Pokémon Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Guardians of Balance

[StolenMadWolf]

POKÉMON MYSTERY DUNGEON
GUARDIANS OF BALANCE

EPISODE II – DARK, WONDEROUS PAST
CHAPTER XIV – PARTNERS​

The three Pokémon worked their way through the forest, with the Sobble Kyra leading the way. She kept her eyes focused forward, moving through a trail that Sam could barely notice through the undergrowth. Both Kyra and the Grookey Denzel moved at a fair pace, forcing the Scorbunny to focus on keeping up rather than checking out his surroundings. He tried to spare a thought to the fate of his fellow Rescuers. He could only hope that they were either able to get away or were spared by the pirates.

And if the bodies in the grove were any indication, Calvin was at the most risk of the lot. He was a fire-type like him. Like them. He was a powerful one too, would they risk capturing him?

Sam had been lucky to have been thrown overboard, otherwise, he could have met the same fate as the other, if not at the hands of the pirates, then definitely at the hands of this Blackaxe character.

He squeezed his fists tight at the last words he heard before being tossed into the water. Greg sends his regards… the bandit leader who nearly killed him three separate times was not only alive, but he was with the pirates. There was no doubt about it. They must have recruited him after taking the Daywalker, and if some random pirate recognised him…

Do the pirates know who I am?

The Scorbunny fought off a shiver, if that was true, Sam had an even bigger target on his back. Who knows what Greg had said about him? What about Alice? Would they recognise her too?

He wanted to kick something hard, only the rapid pace of the two tribesmon stopping him from doing so. I need to try and find the others with the help of this tribe, then I can worry about the pirates.

Kyra slowed to a halt as they reached a fork in the grassy trail, the Sobble frowning as she inspected them. Denzel stopped next to her, rubbing the back of his head, "You can't be thinking about that shortcut right?"

"It would cut at least an hour, easy." Kyra replied, "And it's been checked before, all the traps were disarmed."

"Only the ones we could find!"

Biting his lip, Sam skidded to a halt next to them, "What shortcut?"

"It's an old ruin." Kyra explained, "Well, more like a tunnel. It cuts through some of the hills near here."

"And it's not often used." Denzel groaned softly, "It's not in the best condition."

Sam couldn't stop his ears twitching. A ruin, could it be the one they were looking for?

No… that's not what Squishy suggested. It was an Arcanum or something. But who knows what else they might have in there? Maybe there might be a clue to another ruin.

He felt himself shrug, Besides, a shortcut is a shortcut. As long as it doesn't come down on our heads, it's worth at least checking out.

"Well, if it gets us back to your village faster, I say we give it a try." Sam remarked.

"And why am I not surprised." Denzel uttered as he moved ahead, "Come on, I know a quicker way there."

The three Pokémon continued on their way, taking the left path. As they advanced, the grass gave way to beaten dirt and the trail widened. Denzel didn't move anywhere near as fast as Kyra did, but they still moved fast enough that it only took about ten minutes until they arrived. The trio emerged into a small clearing where a large, steep hill formed in front of them, covered in massive trees. But at the foot of the hill was a gaping hole, lined with stone bricks that almost reminded Sam of the temple at Waterfall Mountain, only that this brick was stained brown and green rather than the grey from before. The tunnel entrance was easily about eight feet tall and wide, more than able to accommodate all three Pokémon side by side.

However, the tunnel itself was completely unlit, leading into pitch blackness.

Pins and needles briefly flushed through Sam's arm at the sight, "Is… is there no quicker way?" he asked.

Denzel halted at the threshold of the tunnel, fidgeting with his feet. "Yes… it's not great, I know."

Kyra walked past the pair towards the side of the entrance, "It's not dangerous. Sure, only the rangers use it, but we've used it a couple of times before. Here."

She pulled a large stick out of a rusty basket by the tunnel, one end wrapped in a greasy material. "Sam, you don't mind?"

It took a couple of blinks before the Scorbunny realised what she was asking, "Oh, gotcha."

With a quick spark, the touch lit up, sending a flickering orange light down into the tunnel. Sam carefully took the touch from Kyra, and with a deep breath, the trio slowly walked inside.

The tunnel was silent save for the faint tap of their footsteps, not even the dripping of water or the whisper of wind. The walls themselves were remarkably bare as well and each time Sam felt his eyes flick towards them in search of some kind of marking, he instead found some crack or dent.

"This place looks old." Sam said aloud as they walked onwards, "The Wela Tribe found this place?"

"Our rangers did." Kyra explained, "They managed to get the booby traps disarmed only last year."

Sam felt a small quiver in his throat, "Booby traps?"

Kyra flashed a brief smirk, "Darts. Gravelrocks. Spikes. The usual."

I'm not even sure what counts as usual with these guys!

"We still have to be careful." Denzel replied. "There might still be some traps. You can't trust these old ruins."

Sam's ears pried further as he tilted his head aside, "You make that sound like there are others."

"There's a few of them scattered around the islands." Kyra said, "But the Tapus and Elders have declared them off limits."

"Off limits?"

She sighed softly, pausing for a moment before walking onwards, "I… never understood it. They have been around as far back as the Wela Chronicle goes, built by the 'Champions of the Gods'." She rolled her eyes at her words, "And so they didn't want us desecrating their works."

Sam chewed on his lip, he had no idea who these Tapus and Champions were, and he had a feeling that his guesses could be wrong. Maybe these Champions were just Guardians by another name?

"Even putting aside how significant the ruins are." Denzel replied, "We have no idea what kind of traps are in them."

The Scorbunny slowly nodded as a light appeared at the end of the tunnel. "I… If we get a chance… can we check them out?"

Kyra flashed a sly grin, "If you can help with Blackaxe's pirates, I'll be more than happy to show you. Keep the touch lit, we're only halfway through."

Reaching the end, the three emerged into a large square chamber with beams of light shining down from openings high up the three-story-high walls. At the very centre of the room was a large pit, taking up over half of what the floor itself should be, but still leaving enough floor to leave a comfortably wide ring around it. On the far side of the room was another tunnel entrance.

Sam whistled as he stepped forward, scanning the browning walls of the chamber. They were still bare, much to his disappointment, but even so, he couldn't help but be impressed with the actual structure. "Well… if this is just a shortcut, then the ruins should be quite the sight."

Denzel rubbed his hands together with a tiny smile, "At least from a distance." He started making his way towards the right, "Come on, it is best not to stay here for too long."

He started to follow, but the Scorbunny found himself gravitating towards the pit, unable to contain some morbid curiosity, if only to be distracted from everything that had happened.

That was when he heard a whisper, causing his ears to twitch.

That… that came from above…

"Don't step on that-!"

Sam's foot sank with a soft click.

FUC-

Something wrapped around his leg with a sharp whirl and whipped him off his feet. Sam yelped in shock, dropping the touch as his body raced towards the pit, "Sssssshhhitttt!!!"

"Sam!" Kyra barked.

His legs snapped up, and Sam's world spun upside down as he raced into the air. Only then did the loud ping echo as the rope finally ran out, leaving the Scorbunny dangling above the chamber. Groaning, Sam looked up to find him hanging half a meter below the ceiling, just below the reach of some old roots. His right leg was wrapped up in a tight rope, holding him in place.

"…tile."

Hanging just outside arms reach was Alice, the Buneary hanging upside down herself with her arms crossed.

Sam's heart threatened to burst out of his chest, "Alice!?" he exclaimed, "You made it off the Crow!"

