eye, and Daedalus stared back at him with its large red eye, the two of them shared a moment of silence. A somber smile grew on Flame's snout.

I'm sorry… he whispered mentally to the Dusknoir, staring deep into its eye. I'm so sorry…

Yet Daedalus merely smiled at him, oblivious to his apology. It turned to the dark passage they'd just travelled down.

"Come, my child." Daedalus smiled at him. "Let us return. I can't leave comrade Brynn to stand guard all night."

Rubbing the last few tears from his eyes, Flame sat up and pondered over the Dusknoir's last few words. He supposed that meant that Daedalus would be standing guard in her stead. Somehow, he was too spent to feel angry about that.

With an imperceptible sigh, Flame grabbed his tail tip in his claws and led the way back to the rest of the convoy. His tail fire flushed away the darkness as they walked. The damp rocks around and underneath him shimmered and twinkled weakly under the glare of his light.

The silence granted Flame the time to reflect on his next move. With Daedalus guarding the entrance, his plan of slipping away tonight had become impossible. A dull pain shot through his chest, but he gritted his teeth. There would be plenty of other occasions, he told himself, breathing shakily. Two more days of travel: yes, that was more than sufficient. They would surely stop for more rests, or hide from Imperial patrols. His plan was bruised but alive.

Suddenly, Daedalus' large, cold hand settled on his shoulder. Flame didn't even turn, or slow down.

"I recommend that you sleep after you finish playing." Daedalus stared at him with its bright red eye. "Tomorrow shall be a tiring day."

He responded with a vague nod, and kept his eyes on what little he could see of the path ahead.

"Tell me, my child, have you ever entered a mystery dungeon?"

Flame's heart skipped a beat. "Y-Yeah." He turned to the Dusknoir again, eyes wide. "A few times. Why?"

"We will need to traverse one soon after we resume our journey."

It took a few heartbeats for Flame to fully understand the implications of that. His step faltered; suddenly he stopped in the middle of the cave, clutching a paw to his throbbing chest.

Daedalus grasped his shoulder softly once again. "Do not be afraid," it whispered. "Our comrades and I will ensure that no harm comes your way. I simply wished for you to know."

"O-of course." He forced his expression into a smile. "Thank you…"

Outwardly Flame kept up his calm smile, but internally he was quivering in excitement, his mind rushing through all the possible scenarios. Within the mystery dungeon he'd be too closely guarded to stage his escape—but the entrance! Yes, that was perfect. He remembered the entrance to the dungeons he'd explored: those anomalous ripples shimmering through the air like webs of electricity. It took only a step to pass a dungeon's invisible threshold—then, they would be warped away, with no chance of ever turning back.

If only he managed to slip away as the others entered…

The grin on Flame's snout did not fade even as he resumed walking. Tail in hand, he giggled under his breath and had to consciously stop himself from skipping—for his mind was somewhere else entirely, cradling a single, sacrilegious thought over and over again.

This was his chance.

This was how he would escape.

---

End of Chapter XXIII​

 

[Spiteful Murkrow]

Heya, back for another bite at this series. You'll see a decent amount of material you might already recognize, though I'd like to think that I also dropped in enough fresh stuff to make a gander worth your while.

Chapter XXII

Spoiler: Line-by-Line

Flame was roused out of his sleep by the sound of a door creaking open. He grumbled something incoherent, and reflexively brought a paw up to ward away the sudden light bleeding through his eyelids.

"Herr Flame?" a feminine voice spoke up.

Propping himself up on his elbows, he craned his neck to find the Braixen from yesterday peeking from the doorway. She took a step back at the sight of him still sprawled in his bed.

Brynn: "Mein [------], ich bin es. Deine Heilerin."
Flame: "Uh... I’m sorry, but what'd any of that mean again? Maybe start with 'Herr'?"
Brynn: "... Ist das Ihr Ernst?"

Flame: "Uh... Sorry? I’m just a little bit of a slow learner." ^^;

"Wha? N-no, no—come in," he slurred, then rubbed his eyes. "I was just … getting up."

The Braixen looked hesitant for a moment, before stepping inside with a timid smile. She shut the door, casting the room in darkness, before removing one of the heavy cloths draped over one of the windows. Light streamed in again, this time accompanied by a gust of cold, fresh air. Flame paused at that for a few moments: the windows here were literal openings in the wall, with nothing to separate the room from the outside.

Sure hope the cold-blooded Teutonii keep their hearths going strong in the winter, otherwise that can’t possibly be good for winter attrition.

Flame: “You’d think that they’d invest in shutters, since given how winters in Aesernia were supposed to be, being in a house like this in the winter sounds like death.” .-.

After carefully folding the cloth on the table, the Braixen turned to regard him with a sheepish smile. She clasped her hands in front of her.

Flame took the opportunity to briefly run his eyes over the length of her body. Her fur was ruffled, even slightly grimy in some places. But she looked robust enough to be well-fed and thin enough to keep a slender physique, especially around her hips and legs. In fact, when he looked more closely at her thighs, he realised that the fur on them was much more well-groomed than the more tangled yellow and white fluff that covered most of the rest of her body. They were so toned, too…

Oh, so Flame’s just having a Male Gaze moment there, huh? Not sure how I missed this moment for that one running gag involving Alice. :V

- Meanwhile back in Sycorax’s camp, Alice abruptly stiffens up -
Gaius: “Eh? What’s gotten into you, Alice?”
Alice: “I just had the sudden feeling that I ought to feel uncomfortable… and upset.”

The Braixen made a noise that vaguely resembled a cough, and Flame realised how long he'd been staring. He looked away and muttered an apology

"Sorry for waking you," a sudden feminine voice invaded his head.

Breathing sharply, Flame jerked up into a sitting position and stared directly at her. That woke him up. She took a step back at his reaction, wringing her hands together. That was her, wasn't it? It had to have been.

Brynn: "So, understand me now?"
Flame: "Er... crystal. And… uh… I- I wasn’t trying to be creepy earlier, I swear. Though how exactly are you doing any of this?"

"You know my language?" Flame said.

"No. Well, a little," the Braixen chuckled briefly. "Mindspeak doesn't work like normal speech. We're talking with our thoughts and emotions, not a language."

Indeed, he noticed that he didn't actually hear the specific words she was saying. His mind seemed to just understand what she was trying to say on a deeper level.

"… Huh. Okay," he furrowed his brow as he sat up properly.

I do wonder how that works with Brynn slinging around ‘Herr’ while using Mindspeak, since that would imply that either she’s unable to translate that term cleanly while using Mindspeak. Or knowing her and some of her later antics, deliberately choosing not to translate it cleanly.

Flame: "So it does work like in the anime movies..."
Brynn: "Just saying, Lord Daedalus literally has been doing this to talk with you since you met him, so I don't see why you're so surprised."
Flame: "(... Wait, but is he doing that when he's talking with me or with you? Since Daedalus and I did both escape the same lab or whatever that was together. Shouldn't we be both conversant in the same language?)"
- Flame blink moment -
Flame: "(Or maybe he's doing it to both me and Brynn. Since he didn't say a single word to me normally so far... or at least not in canon. So then what would he call me normally? Something like 'Lizardo'? 'Reptincel'?)"
Brynn: "You are aware that I can pick up your thought process as part of Mindspeak, right? There's no need to try and whisper under your breath." :|
Flame: “... Er… noted.”

While he hadn't been expecting it, Flame felt his spirits lifted at learning that the language barrier wasn't insurmountable. At the very least, there would still be someone to talk to while he stayed here. Maybe he wouldn't be so lonely after all.

I mean, we find out later on in the story that it’s also surmountable by more conventional means. Not that it wouldn’t have been a lonely existence to be shut out almost entirely from communication for 30 weeks of schooling or however long it takes to pick up Teutonii the hard way in this setting.

The Braixen took a step forward, still clasping her hands together. "Lord Daedalus asked me to help you remember." She smiled wider, laughing under her breath. "I still can't believe it. When my mother heard, she—"

The Braixen quickly stopped herself, stiffening visibly.

"Sorry." She bowed her head to him. "It's just an honour. For my family. If Lord Daedalus trusts me enough to help his son…"

That makes me curious as to what on earth Brynn’s mother’s reaction was there. And if we’ll ever run into her for that matter.

Flame frowned. "I'm not his…"

But already he gave up on contesting that claim. With how much the Dusknoir called him its 'child', he wouldn't have been surprised if the Teutonii took that literally.

Well, they are established to be the credulous types in this story, so… ^^;

Flame: "... But we're not even in the same egg group. Don't you find that just a little bit weird to think of me as Daedalus’ son with that in mind?"
Brynn: "Adoption is a thing, you know. And it's not that uncommon further south."
- Flame blink moment -
Flame: "Touché. But even if Daedalus is some prophetic figure for you guys, why would me being his son be important at all?"
- Flame pause -
Flame: "(Wait a minute. Those entries that kept implying that I was 'Icarus'? Aren't 'Icarus' and 'Daedalus' two characters from the same story? Then does that mean-?)"
Brynn: "Herr Flame, you're doing it again." 😐
Flame: "Er... sorry."

Instead, he offered her a polite smile. "Thank you. I … I appreciate you coming here."

With a tiny squeal, the Braixen crossed a fist over her chest. "I won't disappoint you, Herr Flame."

Flame: "... Didn't you just say we were talking with thoughts and emotions and not a language? What was with the 'Herr' there?"
Brynn: "Well emotionally, I wanted you to hear it that way. Since 'Mister Flame' would have sounded silly, wouldn't it?"

- Flame blinks -
Flame: "That word means 'Mister'?"
Brynn: "Well, also 'Sir', 'Lord', 'Master', and a few other things depending on usage and context. Teutonii can be like that about overlapping meanings for our words. But 'Mister' would be one of the more common translations of it, yes."
Flame: "... Wait, are you teasing me here? Since you clearly said 'Lord Daedalus' earlier, so you clearly didn't mean 'Lord Flame' when you said that."
- Brynn cracks an impish smile -
Brynn: "Why don't you brush up on your Teutonii and find out what I meant for yourself, Herr Flame?'

Her enthusiasm caused him to chuckle. Careful not to bend his tail, he twisted around in his hay bed and scooted over to one side, leaving the other empty.

"You can sit here." Flame patted the spot next to him. "If you want."

The Braixen graciously took the offer and settled on the bed next to him, legs crossed. As a moment of silence ensued, Flame couldn't help but note how strangely relaxed he was, especially this close to someone who, just two days ago, he'd have called 'Scum'.

He wasn't sure how to feel about that fact.

I mean, it’s cute, but Flame really is the Teutonii’s [-------] with how quickly he just takes stuff at face value, isn’t he?

The Braixen's eyes arched around the room. "You are so lucky—you have this entire house to yourself."

"I … do?" Flame blinked, before glancing around him.

"I wish I had this much space," the Braixen gave him a sad smile. "I share mine with five other comrades."

Flame: “That… feels more than a little unfair, just saying. How come Daedalus never told me this?”

"… Oh."

Flame nibbed at his tongue. He darted his eyes around the room in search of something to say. The village did feel a bit small, especially compared to the number of pokémon that were around. Already, guilt was starting to eat away at his insides.

"I—I'll tell Daedalus I can share," Flame said. "It's not right. I'm not this special."

Uh, yeah, funny story about that, Flame… ^^;

- Meanwhile back in Sycorax, Alice stiffens up and has her eye twitch -
Gaius: "... Again, Alice? You wake up on the wrong side of bed today or something?"
Alice: "I just felt a sudden urge to yell at Flame right about now."

Once again, Flame was surprised at just how comfortable he'd become around the Teutonii. He supposed that if they weren't murdering him during the day, they had no reason to do so in his sleep.

Well that’s a bold assumption there considering you’ve known the Teutonii for all of like 48 hours. I mean, having Daedalus to hide behind helps, but Flame is definitely showing off his quickness to trust others here which comes back to bite him in the ass at least once between now and the most recent chapter, and I’m pretty sure is about to do so again in more spectacular fashion in the relatively near future.

The Braixen merely chuckled at his words. "Nonsense. It's the least you deserve after all you've been through."

Again, Flame merely kept his face blank. He was unsure how to take such praise. Perhaps he simply wasn't used to other people's kindness.

Flame: “... I mean, I only have been getting casual abuse heaped on me for all of my life I can remember until the past couple days, so… yeah, this is a bit of a new experience.” ^^;

"So," Flame glanced away briefly. "Are you going to read my mind, or…"

"Sort of," she said, her bushy tail wagging slightly behind her. "Need to see what condition your psyche is in, first. Nothing invasive."

With a nod, Flame shifted to face her and crossed his legs. The memories of his first mind reading flashed into his mind, but he managed to force those thoughts out and smile nervously at the awaiting Braixen. It wasn't invasive this time. He'd be all right.

Though considering how shaken up we see Yvaine still is from her mind read as of a little under 10 chapters from here, I suspect Brynn might have been explicitly ordered not to pry too deeply to avoid getting any nasty surprises.

"Okay," Flame said, looking her in the eye. "If Daedalus trusts you, I trust you."

Boy is this moment going to be weird to come back to when Flame eventually figures out that Daedalus is keeping a ton of skeletons in the closet from him.

The Braixen seemed to beam at that, her tail wagging even more rapidly before she breathed in and composed herself.

"What's, uh," Flame said. "What's your name?"

"Brynn."

Brynn: "Bit easier to write out than those past tags, huh?"
Flame: "I'll say. But didn't we already know your name from-?"
Brynn: "The cutaway gag writer knowing my name in advance doesn't count, Herr Flame."

The Braixen scooted closer to him. Cross-legged as They were both were, both cross-legged and facing each other, their shins were just shy of touching.

"Close your eyes."

When he saw her face leaning into his, Flame worried briefly that Brynn was trying to kiss him. He breathed a tiny sigh of relief when she merely touched her forehead to his; the tip of her nose brushed against his snout, too. For some time, her large, amber eyes filled his entire field of vision. Each soft breath of hers washed down his neck. Feeling flustered at everything about the position they were in, Flame shut his eyelids and tried to slow his breathing to manageable levels.

Thank the gods Alice isn't here…

Brynn was totally thinking of kissing him, wasn’t she? Since it feels like she did just about everything just short of it. ^^;

Flame: "Uh... Didn't Yvaine say that getting mind linked was seen as a sign of matehood? That- That's not something Dragonair buy into too, is it?" O_O;
- Brynn cracks a knowing smile -
Brynn: "Well, whatever the matter, there's nothing she can really do about it right now, is there?"
- Back in Sycorax’s Camp, Alice is shouting at the sky with an irritated scowl -
Alice: "Flame!"
Gaius: "Oh for crying out loud, what is it this time, Alice?"
Alice: "I- I just have this feeling that I should be very, very annoyed right now."
Gaius: "... Yeah, I think I'm gonna go and look for a Sleep Seed. For my own safety."

He waited and waited, yet still Flame felt … nothing. He was about to peek out of one eye and ask her what was wrong, when he started feeling a tiny, nearly imperceptible, warm fuzz deep inside his skull. The breathing on his neck slowed even further, and he followed suit, slowing until they breathed in near unison. The confused fuzz quickly developed into a strange tingling, which now spread out from the centre to the rest of his brain, to his edges of his head, and eventually travelled down his spine.

Flame tensed his claws, ready for the pain. It never came. This was different from what he recalled of Yvaine's mind reading. It was a strange, almost ticklish feeling: Brynn's presence only lightly glided around the edges of his consciousness, never penetrating deeper as the legionary Umbreon had. It almost felt … comforting.

Oh, so that’s why it’s seen as a sign of matehood. Since that description felt strangely sensual there. ^^;

Flame only just started to crack a smile before the tingling devolved into a sharp burst of pain. He gasped and nearly fell forward; Brynn grabbed him by the shoulders to keep him upright. Flame only kept breathing, in and out. The pain quickly mellowed into a widespread tingling again, shifting and migrating throughout his body like a colony of tiny insects.

He'd only just started to relax again before he felt Brynn's presence brush over another painful spot in his skull. He grunted through grit teeth at the sudden inflammation flash of pain, but Brynn held him through it all. She pressed her forehead even further against his, her dainty nose arching upwards against his snout.

Flame: “Gah! So much for this being a fun experience!” @.@

Once the pain died down, however, so did everything else. Flame felt individual nerves and limbs rid themselves of the weird tingling, followed by his spine, and lastly, his brain. Another couple of seconds and even the original fuzzy feeling in his brain dissipated slowly, leaving only a Charmeleon and Braixen sitting perfectly still, with their noses and foreheads touching gently.

They both opened their eyes and pulled back at the same moment, gazes locked together as they started to recover their breaths.

"Just a moment," she panted with her mouth open, eyes glazing over her legs.

Now I’m curious as to how much Brynn picked up of what Yvaine saw from that earlier read. Since on the one hand, it seems like she brushed up against a few things that were a bit more abnormal from that reaction, but it’s definitely a milder experience. Almost as if she sensed something was up and immediately backed off.

Flame: “... Uh… Brynn, you are okay from all of that, right?” .-.

Feeling somewhat dizzy, Flame gave her a vague nod. He panted heavily, then glanced down at her hands—she was still clutching his upper forearms tightly. It was a few moments before Brynn seemed to notice and immediately let go, bowing her head in apology.

Boy is Flame lucky that the Teutonii don’t have video recordings, since that one would’ve been fun to explain to Alice. :V

Flame squeezed his eyes together and let out another groan, rubbing the residual pain from his temples. At least that wasn't as bad as last time. Still, he wondered whether the pain was part and parcel of any psychic activity, or whether his mind was just that fragile—even under non-invasive procedures. He could still feel the heat in his cheeks, too. Couldn't she have been less awkward about it?

When he glanced at Brynn again, she was still staring into oblivion, blinking every few seconds as if still processing what she'd seen.

Come on, just say it. Flame grimaced as he rubbed his temples. My head's messed up, and you don't know how to help me.

Brynn turned towards him again; he noticed a certain gleam in her eye, almost a newfound respect towards him.

... Maybe she saw more of what Yvaine did than I anticipated, actually. Since she clearly saw something about Flame that made her take even more of a shine to him.

"Your mind, it's…" She clasped her hands in her lap. "Everything before a certain point in time is just scrambled. The psionic force that caused this must have been immense. One of our comrades I met in battle, a Xatu—even she wouldn't be able to do that."

Flame's shoulders drooped slightly. There went the first part of his prediction.

"The pokémon that did this to you—if it was a pokémon … must have extraordinary psionic abilities."

You see, the fact that that’s getting brought up is now making me strongly suspect that it wasn’t a Pokémon that did that.

Flame took a second to absorb that, moving his eyes to the ceiling. At the very least, if he had to find a positive aspect to this attempt, it was that the field of possible culprits was shrinking quickly. There could only be so many pokémon around with the kind of power she was describing.

He cracked a grin. Track down the most powerful psychics in the whole Empire. Trivial.

Flame: "Oh, and figure out a way to not to get turned into a vegetable from across the room by them. That'd be important, too." ^^;

"So what?" he said. "I'll just have to live with it for the rest of my life?"

Brynn shook her head, and smiled reassuringly. "Your memories are still there; your brain just can't make sense of them yet. Give it time, and it'll untangle the mess on its own."

Flame's heart stopped. "Wait. You mean that one day—"

"Yes. You'll have your memories back."

Bold assumption to think that those memories are going to stitch themselves back together properly. Since false memories and misremembered events aren’t exactly rare even under normal circumstances.

Eyes wide, Flame suddenly felt like the fire on his tail was climbing its way into his chest and warming him up from the inside out. He brought a quivering paw to his heart. My memories aren't lost. They're … they're still here.

I'll get to know who I am.

Flame felt like crying. For the first time in his life, it was now entirely conceivable that he'd one day be able to remember everything again. He was almost scared of believing her, in the off-chance his hopes would be dashed.

Considering the overall tone of this story… uh… yeah, I wouldn’t be totally shocked if his hopes did wind up getting dashed at some point down the pipe. ^^;

"Gods, Brynn, I—I didn't think it would…" Flame blurted out underneath his grin. "H-how long?"

She glanced left and right. "Um … a year? No, no, two. Probably two."

The look Flame gave her seemed to put her on the spot. He gripped the hay of his bed even tighter. Two? She didn't sound very certain, but—two! The fact she was using such low numbers to begin with…

Flame: "... Is this plot even going to last for another year or two at this point though? And don't folks wind up misremembering things and constructing new memories that don't necessarily match up with reality? How will I know if the memories that come back to me are actually things that happened to me or not?"
Brynn: "Whatever's already there will come back to you. I can't vouch for if they're accurate or not, though." ^^;

Brynn gave a chuckle at his reaction. "I could also help you … coax your memories out. Like exercising your mind. It'll help you heal faster."

Ah yes, even more awkwardness to explain to Alice later on. :V

Flame looked down at his hands. The warmth in his chest was radiating into a fire. He'd fully expected to wait until he became a Charizard—or even longer. Not this! This was almost too much. He struggled to find the right words to express his gratitude.

Flame laced his claws together. "Th-that sounds amazing." He glanced up at her, his eyes glistening. "Thank you."

Gods, a part of him wanted to run out and tell the world the good news! He could only imagine the look on Alice's face when he'd tell her that—

- Cue record scratch moment -
Flame: “... Right. Alice. Uh… I- I’m not too sure if I want to tell her about everything that just happened there, for my own safety.” O_O;

And just like that, Flame's smile collapsed bit by bit. For a moment, he'd forgotten how far away he was from them—that it was very possible he'd never get to see her again. His gaze drifted down to his lap. He imagined how happy she'd be to learn that he'd be okay—that he was going to remember everything again. The sheer smile on Alice's snout that he'd never get to see…

In a way, regaining his memories without them felt didn't feel nearly as exciting.

Flame, you can just go ahead and say that you’re in love with her. Especially with that thought process. :V

Brynn's tail had started to wag again, only to adopt a more serious expression when she noticed his shift in mood.

"You look … tense." Her bright eyes regarded him with concern. "I sensed it in your mind, too. Are you all right, Herr Flame?"

Brynn: "Who is this 'Alice' you're thinking of anyways? Do you like her? Since it sure feels like you do..."
Flame: "I... Uh..." O///O

Sighing, he looked up at the ceiling, pondering whether he could be bothered to share his troubles with her. He tucked his legs closer to himself. He ought to have been joyful, after all.

"I guess," Flame replied with a small, forced smile. "I just need to … get used to everything." He glanced off to the side. "Being here, I mean."

"Lord Daedalus told us what happened," she placed a hand on his knee. "You're among your people now. We'll help you remember, Herr Flame."

I’d post the bender gif again, but considering how quickly Flame has been taking to the Teutonii, it probably wouldn’t take him all that long to come to see them as his people.

Which is why I’m pretty sure that the plot is just going to take a sledgehammer to his current frame of reference towards them sometime before that can happen. Since I just don’t see this moment lasting once Flame gets wind of what Daedalus is really up to, much less once the Teutonii writ large do.

"I know," he smiled back, this time genuinely. "And, and I really appreciate what you're doing for me! I'm discovering so much about myself. It's just…"

The Braixen tilted her head. Her eyes beckoned him to continue.

Flame let out a long, heavy sigh. "I miss my teammates."

Flame: “Really, is it that impossible for Daedalus to send a snatch squad or something to grab Alice and Gaius? (And especially Alice.)” >_>;
- Brynn narrows her eyes -
Brynn: “With all due respect, Herr Flame, but aren’t you getting a little too wrapped up about them?”

"They were collaborators," she said, eyes narrowed slightly. "You're better off here, with your people."

I have to wonder if ‘Collaborators’ is just a hell of a lot more charged as a label in Teutonii society than it appears at first blush, or if that’s just one of the more polite pejoratives for ‘Imperials’ floating around in their circles. Since… uh… yeah, it’s not hard to think of some incredibly nasty epithets and slurs towards Imperials from a Teutonii perspective that aren’t exactly inaccurate about what the Empire’s up to.

Flame shot her an immediate glare. "They were my friends!" he snarled back at her.

That was a mistake. The look that put on Brynn's face—all of the color suddenly drained from her cheeks, and her ears completely flattened. Seeing her sudden fear, his anger mellowed just as quickly.

"Sorry." He looked away, then sighed.

Uh, no. That was completely reasonable considering how Brynn’s dialogue had some pretty strong undertones of treating Alice and Gaius as disposable and better off forgotten. “Brynn, what the hell?” is a wholly justified reaction.

I mean, Flame’s “““friendship””” with them isn’t exactly super healthy at the moment, but still.

Flame: "I'm- I'm not gonna smite you or anything if that's what you're worried about. You just took me aback there-" ._.
- Brynn overeagerly cuts in -
Brynn: "No! No! It's okay! It was foolish of me to interject like that! I- I completely understand your reaction!"
Flame: "... I'm never gonna get used to this whole 'seen as some god-hero' thing."
Brynn: "Well, 'never' is a strong word there, Herr Flame. I'm sure you will soon enough." ^^;

Of course she wouldn't understand. He traced his claws along the hay absentmindedly before he stood up. He needed to think.

"I'm taking a walk."

"Can I come with you?" Brynn pleaded with her eyes.

Ah yes, the “I know that I screwed up, but please, please, please give me a chance to make it up to you” look. Though I can’t imagine that getting Our [-------] personally mad at you is good for your social life in this society.

Flame's first instinct was that to deny her. However much the insult stung, though, he couldn't quite bring himself to begrudge her over it. She was just another cog in this stupid war. Much like Alice and her hatred of the Teutonii, she couldn't know any better.

Surprised that Flame’s mind instantly went towards Alice there for that comparison when Gaius’ attitude towards the Teutonii makes Alice look downright reserved and tolerant.

After all, it’s not Gaius who copped the criticism of being too soft and merciful to them.

His tail swung erratically a few times before he sighed softly. "All right."

- Meanwhile back in Sycorax’s camp -
Alice:

- Gaius chucks a Sleep Seed at Alice and makes her keel over dozing -
Gaius: "Hopefully she snaps out of that weird mood swing thing that's been going on after she gets up."

It wasn't until Flame was walking through the busy communal field with a bowl of steaming soup in his hands that he realised there weren't any tables. He remembered eating at long rectangular wooden tables with other teams back at Camp Tempest. But here with the Teutonii, tabletops were replaced with nothing but the flat ground. He didn't expect that small thing to be a luxury he'd miss.

Flame: “... Not even tree stumps to work with or something like that?” .-.
Brynn: “Our society has evolved to be mobile, Herr Flame. It’s kinda hard to lug around a collection of stumps when going off to campaign.” ^^

With no other option, he plopped himself down on the grass like everyone else, mindful not to spill his meal. Packs of gray cloud formations brewed above their heads, yet nobody here seemed fazed at the looming prospect of rain pouring down onto their lunches.

Don't they have some building or cover for that? Flame quirked a brow, casting a wary glance at the sky. Somehow, he figured they weren't the types to be bothered by the rain.

Cue the group of Fire-type Teutonii in the background hastily inhaling their soups in order to try and beat the rain indoors.

He looked down at the bowl of soup in his claws: it was orange-coloured, with floating chunks of what looked and smelled like fish. The aroma got his mouth watering. Gods, it felt nice to just walk up to the cook and be given food. No scavenging, no stealing food, no going hungry…

Well that would certainly explain a thing or two of how Flame opened up so quickly to these guys considering he wasn’t exactly being fed well by the Imperials. Kinda hard to secure loyalty when you’re failing the basic levels of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs.

Still smiling, Flame twisted around to check if his Braixen companion was coming. That's when he saw it: everyone was staring at him. Flame jumped a little. His claws fumbled and nearly spilt his soup. There must have been dozens of Teutonii sitting on the grass with their lunch—and nearly every single one of them was staring in his direction.

This again? Flame grimaced.

Now far too uncomfortable to eat, Flame forced a smile and waved at everyone. Some smiled and waved back, others merely whispered to one another with a look of near-awe. He noticed a Krookodile parent nudge his kit's attention before pointing towards him.

Flame: “(Psst, Brynn! Why do they keep doing that anyways?)”
- Brynn cocks a brow -
Brynn: “... Herr Flame, have you really gone this whole time without anyone explaining to you what ’Unser [------]’ means?” .-.
Flame: “No? Why? Is it important?” ^^;

Another kit, a tiny Eevee, rushed to tackle him from the other side of the field.

"[Our -------!]" he squeaked in excitement, weaving between the scattered crowd. "[Our -------!]"

I see 'Teutonii' wasn't the only term they cribbed from the Empire before getting punted north of the mountains considering the etymology of the word that Frau Folipurba’s kid uses there.

If you wanted to get a bit poetic, Unser Hoffnungsträger would’ve also fit decently well for Flame considering how he’s seen in these parts, but meh. This epithet rolls a bit smoother off the tongue and carries a few additional connotations that that other option lacks. You probably want to keep the formulation consistent with your later chapters, though. Since while this spelling is a valid variant of that one term (assuming you capitalize the second noun there), you render it slightly differently elsewhere in the story.

Flame: "Uh… okay, I’m guessing it’s pretty important. Also, I know I should probably be embarrassed to ask, but what was that Eevee saying again?"
Brynn: "He was just excited to see you and reacting accordingly. You're- You're someone really special to us, Flame..."

Then a flustered-looking Leafeon leapt out of a group of pokémon just ahead of Flame, grabbed her kit by the scruff of his neck, and leapt away, all in one motion.

Thankfully, he was saved from further embarrassment by the approaching sound of soft giggles. He glanced behind him to find Brynn sitting down next to him, holding her own lunch. She scooted over to his side: from the way she looked around at everyone and smirked, he got the feeling she enjoyed being seen next to him.

She’s totally enjoying all of this, just saying. Since I saw the way she was talking about hearing the news of drawing the lucky straw to be Flame’s attendant. :V

"Sorry." She returned his gaze. "I can tell them to stop. If … if you want."

"… Huh?" Flame blinked, his claws still squeezing around his bowl. "O-oh. Please do."

Nodding, the Braixen cupped her hands around her mouth and shouted something angry-sounding that made everyone turn away, displaying varying degrees of shame.

Ah, so basically something not far removed from “Schluss damit! Hört auf zu starren!”, huh? :V

Flame breathed a sigh of relief. I get it in the staring on the first day, but this is just ridiculous.

"I'm so sorry, Herr Flame," Brynn said. "We didn't think you'd become uncomfortable."

Flame: “Is this a cultural norm of yours or something?” .-.
Brynn: “Uh, well… no. But your very presence here is already not a cultural norm, so…”

Flame shook his head slowly, and glanced down at his bowl. "Why are you all treating me like this?"

"You're Lord Daedalus' son." She smiled and looked him in the eye. "We're just honoured to have you live with us."

Flame: “... Wait, so does every chief’s son get this sort of treatment among you guys then? Since that’s what Daedalus is, right?”
Brynn: “He’s more of a holy prophet, really. That’s a bit more than being a mere chieftain.”
Flame: “I still don’t follow how being his ‘son’, literal or not, would justify this sort of reaction.” ._.;

Even though she wasn't using her mouth to speak, Brynn waited until she'd finished before lifting the bowl to her muzzle.

Flame furrowed his brow. Only now did he understand Alice's complaint about eating like this. Nevertheless, he too gulped some soup, licking his lips as he brought his bowl back down.

"I'm not his son, though," he said.

"Of course he didn't generate you," Brynn chuckled, "but you are a son to him. He told us how you fought the Presence by his side. How brave you were…"

Brynn: “Again, we kinda just assumed that you were an adoptive child. And those feats of yours would make anyone stop and stare.” ^^;
Flame: "I... I... Daedalus told you that I..."

Brynn: "Again, it's completely understandable if you don't remember any of it, Herr Flame. You've been through more than any 'mon could be asked to endure."
Flame: "I just really, really hope that Daedalus wasn't embellishing any of that." O_O;
Brynn: "He's our prophet. What's there for him to embellish?"

No matter how hard he tried, he simply couldn't find himself in the Flame she spoke of. His gaze drifted off to the side. "… I don't remember any of that."

"I know." She leaned closer to him and smiled. "We will help you remember, Herr Flame. It's the least we can do to repay you."

To ‘repay you’ huh? Wonder if we’ll be getting a long and hard look at what the mythology of ‘Icarus’ means for the Teutonii, since that’s some really particular word choice there. Implying that they believe that Flame has helped them in the past.

The puzzled look he gave her spoke for itself.

"Why, though?" He blinked. "I was with the Empire until—basically yesterday! I was fighting your people. How come no one…?" His voice caught in his throat.

Yet the Braixen's smile was unflinching. "They were manipulating you." She placed a hand on his knee. "It's not your fault. You're with your people, now."

I still am curious as to how easily someone who actually lost a loved one to Flame or someone else from Team Phalanx manages to accept that statement. Even with the immense social pressure to not get on [Our -------]’s bad side, I am not convinced they’d be able to just swallow everything and go ‘oh, you were deceived, all is well’.

Flame bashfully looked down at his soup. His heart warmed at her forgiveness, but he wasn't sure if he could bring himself to do the same. Being around more Teutonii in the years to come wouldn't make those thoughts any less frequent.

Wew, so Flame’s already flirting with the idea of sticking around the Teutonii for the long haul, huh?

Kate: “Shame you didn’t come like a month earlier, otherwise there might have been a beer festival or two for you to get sloshed at.”

Lyle: “Do we even know if these guys have that? And aren’t we supposed to be back in our story helping to steal our way to a flight right now? (Though that soup sure looks tempting…)” >_>;

Do I even want that?

Haunted by flashes of Alice and Gaius, he took a long sip from his bowl to distract himself. This one had bits of fish he could chew.

Flame: “... (Just saying, this would be a lot easier if those two were here… Or even if just Alice were here.)” ._.

Yet Brynn did not lift her hand from his knee. She only squeezed it tighter, still leaning forward, demanding his attention. Flame was forced to swallow and gaze back into her eyes once again.

"After the Presence took our homeland," Brynn said, "we were lost and hopeless. Lord Daedalus … he revealed the truth to us. What the invaders are planning."

Her look of affection for him gradually morphed into one of outright admiration.

"You started that, Herr Flame," she said. "You and Lord Daedalus were the first to fight back against the Presence. You gave our people direction. We owe everything to you two."

Flame: “... Wait, but weren’t you all already fighting the Empire for eighteen years before Daedalus came to you?”

Brynn: “... He gave us a much-needed morale boost and a definitive target to aim for for lasting victory? After all, bleeding for every Morgen of land we could manage to hold onto was kinda getting depressingly old.” ^^;

Flame sat still. Despite his blush, he felt a certain … disconnection from her words. It felt as though she were talking about somebody else—some other Charmeleon who just happened to look like him. He tried to think of something to counter with, but nothing came to his mind.

The awestruck stare she was giving him didn't help.

I mean, I’m pretty sure that she is considering that Daedalus is all but confirmed to be taking a mythological coincidence and running with it. I just don’t know if the original ‘Icarus’ is straight-up a Charmeleon in Teutonii mythology, or if Daedalus’ official line is that Flame is the reincarnation of whoever the original Icarus was. I mean, the story is called ‘Rebirth’, so…

"Well… Thanks," Flame smiled uneasily. "I, I don't remember any of it, but … thank you."

Brynn beamed at his words, her tail wagging excitedly, before she turned her attention to her soup.

I wonder how much of this is Brynn soaking in the honor of being trusted by [Our -------] and how much it is soaking in the public prestige of all of this. Like she obviously cares about both and it’s intertwined, though it does make me curious as to how things will go if or considering Daedalus’ dynamics with the Teutonii, likely when she’s forced to make a hard choice between one or the other.

Now able to think, Flame turned away from her and took a deep breath. He sipped from his bowl a few more times. His thoughts kept returning to the Flame she'd talked about: brave, fearless, fighting against overwhelming odds.

Was that even me?

I mean, the fact that you have to ask the question would seem to heavily tilt to ‘no’ and likely under multiple senses. Just saying, Flame.

He frowned and shook his head at that thought. Of course it had been him. He could feel the tangible bond of familiarity whenever Daedalus was near him—that deep trust they shared. It wasn't something he could just be imagining.

No, but it could be premised on a lie, so…

He snorted, grinning to himself. Sure could use some of that bravery again…

Wrapped up in his thoughts, Flame brought his bowl to his maw only to realise it was empty. He chuckled briefly to himself. He stood up from his spot next to Brynn and turned towards the stand where food was being served. Maybe the cook would let him have seconds…

Flame took a step forward—only for his foot to sink into a puddle of sticky grey goo.

Wait, how painful is that for Daedalus to be stepped on like that anyways? .-.

He let out a small squeal. He dropped his bowl and fell back on his tail, eyes wide, then scrambled back when the goo started to bloat in diametre. Once at a safe enough distance, Flame clutched his chest and gawked: a head was emerging from the thick sludge. It took another moment before he realised it was just Daedalus.

His momentary panic subsiding, Flame merely sat there, panting as he watched the Dusknoir's wispy tail emerge from the grey liquid. The puddle on the ground dissipated soon after. Daedalus opened its eye, and turned to Flame, arms clasped behind its back.

Flame: “Daedalus, don’t do that!” >///<
Brynn: “Uh, yeah. Probably for the best if Our [-------] didn’t squeal like a little kit in public, Herr Daedalus. It would probably unduly worry our Comrades.” ^^;

"My child," Daedalys said. "I am happy to see you."

"Do you—" Flame took a series of deep breaths. "Do you need to do that?"

… Oh right, Flame basically says “Daedalus, don’t do that!” in the actual text.

Daedalus frowned. "I apologise. It was not my intention to scare you. I shall emerge at a greater distance from now on."

"Yeah, maybe not right under my feet," Flame muttered, reaching around his back to rub his aching tail.

Flame: “Seriously, why would you think that was a good idea?” >///<
Daedalus: “That it’d help you get used to my presence again? You weren’t always so jumpy about my emergences, you know.” ^;

From the tail of his eye, he noticed Brynn's eyes were lit up at the sight of her leader.

"Herr Daedalus!" She quickly cupped her hands in her lap, but her wagging tail betrayed her excitement.

Flame: “Wait a minute, you two know each other?”
Brynn: “Well, yes. How else did you think that Herr Daedalus introduced us to each other last chapter?”

Flame: “... I thought that was explicitly non-canon, though.” .-.

The Dusknoir looked to her and nodded; after that, the two then merely stared at one another in perfect silence. Flame blinked and tilted his head at them, before realising they must have been speaking through telepathy.

Have to wonder if that’s just fundamentally how Daedalus talks or else if there’s something he’s deliberately trying to keep mum between him and Brynn. Like I’m not fully convinced it’s the former, since Daedalus surely has been around the Teutonii long enough to pick up their language properly, but…

Flame: "Wait, so you did mean 'Lord' when you were saying 'Herr' earlier? Why didn't you just say that when you were mind-talking with me, Brynn?"
Brynn: "I didn't say that I did mean that. And where would the fun in that have been?"

Why can't I do that? He furrowed his brow.

I mean, considering how Flame was very, very strongly implied to be something beyond just a normal Charmeleon as of the most recent chapter, maybe he actually could actually do that at some point down the pipe.

Daedalus eventually turned back to him, and noticed his expression. "Apologies, my child. I was just thanking Comrade Brynn here for her help."

Nodding, Flame shot a glance towards said Braixen. From the way she sat tall, and with an enormous grin, she was having the time of her life being seen next to the two of them.

You probably want ‘Comrade’ to be capitalized, since it’s used as a title there. Though yeah, I’d be having the time of my life too being at the center of attention of the two most important figures of my society.

Flame, on the other hand, found himself smiling as he peered up at the Dusknoir's red eye.

"Where were you?" he said. "You disappeared all morning."

… Wait a minute, is Flame supposed to be smiling for this? Since something about this feels as if he ought to be feeling skeptical or something like that, which I wouldn’t have immediately associated with a smile.

"I assembled the council of chieftains, to discuss the war effort," Daedalus replied. "Although … truth be told, we also discussed the matter of your safety."

Flame: “Wait, as in a council of chieftains for all of the Teutonii? In this dinky little town with no sign of any visiting dignitaries or the like? I thought that you guys controlled swaths of entire provinces in various chunks of the Empire.” .-.
Daedalus: “... We were doing an audio conference with badges? Basically, just imagine the setup that [NERV] had in [Neon Genesis Evangelion], but with more metal bits being held aloft on sticks.”
Flame: “(Yeah, none of that meant anything to me.)” >_<;

Flame raised his brow slightly. "… And?"

Daedalus hesitated for a few seconds. "My child." The Dusknoir hung its head. "I'm afraid you will have to leave this place."

Flame: "What?! Daedalus this place was supposed to be safety! Why on earth did you take me here in the first place if it wasn't?!" >_>;
Daedalus: "Did you honestly expect me to immediately force you on a long journey in the state we found you in?" -;

Flame's smile collapsed.

"Wh-why?" he stammered. "You said…"

A somber look overtook the Dusknoir's gaze. "Please, understand: I chose to bring you to Neuhoffnung as a matter of convenience. Now, however, my subordinates have brought a number of issues to my attention. Not only is this village within operational range of the Empire; open-air settlements in general leave you exposed to enemy aerial scouts." Daedalus shook its head. "That is an unacceptable risk."

Flame only kept scowling.

Flame: “Daedalus, why would you not tell me this?!”

Daedalus: “In my defense, it’s been like 48 hours since we recovered you. My immediate priority was focused more on you not having constant fits of panic at our Comrades.” ^;

"In light of that, I have decided to take you somewhere more discreet." Daedalus looked him in the eye. "An underground settlement, just across the Tartarus mountain passes. You will be safer there."

Getting major Derinkuyu vibes from that mention of an 'underground settlement' there. Wonder if we’ll ever see it properly in the story somehow.

Daedalus: "Also, we know what the Empire is willing to do to try and get you back. Really, it's better for everyone involved that you leave while this is still 'Neuhoffnung Village' and not 'Hoffnunglos Village' or just a giant scorch mark."
Flame: "How in the hell did you think it was okay to never give me a hint that this might wind up happening?!" >.<

Flame's gaze drifted downwards; his hands balled into shaky fists. It wasn't fair. Every time he planned to escape, something just had to stand in the way. He hadn't even finished surveying the land here for his escape! Now, it wouldn't matter. Soon he would be moving again, most likely even farther away from Aesernia.

I kinda wonder if there should’ve been another acknowledgement here or there earlier on in this chapter that Flame actively had “whelp, that was nice, but I’m back off for my blue noodle” on his mind during all of this. Like I got the vibe when he was checking the map last chapter, but there’s been a bit of an air gap for escape-related thoughts since then up to this one point.

Flame narrowed his eyes. "… So much for living a normal life, huh?"

"Soon, my child," Daedalus said quickly. "I promise. We're taking you somewhere safer. It is populated with your kind. Once you're there, you won't have to worry about the war ever again."

Oh, so that’s where Daedalus is getting all his Flame decoys from.

Flame: "As in a place with more Teutonii? Is this some Charicific Valley expy, or...?"
- Flame shakes his head -
Flame: "Look, whatever this place is, if you expected me to be happy about it, you could at least bring my friends along for it!"
Daedalus: "Well, you have one who can come with you."
- Daedalus points off at Brynn, prompting Flame to fold his arms -
Flame: "All of my friends, Daedalus."

Daedalus: "Look, in case you didn't pick up on the subtext, Flame. But our time we have to work with before the Empire or the Presence come barreling in in search for you is kinda scarce at the moment."

The more Flame thought over those words, the hotter a fire burnt in the back of his throat. It was the premise of it all. Why did things have to be this way? Why did he always have to fall in line, to work his plans around someone else's choices?

He was tired of others deciding for him.

I mean, a good chunk of those times involved you being immediately threatened with bodily harm if you didn’t fall in line, so that would help with the whole ‘keep falling in line part’. Like pushing back against the one guy who hasn’t resorted to that in a dispute is kinda just putting your toes into the water.

Before he knew it, he felt Daedalus rest its large hands on his shoulders. It could only maintain eye contact for a few heartbeats before it looked away, ashamed. "I'm sorry, my child. You are … right to be disappointed in me. I promise, this is all being done for your own good. I only wish the best for you."

On one level, Daedalus seems like he genuinely believes that. But I get the very strong sense that his definition of ‘what’s best for Flame’ if he was candid about it to him would likely not go over well.

Suddenly, Flame couldn't find it in him to feel angry. It was hard for him to harbour any sort of animosity towards Daedalus: he trusted it. He truly did.

Wow, Daedalus really does have some scary powers of persuasion there. No wonder why the Teutonii just bought his claims of being their prophetic figure after he shared his intel on the Presence.

For my own good…

The glare returned to Flame's face. No, this was a matter that went beyond trust.

When it became clear to Daedalus that Flame's resentful expression wasn't going anywhere, the Dusknoir pulled back. It let its arms fall at its sides, before turning away.

"We will depart tomorrow at dawn," Daedalus said quietly. "I recommend you sleep early."

Flame: “Oh come on, I don’t even get a say in when we leave this place?” >.<
Daedalus: “Considering how I’m the one cognizant of the hazards entailed with the journey out to [Derinkuyu] while you’re completely ignorant of the Teutonii world outside of Neuhoffnung… no, you don’t. Or at least not in this case.”

Then, in a single swift movement, Daedalus sank into the ground below and melted into a steaming pool of grey goo. It, too, dissipated quickly.

Brynn: “Herr Flame, is everything alright between you and Herr Daedalus? You… seem a bit agitated.”
- Flame pinches his brow and sighs -
Flame: “I don’t think you’d understand, Brynn. Though I could really go for a pint of that beer or whatever it was you were all drinking earlier.” -_-;

For several more moments Flame kept his eyes trained on the spot in the grass, as if to ensure Daedalus wouldn't suddenly reappear. When it didn't, he breathed out in relief and hugged his knees. He just wanted to be done with it all. In his distraction, his eyes wandered over to the upside-down bowl he'd dropped. The distress hadn't quite dented his hunger yet.

May as well…

Well, it’s not quite beer, but I see that Flame’s mind went to similar places canonically after all. :V

He was about to lean forward to pick it up, only to pause when he felt a soft, furry paw clasp his shoulder.

"Herr Flame?"

Flame turned to find a concerned-looking Brynn leaning close to him. She withdrew her paw as soon as their eyes locked, as if afraid he'd lash out.

"Are you … okay?"

Flame: “Obviously not if you have to ask the question-” >_>;
Brynn: “...”

Flame: “I-I mean, m-maybe seconds on soup would lift my mood? (How is it this hard to say ‘no’ to this ‘mon?)”

Despite the leftover resentment brewing in his chest, Flame only shut his eyes.

"I will be," he said. "Hopefully."

Flame: “Which I’m pretty sure is a sign that I won’t be in short order, but let’s not think about that too hard and get some seconds from the soup line!”

Flame somehow found it in him to smile back. If he was going to move, having a friendly face to talk with wouldn't be so bad.

"Lord Daedalus wants me to come with you," she added with an uneasy smile. "If, if that helps."

Ah yes, I see that Daedalus’ project of "forget your old friends, my child, here’s cute lil’ Frau Rutena instead" is in full swing there.

"It does." He glanced at her. "But … don't you have family here? You mentioned your mother…"

"They'll understand." She cupped her paws together, smiling. "They're so happy for me, Herr Flame. Besides, you deserve your memories back."

Oh, so Brynn straight-up has family in Neuhoffnung, huh? I forgot about that detail since she mentions in a later chapter that she has close friends in [Derinkuyu]. She clearly has gotten around more than I thought in at least one sense of the word.

Flame's soft smile morphed into a grin. He turned to look her in the eye. "Thank you again." He placed a hand on her shoulder. "I … I really appreciate it."

He had to stifle a laugh at how quickly Brynn's tail started to wag behind her. He didn't have the heart to point it out to her.

- Meanwhile in Sycorax’s camp, Alice is thrashing about and audibly grumbling in her sleep -
Gaius: “Why am I getting the feeling that if Alice were awake, she’d be going on another one of those inexplicable rants right now?” .-.

Bowl back in hand, Flame rose up and started making his way in the direction of the cooks. The Teutonii on the grass that noticed him readily shuffled around to let him pass, but he hardly paid them more than a glance.

Soon he was at the back of a small crowd buzzing in front of the table where food was being served. He stopped near the back to wait, but it only took a handful of seconds for someone to shout something and for the crowd to immediately part, all looking eagerly in his direction.

Flame: “... I don’t think I’m ever going to get used to this.” .-.
Brynn: “Well, ‘ever’ is a bit of a strong term. Give it some time, Herr Flame.”

Flame grew red in the face. "Wh-what? No, guys, there's no need to…"

But his protests went unheard. The cheerful Druddigon cook snatched the bowl from his claws and poured him another generous portion of soup. The smile she offered him as she handed it back left Flame speechless.

Today’s catering was brought to you by Shardrago Suppen. Proudly serving Neuhoffnung for over a decade.

Flame: "Er... she's really good at giving off a homely vibe. (Though why do I have a sudden craving for bread?)"
Teutonii!Druddigon: "Das ist aus einer anderen Geschichte, Mein [------]." ^_^;

"Th-thank you." He grabbed it with fumbling claws. "Thank you all so much…"

Flame walked away quickly, bowl in hand and feeling incredibly flustered. Not to mention a little guilty. He wasn't sure how he felt about this reverence with which they treated him. While flattering, it was a bit too much. He'd barely been in the village for two days! What contributions had he made to warrant that kind of admiration in their eyes?

Well, it helps when a friend of yours basically tells them that you’re their god-king there to lead them to victory over their enemies. But that’s another story for another day that I’m still not fully sure how you’re going to react to.

Focused as he was on holding his bowl straight, Flame nearly walked past the spot where Brynn was sitting.

"Still hungry, Herr Flame?" she grinned up at him.

He sat down in the same spot as before, and soaked in the beautiful sight of his soup.

"Just this once."

- Flame’s stomach growls -
Flame: “I mean, I do have like 3 weeks worth of meals to catch up on at the moment…” ^^;

A lengthy sip calmed the tension in Flame's back. As he chewed a chunk of fish, Flame threw a glance at the vegetation behind him. In the gaps between the leaves, he could just about make out the lake's shimmering water. The sight focused his mind on what to do next. He'd been planning on scouting the land for his map—but if he were going to leave this place tomorrow, there would be no point.

A frown took over his face. Something always had to interfere with his plans. Just like after the battle, he was back to square one. The only thing he could do for now was plan ahead. Perhaps look over the map as they travelled through the mountain passes, and figure out where—

The Tartarus Mountains. His eyes shot wide. I know where those are on the map.

Flame: “... I mean, I suppose I’d be back to square one again if there’s like twenty passes on it, but hey. It’s a start!”
Brynn: “... Herr Flame, why are you suddenly so concerned about your specific location when it’s a massive operational security risk?”
Flame: “... (Right, you’re still here.) Uh… Idle curiosity?” ^^;

It was only a matter of figuring out which valley he'd be in. If he could pinpoint where he was, the main obstacle getting in the way of him escaping would be lifted. For the first time in a while, Flame actually felt excited. Gods knew it wouldn't be easy; but, when compared to guessing at every lake on the map, maybe it could be a little easier.

Maybe all was not lost.

Cue finding almost as many passes through the Tartarus Mountains on the map as lakes immediately south of the Spearhead Mountains. :V

Flame breathed in deeply, and for a moment merely enjoyed the breeze and the chatter around him. No matter what happened, he was done falling in line.

He wasn't going to give up. For he still dreamt of a life together with Alice and Gaius. He still dreamt of rolling mountains surrounding a quiet little cabin. He still dreamt of gentleness, of hearts at peace, and of a destiny shared with his dearest friends.

While it’s definitely a step up from what I remembered in my first readthrough, there’s something about this block that I think is missing something to it. Maybe it’s some sort of reminder that Flame thinks that he’s stuck in a binary choice between Daedalus and the Teutonii or his blue noodle crush Alice and Gaius, since it has been two chapters since Daedalus explicitly shot Flame down about his friends.

You might find it worth considering something along the following:

Flame breathed in deeply, and for a moment merely enjoyed the breeze and the chatter around him. Part of him didn’t want to leave these Pokémon, to leave this little village. He couldn’t think of a time in what little living memory he had when others had treated him this warmly.

And yet, Daedalus had made it clear yesterday. To accept this warmth was to cast his friends aside. For the sake of their mission that was too important to jeopardize, he’d insisted. For the sake of his own safety, as he’d said earlier.

No. No matter what happened, he was done falling in line.

He still dreamt of a life together with Alice and Gaius. He still dreamt of rolling mountains surrounding a quiet little cabin. He still dreamt of gentleness, of hearts at peace, and of a destiny shared with his dearest friends.

