Chapter 6: Playing Pretend
Orange skies gave way to violet starlight as the first day on Calvin Island drew to a close. Thankfully, there were no further interruptions once the two came back into town. Maneuvering through the emptying streets, the pair finally reached the docks. Fellow crew members were boarding the ship, with some carrying crates, bags, and other stored goods. One pokemon, an Ambipom, wobbled up the ramp before falling backward. Maxim rushed over, worried, only to see them snoring.
A nearby Heracross snickered at the sight. “Queen’s gown, what a lightweight! Told him he’s got a lot of practicing to do before he can drink with the big boys!” The Heracross slung the unconscious mon over their shoulder and leaped onto the deck.
“Is he gonna be alright?” Maxim asked.
“Eh, he’ll live. Some of us think we can outdrink the other and then this happens.” Rene sighed.
Back on the ship, the two went below decks to the mess hall. Like the day before, a massive line stretched from front to back, with the pair barely out the door. The line moved without confrontation, and Maxim soon found himself in front of a familiar duo.
The Grafraiai and Slowbro were hard at work moving dishes across the counter. While his much taller partner turned potatoes over a small flame, the Grafraiai handed out meals to everyone.
Noticing the Rowlet, Cardin presented a plate to Maxim with a gleam in his eyes.
“Hey Rowlet! Ready to get your pallet blown away by another Cardin and Hyde specialty? This time we’ve got oven-roasted potato slices coated with a zesty glaze made from grinded herbs and nomel berries! One bite of this and you’ll weep of joy!” The tiny chef flexed his thin arms. “I’d like to see one of those local joints match this!”
“I think that one Heatmor’s dish had our number, chum.” His Slowbro companion sighed.
“Hey hey hey!” Cardin growled. “Just you wait, that guy’s flame is gonna be a candle in the wind to our inferno!”
Hyde rubbed the back of his head. “Yeahhh, sure thing.”
Maxim took his seat at an occupied table, then jolted a bit when Rene sat down by him.
“Reservin’ a table, eh? Isn’t that nice of you!” The Mienfoo laughed.
“Oh I uh, I was just trying to c-chill out of the way, you know, uh.” Maxim stammered.
She lightly tapped him on the head. “Relax, I’m just teasin’ yah! Good eye to pick a spot out of the way!”
All around them, pokemon were chatting away or messing around with their fellow crew mates. The two dug in, eating their food without a word passing between the two. Between bites, Maxim broke the awkward silence.
“Hey Rene, I’m surprised you wanted to sit with me. I figured you probably had others that you’d hang out with.”
“I’m not a big party gal. There are plenty of days where I'm happy to sit by myself.” She said, puffing out her cheeks. “Plus I’m your partner now, gotta keep an eye on yah!”
Maxim couldn’t object to that. The two continued their meal in silence. But he had to admit, having someone to spend time with was giving him a slight fuzzy feeling inside.
BARRRRRRINGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG!!
“UP AND AT’EM, THE WINDS OF A NEW DAY ARE HERE!”
Maxim groaned and rolled out of his hammock. The start of a new day had arrived, and with it, another jolt out of bed.
It’s going to be a long time before I get used to this. He thought.
A quick stop by the mess hall and a breakfast of roasted bread gave him a morning boost. Squeezing through the crowded halls of crewmembers, Maxim went above deck. The dull thumping of shuffling boxes and moving pokemon was the first thing to greet him. Most of the crew were busy sweeping the deck, lifting cargo, and other tasks.
Even first thing in the morning, the crew’s got the ball rolling! Talk about no effort wasted!
While his gaze wandered over the deck, he felt a strange sensation nibbling at the back of his mind. The feeling led him to look up at the bow, leading him to a curious sight. At the tip stood a figure covered in a long billowing green cloak. Through an opening around the head, a ruby-colored eye peeked back at Maxim. Despite the figure’s small stature, the other crew members were ignoring their presence. Maxim rubbed at his eyes with a wing only to see that the figure had vanished.
“What in the-”
His gaze darted from side to side, scanning for any other sign. He looked towards the stern. There the figure was, sitting on the deck above the ship’s wheel. It waved a dark blue arm, as if beckoning Maxim over.