"Only to get stuck here." She grumped with a bored tone.

"Sam! You dead!?" Denzel called out from below, looking up in alarm.

Wincing as the rope dug into his leg, "D-no! We're alright!"

"We?"

Alice looked down and slowly waved, "Heya.". She briefly looked back at him, "New friends of yours?"

"You can say that." Sam said before shouting back down as he motioned with his hands, "Alice, that's Denzel and Kyra, Denzel Kyra, Alice."

Kyra gazed up at the pair, "You came on Sam's boat?"

Alice merely shrugged, "One of our boats, yeah."

"You must have set off a leftover trap!" Denzel called out.

Sam and Alice shared a glance, before looking back down at the Grookey, "No shit." They jointly said.

At that moment, something dawned in the Scorbunny, "Wait a second… how long have you been up here?"

"About half an hour." Alice admitted.

He frowned, "Then why haven't you shook yourself loose?"

"Because of the spikes."

"Spik-"

Sam snapped his head back down towards the pit, where jutting up at the ceiling, he could see the smooth wooden spikes nestled at the bottom.

Directly below them.

"Ah shit…" Sam muttered, suddenly feeling a lump in his throat. "Err… Kyra? Denzel? Please tell me you know how to… you know, get us down?"

Denzel rubbed the back of his head, "I've heard of this trap before, j-just give me a sec!" He reached for the touch, only to recoil at the last moment from the flames. Sighing, Kyra scooped it up, "Just sit tight!" she shouted, "We'll get you down! Denzel?"

"Right, there should be a side passage with the releases." He uttered, as the two tribesmon jogged around to the other side of the pit, "We'll be right back!"

The two entered the second tunnel, leaving the two rabbits all alone.

Sam sighed softly as he gently swung in the air, Great… walked right into my first trap. But…

He looked towards Alice, her arms still crossed as she eyed the tunnel. He caused the rift between them in the first place the moment he held back on his human identity.

I… I need to make things right.

"I…" "I…"

Sam's mouth clamped shut, finding Alice was now staring at him with her mouth agape.

"Look-" "Look-"

Their mouths worked in unison before they cut themselves off, and suddenly feeling cold, Sam started to motion for her to start first, only for Alice to butt in first. "Go ahead."

Sam shook his head, "No, you-"

"Sam-" Alice started countering.

"I put you in this position," Sam replied, firmly holding his hand out to calm her. "You go first."

The Buneary blinked a couple of times, before she undid her arms, closed her eyes and let out a long sigh. "I'm sorry."

Sam's gut fluttered, "Huh?"

Alice's eyes flickered back open, "I… I'm sorry that I tore you down the way I did. I know what it's like to try and hide something about yourself…" her breath went shaky as she tried to continue. "I… I should have realised what you were going through. This mess… it's my fault."

"No Alice!" he exclaimed, shaking his head and instinctively reaching out with his hand for just a moment, "I'm to blame! I should have trusted you in the first place about me… of me…"

His words died in his throat, the Scorbunny's chest tightening.

"Being human?" Alice gently asked.

He slowly nodded, "Y-Yeah. That." Sam replied, pulling a reverse shrug, this was a good start, he needed to keep this up.

"I… I had no idea why I ended up here, with no idea of what this world was like. If I wasn't afraid of what would happen to me, I was afraid of what would happen to everyone else. When Jack blurted out about humans I…" he sighed, feeling himself tremble, "I just…. Thought I had an easy way to get answers. And after what happened I was… angry with myself as much as anyone else."

Alice listened intently to Sam's words before she continued. "I get that." She replied, "Really. I do."

She rested one paw against her shoulder, "You know what happened to my parents. The thing is ever since then I… never really had a lot of social contact."

Sam slowly nodded back at her, "Because of the curse nonsense, right?"

The damn curse. The theory that Alice had something to do with her parent's deaths during the Dark Matter Crisis. Something that had followed her wherever she went.

"Right." She replied, "Every time I ever got close to someone... someone else would reveal what happened and just drive them away. Forced me and my uncle to move on. So I stopped bothering trying to have friends and…"

Wiping her eyes, she forced herself to carry on, and Sam had to resist the urge to swing over to comfort her. "I… don't know how to have friends anymore. I don't know how to help people with stuff like that. I'm only really good at punching stuff."

Sam managed a weak smile, "Well, seems like we're both learning… social stuff…"

Alice half-snorted in amusement, "I suppose you're right there."

She focused her gaze on him, "Sam… you're the first person I've hung around with a lot since my uncle took me in. I… it took someone we know shouting at me to make me realise how much that's meant to me."

He nodded gently back, "I know the feeling. Someone told me the same thing."

"Even if we drove each other mad with our promises to keep ourselves in check?"

Sam tried to laugh, only for a cough to cut it short, "Y-Yeah! In hindsight… we shouldn't have tried to make that promise two days after we got given the Bronze Rank."

It had been a spur-of-the-moment thing; Alice had her temper towards others and Sam had his hot-blooded nature. They figured they could try holding each other's worse impulses back by promising to do something to the other if they fell into that habit. Alice started punching people, Sam would have her do something daft. If Sam started getting himself into trouble, she got to punch him out of it.

Alice returned a thin smile, "Probably not the most… mature thing we could have done."

"Well, we have a good excuse for it." Sam admitted.

The Buneary looked away for a moment, "How about we make a new promise?"

"Like what?" Sam asked, frowning.

She nodded at him, "No punches or pranks." She started, "Whenever we're alone or together… we keep in mind what the other will say. You keep my voice in your head… I'll keep yours in mine."

Sam chewed on that thought, It… does make sense. It's simple and… well. It wouldn't be too hard to keep each other's thoughts on hand. We know each other well enough there.

He returned the nod, "Alright." He said with a smile, "You've got a deal."

She reached out for him, and with a gentle swing of his body, he grasped her paw with his own. "Partners?" he asked warmly.

Her smile widened, "Partners."

On cue, they shook paws, and didn't let go.

Feeling a pleasant warmth in his chest, Sam looked back towards the ropes, "Well in case Kyra and Denzel can't find anything, any ideas? Could we try and grab the roots?"

"Already tried that." Alice admitted, "They're too fragile, and these ropes are pretty tight."

"Would be pretty hard to hang on." Sam realised. "Think your uncle would have given you a tip on how to get out of a spot like this?"

"Probably, but he hasn't told me yet." Alice replied with a bemused huff.

"You make it sound like he's a rescuer." Sam mused, tilting his head to get a better look at the rope wrapped around his leg.

"He is." Alice replied, "Wish he was here right now."

Sam grinned, trying to picture her uncle showing knots in front of a young Alice, "One of these days, you've gotta introduce us."

Alice chuckled, "You've already met him."

Stiffening, the Scorbunny frowned, "Eh? When? From walking round the tree?"

Her chuckle deepened, "How else did you think I was getting special practice sessions?"

"I don't fol-"

The realisation struck him in the gut harder than one of Kain's attacks.

"Shut. The fucking. Door!" Sam blurted out, "Rex is your uncle!?"

He found Alice returning a deviously smug smirk, "Yep."

Sam recoiled, nearly letting go of Alice's paw out of sheer shock, "Holy – how the hell did I not see that!?"

It was true! Special sessions, the way the Guildmaster interacted with Alice… the way she reacted when he quipped about her having a boyfriend doing said sessions, it was so damn obvious and he never realised!