They’d agree that they would leave the Empire behind for a new future together. And he wasn't going to give it up.

Up to you if you agree with the direction, but some food for thought, anyways.

"Little one?"

A rumbling voice stirred Alice from her slumber. Strange; she did not recognise it. Eyes squeezed tighter, she buried her nose further into her coils.

"Wake up, little one."

Alice: "Blugh... what happened? The last thing I remember, Gaius was throwing something at me and-"
- Double take moment -
Alice: "Wait, 'little one'?" o_o;

Alice continued to ignore it, until the bed she was laying on rocked gently side to side, jolting her awake.

"Wha…?" she blinked her eyes open. "I'm not li—"

Staring back at her was the huge face of a Salamence. One easily two times her own.

O-okay. She grinned sheepishly. I suppose you have a point.

Alice: “Boy am I suddenly feeling really small and vulnerable right about now.” ._.;

From the way he was craning his neck back to look at her, Alice realised she was coiled up on his back. In fact, not only that—she looked down at herself, and found her midsection wrapped around the base of his wings for safety.

"We've landed here to rest, little one," the Salamence rumbled softly with a smile. "You should join the others and eat."

Gaius: "... Don't Salamence smiles make them look like they've just found lunch? How's that supposed to be reassuring?" .-.
Praetorian!Salamence: "Hrmph. It was a closed-mouth one, and even if it wasn't, I'm sure a fellow dragon would find it reassuring." >_>;

"O-oh," Alice rapidly uncoiled herself from his wings. "Apologies…"

With a small yawn, Alice slid down onto the thin grass below. She raised her tail tip to rub her eyes, then looked around. The plateau they were standing on dipped gradually earthwards until it dove into a forested valley, flanked by yet more jagged hills that continued for as far as the eye could see. In a gap between two hills, far away, she spotted towering white mountains that took up almost half of the horizon.

How far north are we? Alice kept staring, mouth slightly agape.

Gaius: “Too far north given that I’m pretty sure we’re deep in Scum territory right now.”

Alice: “Gaius, we’re with Praetorians. We’ll be fine... Maybe… Probably… I hope.”

The sheer scale of the surrounding landscape enchanted her. To think that Flame was somewhere here, perhaps being kept in some cavern, under guard…

Alice: “I mean, I’m sure that things are going to end terribly if we can’t figure out a way to slip Sycorax right afterwards, but at least initially, Flame will be so relieved from us coming to his rescue.”
- Meanwhile, back in Neuhoffnung, Flame goes back for thirds at Shardrago Suppen and has a few pangs of guilt flash over his face as the resident customers shoot beaming grins and smiles over -
Alice: “After whatever horrors he’s endured among them, I’m sure he’ll be over the moon.” ^^
Gaius: “(Not convinced that he’s not getting feted as a hero and getting drunk off his ass right now in some mudhut village, just saying.)”

A gust of freezing wind snapped the lingering tiredness out of Alice. Still quivering, she turned in the hopes of spotting Gaius somewhere. There were praetorians all around the plateau: dozens of winged transports sitting to rest, surrounded by their smaller riders and stacks of crates bundled together with rope.

Alice: “Ah yes, a reminder that it’s late October right now. Just what I needed.” X_X

"I think your friend was just over there," the Salamence tilted his head to one side. "By my Flygon colleague."

Alice's first reaction was to stare blankly. "O-oh." She offered him a kind smile. "Bless you, sir."

She slithered away feeling strangely refreshed by the interaction.

Friendly pokémon? she thought. In the Praetorian Guard? Surely the world must be coming to an end.

Funny story about that, Alice…

Gaius: "... Alice, couldn't they just be friendly because Sycorax specifically ordered them to act that way to us?"
Alice: "Whatever the motivation, just seeing one of them like this is jarring." ._.;

She slithered past resting soldiers and their mounts alike, her gaze wandering about to find this Flygon. There were yet more Salamence, Altaria, Talonflame, all surrounded with praetorians eating and stretching their legs.

Alice: “Huh, so we must’ve just landed then. Though where on earth did we make camp?” .-.

Soon enough, Alice realised she'd already forgotten her Salamence's directions. It took another stretch of aimless wandering before she finally spotted the lithe green Flygon resting on its side. A smaller, darker-green Grovyle was sitting back against its belly. He didn't seem to notice her as she approached, busy as he was munching busily munched on a loaf of bread.

"Hey, Gaius."

Gaius: “Mouff fuhl, tahke ah numbah.”
Alice: “Look, just hurry it up alright, since we have dialogue right after this.” >_>;

Alice slithered over to him to coil up by his side. Gaius merely paused his chewing to look up at her with his tired eyes.

"Hey."

"I see you've survived the journey," said Alice jovially.

In response, Gaius only produced the slightest hint of a smile.

"Barely." He glanced to the Flygon, then to his stump. "One hell of a ride I'm stuck with. Damn nearly dropped me a few times."

Oh, I see that loops like in Power Trip aren’t standard issue in this setting. Since that probably would’ve helped a bit with staying on the Flygon there.

Praetorian!Flygon: “I’d just like to remind you that I warned you to crouch close to my back since there were stiff crosswinds.” >_>;
Gaius: “Look, you can’t just expect me to stay in one stance for multiple hours without starting to develop obvious discomfort!” >.<

Alice chuckled softly at that. She saw the Flygon part one goggle-covered eye to glance at them before returning to its nap. In any case, she was glad to see her teammate feeling a little better. Resting her head on her coils, she watched Gaius' face closely. His features still appeared drained, or … confused. Almost as if he only somewhat realised where he was. Or as if he didn't quite care.

Considering what came out about Gaius’ background in recent chapters, I actually wonder if he did realize some of those surroundings at this point or if that was just more generic “where the hell are we?” confusion.

Alice's smile retreated. She may not have felt quite as close to Gaius as she did to Flame, but he was still her teammate. They'd suffered together for long enough that she still wished for him to be well, despite everything.

Alice: “I mean, it’s kinda depressing to see how hard Gaius has been taking things since Boreal Chasm, so…” ^^;

Gaius bit into his loaf of bread and tore off another chunk. "The hell is this place, anyway?" he said, chewing. "Since you're so good at geography."

Ah right, Gaius just doesn’t recognize the neighborhood. Guess that clears things up then.

Alice bit her lip. Her eyes darted around. "I'm not sure," she said. "If I had to guess, perhaps … Basileia province? It's quite difficult to gauge from—why are you laughing?"

Gaius only laughed harder. She stared dumbly and waited for him to settle down.

"W-wow," he wheezed. "Never thought I'd see the day. Smartass Alice can't survive being one day without a library, huh?"

Alice: “Gaius, there are literally forests that look just like this one across multiple provinces!” >_>;
Gaius: “Yeah, well I was still expecting you to not constantly need to check your notes to show off that brain of yours.”

"Oh, hush, you," she chuckled, and gave up on trying to look offended.

Another cold breeze whipped her scales. She grit her shivering teeth and blinked furiously. They had to be farther north: the change in temperature was unmistakable. A glance towards Gaius confirmed that he'd felt it, too, but didn't react apart from returning to his tired, blank stare.

Or you could be at a higher elevation. That tends to do “wonders” for making things chilly.

Alice remembered something. She reached her tail tip into her bag and began fishing for its contents. It was nearly empty; the praetorians had confiscated all their seeds and orbs and other potentially dangerous items. The only things left inside were useless coins and various personal trinkets.

Gaius: “Wait, do you still have that medallion of your mom in there, or…?”
Alice: “I’m… just gonna assume that I do, since I’d really rather not spend the rest of the day in a depressive slump.” ^^;

Her brow furrowed as her tail kept sifting through. Surely they wouldn't confiscate my—

In a swift movement Alice fished out the crimson scarf that Flame had given to her, appraising it as she let it dangle from her tail tip. Blood rushed to her cheeks as relief and warmth slipped through her. She threw it around her neck, then wrapped it around a few times with her tail. She smiled fondly despite the clumsiness—perhaps she could ask Flame to tie it for her again, once they reunited.

Gaius: "Just saying, I'm pretty sure a 'mon could make a mean garrote out of that if he really wanted to."
Alice: "Maybe, but we can't. I don't have hands, and you're missing one."
- Gaius blink -
Gaius: "... Right. Guess that's why they let you keep it." >_>;

Alice was about to rest her head on her coils again, when she noticed Gaius giving her an odd stare.

"Oh—my apologies, Gaius." She quickly sat up and tugged on her scarf with her tail. "Do you wish to wear it instead? I'll manage."

"… Eh." He focused back on his bread. "Still too girly."

He totally wanted to wear it but backed off, didn’t he?

With a small sigh, Alice finally rested her head on her coils. Seeing him like this was disheartening. She would have to petition the praetorians for a second scarf—she doubted Gaius would care enough to ask one by himself.

Gaius: “Do you really think that I’m going to pass up on warmth if the option is lying around?” :|
Alice: “Considering how much Flame had to badger you into accepting his body warmth back in Boreal Chasm, honestly, yes.” >_>;

"… Alice?"

Alice blinked, then raised her head at her teammate. He wasn't looking at her; his eyes were lost in nothingness, as had become increasingly usual.

"When they find Flame," Gaius said, "will you do it?"

"Wh-what do you—"

Gaius turned to glance at her. "Sycorax's offer."

Alice: “... Isn’t Sycorax’s offer by nature going to wind up with Flame being subjected to some horrible fate?”

Gaius: “Well, yeah. That’s why I was asking.”

Alice felt her cheek grow cold and pale at the question.

"I, I don't know." Alice glanced off to the side. "I don't know what they plan to do to him. By the gods, Gaius—our Benefactors? If they're involved…"

Gaius merely continued to stare at some unspecified point in the distance. Then, slowly, he shook his head. "… What the hell is he?"

I find it hilarious in retrospect that of the three members of Team Phalanx, Gaius is the most likely of the three to know what Flame is as of the most recent chapter. Or at least what he’s seen as among the Teutonii assuming he learned what a ‘[-------]’ was back when he was younger. Since their welcoming committee in Chapter 28-ish wasn’t exactly subtle with their greetings towards Flame.

As she buried her nose in her coils, Alice cracked a dry smile; she'd asked the same question yesterday. Flame was a part of the Scum. Was that truly the whole story, though? The more she thought about it, the more she felt like something wasn't adding up. How come he spoke the imperial tongue to begin with?

Uh… yeah, in light of what came out about Gaius as of last chapter offsite. I’m very convinced that Flame does not have a tie by heritage to the Teutonii and that he’s just stepping in from outside into a role prepared for him by Daedalus.

A rotten feeling spread through Alice's chest at the thought of it all. Nevertheless, she shut her eyes and swept those thoughts aside: she knew only one Flame.

"He's my friend," Alice answered promptly. "And our teammate. I—I can't simply give him up like that, Gaius. Not again… Not—"

She was about to continue, when a realisation stung her heart. Her eyes shifted towards Gaius, then drooped to the ground. Sycorax had put his pardon on the line. She had no right to toy with his life like that.

Alice: “... I mean, I suppose that I do, but boy would it be messed up to just condemn a ‘mon I’ve known for multiple years to death over a ‘mon I’ve known for two weeks. (Even if he’s kinda cute.)”
Gaius: “(Gee, way to make me feel better, Alice.)” >_>;

But what were her options? Either she played along with Sycorax, and let them take Flame away forever, or Gaius would be hanged. Her breaths became ragged and heavy.

"I, I can't make that choice." Alice shook her head. As much as she wanted to hide it, tears blurred her vision. "Which one of you dies. I can't…"

Alice: “... Boy is now a really terrible time to not have a Slumber Orb or three so we could try and throw them and then run off.” >.<

"I know what you're thinking." Gaius glanced towards her. "If it means somethin', I don't want their pardon."

Alice perked her head up. "Excuse me?"

I wonder if that’s genuine concern for Flame animating him there, or if that’s his… mood that wound up boiling over as of the most recent chapter.

The look on Gaius' face hardened considerably. He was still staring somewhere off in the distance, but his eyes no longer seemed lost.

"What for?" Gaius looked into her eyes. "They'll just give me some money and send me back to Aesernia. Same old life. If it means they'll take Flame away and do … something to him, it ain't worth it."

... Oh, so he is being influenced by the mood™ here. Like I didn’t pick up on it during a first readthrough, but Gaius clearly wasn’t doing well in this story for longer than I remembered.

She stared at Gaius as if he'd completely lost it.

"Gaius … are you sure?" Alice frowned with concern. "Perhaps I could go back to Sycorax, insist that you get a lifetime pension, or—or a villa. I can't in good conscience make that choice for—"

"Alice." He gritted his teeth. "Stop that. It's not you choosing."

I suppose Gaius really did change after getting messed up in Boreal Chasm. Even if I’m very convinced that not all of this is healthy selflessness in a second go-around. Boy is that a blast from the past, since I remember my initial reaction to this bit back in the day was basically the same spit take that Alice has in the story.

Alice did not know what to say. Wasn't that all he'd ever wanted? From her coils, she peered up inquisitively at her teammate's expression. There was a strange determination in his eyes. Yet it made no sense: for as long as she'd known him, never had he spoken of any desire besides financial security.

And now that it was being offered to him on a silver platter, he didn't want it.

Gaius: “Alice, what sort of life do you expect me to live on my own in this state?” >_>;
Alice: “... One where you can hunker down until you evolve and hopefully heal from your wounds afterwards? Evolutions are frequently tied to age in this story, so…” ^^;
Gaius: “More like I’ll just be sitting around as a cripple waiting to get sucked up by a Portal Storm or run over by rampaging Scum.”

Alice: “(Well that’s certainly a negative outlook on life.)” .-.

Alice stared deadpan. "Is it for Flame?"

Gaius kept staring forward, but she could see that she was right.

"I never imagined you'd grow a conscience, one day." She narrowed her eyes at him.

Gaius' face tensed at that. After a few moments he sighed, and slumped his shoulders. "Yeah, yeah, go ahead—laugh about it all you want."

Alice: “... Gaius, are you sure that this is all about Flame?” .-.
Gaius: “Look, can you stop trying to play armchair therapist here? I said it was for Flame, so what more do you want from me?” >_>;

"Oh, I'm hardly laughing," Alice raised her head from her coils. "Gaius … what's happened to you? Ever since Portus, you haven't…" She stared him up and down. "You haven't been the same."

A dry chuckle left his mouth. "Crazy Gaius finally snaps, huh?" he said. "Only took me a hand and a claw..."

Alice frowned. "That isn't what I was trying to..."

But it was too late. With a heavy groan, Gaius slumped even further, and hugged his knees. His gaze became lost in infinity again.

Boy does this sequence read really different in light of the most recent chapter.

"Fuck, I don't know," he muttered. "Maybe I've just … realised what having a dream feels like."

Alice perked up and stared at him with disbelieving eyes. He believed in their dream, too? Their lives joined together in a distant land—away from the war, from the hunger, from the cold?

Gaius: "Well, Capri would've been nice too, you know."
Alice: "I’m pretty sure we'd have to go in under false identities if we didn't first get... well, it is the Imperial family's property, so I couldn't just go there as 'Alice'."

Alice felt the faintest hint of tears welling in her eyes. "I didn't know you…" she glanced downwards. "… cared."

"Me neither."

Alice: “I mean, I’m genuinely not convinced that you don’t have deeper problems animating you right now, but… it’s just weird to see you looking out for the welfare of someone other than yourself right now.” .-.
Gaius: “Yeah, I haven’t gotten many chances to pick my friends in life. Guess almost losing everything put things in perspective, huh?”

Although he wasn't looking at her, Alice sent her teammate a genuine smile. There was probably more to this sudden change, but knowing Gaius, he wouldn't express it just yet. Though she still felt concerned for him … maybe something good had come out of that near-death experience.

Who knows, Alice smirked to herself, maybe it finally set his head straight.

Gaius: “Was that really necessary?” >_>;
Alice: “... Right, that was honestly kinda messed up there.”

A small part of her felt guilty for thinking something so insensitive; but it didn't matter. Soon, none of it would. A fond warmth flooded her chest; she breathed in and shut her eyes.

Once Flame was back by her side, they could all dream of freedom again. Perhaps they'd even be able to put their desertion plan into motion. Whatever the case, she and he would be there for Gaius. He wouldn't need to suffer alone.

Once Flame was back…

Alice: “I mean, there’s only a giant army bug and at least forty elite soldiers standing in the way of that, but let’s not dwell on details here!”

A frown took over Alice's face; she slumped into her coils. Just as she was starting to brood over him for the thousandth time, though, a voice shouting from afar caught her attention.

"Hey! Civvies!"

Alice blinked, and peeked above her coils. What greeted her was the sight of a chipper Gabite approaching them, cradling a scarred Umbreon in his arms. A small sigh escaped Alice's nostrils, and part of her grumbled about being left alone to brood. She nevertheless gave the two a polite nod as they neared.

Alice: "Do those two really need to be here right now?"
Gaius: "I mean, Virgo does seem to have become a bit less of a dick since... well, you know. And Yvaine wants to be here. So what's the harm?"
Virgo: "Don't worry your scales, Alice. We're hard at work to get you back with your boyfriend!" ^^
Alice: "..." >///<
Gaius: "Ah. Right."

"Hey—what's with those long faces?" Virgo grinned at Team Phalanx. The Gabite carefully set Yvaine down by Alice's side, then plopped himself in front of Gaius.

"Nothing," Alice kept her head on her coils. "We're just … tired. That's all."

"Aww, c'mon, we brought you food!"

"Oh," Alice perked up. "For us? Th-thank you. You didn't have to…"

Alice: “Wow, multiple Praetorians being nice to us? The world must really be ending.”
Virgo: “Oh, you don’t know the half of it-”
- Yvaine sharply elbows Virgo, before speaking up -
Yvaine: “Now, I know that we had to keep a certain level of distance in our prior encounters with you two, but I’d like to think that we were polite and consummately professional.”
Gaius:

Yvaine: “... Okay, let me rephrase that. I’d like to think that I was polite and consummately professional while Virgo was… Virgo.” >_>;

"Nonsense!" Virgo reached into his bag and fished out two loaves of bread wrapped in cloth. He handed one to Alice. His innocent smirk disarmed any thoughts of protest.

"… Thank you," Alice said.

Next, Virgo extended one to Gaius; upon noticing that he was lost in thought, Virgo tilted his head

"Hey, stumpy,"—Virgo poked a claw at the Grovyle's nose—"you sleepin' or something?"

Gaius: “Okay, I take back everything I said about Virgo becoming less of a dick.” >.<
Alice: “... ‘Stumpy’? That’s seriously what you’re going with?”

Virgo: “I mean, Flamey had a flame on him, so ‘Flamey’ just worked. Your pal there has a stump, so…”

Gaius: “I have leaves all over my body, too you know!” >_>;
Virgo: “Yeah, but ‘Leafy’ just sounds wrong on you. Too dainty.”

"Ah!" Gaius flinched and clutched his nose. "The hell are you…?" he glared at Virgo, only to finally notice the bread. His glare softened. "No thanks. I've already had—"

"C'mooon, you're all scales and bones!"

Gaius made a puzzled face, but accepted the loaf regardless.

- Gaius horks down his bread and shoots a pouting glare over at Virgo -
Gaius: “This was so not necessary.” >_>;

"There we go, grassie!" Virgo chuckled and grinned. "Y'know, you remind me of Flamey. Just less shy and a lot grumpier."

Gaius: "I'd be less grumpy if you didn't call me something demeaning like 'Stumpy' that reminds me that I'm missing body parts right now!" >_>;
Virgo: "Hey, I don't see you giving me any alternatives to work with here that don’t suck. I'm sticking with 'Stumpy' until then."

As Alice watched the scene, she felt a soft paw prodding at her middle; it was Yvaine.

"Hello, Alice." Yvaine offered her a polite smile. "How was your flight here?"

"Pleasant, I suppose," Alice smiled back. "Slept through most of it."

Yvaine: “... Was that safe for you? How did you not lose your grip during all of that when I’m pretty sure that the fliers in this unit were issued Loops for passengers?”

Alice: “... (Isn’t that a thing from Power Trip? Do we even have those issued on a regular basis?) And… uh… instinctive grip?” ^^;

Yvaine nodded. "We're … sorry for deceiving you." She looked Alice in the eye. "About who we are. Our undercover work in the Seventh Legion meant we could not reveal our identities."

Virgo: “Really, we were kinda worried that we’d stick out too much while embedded in the Tenth Cohort. Good thing nobody really batted an eye, huh?”

Gaius: “Wait, so have you actually cut off a Machoke’s arms before? Here I thought you were just blowing smoke up our asses!” .-.

The Umbreon's flat voice hardly conveyed much emotion, but Alice appreciated it nevertheless.

"Don't worry about it." Alice tightened her coils. "With all that's happened, it was hardly on my mind."

The Umbreon kept staring at her. After a few seconds, she frowned.

"You're worried about Flame," said Yvaine. "Is that right?"

Alice: “I… uh… wh-what brings this up again?”

Yvaine: “You’ve been obviously pining for him ever since we picked you up and you’ve been on pins and needles since meeting General Sycorax?”

Alice: “... (I’m not that transparent, am I?)” .-.

[ ]Alice's gaze drifted downwards. "… Yes."

Yvaine nodded slowly. "I'm sorry I couldn't protect him."

I kinda wonder if Alice’s bit there should’ve been expanded a bit, since she has some pretty solid reasons to not want to be reflexively open about Flame and having feelings for him to other Praetorians. Especially considering how Sycorax already used her bond with Gaius against her just last chapter.

It might make sense to have her hesitate a bit more answering here or something like that.

"No." Alice shut her eyes. "It's all right. I know you tried."

Before she could retreat back into her thoughts, she felt a soft paw prod at her side again.

"Alice—look at me."

Alice cracked an eye open to find Yvaine looking directly at her.

"The general said we're about to find him." Yvaine smiled. "It won't be long now, I promise."

Alice: “G-Great! Th-That’s wonderful news… (Oh gods, I didn’t even get a chance to plan what I’d do with him and Gaius and we’re already almost there?)”

Alice's lips gradually formed into a somber smile. While a part of her still felt like brooding in solitude… it was nice having someone to talk to.

"Thank you," Alice whispered softly. "I just—I want to know that he's okay."

"If it helps," Yvaine added, "I'm sure he's just as worried about you right now."

- Beat moment -
Alice: “What… makes you so sure? (And why are you bothering to bring this up to me when we both know that Sycorax has exactly zero interest in keeping us together afterwards?)” ._.;
Yvaine: “Well, Sycorax doesn’t, but…”

"Hopefully." Alice chuckled, and glanced up at the sky. "Who knows—maybe … maybe he's enjoying life with his people. Perhaps he found out who he is…" Her half-smile quivered. "Gods, what if he's happier there?"

Yvaine rested her head on her front paws. "I think he'd be a lot happier with you."

Alice blinked, then turned to her. "Hm?"

"Oh, nothing."

Calling it now, if Virgo and Yvaine ever formally take the plunge off of Team Presence, that’s going to be a major part of their motivation. Assuming that this isn’t all just an act of theirs to get Alice’s guard down.

Alice: "(Oh gods, not her too.)" >///<
Virgo: "I mean, just saying, you're not making it any harder for us to pair you with your boyfriend." ^^

Alice quirked a brow at the Umbreon. She was going to ask what that tiny smirk on her face was for, but relented with a sigh. She had too many thoughts running through her head to bother inquiring. Breathing another sigh, she shifted her attention to the chatter between Gaius and Virgo.

"Hey, hey—I should introduce you to this Servine girl in our cohort!" Virgo grinned, arm slung over Gaius' shoulder. "Reeeal hottie. I think she'd totally be into you."

Alice: “I really could’ve done without overhearing Virgo plotting to play matchmaker, just saying.” X(

Gaius sat by his side, eating his meal with his good hand. Most impressive of all, though, he was smiling. Not even a faint smile like before: an actual smile!

"What," Gaius raised an eyebrow. "You're not that into grass-types?"

"Hey, hey—that's not what I'm sayin'!" Virgo raised his arms in mock surrender. "I dig grassies too, you know? She's just … really freaky with those vines."

I wonder if that’s secondhand knowledge of Virgo’s given that Ms. Vines there didn’t exactly take well to an advance that he made on her a little under 10 chapters out from here.

Gaius: "Uh... do I really want to get intimate with this Servine on the bet that she didn't get past second base with the Gabite who's a walking reservoir of venereal diseases here?" .-.
Virgo: "Well she's not going to get into you with an attitude like that." :|

The sight of Gaius actually smiling triggered a warmth in Alice's chest. She hadn't seen him smile like that in … years, perhaps? Nevertheless, the sight only strengthened Alice's resolve as to the future of Team Phalanx.

Soon, we will be free.

Narrator:

Alice: “Look, aren’t I entitled to have a moment of hope here?” >.<

Alice closed her eyes, and smiled at the pleasant warmth of that dream. Indeed, they would—all three of them. They would flee from the Praetorian Guard's clutches and into the mountains, off to lands unknown. There, they could find honest jobs, build themselves a cabin, maybe even find meaning in this senseless world.

And then, they would be happy.

And she actually gets this for the team. Just not in the manner that she planned, and I’m pretty sure that it’s all going to fall apart within the span of like five chapters. But she got it… for now.

Alice: “... I mean, I still haven’t worked out how that’s going to happen. But I have some time to work with… I hope.”

Alice's cheeks began hurting from how large her smile was. For after all, was her dream so unreasonable? To wish for no more cold, no more hunger—no more Father?

Yes, but she doesn’t know that or why it would be unreasonable just yet.

Still smiling confidently, Alice turned her gaze to the praetorians sitting all around them. She caught sight of the Gallade from yesterday, sitting under the shade of an Altaria with his Luxray and Infernape squadmates. Further in the air, her eyes locked onto a distant Charizard flying towards them. It was slinging a bundle of crates underneath as it flew, tied to the dragon via a rope. As it came almost overhead, the Charizard beat its mighty wings back to decelerate, and landed both the swinging boxes and itself under the arm directions of a Lucario on the ground.

So these were the soldiers they'd have to get through to escape.

Alice: “...”

Gaius: “(Seriously, what is it with you and plans that are gigantic moonshots?)” >_>;

No matter. Alice shut her eyes, and smiled. We'll find a way.

Narrator:

Alice: “Can you not right now?!”

They'd failed the first time, but perhaps they'd get a second chance. They deserved happiness. If they had to become outlaws to get there, then so be it.

Besides, the life of an outlaw did have a certain romantic appeal to it…

Well, aside from when the Law is coming along to violently kick you over. Or the violent infighting over stuff like look and territory. Those parts and the ones that generally follow right afterwards aren’t terribly romantic or appealing. ^^;

Also, just saying, if the Empire has holdings out west and their status in-setting roughly tracks with IRL history, there's straight up pockets of outlaw-controlled territory here and there that span entire river valleys at this point in time even before accounting for [Galicia].

Kinda wonder if we’ll ever see that in this story, since bagaudae are a staple of late-Rome, and one that hasn’t popped up in this story yet.

Laughing at her own musings like an idiot, Alice used her tail to unfurl the cloth from around her meal. She took a bite out of her bread and meeped in pleasant surprise at the cheese and tomato slices inside.

"Like it?" asked Yvaine with a polite smile.

I wonder if the anachronistic foods in this setting were just always here prior to the Presence’s arrival in this world, or if they had their own analogue to the Columbian Exchange that happened. It’s a minor detail, but it does make me wonder if there was a story behind it.

"Mh-hm." Alice hummed before swallowing. "By the way—do you know where we are?"

Yvaine only looked at her for a couple of seconds before answering.

"The Tartarus Mountains."

Gaius: “Oh, so no wonder why it’s so bloody cold at the moment. We’re in the mountain range named after a place of torment for the wicked in the afterlife that I’m pretty sure gets its first snows in like a month.”

Virgo: “Technically, it’s more like ‘two weeks’, but you don’t need to shed your scales over it. We’ll find Flamey and be long gone before then.”

Gaius: “... Pretty sure that was a jinx of some sort, but okay then.” >_>;

Alright, and onto the glimpse of things to come for this story… unless if you just read up to the day and date, in which case you’ll see it first thing while pulling up Chapter XXIII:

"Prepare Down Target: Icarus. Final coordinates received. Priority supersedes all previous instructions."

— Encrypted radio transmission sent from Vulcano Isle to Supreme General Sycorax.

Gaius: "Wait, 'final coordinates received'. So we're expecting Flame to come to us? Since there's an entire province between where Flame was snatched and these mountains!"
Alice: "I... guess? Though how is Sycorax able to determine this specific spot will be where the Scum will take him? This is an entire mountain range!"
- Blink moment -
Alice: "Do... you suppose that Sycorax has a spy embedded among the Scum? That'd certainly be one way of knowing where to prepare an ambush."
Gaius: "Would that even be possible? Isn't it more likely he turned up battle plans or a psychic got a lead from a captured Scum? Also, there's not that many passes through mountain ranges. Couldn't he narrow things down by elimination that way?"
Alice: "I... don't know. But he seems really convinced about these coordinates. And that Flame will come through here."
- Look off into distance -
Alice: "I just hope that Sycorax's right... and that we can find a way to slip him and his legionaries afterwards. Since otherwise this story’s going to end really, really fast." ._.;

Alright, time for the customary postmortem:

Boy did a lot of things read differently the second time around this chapter. Some of it was changes that I presume are meant to tee up a certain Rubicon the cast crosses over like three chapters in the future from here that originally wasn’t built up as much, but most of it was just going back and seeing the subtle little details that I either overlooked, or else can only recognize with the benefit of hindsight. On the whole, I think that you accomplished your goals for those changes, and it sets up the idea of an impending collision fairly well.

As for things I was a bit less sold about, there were a couple of moments where I felt that there was a bit left on the table for building up to the aforementioned Rubicon, and a few moments where I felt that certain thought processes or the like could’ve come through more, but otherwise I don’t have a ton to complain about. You’ve been adamant in the past that it’s the earlier parts of the story that have more things you’re iffy about, and honestly, I’d be inclined to believe it. The more recent portions of Rebirth simply carry a level of polish that goes hand-in-hand with your own evolution as a writer.

Kudos, and I’ll be looking forward to seeing how the changes to this arc add up with passing chapters @Shadow of Antioch . Since just from what I can see from this and the past couple chapters, it seems like you took the initial criticisms you got about that moment to heart and made some notable strides towards teeing it up in a more satisfying fashion.

Till next time!

 

[Shadow of Antioch]

Chapter XXIV: Semper​

---

Aurina Valley—Tartarus Mountains

The mystery dungeon stood like a spear piercing the sky itself, towering far, far, above the valley and the puny convoy that walked its cragged passes.

Flame could not tear his eyes away from the colossal mountain whose summit was obscured in gray clouds. Atop the Arcanine, he kept his snout raised as she trotted. This was it: the mystery dungeon they were to escape through. This was his final destination.

A sense of awe and excitement crashed into him at the thought, leaving in its wake only some odd tingling. Earlier he'd had his doubts, but now, from this close, there was no mistaking it. He pulled aside the hem of his hood to look around. The entire valley was inundated with the fiery orange glow of early dawn, but the mountain itself was stuck in a cloudy gray. It loomed there, dreary and shaded—even at angles where the sun's rays clearly should have hit its granite slopes.

Flame felt his breathing pick up pace as an excited smirk seized his cheeks. So the mystery dungeon was not in the mountain; it was the mountain itself!

So focused was he on his objective, that he'd nearly forgotten the feminine voice droning softly in his head.

"I have a few girl friends in the town," Brynn said, turned to him. "I've known them since I was a kit, and—ah, they'll be so excited to meet you!" She let out a physical squeal, cupping her hands in her lap. "Not just them: I bet all the girls in our new home will be swooning over you."

Flame felt that he should have blushed at that thought, yet he said nothing, and merely kept his face steeled as he watched the rocky path ahead.

"Oh! Oh! We should get a house together! Obviously we'd get two beds—if, if you, uh, if you'd prefer to—but I still think it's a great idea! Would you like that, Herr Flame?"

"Huh?" He blinked and pulled the hem of his hood, flinching slightly at her expectant stare. "Wha—y-yeah, yeah."

Only when Brynn beamed and Flame went back through her words did he realise what he'd just agreed to.

He immediately bit his tongue. "No—I, I mean… maybe. I'll have to think about it, okay?"

Brynn's ears dropped slightly. "… Okay. Sorry."

With that settled, Flame turned back to watch the dungeon looming in the sky. Whatever guilt he felt at dismissing her like that was replaced by sheer adrenaline. He was so close to his objective—he couldn't afford to be distracted now.

The convoy was marching up a steep forested hill, surrounded by slender pine trees and flowers and following the course of a large creek. Somewhere at the very top of the hill, beyond the trees and vegetation obstructing his view, he could just faintly make out the first anomalous ripples shimmering high up in the air.

The sight sent Flame's heart into a frenzy. He squinted his eyes and tried to estimate the distance: it was impossible to tell exactly when the dungeon started, but within a few minutes at most they would reach the hilltop. Once that happened, he would know when to set his plan in motion.

Breathing in shakily, he clutched the small stun seed he was holding underneath his cape. It was, at least in theory, a simple plan. That meant little chances of messing everything up, of ruining perhaps his only chance at the future he dreamt of.

No, no, no… He gritted his teeth, eyes shut. Not now…

Breathe. He needed to breathe. He needed to hold his seed tightly, too; but first and foremost he needed to breathe. Why did he have to get nervous now, to jeopardise all these sleepless nights of planning over a few nerves?

As Flame sucked in one large breath after another, he concentrated on the incessant snaps and crunches of pine needles being crushed under the convoy's feet. He focused on the wind rushing into his hood, and blowing back the loose ends of his oversized cape…

Suddenly, a familiar hand settled on his shoulder.

"Do you see the dungeon, my child?"

Flame jolted in his saddle and nearly dropped the stun seed in his claws. "Wh-what are you—" He whipped around, before peering up at Daedalus. "Uh, y-yeah. It's the mountain, isn't it?"

"Indeed." Daedalus looked up through the treetops, hand firmly on his shoulder. "We are not very far, now. Once we are inside, I beg you: stay close to me. Leave all the fighting to your comrades unless strictly necessary."

Outwardly Flame maintained his composure, but internally he wanted to scream. Not now! Why did it have to talk to him right now?

"I can handle myself," Flame replied, perhaps a bit too forcefully. He quickly bit his tongue, feeling a small pang of guilt. "L-look, I appreciate that you're worried, but … I'll be fine."

"Hm, yes," Daedalus stared down at him. "You are stronger than you seem. I said so myself, did I not? Perhaps I worry too much…"

With shaky claws, he pulled the hem of his hood aside to better look around. They were further up the dirt track, still flanked by pine trees and shrubbery. Judging by the number of Teutonii in front of him, he was somewhere in the middle of the column. He bit his lip; every part of his plan relied on him being at the rear. If only Daedalus would go away…

"I have thought extensively of our conversation last night."

Flame's heart twitched; he lifted his wide eyes to the Dusknoir's, locking gazes. Did it suspect…?

"Wh-why?" he stammered, before forcing himself to smile. "I—I mean, I'm feeling better now! I was just having a moment of … c-crisis, I guess. But... you were there for me, right?"

"That is precisely what troubles me, my child."

Flame wordlessly held Daedalus' gaze as it continued to float beside his Arcanine. Somewhere from within the forest came a flying-type's chirp.

"Although you are strong," Daedalus said warmly, "we cannot forget the extent of the trauma you suffered. You need me by your side, Flame." Its eye drifted downwards. "And soon, I will have to leave you again."

A single chuckle left Flame's nostrils. He looked off to the side, and watched the thin, greening underbrush go by as he produced a somber smile. If only it knew…

"It's not your fault," he spoke, still looking away. "W-we're in a struggle for survival, right? Our people are." He played with the stun seed under his cape and shut his eyes. "Besides, you've already done so much for me…"

"Not nearly enough," Daedalus muttered back, drifting off towards the head of the column. "Not nearly enough…"

Flame bit down on his trembling lip. He wanted to say something, to prove the Dusknoir wrong—perhaps to hear its voice for a little longer, too.

Yet when he lifted his eyes again, he jolted up: the vegetation around them was nearly gone, replaced by greying rocks and the occasional bush. He quickly pulled aside the hems of his hood to look around. To his left, off the edge of the path they were on, he could see hundreds below into a steep-looking rock face. The path barely granted the convoy enough space to march in double column: to their right rose an enormous granite wall, too tall for him to see the top.

Again, Flame's heart thumped faster and faster. The mountain was looming even closer in front of them, jutting up into the heavens, but the distortions in the air—the mystery dungeon's threshold—started much sooner. So soon, in fact, that it took him scarcely a few seconds to spot where it began: it was at the end of this windy cliffside path.

It was in that cold heartbeat that the realisation struck him.

It's time…

From atop his saddle, Flame shook in a sudden impulse of terror. His plan—he had to enact his plan!

With shaky claws he reached down to the saddle's side, unhooked his bag, and lifted it to his lap. Flame bit his lip, glanced to the Teutonii marching around him. They were but a few minutes away from the dungeon, now—surely this wouldn't look suspicious. Right?

With no time to answer his own question, he slipped a paw into his bag and pulled out the items he'd prepared: two plain seeds. For a couple of heartbeats he just sat there, flicking his eyes between the seeds and the Arcanine underneath him. He hadn't quite thought of the specifics of his plan. Was it better to give her one first, or…?

Realising that there wasn't much mountain path left, Flame threw all caution to the wind and shoved one of the two seeds in his mouth. He bit down on the hard shell and winced slightly when some of the bitter powder within fell onto his tongue.

He squeezed his eyes. How can Gaius eat this stuff?

Nevertheless, he resisted the urge to vomit and crunched the shell as loudly as he could. It was when he peeled his eyes open that he found the Arcanine's muzzle tilted back to glance at him. Flame grinned with joy; he quickly swallowed what little he could stomach.

"H-here." He offered her the other plain seed. "You can have one."

For whatever reason, the Arcanine did nothing but stare at the paw he'd extended. A single heartbeat turned into far too many, and Flame found himself moving his lips in silent fervent prayer.

Just as his paw started to quiver, though, the Arcanine lapped up the seed in her tongue. Flame let out a small squeal of joy as she turned to look ahead again, making a thankful purr with her throat as she chewed loudly.

Flame promptly wiped the saliva-coated palm on his cape, yet laughed regardless. This was the fourth seed she'd accepted today. He'd gained her trust—he had to, by now!

But he was still near the middle of the column, and all his plan amounted to nothing so long as that was the case.

Step two, breathed Flame.

"Hey." He leaned closer to her ear. "C-could you slow down for a little? My stomach's feeling all..."

The Arcanine turned back with a perplexed face, and Flame blinked, unsure what to make of it. Then, after a moment, it clicked: they spoke different languages.

Sighing, he lifted his eyes to gaze at the rest of the convoy as they continued down the cliffside path. He needed someone to translate for him. Gods, not Daedalus—he couldn't risk drawing Daedalus back here again.

As Flame scanned his eyes around in search of an answer, he spotted Brynn sat atop her Gogoat just a few Teutonii ahead. He perked up in no time.

"B-Brynn! Brynn!"

The Braixen turned back in alarm, and Flame immediately bit his lip. No, no, he'd sounded too panicked—he needed to stay calm. Calm. He gripped his ride's mane and took deep breaths as Brynn and her Gogoat slowed down, and other Teutonii surpassed them.

When they finally squeezed in the spot next to him, he was taken aback by the look on her face—her ears slightly flattened, looking at him as if vaguely afraid.

"Herr Flame?" she said, her voice quiet. "What's wrong?"

"N-nothing," he blurted before glancing away. Was she still sad from earlier? "Well, no, uh, I meant—c-can you tell my ride to slow down a little? I'm feeling a bit … s-sick. In the stomach."

"Oh, of course." Her eyes softened. "Do you want me to tell Lord Daedalus, or—"

"No," he interrupted her, then forced a smile onto his face. "I, I don't want to make him worry. That's all."

It was a tense, trembling smile, yet somehow it was enough: she returned it. Brynn held his gaze for several heartbeats, before she uttered something in that harsh language of theirs that got the Arcanine to whine in something resembling pity.

And then she began to slow down.

Flame's breath choked; he refused to believe this was working. And yet, he watched as Teutonii began to overtake them. More than a few blushed or bowed as they passed him by. Soon, he was riding near the tail of the convoy with only one Dewott behind him.

Donning an incredulous smile, he patted the side of the Arcanine's head. "Thank you…" he whispered. "Thank you so much…"

The Arcanine purred back, and Flame glanced away in shame. No, he couldn't let the guilt affect him—not when he was so close. He would need to be fast—and break free of this stupid cape, too.

In fact, they were nearing the path's end, now. When he craned his neck up, he could see it: another hundred metres and the narrow cliffside path widened into a small muddy plateau, and a little ways after that the air began distorting and draining in colour.

Teeth gritted together, Flame slung his bag around his shoulder. Step three. Freedom.

Inside his cape he clutched the stun seed as tightly as his quivering claws allowed him to. All that was left to do now was feed the Arcanine this stun seed just before they reached the dungeon's entrance. 'Have this last one,' he'd tell her; his ride wouldn't understand a word, but it would hardly matter. Never would she expect this seed to be different.

He felt a pit in his stomach at what he was going to do to her—but this Arcanine looked young and strong, and once the paralysis wore off she would certainly find her way back to her people.

Him, on the other hand? This way his only chance.

However, no amount of rationalisation was enough to dispel the guilt eating away at his innards when he looked down at her mane.

I'm sorry… he mouthed with his lips. A vague tremor shook his chest; suddenly the madness of what he was about to do sunk in. He was abandoning Daedalus, Brynn, all the Teutonii that had welcomed and fed him. They didn't deserve this—none of them did.

I'm so sorry… He squeezed his eyes together, and sniffled.

Pressure built behind his eyes, and every breath he took seemed to suck more air out of him than it introduced. Yet he needed to be strong. Just this once, he needed to become the fearless Charmeleon that all these pokémon hailed him to be.

Flame opened his damp eyes again. They were on the rocky plateau, now; the dungeon's entrance lay somewhere on the other side of the chasm that cut across the plateau, connected only by a short, wooden bridge.

Flame's heart jumped, and a cold breeze flapped the loose ends of his cape. The time was nearly upon him. All he had to do was offer the seed to her. It was simple enough. He'd come this far, after all.

His time was running out yet he still sat there, clutching his stun seed in his shaky claws, watching helplessly as the convoy crept quietly towards the bridge. If he stayed, in two days he would be in his new home with Daedalus and Brynn, piecing together a new life. His house had been prepared. Could he still run away after all they'd done for him?

Daedalus paused just before the bridge and looked back. Flame averted his gaze. His distress awoke a nausea in his body, and he stared down with his wide eyes.

I can't. He sniffled. I can't do it. I can't—

"Halt."

In one word, Flame's train of thought screeched to a halt. The convoy stopped; right there, right in the middle of the rocky plateau.

"Huh?" Blinking slowly, Flame raised his head to see. "Why did we just—"

From the front of the convoy, Daedalus did little more than float there with its hands clasped behind its back, examining their surroundings.

"Comrade Hydreigon was scheduled to be here by now."

Flame's expression gradually collapsed into a scowl. No, no—not now. Not when he was so close. Why did they have to stop for that stupid dragon now?

Cursing under his breath, he pulled back his hood and twisted his head to look about. With his eyes he trailed the greying slopes of the mystery dungeon towering above them; he gazed up to the cliff's rocky crest, then in the opposite direction to the towering mountains jutting up on the horizon. Nothing. Not a single trace of their Hydreigon.

"M-maybe he was compromised," tried Flame, his voice feeble. "And, and he's trying to lead them away from us."

"Perhaps so," Daedalus said. "This is … unexpected. I do not remember hearing any form of signal from him."

With each second they stood there, Flame only grew more restless on his saddle. He again scanned their surroundings. There was nothing on the horizon. Nothing on the rocky plateau except for them. Why, then, were they waiting?

He stole glances of the other half of the plateau, across the chasm, where the air clearly began to ripple and shimmer anomalously. All they had to do was cross the bridge. The dungeon was right there!

"Look, let's just go." Flame gritted his teeth. "I'm sure he'll be fi—"

"Quiet."

With a sudden lump in his throat, Flame couldn't find his voice anymore.

The Arcanine beneath him tensed up, as if ready to pounce; he noticed everybody in the column do the same.

Daedalus wasn't looking around anymore. Instead it stared ahead, eye narrowed at the mystery dungeon. "Comrades, dismount. Form around me."

Flame's heart had already been throbbing; but now, now it was pounding. He slipped off his ride's saddle with his seed still in hand, and sprinted to Daedalus' side—nearly tripping on his oversized cape in the process. The other Teutonii quickly closed to form defensive circle of sorts, one with himself and Daedalus at its centre. Their eyes, nervous yet alert, swept over the surrounding area in silence.

Flame was quivering. Step by step, he inched closer to Daedalus and reached up to touch its cold arm.

"D-Daedalus, what's happening?" he asked carefully. "Why are we being … like this?"

Daedalus continued to slowly scan their surroundings. "I fear that our scout's disappearance is no mere coincidence," it replied. "And that, despite all of our precautions, we may have been discovered."

Overcome by a sense of dread, Flame gripped his seed with both hands. He listened to his surroundings: there were bird cries in the air, wind hissing in his ears, and the faint rush of water somewhere below. A brooding quiet weighed over the group.

"B-but how?" His eyes darted across the bridge. "And why are we standing here?! Let's go! The dungeon's right there!"

He tugged Daedalus' arm, yet the Dusknoir kept its sights on the top of the cliff above them.

"We cannot."

Flame pleaded with his eyes. "… Why?"

"There are multiple pokémon waiting above us."

There was barely time for Flame to process his panic as he looked up: figures—dozens of figures dotted the clifftop. However, only one chose to fully reveal itself.

A mass of metallic purple stepped to the edge of the cliff, taking a few moments to examine the terrain beneath. Then, it jumped. It landed on the other bank of the chasm with a heavy, metallic crash.

Flame let out a muffled cry of terror, as did a few of the Teutonii, as the Genesect rose to full height. It was obstructing the other end of the bridge—the only bridge to cross the great chasm that separated them. It stood there tall and proud, unencumbered by the huge cannon on its back, before it swept its eyes across the Teutonii.

"Good day to you," Sycorax said with a twinge of static. "As of this moment, you are surrounded. Do not attempt to flee."

Within heartbeats, another dozen pokémon crashed down to the Genesect's side and rushed into formation—Nidoking, Sceptile, Garchomp, others still he did not recognise, all raising a great cloud of dust. Flame felt his heart beating faster than he'd ever thought possible.

"Comrades, hold your ground!" Daedalus ordered. "Stay behind me, my child. It will be all right."

There was no need, for Flame was already cowering behind the Dusknoir's body. He darted his eyes helplessly between each of the hulking beasts by the Genesect's side; there must have been… six, eight of them? The Teutonii around him—from the Arcanine who'd carried him to Brynn to a Weavile to an Absol—did their best to remain stoic, but when he looked closely, that twinge of fear in their eyes was unmistakable.

Suddenly, a shrill cry erupted behind them. Flame whirled around just in time to witness a Flygon settle down in front of the access path; the Gallade and Kabutops on its back, too, hopped off and held up their respective blades at the rear of the ring. There was no way back, now. As if things couldn't get any worse, he caught sight of an Ariados above them crawling down the cliff's granite wall.

"Watch that Ariados," Daedalus ordered its troops. "Do not let it catch you off guard."

"No…" He backed away, slowly and inexorably. "No, no, no, no…" Flame did his best to regain control of his breath and his rising panic. Holding onto his bag for dear life, he took another step back. "Da—Daedalus? What do we do?"

Yet Daedalus said nothing. It merely floated stoic with an outstretched arm pointed at the general, an orb of darkness forming in its palm and absorbing the light around it.

"You."

"Indeed," Sycorax said calmly. "I'd heard reports that you were at the head of this little … insurgency, but seeing you here is quite different." Sycorax swept its gaze across the circle of Teutonii. "Tell me, traitor, was this your grand plan all along? Barbarians? Truly, we must have overestimated you."

Daedalus said nothing, continuing to train a Shadow Ball on the general across the bridge. The Dusknoir took a moment to scan their surroundings, as did Flame. The numbers weren't in their favor here. Eight in front, three behind, one above—and who was to say how many other praetorians were hiding nearby?

"Your numbers mean nothing," Daedalus boomed. "If a battle if what you wish for, know that I will destroy you. You … you abomination!"

Neither the vitriol in those words nor the burgeoning Shadow Ball aimed at its head seemed to faze the general.

"Oh, I'm sure you could." Sycorax tilted its head in amusement. "Thankfully for me, I'm not here to fight you. It would appear you have one of my soldiers."

Flame cowered behind Daedalus; he could feel the Genesect's deathly red eyes scan them all individually, burning onto their skin. It took Flame a second to realise something: it was staring straight at him! The flash of delight in its eyes made his heart lodged into his throat.

Sycorax took a step forward; Daedalus' hand twitched, as did the burgeoning Shadow Ball.

"I will make an offer unworthy of you, traitor." Sycorax said. "Release him, and you will all be granted safe passage."

Daedalus' glare somehow became harsher. "If you truly believed I'd accept, then you are delusional."

Through it all Flame could only peek helplessly from behind Daedalus' tail. He wanted to say something—anything—but he felt small, far too small. He felt like a little Charmander, with everybody around him speaking and making threats on his behalf.

"Herr Flame? Lord Daedalus?" Brynn's sudden voice invaded Flame's head.

Biting his lip, Flame stole a glance behind him: the Braixen was near the back of the Teutonii circle, brandishing a wand at a growling praetorian Flygon. Her head was turned towards him.

"What is it saying?" She pleaded with her eyes. "What do we do?"

"Not now," he muttered back. "Please."

Indeed, he turned back to find the Genesect staring straight at him from across the bridge.

"Private Flame!" Sycorax spoke. "There is no need for that disguise anymore. Come forward—we won't let them hurt you."

Flame answered nothing; a chill rattled his body.

The Dusknoir sent him a death glare. "You will stay where you are, Flame."

"I know!" He hissed through gritted teeth. "I wasn't going to—!"

Jaw clenched, he growled and struggled against Daedalus' grip, but the Dusknoir only squeezed tighter. His arm was starting to feel tingly.

"Unhand him."

Both of them froze at Sycorax's command, its static-laden voice echoing throughout the chasm below.

"I wish to see him, traitor," Sycorax continued, "You'd do well to listen."

The Dusknoir's glare slowly drifted downwards; the Shadow Ball in its outstretched palm wavered ever so slightly.

"My child," Daedalus said. "Please…"

The emotion behind those words wasn't enough to prevent Flame from yanking his captive arm free. He shuffled away, hissing as he nursed his blood-deprived arm. He could almost feel Daedalus' eye glued on him.

The moment he lifted his gaze, however, his courage faltered.

The Genesect's bright red eyes were staring directly at him from across the bridge—penetrating his defences.

"Oh, my. It really is you," Sycorax said with a chilling composure. "Fear not, soldier, it's nearly over. Are you hurt?"

For some moments Flame stood there petrified, his eyes darting between the towering praetorians lined up on the other half of the plateau, most taller than their own general. He clutched the hems his cape to his chest, yet the flimsy cloth didn't help him feel protected at all.

Flame squinted in the direction of Sycorax. "Wh-what exactly do you want from me?"

"We're here to bring you home, soldier," replied Sycorax promptly. "To Aesernia. Back to your comrades in arms."

"He's lying," promptly came Daedalus' voice in his head.

Flame balled his quivering fists. "I know!" he hissed without turning. "I'm not that stupid! Just let me—"

A sudden fire burnt hot in his throat. In a burst of courage that surprised even him, he stood his ground and glared at the praetorian line, the loose ends of his cape fluttering behind him in the breeze.

With a few movements, he undid the knot at his neck, and the green cape fell and crumpled by his feet. There was no longer a point to the disguise.

Although the breeze now impacted his naked scales, Flame smiled as he glanced around, taking a moment to appreciate his newfound peripheral vision.

"Good," Sycorax spoke. "I see you are unharmed. Come forward, now. You're almost home."

For a brief, flashing moment, Flame was compelled to obey. But then he clenched his fists tighter, and bared his teeth to the Genesect. "No."

If Sycorax was surprised, it didn't show it. "I know you're scared, but you have to trust me, Flame."