This is ridiculous! Am I really the only one who can see this happening? He thought. Taking flight, the Rowlet soared just over the heads of his fellow crew members and landed directly in front of the steering wheel. This time, the figure stayed in place and waved back.
“Hey! Just who are you?” Maxim yelled.
A silent shake of their head was the only response. Bright pink energy coated the figure’s form before they vanished into light, leaving Maxim at a loss for words.
Just what the hell was that?
He wouldn’t have the chance, as a large shadow loomed over him. Maxim twisted his head around to see a massive bipedal pokemon standing with their arms crossed. Their jet black body was covered in armor-like scales, scars, and cuts. A pair of axe-shaped tusks sprouted from their snout, the left one’s edge chipped and broken. The blue scarf wrapped around their neck indicated they were a crew member. But that did little to assure Maxim, who was frozen with terror.
“H-h-how are you doing Mr. Ha-Hax-Haxorus, i-is it?” Maxim said with a poorly feigned smile. The dragon type stood statue-like as their red eyes bored into Maxim. A few seconds passed before the Haxorus relaxed.
“Why are you snooping around my quarters, Rowlet? Are you looking for something?” Spoke the dragon type in a masculine tone. His voice was deep yet smooth and commanded enough energy to make Maxim straighten up.
“S-sorry sir! I didn’t mean to intrude!” Maxim apologized, rubbing his head. “I didn’t know this was your area!”
The Haxorus let out a small sigh. “Don’t look at me all scared. I’m not going to bite ” His tail gently slapped the wood floor. “As long as this ship is docked here, I don’t have much else to do but stare.”
Maxim sighed in relief. The last thing he wanted to do was push the crew’s buttons. “Well that’s not a bad thing! I’d rather deal with a slow day than a hectic one like with that pirate crew recently, haha!” Maxim said with a nervous chuckle.
A smile tugged at the edges of the dragon’s face as he looked up at the skies above. “Aye. You’re not wrong kiddo. I’ve seen enough sunrises to know when to appreciate a peaceful day when I see one. You should as well.” The look in the Haxorus’s face softened. “I suppose I might as well ask. What’s your name, Rowlet? I’ve seen a lot of mons aboard this ship, but not one of your kind.”
“Maxim, sir.” He replied.
“Maxim, eh?” The Haxorus raised one of his hands to his chin, causing Maxim to notice said hand was missing a claw. “You new here? Don’t recall us picking up any rookies at our last stop.”
“Yeah, you can say that. I’m still learning a lot about the pir-privateer life.” He stated. “I’m grateful that Captain Drake gave me the chance to be here and stuff.”
“Well you picked a great crew!” The Haxorus chuckled. “Just make sure to put in work, little one!”
“Sure thing, Mr…?”
The Haxorus raised a hand, then pointed his thumb at his chest. “Abel. Just call me Abel. I’m the crew’s helmsmon. Come gentle breeze or rough storm, I’ll get us where we need to go in one piece!”
“Noted! Nice to meet you, sir!” The Rowlet gave him a small nod, then looked back to the deck. Some crew members were leaving the ship for the day, while others were still busy with daily tasks. “Well that reminds me, I’ve got to get back with my partner. I don’t want to keep her waiting any more.”
Abel nodded. “Aye, good to keep your fellow crewmate in mind!”
“Oh wait, one more thing. This might sound weird, but have you seen a floating figure covered in a green cloak anywhere around here? I seemed to be the only one that saw them.”
The Haxorus raised a brow. “Green..cloak..? Hmmm.” He traced a hand around one of his blade tusks. “Green cloak..oh! I know what you mean.” A sign left Abel as he rubbed at his temple. “Not normal for her to get bored this easily. Sorry if you got spooked, just don’t worry about that. You’ll probably meet her again soon.”
“Her?”
He raised a claw to his snout. “Shhhhh, she’ll get annoyed if I talk any more about it.”
Maxim wanted to protest, but decided he had spent enough time getting sidetracked. “Well alright, I’ll be off then!”