"It just means the secrecy works." Alice replied, only for the smile to fade away, "Just don't tell anyone else. I don't need Rex to catch flak because he looks out for me. Even if Mum and Dad were his teammates."

He sharply nodded back, "No worries, I'll keep quiet on it. I just… didn't expect that."

Alice smirked again, "Alright, that's my second big secret… how about you share your… little fear?"

"Little fear?"

"You know, the one you've conveniently forgotten?"

The warmth vanished, a new lump forming in his throat as he looked back down towards the very distant floor and the spikes.

"Remember now?" Alice teased.

Shivering, Sam finally tore his eyes away with a growl, "Alright, fine! I'm afraid of heights! I admit it!"

For the first time, Alice giggled, and the sight of that alone forced the growl away and prompted a chuckle from the fire-type. "Haha… alright, that was kinda funny."

Wiping her eyes again, a serious expression formed on Alice's face, "Back on humans though… if you want to talk about that, I'm all ears."

"I will. There's a lot I've got to get off my chest since last time." Sam admitted, feeling relieved that Alice was willing to hear him out, "But first, let's focus on getting out of here."

"I can get behind that."

"Okay! We've got a plan!"

Across the way, in a freshly lit chamber that had been formerly hidden out of sight along the wall, Sam could make out the green form of Denzel, whereas back on the ground floor, Kyra was waiting for them. "We found the winch for the ropes!" she called up at them, "Denzel is going to lower you down and then you can swing across to me!"

It's a start! "Alright!" Sam shouted back, "We're ready!"

"Just take it slow!" Alice added.

"Ok!" Denzel replied, his form reaching towards what appeared to be some kind of wheel, "I'm going to start lowering yo-"

An enormous bang, accompanied by Denzel's surprised yelp, "Gods no!"

Before Sam could ask what was happening, that familiar whirl began to scream louder than ever. Sam could only look towards the wide-eyed Alice as he realised what was happening.

FUC-

The rope slackened, and the pair started falling… right for the spikes!

They could only scream as they rushed towards the pit, Sam's eyes squeezed shut. Dang it! Just as he and Alice were back on the same page, they were going to-

Wooden sticks snapped underneath him, seconds before they slammed into the barely cushioned floor with a puff of stale air. A pulse of pain ran through his body as he coughed. The hell!? I'm alive?

"Alice?" he cried out, wincing as he started to push himself up.

"I'm alright." She groaned, stirring in the corner of his vision. "What… what did we land on?"

"How… oh… oh…" Kyra uttered from above, "Now that makes sense."

Blinking, Sam finally sat himself up, expecting to find themselves amongst sharp stakes.

Instead, they sat amongst twigs from trees. As for what they were sat on, they were on some multicoloured cushioning.

No, cushioning marked with very detailed shapes.

An illusion.

Alice sat nearby, slowly looking on with a dumbfounded look on her face. "What kind of idiot puts in fake spikes?"

Above them, Kyra's head poked over the edge of the pit, "That's… a really good question." She glanced over her shoulder, "It is fine Denzel! Just get some rope!"

Sam turned back to Alice, still blinking at their surroundings with a blank look on her face.

Still wincing from the pain, Sam pulled a faint chuckle as he realised one tiny detail. "You know… we could have cut ourselves free ages ago, and we'd probably been fine."

The Buneary slowly turned towards him, still blinking.

She visibly swallowed.

Then squeezing her eyes shut, she started to snigger.

Then came the laughter as she flopped onto her back. Unable to hold his mouth shut, Sam started howling with her, feeling all the strength in him fade away as he slumped over.

For a moment, the worries about the pirates, the ruins, Guardians or just everything seemed to fade away, as Team Audacity laughed about the ridiculousness of the pit.

Again, as partners.

Spoiler: Author's Note

And so our heroic duo are finally back together again. It's been several chapters (and embarassingly several months), but it's finally happened. Stuff has been happening in real life, plus catching up with MoD and GoB and art projects hasn't helped. But either way, the chapter is complete again. I hope this serves as a nice short and sweet chapter that you guys can enjoy.

 

[StolenMadWolf]

POKÉMON MYSTERY DUNGEON
GUARDIANS OF BALANCE

EPISODE II – DARK, WONDEROUS PAST
CHAPTER XV – THE TAPU​

After Kyra and Denzel helped Sam and Alice back up – after the two rescuers had stopped laughing at least – the reunited Pokémon began to make their way through the second tunnel leading through to the other side. The two locals took point, making sure they didn't set off any other traps by accident.

Team Audacity followed from further back and in a hushed whisper, Sam began to explain about everything that had happened to him. What little he knew about himself as a human, what he came across in Broken Wood, the dreams, the confrontation with Kain at Waterfall Mountain and finally, his encounter with Squishy just after being blown off the Penguin. There was no need to hold back information now that Sam and Alice were now on the same page again.

That and to be honest, he needed to get everything off his chest. Alice didn't interrupt him, listening intently as they walked down the tunnel. When he finally finished, she slowly nodded and let out a quiet whistle. "That's… a lot…"

Sam sheepishly rubbed the back of his head, "I know it sounds crazy. But I've not got much to go off."

"I believe you." Alice replied reassuringly, a paw brushing past his arm. "Does anyone else know?"

"Just you and Jack." Sam admitted.

"And you think the Guardians are linked to the disasters?"

"Positive." he replied, "Kain knew the Guardians, and he only showed up after possessing Zeke in Broken Wood."

"And the earthquake happened not long after you found him." Alice growled, fist clenching at the memory. "Knowing how strong he was, I'd bet Kain set off the earthquake."

Sam frowned, "I'm not so sure on that one, that could have been Volcanion or just the last push, otherwise Kain could have done that in Robinwood. But they've gotta all be connected somehow, and if the ruins here were built by the Guardians, we'll find the answers there."

Alice rubbed her chin, "That's still a leap though. Zeke could have read Kain wrong. And this… Squishy whatever they are," She waved her hand in frustration, "Seems kinda clueless. I've never heard of a green blob Pokémon either. You sure he wasn't a Ditto?"

Sam felt a slight quiver at the base of his skull as he remembered the blob jumping on his head. "Nope. I'm not sure he knows much himself. But he has been the best source so far, so unless we want to try Waterfall Mountain again, it's the best we've got."

Nodding back, Alice turned to face the backs of the two tribesmon, the end of the tunnel appearing ahead. "Then let's find the others, then we can worry about the ruins."

Sam flashed a thumbs up, "Sounds like a plan."

Alice stopped in her tracks, turning towards him. "Sam, when we get back… we're going to need to talk to someone about this."

With a frown, he stopped too, "Like who? Rex?"

He knew he had answered his own question before Alice even nodded, "Just him. If there's anyone we can trust and make sense of this, it'll be him."

Slowly, he nodded back, She's got a point. Rex has believed in us before, he might see something that both of us have missed.

"Are you coming?" Denzel called out from the end of the tunnel.

Sam sharply turned to face him, "We're right behind you!"

The four Pokémon emerged back into the light on higher ground, the trees seeming less extensive than before. More than a few still looked like they'd fit in with a jungle, but others were now looking more like the confers and deciduous trees that he was familiar with. Kyra squirted a light Water Gun at the torch to smother it before placing it back into another iron basket by the exit. "Come on." She said, "Our village is not far!"