Flame blinked. Do—do they both think I'm an idiot? He stared deadpanned. Is it something I'm doing?

"Those Scum can no longer hurt you," continued Sycorax, its voice low and slow. "Come forward, and I promise, everything will be fine."

Flame sneered. "Oh, drop that." He clenched both of his fists. "I'm not a kit."

"Why do you say that, private?" Sycorax asked, its voice pitched in some emulation of concern.

Flame continued to squint at the Genesect. "I know who you work for."

Sycorax remained silent for a moment. "I don't understand."

"Y-you're going to take me to them!" Flame said, louder this time. "Back to where I came from. That's your plan, isn't it? To have me killed…"

Sycorax slowly shook its head. "I assure you, Flame, if we'd wanted you dead, you would already be."

Flame's fists quivered. "Th-that doesn't matter. I'm not—"

"Who told you these lies?" Sycorax silenced him, staring him directly in the eye. "Was it the Scum?"

Breathing shakily through his nostrils, Flame tore his gaze away from those red glowing eyes. He couldn't find his voice for some reason.

Suddenly, he felt Daedalus' broad, cold hands enveloping his shoulders.

"Your lies are useless," Daedalus boomed. "He knows about the Presence. He knows who you truly serve."

The Genesect, however, had its eyes set on Flame. "Think, soldier," Sycorax called out. "That Dusknoir is responsible for the death of thousands. Making up stories to subvert your loyalty is not beyond him."

Against his willpower, Flame hesitated. The killings were true, but Daedalus couldn't have lied. …Could he? No, no, it couldn't be—every touch, every smile, the affection Daedalus harboured for him was too tangible. He'd felt it, damn it! The love…

Flame squeezed his eyes shut and breathed sharply, thoughts racing through his head. The more he tried to make sense of the Genesect's motivations, however, the less sense they made. The war against the Teutonii was still raging—just a week ago they'd nearly reached the gates of Aesernia. Why would the Imperial Army commit any number of troops, much less its general, to saving him? Him, an inept conscript! A deserter!

Though the pit in his stomach grew deeper, Flame lifted his eyes to Sycorax and clenched his fists tighter. You do think I'm an idiot, don't you?

With his chest puffed out, and his tail fire intensifying, he declared, "I'm not coming."

Sycorax remained quiet. Then, it tilted its head. "And what will I tell your friends?"

Flame blinked. He stared dumbly at the Genesect, his shoulders sagging a little. "… What?"

"Your teammates." Sycorax's glass red eyes lit brighter in delight. It stepped forward. "They're worried to death over you, Flame. Does that mean anything to you? Do they mean anything to you?"

With his train of thought derailed completely, Flame backed away and struggled to breathe. It couldn't be. "No…" He gritted his teeth. "No, you're lying. Y-you don't even know where they are!"

"Oh, but I do," Sycorax said, before turning to look behind it. "Isn't that right, princess Alice?"

Flame's heart stopped. He felt his cheek cold and pale, and as he followed Sycorax's gaze, he saw it: one of the Praetorians, a fierce-looking Nidoking, moved aside to reveal the much smaller shapes of a Dragonair and a Grovyle, both staring back at him with wide eyes.

"… Alice?"

His eyes locked with hers across the chasm. Even at this distance, he immediately knew them to be hers, delicate and sparkling in wonder. Gaius made a small, tentative wave with his good hand.

He took one shaky step and then the next, wind blowing over him. For some time both he and his teammates did nothing but stare, still coming to terms with each other's effective presence.

Then Flame snapped out of his stupor, and his heart nearly exploded.

"ALICE!" He reached his arm out. "Gaius!"

He instinctively moved to dash forward before Daedalus grabbed his arm, killing any momentum and causing him to fall onto his knees.

Flame growled as he climbed to his feet. "L-let me go!" He squirmed in its grip. "I need to speak to them!"

"No, Flame." Daedalus sent him an icy glare. "You don't understand. The Presence has been searching for us all this time—ever since we came to this world. Do you realise what they'll do to you if you go?"

Even through his throbbing heartbeat, and the emotion still running through him, Flame knew that Daedalus was right. They were traitors, come to this world specifically to resist the Presence and their plans.

Little by little, Flame ended his resistance to Daedalus' grip, until he could do nothing but gaze helplessly at his teammates.

"I, I, I just want…" he muttered, forgetting to complete the sentence.

A heavy dread weighed his stomach. He watched helpless as Alice slowly slithered to Sycorax's side. She stopped for a moment to smile at him; a big, sad smile with tears of utter terror.

"P-please come back, Flame," she finally said.

Her voice was warm and pristine as always, yet its sound nonetheless made his tail flame shrink. There was something … strange about how she sounded. Unnatural. He'd known her for long enough to be certain.

"Alice!" Flame called out, still restrained by Daedalus. "Are you two all right? Wh-what does he want from me?"

Alice did not reply. He noticed her glancing at Sycorax, as if to verify that it wasn't looking. Even when Gaius leaned in her ear to whisper something, she still stood there, as if paralysed—staring at him with distant eyes.

Instead, it was Sycorax who seized the silence. "Well, soldier?" it asked in its crackling voice. "Are you just going to abandon your comrades like that? Your friends?"

For the first time, Flame didn't know how to answer that. He let his eyes drift down to his feet.

"It's evident that the Scum have brainwashed you somehow," it continued. "Yet I can sense that a part of you is still there. You can still resist, Flame. You can still fight them."

"I…"

"Remember the villages they've slaughtered."

Despite Flame's resistance, the smoldering ruins of Sperantia Nova quickly flashed in the eye of his mind. In an instant he again saw the charred houses and the corpses—that blank, lifeless look in the survivors' eyes…

"Your masters have committed crimes far worse," Daedalus boomed. "Rest assured, abomination, victory will not come easy to your masters. Your plans are doomed to fail."

"Fascinating," Sycorax spoke with synthesised wonder. "Because from where I stand, it appears to me that your troops are the ones surrounded on all sides."

Flame wasn't quite listening. Breathing in gasps, he slowly turned to look between Dusknoir and Genesect—between the two sides, between the small Teutonii circle behind him and the Praetorians watching from the other side of the crevice, and from the cliffs above.

I can't do anything.

His knees felt weak.

I'm powerless.

He sent one last desperate plea towards his teammates. Gaius looked down in shame; Alice merely smiled; it was a sad, trembling smile, but for him, it meant everything.

It also reignited his desperation. Shaking, he clenched his fists and set his sudden glare to Sycorax. "L-let me—let me talk to them!"

"I can assure you, Flame, that they want nothing more. So please," Sycorax said, calmly and slowly. "For the sake of your teammates, and your brothers in arms, and everyone here … step forward."

Breathe—he had to breathe. Yet too quickly he transitioned from holding his breath to gasping maniacally. He still couldn't take his eyes off the bridge suspended over the crevice.

If he went, the Praetorians would kill him. Or perhaps they'd lock him away—send him back to the Presence's homeworld to become their slave.

If he stayed…

Tears blurring his vision, he gazed to his teammates, and they gazed right back, pleading, begging him with their stares. Even so close, they felt so distant…

Then one of the Teutonii said something in her rough tongue. Flame blinked and turned his head to look; it was Brynn, eyeing Daedalus with determined eyes as she clutched her wand with both hands. Then, the Weavile next to Brynn said something in agreement, followed by the gruff Rhyhorn, and soon, one by one, all the Teutonii repeated it and looked to Daedalus for guidance.

Flame darted his eyes left and right, hopelessly confused. Judging from Daedalus' silence it must have been communicating with them telepathically. After a final nod, the Dusknoir turned to him with the most affectionate look in its eye.

It only made Flame's stomach sink deeper.

"What's happening?" he frowned.

"My child… I need you to listen to me."

A gust of frigid wind buffeted their bodies.

"This is not how I hoped this journey would end, but the way I see it… There's only one way out of this." Daedalus gazed solemnly across the chasm. "When I give you the signal, you must make a run for the mystery dungeon."

A vague choking sound escaped Flame's throat. "Wh-what?" he said, the fear in his voice echoing throughout the crevice.

"Quiet. There is a badge in your bag," Daedalus continued, red eye staring straight into his. "Use it to call for help once you've cleared the dungeon. We will cover your escape."

Flame tried not to show too much fear on his face, and, by his estimates, he'd failed miserably.

"B-but what about you?" he whispered shakily. "And, and the others! I can't just—"

Daedalus merely shook its head. "Your safety is infinitely more important. Do not worry about us."

Flame found it hard to breathe; tears welled in his eyes. "But, th-they're all around us—and above us, too! They'll slaughter you! I can't!"

"You can and you must." Daedalus stroked his cheek with one of its fingers. "They all knew what risks this mission entailed. What it might come to."

A sob wracked Flame's chest. Hyperventilating, he reached up to grasp at its wrist. "They need you… Yo—our people, they need you to lead them…"

"Yes." Daedalus smiled somberly at him. "And if the Presence get to you, we all perish."

"Wh-what?" Flame sniffled. "What do you mea—"

"Enough chatter."

Sycorax's cold, synthesised voice caused Flame to whirl around with a knot in his throat. Once again, he faced the dozen or so soldiers lined up across the canyon, on either side of the Genesect.

"If your friends mean nothing to you," Sycorax said, a twinge of static accompanying, "then I shall change the terms of the deal."

Slowly, steadily, the air around them began to shiver and vibrate. Flame blinked the tears out of his eyes and squinted, before his helplessness was replaced immediately by panic. His eyes went wide and his jaw went slack. He stared into the barrel of Sycorax's cannon just as it began to glow a dim, pulsing silver that grew increasingly brighter. All the praetorians formed around it tensed visibly like starved beasts ready to pounce. The Teutonii tightened together, a frightened murmur in their strange tongue swimming through them as they closed their ranks.

"Do you see those barbarians behind you?" Sycorax said calmly. "I'm giving you thirty seconds to save them."

"But…" Flame took a step back. "But I can't…"

"Their lives are in your hands, Flame." Sycorax continued. "Are you going to come forward yourself? Or are you going to sacrifice them?"

Flame was suffocating. At least, that was how he felt: gasping for breath, unable to move, with tears blurring his vision. A foreboding dread washed into his chest.

"Are you ready, my child?" Daedalus asked in his head. "You must run."

Struggling to bite back his sobs, Flame darted his eyes between the two leaders. "No, s-stop!" he shouted at the top of his lungs. "Stop! There has to be another way!"

"Twenty seconds," said Sycorax.

The knot in Flame's throat only grew thicker. Fuelled by a pressing desperation, he felt a renewed rush of adrenaline.

"Don't do this, please!" he shouted at Sycorax again. "J-just let me talk to them and, and maybe…"

Yet it was no use. Nobody was listening—not the Teutonii behind him, not the praetorians formed up across the chasm, not the ones above them. Those too large to pounce across the chasm opened their mouths or hands, readying beams of their own.

"No…" Flame whispered. "Stop…"

Nothing felt real. He didn't know what to focus on. Alice and Gaius were screaming something at him frantically, yet he couldn't hear them. The cannon's deafening whirrs and hums filled the air. Winds were stirring up around them. Feeling strangely numb, Flame raised a claw in front of his face as he stared into the barrel glowing white-hot. Was it aiming at him? It was aiming at him. No—behind him.

He turned back to gaze at Daedalus, who was charging up a Shadow Ball in its outstretched palm. Their eyes met for the briefest of moments.

"Whatever happens…" Daedalus shut its eye. "Remember how strong you are."

Flame couldn't find the strength to reply. He wanted to say something—anything—but once again, he felt too small.

"Ten seconds," said Sycorax.

He could barely hear Alice and Gaius' shouting over his own heartbeat, now.

In an effort to hold onto something, he squeezed his bag with his claws—there had to be something inside, something he could use, or, or a weapon! He felt the bag from outside yet there was little in it. He also wouldn't know which orb was which, and he wasn't sure how exactly seeds would help. Unless…

"Five."

The Ariados on the cliff wall above them tensed its legs, eyes trained on him.

"My child—you must go!"

A bell clanged upon Flame's heart. Amidst a maze of distress, he did the only thing he could think of: he pulled a blast seed out of his bag, raised it far above his head, and squeezed his claws around it.

"I SAID STOP!"

The sharp crack of his blast seed's shell echoed after his yell, bouncing off the crevice walls, the cliff, and, it seemed, the air itself. Bits of powder rained onto his snout.

As the echoes faded away, a heavy silence descended onto the valley.

For some time Flame stood there, panting heavily, his eyes squeezed shut and blast seed still raised above his head. He waited for death to come, either from his own seed or from the two armies around him colliding.

It didn't.

Slowly, heartbeat by heartbeat, Flame dared to crack open one eye, and gazed across the crevice. They were all staring at him, every single Praetorian—most of them too perplexed to keep their combat stance. Sycorax, on the other hand, looked completely impassive, and his teammates…

Flame felt his heart shrink as he met his teammate's terrified faces. Alice looked close to tears, while Gaius just stood there with his mouth agape, staring as if he'd gone completely insane.

"… Flame?" Alice's whisper trembled in the breeze.

Gaius merely stared at him wide-eyed. "Bloody hell…"

Tearing up, Flame gazed back into their eyes, tried to send them a look of remorse.

"My child," Daedalus boomed inside his head. "What on earth are you doing?"

Flame nearly let go of his seed in fright—it was as if someone had shouted inside his eardrums. After some hesitation, turned to face the Teutonii behind him. They all looked pale, as if they'd stopped breathing. Brynn was outright quivering on the spot. At the head of them all, Daedalus still had its hand raised limply, merely stared at him with the widest eye he'd ever seen.

As he stood there taking in his comrades' faces, sucking in laboured breaths, Flame didn't quite know what to say. He swept his eyes around. Even the thick whirring of Sycorax's cannon had died down to nothing, leaving utter silence in its wake.

"Herr Flame…" Brynn sniffled, her ears flattened.

"Stop…" he muttered between breaths, eyes squeezed shut. "I said… stop."

Slowly, Daedalus floated forward "Flame," Daedalus whispered. "I beg you, give that to me. You'll only hurt yourself."

Daedalus held out its hand.

Without quite thinking Flame scrambled backwards, raising his seed well in view and clenching his claws around it even tighter. The resulting crack halted Daedalus in its track, but also sent Flame's heart into a frenzy. In truth, he wasn't actually sure how much force the seed could withstand before it detonated. Gods, what if he was already at the limit?

"Why?" Daedalus asked. "Why did you not run, Flame? I thought I explicitly told you to run! Don't you see what's at stake here?"

In that moment, he wanted to cry. He loathed himself for doing this to Daedalus; for doing this to Brynn, to his people, to his teammates.

Tears trembling behind his eyelids, Flame lowered his gaze to the ground. "I can't," he whispered. "I can't let everyone die…"

Ignoring Daedalus' silent pleas, Flame turned back to face Sycorax. The Genesect was no longer charging up its cannon, nor doing anything else. It merely stood there and stared into his eyes with a certain glint of curiosity.

"Tell me, Private Flame," Sycorax tilted its head. "Is this truly how you want it to end?" It glanced to Alice and Gaius. "The final moments of your life—shattered in a thousand bloodied pieces, all while forcing your dearest friends to watch?"

Flame panted heavily. Whatever Sycorax wanted him for, it wanted him alive.

Holding his seed up higher for show, he pointed to his teammates with a claw. "I'm talking to them."

"I assure you, killing yourself will solve nothing," Sycorax spoke calmly and deliberately. "I'll ask again: is this truly how you want your life to end?"

Teeth gritted, Flame took a deliberate first step onto the bridge. "I said, I'm talking to them."

Sycorax remained silent, staring back into his soul. The sheer emptiness in those glass-coated eyes nearly scared Flame into looking away, but he clenched his jaw, refusing to break eye contact.

"Very well," Sycorax eventually conceded.

Flame blinked. He hadn't been expecting that answer.

The Genesect sent Gaius and Alice a single nod. "Go," it said with a slight crackle.

Flame watched breathless as his teammates emerged from the praetorian line—they advanced slowly, hesitantly, darting their eyes between Flame and Sycorax. When it finally became clear that the general wasn't going to stop them, it turned into a race that Alice was winning. They quickly reached the centre of the bridge and stared expectantly at him, calling his name. The bridge could easily fit them all side by side.

"Flame." Daedalus' voice tolled in his skull. "If you care at all about the fate of your people, and of pokémonkind, you will not step forward."

Yet Alice and Gaius were still waiting, still calling his name. He couldn't keep them there. Swallowing his regret, he stepped forward.

"Do you hear me? You will NOT step forward!"

"Herr Flame, no!"

Before he could even react Flame felt his shoulder tugged by a small, soft paw; he whirled to meet Brynn's panicked expression.

"They're the enemy! You can't—"

Eyes wide, Flame pushed her away and held the seed up higher. "S-stay back!" he shouted, teeth gritted together.

All of the colour suddenly drained from the Braixen's face. She froze, her arm still raised limply towards him.

"No…" Brynn pleaded through teary eyes. "We need you…"

As he darted his eyes between her and the traumatised faces of the other Teutonii, Flame could feel his resolution waver.

"Flame…" said Daedalus. "I beg you. I can't lose you again…"

With a shaky breath, Flame shut his eyes. "Please," he whispered, "trust me. Just this once…"

It was all the more amusing to Flame since he himself didn't know what he was doing.

Without waiting for an answer, he turned back and stepped fully onto the suspension bridge, pausing slightly as he felt it wobble ever so slightly under his weight.

"Unser kaiser!" came the desperate shouts from the dozen or so Teutonii behind him, one after the other.

As he walked, suspended hundred of metres above the river below, he kept moving his lips fervently, praying to forces he didn't know if he believed in. He made his way to the centre of the bridge quickly. However, it was not until he stood right in front of his teammates that he dared look them directly in the eye.

The pain came immediately: Alice was staring at him with wide, glistening, pleading eyes, whereas Gaius seemed to still be coming to terms with his effective presence, the yellow sclera of his eyes shot with streaks of red.

"Flame…" Alice's voice broke, and she slithered closer. "Don't do this to yourself. I-if you die, I can't…"

A smile blossomed on Flame's snout. He couldn't help it; in that moment, he wanted nothing more than to chuck away the seed, to embrace them both—warm their pain away. But it was neither the time nor place, and Flame kept his arm firmly raised above his head.

"I won't," he whispered warmly, smiling at them both. "Not if there's a way out."

Holding his stump in his good hand, Gaius shook his head. "You already know what that is."

Flame bit his lip. He stared back at Gaius, uncertain. He darted his eyes around: first to Sycorax, then to the praetorians behind it. He looked up to the shimmering wall of ripples rising a few dozen metres behind them.

"I… I can think of something," Flame said, before glancing up at the blast seed he was clutching. "Maybe with this, we can force Sycorax to let us through. We can all escape into the mystery dungeon—the three of us, my people. We'll lose them for sure!"

"No," Gaius answered dryly.

Flame blinked, staring back puzzled.

"Even if I wanted to go with your…" Gaius' lip twitched. "...people, do you really think they'd let you get so close without trying something?"

Flame slowly lowered his gaze to the floorboards. "I…"

Gaius' expression softened slightly. "Look, if you'd seen what's up there…" He glanced up to the top of the cliff towering over their side, then shook his head. "Your people don't stand a chance. If Sycorax wanted to slaughter them, he already would have."

"So," muttered Flame, "the only reason he hasn't done that is…"

"He thinks you might still surrender voluntarily," Gaius nodded.

"You have to come with us, Flame." Alice said. "Please…"

After making sure his blast seed was still raised well in view, Flame dropped his head to think. They were right. The Teutonii were outnumbered and surrounded. It was the only option left to him. And yet…

"Guys…" he said softly, gazing carefully at both of them. "Be truthful. What do they want from me?"

Alice's lip quivered. Her eyes darted to the side, to Gaius, who merely squeezed his eyes together and nodded.

"Tell him," he said.

"Our Benefactors," Alice said in a whisper. "They're looking for you. I have no idea why, or, or what they're after, but… it's what Sycorax said."

Flame's heart stopped. "Th-the Benefa—" He nearly let his blast seed slip from his raised fist as his claws spasmed.

Alice's eyes widened. "Flame? What's wrong? Flame!"

So Daedalus was right. He'd been right about everything. It wasn't like Flame hadn't believed him in all those stories of their past, not at all—but to hear it from someone that wasn't a Teutonii… Suddenly, all those stories of their escape from the Presence's dimension were no longer just stories in his head. They were real, and he was staring at them right now.

Lowering his gaze, Flame shook his head. "I can't go," he said, quiet but certain.

"What?" Gaius hissed. "What the hell do you figure your choices are?"

Slowly, Flame looked up into his eyes. "They're going to kill me, Gaius…"

An understanding gradually settled into his teammates' eyes. They were full of questions, but neither voiced them. He could see the fight slowly leave Gaius' face.

"Damn it…" Gaius squeezed his eyes and fists together, shaking slightly. "This is so… fucked, it's all so fucked…"

"We're trapped, aren't we?" Alice's voice was feeble, barely audible over a gust of wind.

"Th-that's not true," Flame mumbled, darting his eyes around. "I can still…"

Yet wherever he looked, no answer came to him. The Praetorians blocked their only possible escape. Behind them, the Teutonii offered only hopelessness. And below them, only void and rushing water.

"W-we have to get past them," Alice said weakly, gazing at the praetorian lines. "Reach the dungeon, somehow. It's… it's the only way."

As his gaze arched downwards, Flame had to recognise that she was right. It was the only way. It would be dangerous, but it wasn't like they were bursting with options. Maybe if he asked the Teutonii to attack at the right time…

Gaius shook his head. "It's not gonna work."

"But… he still has that blast seed." Alice insisted. "And, and I have one, too! If we all hold one up and threaten to kill ourselves, surely—"

"It's not gonna work, damn it!" Gaius hissed. "You really think they'll let 'im go so easily? They'll find a way to get it out of his claws!"

"Well what do you suggest we do, leafhead?" Alice spat back. "Turn back and let him die?"

"Of course not!" Gaius groaned, clawing at his face. "Bloody hell, just let me… let me…"

Yet Flame wasn't listening to them. He looked down at the wooden planks beneath their feet as they continued to argue, their voices lost in the rushing of the water far beneath them. It was the only way. The only way…

Then Alice turned to him with eyes full of tears. "Flame, please," she said. "Say something. I-it can't end like this. Not now…"

Still holding up his blast seed in his fist, Flame swallowed, and turned to meet them in the eye. "Guys…" he whispered. "Do you … trust me?"

Alice blinked, opened her mouth as if to speak, only to breathe, "Yes."

Gaius squinted his eyes questioningly, before relenting. "... Yeah."

His heart twinged with joy. He wanted to squeeze them both into an embrace—but not right now, not while they'd put their trust in him.

Instead, he turned his attention to the Genesect watching them intently from the end of the bridge. Its eyes glowed brighter as they locked with his.

"What will it be, private?" Sycorax said calmly. "Have your friends brought you back to your senses?"

Flame snorted. "Fuck you."

Before it could react, Flame threw the blast seed at it with all his strength; then, he turned to breathe fire at the handrail rope before charging straight into it, and into the abyss below.

He didn't get to make out the screams from above, for he was at gravity's mercy: the wind quickly engulfed his body and rushed past him and blew loudly in his ears, and when he tried to scream he found no air to do so with. Eyes squeezed shut, he continued to flail and plummet wildly and trying to scream for his tea—

A confused gargle suddenly took over reality. Everything became cold. Numbing, intolerable cold. Pain… It took him several more seconds for his brain to finally tie together what was causing this horrible feeling: he was underwater.

Flame's eyes shot open. Everything was blurry but despite that he could make out billions of tiny bubbles rushing in the freezing water, which was hued strangely… white. A few moments later, he realised that the water current was dragging him along for the ride. A renewed rush of panic pushed Flame to squirm his arms and legs towards the surface, ignoring the stabbing pain from the freezing temperature, especially on his tail.

He reemerged with a strenuous gasp; in the brief look he gave upwards he saw treetops and evergreens and cliff faces rushing past—but then the current sucked him downward, and he was suddenly in a struggle to keep his head above the surface. Panting heavily, Flame flailed his arms and legs with all his vigour; yet the cold was making it nearly impossible. It seeped everywhere, weighing him down, and it felt like someone was stabbing a lance through the pores of his tail flame.

Soon, he didn't have the energy to keep splashing. With no option left, he elected to simply lay back on the water, floating on its surface. Flame wanted to cry. There were jagged sawblades digging into his scales, and he could barely move anymore. He felt horribly alone. Where were his teammates? Perhaps they'd left him there to die. It wasn't like he blamed them, but… he'd thought…

"Flame!"

That faint call broke through the shock-induced stupour. It was Alice. It was Alice! Alice! He craned his neck up to look upstream. There! He could just barely make her out amongst the bubbling foam, her serpentine form battling the strong currents to reach him. Gaius was just behind her, grabbing onto her by the tail orb and barely keeping his snout above water.

"FLAME!"

Flame stared back into her panicked eyes as her head poked out of the water, yet her voice still sounded faint—distant, as though spoken in a dream.

The pain pulsating from his tail was beginning to overwhelm him. He cried out and watched her close the distance between them, but he didn't have the energy to swim anymore. He stretched an arm out towards Alice, but she was too far away, everything felt so far away…

---

He awoke to the gentle murmur of water in his ear, and choking for air.

Visions swirled about Flame's head. A thick, nebulous haze surrounded his head, blocking out everything except the flowing water.

Then, little by little, his senses began to switch on. He felt himself, his scales, his arms, his paws, and his legs sprawled out against the cool earth. His scales, if such a thing was even possible, felt heavy and soaked with water. But above all, Flame felt cold: his muscles were completely frozen, too stiff to move, too numb to even be aching.

Disoriented and shivering, Flame opened his eyes but was greeted with an endless, bottomless blue expanse. He was forced to squeeze his eyes to stave off the nausea.

Where…? his mind probed, before he froze, having realised something far worse.

His tail flame was out.

While the overbearing cold and the general emptiness he felt offered strong clues, it was something he simply … knew, a primordial intuition engrained in the deepest recesses of his brain. There was no need to look.

Growing panicked, Flame tried and failed to breathe properly as his thoughts scrambled for answers. He could see treetops and leaves at the periphery of his vision. There was a river close by. Why was his tail flame out? Why was he so wet? Why—

Daedalus. His eyes shot open. The ambush. The water. Ali—

"A-Alice!" he wheezed. "Ga…—!"

In a rush of desperation, Flame summoned the strength to bring his trembling forearms back, before hissing sharply as he pushed his body into a sitting position. The subsequent spell of dizziness nearly made him vomit, but he bit his tongue and held strong.

He looked around him frantically: they were both sprawled in the grass right next to him, just out of arm's reach—and both of them were stirring.

They groaned and mumbled something and coughed, before they blinked awake in quick succession; their eyes met his.

In his daze, Flame did not get to react before they crashed into him in a simultaneous embrace. Gaius' arms slammed around his chest and drew him closer, while Alice buried her head into his neck and half-wrapped around his leg, squeezing it for dear life. Once again, Flame felt too weak to react. Once the initial shock of their action wore off, he managed to place his claws on both their backs and held them there. They were just as soaked as him. Both of them squealed and sniffled and whispered tearful words in his ears, but all Flame could concentrate on was the dull heat emanating from their scales. He sat there, shivering and breathing raggedly, as the realisation finally sank in.

His teammates were here. They were all together again.

And so, Flame cried. He tried to choke back a sob but failed miserably, and before long he felt cool tears streaming down his cheeks.

"I m-missed you two so much!" he sobbed. "I m-missed you… S-so sorry… I, I…"

Gaius squeezed him tighter. "H-hush, you… you idiot…"

"Y-you did it!" Alice laughed amidst tears of her own. "You… you did…"

Soon they were all sat there sobbing and holding onto each other, all three of them wet to the bone, and—despite the cold—Flame couldn't have been happier.

At the very tip of his tail, a tiny spark jumped in the air.

---

End of Chapter XXIV​

 

[Spiteful Murkrow]

Heya, chunky chapter this cycle, so it’s only fitting that there should be a chunky review for the occasion, too, eh? :V

Some of this content, I’m sure you’ve seen before and probably still remember. But I’d like to think there’s also a decent chunk of stuff that’ll keep you on your toes. So let’s just get right into things with…

Chapter XXIII

Spoiler: Line-by-Line

Imperial Palace – Urbe

Adrian should have felt wonderful.

Sunlight streamed softly through the large glass window of his study. Sitting at his desk near the centre of the room, the light bathed his scales directly and granted filled him with a pleasant warmth. That must have been why his father had positioned it here, Adrian thought, staring down at all the white ministry reports and decrees scattered across his desk. He could not concentrate long enough to read any single one.

Can’t tell if that’s just in-universe DIAA making Adrian zone out given that he’s been watching his empire go to pot for at least two decades or if he was just always the ADD child of his family.

"… the present decree," a mild voice droned on from beside him, "would authorise the construction of a further fifty-four portal storm shelters throughout the Empire. Completion time is estimated at five months and eleven days…"

Unless if those things are big enough to shelter entire cities’ worth of Pokémon at once, that sounds woefully inadequate as a response even before the laughably slow construction time. Like this is the point where if there wasn’t a Combine expy micromanaging what you were allowed to do, that you’d just publicize the engineering schematics and say “go nuts, make your own if you have the means” to your whole realm.

- Meanwhile, Gaius and Alice peek down at the scene from a small peephole in the ceiling -
Gaius: "Boy was it convenient that somebody made one of these. Though how well do those shelter things hold up anyways? And how'd Portus not have any portal storm shelters that we could've gone straight away to check right away when we got there? Wasn't it a strategically important port before it got destroyed?" .-.
Alice: "If Portus had any shelters, they clearly weren't built in mind for a portal storm powerful enough to wipe out the entire city." -_-;
Gaius: "So in other words, it could take almost half a year for a band-aid measure that might not do anything to roll out. Why isn't this stuff being delegated to provincial governors anyways?" >_>;

Adrian slowly raised his sunken eyes to gaze at his the contents of his study. The milky marble walls of the chamber were etched with swirling golden patterns, which gleamed happily in the morning light. Mahogany bookshelves and cabinets lined both sides of the small room.

Yet as he looked at each gold-framed painting and extravagant golden fixture on the cabinets, somehow, he felt only emptiness.

Gaius: “... Has this guy considered a houseplant or something? Since that seems like a good way to break the monotony of cold stone, metal, and some bookshelves.”
Alice: “I’d have suggested more interesting books. Maybe a nice copy of The Kingdom, The Republic, The Empire-”
Gaius: “Oh gods, can we not talk about that doorstopper right now?” >_>;

"… Father?"

The lone word sent Adrian into a fit of blinking. He quickly glanced to his side. A pink-scaled Dragonair stood by his chair, staring back with narrowed eyes.

"Enlighten me, father," the Dragonair said, his voice fair and milky. "Why request my presence if you're just going to doze off?"

Adrian sighed and slumped back into his padded chair. "It's nothing, Demetrius." He waved a paw. "Just keep going."

So wait, does Demetrius also do that sparkle thing like shinies do in the games? :V

I never did get a solid bead on what the story behind Demetrius was, since from Alice’s past mentions of her life, she apparently had a lot of siblings growing up. Something Demetrius confirms later in this very scene. Somehow he manages to stand out from the crowd for his father even if he has yet to reappear in this story. I kinda get the feeling as if he was one of Elena’s kids specifically, but I suppose that’s a story for another day in this tale.

Gaius: "Say? Did you two use to get along, Alice? If so, after this is all over, maybe you could talk Mr. Pink there into hooking us up with a place on Capri-?"
Alice: "Gaius, if Demetrius wanted to vouch for me, he's had four years to deliver results. At this point, the only options are that either he doesn't care or just sucks at being an advocate!" >_>;

"Have Did you even heard anything I was—"

"I said," Adrian repeated, his eyes shut, "continue."

Adrian totally didn’t hear anything other than what the text explicitly highlighted, didn’t he?

Demetrius continued to glare at him briefly, before once again craning his head over the desk to glance at the document on top of the pile.

Wow, Adrian just can’t get any respect, huh? :V

Adrian instinctively turned to glance at the opposite side of the room.

"As I was saying," the Dragonair said, "the Ministry of Infrastructure has readied the necessary construction materials for transportation. The only form of complication that seems to be facing this decree comes from the Senate."

"As ever," Adrian muttered, cheek resting on his paw.

Actually, wait, why is that an issue again? Isn’t it just a matter of rubber-stamping the request as an absolute monarch? ^^;

I mean, it probably won’t help your legitimacy when your approval ratings make Francoise Hollande look popular and well-loved, but still.

Demetrius produced a smirked. "Indeed. You might remember the senators from Aesernia and Basileia questioning the financial sense of such an undertaking. And…" He lifted his eyes from the document, and looked Adrian in the eye. "If I may be frank with you, father, I share their concerns. We have yet to verify whether these shelters actually work."

"They do work," Adrian replied dryly. "I have our Benefactors' assurance."

Gaius: "... Where's he getting this confidence from again? Weren't 'our Benefactors' the same guys who were ready to let Urbe burn as long as they got their 'Icarus'? And it's not like Sycorax has really been doing a bang-up job on their behalf." :|
Alice: "Hrmph, father's judgment... has been a bit questionable for a while. Hence his attempts at 'helping' us. Though, I'm not really sure how much of a choice he has here given that there's not exactly a good track record for opposing Our Benefactors turning out well." -_-;

"Perhaps so," Demetrius said, refusing to meet his father's gaze. "Yet I am sceptical that the Senate will care as much."

, even.

Adrian let out something in between a groan and a sigh. "They'll thank me when a portal storm hits their hometowns."

It would mean the gods are smiling on us, for once.

… Quality leadership there! Even if getting dumped on by those province’s delegations day in and day out for years surely gets old.

Rubbing his temple, Adrian cast his gaze towards the study's large window. It was such a beautiful day outside…

Adrian sat up straight and shook his head. Before he could get distracted any further, he dipped three of his claws in a bowl of ink before pressing them against the white bottom of the document, right beside the Imperial Seal.

Ah, so Pokémon signatures in this story take after PMD canon. I’d shill pre-cut personalized seals for that purpose since it’s a bit neater and you can make some neat ones befitting an Emperor, but eh, it’s series tradition, and we’re most likely on the wrong side of the setting’s planet for that.

The Emperor paused to look down at his work. After a few seconds, he smiled—his first such smile in a few hours. He wiped his claws on a tissue. "Find me the next decree, Demetrius."

The pink-scaled Dragonair nodded, and brought his tail onto the desk to fish through the documents, neck craned forward to read.

Adrian looked off in another direction again. He couldn't help but notice that his son's neck and tail orbs fit well with the desk's decorations: both were a muddy gold hue. He supposed he should have found something poetic about that.

Oh, so Demetrius is basically just an accessory to Adrian, huh? That’s a concerning mindset there, even if it’d explain a lot about Alice getting unceremoniously dumped into the boonies to try and fend for herself.

"You know, father." Demetrius shot him a sideways glance. "It's rather curious that you requested my help at all."

Adrian sighed, head in hand. "Sycorax is away on a mission," he said. "I needed someone I can trust."

Demetrius: “So why didn’t you just ask Sycorax to handle this since he’s the ‘mon you trust the most?” >_>;
Adrian: “... Because he’s not here? Look, I trust you enough, Demetrius. And how hard is it to hand me a few decrees?” ^^;

A single, bitter chuckle left Demetrius' nostrils. "Trust."

Adrian looked to his son, who was still lifting papers with his tail. "Why do you say that? Of course I trust you."

Gaius: "Does this 'mon seriously wonder why his kids have trust issues after he punted his own daughter into the wilderness?" >_>;
Alice: "Yes. Yes he does." >.<

"Oh, 'tis nothing."

"Demetrius…"

The Dragonair paused, but did not lift his eyes from the papers on his desk. "I can't seem to recall—when were the last gladiatorial games you took me to?"

>this kid is seriously throwing a hissy fit over not getting to see ‘mons butcher each other in an arena for his amusement

I get the feeling that Demetrius isn’t intended to be anywhere near as likable as his sis. Somehow the vibe didn’t occur to me while reading things through the first time.

Adrian shut his eyes and took a deep breath. "Please, Demetrius, not now." He rubbed his temples. "Tomorrow I'll take you to the Imperial Gardens. I promise."

Demetrius paused in the middle of sliding a paper away with his tail. "I can see those from my window," he said. "How peculiar that you seem to take my sisters to every game, hm?"

>a would-be Augustus that won't shut up about gladiatorial games

Well that’s a terrible omen for Demetrius' future competence as a leader given the sorts of emperors in Real!Urbe with a reputation for that. And Urbe in its present state would absolutely not survive the likes of [Commodus] 2: Electric Boogaloo and all the attendant problems that'd follow.

"Stop it." Adrian pushed his chair back and turned to his son. "You know that's not true. Y-you're my pride and joy, just like your sisters. It's just—"

"Just like Alice?"

Aaaaand there it is. The elephant in the room regarding “trust” in this family.

Though surprised that Demetrius didn’t bring up his departed sister as ‘Alicia,’ given that you’ve been consistent for years that that’s her proper name. I suppose it’s justifiable as ‘something something pet name’, though.

Adrian's heart skipped a beat and sucked the blood out of his face. he felt the blood run out of his face. His lip quivering, Adrian opened his maw but no words came.

Demetrius snorted again, showing the slightest hint of a smirk. "I thought so."

Yeah, honestly, I’d be more surprised than not if Demetrius wasn’t another one of Elena’s children. He just seems to take Alice’s absence a lot more personally than one would expect if they didn’t have some sort of very direct relationship with one another.

Desperately, Adrian rushed for something, anything to say, but it was no use. The Dragonair slid a paper before him with his tail tip.

Adrian was allowed to take the throne precisely because he goes full ‘deer in the headlights’ over the littlest things, huh?

"Here. The present decree," Demetrius leaned closer to read, "concerns the resettlement of one-thousand two hundred refugees from Portus, and other towns hit by recent portal storms. Nine hundred of them are to be transferred to Agia Marina, where local Civil Protection units have already…"

I have to wonder why this is being handled by the office of the Emperor. You’d think that there’d be a FEMA equivalent or something to outsource this to where you can just pop in to check how they’re doing.

Gaius: "Wait, 'mons actually survived and escaped from Portus? How? We didn't see any sign at all that anyone made it!" .-.
Alice: "It was a port town, Gaius. They likely got away either by ship, swimming, or flying." -_-;
Gaius: "... I suppose if most of the survivors were harbor 'mons, it would explain why so many of them are getting brought out to a shipyard town..."

Adrian slumped back into his chair. It was no use trying to concentrate. Besides, it was always the same story: the numbers had long stopped mattering to him.

It's mocking me. He shut his eyes. This world, it's mocking me…

Wait, so how many towns prior to Portus got run over by portal storms anyways? Since I could’ve sworn that the text made it sound like Portus was a completely unprecedented event in scale up to that point.

Slumped over his desk and head in hand, he suddenly found himself looking away from his desk, and towards the large glass windows of his office. From the hill that the Imperial Palace stood on, it was possible to make out nearly the entirety of Urbe. Dozens of black specks flew above the sea of red roofs and narrow streets stretching as far as the eye could see. On another, distant hill directly opposite the Palace stood the grand white columns of the Temple of Cresselia; to its right, at ground level, the great brown dome of the Pantheon towered over the surrounding housing blocks.

Wow, so Adrian really was the ADD member of the royal family, huh? Since this guy is just patently unable to remain focused on anything.

Gaius: "... Wait, why are they all those specs black anyways? Is there a battalion of defending Corviknight or something? Some sort of legend about Urbe always standing as long as they're there to defend them?"
Alice: "Don't be ridiculous. What sort of backwards place would believe in a fairy tale like that? [Londinium]?"

A fond smile found its way to Adrian's face. There it was: his pride and joy, the city of his father and forefathers. The seat of his dominion. He wondered how many of his subjects were outside today…

So wait, does it also have a secret name to it that if it were ever known by its enemies would allegedly bring doom to it? :V

Adrian blinked. He narrowed his eyes to make sure he was seeing right; one of the black figures flying above the city seemed to be growing larger. In fact, it seemed to be headed straight for—

A sudden tightness gripped his chest.

"…overall," Demetrius continued reading, "the last refugees are estimated to reach—father? Are you even listening?"

Adrian: “... Demetrius, I think that more pressing matters just came up.” O_O;
Demetrius: “(Oh for crying out loud-) Father, what could possibly be more pressing than-?”

Yet Adrian had long stopped listening. Paws gripping the sides of his desk, his attention was now focused entirely on the odd orange creature approaching the palace grounds, slowing down gradually as it did so.

Adrian stood up from his chair. "Demetrius," he said flatly. "Leave this room. Shut the door behind you, and ensure that no one enters until I give the all-clear."

"I beg your pardon? Why would—" Demetrius followed his father's stare to the window, whereupon his face turned a paler shade of pink.

Demetrius: “... Okay, never mind, that seems a bit more pressing!” O.O;
Gaius: “(Hey, Alice? What’s with your dad and brother suddenly reacting like they just saw a ghost-?)”

The lithe creature was levitating in full view just behind the glass. It penetrated them with its empty stare, dangling its twin pair of whip-like arms.

Gaius: "H-Holy crap, that's not a Corviknight!" O_O
- Alice's face abruptly drains of color -
Alice: "Oh... Oh gods, it's them."
Gaius: "H-Huh?! Alice, you know that thing?! What is it?! Are the other black specks in the sky also- whatever that thing is?!"

"… Wh-who is that?" Demetrius stuttered.

"Leave," Adrian said through gritted teeth.

Demetrius shrunk slightly at the sternness in his voice. Alternating looks between Adrian and the creature, he sat there undecided for a few heartbeats before directing his father a vague glare. "Very well, then."

Then the Dragonair lifted off the ground, and flew towards the ornate door to the chamber.

Somehow I completely forgot that you explicitly confirmed in this sequence that Alice’s story about Dragonair flight was all a crock. That one’s going to be fun to see come out to her teammates since even as of the most recent chapter, she has yet to be properly honest about it.

Alice:

Gaius: “So… you wanna explain what the hell I just saw there, Alice?” >:|
Alice: “He was gliding the length of a room. It means nothing. That’s still not proper flight.” >_>;
Gaius: “But the text said as clear as day that he was fly-”
Alice: “He. Was. Gliding!”

Gaius: “... You know what, let’s just go with ‘he was gliding’. I don’t feel like getting Dragon Pulsed today.”

A heavy thud echoed through the room. Finally, the Emperor stood alone.

Adrian's paws shook slightly, still holding the sides of his desk—his eyes still glued to the Deoxys levitating motionless behind the window. Though his heart throbbed wildly in his chest, Adrian did his best to keep his face steeled and jaw clenched. They could sense his weakness.

Good luck with that one when I’m pretty sure you’re visibly quivering right now and likely subconsciously telegraphing submissive body language.

Adrian:

With three urgent strides, he was at the window. Trembling slightly from the proximity, he struggled to undo the latch. The Dragonite's breaths grew heavier and heavier. A metallic click echoed through his study and he eased the glass pane open.

A flurry of cold air immediately struck Adrian's face. Eyes squinted, he stepped back from the opened window and watched as the Deoxys floated inside. Its blank eyes never left Adrian's as it touched its tapered feet to the floor, producing no sound.

"Your Majesty," the Deoxys spoke.

Adrian: “U-Uh… hi there. What- Uh… what brings you to my office again?”

A shiver ran through Adrian's back. This creature's voice lacked the background static characteristic of Sycorax, but was just as lifeless.

Oh, so even Adrian finds Sycorax’s voice creepy and off-putting. Somehow I didn’t pick up on that vibe back in Chapter VI since I could’ve sworn that he found Sycorax reassuring to interact with.

The Emperor instinctively brought his quivering paws behind his back, and splayed his wings out to adopt a more regal look. "You never come here in person."

inb4 his wings are shaking like leaves right about now and undercutting his attempt to make himself look regal / bigger there.

"Circumstances change." The Deoxys turned its head about the room. "Diplomatic Unit Sycorax is not here to relay our messages."

Sycorax is a Diplomatic Unit?! So then just what the hell are outright warriors / fighters from the Presence? .-.

Adrian perked slightly at the name. His eyes opened ever so wider. "H-has he been successful?"

"Not yet." The Deoxys peered into his eyes. "That is why we're here. You of all beings should know how sensitive the details of this operation are."

Adrian: “W-With all due respect, b-but I’d have a better idea if you and Our Benefactors were a bit more forthright…” ^^;
Admin: “We’re forthright enough for the present state of affairs. Any other objections?” >:|
Adrian: “N-No?” O.O

Adrian swallowed on nothing. All of a sudden, the marble-tiled floor felt cold underneath his feet.

"Once Icarus is captured," the Deoxys went on, "an extraction force will be dispatched for retrieval within eight hours. You will order your army to grant us safe passage. You will also order them to not interfere with the operation in any way."

Boy things must be going really south really fast in labworld with how much they’re prioritizing yeeting Flame back to their world in a hurry.

Gaius: "'N-Not to interfere with the operation'? Wh-What are they gonna do, ritually sacrifice a town's worth of 'mons?!" o_o;
Alice: "Well it's obviously nothing good if Imperial Legions have to be told in advance to stand down from it." ._.

Adrian produced a single nod. "My troops are strong and noble," he said. "I have the utmost confidence in them."

Given the absolute state of the Seventh Legion in Chapter XVIII, I’m pretty sure that a decent swath of your troops at this point are underfed and/or underage peasants and ex-slaves fresh off of manumisio who literally need to have a blade over their heads to keep them motivated to not cut and run, but okay there Adrian.

The Deoxys let its whip-like arms wave gently in the breeze as it stared. "Very well. The success of the Ascension Programme rests on this operation. Should you help us, we intend to abide by our promise."

Gaius: "... I don't suppose we could try deserting again... like right now."
Alice: "Not right now we can't. We're surrounded by Praetorian Guards and we haven't found Flame yet!"

Still standing with his back rigid, Adrian allowed himself a tiny smile at the thought. All these years of subservience, all the humiliations—they were finally paying off! The Benefactors had the means to observe every pokémon on this planet. He could already see it: within days, all major Scum strongholds would be identified and obliterated by their steel ravens. Within a week at most, the Imperial Army would once again be advancing northward into the occupied territories. His legionaries would sweep through any remaining barbarians; morale would boom again. They would enter Mylae, Edessa, all towns and cities long thought lost!

Oh, so the Presence does just have surveillance drones chilling in the air all across this world.

I’m a little surprised that Imperials also use the term ‘steel raven’. One would think that given that they’re huffing the Romium as a faction, that short of bluntly being forced to by their Benefactors, that Adrian and his predecessors would not want to identify the might of their adoptive gods they’re trying to sell to the masses with an unlucky symbol but rather something a bit more thematically fortuitous like an ‘eagle’/aquila.

Especially since given how like Real!Urbe, they have aquilae very deeply intertwined with their heraldry and cultural iconography writ large. And hey, if your Benefactors’ might can be associated with your standards, it seems like a handy way of drumming up some bogus hope of “as crap as things are for you right now, they can turn around in an instant and that eagle you have is a symbol of that, hang in there”.

Though I suppose that’s easily handwaveable as “something something, rules of this world are different” or “something something, ritual humiliation of a population to break them down”.

And then, as impossible as it seemed, the war would be over.

Well that’s a bold assumption if I ever heard one-

Assuming a portal storm doesn't swallow them first…

His smile quickly collapsed.

Yeah, that.

"Your Majesty," the Deoxys said. "Is something the matter?"

An irritated sigh left Adrian. He hated how easily they sensed his weakness.

I mean, your hands were literally shaking during all of this, Adrian. I would assume that other parts of your body as well. Kinda hard to telegraph that you’re brave and composed when you’re visibly quivering, just saying.

"To be frank, Administrator," Adrian met the creature's gaze, "I am no longer sure if victory alone will suffice." He bit his lip. "Th-this is not to say that your support isn't invaluable. Rest assured, it is. I and millions of other souls would be forever grateful. It's just…"

Oh yeah, totally making yourself sound strong and determined there.

"You wish for portal storms to stop," the Deoxys interjected. "Is that correct?"

Adrian began fiddling with his claws behind his back. "I … I just want everything to go back to normal. To how things were…"

Before you came, he was tempted to add.

I actually wonder how old Adrian is in the present day, since I’m pretty sure that your headcanon for dragonmon lifespans would have them easily outlive the length of Our Benefactors’ official presence in this world. If Adrian wasn’t particularly young for a Dragonite, that line has some undertones that could take on different meanings.

Gaius: "'Before you came'? Did- Did this thing come here 20 or so years ago and start the portal storms? Or is he talking about-?" .-.
Alice: "I mean, my father never struck me as the type to wax nostalgic for the Republic, which is the last era before Our Benefactors began to work with Urbe. I'd assume that he's referring to the time before the Administrator came along."

The Deoxys merely stood there for a few seconds. It turned its head slowly to look around the room again, focusing on one of his richly-stacked bookcases.

"Our researchers are close to finding a solution," it said.

Gee, why don’t you just promise to teach him Barrier while you’re at it, huh?

I mean, I suppose Flame is the solution to the portal storms. I just don’t believe that Our Benefactors wouldn’t just strip Adrian’s world bare, pull the plug afterwards, and move onto the next one after that little problem with the colliding dimensions was resolved.

"T-to portal storms?" Adrian dropped his arms to his sides. "And spatial anomalies?"

"Yes. However, that will not be possible until the Ascension Programme is brought to completion."

inb4 the Ascension Programme is sacrificing this world so that the Presence’s can continue on and they can continue their song and dance with another world in the multiverse.

Underneath his numb stare, Adrian could feel his thoughts starting to rush. He breathed in and out deeply to keep his nerves under check. Could it be true? It felt like too much. They were offering to end every ill that had been plaguing his realm in a fell swoop. The war, portal storms, mystery dungeons, the trust of his subjects!

All that, in exchange for one pokémon.

A single pokémon. Somehow, that thought made him queasy.

Which is exactly why you should sense that something is up with this trade and that there’s something you’re not being told about. But you do you, Adrian.

Gaius: "Okay, what's gonna happen when they get Flame? Are they gonna promise to teach him Barrier next? There is no way that there isn't some horrible catch to that deal with how suspiciously lopsided it is!"
Alice: "... I really should have asked Sycorax for a fuller explanation of what he was planning on doing with Flame. (Not that he'd have likely bothered to tell me.)" ._.

"You see now," the Deoxys said, "why the Empire's collaboration is imperative. Our goals align quite closely, Your Majesty. You need our help, and we need your help."

Adrian quickly averted his eyes. "I—I understand." He swallowed. "I shall relay the orders immediately."

That’s debatable given you literally allow the Empire to twist in the wind for decades at a time so that way you can drop more and more of your mask on this world. I’d frankly be shocked if the Presence’s game plan after they were done here wasn’t ‘lol, this Roman LARPing stuff is getting old, time for slavery’ to the Empire’s inhabitants as a whole.

Especially since I will frankly be surprised if the Presence wasn’t dicking around with this world well before they sent the steel ravens in given that Urbe’s pre-Imperial history feels suspiciously like someone cracked open a history book and got a host civilization in the world they were targeting to follow a script that they could manipulate at appropriate windows of time.

Holding an air of finality, the Deoxys turned around to face the window and the outside world. "Our monthly tribute was scheduled for three days ago. Ensure that it does not experience further delay."

"It w-won't," Adrian began playing with his claws.

And cue the bread riots like a week later given that a huge swath of the Empire’s food production is unable to move around right now. Food production that Urbe is directly dependent on.

Gaius: "I suppose that could help explain why Sycorax is doing such a half-assed job. But just what are they demanding from us given that we shouldn't exactly have a ton of war slaves to offer up with how dodgy the war's been going recently?" >_>;
- Alice gulps -
Alice: "M-Maybe they'll accept more grain? They surely wouldn't demand normal slaves from the likes of Pokémon who fell behind on their debts fill in the gaps... would they?"
Gaius: "Oi, you're the one who grew up in this palace, not me. So if you're thinking of it..."

A stretch of silence followed between them, filled with nothing but the swirling wind and Adrian's thumping heartbeat.

The Deoxys slowly gazed up at the sky and held its arms out like thin, outstretched wings. "Farewell. Await further instructions."

With that, it lifted itself and flew outside of the open window.

Lol, literally all that was missing was a casual putdown / “know your place” at the end to twist the knife, but that’s got to be murder for the ego of a monarch.

