Chapter Text
Chapter 52
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Assertion
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=================== B E G I N ===================
GONG
Avery's eyes blinked awake. No floor this time. No Whimsicott staring down at them. Just...morning.
He stretched his back out, squinting a little as he did.
"G...good morning, Niv..."
GONG
Avery could see the Eevee, curled. Her ear flicked. The Plusle could already hear Vinae's shouting from down the hall. The window was dark...so he knew what that meant.
Yet Nivanee lifted herself, arched her back and shook her head, looking Avery's way with a smile.
"G'morning, Avery," the Eevee said. Her fluffy tail tightened around him. "Are you ready...?"
"UP AND AT EM. FRONT AND CENTER IMMEDIATELY~!" Vinae's voice bellowed from the Guild hall. It was a cheery, sing-songy voice that dripped with malice. Nivanee paid it no mind, only smiling cheekily.
"I don't think Vinae's too happy about Janus," she whispered slyly.
"You're right, Janus could have been a great help during this mission," Avery said, keeping the facade and slipping off of the bed - when Vinae got to their room they'd be present and ready to go. "It's too bad she left the guild, huh?"
He extended his hand to Nivanee to help her off of the bed.
"What a shame," the Plusle mused.
Nivanee's smile widened as she took his paw and hopped down to the floor. No more words. Everyone knew what to do. It was time to face the day...and face the mission.
Walking together, the two entered the hall just as Equiros the Archeops Elite was approaching to search their room. Shantai the Chandelure ushered them to continue down to the the guild hall without detours or delays. As Avery and Nivanee entered the guild hall, they saw the others, lined up in their neat row as usual. Sarfallinus stood at the front by the gong, glaring at Vinae as the Whimsicott watched everyone file in.
Nobody looked scared this time. Lahnae, Kipuuna, Loshjno, Ganisus, they all shared Sarfallinus's glare at Vinae. They all stood there before her. The woman did her best to loom as she did yesterday. But Avery could feel it in the air: something was different. Vinae looked...a little more...manic than usual. Her smile was ever so slightly too wide. Bags under her eyes. A half-empty cup of chesto juice was on the ground behind her.
Nivanee restrained herself from smiling. It seemed like Janus gave Vinae the run of her life last night. All last night.
At last, the Whimsicott spoke.
"SO." She began, clapping her hands together as she slowly rebuilt her composure. "You all know what we're doing today, right~?"
The guild gave no reply, only staring at her.
Vinae's teammate slowly took their place at her side as she continued.
"Everyone ready to do good and help their Conduit get the pearl?" Vinae asked, a little more forcefully.
Avery took a breath, straightened up.
"Yes, ma'am!" he said, smiling widely, as if he'd gotten the best sleep of his life.
Maybe he had.
"Ready as I always am to help the Conduicy secure the pearls, ma'am!"
Everyone followed suit.
"AYE," the guild called after him. Vinae perked up, almost surprised
"Oh heyyy! Very good, Avery!" Vinae complimented, looking as though she were swallowing down a yawn. "That's some real leadership you're showing there!"
Sarfallinus stood idly, casting reassuring looks to everyone...
...and to Avery especially.
"Now then, everyone...this is how this is going to go..." Vinae began...
"Outside right now are about five iron carriages from the army. They split off from second vehicle brigade which is approaching Ember Summit to meet up with the rest of the army.
"Our carriages will be escorted by the Fifth GA Battalion and we'll be arriving just outside Steeljag village. You'll get your grouping assignments there before we storm Ember Summit."
Vinae paused, her hands going behind her back as she scanned the group.
"Certain...incidents last night have necessitated we send more troops out to Steeljag. They should be arriving as we speak."
Kipuuna raised his flipper. Vinae's eyes traced over to him...and after a while she nodded.
"Go ahead, Aquashock."
"Is that loud bang last night the 'incident'?" the Piplup asked. "What was that all about?"
"Nothing you need to worry about, Kipuuna," Vinae said quickly. "Elite business. You lot need to focus on Ember Summit, kay~?"
Kipuuna put his flipper down and said no more.
For a moment everyone waited, standing at attention. Then, footsteps echoed from the staircase, a Meowscarada in heavy plate armor appearing. Vinae lifted her head, seeing the Pokemon that entered.