As Maxim flew back to the main deck, he saw Rene leaned against the railing. Her eyes were closed, and she didn’t react when he landed in front of her. Maxim tilted his head and poked her with a wing.
“Hey Rene, I’m here!”
“Yeah, I can see you.” She sighed. “Hope you’re ready for another day, ‘cause you’re gonna have more training to do!”
“Sure thing. And I’ll try not to get knocked out early on this time.” Maxim said.
“Let’s head on, then! I want us to start early today! No slackin’!” She huffed. Rene sped down the ramp, waving her paw for him to follow. He chose to glide down alongside the Mienfoo.
As the two were about to take the main path into town, nearby shouting caught their attention. The source came from slightly further down the dock, where the familiar face of Clyde was focused on a pink humanoid figure known as a Tinkaton. Two pairs of goggles were wrapped above her head and around her neck while her blue scarf was tied around one of her twintails. Despite being shorter than Clyde, the pokemon easily wheeled around a cart stacked with metal and fabrics at least three times her size. Though Clyde’s back was turned, the Politoed’s rigid stance conveyed enough.
“Argh! Now what have yer gone n’ done? I thought you and yer little group already peeled enough off that ship to satisfy yer!” Clyde groaned, crossing his arms.
The Tinkaton adjusted the goggles on her head, then flashed him a smile. “That ship of theirs won’t sail again,, so I figured they wouldn’t miss it if I took a few parts with us!”
“Yer calling that a wee bit o’ parts?” Clyde argued. “Yer bum’s oot the windae! I’ve gotten tired o’ listening to the navy cry and squeal like hatchlings!”
“Meh! By the time those lugs even try to complain, we’ve already gave em the slip!” The Tinkaton said. “Out of sight, out of mind!”
The Politoed facepalmed. “By the Queen’s gown, I’ll need to get hammered tonight.”
“She seemed rather…passionate.” Maxim whispered, turning to Rene.
“Hestia? She’s a wild one. I wouldn’t get too close if I were you. She might try to work ya into one of her wacky experiments!” Rene teased.
Maxim suddenly felt more motivated to head into town. “We should definitely get a move on now!”
With a roll of her eyes, Rene walked down the boardwalk with Maxim following close behind.
The town was more lively today as crowds of pokemon flowed through the streets. A dense herd of four legged mons like Tauros and Mudsdale forced the pair to hug the street’s edge. Even as they switched to a side road, the traffic refused to thin out
The chaotic pace and lack of space began to wear at Maxim. His small stature only made things worse. Finally after minutes of weaving around larger mons, he found enough breathing room in the middle of a wide road. His chance to rest would be short lived.
A figure brushed against his side, and with them the tug of something coming off. He looked down to see his scarf was still present, but felt strangely
lighter . That wasn’t right. A few seconds went by before the realization dawned. He scanned around to see a black and white blur sped back into the dense crowd.
“What’s goin’ on? You look pissed!” Rene said.
“My bag is gone! Someone took it!” Maxim cried out.
The Rowlet launched into the air, looking for the thief.
“Hey wait up! I can’t fly, you know!” Rene yelled. She waved to Maxim, but he was already high in the air. From building to building, there was no sight of anything beyond visiting customers or relaxing townsfolk. The crowd began to thin out, but as Maxim passed between streets his target remained absent. He came to rest on a slanted rooftop, taking a moment to catch his breath.
“Shit! Where could they have gone?!”
His current position was where the main entrance to Merchant’s Street met another sideroad. The location was vacant outside a pair of passing Furret. Anger building, his claws started to chip into the roof’s tiles.
“
You’ve got to be kidding me! Only the second day here and I’ve been mugged for my one day paycheck!”
The rustling of a bush below caught his attention. It continued for a few seconds before the white head of a small bear poked its head out. A small leaf was in their mouth while a crudely stitched together black hoodie draped from their neck.
“
A…Pancham? Wait a second!”
After looking from side to side, the pokemon hopped out of the bush. The black hoodie had a cape stitched below the shoulders. Quickly, they dashed across the street and into a small alleyway.