Feeling numb, Adrian stumbled towards the window. He grabbed onto the ledge with shaky claws. His eyes followed the orange form shrinking in the sky above Urbe. It lifted higher and higher towards the clouds, accelerating away ever faster. By the time he saw the tiny dark spot enter a cloud, it was already gone.

And thus Adrian was left there, staring emptily at the sky with his hands clasped onto the window ledge.

Only a gust of freezing wind awoke him from his stupor. Eyes clenched shut and teeth gritted, the Dragonite reached an arm out blindly for the window and threw it shut with a heavy thump.

Adrian: “I could really go for a jug of passum right now to forget that any of that just happened.” >.<

With the howling wind now down to a whisper, Adrian pressed a paw against the window and breathed heavily. It was always the same story. Even when it wasn't Sycorax, he was still the one taking orders.

That thought triggered something in Adrian's head. A fiery rage erupted in his veins; his face contorted with anger.

"Damn them… Damn them ALL!" He banged his paw on the glass.

… I just noticed that even after Admin bailed, that Adrian isn’t brave enough to openly talk smack about his Benefactors. Guess he took that ‘power to observe every Pokémon on the planet’ remark to heart.

Still shaking with unbridled tension, Adrian shuffled back towards the desk. His breaths grew laboured with each step. The wave of pulsating emotions swam around his head, and refused to let him rest. Once he'd neared the desk, he felt himself stumble and grabbed onto its edge for support.

"Further instructions…" he repeated with a spiteful hiss.

Whelp, never mind then. He got enough bravery now. Which is probably a bad idea given that it’s revealed like 7 chapters from here that at least one room of his palace is bugged.

He was the Emperor, by Dialga's gems! First citizen, father of the country, god among mortals! Why did they have to give him orders? What kind of ruler took orders from others?!

Well, a tributary king would certainly need to take orders from others. Kinda like that one in Galatia, eh Adrian? :^)

With a groan, Adrian clawed at his temples, and slumped over his desk once again. He wished he could go back. Back to a time before they came—for everything seemed to have gone wrong the moment they'd showed up.

Oh, so Adrian is just flatly old enough to remember life before the Imperial Era, huh? I didn’t think that was the implication at first, but knowing what I know about dragons in this setting and how they slot into the Empire and its fabric… I’m not so sure anymore.

Drawing ragged breaths, he squeezed his eyes together and allowed his mind to wander. He somehow found himself remembering the day of his coronation. He remembered the streets of Urbe awash with pokémon, cheering the passing of his chariot. He remembered his father tall and proud, the laughter of his newly-hatched children, the soft kiss of his mate…

But that was a long time ago. Now his subjects hated him and Elana was dead. His father was dead, too, and his children…

… Wait, how long ago was all of that anyways? Though I’ve always gotten a vibe that Our Benefactors changed the terms of their support on Adrian and his family in live time. Even now, that feeling hasn’t dissipated.

Gaius: "Wouldn't 'Our Benefactors' have been around for hundreds of years before your dad took the throne, Alice? Why does he trust them to honor a single word that they say if they made things worse in the past 20 years?" >_>;
Alice: "He's... relying on historical precedent? I dunno, your guess is as good as mine, Gaius."

His eyes tired, Adrian glanced at the door. Demetrius was gone. He was alone now. In some ways he was actually thankful for that fact, were it not for the dozens or so of decree papers still stacked on his desk, waiting for Crown approval.

He sat there and stared at them emptily. Could he really be asked to call for Demetrius again…?

I mean, if you have to ask the question, the answer is probably ‘no’. ^^;

Without quite thinking he began sifting through the documents. There had to be something else he could occupy himself with. Something that didn't require his son's—ah, the tribute! Yes, he could see to it that the situation with the tribute was solved. Live prisoners always proved the hardest to ship out. He began shifting papers around once more, his eyes glazing over the title of each and every one. There had to be an Imperial Navy report, or perhaps a letter from the High Admiral…

Oh, so Our Benefactors don’t just accept a bunch of local debtors for their offerings, huh? You’d think with their implied uses of them that they wouldn’t be so picky, but I guess it makes sense that they’d place some priorities on slaves with a fighting background.

Just as he slid aside the very stack of decree papers that Demetrius had been reading, his claws fell upon a cold, gold-coloured badge nestled just behind his ink bottle. Adrian blinked. He picked it up, and twirled it in his claws. A heraldic eagle was carved into its back, alongside the letters laid in a semicircular fashion.

He stared at the object with vague animosity. Here it was: the foremost example of what the Benefactors were giving the Empire in return. His father's generation would have dismissed this kind of device as impossible. Now, these tiny badges allowed his armies to coordinate from across the continent—to say nothing of the encyclopaedias they'd helped fill of the universe around them, of biology, of physics…!

Wait, how long has Adrian been reigning? Since I’m pretty sure that Dragon-types in this setting are supposed to regularly live longer than the entire span of Our Benefactors’ publicly recorded presence and the Imperial Era, and it’s only been a little over a hundred years after Pater Hadriani’s moment of truth, so has Adrian only been Emperor for 30 years or something like that? Since he seems to have a recollection of a time before the barbarian invasions, but we don’t really get much of an acknowledgement of how much further beforehand that was going on.

I don't want their enlightenment! Adrian clenched his paw tightly around the badge. I just—I just want the whole damn world to stop dying!

Probably a good thing that Our Benefactors don’t seem to have the ability to pick up on thoughts from brainwaves, otherwise I’m pretty sure that train of thought would get them in the market for a new puppet to jerk around.

Adrian took a deep breath, if only to stop himself from shaking. His arms felt weak all of a sudden. He crossed them both on the desk, uncaring of the sensitive documents he was crumpling, then slumped his head on top.

Out of a maze of distress, he did the only thing he could think of. He pressed the small button on its back.

"S-Sycorax," he rasped.

- Meanwhile from the crawl space, Gaius blinks -
Gaius: “... Wait a minute, isn’t Sycorax literally separated by a distance of hundreds of kilometers from Urbe right now? What on earth is the range of those badges?” .-.
Alice: “... It’s a special badge built for long-distance communications?” ^^;

For the longest time, Adrian stared blankly at the window. All to no avail. After another stretch of waiting, he even felt the creeping suspicion that he was turning mad—speaking to objects that couldn't possibly talk back. He pressed the button again.

"… Sycorax?"

Then, Adrian jolted in his chair as the badge suddenly erupted in static, before giving way to a smooth, metallic voice.

Adrian: “Oh thank goodness, I’m not going crazy… yet.”

"Your Majesty," came Sycorax's reply, voice flat and emotionless as ever. "Is there something you require?"

Adrian sat up again, staring at the golden badge in his palm. On second thought, he wasn't quite sure why he'd called. He hadn't even thought of what to ask.

"So, I—I take it you are well?" Adrian said, swallowing.

"Affirmative. The mission is nearing its completion."

Adrian: “Oh thank gods, then all of this will be ov- er… I mean, that’s terrific news to hear, Sycorax.” ^^;

"Good, good. I expected nothing less. And how…" Adrian felt his breathing pick up pace. "… how is she?"

A pause. Adrian did not know so many heartbeats could fit into a pause so short.

"Your daughter is in good health," Sycorax said flatly. "You shall see her soon, my lord."

I’m eagerly awaiting the story of what on earth went down between Adrian and Alice back in the day. Since whatever initially motivated him to yeet Alice and let her fend for herself against the cruel world outside of the palace, he clearly seems to have regrets over it.

Alice: "..." O_O
Gaius: "Shouldn't this be old hat for you, Alice? I mean he is your father."
Alice: "I... I think we should revisit that desertion idea again. There has to be something we can do to move it along." o_o;
Gaius: "(Oh, so now you want to take risks?)"

"Good. Tell her…"

… Yet his mind suddenly turned blank. His eyes slowly drifted down to his lap. This was a mistake, he told himself. Why had he called? There was nothing he could say to her. Nothing.

Sycorax: “... My lord, shall I wish her well, or…?” :?

"… J-just keep her safe," he mumbled.

"As you wish, my lord. We shall enter radio silence soon. Esto perpetua."

Adrian: “Wait a minute! Why is that needed again-?!” O_O;
Sycorax: “Beginning radio silence now.”
Adrian: “Huh?! Hey wait! Sycorax! Sycorax! Say something back to me!”

With that, the badge fell silent again, and Adrian collapsed into his chair. He breathed in ragged gasps as though he'd just undergone some colossal effort. Not now, he told himself—he couldn't afford to start thinking about her now. Not with so many duties to attend to. He needed to fetch Demetrius again, and ready the decrees for the following day. By the gods, he would have to face the Senate without Sycorax, wouldn't he?

I mean, yes. That would be expected when Sycorax told you that he’d be entering radio silence.

Adrian: “I… don’t suppose that I can just pretend that I came down with a stomachache and cancel the sitting, can I?” o_o;

With weak paws, he gripped the armrests of his chair. I need to think. He pushed himself up shakily. I need to think. I need to…

Adrian shuffled towards the door with his shoulders sagged and his wings drooped. He could almost sense it as he walked by: the gaze of emperors of old mocking their shameful descendant. He snapped his head to glare at the painting hanging closest to him, only to shrink once he realised who exactly was on that canvas.

It was his father.

Technically, isn’t Adrian the descendant of an Emperor given that Pater Hadriani almost certainly was not part of the dynasty that called the shots prior to the Year of Seven Emperors? Or did he force the pretender from that dynasty to adopt him and then get him out of the way so that way he could claim an unbroken familial lineage?

An old warmth swelled within Adrian's chest at the sight of the elder Dragonite standing proud against a dark background, draped by in the purple of his imperial robes. The dragon's eyes, full of confidence, were turned to look directly at the viewer—directly at him.

Adrian's lip quivered. You didn't have to deal with all this, father.

That’s a bold assumption to make there given that Daedalus has revealed in more recent chapters that the Presence’s MO when dealing with Urbe is to allow their puppets to twist in the wind in crises allowed to happen such that they’ll accept whatever terms desired for them to step in and entrench themselves in this world.

Considering how Urbe itself was besieged in Pater Hadriani’s time… I wouldn’t be so confident that he didn’t have to deal with a comparable load of crises dumped on his plate. Even if he likely was significantly less “deer in headlights” than Adrian is.

Yet the weight of his glare still pressed against Adrian's scales. He could feel himself grow smaller with each passing second. Soon he would revert back into a Dragonair, he felt—bunched up into a coil and cowering under his father's scrutiny. Scowling, he looked down to his claws and gritted his teeth together.

That… actually happened between Adrian and his father on more than a few occasions, didn’t it?

At least your children brought you joy!

Adrian sent the flat rendition of his father one last, pleading look. Yet the elder Dragonite's eyes gave him no sign of love, or sympathy, or recognition.

Why does Adrian even have that up in his study if it just leads to moments like this? Though his… uh… relationship there he’s implied to have with his kids is quite something given that he’s implying that his kids don’t bring him joy. Or at least not in the present day. ^^;

Silence hung heavy over the stationary convoy.

From the back of the Arcanine he was sat on, Flame could do little more than stare forward as his claws mindlessly played with the Arcanine's mane. He found it hard to breathe. The oppressive rock walls of the crevice rose above and around the convoy like a prison, leaving barely enough space for the pokémon to stand in double file. There were thirteen of them—Flame had counted them all to pass the time—all set up with a bipedal Teutonii riding a capable quadruped, which also carried supply bags.

Brynn: “Herr Flame, if you’re trying to make braids with Kameradin Arkani’s mane, I think that we have some ribbons amid our supplies.” ^^;
- Beat moment -
Flame: “Wait, am I knotting her mane fur that much? I thought it was just swishing around my claws.” .-.

Thirteen. He remembered being nervous about their small number upon leaving the village: it was necessary, Daedalus had explained, for a group their size would attract little attention.

Flame couldn't help but snort. A lot of good that did to us.

Flame: “... Do Zoroark just not exist in this setting or something?” .-.
Daedalus: “I mean, it is a more realistic-feeling setting, so…” ^;
Flame: “But the Gengar in Castra Aeterna was able to cast illusions! How would not having someone do that not allow us to have a bigger party safely?!” O_O;
- Cue [worriedgoo] expressions from the other Teutonii at the mention of ‘Castra Aeterna’ -
Daedalus: “(Ix-nay e-thay astra-Cay Aeterna-ay alk-tay…) Also, even if we could secure the aid of Zoroark on such short notice, there’s no guarantee they’d be able to keep up an illusion consistently while we were moving for multiple days. Better to not endanger them if their efforts wouldn’t be a net benefit.”
Flame: "Uh... On the topic of ‘moving for multiple days’, wouldn't we have been able to make more progress if we travelled by air and flew by night? It is late fall, after all, so the days are short." ^^;
Daedalus: "Hrmph. There's still more daylight hours than nighttime hours, and we'd stand out like a sore thumb during them in the air. If we need to move in a hurry by day, we're better off sticking to land."

Still twirling the Arcanine's mane in his claws, Flame growled lightly under his breath. How much longer would they have to stand here? He raised his gaze and spotted Daedalus' broad form floating at the head of the convoy, blocking their view of the outside world. Had they been spotted or not?

Flame: “Because just saying, the lack of updates is really starting to freak me out right now, Daedalus.”

Flame took a shaky breath, and squeezed his eyes together.

Their journey had been going so well, too! They'd left Neuhoffnung at dawn—he'd turned back and watched the quaint little lakeside village disappearing behind the horizon, enveloped in an orange glow. Now they'd most likely been spotted, and they were all just waiting here for death to—

Considering how effectively Sycorax zeroes in on their location later on, I actually kinda wonder if they really did get spotted here but Daedalus didn’t realize it just yet.

A soft paw settled on his shoulder.

"Herr Flame?"

He opened his eyes and turned to find Brynn tilting her head from atop her Gogoat ride. Even in his mind, her voice was down to a whisper—perhaps to avoid startling him.

"Huh?" He blinked and sat up straighter.

"Are you okay?"

Flame: “I… mean, I’m only burning a hole into my stomach in live-time from stress since I think we’re all about to die in about five minutes, but other than that I’m doing great!” ^^;

Flame glanced off to the side. "Y-yeah. I mean, m-maybe. I think so."

Brynn: “...” >:|
Flame: “... Was it really that obvious?” ^^;
Brynn: “You did mention worrying about dying in five minutes-”
Flame: “But that wasn’t even canon!” >.<

"This happens all the time." Brynn smiled reassuringly. "Nearly every trip I've been on." She gave his shoulder a small squeeze.

Flame: “... Wait, if this happens on every trip you’ve been on, how on earth do you guys manage to sortie army units effectively?” .-.
Brynn: “... We fight our way through our obstacles?” ^^;

"And in how many of those did you see an entire army moving through the valley?"

… Wait, is that what Daedalus is seeing up ahead that’s made them all pause? I didn’t realize there was an entire Imperial Army formation ahead of them, but if so, it might make sense to provide some sort of sensory hint to the readers that that’s happening since… I didn’t pick up on that at all in my first readthrough, and didn’t realize it until I got here again.

"Well…" Brynn gave a sheepish grin. "… none. But I'm sure we'll be fine."

Flame rolled his eyes theatrically. "Wow, thanks," he said with heavy sarcasm, smirking, "I feel so much better now."

Flame: “As in ‘I don’t feel better at all’.”

Yet Brynn did not lift her paw from his shoulder. She only squeezed it tighter, and leaned closer to him.

"Even if they found us, Herr Flame, what can they do? Lord Daedalus is here. You're here. You'd beat them back in an instant!" She said that last part with beaming eyes, her tail wagging excitedly.

Flame: “... Do I want to know what Daedalus has told you I’d be able to do?” .-.
Brynn: “Oh you know, just that you’d be able to lead us to victory at the Gates of Urbe. So an army formation ought to be short work in light of that, right?”

Flame: “(... Oh my god. Daedalus, why would you even-?!)” O.O;

Once again, Flame didn't know what to say. That awe-struck look she was giving him caught him unprepared.

"I…" He rubbed the back of his neck. "I, um, wouldn't set my expectations so high."

Flame: “Brynn, I don’t know what Daedalus saw of me prior to me getting mind-wiped, but I sure as hell haven’t seen anything comparable since then! You… should honestly come up with some contingency plans in case I’m not able to deliver when you need me to.” O_O;

Yet Brynn did not seem to have heard. Unable to hold her gaze, Flame bashfully looked down to the Arcanine's thick mane, running his claws absent-mindedly through the hairs. He wished she would stop treating him like… like some hero. Like someone he wasn't. Then again, everyone else was treating him the same way, weren't they?

As if to prove his own point, Flame lifted his eyes to the Teutonii queued up ahead. It hardly took him a second to spot a Weavile shooting back a glance at him, the same awestruck look in its eyes. Beside it, a Dewott riding a Rhyhorn perked up and waved at him.

Flame waved back weakly and saw the Dewott turn away quickly, blushing. Gods, why him?

Bring it up with Daedalus taking a coincidence with Teutonii mythology and running with it, Flame. Even if you might not want to be anywhere near Teutonii lands after the truth comes out, since I’m pretty sure your quality of life in their territories will fall off a cliff afterwards. ^^;

I haven't done anything for them. Flame narrowed his eyes. I'm just some coward who apparently used to be—

Suddenly, a primal roar boomed from outside, reverberating off the rocky walls of the crevice and through his bones. Choking on his breath, Flame gripped the Arcanine's mane tightly. He darted his eyes around in alarm; first towards the sliver of cloudy sky visible above them, then to Brynn who was calm as ever, then he craned his head to see Daedalus.

Floating by the exit to the crevice, the Dusknoir merely turned around to face the rest of the convoy. "It is safe once again," it said. "We may proceed."

Teutonii!Hydreigon: “ALLES KLAR!!!
Flame: “... I’m sorry, how in the hell did that racket not tip off the entire army formation we were here?! Don’t we have badges you stole from legionaries or something like that that we can use to send quieter ‘all clears’?!” >_>;
Daedalus: “... We have one dispatcher on us at most and need to conserve brainpower?”

And just like that, the convoy was moving again.

"O-oh." Flame slowly eased his death grip on the Arcanine's mane as his ride took its first few steps forward. His breathing began to ease.

Flame: “Daedalus, even if we didn’t have an opportunity to use badges for this, couldn’t we have come up with something that wouldn’t stir up uncomfortable memories of Chapter XVIII for me?” >.<
Daedalus: “... You’ll get used to it? Plus it’d hardly be fair to Comrade Hydreigon if he just had to deal with you being terrified of him for the rest of his life.” ^;
Flame: “Yeah, well maybe he should’ve thought about that before dragging Pokémon off kicking and screaming to free flying lessons and then maiming a Pokémon right in front of me in the middle of a burning forest.”

Daedalus: “... Have you considered forming some positive memories with him to counter that? He is a fun presence to be around in a tavern, after all.” ^;

Within a few seconds, he started laughing—perhaps at his own silliness, perhaps to dispel the tension gripping his chest. Even the Arcanine below craned its head back to send him a smile.

"[Don’t worry]," she whispered sweetly.

Still holding onto her mane, Flame managed to smile back. "Thanks." He rubbed the fur on her head with a paw, much to his ride's happiness.

Flame's Teutonii's has clearly been improving in this story given that he seemed to pick up on the Arcanine's general sentiment there. Really living the life there to have a big ol' Palamute that can reassure you when you're feeling jittery. Though I imagine she must be terrifying to face down on the wrong side of a fight, since… yeah, giant, snarling fire dog that may or may not have Intimidate as her ability.

Flame: "(Why do I suddenly feel the urge to get decked out in a set of armor and have a Meowth helper or something like that?)"
Brynn: "Well, a Braixen will have to do for now, eh? Though I think you'd need to work on your swordplay before you could really sell the reference you're thinking of."
- Flame blink moment -
Flame: "Wait, I was thinking of a reference? To what?"

Feeling calmer now, Flame raised his head to look forward again. With each step they inched closer to the end of the crevice, the narrow sliver of the outside world widening up bit by bit, until with a single stride they stepped outside.

Flame nearly forgot to breathe at the sight of the landscape.

Rugged, craggy mountains towered all around them. Their rocky base quickly gathered a thick layer of snow as they ascended closer to the sky. Hundreds of metres below the narrow path they stood on, a small water stream snaked along the valley's forested length. It went on for so long! No matter which direction he jerked his head, the valley only seemed to grow larger in scale.

Wow, talk about your vivid imagery there. This feels like the sort of scene that would be really neat to see someone do a depiction of one day, since even that paragraph of description sounds breathtaking.

Flame held onto the Arcanine's mane and kept twisting his head around as his ride and the rest of the convoy ahead settled into a light jog.

I wouldn't mind living here… Flame thought, sweeping over distant mountainsides.

Flame: “I mean, the fact that the Imperial Army just minces through here on occasion would be a tiny problem, but aside from that, I’m sure it’d be great!” ^^;

Suddenly, he saw Daedalus emerge from the corner of his vision. The Dusknoir seemed to have no issue floating at the convoy's speed, as if drifting by the push of an air current. It was holding some sort of green cloth in its hand.

His smile collapsed.

"Flame." Daedalus dangled the cape from its hand. "Your disguise."

Flame: “My what now?” .-.

Flame let out a groan and squeezed his eyes together.

"Do I have to?"

"You do."

Resigned to his fate, Flame snatched the cape from Daedalus' hand. He threw it over his shoulders and fumbled his claws at his neck to tie the ends into a sloppy knot. After that was done, he glanced down at himself with pursed lips. The cloth was clearly too large for him, extending down below his feet and leaving only a narrow sliver of his belly exposed to the outside world. He felt ridiculous.

Flame: “I thought that capes went out of style precisely because they represented a hazard for getting caught by or on things.” >_>;
Daedalus: “One, we’re not in [The Incredibles]. Two, this is meant to keep you from being spotted. If we’re in a situation where that’s a serious concern, then things have gone really, really wrong.”
Flame: "(I guess...) But wait, why am I trying to disguise myself with a green cloth while I'm riding a mostly orange Arcanine? If we're this worried about me getting spotted from above, wouldn't I have been better off wearing an orange cape?"

Daedalus: "... You'll blend in with the grass and treetops from above."
Flame: "(Maybe, but the rest of the orange fire dog won't.)" >_>;

"There," Flame said. "Happy?"

In one motion Daedalus lifted the hood of the cape up to his head, and in one motion half of Flame's field of view was replaced by olive green.

He remained with a deadpan expression, coming to terms with his now non-existent peripheral vision. Frustration festered in his chest. He lifted his arms within the cape—even like this, his feet were barely poking out from the bottom, and he could still feel the cape smothering the entire length of his tail. His tail tip, too, ached slightly as his etheral fire struggled to burn.

Flame: “... This… feels like a safety hazard for if we got into a hostile situation.” .-.
Daedalus: “Again, Flame. The cowl’s a measure to keep us from getting into one in the first place.”

From beside him he could hear Brynn saddled on a Gogoat, and he turned to find her hiding her giggles with a paw.

"What am I supposed to look like?" he grumbled. "A Grovyle?"

"Your scales are easily visible from the air," Daedalus replied. "Even if we are spotted, it is imperative that they do not identify you."

Flame: “... Daedalus, you do realize that we’re a party of less than thirty ‘mons and I can’t effectively fight in this thing, right?” .-.
Daedalus: “Again, let us handle that, Flame. You remaining unidentified is literally more important than that.”
Flame: “(Why, is the world gonna end or something if an Imperial knows who I am or something?)” >_>;

Yet all the logical explanations in the world couldn't stop Flame from glaring down at the large sags in his cape. For all the hurdles he'd prepared to face, this was not one of them. How was he supposed to find an escape route when he could see so little? How was he supposed to run away like this?

I look like a grass-type, too… He frowned.

Flame: “A Grass-type Charmeleon. Seriously, who on earth ever heard of something so ridiculous?” >.<
Daedalus: “You’d be surprised, my child. I’ve heard of my share of strange tales out there amongst the dimensions.” ^;

Suddenly, another roar boomed through the valley from behind them.

Flame barely had the time to jolt in his saddle before a dark, three-headed dragon zoomed right past the convoy, throwing up a current that threw various pebbles into the abyss below. Immediately he felt a measure of apprehension as he trailed the dragon's flight path with his eyes. He'd seen this pokémon flying over the convoy a few times, but now that he'd heard its roar, Flame knew for certain: this was the same Hydreigon from the battle of Aesernia. The one who'd helped kidnap him.

As the dragon bellowed another distant roar, Flame felt his blood run cold at the memory.

Flame: “... Again, was it really necessary to bring the ‘mon who I’m pretty sure lingers in my nightmares at the moment for this trip?” o_o;
Daedalus: “He is uniquely suited to operating in this region without drawing suspicion, my child. Also, Comrade Salamence was busy with another assignment when we left. Something about heading off with his lieutenant to go flatten a hostile encampment.” ^;
Flame: “Look, couldn’t you have picked a scout that isn’t going to make me fear for my life whenever I’m within fifty meters of them?! You guys have to have something like a Charizard in your ranks, right?”

Daedalus followed his upwards gaze. "Do not be afraid. Our comrade will alert us to further enemy scouts."

Flame: “And the enemy scouts to us considering how loud he is.” >_>;

"D-don't you think he's a little too…" Flame trailed off, biting his lip. "… noticeable?"

"Feral Hydreigon have inhabited these mountains for centuries," the Dusknoir observed. "He will draw the least attention of us all."

Flame: "Why are we sneaking across mountains with feral versions of the vicious hydras that have bottomless appetites?!" O_O;
Daedalus: "... Yes? I mean, they're mostly solitary creatures and we have one of our own. So we should be fine."

Flame: “(Daedalus, could you try any harder to make this trip cursed at the moment?!)” >.<

Flame said nothing in response. Instead, he turned his eyes back to the rolling mountainside as the Arcanine beneath him bobbed up and down at a jogging pace. The path they were on seemed to be gently sloping downwards. The ends of his oversized cape fluttered behind him in the cold breeze.

"You look troubled, child," Daedalus said softly.

Flame: “I mean, we did apparently just wait on an enemy army to pass and are kinda taking it for granted that they don’t have any stay-behind forces lingering in the woods…” .-.
Daedalus: “No, no. There’s something else that’s bugging you, too…”

Flame merely shifted his eyes to an even more distant mountaintop, avoiding the Dusknoir's eye. What could he possibly say? Too many thoughts and sensations were swirling around his head right now. Having Daedalus speak to him in such loving tones was helping none of them.

He felt the Dusknoir's large hand settle on his shoulder.

Even through the cape, Daedalus' touch was too strong to ignore. Biting his lip, Flame pulled back the side of his hood to meet Daedalus' penetrating gaze.

"I presume you are sad about leaving Neuhoffnung," Daedalus said. "Is that correct?"

Flame: “I mean, I only didn’t get to know anyone other than Brynn while I was there, so…” >_>;

"Yeah," Flame replied. "A-a little bit."

Daedalus shook his head slowly. "Don't be. Your new home is many times more beautiful."

Flame: “... Wait a minute, I don’t think you’ve ever described where we were going, though.”
Daedalus: “... Operational security, really. But I think we’re alone enough that I can skimp a bit on it right now.”

Flame felt a pleasant warmth ignite in his chest. While that wasn't quite enough to lift his spirits, it was enough for him to pause and produce a tiny, imperceptible smile.

"… Are you trying to make me feel better?" he mumbled as the convoy slowed down to take a sharp turn along the cliff face.

"Hardly," Daedalus smiled, hands clasped behind its back. "You need to see for yourself to truly understand."

And then the plot just promptly never went there. Or at least for now. :V

Too bad I don't plan on getting there.

Well, yeah. That would help with the plot never going there.

As if tied to a trigger, blood rushed to his cheeks as excitement and guilt slipped through him. It took him a few heartbeats to realise he was grinning, so he looked elsewhere, praying that Daedalus hadn't seen. Gods, he needed to be careful with his thoughts. He couldn't risk the Dusknoir or anyone else catching onto his plan—even a simple grin could be revealing.

I think that it might have sense to bring up Flame’s plan internally at least once or twice in the earlier bit of this scene, since we only indirectly get the idea that Flame’s planning to bolt all the way at the end of his scene in the prior chapter, while this feels like a pretty significant thing that would color Flame’s thought process throughout the entirety of this scene earlier on.

Flame: "(Uh... Brynn can't read thoughts passively, can she?)" ._.;
Brynn: "Hm? No, that requires conscious effort on my part. Though why do you sound so concerned, Herr Flame? And why are you whispering those questions to yourself again?"
Flame: "Gack! Er... Uh... N-No reason! Was just curious!"

Still unnerved by his slip-up, he quickly thought of something unsuspicious to ask.

"Wh-what's it like?" he asked with a barely-convincing smile.

"The town stands deep underground." Daedalus said softly. "The central ravine is home to hundreds of families over several levels, while the surrounding cave systems house many more—including fire-types. With so many pokémon of your age, finding a suitable mate will be trivial."

Oh, so Daedalus really is getting all his Flame decoys from [Derinkuyu], huh?

I can already tell that if Flame winds up going there at a later point in the story, that things are going to get really awkward really fast even if he’s still seen as [Our -------] by the locals by that time. Since even if it was sold to them as a great honor, I’m not convinced at all that the locals who had their loved ones drawn as decoys would be able to keep their composure in the presence of the [-------] they were sacrificed for.

Flame felt his cheeks burn slightly at that last part. "Th-that sounds nice."

He felt the Dusknoir's large hand pat his back.

"Two more days, my child. After that, you'll be able to live a normal life. Like you've always deserved."

And Daedalus surely knows that, even if everything were to go according to his plans.

Flame nodded along. He felt a tinge of guilt at those kind words, but it was quickly smothered by the warmth rising through his chest as one thought came to dominate his mind.

Soon, he would be free.

I mean, he ultimately is proven to be right, but that’s one hell of a bold assumption to be making at this point in time given his fantastic track record of escape attempts thus far in the story.

The thought introduced a host of pleasant new sensations to his stomach. Still holding onto the Arcanine's mane under his cape, Flame let out a minuscule giggle at the thought.

It felt almost surreal to think, after so many days of planning. Yet the time was nearly upon him. They'd reached the Tartarus Mountains. It was only a matter of another day—a little longer, at most.

Yeah, gonna put the broken record back on and reiterate to give some hints earlier on in this scene as to “Whelp, thanks for the food, but I’ve got a blue noodle to chase” to the audience in order to better ground that Flame is ready and willing to just mince off into the mountains to that end.

The next step was to figure out his exact position on the map. Flame lowered his gaze to study the pokémon marching in double column in front of him. While riders and rides alike seemed concentrated on the narrow path ahead, they still turned occasionally, still exchanged a few words amongst each other.

Flame: “... Wait, what is my plan for if I can’t figure out a specific location anyways? Like do I have anything that I can use to narrow down my location a bit if I have to take a leap of faith?” ._.;

No… Not now. Flame bit his lip.

He would have to wait another while, when the monotony of marching would start to make everyone's minds less attentive. The risk of someone noticing as he consulted his map was intolerably high. Then again—he doubted that the others would catch onto his plan. Perhaps Daedalus would, but…

Flame: “... Why didn’t I ask for reading materials so that way I could just study the map while pretending to read something?” >.<
- Beat moment -
Flame: “... Right, these guys write in footprints and it’d look more suspicious to just be poring over stuff they know I can’t read for hours on end.” ._.;

Flame shut his eyes, and allowed himself to breathe.

Soon.

He pushed those worries away and revelled in the warm optimism flooding his chest. After all, there were many factors that looked seemed to be in his favour. He'd carefully stuffed a variety of items in his bag that would help him escape: from stun seeds to orbs to food and medical supplies for when he would be travelling through the wilderness. He was being closely guarded as they travelled, true—but he also had Daedalus' full trust. So long as the Dusknoir remained unsuspecting, he felt, he would have a good chance at staging his escape.

Not that this guy doesn’t have reasons to be going “I-It’s just a little airborne, it’s still good! It’s still good!” mentally at the moment but he does realize that Kamerad Trikephalo has all the necessary ingredients for an effective long-distance tracker and happens to blend in well with the local ferals, right? :V

Flame: “(... Haven’t worked out what I’m gonna do about that Hydreigon after making a break for it, but at least the Stun Seeds ought to help?)” ^^;

He cracked a smirk. And then, once Alice and Gaius were back by his side, they could all dream of freedom again. It took all his strength not to begin fantasising straight away.

Given that Flame's plan here is a bit pantsed and obviously "... Didn't think this through", it might make sense to reiterate how he's coming to some of these conclusions. For instance, what about his mind is ticking such that his assumption is that he’d run into Gaius or Alice again? Is he assuming that they’d make their way out to Thermae Himerae since that was their plan? That they’d still be in Aesernia waiting for him since “hey, Daedalus said everybody left there, and Virgo and Yvaine didn’t say they were in trouble...”

Like it just feels like even if Flame is being particularly successful at keeping doubts of “... wait, how am I convinced this is a good idea when my attempt to desert the army was just an epic fail? .-.” at bay, meta-wise, showing how he’s thinking himself into “This can work, I can do this” is probably valuable.

Flame: "(How's this gonna work again when for all I know Gaius and Alice are both still in Aesernia if they’re even alive right now?)" ^^;
Brynn: "How will what work again, Herr Flame? And why would it be relevant at all where those two are?"
Flame: "I... Uh... getting to know the honeys in [Derinkuyu] where we're headed off to? I suppose their location wouldn't be that relevant..."
Brynn: "Whoever said you had to wait until we reached [Derinkuyu]?"

Flame: "Er... Uh..." O///O

Incessantly the convoy marched on, suspended on a narrow dirt path hundreds of metres above the valley. An icy current of air buffeted the group head-on. Yet Flame merely smiled, sitting a little straighter on his saddle and letting the wind drag his cape backwards. In between gusts, he could hear Brynn humming a chipper tune beside him.

Flame: “... Pretty sure this is defeating the point of this being visual camouflage, but hey, I’m pretty sure this looks pretty damn cool right about now.” ^^;

It felt good to finally be in charge of his own destiny. To not feel like a child, whose life was dependent on other pokémon's approval—whether it was Ariel, the Captain, or Daedalus. They would build a new life for themselves devoid of misery.

I mean, I do feel that it’s an admirable impulse to have given that even in the ‘present day’ of the story, Flame is arguably still being used by others. It’ll be interesting to see if this ‘I want to control my own destiny’ impulse pops up again in the story in a more sober and thought-out incarnation from his part.

Once again, in the midst of his thoughts, Flame found his eyes captivated by the colossal depth of the valley. He gazed far into the distance, at the lush mountainsides, the towering spires of snow, the blue sky above.

Two days. He had a little over two days to make things right.

Alice, Gaius… I'm coming.

Flame: “(Could’ve done without the ‘Gaius’ there, really.) I… mean, I haven’t fully worked out the ‘trek through the wilderness’ part yet, but hey! Minor details!” ^^;

It was not often that Flame thought of himself as fortunate.

Yet as he sat hunched over on his Arcanine's back, staring down at the map in his claws, Flame could not find a better word to describe the situation. He hovered a shaky claw over a specific spot on the map.

Is this it?

Oh, so he’s putting that cowl of his to good use just draping it over his map, huh? Though how’s he getting the light to read it in that stance? ^^;

Flame barely realised that he'd stopped breathing. The gentle gargle of water alternated in his ears with the rhythmic crumpling of grass from the marching column.

Suddenly afraid that he may might have been getting worked up over nothing, he set down his map and lifted his gaze to the convoy in front of him. They were travelling near the flat centre of the valley along the course of its central creek, which was surrounded by grass and even the occasional tree. What had captured his full attention, though, was the sight of an enormous lake ahead of them, far into the distance. It was ringed by colossal mountains on nearly all sides. It was absolutely stunning—but it was not the lake's beauty that had Flame's heart racing in his chest.

… Wait, how is Kameradin Arkani not feeling that Flame just set a fluttering paper against her back during all of these? Or is she assuming he’s reading a Teutonii primer or something like that?

He glanced around himself to make sure no one was looking; Daedalus was at the head of the convoy, while Brynn's Gogoat ride had fallen slightly behind. The Zangoose riding closest to him seemed asleep. He snuck his map out from under his cape and unfurled it again, his claws trembling slightly. His eyes flew to the vertical patch of brown in the Empire's east, with the words 'TARTARUS MOUNTAINS' running sideways across the middle.

Flame: “... Boy would now be a really terrible time for a sudden gust of wind to come along.” ^^;

Narrowing his eyes in focus, Flame recounted what he knew for certain in his head. He knew that they'd approached the mountains from the west. He also knew that they were somewhere in the northern half of the chain, if the icy wind buffeting his cape was anything to go by.

Which meant that the only viable lake in that area was…

There.

Flame tapped his claw on a small blue blot on the map, splitting the larger valley it was in down the middle.

Flame: “... Huh. That sure was easy. You’d think that Daedalus would’ve taken us past an area that was less geographically distinctive if we were at danger of being spotted from the air.” ^^;

From there, he slowly traced his claw back across the supposed path he'd walked. Indeed, here was that bifurcation in the main valley they'd encountered some ways earlier. Tracing his claw further down, it grazed across a small circle with a name he could barely read—it was that village they'd passed by! Flame remembered it clearly: it was a cosy little hamlet, with wooden houses prettier than the ones in Neuhoffnung. Daedalus had made them steer far away to avoid detection.

… Wait, so how far behind enemy lines are they right now? Since you’d think that Daedalus would’ve opted for a longer but safer route if at all possible considering the consequences of losing [Our -------] to the Presence. ^^;

It can't be anywhere else, Flame thought, eyes running over the surrounding terrain. No other valley has that.

Slowly, a large grin grew on Flame's face. He couldn't hold his excitement back any longer.

I know where I am!

Narrator: “But not where Alice or Gaius are.”
Flame: “Oi! Can you shut up and let me have my moment here?!” >.<

A wave of euphoria washed over him as warmth and slipped through his chest. In a blur of tears, he clutched the map against his chest, underneath his cape. He was so close to being free!

>attempting to sneak off from a barbarian horde that reveres you as [Our -------]
>to a settlement that will almost certainly be hostile to them and that they will very aggressively try to retrieve you from

Flame laughed under his breath and revelled in the pleasant sensations running through him. He felt strangely lightweight. Now, the only thing that stood between him and freedom was the physical act of escape. Already he was running through all the possible scenarios: he would slip away from the convoy under the cover of darkness—or perhaps in a mystery dungeon, disappearing into another corridor while the others fought some feral.

- Flame looks up and spots Kamerad Trikephalo doing a flyby -

Flame: “I mean, that’s a pretty big thing standing between me and freedom there, b-but I’ve got two days to work it out!”

Either way, he was going to be free.

I'll reach the closest town, he thought, And then I'll find them. Whatever it takes…

Flame: “Back to the Empire! And hyperinflation! And food shortages! And conscription… And…”
- Flame looks around the convoy and blinks a moment before the Teutonii!Arcanine looks up at him -
Teutonii!Arcanine: “Mein [-------], gefällt es Ihnen bei uns?”
Flame: “(... Great. Now I’m starting to get doubts about this plan…)” ._.;

As he sat there, enjoying the cold breeze washing against him, Flame grinned. He almost wanted to run away then and there—leap into the rushing creek, swim away until he was out of sight. He wasn't even sure if he could swim, but it didn't matter, for Flame giggled nevertheless.

Oh, so that’s where his brilliant idea in like two chapters comes from. Foreshadowing that already, huh?

Perhaps he would pay Alice back for those geography lessons, he thought, once they reunited. He could already envision the scene in his head: first they'd all rush into an embrace, crying with joy, all in a moment of gladness.

Flame: “... (Well, maybe not Gaius since I’m not fully convinced he wouldn’t try to behead me for turning out to be Scum all along, but let’s not think too hard about that…)” ^^;

He would tell them that he was sorry, and like clockwork, Alice would again scold him again for apologising too much. Then they'd both laugh about it; his paw would slip to her cheek. 'I missed you,' she'd say. It would be enough, and it would mean everything to him. Wordlessly, they'd hold each other close, scales against scales, until the warmth boiled all else away…

… Oh, that explains why he’s not worried about Gaius here. He’s just flatly not in the picture for Flame’s fantasies.

"You look happy."

Flame jolted at the sudden voice intruding in his fantasies, blinking himself awake. He turned to find Brynn peering at him from atop her Gogoat ride with an amused smile.

"O-oh, do I?" He laughed. "I was just thinking…" A large smile still on his face, he glanced off to the side. "O-of my new home. Of the things I can finally do there."

Brynn: “... Herr Flame, do you always look this nervous and uncomfortable when you smile?” .-.
Flame: “I-It’s just butterflies in my stomach from looking forward to [Derinkuyu]! N-Nothing to worry about!” ^^;

Brynn nodded, blushing a little. "I'm just glad I'll be there by your side."

Flame's smile shrunk considerably. Except you won't.

Flame: “... Sure is a shame that Daedalus wouldn’t just let me bring my friends along, it’d have made things so much easier…”

- Beat moment -
Flame: “... I mean, sure they’d probably need to be sedated when we first met them for their own safety and they’d probably be scared to death for the first couple days… but… they’d come around, wouldn’t they?”

The comment had stung more than he'd expected. His gaze travelled downwards until it was back on the Arcanine's mane. It hadn't quite sunk in yet that he would be escaping soon. That he would be leaving the Teutonii behind—Brynn, Daedalus, all these pokémon who insisted on treating him like some hero he wasn't.

Narrator: “And the free food, and the warm lodgings, and the nights at the beer garden-”
Flame: “Look, can you not right now?! Seriously! Like I needed to feel more torn about this situation here!” >.<

Flame felt an odd smile climb onto his face as he thought about the pokémon he had met since being kidnapped. The Teutonii were labelled as monsters. They were rougher and less advanced than the Empire, all perfectly capable of killing him with little effort. Yet without mistake, all of them had treated him with nothing short of generosity, if not outright reverence. They'd helped him figure out who he was. No, there wasn't a doubt in his mind: he would always be thankful to the Teutonii.

Ah yes, the part of Flame’s mind that’s grown attached to not being kicked around and half starved rears its head here. Since if you’re thankful to these guys now, are you really not going to feel guilty to some degree leaving them behind? In circumstances that given their mythology, would likely be soul and morale-crushing to them?

But they couldn't replace his teammates. Flame narrowed his eyes. He had to go back to them. Without them, everything seemed to stop mattering.

s / “teammates” / “Alice” for a more self-honest reading. Come on, we all know it’s true. :V

Biting his lip, he tugged his hood back to look at Brynn again. She was holding onto her Gogoat ride's fur, and staring up at the sky.

"Hey… Brynn?"

She turned to him with that inquisitive smile again.

"I…" He wasn't sure why he was saying this. Perhaps it was to feel some sort of closure. To curb the guilt now seeded in his chest.

Flame: “(... Why am I fraternizing with Pokémon that I’m about to ditch in less than 48 hours?!)” >.<
Brynn: “Herr Flame? Were you saying something?”

Flame swallowed. "I just want you to know that…" He glanced downwards. "… You're a good pokémon. And, and I appreciate what you're doing to help me get my memories back."

At his words, Brynn's face blossomed with joy. She darted her eyes to and fro, unable to hold his gaze. "Th-thank you. I thought…" Her furry cheeks flushed with red. "I was scared you'd still be mad at me for what I said about your teammates."

Flame: “... Right, that ‘Collaborators’ thing. Uh… well, it’s a technical term of yours, kinda like ‘Scum’ is for Imperials, right? Even if it was a bit testy, there was no harm done there.”
Brynn: “Er… yeah, sure. Let’s go with that.” ^^;
- Cue Brynn sweating bullets and murmuring under her breath -
Brynn: “(Ich habe wirklich Glück, dass ich sie nicht ‘Sklavenjäger’ genannt habe… Das wäre ungünstig gewesen.)”

Flame looked up to the sky, then shut his eyes. "It's fine," he said, shutting his eyes. " I know you meant well."

Was that true, though? In some corner of his mind, he supposed he still did resent her a little.

Also, it comes out later on in the story that she’s not above lying to you to impress you, so…

"What were they like?"

Flame blinked and turned to look at her. "Huh?"

"Your teammates," Brynn repeated, staring back. "What were they like?"

Flame: “Well, there’s Alice and she’s really cute, and-” ^///^
- Beat moment as Flame remembers all of the things Gaius put him through for 15 chapters -
Flame: “... Uh, did I say I had teammates? Since-” ^^;
Brynn: “Yes, yes you did. Let’s hear about all of them.”

"They're not dead." He paused. "At least, I … I don't think so." His gaze drifted downwards, before he shook his head. "A-anyway, they found me right after I woke up for the first time. One's Dragonair, the other a Grovyle. We had a rough start, but … they took me in when I had no one to turn to. They gave me a purpose, and a home, and, and…" He could not help it; a fond smile overtook his face. "… they happened to be the best friends I could have asked for."

Well… He snickered to himself, looking up at the sky. One of them. The other's a work-in-progress.

I can already see Brynn’s horrified expression and commentary if Flame gave a fully accurate account of his time since waking up in the Spearhead Mountains. :V

"But… didn't they choose to ally with the Presence?"

"They barely even know what the Presence is," he half-whispered, looking ahead. "All they're trying to do is buy food. To survive."

Flame: "Wait, does the average Teutonii really think that the average 'mon from Urbe isn't some scared peasant trying to put food in their bellies that's still desperately clinging to hope that their dead gods are somehow alive and will one day come to their rescue?" .-.
Brynn: "... Yes? I mean, the Empire is a collaborating force. Would they really have withheld information as basic as who their masters are from their subjects?"
Flame: "Uh... I mean, they don't really withhold it. It's more that everyone else just tries to avoid blurting out loud that the Empire's full of crap and goes along to get along."
- Brynn blinks in response -
Brynn: "... I just can't reconcile that with... well, everything that they do to our kind. Why, it almost makes them sound like normal Pokémon!"
- Flame paw at back of head awkwardly as he thinks back to his first days in Neuhoffnung and his own similar sentiments -
Flame: "Yeah... it's a weird feeling realizing that for the first time, I know."

Brynn made no attempt to hide the surprise on her face. "I see." For a moment she stared off pensively, before looking back to him. "Maybe after the war is over, we can meet them again!"

I mean, I know that Brynn isn’t above being a bit loose with the truth to impress [Our -------], but boy does her line here read a lot less innocently after knowing about details that come out in the future since it gets established later that:

A: The Teutonii’s war plan for the Presence basically involves cutting a swath of destruction down to the coastline facing the Lipari Archipelago and then mounting an amphibious invasion of the Presence’s staging grounds there.
B: Teutonii rules of engagement against hostiles from the Empire in general are borderline exterminatory if the events that Gaius relayed from his backstory are anything to go by. For all anyone knows at the moment, Alice and Gaius are still with the Imperial Army, which would have taken apocalyptic losses if it outright lost to the Teutonii’s war plan.
C: The Teutonii have picked up over 20 years of learned experience to encourage them to not really bother with attempts at diplomacy since those just keep resulting in them getting backstabbed because the Presence’s operatives have all been going "lol, can't have the fact that these guys are intelligible become common knowledge" to prevent a negotiated resolution to the war.

Unless a future chapter reveals Daedalus had an ace up his sleeve for the above, Brynn had exactly zero reason to believe that there was suddenly going to be a breakthrough there and that Alice and Gaius weren’t going to become statistics as collateral damage from their mission.

Just gives Brynn a bit of a different vibe in light of that, and definitely one that doesn’t really endear her to me.

"Y-yeah." He averted his gaze. "Hopefully…"

Flame suddenly felt overtaken by a strange tranquility. Breathing in deeply, he shut his eyes and allowed himself to smile. Like hell he'd wait that long. Soon, he would be back with his team. They would be happy. There would be no more war, no more portal storms, no more hunger. Still smiling, he opened his eyes to glance at Brynn, who was kicking her legs and humming softly on her saddle.

Flame: “(I mean, all of that will still exist, but at least we won’t have to deal with it.)” ^^;

He only hoped that they wouldn't blame him for following his dreams.

Nah, it’d just provoke an existential crisis of confidence in them were Daedalus not the type to just lie through his ghostly teeth as to what on earth happened.

Darkness engulfed the valley in a matter of minutes. With tall mountain crests taking up the horizon, it took less time than usual for the sun's lively light to dry up all at once. It was also just as quickly that they noticed just how bright Flame's tail fire proved to be—perhaps the only source of light in the valley, save for a few Illumise and Volbeat drifting between the trees. Unable to camp out in the open, their Hydreigon scout soon directed them all into a nearby cave just up the mountain slope. Flame had shrunk away and apologised multiple times, asking Brynn to translate for him, yet nobody seemed to mind. The cavern chamber they were holed up in was spacious enough to accommodate everyone, and his tail fire had turned into the group's sole source of light.

It also felt good to finally get out of that stupid cape for a while.

inb4 this turned out to be the moment where everything went wrong. Well, maybe. I’m not fully convinced that there wasn’t a turncoat in Daedalus’ ranks all along in the light of some weird details that go down in a couple chapters.

Now, Flame sat cross-legged near the centre of the chamber, staring at a set of little marbles on the ground. There were about two dozen in total, ringed by a strand of rope acting as a perimeter. Brynn sat on the other side of the circle.

"So…" Flame twirled the glass marble in his claws and stared at it. "The winner is whoever knocks the most marbles out of the circle?"

The Braixen nodded quickly.

"Honestly?" he said. "This feels like a game kits would play."

Brynn: “As did some Emperors among the Collaborators. So yeah, it’s been a pretty popular game for a long while.” ^^

"They do." Brynn shot back,. "As a Fennekin, I was one of the best. Every kit learns to play it."

Flame: “... How on earth did you play back then without thumbs?” .-.
Brynn: “... Psychic powers? I am a bit of a prodigy for my species.” ^^;

Flame raised his eyes to meet hers, a sly grin curled at the corner of his snout. "… So you're making me play a children's game."

"Hey!" Brynn crossed her arms in mock offence. "Grown-ups play it too. It's fun."

Flame: “Right… like these ‘Emperors’, huh?”
Brynn: “Herr Flame, I’m serious about that one. I mean, they liked playing it with walnuts, but there are indeed past Emperors from their ranks who played the game. Why, [Hermann] himself said that the one who sent those armies he dealt with would stop to play in the street with kits. ‘[Augustus]’, I think it was?”

Flame laughed alongside her, but he couldn't bring himself to match her enthusiasm. These may well have been their last few hours together. If so, it wouldn't hurt to enjoy them—to leave at least a precious few happy memories between them. He supposed he'd grown to care for her a little, after all.

Sounds more like a recipe to make the eventual parting bitter as hell, but okay there, Flame. Though I see that part of him that’s whispering ‘dump the noodle, embrace phox’ grown attached to the Teutonii is rearing its head here.

Brynn shuffled closer. "I'll go first." She glanced up at him. "That way, you can watch."

Flame nodded, regaining some of his smile. He sat forward and watched as the Braixen lined up her shot and prepared the marble in her closed fist, just between her thumb and index. After a few seconds, she flicked the larger marble toward the central bunch: it clattered against four or five smaller ones in the centre, knocking three close to the perimeter.

Brynn sat back up with a satisfied grin. "Your turn. Want me to show you again?"

"N-no, no." He shook his head. "I think I've got it."

Brynn: “But Herr Flame, this is your first time ever playing-” .-.

After shuffling closer to the circle, he took a few seconds to inspect the small orb resting in his palm. It was impeccably round, and made of solid glass with what looked like spirals of red suspended in the middle.

He didn't know why, but the mere sight of it spawned an odd tingle in his stomach. It was pretty, no doubt about it. Not to mention how smooth it felt against his scales!

Considering how back in the day in Real!Urbe, this game was commonly played with walnuts, that’s probably one hell of a memento there. Perhaps even an otherworldly one.

He squeezed his eyes together briefly. Concentrate.

Flame leaned forward and darted his eyes around the glass orbs inside the circle. There were about a dozen, most of which clustered together in the middle. Those would prove difficult to budge. But then he saw a good angle, three or four separated from the main pile—the ones that Brynn had just moved. With a small smirk, Flame brought his clasped paws down, then flicked his thumb: his larger marble clattered against a smaller one, which in turn rolled into two more, knocking them straight out of the perimeter.

Flame felt a strange rush of euphoria at that. "Wow," he mumbled, "This is… easy. I see what you meant about kits playing it."

Brynn: “Was. Zur. Hölle?” O_O;
Flame: “... That meant that I did good, right?” ^^

When he glanced up at her, Brynn looked even more confused. "… Lucky."