"AI AI, speak, Captain." The Whimsicott commanded. The Meowscarada gave a half bow before returning to attention.
"ELITE COMMANDER, AYE. The escort is prepared and ready to depart."
"AI, return!"
The captain hurried back up the stairs while Vinae stepped forward to address the guild once more.
"Kipuuna, Lahnae. Group up, you've Carriage 040-A. Loshjno, Ganisus, 041-A. Nivanee, Equiros, Shantai, 042-A."
Vinae paused, her eyes locking with Avery.
"Avery. You and me, 043-B."
Avery tilted his head.
"Is there any reason you're separating the teams, Vinae?" he asked, keeping the perk in his voice. He didn't want to give her any ammunition to punish any of them.
"Why else, Avery?" Vinae said with a smile. "We're all one big team. Guild Together, right?"
I want to disorient you.
"Back when Karniqus was Guildmaster none of us ever fought because he'd mix us up all the time. So we had to get along with each other."
I'm grouping you by who I think will make you least efficient
"We got a long way to go to fix this poor family. I think this mission will be a good way to get us back on track!"
We've got a long way to go to break you all into how the Conduicy needs you.
Equiros and Shantai were already moving forward, mandating the pairings and ushering the guildmates forward.
"Besides..." Vinae concluded. "Doesn't a little alone time with your super cool elite friend Vinae sound just swell~?"
Avery shrugged.
"I'm going to miss the opportunity to strategize with my teammates and friends to make sure the mission goes well," he said plainly, looking to Team Spade and Team Aquashock. As far as Team Ganusi knew, Lahnae and Kipunna still hated each other.
Hopefully they still give off that impression...Avery continued.
"But I'm eager to spend some time with an Elite member and learn something, too!"
Don't give her an inch.
"You sure will learn a bunch~!" Vinae's voice was cheery as ever. Chipper and warm. "But don't you worry about strategizing. You leave the thinking to us...kay~?"
Your place isn't to think. It's to do and be useful.
The Whimsicott smiled wide, straightening up to look over the group. The other elites in the room towered over the guild.
"Let's make this a nice, quick mission. Noooo detours~! Nnnooooo delays~!"
Vinae lifted a finger, softly wagging it, the smirk on her face...sinister.
"And noooo funny business."
Equiros and Shantai snickered to themselves as the Whimsicott turned to face the Guild Master.
"Sarfallinus, if you would?" Vinae said.
"If you think you're going to be able to push my guild aro-"
"Just the order, if you please, Guild Master," Vinae smirked.
A silence cut the guild hall until the Infernape, with a loud grunt, faced the guild.
"...Guild..." Sarfallinus began, his voice heavy. "...dismissed for deployment."
"Yaaay~! Go team!" Vinae cheered with a clap of her hands. All at once the guild was pounced upon, Equiros and Shantai roughly shuffling the teams per Vinae's orders, shoving Kipuuna and Lahnae together with the Torchic indignantly grunting. Loshjno and Ganisus hurried along whilst Nivanee was ushered forward wordlessly.
Not a moment spared. Not a word traded.
Watching as the guild was shuffled up the staircase and out the door...Avery could feel Vinae looming behind him.
"C'mon. Move those feet, human," she whispered icily, staring down at him. "We don't wanna keep our Conduit waiting."
Avery's blood ran cold as those words washed over him.
'...This could be it. One of the last times I see this guild this way. The place that had been my home as far as my memories went.'
Avery's mind went back to that first day. The heat of Sarfallinus's office as he raised his voice to intimidate Avery and Vizon. The fight against that first team of two that cemented their place in the guild. Coming to their old bedroom, the red light of Sanshiyad filtering through the dusty air from the window overlooking the canal.
Meeting everyone the next day. Kipuuna and Ganisus, smiling but distant. Lahnae and Loshjno, facing an ever-growing string of failures.
Nivanee, living in a world where her sister would return to her the same as she left.
...And Vizon, standing beside Avery, as they got into position for roll call. Hiding behind his figure as they were stared at, Avery sure that everyone could tell that he was different - that he didn't belong here.