Having wings was becoming a newfound blessing for Maxim, as they let him trail the Pancham without worry. The black and white pokemon skillfully weaved from alley to alley, eventually heading down a long narrow corridor ending in a square shaped clearing. Tightly enclosed by multistoried buildings, it was hard to believe someone would want to bother with a place like this. The most surprising fact would be that the Pancham wasn’t alone.
Two other mons, a Scraggy, and an Impidimp had seemingly been waiting for the Pancham. Similar to the latter, they had matching hoods color coated to their respective mons. Maxim slowly touched down on an overhang, leaning in as close as he could without giving away his position.
The Scraggy spoke first in a young female’s voice. “Okay Rodrick, we got everything together. Now what’s this big scheme o’ yours that dragged us back in here?”
“Alright Addie, you ain’t gonna believe this, but I pulled a fast one just now!” The Panchim grinned. He pulled out a brown bag and presented it. Maxim had to hold in a gasp, for there was no mistaking the sight of his own handbag.
“Woah! Did you really go and yank it off some poor sod? I didn’t think you’d go through with it!” Addie marveled, poking at the bag. Her Impidimp companion didn’t share the same enthusiasm.
“Hold up, hold up! You’re saying you stole it, yeah? What if the bloke figures out you’re the one who took it?” The Impidimp whimpered, his tone shrill and nasally. “We’ll get in real big trouble!”
Rodrick waved his paw in dismissal. “Don’t worry ‘bout it! The guards couldn’t find a Copperjah in a hayfield! At worst I’ll just drop it off at their office and claim I found it! Easy peasy!”
“As long as you don’t wimp out as soon as you step in!” Addie teased.
“Hey! I told you I’m brave! This bag here proves it!” Roddrick fired back. “Let’s just figure out who’s gonna play what role today! I call being Stacks this time!”
Addie crossed her arms and scoffed. “Guess we’re gonna have to be the Gliscor Twins today, since Minnie and Tay are out. C’mon Lars! Get out the cloaks!”
“Oh, alright. I’m better at playing the bad guy than Stacks anyway..” The Impidimp sulked. He moved over to a corner and pulled out a box stuffed with fabric. Each mon took off their hoods and replaced them with a unique, homemade costume. The Scrafty and Impidimp both wore matching purple cloaks with long slender ears attached on the hoods. Meanwhile Rodrick wore a gray hood with two ears and a paper drill-shaped horn at the top. The Pancham tossed Maxim’s bag over to Lars, who stumbled trying to catch it.
“Oh yeah, let’s go! Now get into place so we can start!” Rodrick cheered.
Maxim tilted his head as he watched them spread out. His bag got stolen by a bunch of kids playing dress up? He’d be the laughingstock of the crew if this got out!
Roddrick assumed a stance while pointing a finger. “Stop right there you conniving twins! Your misdeeds end here!”
Addie reared back before unleashing a comically over the top laugh. “Muahahahaha! You don’t have a chance against us, Stacks! You may have knocked out our minions, but the two of us alone is more than enough!”
Playfully gritting his teeth, Rodrick raised a fist. “We’ll see, you terrible twins! I’m kicking your bums out of this town! Haaah!”
He rushed forward, but froze as a shadow descended. Maxim dusted himself off before pointing a wing at the kid thief. “Hold it you three! Playtime’s over!”
Addie and Lars shot each other a look. “Who the heck is this? Did you invite someone else over to play, Rod?” Addie said.
“No I uh, well uh, I dunno who this guy is!” The Pancham stammered with widening eyes.
“You should know who I am.” Maxim sighed. “After all, you’re holding my bag. Or well, the Impidimp is.” Said mon shivered and dropped the bag to the ground. Rodrick’s jaw dropped.
“Ack! No way! I-I was careful and everything! N-no way you caught up!”
Maxim frowned. “But I did. The wings really help. Anyway, it’s time you give me that back. Now!”
A few seconds passed as Rodrick only stared at Maxim. Then, the Pancham bursted into tears.
“I’m sorry I’m sorry I’m sorry! I’ll give it back! Just please don’t tell on us!”
“Y-yeah, what he said!” Lars chimed in, holding back tears. All Addie did was scoff and look away.