"What do you mean?" He smiled wryly. "Maybe I'm just a natural prodigy."

Flame: “I mean, you’re apparently a prodigy at psychic stuff, so would it really be that impossible for me to be one at marbles-?”
Brynn: “Herr Flame, Pokémon don’t inherit skill at playing marbles from their parents. There’s no way that that wasn’t beginner’s luck!” >_>;

Narrowing her eyes in concentration, she shot another marble into the circle. This one moved more marbles than her first attempt, now that the central cluster was looser; two rolled straight out of the circle.

Brynn crossed her arms triumphantly. "Two-to-one for you. Try now."

Flame: "(Shouldn't I not be getting chummy with her right before I was planning to-?)"
Brynn: "Planning to what? Herr Flame?"
Flame: "Er... Uh... take my next shot, of course!"

Wasting no time, Flame leaned down to line up his paws. Somehow, the movements came natural to him. He flicked his shooter marble again and grinned triumphantly as it knocked two more out with precision.

"Ah-ha!" Flame exclaimed, feeling his tail swing rapidly behind him. "What was that, Brynn?"

The flabbergasted look on Brynn's face only made the taste of victory that much sweeter. "But… how? I thought you'd never…"

Flame: “Guess skill with marbles really does get inherited, huh?”

Brynn: “... I have no words.” .-.

He crossed his arms and raised a smug eyebrow. "Oh, don't worry—I'm sure it was just luck."

"I see your skill hasn't left you, my child."

Flame perked up, and looked behind himself. Floating some twenty metres away by the cavern's entrance was Daedalus, floating with its back turned to them. It was standing guard for the night, he presumed.

He blinked. "Skill? What do you mean by—" Realisation struck him. His gaze drifted down to the remaining marbles in the ring. "… I used to play this, didn't I?"

Daedalus: “... Was it really not obvious from my remark, child?” -;
Flame: “I mean, it was, it’s just… how do I not remember any of this?” .-.

Daedalus finally glanced back. Its red eye pierced the penumbra of the cavern. "Nearly every day," it said softly. "Hiding from our former captors granted us more idle time than you'd think. It was … difficult. I remember you were so happy when we found those…"

That's at once really cute and really sad. And I see that the marbles really are a reminder from another world. At least if Daedalus is being accurate there.

Flame drifted his eyes up to the rocky ceiling. He tried to picture the scene: two of them flicking marbles together in a damp room, lit only by the fire of his tail. No matter how hard he furrowed his brow, though, nothing came up. Only a vague warmth that seemed to nestle into his chest.

Flame slowly brought his knees closer to himself. "… I can't remember."

"Indeed. But it would appear that a deeper part of you can."

Flame: “... ‘A deeper part of me,’ huh? Wonder what else that applies to…?”
- Flame has a beat moment before shifting uncomfortably -
Flame: “(I mean… I guess I must’ve had something really messed up happen with a Scyther, since I very distinctly remembered their species without needing reintroduction after coming here. And that I must’ve gotten someone I liked killed from how awful I feel knowing that I’m hurting others… maybe a lot of ‘someone’s given how that feeling seems to kick in for just about everybody and anybody.)” ._.;

With a minute sigh, Flame merely rolled the marble in his palm. He stared at it, as if hoping that it would magically unlock the secrets to his past. "I guess…"

- Flame stares and focuses at his marble briefly -
Flame: “... Nothing, figures. Well it was a worth a shot, at least.”

A few moments of silence followed. Brynn was staring awe-struck between the two of them. When Flame turned around, he noticed that nearly every Teutonii who was still awake was perked up and listening to their conversation. That did not help with the tension shaking his scales.

Flame: “... Daedalus, they’re doing it again.” .-.
Daedalus: “My child, it’s only natural for them to react this way to a figure of such great importance to them.”
Flame: “(And you haven’t explained to me how ‘[Our -------]’ is important yet why?)” ._.;

"When we reach your new home," Daedalus turned around fully, arms clasped behind its back. "Do you wish to … play together again?"

Flame's heart stopped. In the span of a few words, an array of emotions crashed into his body. On one hand his cheeks were burning up, yet on the other hand he felt a sudden, foreboding pit in his stomach.

"I…" He felt a knot blocking his throat. "I don't—y-yes."

Daedalus: “... My child, why are you stammering over a simple question?”

Flame: “I-I- U-Uh… J-Just a lot to take in right now, that’s all!”

"Thank you. You don't know how happy that would make me."

And yet, in spite of the candour behind Daedalus' voice—or perhaps because of it—Flame felt nothing short of monstrous. He turned around to face Brynn again, biting back the tears welling in his eyes, praying that Daedalus hadn't noticed.

I'm sorry…

Soon, though, he lifted his gaze again and found Brynn regarding him with eyes full of concern.

Wait, is the ‘I’m sorry’ from Brynn or is that Flame’s internal thoughts? Though this is exactly why you don’t get chummy with the guys you’re about to cut and run from in like a day.

"… Herr Flame?"

Flame quickly forced a smile and squared his shoulders. "N-nothing. Your turn." He motioned with a paw.

"Did I do something?" Brynn asked, her ears flattened completely.

Flame: “No, no. Just prepping my next shot! Nothing to worry about!” o_o;

In response, Flame forced out a weak chuckle and shook his head. Why couldn't they get back to the game? He looked down at the remaining marbles, pretending to count them and analyse their distribution. From the tail of his eye, though, he noticed Brynn still staring at him.

No—behind him.

Flame: “... (Right, Daedalus is right here next to me and seeing all of this.)” O.O;

Before Flame could react, he felt Daedalus' large, cold hand land envelop his shoulder.

"My child. I want you to look at me."

Flame: “A-And if I didn’t want to-?” o_o;
Daedalus: “Now, my child.”

Flame felt his entire body freeze into place. His jaw hung petrified in mid-breath, an onslaught of thoughts rushing through his head. Did it know? How could it know?

I mean, you were kinda sloppy copping peeks at that map earlier in the day, Flame. That, and I’m pretty sure you’re doing the lizard equivalent of sweating bullets right now.

Swallowing, he spun around with the toothiest grin he could manage.

"Y-yeah?"

That doesn’t work if you look like you’re about to keel over from stress at any moment, just saying. :V

Yet Daedalus kept floating there unperturbed, staring down at him with its bright red eye. Analysing him.



"Something is troubling you." Daedalus said. "I sensed it earlier in our journey, and it is even more obvious now."

Daedalus: “Really, how do you not expect me to notice you squirming and audibly stammering like this?”

Flame felt his cheek cold and pale; a spasm ran through his claws.

"Wh-what? No!" He glanced off to the side. "Nothing's wrong, I swear! I'm j-just… tired. And, and nervous. I'll be all right."

Daedalus: “...”

Flame: “I-It’s just some jitters about living in a giant cave! That’s all!” O_O;

"Flame…" Daedalus' voice softened. "Come. We shall talk in private."

Flame: "(Erk! Oh god, all this time, I was worried about the wrong 'mon picking up on me!)"

"Th-there's no need…" he mumbled weakly, before the Dusknoir's eye met his and silenced any thoughts of protest.

Eyes shut, Flame used his arms to push himself to his feet. It was no use arguing.

"Comrade Brynn," Daedalus looked to her, "stand guard in my place. We won't be long."

That… feels like a woefully inadequate substitute for if anything seriously dangerous came along, but I guess Daedalus just assumed he’d come back if anything went south.

The Braixen was on her feet in mere heartbeats. Her ears perking up, she stuttered something affirmative and sprinted off towards the cave entrance—nearly tripping on a marble in the process.

Daedalus: “... Guess we should’ve been more careful about positioning those marbles, huh? But anyhow, about your recent behavior, my child…”

Suddenly he felt a set of large, cold fingers grip the entirety of his forearm, tugging lightly. Flame walked tentatively, his heart quivering in his chest, yet Daedalus tugged him on along. Together, they headed down a dark passageway leading into the cavern's depths.

You should probably axe one or the other ‘tugged/tugging’ there to avoid things sounding repetitive there.

Flame: “(H-He knows. Th-There’s no way that he doesn’t know if he’s doing this.)” O.O;

As he walked behind Daedalus, his tail illuminating the path ahead, Flame swallowed dryly as he felt his heart shrivel up and quiver at the same time. Daedalus had to know—or at the very least, it had to suspect something. How could he be so careless as to let this all happen?

Oh right, the actual text went there for Flame’s thought process. But yeah, it does seem like a pretty logical reaction to being told “we need to have a talk” and then getting drug off into seclusion.

His thoughts began rushing again. In his mind he returned to that split second of weakness, when he'd let sorrow leak on his face. What if Daedalus had peered into his mind after that? Only a quick peek, sufficient to see every traitorous thought he harboured. A knot formed in Flame's throat. What if Daedalus knew everything? He would be made an example of—drugged and tied up for the rest of the journey, never to dream of freedom again!

Well, drugged maybe. But I don’t think that Daedalus could get away with the latter even if he wanted to at this point in time. It’d simply raise too many questions if [Our -------] was brought to his new home looking like a war captive.

No, no, no, no… he mouthed as Daedalus continued to tug him by the arm, leading him further into the cavern. Close to hyperventilating, Flame gritted his teeth together. A confused determination coalesced from the panicked thoughts rushing through his head. It couldn't end like this. He refused to let it end like this!

He… was thinking about blowing fire in Daedalus’ eye again for a moment there, wasn’t he? ^^;

As he mused, they stopped abruptly. Flame felt Daedalus let go of his arm, and he took a few moments to look around them. They were in another rocky chamber, only significantly smaller than the one the caravan had taken refuge in. The light of his tail refracted off the damp stone and illuminated every contour of the chamber. Apart from his ragged breaths, the only other sound to graze his ears were occasional droplets trickling from the ceiling.

"Please, sit," Daedalus beckoned him.

Flame: “I-I’d really rather not-” O_O;
Daedalus: “My child, it will take all of a few minutes. Please, rest and tell me what’s going on here.”

In lieu of an obvious rock to sit on, Flame elected to sit cross-legged on the cold, naked floor. Eyeing the Dusknoir's wispy tail, it was with great hesitation that he gazed up along its body.

The edges of the fire on his tail tickled the red of Daedalus' eye. Though he still felt his breathing ragged, Flame couldn't help but be taken aback. There was warmth in that eye. There was warmth in its smile. It was nothing like the accusatory glare he'd been expecting.

… Wait, can’t Daedalus see Flame obviously panicking right about now? One would think that there’d also be some visible worry as an emotion thrown into the mix, since from his perspective, Flame’s been acting weird all day, and the moment he pulls him aside to try and get to the bottom of things, he exhibiting symptoms of severe anxiety and duress.

Flame could only maintain eye contact for a few heartbeats before he looked away, ashamed. "Wh-why did we come here?" he mumbled.

"Oh, my child…" Daedalus whispered, hanging its head. "Seeing you like this strains my heart. You of all pokémon should know that." It drifted closer to him. "Can you tell me what's weighing on you?"

Flame wrung his claws together. "A-a lot of things…"

Flame: “... (Why didn’t I just say that I didn’t know?!)” >.<
Daedalus: “... Perhaps try taking things from the top? Since your present state is… concerning, to say the least. Was there something wrong with the trip over?”

Before he knew it, he felt Daedalus rest its large hands on his shoulders. He peered up at the Dusknoir's eye, feeling a strange warmth in his chest.

"Flame, please," Daedalus continued. "Talk to me. I only want you to be happy."

That’s why you’re deceiving him about activities you and the Teutonii are up to in ways such that when Flame does find out, he’ll struggle to trust you for long periods of time afterwards, if ever again. Right, Daedalus?

Unable to formulate a coherent response, Flame squeezed his eyes shut and breathed shakily. If he lied, Daedalus would undoubtedly sense it. He looked down at his claws. Perhaps he should just tell the truth. Not the whole truth, but… just enough. Was that wise?

Flame: “(P-Probably not, b-but I don’t think I can tell a convincing lie in this state.)”

"I, I'm just…" Flame felt a lump blocking his throat. With a shaky breath, he uttered his final prayers. "I'm still trying to figure all this out, okay? I b-barely know anything about our cause. About this stupid war I apparently helped start. I've only been with you for a few days, and you're already asking me t-to trust you with my future, with—"

Wait, wouldn’t it be more logical for Flame to think those prayers to himself? Since if he says that out loud, even under his breath, wouldn’t Daedalus notice just from the proximity that they’re in?

Flame stopped himself, breathing shakily as tears began to well in his eyes. Gods, why did he have to start crying? He gritted his teeth together, frustrated at his own sensitivity.

Daedalus: "... My child, you only remember about a month of your life and I'm asking you to let go of things you've grown attached to during it. Perhaps you'd find this all a bit silly if you remembered everything, but there's no shame in shedding a few tears right now."

"I … see." The Dusknoir looked away in shame, its hands still on his shoulders. "You do not trust me yet. It's only understandable."

Flame sniffled. "No, no, it's not that I don't trust you." He offered Daedalus a soft smile. "I do. It's that… D-do you know what it's like, for someone t-to tell you things about yourself that you can't remember? Th-there's so much to digest! You and Brynn keep saying that I was courageous, and strong, while everyone treats me like some hero, and…" He shook his head, a lone tear sliding down his cheek. "… it's not me. I'm not the Charmeleon they're talking about. I'm just a c-coward."

Well, that second bit is debatable given that Flame can be really ballsy at times in this story. But I’d frankly be shocked if Flame was just flatly Icarus with zero catches to it given that the most recent chapter of this story has left basically zero room for Daedalus’ fulfillment of his role in Teutonii mythology to be anything other than a cynical ploy.

Flame sniffled loudly again, the lone tear now a small stream pouring from his eyes. Eyes squeezed shut, he felt Daedalus use one of its oversized fingers to wipe his cheeks.

"I can't begin to fathom how distressing it must be." Daedalus whispered lovingly. "However, my child, I assure you: the fact that you've made it so far demonstrates just how strong you are."

I mean, not that there aren’t a host of reasons to not trust anything that comes out of Daedalus’ incorporeal mouth, but you can’t say that that’s not an endearing moment there.

He curled his lips into a grin, and produced a sound halfway between sobbing and laughter. "Y-you're doing it again…"

"No, Flame. I am being sincere. What you had to endure—losing knowledge of everything and everyone, even yourself…" Daedalus's gaze trailed off. "The sheer trauma would be too much for most pokémon to endure. Not you. You managed to build a new life for yourself. My child, you can't imagine how incredibly proud I am of you."

I mean, it helps that the most recent chapter implied that Flame is very much not a normal Charmeleon. And part of me suspects that he’s either flatly another Pokémon with outright cosmic importance, or else serving as a vessel to one.

Even as tears continued to stream down his cheeks, Flame felt himself blushing. He'd never thought of himself that way. It was true: against all odds, he'd managed to cobble together a life from nothing. In a scant few days he'd found friends, a home—even a purpose for himself!

A very unstable life that could have the rug pulled out from underneath it by so much as an errant portal storm, but hey, it’s still a decent accomplishment.

Rather than comfort him, though, the memories merely reminded him of how far he was from his teammates.

Hands still on his shoulders, Daedalus shot him another loving look."Flame, I understand that I'm asking a great deal of you. However… I promise that once we reach your new home, everything will start to make sense again."

"I-I don't know…" Flame's eyes drifted downwards.

Again:

I mean, I suspect that Daedalus’ plan was to baby Flame into his way of thinking after he got to chill and absorb the Teutonii perspective in a safe place. But I very much doubt things will make sense to him if he gets a hint as to the true state of affairs anytime soon.

"It will," insisted Daedalus. "There is an entire community ready to love and support you. You can make friends, find a suitable mate—perhaps even start a family. The Presence won't be able to harm you anymore." Daedalus stroked his cheek with its finger. "It will be alright, Flame."

For a few heartbeats Flame merely sat there cross-legged, feeling increasingly confused. Not once had Daedalus alluded to his desire to escape. He stopped wringing his claws and stared up at the Dusknoir through tearful eyes. 'That's it?' he wanted to ask. Did it not even suspect anything?

Flame: “(Oh thank god, talk about dodging a bullet there.)”

Flame brought a quivering paw to his chest. His plan was alive! All hope was not lost! A rush of joy slipped through him before he quickly suppressed it, forcing a milder smile on his snout.

You might want to drop in a few more acknowledgements regarding to what extent Flame’s waterworks are being driven over “O-Oh god, I’m never gonna see Alice oh, and Gaius, I guess ever again” versus his other competing impulses such as feeling guilt over breaking things off with the Teutonii.

Like it’s kinda there with his whole “being afraid of being punished” bit, but you might as well beat it over the audience’s head a bit harder. Since let’s get real, blue noodle is hugely affecting his train of thought here at the moment.

"Thank you," he said quickly, "For … for being here…"

Daedalus beamed at his words, before averting its gaze. "As much as it saddens me, my child… I won't be able to stay by your side very long in your new home. Our people are engaged in a struggle for survival. They need me to lead them."

"Oh…" He gulped. "I—I understand."

Flame: “... (Of course you wouldn’t. After Neuhoffnung, why on earth would I expect anything different?)” >_>;

Somehow Flame found no need to fake his disappointment, and that fact troubled him.

Sniffling, he lifted his eyes to Daedalus'. "W-will you come visit?"

"As often as I can."

"… Good."

Flame: “... (Wait, why am I even going down this train of thought when this is just going to make me feel guilty as hell after I do run away?)” ._.;

Hugging his knees closer, Flame found his chest awash with this rotten sensation. He couldn't bear to look Daedalus in the eye. Why did it have to speak with such paternal warmth, to touch his shoulders so tenderly? It only helped to pour more strain onto his conscience. For Daedalus trusted him implicitly, and he was going to throw that trust away.

Before he could stop himself, he started imagining how they would all react upon finding him disappeared from the Arcanine's back. Brynn would be devastated, no doubt. Daedalus would—would it cry? Did ghost-types cry?

Flame: “... (Really, really did not need to go down this train of thought here.)” ._.

Tears welled in Flame's eyes again. Tension mounting in his chest, he pushed those images away and quickly replaced them with ones of Gaius and Alice. Mostly Alice. He squeezed his eyes shut, and thought back to their shared meal outside of Camp Tempest. For just a moment, he saw their smiles—her smile, burnt into his dreams…

Something inside him sunk. Yet it was all for Team Phalanx, he repeated to himself, for the hope of a better future. To see Alice's pristine smile and hear her voice again.

I'm doing this for them. He squeezed his eyes shut. It's all for them…

You are never, ever going to convince me that Flame has mere platonic interest for Alice here given that he’s about to run off into the wilderness for a chance to find her (oh, and Gaius) again.

I know that the original version of this sequence of events copped crap from some readers for feeling a bit implausible. I’ve never fully seen eye-to-eye on that since “love makes you do crazy things” is a narrative device precisely because the trope is true to an extent.

I think what’s there is stronger than what I remembered in my initial reading, but I do think that there’s a bit more room to play up the gears turning in Flame’s head. Like you do a pretty good job at showing the “... Oh god, I’m gonna have to hurt these ‘mons” seeping in at this stage of his thought process, but showing how he gets to “yes, I can work with this” about some of his earlier planning that given about a week from this point in time in the story, he’d have decent odds of going “god, how did I ever think this was a good idea?” like Alice’s initial plans of what to do after getting bounced from Thermae Himerae would give the audience more of an insight as to the mix of determination and wishful thinking animating him there.

"Please, my child, do not cry." Daedalus caressed his head. "It will all make sense soon."

Just not necessarily in the way that you want it to. :V

"Y-yeah, yeah." He sniffled. "I'm b-better."

As he looked up into the Dusknoir's eye, and Daedalus stared back at him with its large red eye, the two of them shared a moment of silence. A somber smile grew on Flame's snout.

I'm sorry… he whispered mentally to the Dusknoir, staring deep into its eye. I'm so sorry…

Oh, so Flame is getting ground down by pre-emptive guilt over ghosting Daedalus and the gang. Guess there’s only so much that fixating on noodle can do to help on that front.

Yet Daedalus merely smiled at him, oblivious to his apology. It turned to the dark passage they'd just travelled down.

"Come, my child." Daedalus smiled at him. "Let us return. I can't leave comrade Brynn to stand guard all night."

Daedalus: “Well, I mean. I can. But that would be cruel of me, so let’s not.” ^;

Rubbing the last few tears from his eyes, Flame sat up and pondered over the Dusknoir's last few words. He supposed that meant that Daedalus would be standing guard in her stead. Somehow, he was too spent to feel angry about that.

Not sure if ‘angry’ is the right word there since it’s more of the “... Dammit, I could’ve used that as an escape opening” sort of ‘upset’. Like maybe ‘upset’ would fit better in context, but I’m sure there’s other options if that’s not your cuppa.

With an imperceptible sigh, Flame grabbed his tail tip in his claws and led the way back to the rest of the convoy. His tail fire flushed away the darkness as they walked. The damp rocks around and underneath him shimmered and twinkled weakly under the glare of his light.

The silence granted Flame the time to reflect on his next move. With Daedalus guarding the entrance, his plan of slipping away tonight had become impossible. A dull pain shot through his chest, but he gritted his teeth. There would be plenty of other occasions, he told himself, breathing shakily. Two more days of travel: yes, that was more than sufficient. They would surely stop for more rests, or hide from Imperial patrols. His plan was bruised but alive.

I mean, let’s get real here, Flame. Would you seriously have had the heart to potentially harm Brynn to get away considering how much you’ve been taking to her lately? :V

Since you know that she knows better than to let you just go out and wander outside on your own for giggles, especially without that cowl of yours.

I mean, not that he’s in a position to force himself to make a decision like that and have to weigh what it entails yet, but still. Thar be bravado in those thoughts there.

Suddenly, Daedalus' large, cold hand settled on his shoulder. Flame didn't even turn, or slow down.

"I recommend that you sleep after you finish playing." Daedalus stared at him with its bright red eye. "Tomorrow shall be a tiring day."

Flame: “Huh? Wait. Why would it be more tiring than today? Isn’t it just more hiking?” .-.

He responded with a vague nod, and kept his eyes on what little he could see of the path ahead.

"Tell me, my child, have you ever entered a mystery dungeon?"

Flame: “Yes, but where are you going with-?”
- Beat moment -
Flame: “Oh my god. Please tell me we’re not actually going into one of those tomorrow.”

Flame's heart skipped a beat. "Y-Yeah." He turned to the Dusknoir again, eyes wide. "A few times. Why?"

"We will need to traverse one soon after we resume our journey."

Ah right. This is why Daedalus is pulling this ballsy move cutting through hostile territory while dragging along the most important Pokémon on this planet. The consequences of getting caught are such that it’s better to gamble on 2 days of higher individual risk of being caught than 14+ of lower individual risk since the net effect is still such that the faster route is less dangerous in the aggregate.

Daedalus: “We’re going into one of those tomorrow, my child.”
Flame:

Daedalus: “Because it’s been all but confirmed by this story that we use those as spatial shortcuts to get around? It’d certainly be safer than trying to travel overland for an additional week where you could be spotted from the air…”
Flame: “D-Don’t I get a say in this-?” o_o;
Daedalus: “No.”

It took a few heartbeats for Flame to fully understand the implications of that. His step faltered; suddenly he stopped in the middle of the cave, clutching a paw to his throbbing chest.

Daedalus grasped his shoulder softly once again. "Do not be afraid," it whispered. "Our comrades and I will ensure that no harm comes your way. I simply wished for you to know."

"O-of course." He forced his expression into a smile. "Thank you…"

Flame: “... (Okay, now I definitely need to run away from these guys. Because screw going through another one of those death traps.)” o_o;

Outwardly Flame kept up his calm smile, but internally he was quivering in excitement, his mind rushing through all the possible scenarios. Within the mystery dungeon he'd be too closely guarded to stage his escape—but the entrance! Yes, that was perfect. He remembered the entrance to the dungeons he'd explored: those anomalous ripples shimmering through the air like webs of electricity. It took only a step to pass a dungeon's invisible threshold—then, they would be warped away, with no chance of ever turning back.

If only he managed to slip away as the others entered…

Flame: “Also, that. That sounds about as bulletproof a plan for ditching these guys as one could come up with. Especially since Escape Orbs don’t take you straight back to the entrance. I think.”

The grin on Flame's snout did not fade even as he resumed walking. Tail in hand, he giggled under his breath and had to consciously stop himself from skipping—for his mind was somewhere else entirely, cradling a single, sacrilegious thought over and over again.

This was his chance.

This was how he would escape.

Flame: "I... I mean, it's a simple plan isn't it? They go in, I go back, and I'll have at least a few days of lead time to try and find Alice and Gaius again!" ^^
- Beat moment as Flame thinks back to how he had similar thoughts about his plan to desert the Imperial Army -
Flame: "... Which means that something's going to go horribly wrong with it at the last second, doesn't it?" ._.;

And there’s still no teaser for Chapter 24 at this point in time, so let's cut right to outro:

- Meanwhile back at Sycorax's encampment ... -
Alice: "Hey Gaius? Do you think that Flame's doing alright?"
Gaius: "I mean, he's gotta be alive if we're just sitting here and waiting for him. Why do you ask?"
Alice: "I'm just wondering... were Virgo and Yvaine right? Would Flame really be happier with me than with his fellow Scum...? Or is that just wishful thinking on their part?"
Gaius: "... I thought that you were insistent that things were platonic between you two." >:|
Alice: "They are! It's just that... well, I wanted to hear what you thought about things."
- Gaius shakes head -
Gaius: "Well, if Flame doesn't have a thing for you, he sure does a good job at trying to convince 'mons otherwise. Why, I wouldn't be surprised if those Scum had him on a ball-and-chain from him doing something stupid like trying to run off into the woods first and then figure out a plan for trying to find us."
- Alice pause -
Alice: "You- You really think he'd do something like that?" O///O
Gaius: "After everything we've seen of him so far, it's at least an even money bet. The 'mon just does stupid stuff in general for us. And especially for you." -_-;
- Alice fall silent look off at the stars -
Alice: "I... I just hope that we can find a way to return the favor soon."
Gaius: "I mean, we were planning on running for it from the Praetorian Guard if we somehow found him. So yeah, unless Sycorax really dropped the ball on his intel here, we'll get our chance."

Alright, onto the postmortem:

It’s a bit of a long chapter, but I think that it was kinda necessary as setup since if my memory serves me right, the very next chapter is the first of a few Rubicons that Team Phalanx crosses together in the story for making decisions they can’t take back. There were also a number of details that I overlooked from the first time around that gave a few scenes and moments a bit of a different tenor after re-examining them. It’s definitely one of the highlights of this series, since there’s a pretty decently large “rewatch bonus” factor to this story, and I have to commend you for managing to pull it off so effectively.

As for things that I’d quibble a bit over… I think the number one thing is just getting more checks back in Flame’s head to see how his plan is doing, and how he thinks about it, since it also helps show off that bit towards the end where his affections for the Teutonii that he’s kinda in denial about increasingly weigh on him off a bit more as a contrast for “this is how things started, this is how they’re going”. Otherwise… maybe it’d have made sense to check in on Alice and Gaius as a meta balance thing to see how things were going there? But eh. Chapter’s already chunky enough as it is, and it potentially would’ve undercut the impact of how much of a surprise their encounter with Flame is in the imminent future.

Hope that gave you something fun to chew over @Shadow of Antioch , and I’ll be looking forward to going through Team Phalanx’s fated encounter with each other, which I’m pretty sure is the very next chapter right after this one. ^^

 

[Shadow of Antioch]

Chapter XXV: Tantalus​

---

It's happened; His Majesty has finally lost his mind. Perhaps staying cooped up in that palace is what did it. Frankly, I couldn't care less.

Two months of bloody battle, Ioannes. Do you know how many of my legionaries I ordered to their deaths to capture this ridge? We've long stopped burying the bodies.

And in a few strokes of the pen, they're gone. Taken from me. Redirected to the interior with no forewarning, for some godsdamned manhunt mission he won't even disclose the details of!

I cannot, in good conscience, leave what remains of the XVIII Legion to be slaughtered on this ridge. The withdrawal will commence tomorrow at 06:00.

- Segment of correspondence between Mergo Gallade, Commander of Army Group Tartarus, and Ioannes Serperior, Governor of Basileia.

---

Flame couldn't help but shudder as the distant crashing of water from the river reached him even here, deep within the cavern, tucked away in this tight alcove.

Then again, everything made him shudder. He sat on the hard cavern floor with his knees stuck to his chest and his claws still in his shoulders, his entranced gaze glued to the campfire in front of him. He felt too drained to do anything else.

Trying his best not to shake, Flame lifted his eyes slowly. He traced them along the rock walls, to his teammates resting against them—every nook of the alcove glowed in the will-o-wisp's ethereal blue. It was a tiny space they were in: barely large enough for the three of them to cram around a fire, and the ceiling was so low that even while sitting, he had to duck to keep his horn clear. Only a small crawlspace behind the fire connected them to the much darker main cavern.

In the silence of his thoughts, he picked up the distant gargle of flowing water again. Flame curled the claws of his feet as another shiver ran through him, and he hugged his own chest tighter. He was still wet. Maybe that was why he couldn't stop shaking.

Unable to find comfort in the campfire, or his knees, Flame cracked his eyes open. Gaius and Alice were still there—the former crumpled against the wall, his head hanging back, and the latter gathered up in a tight coil by his side. Even while shivering, the closeness brought the vaguest spark of warmth in his chest.

Numb as he was, it took him a few moments to realise that he'd locked eyes with Alice.

She stared back at him, her red eyes baring the anxiousness and fatigue that lay underneath. A quivering smile formed on his lips. They stayed like that for a few moments.

"… You're shaking," she said.

"G-good eyes," he snickered under his breath.

He felt his attention drift away for a time. When he snapped back into focus, though, he found Alice still watching him from atop her coils. Her eyes were red, her face read pain all over—and yet, she smiled at him with an intensity that made his cheeks flush with heat.

"… Wh-what?" he said.

At that, Alice released a soft, sad laugh. "Gods, Flame, I thought you were dead," she whispered raspily. "When I saw you jump off that bridge—after all this time, I was… I… I couldn't…"

Flame winced as her voice cracked. Unable to find words himself, he mustered a trembling half-smile and shrugged. "It… worked, didn't it?"

"Y-yes, but that's not the point I'm—what I'm trying to say is…" She squeezed her eyes tightly, then shook her head. "Gods, how can you be so casual about it?"

A newfound heaviness invaded his chest cavity, right along with another fit of shivering.

"I'm sorry," he said, and hated that he could think of nothing better.

She did her best impression of an angry huff, and lowered her head to her coils. "You b-better be…"

"Oh, c'mon," Gaius interjected. "He deserves some credit."

At that, Flame paused in surprise, for he hadn't expected Gaius to back him so readily. The Grovyle sat back with his arms crossed, but his face was as unreadable, his eyes heavy and red.

"What you did back there, Flame, was absolutely crazy." Gaius chuckled weakly. "And my life's been pretty messed up. But… you sure as hell did it." He lowered his gaze. "I'm glad I followed you. 'Cause I almost didn't."

Flame stared blankly at Gaius for a time. He wanted to feel confused, to wonder what on earth Gaius was playing at, but he was simply too numb for that.

"Th-thank you," Flame muttered. "For trusting me. I… didn't think you would."

"Yeah, yeah." Gaius averted his eyes, then snickered under his breath. "Bloody hell… First you tell Sycorax to fuck off, then you nearly blow yourself up, then you actually jump off a bridge? I think we've got the wrong Charmeleon."

I could say the same for you. He felt a strange warmth filling his chest. Uttering nice words about him? Just how much had Gaius changed?

"Don't enable him, Gaius…" Alice chuckled from atop her coils.

Gaius snickered even harder at that, before breaking into a fit of violent coughing. "O-okay." He said raspily. "Yeah. I'm glad you've grown some balls and all, but—maybe tone it down with the suicidal streak, will ya?"

There! There was that warmth again. He glanced down to find his tail fire chirping merrily to the pulse of his heartbeat.

"… No promises."

Hugging his knees, and with an idiotic smile on his face, Flame merely sat there and looked at them both, at his teammates. They were here. They were with him—no longer a figment of his vivid fantasies, but two breathing, quivering bodies…

Suddenly he was shaking again—though not from cold. He laughed to himself and hugged his knees tighter. His pulse quickened.

He'd done it.

After so many nights gone sleepless to plan out his escape, after the ambush, after so much pain, so much cold—he'd finally done it. It was over.

He shut his eyes, smiled, and knew that it had all been worth it.

"I m-missed you." He sniffled. "Both of you. Th-there's so much I want to say, I don't even know where I can—wh-where to… to…" He gritted his teeth even as he felt his voice wavered. "Where were you at the battle? You never came."

He saw the expression on their faces darken. Flame quickly bit his tongue, darting his eyes around, but before he could scramble to think of something else he saw Alice shift.

"Sycorax knew," she whispered eventually. "He knew about our plan to escape. They captured us before we could even reach the rendezvous—took us to their camp." Hesitating, she lifted her glistening eyes to him. "I-I thought they'd get to you, too! But we kept waiting and waiting, and, a-and then Virgo and Yvaine came back, saying you'd been… you'd…"

As he listened, Flame exhaled slowly and let his gaze drop down to the campfire. So it was official: he was being hunted. Not that he hadn't already known that, but… perhaps he didn't want to believe it.

However, the distress on Alice's face was enough to at least take him out of his thoughts.

"Alice…" He said quietly.

"I'm sorry," she said. "It's just—we should have been there. We should have done something to… I, I don't know, to help. It's our fault that you were captured." Just then, a terrible realisation dawned on her face. "Oh, gods, Flame, did they… d-did the Scum…"

Flame blinked several times, trying to decipher her sudden worry, before it clicked. "No!" He smiled quickly. "No, they didn't do anything to me. I'm… okay."

Gaius' expression hardened. "Of course," he muttered. "That's 'cause you're one of them. Is that right?"

Flame quickly averted his gaze. He should have known this question was coming. "Kind of," he answered quietly. "Daedalus, their leader—he explained everything to me. About… who I was."

"He did?" Alice lifted her head from her coils. "Oh, Flame, your amnesia, that's—that's wonderful! What did he say?"

For some reason, Flame found himself cracking a dry smile. "Oh, nothing much." He shrugged. "Just that I come from another dimension, apparently. One where the Benefactors used us as slave soldiers."

Both Gaius and Alice dropped their concern and stared at him as if he had grown a third arm.

"And…" Gaius furrowed his brow. "You really don't think he's fucking with you?"

Flame blinked. "What?" He scowled. "Why would he—no! I knew him, Gaius! I've known him from before my amnesia. He cares about me."

Gaius squinted at him. "… Really."

Flame's eye twitched. "Yes!" He snapped. "Really! Why, since when have you cared?!"

Gaius flinched and turned away under the weight of his glare. For a couple of moments Flame sat there and continued to breathe deeply, but with that look on the Grovyle's face, he couldn't motivate himself to stay angry.

"Gaius…" Alice said, glancing carefully between the two of them. "I… I believe him."

"Another dimension, Alice?" Gaius mumbled, but couldn't even look her in the eye.

Alice paused for a moment, before she turned to glance at Flame. "Flame… When I spoke to Sycorax, back at their camp…" Her lip quivered. "He told me the Benefactors have a 'greater purpose' for you. What he meant by that, I do not know—but if what you said just now is true, then…" She fell off, eyes lost in nothingness.

Flame heaved a charged breath. Greater purpose… He hugged his knees tighter. In some ways, he was almost thankful that he couldn't remember his past.

"Sorry." Alice shook her head. "There's so much to take in…"

Flame looked down, and twiddled with his claws. "Welcome to my world."

Arms crossed together, Gaius peered at him from the tail of his eye. "Bloody hell," he said quietly. "Guess it would explain a lot of things about you."

It would, wouldn't it? Flame thought, trying to find the lighter side of the situation. He failed.

There was so much he had yet to tell them. About Daedalus, that his memories would return one day, how much he'd thought of them, how much the Teutonii revered him…

They'll never believe me if I tell them I was some kind of hero.

Heck, he didn't believe it.

Dread weighed on his chest, but he shut his eyes and brought his knees closer. He didn't want to think about it now. Deep breaths—in, then out. In, then out. He'd spent enough of his short life worrying. He was with Alice and Gaius now.

"Flame?"

"Hm?" He sucked in another breath, then cracked his eyes open.

She was staring at him again. Were it not for her white underbelly she would have blended in with the walls, so intense was the fiery blue glow that enveloped the small alcove.

"Did you…" Alice held her breath for a moment. "… did you find out your real name?"

Flame's heart raced for a brief moment. He lowered his eyes to his knees. "I… never had one."

Alice blinked. "What do you mean you never—" She stared deadpanned at him. "How is that possible? Oh, Flame I… I'm so sorry—I shouldn't have…"

Still hugging his knees, he shrugged. "Don't worry about it." A feeble smile settled on his face. "I have one now. Even if it is a bit bland."

He'd never seen Alice's face turn so red in so little time.

He laughed into his forearms. "Flame…" he whispered, as if to test the name out with his own jaws. "Alice, I just realised: how common is this name you gave me?"

"W-well…" She glanced at him sheepishly, "I'll have you know, Flame is a completely respectable name! A-a rather unique one, at that."

"Unique?" He tilted his head. "Flame? For a fire-type…?"

"I'm positive."

From his corner, Gaius chuckled openly. "Yeah, 'cause it sounds ridiculous."

Flame swallowed. "R-ridiculous?" he said in a small voice.

"No shit," Gaius smirked. "Why do you think my name isn't 'Leaf'?"

Flame's pulse quickened. Smiling sheepishly, he leaned back against the wall and started laughing softly. "Great. Not only am I being hunted, I'm also stuck with this ridiculous name."

Alice squirmed, still hiding in her coils. "Y-you're still in time to change it, if it's so ridiculous."

"It's a bit late for that."

"Nonsense! How about…" Alice narrowed her eyes at him, humming loudly. "... 'Cornelius'. Yes… yes, I think it would suit you perfectly."

'Cornelius'Flame stared at her blankly. "… You're joking. Right?"

Alice let out something between a laugh and a groan. "Yes, Flame. I see you're as perceptive as ever."

Flame felt his face burning up.

The faint squawk of a bird echoed through the cave suddenly—a welcome distraction that drew their gazes to the main cavern. Hidden away as they were, Flame had almost forgotten about the outside world. About the distant whir of flowing water, the mountains, the ambush.

"What do we do now?" Flame frowned. "The Praetorians, they're… they're probably out there right now. Looking for us."

"No matter," Alice said quickly, glancing between Gaius and him. "We'll find a way. After all we've just been through, nothing can stop us anymore."

At that, Flame felt a warm, fuzzy feeling invade his chest. He raised his eyes at the same moment as Gaius and Alice, the three of them taking a moment.

Even Gaius was smiling. Slumped as he was, though, and clutching his stump wrist, it only lasted a moment. "Our map's gone. Do we even know where we are?"

Flame sat up and into a cross-legged position, humming in thought.

Where were they? He vaguely remembered approximating his position on the map days earlier, but between the days of travel and the river ride, gods knew where they had ended up. Where was it he'd looked? If only he could remember a name, a landmark…

A terse sigh left him. As much as he wanted to forget about everything outside this cavern, they were still lost in the wilderness, and with the Imperial Army's best soldiers on their tails. He squinted, watching the ethereal dance of the blue will-o-wisp.

"W-we're in the Tartarus Mountains." He glanced between Alice and Gaius, biting on his tongue. "Northern half, I think."

"That's not enough." Alice stared at nothing, eyes narrowed in concentration. "These mountains run for hundreds of kilometres, across three provinces. We could be anywhere."

Flame resumed twiddling his claws. Of course. And he supposed going outside to scour the landscape wouldn't help. If I were a Charizard, this wouldn't be a problem.

Then again, he supposed that Praetorian air patrols would be hard-pressed to miss a big, hulking red dragon. One with a literal fire on its tail.

Alice turned to Gaius. "Gaius, do you remember seeing, or hearing anything back at their camp? Anything at all?

"Fuck if I know." Gaius shrugged, his eyes half-closed and his arms crossed. "You're the one the Praetorians let roam free. I wasn't allowed to ask jack shit."

With the silence in the cavern stretching, Alice rested her head atop her coils, and let out a small sigh.

"It's gotten colder recently," she said with a small voice.

Flame blinked. "Has it?"

Alice produced something between groaning and laughter. "Oh, hush, you—look: my point is, winter is close. These mountains are barely inhabited. Depending on how deep we are and what direction we head in, it could be weeks before we stumble on civilisation. And if temperatures keep dropping…" Her eyes glazed over for a moment, before she squeezed them shut. "W-we need to know where we are. Even a rough estimate would do—anything that tells us where we can seek asylum."

Flame thought and thought, yet he couldn't stop fidgeting with his claws. He combed mentally through all of his conversations with Daedalus, and with Brynn, squeezing his brain for any snippet of a place name. Maybe that of the valley they'd passed through, or a prominent mountain, or, or…

Something clicked in Flame's head. He felt his eyes grow wider.

"… I was in a village," he whispered.

That got their attention. Though their eyes were red and heavy, they looked to him, and he took it as a cue to continue.

He finally managed to stop himself from fidgeting. "A-after the Teu—er, Scum kidnapped me, they took me to one of their villages. Can't be more than two days away from here. Think about it: if they're living here, out in the open, then…" A smile crept on his cheeks. "We must be in Scum territory. Right? Is there any part of these mountains that's in…?"

Alice's mouth hung open, and her eyes were glued to the ceiling. "Yes… yes, there is! The very northern edge of Basileia province! We have to be in Scum territory!"

Gaius sent her a weird look. "I don't get why that's exciting."

"W-well, not quite, no—but it means we know roughly where we are!" She stood out of her coils a little and tapped her tail tip to her chin. "Let's see. There are too many rivers for me to estimate which one we just came from. That mystery dungeon, on the other hand, back at the bridge…" Her eyes lit up. "Of course! It's the largest dungeon in the region—one that swallowed an entire mountain whole! You saw it, Flame, didn't you? Tell me you did!"

"Y-yeah," he mumbled out, and leaned closer.

Alice hung her mouth open as a look of awe slowly took over her face. Her head shot up from atop her tail, and she uncoiled fully.

"Gods almighty," she whispered, her head turning between him and Gaius. "Do you two know what this means?"

Flame turned to Gaius, and they shared a blank look.

"… No?" Flame scratched the back of his neck.

"We're right by Thermae Himerae!" Alice whispered as a smile crept on her snout.

Thermae Himerae… Flame furrowed his brow as he searched the depths of his limited memories, sitting cross-legged.

He'd heard the name from somewhere. The bell it rang sang of importance, too. Was Alice the one to utter it? Staring into the campfire, he searched through more muddled memories. The memory of a dimly-lit tent resurfaced, a map lit by the glow of his tail fire.

Of course! Now it all came back to him—they'd been planning their escape. Alice had said the city was renowned for its many luxuries, like its namesake thermal baths; nestled in the mountains as it was, it had evaded imperial conquest throughout the ages, exactly the reason why they'd chosen it as their… destination…

Flame's heart sputtered.

Gaius looked caught off-guard, too. "Hang on. You can't seriously mean…"

"Yes." Alice's eyes betrayed excitement. "Despite all we've just been through, with the Scum, and the Praetorian Guard…"

Flame released a breath he didn't know he was holding. "… We're where we planned to escape all along."

Quiet overcame the alcove. The members of Team Phalanx looked into each others' eyes in a tidal wave of excitement and disbelief.

Flame could hear his own heartbeat in the silence; grinning, he clutched his chest amid quivering gasps.

They'd done it. As impossible as it seemed mere hours before, they'd challenged the world—the Scum, the Praetorian Guard, fate itself—and emerged victorious.

Alice started laughing—a breathless, liberatory laugh, and Gaius reluctantly followed along, with the mildest hint of joy.

Sitting back against the wall, Flame smiled—his eyes felt too heavy to join them, but his tail fire grew all on its own. He sat back and watched them, and as they laughed, he noticed that he felt just a little more complete.

---

Tartarus Mountains

Flame maneuvered his way through dappled light and shade, venturing deeper into the pine forest. The earth was littered with needles that snapped audibly under his every step. Nettles grew alongside ferns and seemed to intermingle into one thick, messy layer of underbrush. From somewhere deeper in the heart of the woods came the droning of Spearows.

"… If we keep heading east," Alice went on, "we're bound to run into the main road. Merchants use it to trade goods between the provincial capital and Thermae Himerae."

"Yeah, yeah," quipped Gaius. "Keep the history to yourself. How long's it gonna take?"

Flame found it hard to follow what the two behind him were saying. He drew in ragged breaths and focused on staying well in the centre of the dirt path. Away from nettles, especially. The stinging on his tail did an apt job of reminding him.

"No more than a week," Alice said firmly. "Perhaps even five days."

"Five days?" asked Gaius, part amused, part annoyed. "You made it sound like we were there."

Flame was hardly paying attention anymore. The soles of his feet hurt like hell, but he could not rest. Not yet. They'd stop for the night soon enough. Right? He glanced around them but could not find the sun above the thick branches of the pines.

"Oh, hush," Alice said. "Our original escape plan had us starting all the way in Aesernia. It would have taken—Flame? Could we stop for a moment?"

Flame took a few seconds to fully acknowledge her question. He stopped and turned back questioningly. "Wh-wha—"

"I can hear a creek." Alice jabbed her tail tip to the side, smiling softly. "We should fill our canteens while we have the opportunity."

Gaius glanced down at his mud-caked feet. "And get washed," he grumbled.

"Yes, and get washed," Alice added.

Flame merely frowned. "Get washed…? Do we really—"

But Gaius had already disappeared into the bushes; Alice motioned with her head to follow before doing the same.

Muttering curse words he didn't know the meaning of, Flame was left with no choice but to follow them into the thick vegetation. The leaves scratched his scales all over as he crept forth—he prayed there wasn't another nettle here he couldn't see. He emerged into the open woods—somehow unscathed—and followed the shapes of Gaius and Alice downhill.

The sound of rushing water was getting louder now. He hopped over a fallen pine trunk, before, finally, he and his teammates reached the creek at the bottom of the slope.

It was only a few metres across, with round, moss-laden rocks poking out here and there. Flame walked up to the edge of the water. Further upstream, a frail-looking Deerling on the other bank stopped lapping up water to meep at the sight of them; it trotted away in a hurry before Flame could even speak.

"Damn," Gaius muttered. "Could have had it for dinner."

"Not to worry." Alice slithered to the edge of the creek, and unslung her bag. "Do we still have those Magikarp left from lunch, Flame?"

Panting a little, Flame stood there numbly at the edge of the creek. He blinked. "Uh—yeah."

As his teammates fished their canteens out, Flame felt his legs shaking. He crumbled onto his knees with a gasp and just barely caught himself from slumping over—in the water, no less. He held back a hiss. Almost like clockwork his whole lower half erupted in protest; his feet, his knees, his legs. When he unslung his own bag, his shoulder suddenly remembered it was aching and joined its brethren in protest.

He almost felt a little guilty at how tired he felt. Almost. After this morning, he narrowed his eyes, I think I've earnt the right to feel tired.

Still panting, Flame managed to get himself into a seated position. He found himself staring up as he felt inside his bag. Down here, he almost forgot that they were still surrounded by mountains behind those thick pines.

Flame dipped his leather-bound canteen in the creek to refill it. He held it there a few seconds, then blinked; there seemed to be something blue moving in the—

A Dragonair's head poked out of the water. "Tired?"

Flame scrambled back in a panic. "Gah! Alice! Don't do that!" He looked left and right. "Wh-where's my…?"

As if to answer his question, Alice approached the creek's edge and set down the canteen she held with her teeth. His canteen. He breathed a sigh of relief and quickly closed it with its cork.

"I shall take that as a yes," Alice smiled, her head wings dripping heavily. "Gods, it's been so long since I've had a proper swim!"

Flame nearly objected, but he figured that their great escape of approximately twelve hours ago did not quite count as a swim. She'd also dipped back underwater and could not hear him.

Regaining his composure, he found himself strangely drawn to her motions. Her serpentine body undulated and battled the current effortlessly just beneath the surface. She reemerged a little further upstream, closer to where Gaius was splashing water onto his arms.

A small, tired smile grazed his snout. "Isn't it cold in there?"

Alice turned to him, her head wings dripping heavily. "Cold? Yes, very much so. Does it matter? Gods, no!" She beamed a huge smile. "Who cares if it's not quite a thermal bath—after all these years? This may as well be Capri!"

With that, Alice flicked her tail at him—Flame barely had time to cover his laugh with an elbow before the freezing drops splashed all over him.

"Hey!" Flame laughed, and despite shivering a little, quickly stuck a hand into the frigid waters. "Oh, now you're in for… it?"

Seeing no one, Flame turned his head left and right, confused, until he saw her emerge just upstream with a small splash.

He huffed in amusement, and solemnly crossed his arms. "Coward."

In response, Alice merely stuck her tongue back out at him.

Defeated, Flame could do little but exhale and send the fellow dragon a playful glare—before he spontaneously burst laughing.

Gods… all this still felt unreal. Being around them, next to them. He couldn't get that moment out of his head; that moment when he'd first remembered that moment he'd first seen her. That moment when Sycorax had spoken her name…

Flame blinked.

Hold on, he thought. Didn't Sycorax call her…?

No, he couldn't have imagined it.

Grasping two clawfuls of grass at his sides, Flame's eyes quickly fell back on Alice. She was still just upstream, practicing—and failing—to balance a rock on her nose while she swam. He continued to stare at her, wide-eyed, trying to make sense of the thoughts going through his head.

He had been too caught up in the drama of the ambush for that word to really process, but now that he thought back to it, it puzzled him to no end.

He released a shaky breath. "Alice?"

"Hm?" The Dragonair splayed her dripping head-wings open, then turned to him inquisitively.

"Back at the ambush, when Sycorax said your name. He called you… 'princess'. Why?"

Alice's playful smile vanished instantly. For a couple of seconds she froze, letting the stream's current carry her away—until she snapped back to reality and hurriedly swam back to the riverbank, settling just by him.

Flame glanced at Gaius; he'd perked up at the question, and was watching them both with a certain interest.

"If you're a princess," Flame began, "doesn't that mean that your parents are… in the imperial family? As in the emperor's family? What's going on here?"

Alice looked only more uncomfortable with every successive question, avoiding eye contact; had he been too blunt?

"I know this is private," Flame began softly, smiling at her. "But… we're a team, aren't we? No point in keeping secrets. I'll understand."

After a lengthy pause punctuated by frantic glances in every which way, Alice finally looked him in the eye. "I suppose it sounds rather glamorous, does it not?" She smiled nervously. "B-but it's not the type of 'princess' you're thinking of. Mine is a rather meaningless title."

Flame frowned. "Meaningless? But… I thought it applied to the daughters of kings, or emperors. To denote that you'll rise to the throne one day."

"You speak as if an empress could rise to the throne at all," Alice muttered bitterly, before her nerves returned to her. "B-besides, titles like mine are practically a formality among noble families! L-like 'Comes Augusti of the Rhone Valley', or something equally ceremonial. It's all for show. No legal value whatsoever."

Gaius grunted at that, arms crossed together. "Really?"

"Gaius," Alice snapped her head at him, "will you trust me when I tell you something, for once in your life?"

The two held a staring match for a little while, with Gaius intensifying his glare at first before finally losing interest.

"Fine," Gaius rolled his eyes. "Whatever."

Flame couldn't help but feel confused at Gaius' intervention for a little while. When he saw that neither of his teammates looked in the mood to discuss the matter, he decided to drop it and return to the main question.

"I don't understand, though," Flame furrowed his brow. "Why even have titles like these if they're meaningless?"

Alice offered him a sheepish smile. "It's, er, supposed to give something for senatorial families to add to their coat of arms. Makes you feel glamorous, until you remember there must be thousands of dead-end princesses and princes like me."

Flame sat there and pondered everything she'd just told him. "I guess."

"Besides, I doubt I even possess that title anymore—not after my exile."

The more he thought about it, the more it made sense. Imperial princes and princesses didn't end up in Aesernia on the edge of starvation, exile or no exile. Plus, what Alice had just told him lined up with what she had confided to him back in Portus—that she was an exiled daughter of petty nobles.

Yes… yes, it made sense.

When he faced Alice again, it was with another playful smile. "At least I can still tease you about it. Princess."

His only reply was a splash of water to the face that left him drenched and gasping at the frigid feeling that wrapped him all over.