Kyra led the way again, with Team Audacity and Denzel following close behind. The going was significantly easier with less foliage and debris to dodge, whilst also revealing a more defined path for them to follow. Sam and Alice focused on keeping pace with the Sobble, saving their conversation about humanity and the Guardians for later.

As they reached the top of a small hill, a cluster of wooden huts hooved into view. They were positioned at the foot of a large wooded cliff, and Sam could make out the collection of small waterfalls that ran down the cliffs into a large lake at the edge of the village. Denzel let out a visible sigh of relief, "Finally." He breathed out.

"Any chances that any of our guys will be there?" Alice asked, stepping up alongside Kyra. The Sobble shrugged, "Only one way to find out."

They made their way down to the village slowly, as Denzel pulled out a short wooden flute and blew out a quiet tune. A distant tree rustled, and Sam caught a flash of a small bird flying out of it, headed towards the Wela Village. A safety measure, Denzel stressed, to make sure that no pirates were approaching their home.

Indeed, when they finally arrived at the outskirts, their only barrier was a young-looking Sneasel, fiddling with his claws as he stepped aside to allow for the four to enter. "You are the last to arrive." He explained.

"Good. That should be everyone accounted for from the village." Kyra mused, "Did they bring anyone else back in?"

"From what I heard yes. A pair were making quite a ruckus near the village centre."

Sam and Alice shared a glance, wondering who could have made it ashore from their ships. "Lead the way." The former said, and with Denzel now guiding them, they strolled through the village.

The Scorbunny expected the Wela villagers to retreat inside their homes and indeed, some did do that, hushing their young kids into the huts. But others seemed unfazed, strolling through the village or carefully working on homemade materials, like shawls, colourful blankets and weaved baskets. Some watched with a wary eye, and one or two nodded in greeting. It certainly wasn't enough to make Sam feel uncomfortable. But he could tell that the Wela people were still cautious about their new guests.

Alice leaned in as they walked, "You'd think the pirates haven't bothered them much." She whispered.

He went cold as the memory of the dead fire-types reared itself again, "It might be because I'm a fire-type. The pirates kill them."

Alice blinked, "W-What?"

"I'll explain later." Sam replied as a clearing emerged. He hadn't had time to explain about Blackaxe and the pirate's antics yet, and he doubted he'd have time to fully do so now. "Looks like we're nearly there."

The huts formed a ring around the core of the village, where one long building was set up at the far end from where the two rabbits and their guides had entered. Stone walls ran around the edge of the circle between the surrounding huts, and a single tree and flowerbed were positioned at the centre surrounded by another low wall. It was a little bit more lively here, as some tribesmon chatted with each other as they walked through.

And at the base of the tree, standing alongside the wall, was the very familiar form of a Bulbasaur and a Skorupi.

"Bruce! Denver!" Sam barked, quickly jogging on ahead with Alice in hot pursuit.

Bruce's head snapped round as a gigantic smile of relief took shape, "S-Sam! You made it!"

Denver managed a half-stifled laugh, "We thought you had it!"

"I got lucky!" Sam cheered as he approached. A vine erupted from Bruce's bulb and casually whipped towards him, and with a practised aim, the Scorbunny delivered an impromptu high-five. "How did you two get away?"

"We got cornered." Bruce replied, averting his gaze, "Calvin told us to jump overboard before the pirates got us. Got found by these Wela folks not long after."

"Stop looking all guilty Bruce." Denver grumbled with a narrowed gaze, "We'd be in chains by now if we didn't run for it."

"He has a point." Alice noted, stepping up alongside Sam. The Skorupi stiffened, only to click his claws sharply.

"Hate to admit it." He grumbled, "But I'm glad you got off too."

Bruce's eyes brightened before Alice could respond. "Alice!? If you got off, then so did Nia right!?" he leaned to look past her, "Where is she?"

For the first time, Alice seemed to withdraw, her eyes flicking towards the floor. Sam honestly thought she was haunted by the question. "The Crow was sinking fast. I saw Nia get into the air as I was jumping off, but I haven't seen her since."

Sam shivered as the words sank in, the Crow was gone. And the fate of the Penguin was a mystery. He looked over the others, seeing how Bruce slumped again. How uncomfortable Alice was. Even Denver seemed rigid as he looked towards the ground. It didn't take much to realise that he was thinking about Edward as much as Bruce was thinking about Nia and Dan.

Kyra and Denzel stood off to one side, looking more uncomfortable as they watched the four. "We will just let the Chieftain and Tapu know you're here." the water-type said quietly, "We will… leave you to it."

They started walking towards the long building, leaving them alone.

"Damn… we're the only ones who made it?" Sam quietly asked, looking over the four of them. "What happened to everyone else?"

"Calvin, Dan… Edward... and that Zeke guy too." Denver managed to say. "The pirates were all over them when we got away, same with the crew."

"And Nia must have got caught too." Bruce growled.

"If they got caught." Alice whispered, turning to Sam, "What were you saying about fire types?"

The Bulbasaur blinked, "Whatcha mean?"

Sam shuffled his feet, wanting to shrink away. But with a sigh, he explained what he heard of the pirates and their leader. Of how they arrived on the islands and attacked the Wela.

And most importantly, on how they killed any fire-type they came across, bringing up the killing field he found.

All three of his companions shared a look of pure horror, Bruce and Denver were both trembling. Alice herself seemed to instinctively move towards him, as to better protect him. She faintly cursed, as the gravity of Sam's words finally settled in.

Bruce spoke first. "So… when the pirates made a beeline for you…"

"They were aiming to kill me on the spot." Sam admitted with a weak shrug.

"Ffffuck…" the Bulbasaur growled, "Then that means…"

"All the other fire-types are dead by now." Denver said woodenly.

Bruce's eyes widened in shock, "C-Calvin too? Not him! That guy is a legend! He's fought legendries and lived to tell the tale!"

Sam sighed softly; he saw Calvin getting forced down by the pirates just before going overboard. Calvin might have not stood a chance. "I only got away because one of them recognised me, ended up giving me a message."

"What do you mean?" Alice questioned.

He locked his eyes on hers, "Greg's with the pirates."

The Buneary's fists clenched tight, no doubt remembering the time they fought him. "Are you sure?"

"He was specific."

Denver stomped the ground, claws clamped together, "So this lady bastard managed to get her hands on the biggest set of muscles in the Sea of Wonders? Shit!"

Sam flashed his teeth, "We've beat him before. We can do it again."

"Barely." Alice reminded him. "And Blackaxe sounds worse."

"Tell me about it." he admitted. Greg was a nightmare before. Blackaxe is going to be something else entirely, we need a lot more help.

Alice's eyes brightened slightly, "Actually… it's slim, but I think Calvin might have a chance."

"Huh?" Sam uttered. "How?"

She nodded towards Bruce, "Calvin's a Team ACT member right? Then the Pirates would have to know that too."

The Bulbasaur quickly began to nod as the realisation settled in, "You reckon they could have spared him cos he's famous?"

"For ransom? It's a good bet."

Realising she had a point, Sam rubbed his hands together, "Then there's a chance that Calvin's alive too. We have to believe that for now."

"Doesn't change the fact that we don't know where these pirates are!" Denver barked, "The four of us can't take them all on!"

"He does have a point." Alice acknowledged.

Tell me about that one.

Sam slowly started to pace as his mind started running through ideas, "That's something we can work on. We need to try and get back in touch with Rex and the rest of the expedition. Finding the pirate's base would be a help too. The Wela picked us up, maybe they can help us more."