Maxim rubbed his temple and sighed. “
Didn’t think I’d feel this bad about stopping a would-be thief.”
“Alright, calm down. I just want my bag back. I promise I won’t tell on you to the guards, as long as you don’t do this again.”
Roddrick quickly nodded. In between sobs he spoke again. “I promise!”
Finally reunited with his bag, Maxim attached it behind his scarf once again. Before he could fly away, his curiosity kicked in again. “I’ll admit, I did see what you kids were trying to do. Some sort of playtime was it? But why steal someone’s bag to serve as a prop?”
All three children looked to one another. Rodrick waved for the other two to come close, then pulled them into a group embrace. A few seconds of whispering later, and Rodrick slowly approached Maxim.
“You ain’t from around here, yeah?”
Maxim nodded. Rodrick looked over his shoulder before continuing. “Well yah see, there’s some cool things about our island here that we learn from birth. You know that cave up there, just outside town? Used to be a bandit hideout and all, REAL bad guys stayed there.”
“Gliscor Cave? I went there just the other day.” Maxim said.
“Yeah that’s right. Mum told me about how the mine was all used up and vacant, then these bad guys, led by Gliscor twins named Slash and Strike, came on a big fancy ship. They ransacked the town real bad.”
“Y-yeah! REAL bad!” Lars said.
Roddrick continued. “The governor at the time lived on the island, in a stone fortress just north of town. Of course, the villagers begged the governor for help, but the guy was a dummy! He couldn’t muster up enough guards to fight back! Then the bandits got bored and settled into that cave up there. Once they had their own hideout, they made things even worse by messing with anyone who visited the island! The village suffered a lot, with the bandits constantly taking food and valuables. Nobody was strong enough to tell em off, so things looked rough.” Rodrick’s head drooped down.
“At least until Stacks came in!” Addie cheered.
Maxim raised a brow. “Stacks?”
Roddrick became starry-eyed at the mention. “That’s right! Stacks the Rhydon! He was a passing adventurer who had stopped by on pure chance! He saw how badly the bandits were treating the townspeople, and decided to step in! He kicked those bandits right of town, then rallied everyone to take the fight to the bandits’ hideout! There was an epic battle as Stacks took on the dangerous duo of Slash and Strike by himself, and
knocked them both out!.” The Pancham punched and kicked the air.
“With the two of them down, Calvin Village was freed of the bandits for good! Things only got better from there, as Stacks even helped to boot that lousy governor! Thanks to him, Calvin Island would grow bigger and better than before! If you wonder how our ports got to being so active, you can thank him!”
So this Stacks guy was a real-life folk hero? Interesting. Maxim thought.
I can respect them wanting to keep a tradition going, but did they have to steal my bag for that at least?
“So there yah got it! Isn’t that cool as all heck? We even made our own Stacks cloak!” Roddrick beamed, holding up the horned cloak.
Maxim sighed. “That’s nice…but don’t try and get others involved next time! Stealing other’s belongings can get you into serious trouble!”
“I told him it was a silly idea.” Addie groaned. “He wanted to be ‘brave’ and prove he wasn’t a scaredy-meowth. Fat lot of good it did us.”
“Hey! So what if it was stupid! I showed you I got serious guts!” Roddrick fired back.
“Serious guts? More like foolish bravery! Hahaha!”
Maxim flinched at the familiar voice coming from behind him. As he turned around, he came face to face with Hurik the Combusken.
“Well will you look at that? How’s it going, Maxim?” Hurik said.
Maxim nodded towards Roddrick. “Hello! I was just having a chat with these kids about staying away from risky things.”
“Were you now? Don’t worry, I heard everything!” The adventurer cheered. All three children gasped in horror.
Hurik quickly waggled a claw. “Ah ah ah! I won’t tell! But you gotta make sure you keep that promise and stay out of trouble, you three!”
“S-sure thing, Mr. Adventurer!” Roddrick stammered. “In fact, we were just about to head back home! Isn’t that right, chums?” His companions nodded back. “See yah!”
With that, the trio shoved their cloaks back into a box and then ran out of the square. Hurik crossed his arms as he watched them slip away. “Those kids sure are something?” He chuckled.