"Oy!" He tried to splash her back with his claws, but she'd already swam away. He snorted and smiled playfully. "Get back here, and watch what happens! I dare you."

Alice merely stuck her tongue out again from the other bank of the river, then dove into the water again. She came out with a pristine laugh.

"Gods, you have no idea how refreshing this is!" She shook her ear wings dry, then tilted her head. "Care to join me?"

Flame shifted uncomfortably. Suddenly he became aware of his toes being just shy of touching the water. His feet and shins were coated with dried mud, after all, up to his knee. If only he submerged them for a few instants…

"I—I think I'm good." He swallowed. "Here. O-on dry ground."

"Maybe…" Gaius started, quietly. "He's spent too long around those Scum. Doesn't like baths anymore."

Flame glanced to Gaius; he was sitting at the creek's edge with his shins submerged, looking down into the water.

"By the gods," gasped Alice playfully. "Must we dump you into the creek, Flame? Are you going to start smelling like a Muk?"

Flame rolled his eyes theatrically. "I don't remember any of us smelling that great back in Aesernia. Ever."

"Y-yes, well…" Alice looked off to the side. "We couldn't exactly afford it."

Gaius dropped his half-smile. "Frankly, I'm still surprised you didn't come back full of body paint."

Flame blinked, even more puzzled. That tone… The Grovyle's eyes were set dead ahead and his expression as unreadable as always—but Flame had a queasy feeling that he knew what was on his mind.

It's who I am, damn it. Do I really need to justify it? The mere thought boiled his blood a little, but if the two of them were to start a new life together, he supposed they would need to make their differences clear.

That, or to endure more passive aggression.

"Gaius…" Flame frowned. "Does it bother you? That I'm a part of the Scum?" He rubbed his forearm. "S-sort of. Not by blood, but—you get the picture."

No answer. Flame glanced to his side repeatedly, but was met with a face he couldn't decipher. Maybe he hadn't heard him?

Alice sank down until only her eyes and head wings were above the water's surface, glancing between the two.

Flame twiddled his claws and sighed, accompanied only by rushing water and the buzzing of bug-types somewhere in the treetops above.

"Honestly?" Gaius finally said, his voice quiet. "If this were three weeks ago, I'd have killed you."

Flame's eyes widened. His stomach sank into an icy pit. "… Oh."

How reassuring. He swallowed.

Alice peered to him from the water, and despite being mostly submerged, the utter shame on her face told Flame that she couldn't bring herself to fully disagree.

Meanwhile, Gaius merely sat there and filtered water between the two remaining claws on his good hand.

"I hate the Scum," Gaius sneered. "They can all die in hell for all I care. But…" He clenched his only two claws together. "Fuck me, I guess you're family now."

Flame did not know how to feel. What was he supposed to feel? His teammate had just mused about killing him, and was now declaring him family.

"Thanks." Flame muttered quietly. "I… didn't know you thought of me like that."

In response, Gaius did little else than shrug. "I can't pretend you're anything like 'em, Flame. And… after this morning, it's clear you're not that clueless idiot I thought you were. So, yeah." Gaius rubbed the back of his head. "Maybe I was a little harsh on you."

Flame stopped breathing as he absorbed that last sentence. When Gaius avoided his eyes, he found Alice staring back at him from the water, with wide eyes as if to say 'shocking, right?'.

And yet, despite those kind words, Flame could not bring himself to feel grateful, or even happy. He narrowed his eyes and thought back to their time in Aesernia together. Of those first days.

"I didn't know you had a conscience," he said.

At that Alice flinched slightly from the water; Gaius said nothing, continuing to stare down into the creek.

Rather than sadden Flame, his reaction only irritated him further. He stood up and slung his bag back over his shoulder.

"Let's go."

With little more to say, Team Phalanx soon dried off and joined back on the main path flanked by bushes.

Flame promptly resumed scanning their surroundings for threats, in an effort to bring his thoughts away from Gaius. A flying-type's chirp echoed from somewhere distant.

They'd caught glimpses of winged pokémon all throughout the day, looping around distant mountaintops—but it was nigh impossible to tell Praetorians apart from ferals. Or perhaps it was the Teutonii—this was their territory, after all, and they too could have been looking for him.

With a heavy sigh, Flame squeezed his eyes and clenched his claws together. The Empire, the Presence, and now the Teutonii. Why him, of all pokémon? What was so important about him?

What did I do in my past life? He kicked a cobble up the path. Slay a god?

Only a distant Kricketune's buzz answered him.

Before long, the forest's trees had begun to thin out. The pines gradually became more distanced between themselves, leaving more of the sky and the mountains visible—and eventually disappeared completely . The open field in front of them gave way to an incline littered with large rocks and bushes, but otherwise, no real source of cover.

"Here we go again…" Flame muttered.

The three crept right up to the end of the treeline. They each picked a different tree to hide behind. Flame didn't dare steal another peek. The same tension he'd felt gripping his chest for most of the day returned.

They would once again have to walk out in the open, exposed to prying eyes.

"I'll be back," Gaius said promptly. "Don't get yourselves killed."

In a swift movement the Grovyle latched onto his tree and climbed up steadily. Flame was surprised he was able to climb at all after losing a hand—but through a combination of his clawed feet, his good hand, and his leaf blade, he scurried beyond the thick pine branches in a matter of seconds.

Flame watched him disappear. Then, he let his back slide down against the tree's rough hide until he sat against it, heedless of the awkward position his tail was in. He had to keep himself from relaxing. The hardest part was just ahead of them.

"Funny," said Alice suddenly, coiled up the next tree over. "I believe I once told Gaius the same thing two days ago. In the Praetorian camp."

Flame took a moment to process her words. "Does he really expect me to just… forget?" He snarled. "He treated me like garbage, Alice."

"I was there." Alice smiled sympathetically. "Frankly, I'm worried for him. I fear that losing his hand proved a greater trauma than I first realised."

"If it helped him get a stupid moral compass," muttered Flame, "I guess we can't complain."

Alice chuckled softly. "Indeed."

Flame tried to hold his breath to listen for ferals, but only succeeded in hearing the growl of his own stomach. He clutched it with his claws and sighed. That was one aspect of living with the Teutonii that he would miss: the food. It was always so plentiful, and he'd never eaten portions so large in his life before!

Flame allowed himself to smile. From beyond the pine branches above him he could see the sky tinted a soft shade of orange. His meagre Magikarp dinner awaited him at the end of this final sprint.

All things considered, perhaps being hungry together wasn't so bad.

Bringing his bag between his legs, Flame peered down and rummaged idly through its contents. There wasn't much left; a pouch of berries, a few orbs, a blanket that had yet to fully dry from that morning…

… and then his claws fell on something flat and round.

Flame blinked. He dug the object from the blanket which it was under and held it in his claws, though he kept them inside the bag. The shape, the button in the middle… This was a communications badge. But it made no sense—he'd tossed his old army badge long ago. How had he gotten a new one? Widening the bag's lip with his other paw, he studied the badge's features more closely. Its rusted hue, the heraldic eagle carved upon its back, though the writing on it had been… scratched off…

Something clicked in his head.

All of a sudden, Flame locked up in fear. His claws—no, his entire arm beginning to quiver. Breathing became impossible. A vision once relegated to the reaches of his consciousness now poured forth and took over his body. He could see himself on that cursed mountainside again, time at a standstill as the Praetorians and Teutonii edged ever closer to battle. He remembered himself, trembling, staring up into Daedalus' glowing eye for what felt like the last time.

"There is a badge in your bag," Daedalus had told him. "Once you're in a safe place, use it to contact me."

Those words echoed ominously in his head, yet all Flame could do was sit there and stare down at the badge, his claws clutching around it, still incapable of breathing.

Whispers of a past life caught up to him. A life he'd all but removed from his head that very morning. Could he do it? Talk to them?

"… Flame?"

Flame jolted and dropped the badge; he lifted his eyes to meet a concerned Alice, still coiled up by the next tree over.

"Are you all right?" she asked quietly.

"Y-yeah…" Flame uttered. "I just… remembered something, that's all."

Alice nodded with some reluctance. "I see. I too get those moments, sometimes."

Before Flame could say anything else, Gaius suddenly dropped down from above, sending both him and Alice scrambling back with a gasp.

"G-Gaius!" Alice squinted. "We could use some warning!"

"I see a burrow from here." Gaius motioned to the sharp incline ahead of them. "Just over the top there. It's not too far—we'll be out in the open for less than ten minutes."

"Did you spot anybody?" Alice pressed.

At that, Gaius hesitated. The mere fact that he was hesitating caused Flame to tense.

"… There were two flyers to the north-east. One of 'em Hydreigon. They disappeared behind a mountaintop, though—couldn't have seen us."

Flame felt his heart tighten. A Hydreigon… it couldn't have been that one. Right?

"They are native to these mountains," Alice conceded. "Ferals, most likely. We should still be cautious."

Flame breathed a literal sigh of relief. Thank the gods. What had they been talking about? Oh, right. He glanced up at the rocky incline rising before them.

"You said there's a burrow." Flame squinted at the distant mountaintops. "What do we do if it's occupied?"

"Hell if I know." Gaius shrugged with a smile. "You told the great Sycorax to fuck himself—I'm sure a Sentret or whatever won't scare you."

Flame rolled his eyes theatrically. "Love you too, Gaius."

"We should sleep in turns, regardless." Alice glanced between them. "Make sure no ferals sneak in at night."

Flame nodded in assent. "Let's go, guys. Last ten minutes for today."

Doubts nestled at the edges of Flame's mind. Subtle, creeping doubts, but he could already feel them begin to nag away at his conscience. Even as Team Phalanx finally emerged into the open, he struggled to concentrate fully on keeping alert. There was still that vague feeling of nausea deep within him.

For his bag felt just a little heavier now, and the badge's presence could not be unseen.

---

I should just throw it away.

Flame found himself laying on his side with his eyes wide open, staring at the tight confines of the burrow, the brown dirt walls lit by what feeble light his tail could produce.

He clutched that very tail between his claws, holding it against his chest. As he lay there the memories of the previous week rushed to him all at once.

He'd already made his choice. Heck, he'd spent sleepless nights plotting this choice—fantasising like a prime idiot of this very moment, when he would once again be laying next to his teammates!

No, there could be no turning back. He had thrown in his destiny with Alice and Gaius. It was what he wanted.

… So why this doubt, then?

Eyes narrowed, Flame rolled to face the low ceiling as the wind howled outside the burrow. Why did the thought of tossing the badge off a cliff twist his stomach? It was a relic of a life he'd put behind him. A mere memory.

Perhaps that was all it took. Maybe he took solace in holding on to the one thing that would grant him a glimpse into a life that could have been. The thought sent his heart into a frenzy.

I don't even know if they're alive.

The last he'd seen of Daedalus, of Brynn, of all the others, they were crying out for him as he leapt off that fateful bridge.

A scowl came across his face. What had become of them? Could Sycorax have attacked regardless? Flame shuddered at the thought as he cupped his head into his paws. He couldn't do it. He couldn't think about that right now.

Lifting his claws from his face, Flame turned his head to check on his teammates, his only source of comfort right now. Gaius was crumpled into a ball on the ground near one of the burrow's walls, resting peacefully. Alice...

He blinked; his tail fire flickered for a moment. Alice?

He turned his head around, but in a burrow so small, his eyes quickly settled back on the entrance tunnel. She had to be outside. Why would she go outside?

Flame rose to a slumped sitting position and wracked his brain for an explanation. He clutched his tail for comfort. The wind was howling as it buffeted the exit to the burrow, a still breeze occasionally reaching him. Then came a distant rumbling that was more akin to a deep groan.

Thunder? Flame thought, leaning closer to the burrow's entrance. What would have provoked here to go outside in this weather? He mulled the question again and again, yet no answer came. For a brief moment he toyed the idea of the burrow's owner having returned to claim what was rightfully theirs.

Flame let go of his tail. I have to look for her.

Down on all fours, he crawled past a still-sleeping Gaius and into the narrow entrance tunnel that led out of the burrow. When he was but a few meters from the exit, a harsh wind buffeted against his scales, and the fury of the elements outside only became louder.

He sank his claws into the soft earth below him, as if to steel himself for what may have been ahead. He hesitated for a moment. Only the thought of Alice compelled him to move forward.

When he finally emerged into the world, Flame did not have time to brace before the full force of mother nature collided with his scales. Bristling cold quickly soaked every inch of his body. He covered his face with a forearm and hissed through gritted teeth, flinching as he was pelted with leaves and dirt and tiny branches from all directions.

With complete disregard for the weather, he kept upright and raised his protective forearm to look around, squinting as his eyes adjusted to the darkness.

It was barely a moment before his heart skipped a beat: Alice lay just a small distance ahead, coiled up on a rocky bluff that jutted out of the cliff. Her gaze seemed to be locked towards the dark valley beyond.

"Alice!" he shouted, yet she did not so much as stir.

The wind whipped his scales savagely once more. Flame gritted his teeth; she couldn't have heard him.

Fearful of being lifted away, he gathered his courage and stepped forth—only to stop when he set eyes upon what Alice had been so entranced by.

Rippling masses of murky storm clouds blanketed the skies above them in a matte penumbra. Hazy violets morphed to tar-black, and from tar-black to midnight blue. The enormous conglomerate orbited around a central pulsating mass that hovered over the ravaged landscape.

Flame struggled to take in the sight, his stunned gaze scanning through the sky."Woah…"

Hideous tremors shook the air, a sensation Flame could feel in his own chest, like he was being shaken violently. He could do little more than gape in awe—the destruction was like nothing he'd ever seen. Hundreds upon thousands of trees ripped from the earth, their limbs viciously torn apart.

The portal storm held no bias. It savagely mutilated the landscape: the plains, valley, forest, even the mountainsides. Seemingly endless swathes of debris gravitated towards the central mass of the storm, carried high by winds that he could only describe as impossibly powerful.

And yet, in the midst of all this, Alice lay mere inches away from the cliff's edge without a hint of fear.

With hesitant steps, Flame closed the final gap between them and plopped down beside her. She must have been lost in her head, as she nearly jumped a foot when she saw him.

"Wha—Flame?" Alice said in a hoarse voice, just barely audible above the howling wind. "What are you doing up?"

"I… couldn't sleep. " Flame stared out towards the storm, the sheer size of it boggling his mind. He sat forward a little and allowed his legs to dangle off the edge a little, feeling a bit more secure that he wouldn't be lifted away.

"Oh…" Alice said, shifting her gaze towards the misty sky, like she had hoped to find solace in the stormy night. "But… why did you come out here?"

Flame looked away as a gust of wind threatened his face with loose soil and leaves. "I was worried about you. Didn't find you in the burrow, and… my mind kinda did the rest." A meek sigh left his lungs. "Aren't you supposed to keep watch?"

"I… look, I was doing that!" Alice admitted sheepishly, burying her nose in her coils.

"Then what are you doing?" he said with the tiniest smirk. "After what we've been through, I wouldn't want a feral to be the one to stop our journey."

Any semblance of a smile that Flame had brought to her face drifted away as she stared out towards the storm. "Trust me, there won't be ferals. Not with a portal storm like this…"

Flame had to resist the feeling he would be pushed off the cliff as an intense wind whipped his body. As he observed the last resisting trees being torn asunder by the gales sweeping through the valley, he couldn't bring himself to disagree with her.

"I guess that makes us the only two crazy enough to be outside, then," he said, likely coming off as a whisper in the breeze.

He was able to barely make out the slightest of chuckles from the Dragonair, setting his mind at ease.

After grasping the edge of the rock with his claws, Flame tilted his snout up to more fully take in what was in front of him.

Flame had seen a portal storm once before. It was the night after his first mission with his teammates, just on the outskirts of Aesernia. All the sensations were the same, yet he couldn't resist the pure spectacle of it. There was something therapeutic about the destruction. Perhaps it was because he felt it was some higher power delivering the retribution upon the world for all the times it had wronged him.

Another low groan split the world apart, sending Flame's heart into a frenzy. He squinted to better see the dark sphere writhing again near the centre of the clouds, but the sight merely filled his chest with an unbearable dread.

He shut his eyes, and turned to Alice once more as the wind battered their bodies. "Maybe I should return the question—why are you out here?"

Alice didn't answer him immediately. Instead, she lifted her delicate eyes towards the smog-filled sky, her face gripped by tension. "Do you see where that portal storm is, Flame?"

Flame bit his lip; the sun was nowhere to be seen, and with the ongoing storm, most of the valley was veiled in near-total darkness.

Alice did not wait for his answer. "That's where we were around midday." Flame saw her shudder out of the corner of his eyes. "Just… just imagine if we'd slowed down at all today, for any reason. Imagine where we'd be right now."

The fear in Alice's voice was more than enough to take him out of his awe-struck stupor.

"It's the third one this week," she said hoarsely. "The Praetorians wouldn't stop talking about it back at the camp. Another one near Portus, as well as one in the far eastern provinces. And now… now…"

Flame heard her voice crack, and his frown deepened. Alice, no…

"Portal storms used to be such extraordinary events, Flame," she rambled on, still on the verge of tears. "Th-they were a once-in-a-year kind of disaster. Now they're every day! By the gods, we ran from the storm in Aesernia. We barely ran from the one in Portus. And now…"

She squeezed her eyes together. "I know I shouldn't be thinking this way, b-but… if these storms keep multiplying, what should we do then? How far do we have to run?"

Alice's sobs jabbed at his heart painfully, yet as he faced the storm, he knew there was nothing he could say that could stand up to the storm's sheer magnitude. He searched his mind for something to do or say.

Suddenly, without thinking, he slipped his claws to her tail, cupped them around her twin blue orbs. As he peered into her eyes, he said nothing—didn't know what to say—but even still she appeared to draw comfort from the contact, the tension draining from her face slightly despite the tears welling in her eyes.

"Alice…" He lowered his eyes to the ground. "This past week has been the craziest in my whole life. Not that I can remember much of it…" He rubbed the back of his neck with his free paw. "Anyway—just think about it: the entire world has tried to keep us apart. The Scum, the Empire, the Benefactors… Yet here we are."

Only the wind whistled between them. As he realised he had nothing more to add, Flame shuffled closer and squeezed her tail orbs ever so gently.

"I-it might not look like it now," he added quickly, clearing his throat as he sat upright, "but I know we'll make it. I really do. All this pain we've gone through—all this hunger, this cold, everything, just to be together…" He gazed off into the brewing storm. "It has to count for something."

Eyes glued ahead, Flame held his breath as he waited for an answer, a reaction—something. The wind whipped against his body. After a sideways glance, Flame released a heavy sigh and figured that she needed some time to think things through.

Come on, Al, you're supposed to be the rational one… Flame raised his eyes once more and felt his breath leave him as he once again beheld the raging storm clouds that carpeted nearly the entire sky.

Maybe he'd made it worse. What else was he supposed to say, though? That the storms were going to stop? He couldn't possibly promise her that. He didn't even know what caused them—the Empire claimed it was the Teutonii, Daedalus claimed it was the Presence, and, and…

A frown overtook his face. He realized it now—he hoped the Teutonii were safe. He wondered what they were doing. Most likely they were searching for him, right alongside Sycorax's Praetorian Guard. This was technically Teutonii territory, after all.

Suddenly the image flashed in his mind of Daedalus cupping his cheek with a fatherly smile. Rather than reassure him, though, the thought only injected a chill down his spine. Taking his claws off Alice's tail, he hugged his knees and clenched his eyes shut.

Maybe one day, I'll meet him again. And Brynn, too.

Maybe one day they'll forgive me.

His mind once again flashed back to the badge he still held in his bag. He had not yet lost his chance to make it happen…

Unsure what to think, Flame dropped his eyes to the darkness that swallowed the valley below.

"… Thank you."

It took him a moment to realise that it hadn't been the wind.

He turned his head to Alice, blinking. "For what?"

Though she wasn't looking at him, the faintest, saddest smile was etched on her cheeks. "For being here. For talking to me. And… for bringing us back together."

"Oh... yeah." Flame felt his face warm. "I couldn't just leave you alone with Gaius. You'd go insane."

Alice chuckled dryly at that. "I don't know how you can stay so optimistic, despite it all."

Still hugging his knees, Flame shrugged. "Comes with the amnesia, I guess. If I'm not optimistic, if I start thinking about everything…" He shivered.

Alice bit her lip slightly. "Actually, that leads me to something I've been meaning to ask you all day. Flame, is this… is this what you want?"

Flame turned to stare at her with the most confused look he could muster. "What do you mean?"

"Well…" Alice buried her muzzle in her coils. "This. Going to Thermae Himerae; starting a new life together. I know you had a life with your people. Ever since we escaped from Sycorax, I can't help but think that we… took that from you, in a way."

Flame's eyes dropped to the darkness engulfing the valley. He shook his head. "My life's always been with Team Phalanx."

She glanced at him from the corner of her eye. "Really?"

"Yeah." He smiled. "I'll always be grateful to the Teutonii. To Daedalus. They've helped me figure out so much about myself… Gave me hope. But, right from that first day, I couldn't stop thinking of you two."

"You see, that's the problem," she whispered. "You were just beginning to discover your past. The Scum, Daedalus—they could be the key to getting all your memories back! Now… now you may never get that chance. B-because of Gaius and I."

Flame frowned. He stopped to consider her words.

Alice took a shaky breath. "L-look, what I'm trying to say is: if you want to go back to them, I…" She swallowed, her voice cracking a little. "I'll understand."

For some reason, Flame teared up a little. Not from sadness, but from the sheer joy in his chest. He wanted to hug her with inappropriate strength, and managed to take it out on his knees.

"Th-thank you." He half-sniffled. "For what you just said. And… yes, this is what I want."

"But—your memories!" Alice frowned.

Flame's smile widened. "I haven't told you yet, have I?" he whispered excitedly. "Alice… I'm going to get my memories back."

"… You'll what?"

"One of the Scum looked into my mind back in the village." He cracked a smile. He'd tell her about Brynn at some point. "She said it might take a couple of years—maybe a decade, but I'll have them back. They're not… they're not lost." He brought a quivering paw to his chest. "They're still in here. I'm still here."

Joy blossomed on her face. She shot up and nuzzled his neck, leaving Flame with barely enough time to meep and hug her back properly.

"Gods, Flame, that's incredible!" She drew back, and looked at him with glistening eyes. "I can't imagine what it feels like, to know that."

Flame's mind was rushing to places; he could barely hold back the joy she'd spread to his chest—whether from the realisation, or the contact, he didn't know.

"It feels…" He paused, his heart chirping happily. "Like I'm someone again."

"Perhaps you're right," Alice whispered, and wiped her eyes with her tail tip. "Maybe… the gods do have pity on us, after all."

The gods… It was almost funny to Flame; if the gods had any pity on them, none of this would have happened. Aside from Arceus and that weird ghost serpent, he didn't even know who most were.

"Alice?" he spoke up suddenly. "Do you… believe in the gods?"

"I used to." She lifted her eyes to the storm. "I suppose that ever since my exile, I've stopped caring much about them. Certainly stopped praying to them."

She chuckled, and Flame couldn't help but laugh along with her. Then, she turned to face him.

He met her eyes and found them filled with a vague fondness, a warmth…

"If there's one thing I've learnt," Alice said in a soft whisper. "It's that… you don't need their grace for good things to happen to you." A fond smile graced her snout.

"I know," he replied, gazing skyward. "I still can't believe we're so close, after everything that's happened…"

Alice blinked, suddenly confused, then opened her mouth before finally uttering, "Uh—y-yeah. I can't believe it either." She turned away from him. "Do you believe in the gods, Flame?"

He gazed down at his knees.

"I… don't really know much about them. I barely had time to study much of anything in Aesernia. But, if they do exist…" He looked out to the horizon, to the devastated valley, to the portal storm raging through the night sky. "To hell with them."

Alice giggled and covered her mouth with her tail. "Well said."

The wind that battered their bodies only grew chillier. Yet there they sat, unmoving. Somehow Flame was still smiling, despite the ghastly spectacle unfolding right before his eyes. The portal storm showed no sign of quelling, and the chaotic maelstrom in the sky kept exploding in clouds of blue and violet.

The thought of the Teutonii badge, and his need to chuck it off the cliff, suddenly entered his mind—but he expelled it just as rapidly. Right now, he just wanted to sit next to her. He couldn't care less about a stupid badge.

"This is so crazy…" Alice uttered. "I'd always dreamt of coming to these mountains, ever since I was a Dratini. I never quite expected it would be like this. Watching a portal storm with my… half-Scum, interdimensional teammate."

"Minor details." Flame shrugged his shoulders. "What did you expect?"

"I…" She laughed after a moment's thought. "I'm not quite sure. I suppose never really planned out my life that far ahead."

"This isn't so bad, then, is it?" Flame glanced to her with a tiny smirk.

She smiled fondly. "No… No, I suppose it isn't."

They sat there and gathered precious rest, uncaring of the mighty winds buffeting their bodies.

As Flame sat by her side, he shifted his gaze beyond the distant mountaintops—beyond even the reaches of the portal storm. Beyond it all, a yellowing glint tinted the horizon.

---

Tantalus Valley

Flame hated walking. Perhaps it was the future Charizard in him speaking, wishing he could grow wings to ferry his teammates up into the sky; or, perhaps it had something to do with the fact that he'd walked more in the last five days than the rest of his life combined—first with the Teutonii, now with his teammates. To say that the mountain range felt infinite was an understatement.

Now, however, as he hoisted himself onto another boulder with a grunt, he looked up at the tall rock-strewn slope they had left to climb and realised, in his chest, that maybe walking wasn't so bad after all.

"G-guys…" He panted and sat down on his rear. "Remind me—why are we going up there, again?"

"Simple," replied Alice's voice from a rock below his. "There's only two ways we'll find the main road again. We can either backtrack all the way to where we were yesterday, or—would you kindly help me up, Flame?"

"Oh! Right." He scooted to the edge of his rock and reached down, lifting Alice from just below her neck orb.

They grunted in unison, but after a moment the whole length of her body was on the rock ledge alongside him. Flame fell back on his rear, and laughed openly at the hint of red in Alice's cheeks.

"Th-thanks." She looked away, flustered. "As I was—oh, stop laughing!" She said, chuckling a little herself. "As I was saying, main road. We can try to spot it from up here."

Flame nodded and turned to the next rock to climb. He grabbed the rock's ledge and got a solid grip, but hesitated for a moment. He cast his worried gaze to the greying sky behind him—no treetops or close-by mountains to conceal them.

"I guess. It's just that I—" He grunted as he hoisted himself up again. "—don't like being so exposed, that's all." He sat on the rock's edge and gazed down at her. "Feels like they could be watching right now."

"They sure as hell will be if you two keep messing around!" Gaius shouted from above them.

After sighing, Flame turned to look up at the Grovyle who was glaring down at them from quite a few rocks above them, arms crossed.

"It pains me to say," Alice smiled playfully, "but he's right. Let's make this brief."

"All right, all right." Flame smiled and rolled his eyes theatrically.

They shared a final smile as Flame lifted her up with a grunt again. After another tall rock, the rocks took on a more gentle upwards gradient that allowed Flame to walk, though he still needed to carry Alice across gaps her serpentine body could not hop across.

Before long, he climbed up the last rock to join Gaius atop of the hill. Thankfully there were quite a few pine trees up here—something that struck him as odd but nevertheless welcome. He helped Alice up, and then they set off uphill once again.

"You know…" Flame wondered aloud. "I'm, uh, starting to think we didn't all need to come up at once."

Alice laughed sheepishly. "Yes, well…" She gazed off into the mountains. "Occupational hazard."

Gaius huffed. "I don't think we have an occupation, Alice."

"Nonsense!" shot back Alice, smiling playfully. "We're… what, bandits, now? Outlaws? I'm sure that counts as an occupation."

Flame held back a grin. "Please don't actually tell that to the border guards."

Alice laughed in return—a sound that got Flame's heart racing. He couldn't help it; it was such a relief to see her this jovial, this hopeful again.

They walked side-by-side up the wooded slope, and as he looked over to her—to Gaius, even, a fond smile hit Flame's snout. It felt like they were a Civil Protection team again: venturing into the wilderness in search of their next mystery dungeon.

On second thought, Flame grimaced slightly; he wouldn't miss that part of their job. He would miss their tent, and the camaraderie, and the night sky above Camp Tempest—but he certainly wouldn't miss the mystery dungeons.

Still, we make a hell of a team… He mused with a smile, as the forest floor climbed steeply. Not that it mattered much, now that they'd defected. Although…

Flame squinted in thought. "Hey, Alice…" He glanced at her. "What do you think we'll be doing once we get there?"

"Hm?" She eyed him curiously. "What, after we… claim asylum? Celebrate with wine and crackers?"

"No, no," he chuckled back. "We'll have to get new jobs at some point, is what I mean. Think: what if they let us choose? What do you want to do?"

Alice stayed quiet as they climbed through the forest underbrush. "Oh, my. I… never really stopped to think about that. Perhaps, uh…" She darted her eyes left and right. "Run… a library?" A distant smile slowly took over her eyes. "Yes… Yes, I think I'd like that."

Typical, Flame smirked slightly and shook his head. "And what about you, Gaius?"

It took a moment for Gaius to acknowledge him, perhaps surprised that he'd been called. "Huh?" The Grovyle looked away for a moment, confused, then shrugged his shoulders. "Dunno. Never had the privilege to think about it, I guess."

"There must be something," Flame said. "Not even… what would grass-types like…" he muttered, scratching the back of his neck. "Uh, planting your own garden?"

For a split second Gaius' step faltered, and surprise flashed across his face.

"Wait." Flame blinked. "Seriously?"

A grunt left Gaius' throat, and he kept his eyes set forward. "You wouldn't understand."

"Incredible," Alice added playfully. "Gaius, I try to disregard stereotypes about grass-types, but you're making that difficult. A garden?"

Gaius grunted again, but his eyes betrayed the tiniest smile. "Shut up."

"Just incredible," Alice whispered. "And what about you, Flame? What do you want to do?"

Flame struggled to respond. He knew this question would come, yet as his eyes danced around in the treetops, he still couldn't figure what he wanted. What was it he liked? Apart from eating and trying his luck with the ladies. Trying, more than anything. He liked fighting, a little bit, but he was barely any good at it.

With a heavy sigh, Flame gave up on finding an answer. In the end, much like his teammates, he supposed he'd spent too much of his time worrying about their next meal or mission to really think about it. And he did have the added excuse of amnesia.

"Honestly, Alice? I have less than no idea," he admitted. "By the gods, I just hope it has nothing to do with mystery dungeons."

This was the final stretch of the climb, Flame noticed; he could see the cliff's edge just ahead of them.

"Gosh, Flame, what have those places ever done to you?" Alice asked in feigned surprise. "Apart from… getting your leg bitten through by a Carnivine, of course. And… your tail drowned in a fountain. And almost dying of hypothermia."

"That last one was you two," he said, holding back a smile.

"… Oh." Alice hummed. "Right."

"Surprised you forgot," muttered Gaius. "I don't think I'll ever get that hellhole out of my mind."

"C'mon," Flame said softly. "If we make it to Thermae Himerae, that will be the last mystery dungeon in our lives."

He saw the hint of smiles in both their faces, and it was all Flame could ever ask for.

The treeline ended abruptly behind them, leading instead to a rock tongue jutting out of the cliff, and over the valley far below. They walked up to the edge of the overhang, and Flame made sure to sit before he dared to look down. He swallowed; though snow-capped mountains towered all around them, they were nevertheless at a stomach-twisting height above everything.

While Flame focused on deep breaths, he saw Alice slither up to the very edge.

"Okay…" Alice mumbled, squinting. "The last time we saw the road, it was headed north-east. Based on that trajectory…" She raised her eyes to find the sun in the sky—hiding behind a patch of clouds—then adjusted her snout accordingly in a different direction.

"There's nothing there" Gaius crossed his arms. "Are you sure it was north-east?"

"Yes," she said. "I distinctly remember noting that. Would you rather go back and check yourself?"

With a tiny sigh, Flame turned his attention to the opposite direction. He swept his eyes across the world below, across the bumpy grasslands enclosed between the mountains. Nothing. He shifted his search to the mountainsides themselves, then further afield, until—

Flame squinted. Mountains aren't supposed to be flat.

He blinked.

Or… have buildings…

His heart skipped a beat. He took his claws off his legs and leaned forward, at which point his eyes grew wide.

"… Guys?" he whispered, never. "I think… I think I found our road."

The arguing between Alice and Gaius ceased at once. Though he didn't see them turn around, he sure as hell heard Alice's gasp.

Standing atop the steep rocky walls of a distant plateau was an entire city, occupying the near-entirety of its area. Milky-white structures rose right on the plateau's steep edge, long rows of them, glued together with little windows dug in their walls and into the rock below. Little dark specks flowed in the skies above the city, some landing, some lifting off, others circling above the great plateau as well as the more disparate houses dotted near its base.

Flame had never been more happy to see other pokémon.

"Bloody hell," Gaius muttered behind him. "Is that…?"

Alice slithered up to Flame's side. "Just like in the history books…"

At those words, Flame felt his tail fire burgeon and a tingle rushed through his body. He wanted to laugh, to cry. He twisted around to stare at her, unable to contain his smile.

"You mean…?" he said, staring at her wide-eyed.

He waited for an answer, but didn't need one; he could see it plainly in her eyes. As he gazed off at the shining city, for a single moment, he forgot all about his aches, all about the godsforsaken badge that still weighed on his chest.

He merely looked and tried to imagine what could lie within its walls. Salvation? Purpose?

"That," Alice started, her eyes sparkling with wonder. "is Thermae Himerae. Capital of the Kingdom of Galatia."

---

End of Chapter XXV​

 

[Shadow of Antioch]

Chapter XXVI: Telos​

---

"... As of 05:13 today, Leodis has ceased to exist. The portal storm that has swallowed it ranks as one of the largest ever recorded in history.

Reports from nearby Civil Protection teams suggest that nearly 80% of the city has become a spatial anomaly, and is no longer able to support life. All access roads have been blocked and official death tolls revised as per protocol.

One positive note to be found is that a mere fraction of the city's approximately 34.000 inhabitants have survived. Numbering in the low dozens, they are unlikely to place a significant strain on the already critical refugee situation in the province.

Addendum: This is the fifth portal storm this week. The Senate will hold an emergency session to question His Majesty on the ultimate timetable of Benefactor support."

— Imperial Senate Report #289, 28 October 536 A.U.C.

---

Tantalus Valley

Flame had lost track of how many times he had lifted his eyes towards that two-toned sky.

Its subtle shift from a deep ocean blue to bright red-orange, not unlike that of his own scales, left his stomach in a warm buzz—yet every time, as he advanced on the same wide cobbled road, there was something missing.

"How…" Gaius wheezed behind him. "How much longer can a stupid road take?"

"Have faith, Gaius." Alice's reply came, betraying her own scrunched up eyes. "Once we reach our home, we shan't ever need to travel again. Just think…"

Home.

A tiny spark lit Flame's heavy eyes as he marched. A gentle breeze swayed the pine trees that grew along both sides of the wide cobbled road. Somewhere beyond those trees, at the end of this road, lay their new home. Home! The prospect filled his stomach with butterflies despite feeling so utterly unfamiliar to him. He'd lived in Camp Tempest, yes—but this was completely different. This was a home he'd chosen. Here, he could invent a new life for himself...

The anticipation pushed Flame to somehow march even faster. His feet ached painfully with every step, and he could barely feel his shoulder under his heavy bag—but he didn't stop, couldn't stop.

For the road inclined steeply uphill just ahead of them, clumps of weeds growing between the individual cobbles.

Flame held his breath. "Is this…" His grin slowly widened. "We're here… We're here!"

"L-like before?" Gaius grumbled.

"Come on!" Flame pushed his already brisk step into a quasi-sprint. "I think we'll see it from up here!"

"Wait—Flame!" Alice's cry came from behind. "Slow and steady, remember!? Not all of us have legs!"

It was only a few seconds before the uphill climb left Flame struggling for breath, and slowing down, but he gritted his teeth and kept taking one stride after the next.

"J-just watch," said Gaius behind him. "Watch us go the wrong direction like some dumbasses."

"It couldn't possibly be," Alice whispered back. "We're on the main road. The signage earlier promised we were close..."

Flame somehow didn't lose his grin, even as he heaved a terse sigh. "Gaius," he said. "I swear to the gods, if you shut up, I'll buy any drink you want when we're there."

A pause. "You…" Gaius' voice darkened. "You don't want that."

Flame immediately bit his lip, but before he could think of what to say, he reached the crest of the hill and beheld their final destination: the city of Thermae Himerae.

The great mesa took up half of the sky from where they stood. Its sheer granite walls towered hundreds of metres above their heads, and the only buildings Flame could see were made of pure white—two or three or even six-storey structures erected right on the mesa's edge, all glued together with little balconies with iron fences jutting out.

Above those thatched roofs he spotted a multi-coloured pallet of flyers lifting off and landing and circling above the city, each landing in turn. Even further beyond, only a single thin spire rising from deeper into the city, barely visible against the fiery glow of early sunset.

"We're here," Flame whispered, soaking in the sight. "After all we've been through…"

"By the gods…" Alice's mouth hung open. "It's even more beautiful than the encyclopaedias give it credit for!"

Flame ran his eyes over the colossal plateau again, then lowered them back to the road ahead. There were cultivated fields, and some sparse farmhouses near the base of the plateau. He thought he heard a rumbling noise somewhere close.

"It's just…" Flame lifted his eyes again. "How did they build that high?"

Gaius laughed in disbelief in between pants. "Freakin' magic, for all I care."

Smiling at that, Flame was about to reply when he realised that the rumbling had only grown closer.

An indistinct shout from behind jolted them all into reality; they scrambled off into the roadside just in time for the Rapidash-drawn wagons to pass them by one by one. With keen eyes, Flame watched the wagon convoy steadily gain distance on him and his teammates as it bounced and creaked on the road's cobbles. A Floatzel was leaning out of the rear wagon's back, looking at them curiously.

After several days spent in near-isolation—with only Gaius and Alice around him, besides the occasional feral—Flame felt the strangest sensation at locking eyes with another civilised pokémon.

"Would you look at that," said Gaius sarcastically. "Someone who's not trying to kill us, for once."

Flame laughed dryly. "Who knows, honestly?"

As he drew his eyes to the great mesa before them, he felt shivers running through his spine. He grinned; a sudden impetus seized him, and he shook Gaius' shoulder. "What are we waiting for? Come on!"

They resumed marching with a newfound spring in their step—or slither, in Alice's case. All this despite the tired look on their faces, despite the stiffness in Flame's legs,despite how hard he fought not to limp.

"Gods, I still can't believe we're here…" Alice said, eyes sparkling. "I'd always hear stories about this city, but to see it with my own eyes! Oh, Flame—do you recall what I said about Thermae Himerae?"

Flame paused to think. He did, in fact, remember a little. Something about this small Kingdom being separate from the Empire, and some thermal baths—but the sheer look on her face was contagious. Who was he to spoil her excitement?

"Not really, no." He barely suppressed a laugh.

"Mew, don't make her start…" Gaius grumbled, clawing at his face.

"It's unlike anywhere else on this continent." Alice said. "The Imperial Army spent centuries trying to annex the Himeran Kingdom in successive wars. Valley by valley the Empire took over its lands, but was never quite able to take the capital—for reasons I'm certain you can see."

The setting sun disappeared quickly behind the great mesa, and they were now in the city's shadow. Even in the penumbra, though, it was impossible to miss the many round impact craters that scarred the mesa's walls. Flame could only picture himself standing down here as a besieging soldier.

"Couldn't the Empire just starve them out?" he wondered aloud. "It's not like they can grow much food inside the walls."

"They certainly tried," Alice replied. "Once for five years. Alas, a crisis or another back home would inevitably force the Legions to pull back. Plus, the city's proved much more valuable as our commercial partner than a dominion."

Flame quirked an amused brow. "Our?"

Moments later, Alice blinked. "Oh. Correct." She looked off to the side. "Forgive me. I am… still getting used to the thought. Not being in the Empire anymore."

With an understanding nod, Flame turned his attention back to their surroundings. It was the last stretch of road to the base of the mesa. To either side of them were cultivated fields with neat rows of berry bushes; Flame peered between the plants and saw a family of Pansage and Simisage picking diligently into baskets. Further inside the fields were wooden shacks, and even a small house with cracked plaster.

"But…" He glanced up toward the sky. "I—I don't know, it still doesn't feel completely safe. Wouldn't there be officers and representatives from the Empire here?"

From the tail of his eye, Alice regarded him with a certain fondness. "You worry too much."

He closed his eyes. "It keeps me sane."

"You're incredible." Alice shook her head, holding back laughter. "The city nominally pays tribute to Urbe, but I've heard rumours that they've stopped doing even that. With the Scum on the offense, the Imperial Army's in no position to do anything about it."

Flame scowled immediately. "Yet they can spare the thirty-something 'mon to come after me…"

"Ah, to hell with 'em!" Gaius elbowed his flank, sporting a large grin. "They think they're so high and mighty. Well, guess what happened? We bloody played them, that's what. Those stuck-up pricks gave us a free ride!"

"I can't quite believe it myself." Alice chuckled. "The great Sycorax… fooled by some lowly outlaws."

"And a blast seed to the face," Flame added, sporting the tiniest self-satisfied grin.

"Lucky bastard." Gaius said as they walked. "Wish I could have done that."

Unable to help his smirk, Flame shrugged openly. "You win some, you lose some. Welcome to the real world."

Further ahead the wagon convoy had stopped between two sturdy-looking watch towers. Beyond those was the steep access path that snaked up and around the mesa wall. Flame stared curiously at the pokémon walking between the wagons and on the watchtower railings, before it finally dawned on him.

Flame halted, a hopeful smile growing on his cheeks. "Border guards." He uttered breathlessly, glancing towards Gaius and Alice. "They're border guards!"

The three of them shared a look of utter joy, their faces bathed in the faint orange glow of dusk.

Flame basked in the moment, before soon, his smile shrunk. "Er, what do we do now?"

Gaius blinked, frowning. "Don't look at me—I ain't the bookworm of this team." He glanced at Alice.

"Wh-what?" Alice shrunk back. "Do I look like I've applied for asylum before? I have no clue. I suppose we just… ask them."

Biting his lip, Flame turned to observe the border checkpoint. One of the guards, a Gigalith, spoke with the Rapidash while a Mightyena hopped out from the rear wagon's back. Up on the left watch tower, he saw a Blaziken eye them curiously. Surely they were outside of hearing range?

"Right," Flame hummed, his tail fire crackling behind him. "We'll tell them we're refugees from Aesernia. That the Scum destroyed our home, or… something of the sort."

Alice tilted her head. "Why not just tell them the truth?"

Flame averted his gaze, and rubbed his forearm. "I-I don't know, does an earthquake sound convincing enough? We are escaping from the war. It's not a complete lie."

Gaius crossed his arms. "If we're makin' up stories," he narrowed his eyes, "we better remember them. I get a feeling they'll want to know our whole lives."

"We don't have to change much, do we?" Flame asked, shrugging at them both. "We were Civil Protection. Surely they'll want those skills. Heck, we were technically in the Army for a few—"

"Gods, no!" Alice gasped, causing Flame to flinch. "Do you realise what they'd think if we told them of the Imperial Army? They'd realise we deserted! They'll kick us right out the door!"

Gaius, too, looked uncomfortable. "It… it ain't a good look, trust me."

With a small sigh, Flame crossed his arms in thought. We really should have thought of this beforehand, huh?

Standing a little straighter, he squinted at the guards on the watchtower. Telling lies was a fickle art. The three of them could not reveal the full truth of their escape—but nor could they make up stories without agreeing on a common narrative, first.

"We'll leave out the desertion, then." He declared. "... And the Teutonii. And the Praetorians. They'll never find out if we don't tell them, right?"

It was hardly a lie in the first place—chiefly one by omission. Plus a few corrections. If only they could get past the interviews...

Fists clenched, and with his chest puffed out, Flame turned to his teammates. "Let's run over this again: we came straight from Aesernia after the Scum attacked." He said, this time somewhat more forcefully. "That should be it. Right? Nothing else we need to change?"

A light, chilly breeze blew past them. Gaius nodded promptly. Alice looked less certain, but nodded regardless.

Gathering his courage, Flame glanced to the checkpoint again. The convoy had moved on, and the first wagons were already making their way onto the access path. Now, all the border guards were looking at them, both on the ground and the guard tower. He realised then that it had to look suspect to just be standing there.

He motioned with his head. "Let's go."

They began moving again, and Flame breathed deeply to calm his quivering heart, trepidation flooding his chest. Walk calmly. One step, then the next. He tried his best to look calm.

"Who's telling 'em?" whispered Gaius behind him.

After a moment of thought, Flame directed his eyes toward Alice. "Y-you're the better speaker," he told her with a sheepish smile as they approached.

Alice sighed, but bristled her ear wings nevertheless. "Well, if you put it like that…"

His chest tightened just looking at the guards before them. He counted two on the road—a Mightyena and a Kabutops, while a massive Gigalith by the tower's entrance rose slowly to full height—the gems on its body shining in the orange glow of dusk. On the guard tower were the Blaziken from earlier, and a Talonflame that had just landed.

"Halt," ordered the Mightyena with its gruff voice.

Team Phalanx stopped promptly in the middle of the road. Flame dug his heels in and reminded himself to breathe.

This is it, he thought. All these days of travel…

The Mightyena drew closer; then it ducked its head and sniffed around them for a few seconds, before grunting in recognition. "You're new here," it growled in a deep voice. "State your business."

Alice bowed her head slightly, and brought her tail tip to her chest. "We hail from the Empire, sir. We have lost our jobs and homes to the Scum, so—"

"—You're asylum-seekers?"

Flame blinked. Somehow, the question unsettled him. Seeing Alice in a similar state, he quickly interjected, "Uh—yes, sir."

"Hm." The Mightyena studied them all up and down individually. "Right. Of course you are."

Flame shared an uneasy glance with Gaius and Alice; the tension in their faces was unmistakable. He tried to send them a look of encouragement despite his own ragged breathing.

The guard looked back to its colleagues. The Kabutops behind it nodded, while the Gigalith merely stomped one leg down impatiently.

Then, the Mightyena smiled. "Welcome to Thermae Himerae."

Flame's ears were filled only by his own thumping heartbeat in the silence that followed. He stared blankly at the guard's smile, as if disbelieving in it, then met his teammate's gazes once more. A smile seized them all, and Flame laughed—a breathless, liberatory laugh.

"Thank you, sir…" whispered Alice, her voice trembling with joy. "Thank you so much…"

"Wh-whatever she just said," said Gaius, laughing as well.

The Mightyena kept smiling and nodded. "Follow me."

With that, it spun around towards the mesa wall, and the access path that rose before them. Team Phalanx wasted no time in following. The Kabutops guard stood aside and waved them away with a scythe, while the Gigalith wished them something with a deep, grating voice.

Flame looked up as they walked, looked far above them, at the unclimbable mesa walls. Was this all a dream? Was this really happening?

"If this actually works, Flame," murmured Gaius, his voice wavering with excitement, "I'm buying you those drinks. Screw it—I'll buy anything you want."

Flame laughed and gave Gaius a tired smile. "Some bread and cheese would be nice."

"Are you joking, Flame?" Alice asked excitedly. "Bread and cheese? We'll be able to afford truffles and wine soon!"

Speechless, he merely shrugged. "It would be a start."

As the Mightyena led them up the dusty, steep access path, Flame felt his head gravitate towards the open valley.

The dying sun bathed the distant mountaintops in a bright heavenly orange, while dark clouds hovered menacingly just beyond. Despite that, Flame couldn't help but feel at peace.

By his side, Gaius scrunched up his face. "… The hell's a truffle?"

---

Thermae Himerae

The city gates had been less impressive than the city's grand location suggested—heavy wooden doors carved amidst featureless walls and devoid of engravings.

Likewise, Flame's first steps within Thermae Himerae revealed quaint little unpaved streets flanked by houses made mostly of white stone. They rose to two, three, even six storeys, with wooden linings and thatched roofs.

The Mightyena led him, Gaius, and Alice through the city's soulless streets; there was only a Quilava, scurrying from doorfront to doorfront to ignite lanterns against the encroaching darkness.

"I think I like it already." Flame looked around, smiling. "The mountains, the fresh air… I don't know why, but it… feels right."

The Mightyena guard shot back an amused glance, but said nothing.

"That's our dragon instinct kicking in," Alice said. "Plus, look at the pavement: not a single drop of grime. Not a single one!"

"No Scum, even," Gaius added, shooting Flame a tiny smirk.

Flame's stomach dropped a little. Unsure how to take that, he brought his attention back to the streets and houses around them. They were beginning to feel… wrong, somehow.

Soon they emerged into a wider avenue, and it was then that Flame figured out why. The further they went along, the more houses diverged completely from the cosy white stone and thatched roof: some kept that design for the bottom floors but had storeys of radically different looks stacked on top, often with exposed brickwork or oversized balconies that turned entire buildings into chimeras. All the scaffolding, too…

After some more twists and turns through narrow alleys, they arrived at the edges of a wide city square. It was surrounded by more chimeric houses and dominated by a long, stone building with a tower rising from its centre—but neither of those were what had captured Flame's attention.

It was the sheer number of tents.

They infested every corner of the square, from the pavement to the flowerbeds to the steps of the tower building, to a few branching streets on the complete opposite end. Flame tried and failed to estimate a number. All around he saw pokémon loitering outside of their tents—some eating, some singing, some sat around a lantern playing cards, others yet visible only as outlines inside dimly-lit tents.

Are they like us?

Flame shared a worried glance with Gaius and Alice. He was at a loss of words. After a brief moment, he could see that they were, too. Yet none of them raised the questions on their mind with their Mightyena escort.

They followed the guard along the edge of the square-turned-encampment—drawing the eye of many of its inhabitants along the way—until they were at the steps of the fancy marble building, in one of the few spaces not already occupied by tents or pokémon.

There, the Mightyena stopped suddenly, and turned to address them. "No tents left for now. Sorry."

"Tents?" Gaius' face scrunched slightly. "Why tents?"

"So you can wait here. Someone will come to process you."

"Oh." Flame cast a wary glance at the ocean of pokémon camped out in the square with them. His shoulders dropped at the sight.

"How long might that take, sir?" Alice asked, looking similarly worried.

The guard hesitated, then shook its head. "I… can't help you with that."

"That—that's okay." Flame stood straighter, smiling. "We'll wait. As long as we have to."

"Thank you, good sir," Alice whispered, and bowed her head slightly. "We won't forget it."

"Yeah," Gaius added.

The Mightyena merely nodded curtly and trotted back the way they'd come.

And there Flame, Gaius and Alice stood, alone with each other—alone under the waning sunlight, alone despite the hundreds of pokémon camped in the square with them.

For a while they stood there, almost dazed, until Flame felt the adrenaline of his excitement peter off, and the effort of an entire day's march came crashing down on him. He plopped himself down on the cold stone tiles of the square with a grunt, as did Gaius and Alice.

Gaius glanced around as he mindlessly nursed his stump. "Looks like your secret plan leaked halfway across the Empire, Flame."

"Who would have thought?" Flame unslung his bag, panting slightly.

He struggled to find a part of him that didn't hurt. Yet underneath the exhaustion, as his eyes wandered up to the marble building at the top of the stairs, Flame could barely hold back tears of joy. Its central tower rose proud below the starry night sky. Out of its many windows only a handful were lit.

"We're here…" Flame whispered, and a huge smile spread on his face. "We're finally here!"

"Y-yes," Alice said weakly. "We are. Let's pray we won't have to wait for long…"

Flame laughed at that, his eyes still cast upwards at the marble tower. "Ah, who cares about that? We're home, Alice!" He hugged his bag without knowing why. "I… I wasn't even sure if this place existed a few hours ago. Now…"

His heart fluttered, his tail fire brimmed with joy, yet his teammates said nothing.

Flame frowned, and brought his eyes back down. "Guys?"

Heavy wind buffeted his scales. He heard them both hiss before he turned to catch the pained look on their face, with Gaius hugging himself and Alice wound tight in a coil, trying to bury her nose beneath her middle.

"C-cold…" she whispered.

Flame smiled sheepishly at the sight, before suppressing it upon realising how insensitive it must have looked. Of course they'd be more sensitive to the sudden gale.

He quickly shuffled to sit between them, to brush his sides with theirs. "Sorry. I didn't realise."

"B-brag again," Alice laughed breathlessly, "and I swear to all that's holy, I'll… I'll Water Pulse you."