Alice's ear dipped slightly, "If we have to rely on the tribe… then maybe you need to be the one to talk to them."

Sam stopped in his tracks. "W-what?"

---

"And that's it." Kyra said, "These Pokémon are not linked to the pirates. If anything, they want them gone as much as we do."

They sat around a firepit in the longhouse on cushioned mats, a small fire lighting up the interior. Across on the other side of the pit from the two younger tribesmon, a white, brown and red avian Pokémon sat cross-legged. The red feathers around her head formed what almost appeared to be a hat that shielded most of her face. The face of an owl.

The Decidueye narrowed her eyes, "Are we certain that they can be trusted?"

Kyra nodded back, "One of them is a fire-type and they all recognise each other."

Denzel looked somewhat less certain, "I am wary as well Chieftain-"

The owl huffed in amusement, "Denzel, you don't have to be so formal."

Sighing, Denzel looked towards the pit, "Sorry, Odessa. I would be cautious. But there are a lot of reasons why they would be telling the truth. But even if they have no ill-intent, what about anyone who follows them? All our islands could end up being overrun!"

He gritted his teeth, just as Kyra glared at her companion, "I think it's a risk worth taking. We are not strong enough to fight Blackaxe's pirates. If they can help us take back our home we should ask!"

The chieftain raised her wings, motioning for the pair to calm down. "You are both right. But we will need to learn more about them to be sure."

"I must ask." Came a deeper voice, "This fire-type. What species are they?"

The three turned towards a small yellow orb that floated at the edge of the fire, the occasional flash of orange and white blinked across its surface as it spoke.

Kyra frowned at the question, "He's a Scorbunny. Why do you ask?"

The orb dimmed, if only for a moment, before it brightened as they spoke once more. "I… I'd like to meet this Scorbunny."

The Decuideye straightened up, her beak clicking. "Face to face?"

"At the shrine." The voice confirmed.

Kyra's mouth dropped open. Denzel stared incredulously at the orb, "But Tapu! You rarely let us in! Now you are going to let an outsider enter from out of the blue?"

The voice remained calm, "I have a theory. I'd like to be sure of it."

Odessa rose to her feet, brushing some of her head feathers back for a moment as she considered the words. "You have not steered us wrong since I was still a chick." She admitted, "Alright. We'll be there soon."

---

"I can't believe I'm agreeing with her so much, but she's right." Denver said, "These guys were shoving our faces in the dirt before they figured out we're telling the truth."

"I'd probably still be stuck in that tunnel if you didn't happen to be there." Alice added. "You got off lucky. They're more likely to trust you being a fire-type."

Sam found all three Pokémon staring at him. "Nope, come on!" he exclaimed, feeling exposed and shaky, "You know how hot-headed I get like on a good day! I can't represent us! Never mind the whole guild!"

Bruce grimaced, "Well, we're not much better. And you're the closest thing we have to a leader."

"L-Leader!" he spluttered, "When have I been that?"

"Broken Wood." Denver said bluntly.

Sam growled as a headache started coming on. Okay, maybe I did start bossing everyone about, but only because everyone was panicking or fighting amongst themselves!

Alice patted him on the shoulder softly, "And besides, we outrank these two. So it'd fall to one of us anyway."

A concerned look from the Buneary seemed to cement it. Bruce and Denver would never follow Alice's lead. But they would do so with him. He sighed, realising she had a point. "Alright… at least until we fi-"

"Excuse me, you are Sam, correct?"

Coming towards them was a strange owl-like Pokémon, her red feathers forming what looked like a weird hat on her head. Kyra and Denzel were at her side, looking somewhat dazed, even if they looked unhurt. Suddenly feeling on the spot, the Scorbunny mustered the best smile he could. "Yeah! That's me. And who are you?"

His heart skipped a beat as the owl giggled at his response. "I am Chieftain Odessa. I would like to welcome you all to our village. I am sorry we could not respond any sooner, and for any mistreatment your companions may have suffered."

Denver faintly grumbled behind him.

Sam didn't initially reply, only for a kick to the back of his leg to spur him into speaking again, "Not a problem. You can't take any chances with the pirates. I'm sorry they've been gunning for you."

Odessa crossed a wing over her chest, bowing her head respectfully. "Thank you. I would enjoy a pleasant conversation, but there are important matters to discuss. Kyra and Denzel will see that your companions are settled in their home, but Sam, I will need you to come with me."

"What for?" Alice questioned firmly, stepping forward to place herself in front of Sam. "We've only got back together."

The Chieftain placed her wings across her front, as if holding them together, "Our Tapu would like to speak to Sam alone."

Alice's ears twitched enough for Sam to notice, She's already getting suspicious… okay, Rex would try and compromise, right?

He rested a hand on Alice's shoulder, "I'm okay with speaking to your Tapu alone. But can my partner wait outside or something?"

Odessa clicked her beak a couple of times, and Sam swore he heard a faint chirp as she thought it over. "Of course. She can wait outside with me. Is that fair for you?"

Alice glanced between the pair, before finally nodding.

Sam turned back towards Bruce and Denver, "Don't worry, we won't be long."

Hesitating, Bruce cocked his head to the side, "Err… alright."

---

Odessa led Team Audacity out of the village a short distance towards the cliff, where much to Sam's surprise, amongst the dozens of trees littering it, there was a set of overgrown stone steps leading up. "Be careful." The Chieftain advised, "The steps can be slippery this time of year."

Slowly, the trio began to climb, following the steps along the gentler inclines of the cliff, staying close to the waterfalls. Occasionally, Sam could feel a few droplets of water hit him, and his feet would sometimes land in a puddle of cool water. No wonder the steps had moss and grass growing out of them.

"Odessa." Alice started, "Who is the Tapu? I thought you'd be in charge?"

"Of the Wela I am." Odessa replied, "But the Tapu are the spiritual leaders of the tribes. They don't govern, but they have served the Pokémon of these islands for centuries. We owe them a great deal."

Sam's ears perked up at that, "There are other tribes? And more than one Tapu?"

"Of course!" she replied, pointing towards one particularly wet step to avoid, "There are four, the Wela, the Kaheawai, the Hano and the Na'nuao. But we have not heard much from the others since the Lady arrived. Her boats have seen to that."

The ship that took out the Penguin and Crow was just part of a fleet? He shivered at the thought. If the Red Kite had to take out more than one ship… it was going to be hell.

They reached a small, grassy flat at the top of the steps, where a small cave opening waited for them. "Alice, was it?" Odessa said, "You can wait out here with me. Sam, the Tapu is just inside."

It didn't appear to be a dark cave, he could see a fair amount of natural light through the entryway. Not that it did much to comfort him though. Behind him, Alice rested a hand on her shoulder, her coiled ear still twitching. "Sam… if you need help…"

He looked back towards her, feeling a slight warmth work its way through him, "I hear you." He replied gently, "I'll try not to be a hero."

That earned him a sly smile from the Buneary, and with a newfound burst of confidence, he entered the cave.

He wasn't wrong, a large crack ran through the ceiling, allowing light to shine down from above. A stone path went on ahead of him, surrounded by a grassy field. At the far end of the cavern, a few metres away, was another tunnel opening. Frowning, he walked further in, his footsteps echoing through the chamber. What… what is this place? The Tapu's home or… something?

Sam reached the threshold, leaning slowly inside. "Hello?" he called out.