“Yeah, you can say that.” Maxim said. “Had to admit, the history behind that Stacks guy did sound interesting. Wonder what became of him?”
The smile on Hurik’s face twisted into a frown, and the look in his eyes darkened. “This town is kind, very kind. But they’re also rather…naive to their own history.”
“Naive?”
Hurik nodded. “Often over time, history can be romanticized. The tale of Calvin Town is one such example. Stacks
did help to save the town, that’s true, but the backstory behind it is heavily glossed over.”
The Combusken leaned in. “You see, Stacks didn’t come here on a whim. He knew the whole time what was going on. The reason why is because he was a bandit himself.”
Shock coursed through Maxim. “You’re kidding me!”
“Nope. It’s the truth. You see, decades after the event, a report was dug up from the office of the old governor Karka, who had been sitting in office at the time. Stacks was a member of the bandits who grew dissatisfied with them. Karka, seeking a way to mitigate losses and property destruction, cut a deal with him to help overthrow the twins and run them out of town. Needless to say, it succeeded. However, Stacks would use his popular influence to paint Karka as incompetent, eventually causing him to be removed as governor.”
“That’s crazy.. How did you even find out about all this?” Maxim questioned.
“I was curious about this island’s history, so I did a bit of my own research. Quite the controversial subject isn’t it? If you tried to give this information to the residents, they’d deny it to the last breath.” Hurik mused. “It’s been a tale of theirs for decades. No amount of knowledge would ever make them change their views.”
Maxim reluctantly nodded. He did have a point, going by how much those three children adored the story. A folk tale ingrained as a child for decades upon decades. No way the residents would change that if a bunch of outsiders told them to.
Hurik placed a claw on his hip. “Ah well, I’m not one to dash the fun of kids, even naughty ones! I’ve got more important business to attend to! Thanks for another chat, Maxim!” With that, Hurik walked out of the alleyway. Right as he left into the main road, the blue rings of a certain Umbreon peaked just out of sight.
Right as Maxim rejoined the main road, Rene caught up to him. “There you are, you featherbag! What were you thinking just jetting off without me? You got any idea how many streets I had to fly down?!”
“Ah, I’m sorry! I really had to get my bag back!” Maxim said. “I promise I won’t ditch you like that again!”
His apology did little to quell her anger. “Whatever, you can make it up to me when we train. I’m not gonna pull my punches this time!
Maxim let out a loud gulp. “N-noted!”
After hastily eating a pastry from a local bakery, as Rene didn’t want him to fight on an empty stomach, Maxim found himself back at the cave’s entrance. There was just one problem stopping them from going in, a hastily constructed barricade with a red X painted on wood.
“Tsk, what the hell? Who’s tryin’ to seal off the entrance?” Rene complained.
“Maybe the guards are worried about the security of the mines? It’s pretty old and worn.” Maxim noted.
Rene scoffed. “Pff. That place is a lot more secure than half of the caves I’ve ever seen. Held up pretty well while we were bouncing around.”
“Well what are we gonna do now?”
“I can’t just tear the barricade down. The guards’ll whine to the crew. But…” A smile crept onto her face. “They should ‘av thought long n’ hard about sealin’ the other places!” She leaped above the barricade, grabbed onto a bundle of vines, and vaulted her way up.
Maxim looked on, bewildered. “Wait a moment, what are you doing?”
“If they’re gonna block that entrance, I’m just gonna go through one of the ‘eyes’! Easy peasy!”
She swung her paws in an arc motion, cutting through scores of vine. Looking down at Maxim, she motioned him to come up. The Rowlet sighed and flew toward her. The upper level of the cave felt tighter to navigate with how small the tunnels were. The air was much colder and drier, causing Maxim to shudder.
“Looks like they didn’t change a thing! Lazy moppets just put a lock on the door and called it a day! Oh well, let’s get ready to scrap!”
She raised her fists which began to glow with energy. Crouching into a stance, she waited for Maxim to make a move.
“HAAAAAAH!”