Flame's expression turned serious. "I wasn't bragging."

"Don't lie." Alice forced a wry, trembling smile onto her face. "You l-like seeing us like this. All helpless, begging you to keep us warm…"

Flame couldn't quite find it in him to laugh, but at least she still had some humour left in her.

Gaius grunted. "Get serious, you two." The Grovyle had his bag in his lap, fishing through its contents furiously as his face scrunched up. "D-damn it, where's the blanket?"

"I have it." Flame quickly fished out the woollen blanket from his own bag—only for Gaius to snatch it from his claws before he could even turn.

"Oh, sweet mother of Mew…" Gaius closed his eyes and hugged the wrinkled cloth. Alice drew closer too, looking on with expectant eyes.

Flame let his claw hang in the air for a moment. He considered dropping it out of sheer pity—but he had to keep them both warm.

It took hardly any force to snatch the blanket from Gaius' weak grasp. Scooting in between his teammates, he threw the wide blanket behind him and across their shoulders, letting it crumple until only their heads remained exposed.

"Better?" He glanced between the two.

Judging by the way they both leaned against him, with Gaius' good hand squeezing his tail and Alice's head on his shoulder, indeed it was. The stone they sat on was cold, too, but that would at least change with time.

Virtually all the other pokémon in their immediate vicinity had retreated to their tents, save for a band of Sneasel that looked undeterred.

Gaius let out an ill-defined groan. "Of all the places to go for asylum…" he grumbled. "We could have gone to some nice, hot beach somewhere. Relax on an island. No—we just had to choose the coldestmountain city in the world."

With a terse sigh, he clasped the blanket's hems tighter. "So weird... It feels like we're in Camp Tempest again."

"At the very least," Alice said weakly, "we don't have Ariel shouting in our ears anymore."

Flame snorted, cracking a smirk. "Thanks, Alice. I was trying to forget about her."

"You say that," Alice grinned, "but you only knew her for two weeks. Try two years."

Gaius grumbled. "Just thinkin' about her voice…"

Flame turned his eyes up towards the starry night. He had only met Ariel a handful of times, yet more than enough to make him hate the thought of her. And her voice, too. Definitely her voice.

"Oh, no, I won't miss her at all." Alice paused. "Still, I do wonder what she's doing now…"

"I don't," mumbled Gaius. "Screw her. She's crying in her villa is my guess."

"What a fitting end, huh?" Alice whispered. "Commander of a dead Task Force, and Governor of a city in ruins."

Flame cracked up at that. Then he remembered the moment the earthquake had struck—the collapsing roofs, all the proles breaking through windows to escape—and the sight of rubble flowing into the streets, and his smile faded.

With a tiny sigh, Flame shut his eyes and focused on his teammate's presence. He hoped Aesernia was being rebuilt. The city might have been squalid, but it didn't sever the connection he felt to it. Perhaps, one day, he would get to see it again…

"You know," his whisper broke the silence, "I think I'll miss Aesernia."

"That dump?" Gaius furrowed his brow. "Really?"

"I know, I know." He lowered his eyes. "It was a hard life, and I don't have many good memories in it. But… I, I don't know—I guess it's the only place I have memories of. The only home I've had…"

"Not for much longer," Alice whispered from his shoulder.

A new warmth coarsed through Flame at those words. Similarly, a new gust of wind blew through the square and shook the tents around them, just as a Kadabra with a clipboard interrupted a group of ice-types just a few tents over.

The breeze must have also seeped into their blanket, for Gaius practically yanked his tail into his own lap, while Alice coiled slightly around his leg. Flame did his best to rub both of his teammates with his claws, but it didn't stop them from shivering a little.

"We are now processing the last applications for the night!" yelled a Kangaskhan from atop the marble stairs. "Those of you waiting to be processed, please camp in front of the steps!"

Alice shifted uncomfortably under the blanket. "I suppose we're sleeping here tonight, then."

Flame lowered his eyes to the pavement, struggling to keep them open. "Good. I'm too tired to deal with some… interview. I'd say we deserve the rest."

Finding silent assent in his teammate's eyes, Flame lay down on his stomach and brought both Alice, Gaius, and the blanket over them on the ground.

The stone tiles felt cold against his belly, and he could only pray that they were as clean as the rest of the city's streets had been. When his teammates snuggled against him, though, the sheer glee swept all those thoughts away.

Gaius blew a sigh against his neck. "Look at me, sleeping like this again…" He smiled somberly. "Guess life is just one big circle."

Flame was about to reach out for his bag when he froze, and frowned at the Grovyle. "You've slept in the streets?"

Gaius kept his eyes shut. "Before Civil Protection, yeah."

Flame felt strangely empty at that. Perhaps it was his exhaustion, or the emptiness in his stomach, or perhaps it was the creeping sensation of familiarity he too felt, somehow, sat there in the open under the night sky.

As he stared down at the palm of his hand, a sudden surge of determination hit him. He clenched his claws into a fist.

You won't have to anymore. Flame looked to Gaius again. This will be the last night we spend on the streets. I promise.

Thus his teammates fell silent. Though he couldn't hear their snoring, Flame knew sleep was just around the corner; he could feel it too, weighing on his chest.

With a soft smile, Flame dragged his bag closer. His claws settled around something round and solid, and he froze.

The badge.

He'd forgotten again, hadn't he? Heat flared in his stomach. All that self-lecturing about letting go of his past, and he still couldn't let go of one badge? It was idiotic. Childish. Contacting the Scum now would only bring him more pain.

… Yet oblivion's allure proved too strong. With a loud yawn, Flame rested his cheek on his bag and resolved to toss the badge away in the morning. Already he could feel himself drawn away…

"… last group of the night."

Above the general background chatter of the square, however, there was one voice in particular that lured him away from sleep. A young, masculine voice. Approaching ever closer.

"Honest, I wish we could just drop the formality and—" The voice paused abruptly. "Sweet mother of Mew, is that a Dragonair?"

"Dragon-what?" huffed a second, feminine voice.

Flame stirred, poking one eye open. What greeted him was the sight of a Togekiss and a Granbull with a clipboard under its arm, facing each other.

"Dragonair." The Togekiss covered his mouth with his wing. "You've seriously never heard of one?"

"Uh…" The Granbull looked lost suddenly. "Am I supposed to?"

As they spoke, Flame raised his head to squint at the odd duo that had stopped before them. Beside him Gaius grumbled profanities, and when Alice's snout poked out from beneath the blanket, Flame exchanged a puzzled look with her.

"Wha—of course you're supposed to!" The Togekiss said. "They're some of the toughest dragons to exist!"

"Are you sure about that?" The Granbull glanced towards them. "'Cause… I dunno, it looks more like a water-type to me."

Beside him, Alice's face contorted in a strange mix of confusion and indignation. "I'm right here!"

Her reaction sent Flame into a giggling fit that he covered up with his claws. Alice merely threw the blanket off her head and blasted him with a glare that only made him chuckle more.

Even Gaius was starting to look more amused than annoyed.

"Oh, uh—sorry about that." The Granbull looked down at her clipboard, then back at them. "We definitely haven't processed you three. For the record, when did you arrive?"

Flame stared at her blankly. "… Just now."

"Lucky!" The Togekiss smiled. "Come with us, then. We'll get your application processed."

Flame's heart fluttered. All tiredness suddenly sucked out of his bones, he stared between the two with wide eyes. "A-already?"

The Granbull stopped writing to send him a look. "Why, is that a problem?"

Flame did not answer right away. Instead, he shared an incredulous smile with Gaius and Alice. Inside, he wondered when exactly this long day would grant him rest.

---

The Bisharp's eyes lit up from behind its desk as it saw them enter.

They held a brief flash of surprise that prompted Flame to pause at the doorway, Gaius and Alice in tow. The flash was gone in a second, though—replaced by a courteous smile that gleamed in the dim candle light.

"Welcome!" The feminine-sounding Bisharp gestured in front of her. "Please, take a seat."

Flame nodded warily. The room was lined with bookshelves and lit only by a candle on the wooden desk, and as he advanced, the cleanliness of the wood floor only made Flame more conscious of just how grimy his claws and feet all were.

Still, the Bisharp said nothing.

He took one of the seats, with Gaius taking another, while Alice merely coiled up in between them. He tried to send a reassuring smile when he saw her embarrassment, but he was fairly sure that it had only made her flush redder.

Nevertheless, he too turned back to their interrogator, fiddling his claws together in his lap.

As she watched them, the Bisharp smiled again. "Is something the matter? You all look surprised."

"What?" Flame perked up. "Oh no, no. We just…" He looked off to the side.

"We simply expected to wait longer," Alice spoke up. "S-seeing all the pokémon outside."

"Not like we're complaining, though," Gaius shrugged.

"Well said." The Bisharp stood up from her seat, still smiling, hands clasped behind her back. "Firstly, I must congratulate you for reaching our humble Kingdom. I can only imagine what trials and horrors you must have faced before coming here." She shut her eyes. "And while it pains me to bring those memories back to mind, I must inquire for the sake of process."

Flame nodded, despite his heart beginning to race.

The Bisharp inspected each of them in turn. Flame could read nothing beneath those stern eyes "Let me start with a simple question," she said. "Why are you here?"

"We hail from Aesernia, ma'am." Alice bowed her head slightly. "The Scum have taken everything we once had. Our homes, our colleagues in Civil Protection." She shut her eyes for a moment. "When we ran, their hordes had reached the outskirts of the city. We wish only to escape the war, and live in peace."

The Bisharp stood silent for several moments in visible contemplation, moments in which Flame twiddled his claws together endlessly. Gaius and Alice too sat tense, as if awaiting higher judgment.

"I see." The Bisharp finally said, her voice quiet. "That story has become far too common for my ears. You are not the first to come here from Aesernia."

Flame expelled a breath he didn't know he'd been holding. His tail fire simmering behind him. It had probably helped that only a small portion of what he'd said was a lie—one by omission, at that. Their history in the Imperial Army had been brief and unceremonious, and nobody needed to learn it.

"What are your names?"

The question made Flame pause. He bit his lip and glanced to his teammates; perhaps it wasn't wise to give their real na—

"Alice."

"Gaius."

Flame sighed internally. There's that question solved. He almost considered saying 'Cornelius', but decided to trust in his companions' judgment.

"Flame."

A tiny smirk settled on the Bisharp's face. "How funny." She leaned forward, elbows against the desk and hands clasped together. "Because just this morning, our embassy in Urbe received a wanted notice for three pokémon of the exact same species as you. A certain… Flame, and a Gaius. No name for the Dragonair."

Flame could almost hear his heart drop in the silence that followed. His tail flame shrunk, just as the colour drained from Gaius and Alice's face. He curled his claws into fists to stop them from trembling, but even that failed to stop the dread flooding into his chest.

"Th-there's gotta be a mistake," Gaius piped up. "We ain't—er, I mean, we're not—"

Laughing, their interrogator raised a hand to stop him. "Don't worry. I could care less if Urbe is after you three."

"O-oh." Flame released a nervous chuckle.

The Bisharp sat back down. "… That is, of course, unless you're wanted for a serious crime. So," the Bisharp sat back down and leaned forward, "would you be so kind as to elaborate?"

Flame swallowed back the relief, eyes darting around. What could they say? He had a feeling they wouldn't take too kindly to the news that he was an interdimensional half-Scum. It wasn't like he could tell them about their desertion, either!

Yet Gaius was frozen in indecision. Alice wasn't even looking ahead. With mere seconds to think, Flame fished desperately for the first event that came to mind.

"W-we stole food from the city market," he blurted out before thinking, pausing only to gauge the Bisharp's reaction. "We didn't want to do it, but… food prices had gone up, and, and we needed supplies to make the journey here…"

Gaius finally caught on after a moment. "We ain't thieves. Not normally. We just wanna make an honest living."

Alice fluttered her head wings and nodded eagerly.

With a somewhat amused smile, their interrogator looked at them all. "You seem sincere." She grabbed a feather and struck something from the paper in front of her. "So long as you're not murderers or callous criminals, that little detail will have no bearing on your applications."

Flame expelled a big sigh of relief, laughing to relieve some of the tension. "Th-thanks. Thank you."

"Yeah," Gaius added.

Alice merely let her relief speak for her.

The Bisharp looked them all in the eye in turn. "Us Himerans are a welcoming people; however, you must be prepared to fulfil your duties to the city. Firstly, there is the matter of citizenship. Obtaining asylum here would mean—"

"—Renouncing our Imperial citizenship for good," finished Alice, staring straight into her eyes. "That is a consequence we're prepared to face."

Their interrogator stared cryptically at Alice, as did Flame. Was interrupting their interviewer like that a good idea?

"Impressive," the Bisharp muttered. "I see you're quite well-educated, Dragonair. Not many know of our laws when they arrive here from the Empire."

"Thank you, ma'am." Alice bowed her head again. "I have studied this city's laws and history rather extensively. I… hope that can be of use, somehow."

The Bisharp stared at her for a moment. "Is that so?" With a small hum, she turned to him. "Grovyle, Charmeleon: do you also understand the implications for your citizenship?"

Flame hesitated for a moment, then nodded. He had no intention of going back to the Empire. Perhaps to visit, one day, to explore the world—but that would come later. Much, much later.

What he needed, first, was a home.

"Very well. I won't have to explain that to you." The Bisharp then stood up from her seat. "There is… another matter, as well."

Of course there is, Flame wanted to say.

The Bisharp stepped towards her office's window, and the night sky outside. "You three, more than anyone else, know what menace the Scum represent to this world. The city is well-fortified, but our walls and our mountain could never hold off their entire horde. If even one Scum got inside the walls…"

Flame suppressed a nervous titter.

Then the Bisharp turned to them again. She stood as straight as ever, hands clasped behind her back. "Once your application is approved, you will be enlisted in the City Guard for a period of two years. It's the price you must pay for asylum."

The disappointment hit Flame before he could even feel his shoulders sag.

Alice shifted in her coils. "And… what exactly would that service entail?"

"Keeping patrols outside our city. Manning border posts at the entrance. Helping with construction work, escorting merchant convoys—you won't find it too different from your previous job." A kind smile returned to the Bisharp's face. "In return, you will be provided housing, as well as a reduced salary."

Flame lowered his eyes to his lap as he processed everything, trying to ward off the dread encroaching upon his stomach.

Despair was the emotion to come out on top. This wasn't what they'd come here for. An apartment and meagre pay in exchange for joining yet another army? Had they not come here to escape the war in its entirety?

And yet, another part of him whispered that maybe… just maybe, it would be different this time.

No—of course it was going to be different! These people weren't going on the offense. There would be no field battle on the level he'd witnessed outside of Aesernia—no fighting except if the city itself came under attack.

A small, tentative smile found its way onto his snout. If this job was so similar to Civil Protection, then perhaps it was no army in the first place. The city had no stakes in the war, either. It was too far outside the Empire's grasp and too far removed from the Benefactors' plans for Daedalus to attack.

In was far from a safe bet, but… these were the best odds he'd had in

Gripping the armrests of his chair, Flame finally allowed himself to smile. "We'll do it." He raised his eyes to meet their interviewer's. "If it means we can start a new life here, we'll do it."

"A house?" half-whispered Gaius. "An actual house? Hell, I'd scrub the floors for two years for that…"

A subtle smirk crept onto the Bisharp's face. "I'm sure something could be arranged."

Both Flame and Alice laughed softly at that, to which Gaius rolled his eyes and pretended to look away.

However, their interviewer's smile soon turned into concern. "Jokes aside. I don't enjoy singling anyone out, Grovyle, but…"

Gaius scowled. "I know where you're going." He raised his stump and feigned a slash with the leaf blade still attached to his wrist. "Hand or no hand, I can still slice stuff with these. Or climb, or cut wood for construction, or cut—ah, I don't know, heads if you want. Or are you just gonna to pity me—the poor cripple?"

Flame sucked in a stifled breath, eyes wide.

"Gaius!" Alice hissed under her breath.

Yet the Bisharp waved her off. "Keep the spirit, Grovyle. It'll serve you well." She jotted something down on her paper.

For what felt like the hundreth time that day, Flame released a shaky sigh of relief. If they made it through the interview in one piece, he was going to celebrate. The drink-himself-to-sleep kind of celebrate. That, or…

Flame squinted. Hmmm…

"Pssst, Alice," he leaned close to her. "Still up for those thermal baths?"

She covered her giggling with her tail. "I thought you were scared of water now," she whispered back.

He shrugged. "Frankly, I couldn't care less anymore."

"Why, I think we're almost done here!" The Bisharp smiled widely. "Your unit and housing will be decided soon. Let's see… Ah, of course. There is… one last matter to resolve. More of a curiosity of mine, really."

Flame frowned in puzzlement, for their interviewer now eyed Alice with a certain interest.

"Because, you see," the Bisharp leaned forward on her elbows, "from the very moment you came in here, Dragonair, I've felt this unmistakable sensation of… familiarity. As if I've seen you many times before."

Alice shifted ever so slightly in her coils. "Is that so?" She laughed. "That's unlikely. Unless you've been in Aesernia recently."

"Yet you yourself are not from Aesernia."

"C-correct." She drooped her head wings. "I was raised in Urbe. That's where my family hails from. We moved to Aesernia a number years ago."

Their interrogator stared at Alice for a moment, retreating into thought. "That much was obvious. Your accent and your tone definitely aren't northern. Not to mention the fact you've been educated."

"Hey!" Gaius crossed his arms, yet neither their interviewer nor Alice seemed to hear.

Flame continued to glance between them both, and as he did, a tension gripped his chest. There! There was that glint in their interrogator's eyes…

"I'm not sure about you, but I find your situation quite interesting." The Bisharp cupped her hands together. "Especially since I don't remember there being any Dragonite families in Urbe."

"I guarantee you, there are some." The tension on Alice's face was obvious despite her forced smile. "Especially in the Prati quarter—where my family hails from. You have clearly never been to Urbe! N-no offence."

"None taken," the Bisharp replied. "... If it weren't for the fact that before my current job, I used to act as the Imperial legate for our humble city-state. Right in the heart of Urbe."

"Y-you are mistaken, then."

With each passing second Flame shrunk back into his chair, right alongside his tail fire. He didn't understand. Didn't Alice hail from a family of Urbe noblemon? She never spoke much about them but—he was certain she'd told him that. What were they even arguing over?

"For three years I resided in the Eternal City. Not one family of your line." There was a glint in the Bisharp's narrowed eyes. "Except, of course…"

Alice was practically squirming. "I d-don't quite understand where you're taking this line of questioning."

Their interrogator leaned forward over her desk. "I think you know, miss Alice…" Her voice was down to a whisper. "Sis felicior Augusto, melior…"

Alice said nothing. Not only that—Flame noticed with alarm that she wasn't breathing at all, somehow even more paralysed than he was.

A look of dread climbed their interrogator's face. "No…"

Then, she rose. In the utter silence that had settled she walked around the desk, each step a metallic tap on the wooden floorboards, until she stood before Alice and could grasp her chin with a rough hand.

Her eyes were wide, almost scared as she gripped Alice's lower jaw and tilted her head up.

Even then Alice did nothing—said nothing.

Flame gripped his chair and growled at their interviewer, yet she wasn't paying him any attention.

She was breathing heavily and staring right down at a shaking Alice. "It can't be," she whispered. "You have… his eyes…"

And for an infinitesimal moment, the Bisharp herself looked terrified. With a spasm of her hand she let go of Alice, stepping back, and covering her own mouth. "You're Adrian's daughter." A frail, terrified whisper.

Adrian? Flame's blood froze in his veins. What Adrian? Who's—

"Guards!" cried the Bisharp.

Five burly pokémon burst into the room; Flame could barely jump off his chair in fright before a Lycanroc set its eyes on him and charged. In a split heartbeat he dove to the side, barely escaping the Lycanroc's lunge and landing painfully on his arm.

Regardless, he bit back a moan and shot to his wobbly feet. He tried whirling around but instead found himself wrestling with a different 'mon—a Sceptile—whose fiery glare made his heart jump. Flame planted his feet and pushed back with all his strength, but the Sceptile had him by the wrists!

They fought back and forth for several seconds, with Flame's snarl growing in intensity as he vaguely heard his teammate's cries of distress—but the Sceptile was simply too strong. It slammed him to the ground with ease, planted a knee on his stomach and a leaf blade to his throat.

"DOWN!"

Surrendering to instinct, Flame shut his eyes and vomited out the heat at the back of his throat. The flames instantly engulfed the Sceptile. It screamed yet Flame still kept up his torrent of fire, until he sent the grass-type shrieking and backing into a wall as the flames clung to its body.

Gasping for air, and hurting all over, Flame rolled onto his stomach to stand up—only for a swift Lycanroc kick to connect with his forehead.

His world exploded with pain. He could vaguely feel himself flying against a wall, then rolling to a stop, then a sudden weight being pressed against his stomach as a dull ringing engulfed everything.

At some point, he felt his senses slowly returning. He was once aware of being sprawled out on the hard wood floor, his head cocked forcibly to one side. He let out an amorphous groan, but when he tried moving it, he became aware of a set of claws poking at the base of his neck—the Lycanroc was kneeling on his chest.

Biting back tears, and gasping for air, Flame gathered what shreds of strength he had left to tilt his eyes to his teammates. Gaius was on the ground just a stone's throw away, still thrashing about despite the best attempts of the Golduck and Fraxure who held him down.

Gaius growled. "Let go, you... mudslinging barbarian—!"

Yet what sent his heart into overdrive was seeing Alice completely limp on the floor, sobbing openly under the firm hold of a kneeling Blaziken guard.

"No, no, no-o-o!" Alice sobbed openly from the ground, a sound that deeply terrified Flame. "Stop! Please! Why are you doing this?!"

Eyes still wide, the Bisharp backed away and grasped the edge of her desk. "I'm sorry." She shook her head slowly. "I'm so sorry, but this is madness. Letting in fugitives is one thing; but the Emperor's daughter?"

Flame had wanted to cry out, to try something—anything—as their only hope for a future disintegrated before him.

Instead, his heart stopped.

"What?" He scowled, and sucked a shaky breath. "Wh-what the hell are you talking about?! She's not…"

He slowly turned to Alice. She set her white face to him, passive, like a helpless animal. Etched onto her snout was nothing but tears and utter shame.

Flame held his breath. He stared in hopes that she would deny everything, praying—no, begging for her to speak up.

Yet she didn't. She merely lay there, and sobbed.

"P-please," she croaked, her cheeks glistening with tears. "We'll keep low—I swear! We'll find a way to work like that. Just—let us stay!"

The Bisharp softened for all of an instant. "No." She hung her head. "They'll say we kidnapped you. If they have even a single legion to spare, the consequences from a diplomatic incident like this would be…" She never finished that whisper.

Gaius struggled against the Fraxure guard pinning him down, forcing the nearby Golduck to help pin down both his arms.

Flame simply couldn't muster the energy to process the string of insults exiting the Grovyle's mouth. As he lay there, sunken eyes set forward into nothingness, he felt his own eyes begin to water.

She'd lied to him. She'd lied to him. Why would she lie to him? He would have understood.

"Alice…" Flame tried to swallow, but his throat was too parched.

Helplessly he watched their interrogator stand there with her back to them, hands on the desk, breathing audibly.

"Captain," she said.

The Sceptile he'd brought against the wall stood up with some difficulty, scales still steaming and blackened in some spots. It clutched its arm and grunted. "Orders, ma'am?"

Their interviewer hesitated. For a moment, she remained quiet. "Send a transmission to Urbe. Tell them—"

"NO!" Alice sprung from under the Blaziken guard's knee. "Do NOT contact my father! I can't go back there! I beg you!"

The Blaziken guard fought to keep her still, and even their interrogator turned to gawk at her writhing.

"P-please…" She sobbed. "They'll kill Flame! They'll kill him! A-and they'll send me back to Urbe… Please, I beg you! You can't…"

Flame couldn't find it in him to speak. The Lycanroc knee pressing on his chest did little to help matters.

"Fuck," Gaius muttered in his struggle. "Fuck this—fuck you, Alice!" Gaius screamed in his struggle. "Should have left you as soon as you told me. You and your dirty little godsdamned secret!"

With every passing second, a sense of helplessness took hold of Flame. He could do nothing but watch their interrogator as she stood behind her desk, gripping the sides and breathing heavily.

"Guards," the Bisharp muttered, "stand down."

The guards looked between themselves, and swiftly unhanded Team Phalanx.

Flame felt the crushing pressure on his chest disappear. He hacked and coughed and pushed himself onto his forearms, weakly raising his snout to look around. The guards had stepped back, now forming a semi-circle around the three of them. His head was swimming. So many thoughts rushed through him, so much dread building up in his chest, that once again he felt too small. Gaius was crumpled on the floor growling, while Alice still shook in her coils—but he couldn't bring himself to look at her.

The sound of a drawer sliding open drew him out of his thoughts.

Flame turned to the Bisharp and watched her fish a small cloth sack out of a desk drawer. She tossed it to Flame and he caught it just in the nick of time. If the metallic jingling hadn't been enough, its shape and considerable weight in his claws betrayed that it was filled with coins.

He blinked. "What are these for?" he mumbled.

"There's a market by the city gate. It opens at sunrise."

Flame's frown only deepened. He stood there limply with the sack in his claws, peering up at their interrogator.

Was the room dimmer? It certainly felt like it. Under the candle's soft glow, he could barely make out the Bisharp's expression. Even Alice's sobs had died down to a whimper as they awaited their judgement.

"You have twenty-four hours." The Bisharp's eyes betrayed a glimmer. "Get out. Get out, and never come back."

---

End of Chapter XXVI​

 

[Shadow of Antioch]

Chapter XXVII: Defiance​

---

IX October, 545 AUC

"Another great victory for our brave legionaries!

At the sound of war horns, cleverly-hidden elements of the IX Legion rushed headfirst against the Scum forces besieging Aesernia. The barbarians were caught wholly unprepared. Fighting was prolonged—continuing until nightfall in some sectors, with barbarians falling by the dozens and retreating all around the outer city walls. By the end of the day, the enemy was driven back long enough for much-needed supplies of food and medicine to reach the beleaguered garrison.

Speaking from her temporary headquarters in Urbe, Aesernia Governor Ariel Haxorus assured the public that "The garrison will be fine. They better. I didn't let them use my villa for grain storage just to lose the damn siege."

-Front-page article for the news publication Urbe Cotidie.

---

Thermae Himerae

Flame could only watch and stare as the night's sickly grasp engulfed all that he saw, from the city square to the marble steps he sat on. A nearby column found itself as the new home for his temple as he leaned against it, the pungent odor of sweat drafting up from the encampment below.

"… Flame?"

He shuddered as a brisk wind scraped across his scales. Fatigue ached across his whole body—when was the last time he slept? One final shimmer reached out from the tents within the square, its departure signalling the last of many to fall to sleep's temptation. Flame cringed at the silence, its overwhelming presence having grown to the point of becoming painful.

"Flame."

Flame wanted so desperately to bring himself to anger, sadness—anything. Instead, all he could muster was to feebly clench his claws and grind his teeth. He and his team had come so far, disobeyed the fate that the world had presented them, and for what? All for their hopes and dreams to come crashing to the ground in a destroyed, burning mass?

"F-Flame, plea—"

"What?" Flame snapped, finally answering the Dragonair's pleas only to make her flinch. "What do you want me to say?!"

The sudden terror that filled Alice's eyes almost made Flame look away. Almost.

"I—I don't know," Alice shrank back, her voice a near squeak. "Something… Anything."

Flame merely grunted in reply.

Slowly, he looked down at the palm of his hand. Tiny grains of soot covered an oily surface, sneaking in and out of his scales. Truth be told, his entire body bore the marks of his short, chaotic life: small cuts, chips in his claws, scrape marks, the faint scar on his cheek, the huge one down across his belly…

All that, to end up here. On these steps.

"I should have known," Gaius grumbled to himself.

Flame raised his eyes and cast them to Alice's side. The Grovyle was laying down with his head on his bag. He glared up at nothing in particular, but in those red eyes, there was a new sense of… something. Flame couldn't quite tell.

"Shoulda snuck away when we had the chance," Gaius murmured on, unmoving. "Before the interview. Could have joined some underground crime group. If I see that metal bitch again, I'll—I'll…" Gaius slammed his good fist to the side.

Alice's spent, red eyes were little better. "I d-didn't think it possible…" She shook her head, slowly and dejectedly. "This was supposed to be our home. Our salvation. By the gods, I ruined it all." There was a shimmering in her eye. "This is all my doing."

Gaius seemed to actually consider those words for a second. "Forget what I said in there," he muttered. "I was a fuckin' idiot. Wasn't thinking straight."

Another bitter gust buffeted them. Flame stared dead ahead, gaze lost in the dark shapes of the surrounding buildings. He couldn't ignore his teammates, yet couldn't bring himself to listen. And how could he? They had so many new problems at hand. So many he had yet to fully wrap his head around.

For one, where were they supposed to go? Winter snows were about to set in—less than one week away, Alice had told him. She and Gaius would never be able to bear them. And if that weren't enough, the Praetorian Guard was surely still out there! They had to buy food and water and equipment for—

"Flame?" Alice's frail whisper broke through his thoughts. "You blame me, don't you?"

"What?" Flame blinked. "I…"

He tried his best to hide the frown that slowly overtook him. He couldn't bring himself to look into her eyes. "... no. No, you couldn't have known."

Logically speaking, that was true. Why, then, was he bristling under his scales?

"... Is it because of my past?"

Flame let out a ragged breath. He bit the inside of his lip. Focus. He had to focus on more immediate problems. He had… to…

"F-Flame, I swear, I meant to tell you! Th-the chance simply never came, and, and—how does one even broach a subject like that?!"

"I did, a few days ago." Flame gritted his teeth together. "You lied to me."

That seemed to make Alice squirm. "B-because…" She looked away. "I was sc-sc-scared of how you'd… what you're doing right now…"

"You told me," Flame snarled, "that your family were petty nobles in Urbe. Petty. That your title was meaningless."

"Just stop," Gaius murmured emotionlessly.

Flame shifted his glare to regard him for a moment, then focused right back on Alice. "And I believed you. Gods, I was—I'm ready to spend my life with you! And I just now find out you're lying about the simplest things?! About what kind of princess you are?"

Staring straight down the stairs, Alice attempted a weak laugh. "P-princess is still a bit of a strong term."

"Oh, shut it…" Flame muttered, and placed his arms around his knees as tension festered in his chest.

Even now he wasn't sure if it had fully sunk in. Heck, it still sounded ludicrous to his ears. She, daughter of the very Adrian whose likeness and whose name was etched on every single coin, on every public building. The one he'd sworn loyalty to upon joining Civil Protection, then the Imperial Army. Alice. His Alice.

It felt utterly impossible. The Emperor was a Dragonite—but, but surely there were thousands in this world! Why was he the only one speaking out over this? Why wasn't Gaius…

Flame froze. He felt his very pupils dilate. Slowly, he shifted his eyes to the Grovyle.

"You knew," he muttered, more statement than question, "didn't you?"

Though still glaring at the heavens, Gaius' face seemed to soften a little. "She told me when we first met. Back in basic training." He cracked a dry laugh. "I thought it had to be bullshit. But the way she spoke, and being a Dragonair… I dunno, it was worth the risk. Figured it'd be an easy road out of hunger." Gaius glanced down at his stump, and quickly hid it with his good hand. "I didn't find what she said right, but it was her mistake. No reason to get involved."

Flame listened and said nothing as he did so, merely sat there and tried his best to breathe. Breathe. Why should Gaius have told him? It wasn't his onus to begin with. Frankly, he should not have even been surprised by this entire situation. He'd already known how elusive Alice was about her family past. Perhaps he should have expected this. Perhaps…

"What else did you lie to me about?" he muttered thoughtlessly.

"F-Flame…" Alice croaked, almost out of breath, but he paid her little heed.

Do you really trust me so little? He wanted to ask that aloud, but he couldn't find the energy nor the motivation.

Slowly, but gradually, the unbridled rage tickling his scales morphed into lethargy. The sheer exhaustion of everything that had happened today trickled back into his muscles, minute by minute. Awaking at sunrise, marching across two different valleys, up two and down two mountains, letting his excitement get the best of him once in the city, then having his dreams shatter around him shortly after. It all felt like three days rather than one.

With a heavy sigh, he chose to bottle it all up and drew his aching knees closer. "Whatever. We'll come back to this tomorrow."

"I-I never even intended to tell Gaius! I only did so because I was desperate to… to find work, and I was cold, and I was hungry, and nobody… would… I, I thought I'd have the courage to tell you. But I didn't. When you asked I got nervous, and I panicked, and—"

"I said," Flame snarled, "tomorrow. Can't you see the state we're in? In a few hours, we'll be out in the wild again. We'll have to figure out where to go, and how long the trip'll take, where to get food and… and…"

And suddenly, Flame couldn't find the energy to glare any longer.

"Gotta be somewhere close by that'll take us in." Gaius raised his good hand above him, clenching and unclenching his claws. "Some cave rock-type community, or a backwater village."

Alice merely shook her head. "The Praetorians are after Flame, and there is a non-zero chance that the Teutonii are as well. It is imperative that we build as much distance as possible."

Flame felt like groaning. Ah, great. As if our lives weren't exciting enough already.

"Where, though?" Gaius grumbled. "West and south is where the war's at, and north is just Scum territory."

"Teutonii," Flame shot back.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever."

Epiphany flashed on Alice's face; she sprang from her coils, standing tall for the first time that evening. "East! We head east, to the Numidian desert!" With a huge smile, she slithered onto the next step down and turned, her eyes flying between them both. The sheer exhaustion that had been there moments ago seemed lifted. "There is a string of oasis towns and trading posts where we could lay low. With the war raging elsewhere, the Imperial Army garrison must be severely depleted!"

Beneath the tiniest of smiles, Gaius huffed. "Finally, somewhere warmer."

Flame, on the other hand, wasn't smiling. "A desert?" He gawked. "But, Alice—we're at the thickest point of the Tartarus Mountains, where could…" He felt his tail fire shrink behind him. Something dropped in his stomach. "… How long will it take?"

Alice hummed, and tapped her nose with her tail tip.

"I don't know," she conceded after a while. "Three weeks of travel, at a minimum. Perhaps more."

Three weeks? Flame felt his tail fire shrink behind him. That left him a few degrees colder. He scrambled to recreate that journey in his mind, trying to trace a mental map that took them to the sands of the Numidian desert from the… deep… white…

"Alice," he whispered, deadpanned, "do you remember what colour the Tartarus Mountains are on the map?"

She tilted her head at that. "White."

"And tell me: why do you think they drew them white?"

The orb on Alice's neck flashed blue. She splayed her head wings and squeezed her eyes, where her crushing exhaustion from before had returned. "I realise why they're coloured that way, Flame. Do you believe I'm so oblivious?" She breathed a heavy sigh. "Yes, the mountain passes will be frozen over by now. There might even be snowstorms, and feral ice-types will have migrated back. And we're going to make it."

Flame sat agape. "But, you and Gaius…"

"There's always a way," she said, dreamily. "We've survived many Aesernian winters. It can't be that much worse here."

Gaius shrugged. "Fuck me, it could be our last winter. Ever. That sounds worth fighting for."

"Plus," she smiled up at Flame, "we have you now. That's one difference from past winters. Expect that tail of yours to be used very thoroughly."

Flame would have smiled if it weren't for the sheer tension gripping his chest. He didn't know what to say. He wasn't sure if there was anything he could say. Did they realise what they wanted to do—march through the thick snow and sheer cold, day after day? For weeks on end?!

Flame clutched his temples, shaking his head fervently. "There has to be another way. There has to."

"What do you propose, then?"

"Hell, I don't know." Flame rubbed his forearm nervously. "Wh-why not live with the Teutonii? I swear, they're really kind! We'll get a job, housing, all the food we… want…"

He couldn't finish when he saw the serious expression on their heavy faces.

"No." Gaius said plainly, almost glaring with his reddened eyes. "We're not staying with the Scum."

Flame resisted the urge to squint. "They're called Teutonii."

"Call 'em what you want. Point is, I want nothin' to do with them."

But I'm one of— Flame had a half mind to say that aloud, but he couldn't muster enough energy to feel angry. His mental reserves were long depleted. All he could afford was to glare down at his tail, at the fragile yet oblivious flame at its tip. Even the hue it cast on the milky marble steps seemed of a washed-out orange.

"It's madness," he whispered uselessly.

"We've defied fate once," Alice smiled weakly from her coils. "We shall do so again. I'm certain of it."

Slowly, Flame shifted his unfocused eyes up and up into the night sky. "… So that's what we're going off of? Blind optimism?"

"Why," quipped Gaius, his voice raspy, "what was goin' through your head when you made us jump off that bridge? Huh? Did ya have some sort of big plan then?" Despite some leftover tears, Gaius actually squinted at him. "Bloody hell, Flame, you sound grumpier than me…"

Flame was too tired to react; he merely sat there, glaring a hole down into the marble.

"Gaius!" hissed Alice.

"Bah, sorry." Gaius mumbled. "It's just… no point thinking like that."

For his part, all Flame could muster was to curl his claws into a fist.

"Flame," Alice said. "Look at me."

He didn't want to. Thus it was Alice who slithered into his field of view, placing herself right in the trajectory of where he'd been staring emptily until now. Flame merely breathed in sharply, and glared at her instead. He was almost surprised by how heavy the bags under her eyes were. Then again, his own couldn't have looked that different.

"We trusted you when it mattered most. And… we were right to do so. You saved our lives," she whispered, and he could have sworn there was a certain warmth to those heavy eyes as they stared straight into his. "So please, trust us. Just this once."

Despite the sudden closeness, Flame could have sworn he felt his tail fire swell briefly. Trust. After everything that had happened—after hiding her past from him.

"I—" Flame looked in her eyes but his mind was utterly blank. He pressed his forehead in his claws, groaning. "Tomorrow morning. Please. I can't do this right now. I can't…"

"Naturally," Alice said with a tired smile. "Tomorrow is a big day. We should strive to be rested for it."

"If that's even possible." Gaius rubbed his eyes with his good hand.

Arms around his knees, Flame said nothing. That was it. He was never going to convince them. Worse yet, he couldn't think of any other way.

I guess we're doing this. Going off on another… crazy, suicidal adventure.

He watched as Gaius fetched the creased woolen blanket from his bag, and Alice her own. They both rapidly bundled under them on the naked asphalt, and even Flame flinched as he imagined that coolness on his own scales.

"Show-off." Alice giggled weakly, only her snout peeking from under her blanket. "At least come here and help us poor, destitute non-fire types."

Flame merely stared at her, wondering if he was feeling happy or irritated at hearing her laughter.

"Huh? Is it…" Alice's smile wavered. He could have sworn she'd stopped breathing. "T-tomorrow. After we leave. I'll tell you everything there is to know. Just… please, try to understand…"

He couldn't bear to look at her. Trying to distract himself with anything at all, his eyes eventually fell on his leather bag. Something clicked in his brain.

He couldn't sleep yet. There was still one more thing left to do.

Seizing the excuse, Flame stood up abruptly. He snatched his bag, slung it over his shoulder and hurried down the steps, towards the tents.

"Have to think," he muttered, whether to himself or to them. "I have to think…"

---

The myriad tents pitched on every possible space of the square felt distant, oh so distant as Flame walked down the large city avenue. Arms wrapped around himself, he tried to ignore the vague feeling of dread that came from being the only soul in sight for at least an hour. He walked and walked, but the cold never truly went away.

Somehow, that felt wrong. Were fire-types supposed to feel cold?

The avenue around him, for its part, did little to distract him. The buildings that flanked the cobbled road all felt the same: houses with thatched roofs and whitish stone, either attached or with narrow dividing alleyways, few more than two storeys. The farther he went, though, the more brick apartment towers sprung up between the quaint historic houses: they rose to five or six storeys, few plastered or painted over, and almost all still walled by scaffolding.

As he went, trembling a little, Flame glanced upwards at the relative behemoths. He remembered the Bisharp official promising them a room if they agreed to enlist; that must have been why so many of these were springing up everywhere. Even as his gaze returned to earth, he couldn't help imagining what his room would have looked like.

What it could have looked like.

Damn it all, Flame growled to himself. What am I even doing here? I'm supposed to be sleeping for tomorrow! We need to buy supplies, figure out our direction of travel, and how long it'll take, and, and…

Flame breathed sparks through his nostrils out of sheer frustration. How could it have come to this? They were supposed to trust one another with their lives. It was the oath they'd made; a sort of implicit blood pact that one undertook when deciding to become a fugitive. Heck, just until a few hours ago, he'd been ready to spend the rest of his life with them!

Flame stopped abruptly. He had abandoned his people. He had jumped off that bridge. He had nearly drowned. He had come this far—all to be with those two.

And now…

Flame stood there, in the middle of the avenue, letting the chilly wind blow past him for a while. Now he was alone. In truth, he'd felt alone even back at the square.

Was it… was it because he was a Scum? But he had already asked them, and neither of them seemed bothered by it. He was different, Gaius had said. He was family. Those words had sounded so sincere.

Hesitating, he looked up at the star-speckled sky; looked up and around, finding distant storm clouds and the crescent moon barely peeking above one of the distant apartment towers. He dreaded to think what sunrise would bring. They would be unceremoniously shoved out of the city gates—and what then? Sycorax and his Praetorian Guard were still out there. If they somehow managed to evade them, what awaited them was a three-week trek through the coldest and harshest mountain passes in the Empire!

Teeth gritted, Flame hissed—producing a little steam from the cold air—and kicked a pebble along to take out his frustration on something.

Yet if there was hope, it lay in the desert. He had to cling onto that. Even if his teammates didn't trust him; even if all of this was insane. Even if he had no idea what tomorrow would bring.

With a sigh of finality, he scanned around him and settled on the closest alleyway. It would do.

He slipped in the murky sliver between the buildings, his tail fire forcing back the shadows previously occupying it. It was finally time.

Daedalus…

He barely moved for a couple of heartbeats, as if petrified by that glowing mental glare of his. With tepid reluctance, he inched a hand into his bag, fishing out his badge moments later. He studied it for a few moments: the heraldic eagle encrusted on its back betrayed imperial origins, yet its gold colouring had been scratched off, as had the writing above it.

This badge he had lacked the courage to throw away for so many days, ever since he'd found it, tucked at the bottom of his bag.

This badge… Daedalus had left it to contact him.

But what could he say? He was about to leave this place for the desert. There was no convincing his teammates otherwise. Would he call, after all these days since the ambush, just to deliver the bad news?

Flame grimaced down at the badge. That just felt… cruel. But then, that meant, if he wasn't contacting Daedalus…

Flame squeezed his eyes; he shot up on his feet. If I don't throw it now, I never will.

Curling his claws around the badge, he turned around to the other end of the alley; there, a row of metal rubbish bins. It was as if fate was beckoning him. Teeth gritted, he hesitated.

If there was hope, it lay in the desert. He wasn't coming back.

I have to let go.

His clenched fist trembled at the sight of the open lid. He had to be strong.

At some point, I'll have to let go…

Just as he could feel his muscles working, something hit him. A memory.

Suddenly he was in Neuhoffnung again, that tiny barbarian village. He was sitting in his house. It felt strange to say that. He was sitting in his house talking to Daedalus and then… and then Daedalus embraced him. Shivers ran through his spine as he recalled the strange feeling of his skin; so cold, rough, yet somehow warm…

And that was it; tears were welling in his eyes. He couldn't do it. Daedalus didn't deserve that. Not after all he'd done for him. He, he would—he would tell him the truth and then toss away the badge! Yes, that sounded right. Quick. Painless. Relatively.

Flame slid down the brick wall, and settled into a sitting position. There was a heavy knot choking his breath. New doubts rushed in to fill the old ones he'd just resolved. He wanted this, for sure, but—what would he even say? If already he was freezing up like this…

Flame squeezed both his eyes and his badge. I'm not coming back, he recited to himself. And… I'll thank him, Brynn—heck, all the Teutonii, for what they've done for me. That I'm sorry for abandoning them. And that, despite not being together for long, he…

He would say the lines, then depress the button. He wouldn't even have to hear the pain that came afterwards. He'd utter those words and then chuck the badge in the rubbish bin, never to hear or see Daedalus again.

It was simple enough. He could do it.

With what few shrivels of courage he'd gathered, he felt for the little switch on the back and flicked it. Then, with a breath of finality, he pressed the transmitting button.

"Daedalus?"

Nothing. For the longest time, Flame stared blankly at the badge, his heart beating a little faster each second.

"... are you there?"

More nothing. He depressed the button, then squeezed it again, harder.

"P-please respond."

By the fifteenth heartbeat, Flame could hardly breathe any longer. They couldn't be… dead, could they? No. No, no, no; it had to be the badge. The water from the river had damaged it. That meant they couldn't speak anymore, but—but at least they were still alive, right? It was impossible. Flame whimpered at the thought, squeezing the badge tight to his chest.

You're stronger than Sycorax. His eyes glazed forward. Even if he was surrounding you, he… No. You… you can teleport. You would've figured something out. Staring down at his badge, the first tears blurred his vision. You wouldn't let them all die like this!

The badge erupted in screeching static.

"FLAME!"

Flame yelped, tipped back onto his tail and scrambled away instinctively before stopping to gawk at the badge he'd just dropped. "D-Daedalus?" he squeaked. "You're alive?!"

"Where on earth have you been?" Daedalus boomed. "Tell me—have you paid a single modicum of thought to how scared you've left me? Five days have passed!"

Despite the weight in his chest, and the leftover tears in his eyes, Flame croaked a sound of joy. "I'm sorry," he whispered happily. "I—I've missed you so much! There were just so many things on my mind, and I could never find the right t-time, and—" He squeezed the badge with his claws, hunching closer to it. "S-sorry. Hearing your voice again, it's…"

"We shall deal with this matter later. At the moment, it is imperative that we bring you back with us. Where are you? Have the Praetorians found you?"

Flame first darted his eyes around, then bit his lip. "N-no, no. I'm somewhere safe. I'm… okay."

He didn't know whether to laugh, or cry at what he'd just said. In a way he was already doing both. Okay? Everything was falling apart.

"My child." Daedalus' voice had lowered considerably. "You sound pained. Please, are you injured in any way?"

Flame's lip trembled. "I said I'm fine."

He was already lying to him. Not fifteen seconds in and he was lying to Daedalus' face, not to mention wasting time. He had to tell him, didn't he?

Darting his eyes left and right, Flame took another breath. "What, ah, happened to Brynn? And the others we were with?"

A small pause. "They are alive. The Praetorians retreated soon after you jumped; we stalled them as much as we could. I can only assume they wished to begin their search for you."

A joyous tremor washed through Flame's body at those words. As if on trigger, a quick succession of images flashed through his mind: Daedalus' embrace, Brynn's innocent smile, his comrades huddled with beer around a campfire. The lake by Neuhoffnung…

He felt his breath leave him.

"So you're saying," Flame shook a little, "th-that my plan worked?" Staring wide-eyed at the badge, he kept breathing in and out, in and out, as his mind processed everything. "It worked? Nobody died!?"

"Your 'plan' was suicidal and reckless—but that's not important. What matters now is bringing you home."

"It worked…" Flame whispered, eyes glazed downwards. Slowly, a huge smile spread across his face. "They're… alive…"

"Please, child, we do not have time. Where are you?"

It took one question to wipe away Flame's smile. He had to tell him. He'd promised himself: say those lines, then throw away the badge. It was now or never.

"I'm s-somewhere safe," he said breathlessly, then winced and cursed between his teeth. "M-m-my, ah, teammates are here t-too." He couldn't breathe as well. "You, you don't have to worry."

"Tell me—what do you see around you? How far have you walked from that river?"

Flame's claws started to tremble. "Daedalus. I… I can't tell you that."

Silence. A silence that cut deeper than any word, that had Flame's chest wound tight as he braced for the inevitable.

"… Why?"

He squeezed his eyes. There it was. That gut-punch, the hint of betrayal underneath the simple confusion of that word. Yet it was all for Team Phalanx, he reminded himself. For the hope of a better future.

Somewhere. Somehow.

"B-because…" He squeezed the badge tighter for comfort. "I'm not coming back."

Flame paused and braced for the inevitable hurt that would follow. When it didn't come, he took it as a cue to continue.

"I've talked with my teammates. We decided we're going to leave for a new home. I don't know where that is yet, but it will be far away. Somewhere far from the war, far from the Praetorians, far from… from…" Flame's eyes lost focus. "Everything."

With a tone as shaken as it was seething, Daedalus replied, "Stop with this childish fantasy. Tell your friends that they will both be safe with us. We do not have time for this."

The sheer hurt in those words brought Flame to immediate tears. He clutched the badge tight and repressed a half-sob.

"It can't work," he whispered, shaking his head maniacally, "They think our people are savages. Murderers! They would never want that." He brought the trembling badge closer to his mouth, partially because his own voice was close to a whisper. "They're everything to me, Daedalus. Even if…"

Even if it didn't go both ways, apparently.

"Flame, you cannot—"

He flicked the switch on the back of the badge.

This is for Team Phalanx. This is for Team Phalanx. It's all for Team Phalanx…

Stillness set in. Flame said nothing, but merely stared. He stared at the red brick wall in front of him, and in that moment it sank in where he was: alone, sitting in this dark, grimy alleyway with only his tail fire for light. Now, his only form of company was gone.

Of course, he could have simply turned the badge back on. But after hearing that voice's pain, the anger of it all…

No—it was over. He'd told Daedalus the truth, the Teutonii back at the ambush were alive, and he could finally rest easy. That was all he'd set out to accomplish.

Now, there was only one loose end left.

With a strange numbness, Flame half-crawled back to his feet. His eyes dropped to the badge for a moment. Eventually, he lumbered over to the closest metal bin in the alley. It reached just under his chest and emanated an ungodly smell—urine and fermenting food, for sure.

Trying his best to ignore the smell, Flame shut his eyes and extended the badge inside a clenched fist, until it hovered over the open bin. It was all for Alice and Gaius, he reminded himself. No matter how much he wanted to scoff at that. All for them…

… Why, then, did he feel so empty?

There was so much he still wanted to say to Daedalus. He would have preferred to relay those words in person, but he knew that if he turned that badge back on, he could never handle the pain Daedalus must have been feeling.

With little alternative, Flame resorted to looking wistfully at his clenched fist where the badge resided. Perhaps hoping that somewhere, somehow, the Dusknoir would receive his message.

I promise, he told himself in his head, that I won't forget about our mission. I won't let the Presence get to me. I'll be safe.

For the second time that day, he didn't know whether to laugh or cry at what he'd just said. Safe? They were about to cross the Tartarus Mountains passes, with winter snows but a week away! And he had the gall to use that word.

Immediately his mind drew back to visions he'd been trying to bottle up. Visions from their time in that ice cave. Once again he saw Gaius writhing on the icy ground, too weak to cry out. He saw the frost on his green scales and the ice seeping into his hand. He was staring into Alice's eyes again and saw nothing but agony; a slow, unrelenting, cold, sapping agony… Flame quivered at the memory, quivered so violently that for a moment he forgot his animosity for the two.

But he knew they would never accept any other plan. He'd heard it from Alice already: if there was a future, it lay in the desert. He didn't have a choice.

He didn't… have…

…

Flame's gaze darkened.

He did.

In a moment of impetus, he flicked the badge's switch with a claw.

"—ell me that you're listening, I beg you!"

"Daedalus." Flame wasn't listening. His eyes were glazed, his claw firmly on the button. "I'm in Thermae Himerae."

No reply. Only Flame's own throbbing heartbeat as he sat there, eyes shut and mentally bracing himself for what was to come.

It was almost twenty heartbeats before Daedalus spoke up. "Remain where you are. We are departing for your location immediately."

Flame merely kept breathing, in and out. "H-how quickly can you get here?"

"Expect us there before noon. Exit the city while it is still dark. Do not let anyone see you—the Praetorians may still be out there."

"O-okay." Somehow, his gaze lingered downward. Some time passed before he snapped back into focus. "I'm sorry. For saying those things. I'll… I'll explain everything."

"Later. Right now, all I want is to see you again."

Flame nodded absentmindedly. He figured he should have blushed at that. "Please bring some food," he muttered. "Maybe Leppa Berry. Gaius likes those."

"We will. If anything happens, contact me immediately. I'll see you soon, my child."

Flame could only stare as the badge fell silent with one final batch of static, leaving him alone with his frantic heartbeat.

He quickly crumpled against the brick wall, eyes drawn up towards the night sky. He was shaking all over. Perhaps he was too exhausted. Perhaps the full ramifications of what he'd just done hadn't yet sunk in.