No answer came. Taking a deep breath, the Scorbunny stepped inside. Light still came through the crack to reveal a wooden platform and at the far end, what looked like an altar. It was made of a mix of stone, wooden steps and bright green leaves arranged in an arc and was easily taller than he was.

He slowly walked towards the altar, his eyes flickering around him. He couldn't shake off a heavy feeling as he let his eyes scan the room. A familiar and cold feeling.

This feels like Broken Wood. He realised darkly, When Volcanion showed up…

"Are you the Scorbunny?" echoed a sharp voice from all around him.

Sam jolted to attention, ears snapping around to try and find the voice. Is that-

He gritted his teeth, "Yeah. Are you the Tapu?"

"I am." Came the reply, still impossible to trace.

Paws tightening, Sam found himself right at the centre of the chamber, eyes flitting left and right. "Why did you want to see me?"

For a moment, only silence came.

Then, from above, "To test you!"

Sam's head snapped up just in time to see a yellow shell dive towards him, electricity crackling.

Yelping, Sam dove away as it slammed into the ground, feeling fur sear from the power of the electric attack. He sprung back onto a knee in time to see the shell, covered with black, orange and white markings spring towards the altar.

Sam went limp as the shell opened up mid-air, revealing a slim black and orange Pokémon. A brilliant orange plume rose from it's head, and as it touched down, a pair of icy blue eyes locked onto him.

"It is time." The Tapu declared, and before Sam was even ready, they shot forward, part of the shell sailing down towards him like a scythe…

Spoiler: Author's Note

I didn't get this chapter done as quickly as I hoped, but I am sticking to a new schedule to try and keep on top of my writing and art at a reasonable pace between the different fics. I did want to add more to this chapter, but I think some of those elements will have to be saved for the next chapter as I've been trying to stick to a specific word count for each chapter.

Either way, I hope you enjoy this one!

 

[StolenMadWolf]

POKÉMON MYSTERY DUNGEON
GUARDIANS OF BALANCE
EPISODE II – DARK, WONDEROUS PAST
CHAPTER XVI – UNDERSTANDING​

Come the fu- Sam rolled aside as the shell slammed into the ground he just was. -ck on! Not again!

He managed to spring back up to his feet as the Tapu's icy eyes locked onto him. A clang rang out as a wooden gate slammed shut over the entrance.

There was no way out.

Electric bolts flickered around the Tapu, charging another attack. Heart pounding, Sam leapt aside as another flash of energy scorched the ground. He didn't even get a chance to catch his breath as another bolt came flying past him, forcing the Scorbunny on the defensive. Shock after shock forced him to evade, some searing his fur as they came far too close.

Sam was still in mid-air as the Tapu blinked across the chamber. Something yanked the fur of the fire-type's chest and Sam gasped as he was hefted above the enemy Pokémon, stuck in it's grasp. "You are fast." The Tapu stated, almost casually as Sam wildly kicked his legs, "But how hard can you hit!?"

He couldn't snap a reply before his face scraped across the wooden floor. Groaning, Sam looked over his shoulder to find the Tapu staring at him, the shell slamming shut and open as if egging him on.

Baring his teeth, Sam ignored the pain running across his face and sprung up. He needed to take his chance now before the Tapu tried zapping him again!

"Alright! Try this!" He bellowed and scraping his foot, Sam shot off a fireball. The Tapu didn't try to dodge, instead, the shell slammed shut and the attack splattered against it with a dull thump, leaving only smoke in it wake. Can't stay shut forever!

With a growl, Sam fired off another trio of Embers, each one hitting it's target. Yet there wasn't a response, each fireball not even leaving a mark on the shell. On the fifth Ember, the shell blinked to aside, the fire ball sailing past. The shell opened back up, and Sam tried another fire attack, only for the Tapu's slim form to dodge it easily.

This wasn't working, he needed another strategy and quick!

He willed the Quick Attack to surge him forward, rapidly closing the ga-

The Tapu blinked out of existence, and Sam could only gasp as he flew through empty air. Another Quick Attack!?

As he touched down, Sam spun to find the Tapu standing behind him, the icy eyes still focused on him. "Speed alone will not save you."

Heat surged from Sam's chest to his limbs and his vision briefly flashed red. Sam snarled as he leapt back at the Tapu, whipping his fist forward at the target.

That was when his punch burst into flames, the attack rushing straight for the face. Instantly, part of the shell snapped round to counter it.

The fiery attack struck with a boom, the Tapu faintly grunting as Sam felt the impromptu shield give slightly under his fist. He blinked, his eyes finally settling on his hand, still on fire. And yet, he felt no pain.

F-Fire Punch!?

From beyond the shell-shield, the eyes of the Tapu glowed brighter.

"Impressive. And now!"

The other shell half glowed bright yellow, and before Sam could even try springing away, it had sailed into his gut. He cried out as he was flung into the air. He could barely catch a flash of orange as the enemy blinked above him, grabbed his legs, and casually tossed him back into the ground. His back cracked as he hit the floor, all the strength suddenly fading from him. Weakly, he tried to get back up-

The Discharge burned into him hotter than any fire, Sam could only scream as the electricity surged through him, his body spasming beyond his control as a million sets of teeth sank into him.

He wheezed as the attack ceased, groaning as he weakly got to his knees. "Pain can be both a barrier and an ally." The Tapu continued, it's shadow forming over him, "But how will you use it? Surely you have far more to give dark one!"

Another Discharge struck Sam hard, nearly biting his tongue as he tried to contain his agonised scream.

"I ask you." The Tapu said as the attack stopped again, "How can you protect this world? Your friends? If you can't even defend yourself?"

As the discharge impacted him once more, Sam felt a familiar, dark pulse run through him.

Zech Vo. Tenari Ulay…

And this time, he didn't wait, willing the power to surge through him. Howling, Sam slowly rose to his feet, the air darkening around him, pushing the power of the electricity away.

"The Dark Power!" The Tapu declared with a surprised cheer.

Sam didn't care, as with a final pained roar, the red aura flashed into existence around him.

"At last!" The Tapu cried.

Dark flames ignited around Sam's paw as it slammed into the Tapu's gut, the larger Pokémon buckling around his attack with a gasp, cutting off the Discharge. Grabbing them with an iron grip, Sam spun round and threw the Tapu across the chamber. As the Tapu barrelled head over heels and got back upright, the Scorbunny pounced forward, the dark Fire Punch intensifying, ready to put this bastard down in the gr-

The dark red fist slammed against the sparkling yellow shield with an almighty boom, sending a wobble running through Sam's arm. That's not going to stop me b-

"Cease, Sam! I yield!"

H-Huh?

Blinking, he found the Tapu looking back at him from behind the shell. Their eyes had ceased glowing, and they appeared a slightly warmer blue. "Congratulations. You passed."

Sam's feet faintly touched the floor. He felt confusion flutter through him, the dark energy seeming more erratic around his arm. Anger retreated from his mind, and in it's place, the memory of the Tapu's first words came back to him. 'To test you!'.

They… they were just…

His body shaking, Sam took a deep breath, trying to calm that dark energy down. His chest clenched, as if the power was refusing to back down. Squeezing his eyes closed, he mentally pushed back, commanding the power to withdraw.

With one final clench of resistance, it faded away, leaving Sam wobbling on the spot. His knees buckled, and Sam began to fall forward, only for something to grasp his shoulders. His eyes fluttered open to find the Tapu had caught him and slowly lifted the smaller fire type back to his feet.