Dirt and dust was thrown into the air as Rene and Maxim continued their training session. Despite his partner’s aggressive attacks, he was pleasantly surprised to discover he was getting better with dodging. He also was starting to trade blows too, from pecking Rene on her shoulder or flinging more energy coated feathers into her side. Unfortunately, his partner was far more experienced in combat, and had the resilience to prove it. By the time the two had backed away again, he was out of breath compared to her unfazed glare.
“Heh, you’re starting to get a bit better with this. That’s more like it!” Rene exclaimed.
“Th-thanks, those blows of yours are no joke though!” He wheezed.
The Mienfoo crossed her arms. “Eh, how ‘bout we take a small break? Too early for you to be faintin’, now!”
“Thanks!” Maxim said, dropping on his back. “I’m feeling a bit lightheaded.”
He swallowed an Oran berry lobbed at him, a sigh of relief coming out as the fruit’s rejuvenating energy washed over. “That’s the good stuff!” He cheered.
The two rested on the cold cave floor with only the sound of dripping water as company. Then, another noise began to echo from the main tunnel. The sound grew loud enough for Maxim to realize what it was: two voices having a conversation.
“Hey, do you hear that? It almost sounds like-” He didn’t get to finish as Rene quickly rushed over and put a paw over his beak. Before he could protest again, she dragged the Rowlet behind a jagged rock formation. Her grip was tight enough to render his frantic flaps useless.
“Calm down for a minute! You’ll make too much noise!” She hissed in a low whisper. She cranked her head around to look through a gap in the rocks. The voices started to get closer and closer, becoming clear enough to make out words.
“Stay.. here.. Long time..”
“Closed cave.. Nobody here.. We’re free..”
“This should b.. the place!”
“Alright, let’s get started!”
Maxim paused at the last line. The voice sounded very familiar.
“Guess those guards aren’t so worthless after all, if a little rope and wood is a good enough ward! This island’s all too easy to comply!”
“That’s good though! I had my hunch things would work out this way, and they have so far! But let’s not get overly cocky, Celene.”
Maxim’s blood froze in his veins. There was no mistaking it, that was Hurik’s voice! Both him and Celene were having a private meeting. The clearing became illuminated in yellow light as Maxim could hear the sound of crackling flames.
“Remember, we have to keep things going for at least another day or two. Don’t go blowing our cover, especially with those
privateers lurking about.” Hurik growled.
Maxim could feel the bleeding animosity in his voice, a far cry from the cheerful fellow he talked with only earlier. Just who were these two?
“Just another reason for us to hurry up and finish our business on this damn island!” Spat Celene. “I dunno why the captain bothered to send us out here, does he really not have faith in us?”
“I can’t say. Crafty mon, he is. But don’t worry, once we finish this job, it’s smooth sailing from here on. Now let’s discuss what you’ve found out here.”
Their conversation went on for quite some time. Their voices faded in and out as they talked about different subjects and aspects of the island and its daily life. The conversation then wrapped around to its original subject.
“That about does it. We’ll stay one more day, then report our findings to the crew. I’ll have Morris meet us at Umbrella Forest tomorrow night, and we’ll compound our findings together. Does that work for you?” Hurik asked.
Celene let out a snort. “Good enough. I’ll be glad to stretch my legs anywhere else. I’m not big on playing pretend, and this place bores me to tears! Let’s just make sure that bubblering rookie didn’t go and spill his guts in the soldier’s barracks.”
“Noted. Let’s leave, Celene.”
“Celene?”
…
“Hello, Celene? What are you doing?”
Celene let out a few sniffs before addressing Hurik. “You don’t smell that? A fresh scent, like someone’s here?”
“Nope, not at all.” Hurik huffed. “Sure you’re not picking on something from the other day? Think the guards mentioned that some privateers had visited here.”
“I know what I’m talking about!” Celene hissed. “I can tell there’s something here! Just got to find it.”
Maxim’s pulse began to race. He dared not move, otherwise the Umbreon’s suspicions would be confirmed. A wave of dread washed over him as he wondered what would happen if the two found out they were here. Rene had crouched to the ground to minimize her presence. If she was also worried, she was hiding it.
The echoing of paws on the rocky floor began to grow louder.
And louder.
And louder.
“CELENE!” 