Whatever the case, as Flame gazed up from that frosty alley to the sliver of starry night above, he somehow found reason to smile.

---

End of Chapter XXVII​

 

[Spiteful Murkrow]

It’s been far too long. My reviewing schedule has kinda been off-kilter since the tail end of June, so I figured that getting back into the swing of things with my v2 series of your story was in order. Especially since this next chapter is one of the bigger arc watersheds in the story.

I’m a bit lazy and don’t feel like undoing 50 image tags, so this particular review will be done in 2 parts to save myself a bit of effort. Since hey, a big chapter means a big review in my normal style. Might as well try and make it a bit more accessible:

Chapter XXIV

Spoiler: Line-by-Line

Aurina Valley—Tartarus Mountains

The mystery dungeon stood like a spear piercing the sky itself, towering far, far, above the valley and the puny convoy that walked its cragged passes.

Flame could not tear his eyes away from the colossal mountain whose summit was obscured in gray clouds. Atop the Arcanine, he kept his snout raised as she trotted. This was it: the mystery dungeon they were to escape through. This was his final destination.

Flame: “Well, I hope that it’s not my final final destination, since I’d still like to find Alice and Gaius again, thank you very much. ^^;

A sense of awe and excitement crashed into him at the thought, leaving in its wake only some odd tingling in its wake. Earlier he'd had his doubts, but now, from this close, there was no mistaking it. He pulled aside the hem of his hood to look around. The entire valley was inundated with the fiery orange glow of early dawn, but the mountain itself was stuck in a cloudy gray. It loomed there, dreary and shaded—even at angles where the sun's rays clearly should have hit its granite slopes.

Huh. Daedalus’ strategy for jumping into the MD to skip out to [Derinkuyu] was more solid than I thought given that they’re timing their jump for morning twilight. I still wonder why they didn’t opt to try and move at night and rest by day given that that would make them harder to spot for most sentries that aren’t out and out surveillance drones.

Flame felt his breathing pick up pace as an excited smirk seized his cheeks. So the mystery dungeon was not in the mountain; it was the mountain itself!

So focused He was he so focused on his objective, that he'd nearly forgotten the feminine voice droning softly in his head.

Flame: “... (Right. All the other Teutonii are right around me at the moment. Gotta play it cool.)” ._.;
Brynn: “Herr Flame? Are you alright? You seem tense right now.”
Flame: “J-Just enjoying the scenery!”

"I have a few girl friends in the town," Brynn said, turned to him. "I've known them since I was a kit, and—ah, they'll be so excited to meet you!" She let out a physical squeal, cupping her hands in her lap. "Not just them: I bet all the girls in our new home will be swooning over you."

Yeah, Daedalus passing you off as a prophesied god-king to the Teutonii will certainly do that to ya.

Flame: "E-Eh? Brynn? Just how many times have you been to [Derinkuyu] from Neuhoffnung if you've got childhood friends there?" .-.
Brynn: "I mean, the text there very strongly implies that [Derinkuyu] is my home, Flame."
Flame: "But then why come to Neuhoffnung with your mother if [Derinkuyu]'s a safe haven and Neuhoffnung is close enough to the frontlines of the war to get spied on if not outright raided from the air?" .-.
Brynn: "Did you really think that any Teutonii would just pass up the honor to fight under the banner of our Lord Daedalus?"
- Flame paws at the back of his head uneasily -
Flame: "... Right. Guess that'd make sense."

Flame felt that he should have blushed at that thought, yet he said nothing, and merely kept his face steeled as he watched the rocky path ahead.

"Oh! Oh! We should get a house together! Obviously we'd get two beds—if, if you, uh, if you'd prefer to—but I still think it's a great idea! Would you like that, Herr Flame?"

Wew, somebody is eager to get intimate with [Our -------] there. >:V

"Huh?" He blinked and pulled the hem of his hood, flinching slightly at her expectant stare. "Wha—y-yeah, yeah."

Only when Brynn beamed and Flame went back through her words did he realise what he'd just agreed to.

- Meanwhile in the distance -
Alice: “Flame! What the hell?!”
- Cue nervous freezing moment -
Brynn: “... Should we be concerned? That sounded an awful lot like a Col- er… Imperial that was nearby. And really, really angry.” ._.;
Flame: “(Oh dear god. T-Though, I guess that means I won’t need to look that long for Alice after leaving?) U-Uh… yeah, about that house idea…”

He immediately bit his tongue. "No—I, I mean… maybe. I'll have to think about it, okay?"

Brynn's ears dropped slightly. "… Okay. Sorry."

Flame: “(Whew, so Alice isn’t gonna strangle me the moment we meet each other again.)”

Brynn: “Herr Flame, you’re doing your mumbling under your breath thing again…”

Flame: “What? No! No! I’m… uh… just excited to go and see [Derinkuyu], that’s all!” o_o;

With that settled, Flame turned back to watch the dungeon looming in the sky. Whatever guilt he felt at dismissing her like that was replaced by sheer adrenaline. He was so close to his objective—he couldn't afford to be distracted now.

Narrator:

Flame: “Look, I can make hard decisions, alright?! Shut up!” >///<

The convoy was marching up a steep forested hill, surrounded by slender pine trees and flowers and following the course of a large creek. Somewhere at the very top of the hill, beyond the trees and vegetation obstructing his view, he could just faintly make out the first anomalous ripples shimmering high up in the air.

Maybe it’s the nitpicker in me, but I personally feel that this bit works better mentioning the creek first and then bringing up the hill, since the following sentence immediately goes right back to it topic-wise.

The sight sent Flame's heart into a frenzy. He squinted his eyes and tried to estimate the distance: it was impossible to tell exactly when the dungeon started, but within a few minutes at most they would reach the hilltop. Once that happened, he would know when to set his plan in motion.

Breathing in shakily, he clutched the small stun seed he was holding underneath his cape. It was, at least in theory, a simple plan. That meant little chances of messing everything up, of ruining perhaps his only chance at the future he dreamt of.

I kinda wonder if it’d have made sense to give more of a hint or passing mention of what this plan was at this point. Which if my memory serves me right, was “Wait for Kameradin Arkani to be the last one into the Distortion, hit her with the Stun Seed, and then leg it into the bushes”.

But meh, I’m pretty sure the story spelled that out more explicitly later anyways, so…

No, no, no… He gritted his teeth, eyes shut. Not now…

Breathe. He needed to breathe. He needed to hold his seed tightly, too; but first and foremost he needed to breathe. Why did he have to get nervous now, to jeopardise all these sleepless nights of planning over a few nerves?

Brynn: “... Herr Flame? Are you alright? You look… tense.” .-.
Flame: “... (Right, that’s why I’m feeling so nervous right now. God, I should’ve never chatted her up last night, since she’s so not making this any easier.)”

As Flame sucked in one large breath after another, he concentrated on the incessant snaps and crunches of pine needles being crushed under the convoy's feet. He focused on the wind rushing into his hood, and blowing back the loose ends of his oversized cape…

Suddenly, a familiar hand settled on his shoulder.

"Do you see the dungeon, my child?"

Flame jolted in his saddle and nearly dropped the stun seed in his claws. "Wh-what are you—" He whipped around, before peering up at Daedalus. "Uh, y-yeah. It's the mountain, isn't it?"

Boy would that have been an awkward cover story for Daedalus to come up with on the spot if Flame had just dropped that Stun Seed of his right then and there. Like I get that Daedalus is a smooth-talker and hasn’t been shooting straight with his adoptive buddies, but that would’ve been a mess to explain away.

Daedalus: "Hey Flame, whatcha doing?"
Flame: "AAAAAAAAAAH!"
- Flame and Daedalus stare at each other blankly as Flame forces on a sheepish smile -
Flame: "I... uh... I meant to do that? (And when did you ever start saying 'whatcha'?)"
Daedalus: "I was trying to come off as more informal since you've been high-strung lately, my child."
- Daedalus folds arms -
Daedalus: "Let's talk a bit, hm?"
Flame: "Oh... uh... okay? (God, this is so not going to plan.)" ._.;

"Indeed." Daedalus looked up through the treetops, hand firmly on his shoulder. "We are not very far, now. Once we are inside, I beg you: stay close to me. Leave all the fighting to your comrades unless strictly necessary."

… Boy does that take on some dark undertones in light of the most recent chapter, given that we get a good look of just how ready Daedalus is to sacrifice others for the sake of Flame’s well-being.

Outwardly Flame maintained his composure, but internally he wanted to scream. Not now! Why did it have to talk to him right now?

"I can handle myself," Flame replied, perhaps a bit too forcefully. He quickly bit his tongue, feeling a small pang of guilt. "L-look, I appreciate that you're worried, but … I'll be fine."

Daedalus: “...”

Flame: “I will be, okay?! I-It’s just pre-dungeon jitters!” O_O;

"Hm, yes," Daedalus stared down at him. "You are stronger than you seem. I said so myself, did I not? Perhaps I worry too much…"

Not least of all because he has been strongly implied to have a link with the portal storms and Mystery Dungeons of this setting up to this point. And as of the most recent chapter, there’s a nonzero chance Flame’s secretly Giratina or something along those lines. Wouldn’t be the first time I’ve read a story that went off in that direction with dragon royalty.

With shaky claws, he pulled the hem of his hood aside to better look around. They were further up the dirt track, still flanked by pine trees and shrubbery. Judging by the number of Teutonii in front of him, he was somewhere in the middle of the column. He bit his lip; every part of his plan relied on him being at the rear. If only Daedalus would go away…

Yeah, good luck with that one, Flame, since you’re literally “sacrifice everyone else to keep you alive”-tier in terms of importance for these guys.

"I have thought extensively of our conversation last night."

Flame's heart twitched; he lifted his wide eyes to the Dusknoir's, locking gazes. Did it suspect…?

"Wh-why?" he stammered, before forcing himself to smile. "I—I mean, I'm feeling better now! I was just having a moment of … c-crisis, I guess. But... you were there for me, right?"

"That is precisely what troubles me, my child."

Flame: “D-Daedalus? C-Couldn’t this have waited for sometime later-?”

Daedalus:

Flame wordlessly held Daedalus' gaze as it continued to float beside his Arcanine. Somewhere from within the forest came a flying-type's chirp.

"Although you are strong," Daedalus said warmly, "we cannot forget the extent of the trauma you suffered. You need me by your side, Flame." Its eye drifted downwards. "And soon, I will have to leave you again."

Flame: “Daedalus, are you serious?!” >.<
Daedalus: “... Yes? I do have a war effort to help lead, My Child. I’m… kinda taking a bit of a gamble spending so much time away from it as is.” ^;
Flame: “(Okay, suddenly I don’t feel so bad for being about to run off into the woods two minutes from now.)” >_>;

A single chuckle left Flame's nostrils. He looked off to the side, and watched the thin, greening underbrush go by as he produced a somber smile. If only it knew…

"It's not your fault," he spoke, still looking away. "W-we're in a struggle for survival, right? Our people are." He played with the stun seed under his cape and shut his eyes. "Besides, you've already done so much for me…"

"Not nearly enough," Daedalus muttered back, drifting off towards the head of the column. "Not nearly enough…"

Something went terribly wrong with Daedalus’ escape from Labworld with Flame because of his own decision-making, didn’t it? Since I can see that response he gave, and from the way that Daedalus reacted after that word slip-up regarding who might have been the cause of Flame’s mind-wipe… I’m not fully convinced that the two are unrelated.

Flame bit down on his trembling lip. He wanted to say something, to prove the Dusknoir wrong—perhaps to hear its voice for a little longer, too.

Flame: "(Augh! He's not supposed to make me waver like this!)"
Daedalus: "By the way, my child, what's that thing you're toying with in your claws?"
- Flame blanch moment -
Flame: "It's... uh... the marbles from last night? I'd been feeling a bit stressed lately and just needed something to settle me down a bit."

Daedalus: "Hrmph. If I had known you were feeling this nervous, I'd have sourced a Lansat Berry for you to hold onto."

Yet when he lifted his eyes again, he jolted up: the vegetation around them was nearly gone, replaced by greying rocks and the occasional bush. He quickly pulled aside the hems of his hood to look around. To his left, off the edge of the path they were on, he could see hundreds of meters below into a steep-looking rock face. The path barely granted the convoy enough space to march in a double column: to their right rose an enormous granite wall, too tall for him to see the top.

I might be misreading the intent of this paragraph, but you’re missing a couple words assuming that you meant to wedge the Teutonii convoy between a cliff going down and a cliff going up. If that’s not the intent, you probably want to add a few words anyways to make things a bit clearer as to what lies off to the left of the group.

Again, Flame's heart thumped faster and faster. The mountain was looming even closer in front of them, jutting up into the heavens, but the distortions in the air—the mystery dungeon's threshold—started much sooner. So soon, in fact, that it took him scarcely a few seconds to spot where it began: it was at the end of this windy cliffside path.

It was in that cold heartbeat that the realisation struck him.

It's time…

Flame: “(Ulp. No pressure…)”

From atop his saddle, Flame shook in a sudden impulse of terror. His plan—he had to enact his plan!

With shaky claws he reached down to the saddle's side, unhooked his bag, and lifted it to his lap. Flame bit his lip, glanced at the Teutonii marching around him. They were but a few minutes away from the dungeon, now—surely this wouldn't look suspicious. Right?

With no time to answer his own question, he slipped a paw into his bag and pulled out the items he'd prepared: two plain seeds. For a couple of heartbeats he just sat there, flicking his eyes between the seeds and the Arcanine underneath him. He hadn't quite thought of the specifics of his plan. Was it better to give her one first, or…?

Which is as good a sign as any that things are about to go really, really haywire with it. This would be the downside of pantsing things with the Power of Love, since as touching as it is, it leads to plans that aren’t terribly hard to knock off-balance.

Realising that there wasn't much mountain path left, Flame threw all caution to the wind and shoved one of the two seeds in his mouth. He bit down on the hard shell and winced slightly when some of the bitter powder within fell onto his tongue.

He squeezed his eyes. How can Gaius eat this stuff?

- Meanwhile with Sycorax’s entourage... -
Gaius: "Tch, how's a 'mon that needs to dumpster dive for meals wind up this picky?"
- Alice turns and tilts her head at Gaius -
Alice: "Gaius? Is something wrong?"
- Gaius blink -
Gaius: "Sorry, must just be the anticipation. Since I could've sworn I just heard Flame's voice somewhere out there whining about the taste of Plain Seeds."
Alice: "(To be fair, you do have a stronger tolerance for bitter food and drink than most 'mons... like all that cheap swill you used to drown yourself in.)"

Nevertheless, he resisted the urge to vomit and crunched the shell as loudly as he could. It was when he peeled his eyes open that he found the Arcanine's muzzle tilted back to glance at him. Flame grinned with joy; he quickly swallowed what little he could stomach.

"H-here." He offered her the other plain seed. "You can have one."

Teutonii!Arcanine: “Ach… Mein [------]? Ich glaube, das solltest du dir für später aufheben.”
Flame: “No no! It’s -hurk- quite something. Go ahead and eat.” X_X

For whatever reason, the Arcanine did nothing but stare at the paw he'd extended. A single heartbeat turned into far too many, and Flame found himself moving his lips in silent fervent prayer.

Just as his paw started to quiver, though, the Arcanine lapped up the seed in her tongue. Flame let out a small squeal of joy as she turned to look ahead again, making a thankful purr with her throat as she chewed loudly.

… Giant dogs purr in this setting? .-.

Flame: “Okay, how is she just downing that like it was nothing?!” o_o;
Brynn: “They’re acquired tastes? And after going through a good pint of beer here or there, the bitter aftertaste honestly is a bit tame.”

Flame promptly wiped the saliva-coated palm on his cape, yet laughed regardless. This was the fourth seed she'd accepted today. He'd gained her trust—he had to, by now!

I take it that this setting isn’t one where seeds have immediately obvious differences in appearance like they have as of PMD DX when all items got official art. Not that it wouldn’t be hilarious to imagine Flame offering an obvious brown-and-purple crescent-shaped thing and the Arcanine just going full “... Mein [------], das ist ein Taubsamen.

” in reply. :V

But he was still near the middle of the column, and all his planing amounted to nothing so long as that was the case.

Step two, breathed Flame.

"Hey." He leaned closer to her ear. "C-could you slow down for a little? My stomach's feeling all..."

Teutonii!Arcanine: “Tut mir leid, Mein [-------]. Ich spreche kein Kollaborat- ähh… diese Sprache.” ^^;
Flame: “... Right, forgot about the language barrier.” >.<

The Arcanine turned back with a perplexed face, and Flame blinked, unsure what to make of it. Then, after a moment, it clicked: they spoke different languages.

Waaaaaait, but shouldn’t Flame know that very well by this point in time now given that he’s literally had zero intelligible communication from anyone not named Brynn or Daedalus for at least half a week by now?

Teutonii!Arcanine: "Stimmt etwas nicht, Mein [------]?"
Flame: "(This would've been a real handy time to have learned more of their language than just 'Herr' and 'Ich bin das Glutexo'. I could only understand the 'Glutexo' there!)"

Sighing, he lifted his eyes to gaze at the rest of the convoy as they continued down the cliffside path. He needed someone to translate for him. Gods, not Daedalus—he couldn't risk drawing Daedalus back here again.

As Flame scanned his eyes around in search of an answer, he spotted Brynn sitting atop her Gogoat just a few Teutonii ahead. He perked up in no time.

"B-Brynn! Brynn!"

This seems like an absolutely fantastic idea to be talking to the one Teutonii you’ve had any meaningful communication with over the past couple days when you’re about to cut and run from this convoy. Totally won’t result in you having second thoughts at all, Flame.

The Braixen turned back in alarm, and Flame immediately bit his lip. No, no, he'd sounded too panicked—he needed to stay calm. Calm. He gripped his ride's mane and took deep breaths as Brynn and her Gogoat slowed down, and other Teutonii surpassed them.

When they finally squeezed in the spot next to him, he was taken aback by the look on her face—her ears slightly flattened, looking at him as if vaguely afraid.

"Herr Flame?" she said, her voice quiet. "What's wrong?"

Flame: “N-Nothing! Wh-What would make you think something’s wrong?”

Brynn: “Well, for one, you look like we just waltzed up to a waterfall entrance.”
Flame: “(Oh dear god, that’s part of this journey, too? I really do need to get out of here…)”

"N-nothing," he blurted before glancing away. Was she still sad from earlier? "Well, no, uh, I meant—c-can you tell my ride to slow down a little? I'm feeling a bit … s-sick. In the stomach."

Flame: "(Uh... she does believe me right now, right?)"

Brynn: "... Herr Flame, if you're feeling nervous or afraid, you can just say so instead of trying to make excuses. The rest of us understand if you're feeling nervous and will gladly be at your side."
Flame: "(She doesn't sound very convinced. I think I still have some Plain Seed left in my mouth to work with...)" - Flame gulps down a bit more of the Plain Seed and gags
- Flame: "U-Urk! That was too much!"

- Flame dry heaves and tries to keep his lunch down as Brynn looks on in surprise -
Brynn: "Er... sorry for doubting you, Herr Flame. We can let you rest a bit." ._.

"Oh, of course." Her eyes softened. "Do you want me to tell Lord Daedalus, or—"

"No," he interrupted her, then forced a smile onto his face. "I, I don't want to make him worry. That's all."

Brynn: “...”

Flame: “L-Look, he’s already busy with being your leader and all that, I don’t think he needs the extra headache.” ^^;

It was a tense, trembling smile, yet somehow it was enough: she returned it. Brynn held his gaze for several heartbeats, before she uttered something in that harsh language of theirs that got the Arcanine to whine in something resembling pity.
And then she began to slow down.

Dalton: “Is it really that hard to pick out ‘Gehen Sie langsamer. Unser [-----] ist gerade übel’?”

Irune: “I didn’t pick up on any of that, so… yes? And don’t we have a robbery in our own story to be getting to right now?” >_>;
Kate: “Seconded, not in the mood for a spot language lesson right about now, Scales. And something about these cliffs is giving me a bad vibe.”

Flame's breath choked; he refused to believe this was working. And yet, he watched as Teutonii began to overtake them. More than a few blushed or bowed as they passed him by. Soon, he was riding near the tail of the convoy with only one Dewott behind him.

Can’t tell if the rest of the convoy is all really just that credulous, or if nobody has the heart to openly call BS on [Our -------] since… well, he’s [Our -------] to them.

Donning an incredulous smile, he patted the side of the Arcanine's head. "Thank you…" he whispered. "Thank you so much…"

The Arcanine purred back, and Flame glanced away in shame. No, he couldn't let the guilt affect him—not when he was so close. He would need to be fast—and break free of this stupid cape, too.

Narrator: “He’s absolutely going to let the guilt affect him.”
Flame: “Sh-Shut up! I can do this, alright?!” >///<

In fact, they were nearing the path's end, now. When he craned his neck up, he could see it: another hundred metres ahead and the narrow cliffside path widened into a small muddy plateau, and a little ways after that, the air began distorting and draining in colour.

Teeth gritted together, Flame slung his bag around his shoulder. Step three. Freedom.

Flame: “... I mean, there’s really only one path away from here that doesn’t involve falling to my death, so maybe ‘Freedom’ is overstating it a bit.” ^^;

Inside his cape he clutched the stun seed as tightly as his quivering claws allowed him to. All that was left to do now was feed the Arcanine this stun seed just before they reached the dungeon's entrance. 'Have this last one,' he'd tell her; his ride wouldn't understand a word, but it would hardly matter. Never would she expect this seed to be different.

- Flame looks in his claws and sees a DX-spec Stun Seed -
Flame: “... Arcanine don’t have good vision in this setting, do they?”

He felt a pit in his stomach at what he was going to do to her—but this Arcanine looked young and strong, and once the paralysis wore off she would certainly find her way back to her people.

Even before the Praetorians just chilling in the shadows, imagine thinking this in a mountain range full of feral Hydreigon.

Him, on the other hand? This way his only chance.

Technically, it’s not, but you won’t know that for about another minute, Flame.

However, no amount of rationalisation was enough to dispel the guilt eating away at his innards when he looked down at her mane.

I'm sorry… he mouthed with his lips. A vague tremor shook his chest; suddenly the madness of what he was about to do sunk in. He was abandoning Daedalus, Brynn, all the Teutonii that had welcomed and fed him. They didn't deserve this—none of them did.

I'm so sorry… He squeezed his eyes together, and sniffled.

It’s gonna be interesting to see how this one will age within ten chapters of where the story is offsite. Since… yeah, if there’s one constant about this story in its run thus far, it’s that you can’t always take your initial observations about things for granted.

Pressure built behind his eyes, and every breath he took seemed to suck more air out of him than it introduced brought up. Yet he needed to be strong. Just this once, he needed to become the fearless Charmeleon that all these pokémon hailed him to be.

Flame: “... Which will gut them and leave them demoralized wrecks…”
- Flame pause and gulps -
Flame: “G-God, why did I need to think about that?”

Flame opened his damp eyes again. They were on the rocky plateau, now; the dungeon's entrance lay somewhere on the other side of the chasm that cut across the plateau, connected only by a short, wooden bridge.

Flame's heart jumped, and a cold breeze flapped the loose ends of his cape. The time was nearly upon him. All he had to do was offer the seed to her. It was simple enough. He'd come this far, after all.

Flame: “C-Come on, Flame! I-It’s now or never! Just give her the Stun Seed and leg it! Y-You can do it!”

His time was running out yet he still sat there, clutching his stun seed in his shaky claws, watching helplessly as the convoy crept quietly towards the bridge. If he stayed, in two days he would be in his new home with Daedalus and Brynn, piecing together a new life. His house had already been prepared. Could he still run away after all they'd done for him?

If you have to ask the question, Flame...

Daedalus paused just before the bridge and looked back. Flame averted his gaze. His distress awoke a stirred up nausea in his body, and he stared down with his wide eyes.

I can't. He sniffled. I can't do it. I can't—

And this is why you don’t do stuff like get chummy with Brynn the night right before your great escape, not that Flame wasn’t getting attached to the Teutonii in live-time. Well, that and he really does get uneasy about being the cause of others' suffering

Flame: "B-But Alice, and Gaius- And-"
- Flame looks back at the Teutonii who are casting worried glances back every now and then, and off at forest where he'd be all alone trying to find Team Phalanx again from the next province over -
Flame: "I- I really didn't think this through, did I?"

"Halt."

In one word, Flame's train of thought screeched to a halt. The convoy stopped; right there, right in the middle of the rocky plateau.

"Huh?" Blinking slowly, Flame raised his head to see. "Why did we just—"

Daedalus: “My child, have you been crying?”
- Flame obviously sniffles -
Flame: “N-No?”
Daedalus: “Oh yeah, that wasn’t a transparent lie right there. But anyhow, we’ll get to the bottom of that latter, something’s up.”
Flame: “H-Huh? What’s up?”

From the front of the convoy, Daedalus did little more than float there with its hands clasped behind its back, examining their surroundings.

"Comrade Hydreigon was scheduled to be here by now."

Flame's expression gradually collapsed into a scowl. No, no—not now. Not when he was so close. Why did they have to stop for that stupid dragon now?

Flame: “... Don’t you have a stolen badge or something you can use to just message him?” >_>;
Daedalus: “That wasn’t canonically established in this chapter, my child. Even if it probably ought to be since you have one in your cloak right now that becomes important in about 4 chapters.”

Cursing under his breath, he pulled back his hood and twisted his head to look about. With his eyes he trailed the greying slopes of the mystery dungeon towering above them; he gazed up to the cliff's rocky crest, then in the opposite direction to the towering mountains jutting up on the horizon. Nothing. Not a single trace of their Hydreigon.

"M-maybe he was compromised," tried Flame offered, his voice feeble. "And, and he's trying to lead them away from us."

"Perhaps so," Daedalus said. "This is … unexpected. I do not remember hearing any form of signal from him."

This entire part is so, so much more sus than how I remembered it the first time. Since Kamerad Trikephalo could've done literally anything here to alert the group that they were in danger or else that he spotted Imperials nearing in all directions when he was specifically chosen because he could feign being a local feral if spotted, and he just didn't.

That, and the idea of there being a turncoat in Daedalus' group is scarily plausible scenario given:

- Sycorax knew exactly where to go in all of Basileia Province to find these guys. Even in spite of attempts at disguising themselves from aerial reconnaissance that Daedalus would likely know enough about to have decent odds of defeating
- Real!Urbe had a very long history of playing Germanics against each other and meddling with their politics to serve its own interests. There is exactly zero reason to believe that this Urbe or their Benefactors wouldn't have done the same at some point with their own Germanic stand-ins from how much they echo Real!Urbe in this story
- There are multiple off-the-shelf potential grievances or else pain points that could be used as a means of coercion that could motivate a Teutonii into playing ball with the Imperials just from stuff that can be gathered between the lines from the story thus far or else precedent from relevant history

Additionally, Kamerad Trikephalo shows up again alive after this and is depicted in more recent chapters as being strongly burnt-out from the ongoing war and more or less ticks all the boxes for things that Urbe would find desirable for a turncoat assuming they had a way to keep him onboard and were okay sacrificing a few underlings to preserve his cover:
- If Dark-type cockblocking of Psychic abilities carries over to mind-reading/telepathy in this setting, Kamerad Trikephalo can disguise his thoughts to keep them from being snooped on
- He is both very strong, and has good mobility, perfect for getting out of dodge or else going down swinging
- If he is indeed a turncoat and that becomes known, even if he were neutralized, it would be hugely demoralizing to the Teutonii / paranoia-inducing for Daedalus since he's portrayed as being a relatively close confidante of Daedalus' and is strongly implied to be seen as an accomplished war hero by his peers

Perhaps it’ll turn out to be a red herring after all, since at least outwardly, there was no love lost between this scout and the Presence in a certain scene down the pipe. But it wouldn’t be too hard to imagine this guy being cowed into compliance by something like having a mate or children held hostage. It wouldn’t be the first time that I’ve encountered a ‘mon from this evolutionary line in a story that did incredibly messed-up stuff for the sake of a loved one’s well-being.

Flame: "Did... Did he get ambushed? But we'd have heard that wouldn't we? Hydreigon aren't exactly quiet Pokémon, we should've been able to hear a cry of pain or something like that if he was in trouble!"
Brynn: "... I'm trying to stay positive right now, but I've got a really bad feeling about this right now."

With each second they stood there, Flame only grew more restless on his saddle. He again scanned their surroundings. There was nothing on the horizon. Nothing on the rocky plateau except for them. Why, then, were they waiting?

He stole glances of the other half of the plateau, across the chasm, where the air clearly began to ripple and shimmer anomalously. All they had to do was cross the bridge. The dungeon was right there!

"Look, let's just go." Flame gritted his teeth. "I'm sure he'll be fi—"

"Quiet."

Oh, so Flame was ready to just go off to [Derinkuyu], wasn’t he?

With a sudden lump in his throat, Flame couldn't find his voice anymore.

The Arcanine beneath him tensed up, as if ready to pounce; he noticed everybody in the column doing the same.

Not sure if you were cognizant of it or not, but that actually makes a surprising amount of sense that the mammalian Teutonii in the column would pick up that something was up before Flame. Since IRL, lizards tend to have weaker hearing.

Daedalus wasn't looking around anymore. Instead it stared ahead, eye narrowed at the mystery dungeon. "Comrades, dismount. Form around me."

Flame: “Daedalus, are you going to tell me what’s going on, or…?” o_o;
Daedalus: “In case it wasn’t already blatantly obvious, but I’m pretty sure we’ve got company right now. Unwanted company.”

Flame's heart had already been throbbing; but now—now it was pounding. He slipped off his ride's saddle with his seed still in hand, and sprinted to Daedalus' side—nearly tripping on his oversized cape in the process. The other Teutonii quickly closed to form a defensive circle of sorts, one with himself and Daedalus at its centre. Their eyes, nervous yet alert, swept over the surrounding area in silence.

Flame was quivering. Step by step, he inched closer to Daedalus and reached up to touch its cold arm.

"D-Daedalus, what's happening?" he asked carefully. "Why are we being … like this?"

Flame: “Also, aren’t we sitting ducks for if someone chucks Blast Seeds in on our position all bunched together like this?”

Daedalus: “Protect walls.”
Flame: “We… don’t have those in this setting. I’d know from personal experience at Camp Horizon-”

Daedalus: “My child, would you kindly stop questioning my tactics and just stick to our defensive formation?” >;

Daedalus continued to slowly scan their surroundings. "I fear that our scout's disappearance is no mere coincidence," it replied. "And that, despite all of our precautions, we may have been discovered."

... Wait, how on earth was Daedalus not sus as hell afterwards over Kamerad Trikephalo ghosting him like this while everyone was surrounded by Praetorians and then turning out to still be alive?

Better question: if Daedalus did suspect that something was up with his scout afterwards, why did he not take a convenient excuse to reassign the guy to Antarctica that falls into his lap in 4 chapters if he didn't want to deal with the morale / PR nightmare of openly accusing the guy of being a Collaborator? Since he wasn't exactly honest about what happened during the events of this chapter to the rest of the Teutonii. .-.

Flame: "Aren't we just a little screwed right now if whoever discovered us could take down a Hydreigon? Quietly?" ._.
Daedalus: "Again, keep quiet and move forward, Flame."

Overcome by a sense of dread, Flame gripped his seed with both hands. He listened to his surroundings: there were bird cries in the air, wind hissing in his ears, and the faint rush of water somewhere below. A brooding quiet weighed over the group.

Cue the muffled “Flame!” from above and someone annoyedly cupping a hand over Alice’s mouth right about now.

"B-but how?" His eyes darted across the bridge. "And why are we standing here?! Let's go! The dungeon's right there!"

Daedalus: “Yes, and there’s hostiles in between us and it.”

Flame: “And you’re going to tell me this canonically when?” >_>;
Daedalus: “Right now.”

He tugged Daedalus' arm, yet the Dusknoir kept its sights on the top of the cliff above them.

"We cannot."

Flame pleaded with his eyes. "… Why?"

"There are multiple pokémon waiting above us."

Flame: “H-How many Pokémon are we talking about here?”

There was barely time for Flame to process his panic as he looked up: figures—dozens of figures dotted the clifftop. However, only one chose to fully reveal itself.

A mass of metallic purple stepped to the edge of the cliff, taking a few moments to examine the terrain beneath. Then, it jumped. It landed on the other bank of the chasm with a heavy, metallic crash.

Wait, so are the Praetorians right above the convoy’s current position? Or are they camping the approach to the Mystery Dungeon on the other side of the bridged chasm? The text is written as if it’s the former, but that makes me wonder why on earth Sycorax thought to cross the chasm at all instead of just cockblocking the near end of the bridge. Since he’d have prevented a few events that go down later this chapter if he did that.

Flame let out a muffled cry of terror, as did a few of the Teutonii, as the Genesect rose to full height. It was obstructing the other end of the bridge—the only bridge to cross the great chasm that separated them. It stood there tall and proud, unencumbered by the huge cannon on its back, before it swept its eyes across the Teutonii.

"Good day to you," Sycorax said with a twinge of static. "As of this moment, you are surrounded. Do not attempt to flee."

Still a little surprised that Sycorax didn’t have everyone murdered out of existence after the climax here out of spite considering how dead to rights he had everybody, but I suppose snatching your ticket to preventing a collision of worlds from the jaws of a watery grave trumped butchering a couple dozen barbarians in terms of priorities.

Flame: "Oh- Oh crap. It's that guy again!"
Brynn: "'That guy'? You mean you know this thing?!" O_O;
Flame: "I might have seen him once or twice, but that doesn't explain how he knew we were coming here!"

Within heartbeats, another dozen pokémon crashed down to the Genesect's side and rushed into formation—Nidoking, Sceptile, Garchomp, others still he did not recognise, all raising a great cloud of dust. Flame felt his heart beating faster than he'd ever thought possible.

Flame: “Oh my god. Why does everybody trying to kill me need to have Nidos of some sort?”

"Comrades, hold your ground!" Daedalus ordered. "Stay behind me, my child. It will be all right."

Narrator: “It won’t be alright.”

There was no need, for Flame was already cowering behind the Dusknoir's body. He darted his eyes helplessly between each of the hulking beasts by the Genesect's side; there must have been… six, eight of them? The Teutonii around him—from the Arcanine who'd carried him to Brynn to a Weavile to an Absol—did their best to remain stoic, but when he looked closely, that twinge of fear in their eyes was unmistakable.

I mean, I’d be afraid of a giant bionic bug that’s obviously unnatural in speech patterns and mannerisms myself. I can only imagine how they’d be faring if [Our -------] wasn’t at their backs right now.

Suddenly, a shrill cry erupted behind them. Flame whirled around just in time to witness a Flygon settle down in front of the access path; the Gallade and Kabutops on its back, too, hopped off and held up their respective blades at the rear of the ring. There was no way back, now. As if things couldn't get any worse, he caught sight of an Ariados above them crawling down the cliff's granite wall.

I… actually never remembered seeing outright Fossilmons being depicted this setting before this outside of Sycorax. It makes me wonder if their living populations are indigenous to this world, or if they were introduced by the Presence post-contact.

"Watch that Ariados," Daedalus ordered its troops. "Do not let it catch you off guard."

Flame: “Daedalus, you do realize that there’s probably at least a dozen other soldiers camping right above us on the ridge with Blast Seeds and Blowback Orbs right now, don’t you?” >_>;
Daedalus: “Look, they’re not exactly relevant if those four murder us while attempting to retreat first.”

"No…" He backed away, slowly and inexorably. "No, no, no, no…" Flame did his best to regain control of his breath and his rising panic. Holding onto his bag for dear life, he took another step back. "Da—Daedalus? What do we do?"

Yet Daedalus said nothing. It merely floated stoic with an outstretched arm pointed at the general, an orb of darkness forming in its palm and absorbing the light around it.

"You."

Flame: “D-Daedalus! We’re not going to successfully fight our way out of this here!”

Daedalus: “My child, just be quiet for a moment!”

"Indeed," Sycorax said calmly. "I'd heard reports that you were at the head of this little … insurgency, but seeing you here is quite different." Sycorax swept its gaze across the circle of Teutonii. "Tell me, traitor, was this your grand plan all along? Barbarians? Truly, we must have overestimated you."

Missed this one in my first pass through the story until a few chapters on. Though it makes me wonder what on earth Sycorax was expecting from Daedalus for his grand plan to go rogue and mess up the Presence’s plans for enslaving Urbe’s world if he finds his current gambit desperate and unimpressive.

Daedalus said nothing, continuing to train a Shadow Ball on the general across the bridge. The Dusknoir took a moment to scan their surroundings, as did Flame. The numbers weren't in their favor here. Eight in front, three behind, one above—and who was to say how many other Praetorians were hiding nearby?

"Your numbers mean nothing," Daedalus boomed. "If a battle if what you wish for, know that I will destroy you. You … you abomination!"

Neither the vitriol in those words nor the burgeoning Shadow Ball aimed at its head seemed to faze the general.

Bold words there from Daedalus, though he doesn’t strike me as the type to idly boast. Makes me wonder if he’s similarly got some sort of cosmic weirdness going on like Flame was strongly implied to as of Chapter XXXI. I mean, Flame has seen Daedalus zipping in and out of Portal Storms, so…

"Oh, I'm sure you could." Sycorax tilted its head in amusement. "Thankfully for me, I'm not here to fight you. It would appear you have one of my soldiers."

Okay, yeah. I’ll be keeping a close eye on Daedalus and his attributes in the future. Since Sycorax just admitted unironically that Daedalus could best him in a fight, and not by a small margin.

Flame cowered behind Daedalus; he could feel the Genesect's deathly red eyes scan them all individually, burning onto their skin. It took Flame a second to realise something: it was staring straight at him! The flash of delight in its eyes made his heart lodged into his throat.

Sycorax took a step forward; Daedalus' hand twitched, as did the burgeoning Shadow Ball.

Flame: “D-Daedalus! Pl-Please tell me you’re not actually going to hand me over-!”
Daedalus: “Over my dead body, I will! My child, I beg you, be patient. Just stay behind me and wait for an opening.”

"I will make an offer unworthy of you, traitor," Sycorax said. "Release him, and you will all be granted safe passage."

Daedalus' glare somehow became harsher. "If you truly believed I'd accept, then you are delusional."

Didn’t notice that one in my first rodeo until it was pointed out, but yeah. This scene reads pretty differently in light of the outro to Chapter XXXI. Even if I’m still wondering what the full story is behind how Daedalus got here, since I’m pretty sure that exactly nobody among the Teutonii other than maybe Brynn understands the full implications of Sycorax’s throwaway statement.

Daedalus:

Sycorax: “... You chose poorly.” >:|
Daedalus: "No seriously, how credulous do you think I am to think that I'd give up any leverage first when Urbe's idea of 'mercy' for Teutonii is to enslave them or put them into arena matches? If you wanted to make a believable offer, give the safe passage first and then we’ll show proof of life!"
Flame: "C-Can we not refer to me as 'leverage' here?!" O_O;
Sycorax: "Bold of you to assume that you have any room to be making demands right now."

Through it all Flame could only peek helplessly from behind Daedalus' tail. He wanted to say something—anything—but he felt small, far too small. He felt like a little Charmander, with everybody around him speaking and making threats on his behalf.

Something like this actually happened when Flame was still a Charmander, didn’t it?

"Herr Flame? Lord Daedalus?" Brynn's sudden voice invaded Flame's head.

Biting his lip, Flame stole a glance behind him: the Braixen was near the back of the Teutonii circle, brandishing a wand at a growling praetorian Flygon. Her head was turned towards him.

"What is it saying?" She pleaded with her eyes. "What do we do?"

... Wait, wouldn’t Brynn be able to understand Sycorax by virtue of her having a strong command of Soulspeak? Or does she mean that she doesn’t understand what Sycorax means by his topic of conversation?

Flame: “...”

Brynn: “... H-Herr Flame?” o_o;

"Not now," he muttered back. "Please."

Indeed, he turned back to find the Genesect staring straight at him from across the bridge.

"Private Flame!" Sycorax spoke. "There is no need for that disguise anymore. Come forward—we won't let them hurt you."

Flame: “Oh yeah, since getting publicly cudgeled to death for desertion is such an upgrade.”

Sycorax: “Private Flame, do you really think that I came here with an entire Praetorian detachment to enforce military discipline on you? And if I had, I’d have killed the lot of you on the spot!”

Flame: “If you’re trying to be reassuring, you’re really not doing a good job right now!” >.<

Flame answered nothing; a chill rattled his body.

The Dusknoir sent him a death glare. "You will stay where you are, Flame."

"I know!" He hissed through gritted teeth. "I wasn't going to—!"

Ah yes, Daedalus being bossy and domineering again. I mean, not that he doesn’t have good reason to be here, but that is such a terrible omen for where things would go if he and Flame were ever openly at odds with one another.

Jaw clenched, he growled and struggled against Daedalus' grip, but the Dusknoir only squeezed tighter. His arm was starting to feel tingly.

"Unhand him."

Both of them froze at Sycorax's command, its static-laden voice echoing throughout the chasm below.

"I wish to see him, traitor," Sycorax continued, "You'd do well to listen."

The Dusknoir's glare slowly drifted downwards; the Shadow Ball in its outstretched palm wavered ever so slightly.

… I’m surprised that actually worked on Daedalus there. Now it makes me curious as to where things would’ve gone had he just dug his heels in and refused Sycorax there.

"My child," Daedalus said. "Please…"

The emotion behind those words wasn't enough to prevent Flame from yanking his captive arm free. He shuffled away, hissing as he nursed his blood-deprived arm. He could almost feel Daedalus' eye glued on him.

The moment he lifted his gaze, however, his courage faltered.

The Genesect's bright red eyes were staring directly at him from across the bridge—penetrating his defences.

Flame: “I-Is it too late to go back to being vice-gripped by Daedalus again?”

Sycorax: “Yes. Though come now, Private Flame. It’s time to go home.”

"Oh, my. It really is you," Sycorax said with a chilling composure. "Fear not, soldier, it's nearly over. Are you hurt?"

For some moments Flame stood there petrified, his eyes darting between the towering praetorians lined up on the other half of the plateau, most taller than their own general. He clutched the hems of his cape to his chest, yet the flimsy cloth didn't help him feel protected at all.

Flame: “Look, if it’s really almost over, can you call off the Praetorians and give us a bit of room?”
Sycorax:

Flame squinted in the direction of Sycorax. "Wh-what exactly do you want from me?"

"We're here to bring you home, soldier," replied Sycorax promptly. "To Aesernia. Back to your comrades in arms."

Daedalus:

Sycorax: “Pipe down, traitor! We need to not overuse the same gags in this review!” >_>

"He's lying," promptly came Daedalus' voice in his head.

Flame balled his quivering fists. "I know!" he hissed without turning. "I'm not that stupid! Just let me—"

I mean, you were about to paralyze Kameradin Arkani and bolt away on a narrow cliffside path… which would’ve just gotten you caught by Sycorax and probably doomed the story to a bad end, so… :V

Flame: “Th-That was for the sake of love! It’s different!” >_>;

A sudden fire burnt hot in his throat. In a burst of courage that surprised even him, he stood his ground and glared at the praetorian line, the loose ends of his cape fluttering behind him in the breeze.

This honestly feels like a moment that would make for a good art piece. Even if it needs more blue noodle and drunk gecko in the mix.

With a few movements, he undid the knot at his neck, and the green cape fell and crumpled by his feet. There was no longer a point to the disguise.

Although the breeze now impacted struck his naked scales, Flame smiled as he glanced around, taking a moment to appreciate his newfound peripheral vision.

"Good," Sycorax spoke. "I see you are unharmed. Come forward, now. You're almost home."

For a brief, flashing moment, Flame was compelled to obey. But then he clenched his fists tighter, and bared his teeth to the Genesect. "No."

Sycorax: “Come again, soldier?” >:|
Flame: “(... I really should’ve picked up a Petrify Orb or something before doing these heroics.)”

If Sycorax was surprised, it didn't show it. "I know you're scared, but you have to trust me, Flame."

Flame blinked. Do—do they both think I'm an idiot? He stared deadpanned. Is it something I'm doing?

Narrator: “Yes, yes they do-”
Flame: “Look, I’m not that much of an idiot, okay?!” >.<

"Those Scum can no longer hurt you," continued Sycorax, its voice low and slow. "Come forward, and I promise, everything will be fine."

Flame sneered. "Oh, drop that." He clenched both of his fists. "I'm not a kit."

Flame: "(Not that this isn't satisfying, but shouldn't I not be doing this out in the open where someone can just chuck a Sleep Orb at me and walk off with me?)"

"Why do you say that, Private?" Sycorax asked, its voice pitched in some emulation of concern.

Flame continued to squint at the Genesect. "I know who you work for."

Sycorax: “His Majesty Adrian Augustus? Private Flame, I realize he’s… not particularly popular at the moment but surely-”

Flame: “No, I know who you really work for.”

Sycorax remained silent for a moment. "I don't understand."

"Y-you're going to take me to them!" Flame said, louder this time. "Back to where I came from. That's your plan, isn't it? To have me killed…"

Sycorax slowly shook its head. "I assure you, Flame, if we'd wanted you dead, you would already be."

Not that you want to be going along with Sycorax at all, but still. He’s not lying here.

Flame's fists quivered. "Th-that doesn't matter. I'm not—"

"Who told you these lies?" Sycorax silenced him, staring him directly in the eye. "Was it the Scum?"

Flame: “S-Stop trying to change the subject!” >_>;
Sycorax: “You can just say ‘yes’, you know.”

Breathing shakily through his nostrils, Flame tore his gaze away from those red glowing eyes. He couldn't find his voice for some reason.

Suddenly, he felt Daedalus' broad, cold hands enveloping his shoulders.

"Your lies are useless," Daedalus boomed. "He knows about the Presence. He knows who you truly serve."

Sure is a good thing that Sycorax didn’t just blurt out “Yeah, you’d know. You used to work for them!” to attempt to murder Flame’s trust in Daedalus but that’d probably be a bridge too far in front of his fellow Praetorians.

The Genesect, however, had its eyes set on Flame. "Think, soldier," Sycorax called out. "That Dusknoir is responsible for the death of thousands. Making up stories to subvert your loyalty is not beyond him."

>tfw Sycorax isn’t wrong there considering how Daedalus has baldly lied to Flame on at least one occasion in the past 5 chapters

Also, this entire scene would’ve played out so much more differently if Sycorax had stopped to blurt out that Aesernia was still being besieged by Daedalus’ forces.

Flame: "Task Force Aegis went into Portus without proper reconnaissance and Praefect Varus' troops got hung out to dry because of you! It almost got me and my friends killed multiple times in the process! The hell are you going on about him being responsible for the 'death of thousands' when you've done the same thing to 'mons on your own side?!" >_>;
Sycorax: "... I'm just going to pretend that I didn't hear any of that and that you've been getting propagandized. Look, are you coming home to the 'mons that actually care about you, or no?"

Against his willpower, Flame hesitated. The killings were true, but Daedalus couldn't have lied. …Could he? No, no, it couldn't be—every touch, every smile, the affection Daedalus harboured for him was too tangible. He'd felt it, damn it! The love…

I can already tell that I’m going to need to update at least one future outro gag in this series and that there’s going to be quite the fireworks show in the future between Flame and Daedalus. Since there is no way that Flame even as of the most recent chapter offsite is anywhere close to mentally prepared to being able to deal with realizing how many ways and to what extent Daedalus has been dishonest to him.

Flame squeezed his eyes shut and breathed sharply, thoughts racing through his head. The more he tried to make sense of the Genesect's motivations, however, the less sense they made. The war against the Teutonii was still raging—just a week ago they'd nearly reached the gates of Aesernia. Why would the Imperial Army commit any number of troops, much less its general, to saving him? Him, an inept conscript! A deserter!

And they’re revealed to still be there in a couple chapters, which should make this all the more weird.

Bold of you to think that you’re just an inept conscript and a deserter from the way that Sycorax is reacting to you.

Though the pit in his stomach grew deeper, Flame lifted his eyes to Sycorax and clenched his fists tighter. You do think I'm an idiot, don't you?

Sycorax: “... Yes? You haven’t exactly given much to disprove those assumptions from your actions this past week, Private Flame.”

Flame: “You don’t have to openly say that, you know!” >.<

With his chest puffed out, and his tail fire intensifying, he declared, "I'm not coming."

Sycorax remained quiet. Then, it tilted its head. "And what will I tell your friends?"

Flame: “M-My what now?” O_O;
Sycorax: “Your friends. You know. Alice? Gaius? They’re here too.”
Flame: “Okay, now you’re just blatantly messing with-” >_>;

Flame blinked. He stared dumbly at the Genesect, his shoulders sagging a little. "… What?"

"Your teammates." Sycorax's glass red eyes lit brighter in delight. It stepped forward. "They're worried to death over you, Flame. Does that mean anything to you? Do they mean anything to you?"

With his train of thought derailed completely, Flame backed away and struggled to breathe. It couldn't be. "No…" He gritted his teeth. "No, you're lying. Y-you don't even know where they are!"

"Oh, but I do," Sycorax said, before turning to look behind it. "Isn't that right, princess Alice?"

Sycorax: “As you were saying, Private Flame?”
- Cue Sycorax motioning over to Alice and Gaius behind him -
Sycorax: “Did you have any other doubts of my honesty that you wanted to get out of the way while you were at it?”

Flame: "W-Wait a minute! 'P-Princess Alice'?! So you mean she really is a-?!" O_O;
Gaius: "Oh for crying out loud! We finally meet again and that's what you're worried about?!" >.<
Alice: "Flame! Just get away from them! It isn't safe!" O.O

Flame's heart stopped. He felt his cheek grow cold and pale, and as he followed Sycorax's gaze, he saw it: one of the Praetorians, a fierce-looking Nidoking, moved aside to reveal the much smaller shapes of a Dragonair and a Grovyle, both staring back at him with wide eyes.

"… Alice?"

His eyes locked with hers across the chasm. Even at this distance, he immediately knew them to be hers, delicate and sparkling in wonder. Gaius made a small, tentative wave with his good hand.

Brynn: “Uh… Herr Flame? Why are you looking at the Collabor- er… the Dragonair like that?” ._.
Flame: “A-Alice?! W-When did you?! H-How did you?!”
Gaius: “Did you really think we were that far away when Alice was having a fit over you yukking it up with the Scum furball earlier? You do realize that we’d have to be close enough to see you for that to-”

Alice: “G-Gaius, that wasn’t canon! (Also, it didn’t stop those weird feelings I got when I felt as if I ought to have been annoyed at Flame a couple chapters ago.)” >///<

He took one shaky step and then the next, wind blowing over him. For some time both he and his teammates did nothing but stare, still coming to terms with each other's effective presence.

Then Flame snapped out of his stupor, and his heart nearly exploded.

"ALICE!" He reached his arm out. "Gaius!"

I can already see Daedalus facepalming in the background right now.

Daedalus: "(This kid, I swear...) My child, can you stop and not think about your crush behind enemy lines for just one moment?! You'll have the life expectancy of a feral Rattata in a [glirarium] if you go with that bug, so what makes you think he's going to just leave them be?!"
Flame: "I- I was thinking about Gaius too, you know!" >///<
Gaius: "(Well that came out a lot more awkward than intended. Though who's he think he's fooling? Only one of our names got all-capsed and it wasn't mine.)"

He instinctively moved to dash forward before Daedalus grabbed his arm, killing any momentum and causing him to fall onto his knees.

Flame growled as he climbed to his feet. "L-let me go!" He squirmed in its grip. "I need to speak to them!"

"No, Flame." Daedalus sent him an icy glare. "You don't understand. The Presence has been searching for us all this time—ever since we came to this world. Do you realise what they'll do to you if you go?"

Flame: “N-No, because you never told me?”
Daedalus: “... In retrospect that was a bit of an oversight of mine, but the long and short of it is that it will be worse than whatever you can think of.” >;

Even through his throbbing heartbeat, and the emotion still running through him, Flame knew that Daedalus was right. They were traitors, ones who’d come to this world specifically to resist the Presence and their plans.

Waaaaait. How does Flame know he’s also a traitor to the Presence? Or is he making assumptions there right now?

Little by little, Flame ended his resistance to Daedalus' grip, until he could do nothing but gaze helplessly at his teammates.

"I, I, I just want…" he muttered, forgetting to complete the sentence.

Blue noodle, we know.

Though let’s check up on the exciting conclusion to this standoff in a fresh post.