Sam planted his feet into the floor, feeling some strength return to his legs as he looked up towards the Tapu. "You… you were testing me?"

"I was." They replied as something rattled behind him.

"-get out of the fucking way, or I'll shove this ear right up… your…"

Behind him, the gate rose back up, he found Alice and Odessa standing in the first chamber, the former's ear coated in ice. "S-Sam!" she barked as she bounced forward, eyes widening, "You're…"

"I-I'm fine." Sam panted, raising a hand to reassure her. "Just another mad moment."

"Bullshit." Alice hissed as she checked him over, then glared at the Tapu. "What the hell did you do to him?!"

"Forgive me Tapu Koko." Odessa said nervously as she walked into the chamber behind them, "If I had known you would have tried this, I could have-"

The Tapu – Koko – shook their head in response to Odessa's words, "It is fine Odessa. I intended to surprise Sam." They then directed their attention towards the Buneary. "I am sorry for the deception, but I needed to be sure of who Sam was."

Tapu Koko's eyes lay upon Sam. "Human."

Aches vanishing, Sam instinctively took a step back, W-What the fuck!? How? Alice's ears had coiled in, ready to strike.

"Don't fear." Koko said casually with a bow of their head. "If I wanted you dead, I could have done so at any time."

That didn't do much to ease Sam's concern, his ears erect as spikes as he stepped back forward. "But how did you know?" he questioned coldly.

"All legendary and mythical Pokémon have the ability to sense the presence of humans." Tapu Koko explained, their arms - visibly attached to their shell – hanging at their side. "Most have a hard time doing so, and those that have honed that sense tend to not say anything as a private courtesy." His eyes narrowed slightly, "The fact that I am telling you this is an indicator how dire the situation is."

A Legendary? So this guy is like Volcanion? He felt a weight shift off his shoulders, At least he isn't trying to kill us.

"What? The pirates?" Alice asked harshly.

Koko shook their head, "They are not the only problem, especially given when they have been encroaching."

Encroaching? What? The village? Some tribal site? Unless…

One of Sam's ears dipped, "Do… do you mean the Guardians?"

Koko seemed to bob in the air more noticeably. "Yes."

Alice slackened in front of him, visibly taken aback. Sam couldn't help but recoil, questions pounding in his head like ping-pong balls. How did the Tapu know about the Guardians? Him being human? What the pirates were upto?

Realising he was starting to hyperventilate; he sharply shook his head to clear it. "T-Then that was one of the reasons why we came! We weren't just tracking down the pirates, but looking for Guardian ruins! We think they may be linked to these disasters around the world, plus a few other things."

"Being attacked by a ghost calling itself Kain being one." Alice added.

Sam didn't need eyes to see the surprise on Koko's face, as if they had seen a ghost. The expression along was enough to send a shiver running through the Scorbunny, "You… you know him?"

"I have heard of him by reputation. Deities like ourselves did not tend to interact with the Guardians of Balance."

"Guardians of Balance…" Alice murmured; eyes narrowed in thought. Sam didn't speak at first, trying to process the whole title. It was strange to think that they had a full title, even if he wasn't sure what it meant.

"What were they?" Sam asked, feeling his attention focus onto the legendary Pokémon.

The Tapu slowly turned away, floating across the chamber, "The Guardians were many things. An defending army. Illustrious scholars. Explorers of far-flung places. Saviors of those who cannot help themselves."

Sam frowned, That's a lot of jobs… actually sounds like…

His mouth nearly dropped open, "That's like the Guild!"

Alice jerked back at his statement, "Come again?"

"Think about it!" Sam replied, "Explorers is easy. Saviors? Sounds like Rescuers to me!"

It made sense. The Guild itself did all these things. It defended Robinswood, made a note to gather knowledge, explored the islands and rescued those who need it. The Guardians could have been a Guild all of it's own.

"In a sense, Sam is right, if under valuing who they were." Koko continued. "Especially around here."

"Hold up." Alice raised a hand to stop him, "Around here? But the islands have only been here for six years. How did the Guardians set up something a lot bigger than the Guild?"

The Tapu's next words bit into Sam hard.

"What makes you think the islands are that young?"

Sam felt a shiver run down his spine as the memory of the dream resurfaced, the ground cracking open as the castle was torn apart.

The island sinking.

His blood turned to ice. "They… they sunk…"

Koko's gaze narrowed, then he nodded. "Centuries ago, the Guardians were masters of the old continent. They were the protectors of many of the clans and tribes that had existed there, the Wela were one of them, if somewhat more autonomous. Peace and prosperity reigned. And the Guardians put down any threats to the people."

"What happened?" Sam quietly asked.

"I'm afraid I don't know much." Koko admitted with a tinge of sadness. "All I gleaned was that the continent and many of the islands sundered and sank beneath the waves. The few survivors did not say much, other than how there was a great rebellion…"

The Tapu froze in the air, "…started by one of their own."

Holy…

"They turned against each other?" Alice inquired with a twitch of her coiled ear.

"I don't know the reasons." Koko replied, "Save that one Guardian turned on the others and attempted to destroy them, and in the resulting battles, the continent broke apart."

That snapped Sam back to attention, "I've just realised… continent? I know the main island is pretty big, but it's still smaller than Sand even."

"I remember the earthquakes." Koko quietly replied, their voice now dark. "They could destroy a continent."

"And what continent was this?" Alice asked.

The Tapu and Chieftain shared a glance, before the former finally spoke.

"Fire Continent."

Sam couldn't shake off the sudden hollow feeling with him, an ear dipping. Fire Continent…

"Our islands were spared along with a handful of others." Odessa added, standing more distantly to one side, "But many others were washed away too."

"The few Guardians that remained stayed only for a short while. We never saw or heard from them again."

The revelation, even as basic as it was, something that still shook Sam to his core. The Guardians were far from a myth… and yet they tore each other apart. Was Kain responsible for turning that Guardian? Or was he someone else?

"Wait." Alice continued, "If you knew the Guardians, how old are you?"

"6,259 years." Koko stated without even hesitating. "Minimum."

Sam blinked, scanning the whole body of the Tapu, finding not even one scuff there. "Geez, you looking good!"

The Scorbunny grimaced at his own words, even when Koko merely shrugged at them. "Let us move on." They continued, "The pirates are not only threatening the tribes that entities such as myself are sworn to protect, it is the relics that are of great concern as well."

"Relics?" Sam questioned.

The Tapu rolled their shoulders. "The Guardians once had an agreement with the tribes of these islands to set up outposts, including the Temples here. Before they went into exile, they made sure to seal the few treasures and records they had left away inside."

"It is a secret shared only between the Tapus and Chieftains like myself." Odessa added, "Most of our people see them as sacred, but the truth is, we feared the damage that could be caused if the secrets within are released."

It didn't take much to connect the dots, "And let me guess." Sam said, "The pirates are trying to break the doors down."

"Exactly." Koko confirmed, "Even us Tapus don't know what was stored inside. But the Guardians possessed many secrets. If they left something dangerous inside those temples and the Pirates got their hands on them… the results would be catastrophic…"

Sam chewed his lip, finding the secrets of the Guardians suddenly seemed trivial at best and needless at worst. If there was some kind of weapon hidden in them, especially if Kain was searching for such a thing… he didn't want to think about what could happen.

"Then we need to stop the pirates." Sam uttered, "Like, even more than ever."

"We still need find the others." Alice stressed, giving him a thump in the side.

"I know." Sam stressed, rubbing one of his ears. "We've just a lot extra to worry about."

Koko floated towards them, "Then let me put it like this. We all want the pirates gone and to protect our people." They motioned with one of their shells, "Our goals are aligned. And I suspect if you want answers about the Guardians, or whatever you were looking for."

Sam spotted Alice's eyes narrow. "There's one thing I don't get." She said "You sound like you knew the Guardians. Like you were there. Why not just tell us about them entirely?"

Dang, Alice has a point. Sam realised, narrowing his own gaze.

The legendary tilted their head, "You are right."

Odessa's eyes widened as she turned towards the Tapu, her beak fluttering open before they spoke again, "But that is as much as I can tell any of you."

Sam felt a little growl rise from his throat, "And why the heck is that?". Hiding infom-what was even the point of that?

The Tapu didn't miss a beat, "The same vow I made to the last Master of the Guardians. Unless otherwise informed, I am honor-bound to keep knowledge of the Guardians a secret."

Oh for the love of-

"The Temples would be sealed for all, bar one and their companions." They tilted their head towards Sam, and the answer became all too painfully clear.

Sam took a step back, "M-Me?"

"Not by name. He requested to keep all temples, the Arcanum included, sealed until a Scorbunny not from this island arrived." The Tapu took in a breath, "I suspect that time is now."

Sam felt his gaze drift towards the ground, his hand shivering. H-How did they know I would be here? They'd have to be looking into the future! That shouldn't-

"I think it might have been… an arcanum?"

The Scorbunny stiffened as the word bounced around again in his head. "Wait, Arcanum. You know where that is?"

Alice, Odessa and Tapu Koko all looked over the Scorbunny, and in response, Sam could only rub the back of his head, "I kinda have a feeling that is gonna be the place we really need to worry about…"

---

"The Vengeful was not able to salvage the first schooner, but the crew were able to tow the second into the harbour. Axel is already starting to survey the ship."

Stood at the edge of a round table within the well-lit chamber, Blackaxe's form towered over her surroundings, her dark axes hanging at her sides. "What's his initial assessment?" she grunted.

Ezekyle stood to one side of the table, a clipboard and quill in paw, "The ship's internal structure is badly straining. She's repairable, but it would take a lot of work."

"Disassembly then?" Blackaxe inquired.

"Possibly, the wood is of good stock. Oak and teak from the Sea of Wonders, and some cedar from Air. It would aid in the repairs to Vengeful and Chance. There is the second river boat being worked on too."

Blackaxe seemed to chew on the thought, "Let Axel do his survey. Unless he finds a good reason why we should keep the ship, we'll break her up."

"Of course, my lady." Ezekyle said with a bow of his head.

"What about the crew?"

Opposite the two pirates stood the hulking form of Greg, the Swampert had his arms crossed as his gaze flicked between the two. "Some of 'em are part of the Guild. The others will be coming for them."

There was a slight glimmer in the pirate queen's eye, "Let them come. They won't be expecting the beacons or our defences."

Greg glowered across the room, "Those gems? Sounds like a con to me."

"They are authentic." Ezekyle replied. "You've seen how they've worked."

"Not against a lot of them."

Tapping the table with the tip of one axe, Blackaxe glared back at the pair, "It will work as long as it needs to. And if the guild comes, all the better. We'll make sure to roll out the carpet. And speaking of the guild…" she turned her gaze towards the Floatzel, "What of the prisoners?"

"We have gathered them all outside my lady." Ezekyle replied, "One of them is a fire-type."

"Then why isn't he dead?" Blackaxe growled, the air seeming to darken around her. "You know our policy."

"Indeed, but the captain claims he is famous."

Blackaxe leaned back, axes placed behind her back, "Is he now?"

"That is what he claims."

The pirate thought of this for a moment, before walking round the edge of the table. "Alright." Blackaxe stated, "I'll see them for myself."

With Blackaxe taking point, the trio made their way out of the chamber and towards the building's exit. The pirate queen shunted her way out into daylight, to the very same clearing she had revealed herself to the crew of the Daywalker. As she descended the steps, she scanned the assembled survivors from both the Penguin and the Crow were lined up before the building.

As Ezekyle and Greg kept their distance, the pirate queen paced the assembled mons, observing their flicker with a mixture of fear, worry, confusion and defiance as she gave her speech about their circumstances. She did want to give the crews, those strong enough to survive anyway, the chance to join the ranks of Libertalia. But she did knew some would try and break free regardless, and when that happened… well, the price would be high. She had little time for weak links.

Soon, her pirates started escorting the crews away. But with a swift movement, she swept an axe towards the one clustered group of prisoners. "Except them."

The group was forced back to their knees before the giant pirate. Amongst them were a Noibat and a Morpeko who were visibly close together, a bruised Skiddo… and held down by two pirates, locked up in chains and with a muzzle round his jaws, an injured Charizard.

Nia stared up at the Kleavor, her eyes wide, "W-What do you want from us?"

Blackaxe merely narrowed her eyes, "Information from you three." She waved an axe blade towards the three Rookies. "I know the rest of your Guild isn't far from here, I want to know more about them."

Edward winced as he tried to look up at her, "We won't give up anything."

"Maybe you won't." Blackaxe admitted with a grunt, "We do have… methods if you aren't feeling co-operative."

She turned towards the chained Calvin, the fire-type glaring at her from underneath the muzzle. "Now you" Blackaxe continued, "are most interesting. You might not know this, but we've met once before."

The Charizard stiffened, an eye narrowing as the Kleavor leaned forward. "Before you and your friends were Team ACT. I had to deal with a certain acquaintance of yours."

Unable to speak, Calvin's narrowed eye sharply widened.

"Now you understand." Blackaxe stated with a gravelly tone, her axe tapping the ground and where eyes glowing yellow. "I want to know all about him…"

---

Kaliani hissed as she stumbled through the undergrowth, her muscles straining as she struggled to pull her left wing away from her body. Not from injury, but from the sheer amount of gunk and webbing that was stuck across her flank. That was twice now that the seamon had been shot down in the last few weeks. At least she got to walk away with a bumpy landing in the trees as she attempted to get clear of the Penguin when Calvin ordered the remaining crew to try and flee. She was battered, bruised and cut in places, but she was alive and awake.

Lolo! Why did I have to fly so high! I was a sitting duck!

With her beak, she shoved another big green leaf out of the way and into a narrow clearing. A slim stream ran from left to right, not even past her feet in height. Her throat burned as she stared at the water. She hadn't drank anything since she touched down a few hours ago, and the water seemed clean enough. Maybe… maybe just one sip…

Something rustled from the other side. The Trumbeak's head snapped up.

Standing on the otherside of the stream, amongst leafy ferns was the very familiar form of Zeke, his eyes wide with shock and alarm.

Kaliani couldn't stop the gasp escaping from her mouth as she stumbled back…

Spoiler: Author's Note

And so, this took far too long to complete, but the next chapter is finally out. I was going to get it out sooner, but IRL stuff, following up with several creative projects ranging from other art, following up with novel stuff as well as looking at creating a combat system for a roleplaying game. Then my laptop nearly ended up breaking apart in my hands so that took some of the wind out of my sails. And that's before having a few personal bumps in the road.

Nevertheless, this is a bit of a slower chapter, but it does include some details I've been wanting to let out for a while. So I hope you all enjoy this chapter.