Avery's eyes began to sparkle with hints of tears as he looked over his shoulder, to Guildmaster Sarfallinus. Avery's fake smile he wore for Vinae's benefit wavered ever so slightly.
'...Thank you for everything, sir.'
Sarfallinus did not break his gaze from Avery. His face hardened, hands clasped behind his back, flame upon his shoulders dancing.
Silently did he thank Avery.
Silently did he beg forgiveness.
And Avery turned, and ascended the stairs.
His footsteps tapped across the carpet, the tile, up those stone steps to the entry hall.
The doors at the end of the Entry Hall were open. The wind was howling. The rain was pouring. The old building gave a mournful creak. Yet Vinae's presence pushed Avery forward, towards the fading silhouettes of his guildmates as they were escorted outside.
Avery could hear something...rumbling.
And as his paws hit the stone and the rain hit his fur, he saw it:
Twenty carriages of solid iron lined up on the street, drawn by armored Rapidashes. Iron-clad soldiers of large body sizes took the front and rear, arranged in a five-by-five square, with the convoy flanked by smaller soldiers lined at the sides.
There, ahead, Avery could see Nivanee, Ganisus, Lahnae, Kipuuna and Loshjno all being forced into the carriages in the back.
And even further beyond that, stuck behind iron barricades blocking the street...
...a crowd of Arcean citizens.
They did not cheer. They only looked on curiously. Worriedly.
From the end of the street. From the alleyways. From the top windows of the surrounding buildings did they watch the army as it mobilized and forcefully inducted the guild into the mission at Ember Summit.
'...Hopefully they would see this for what it was. Hopefully the Arcean citizens would see the divide between the Guild and the Elites.
...Hopefully they'd know which way to go when the time came.'
There, at the very end of the line of carriages, one of the soldiers opened the back doors of one of the iron carriages, motioning for Avery and Vinae.
Avery tried to keep his spirits up. Smile to anyone he met eyes with in the crowd. Not in the way Vinae might.
'It'll be okay,' Avery tried to convey. 'Everything will be okay.'
And he kept repeating that mantra, as he approached the carriage.
The crowd's eyes, for a brief moment, locked with his.
Avery of Azure, famed member of the guild. Hero of Arceus.
Giving a soft smile.
Before the visage of the crowd was swallowed by Vinae as she stepped into view, following Avery onto the carriage.
As the wind whistled and moaned between the buildings, slamming against the stone, the crowd could only watch as the iron doors shut. And with a click, Avery was locked within. Alone.
With Vinae.
The Whimsicott hummed quietly, the carriage creaking with her movements as she settled down onto the right bench. She was silent, no words yet. The only noise between them was the loud thrum of rain atop the iron casket.
There was a muffled shouting outside, stomping and coordinated call amongst the soldiers.
A jolt. Hooves upon the stone louder than the thunder bellowing above. The carriage lurched and swayed...
...and began to move toward Ember Summit.
Avery took the seat across from Vinae, hopping up onto the bench. It was a little big for him. Uncomfortable. Maybe that was on purpose.
But he had to remain calm. He had to stay strong.
Keep a happy face on. Don't raise suspicions.
The carriage settled into a rhythm. A muffled pounding of hooves. It bounced and swayed but in time these motions fell away from notice.
And the rain outside continued.
Another creak.
But Vinae didn't say a word. Her face didn't shift, either. Still, that wide smile was spread over her face. Her elbows rest upon her knees...
...dark emerald eyes burrowing into Avery.
The atmosphere was growing heavier. Heavier. With every moment that passed there was nothing but rain.
"Feeling nervous?"
Her voice almost came as a shock. Out of nowhere. Bursting through the deepening silence.
...Didn't her cheeks hurt? Avery wondered if her face was just stuck like that.
"Of course I am," he said, tilting his head. "I'm always nervous going on missions. But especially ones like this. The stakes are really high, y'know...?"
The sound of his voice echoed dully in his ears. Vinae didn't respond, simply watching Avery. Watching every part of him. The tilt of his head. Every twitch of the fingers, flick of the ears, each muscle that pulled on his face.
"I'm feeling pretty worried, myself," Vinae said, her face and body frozen like a statue. "Though not for the mission."
A single shift. A subtle lean. He could hear the brush of her coat as it moved.
"The mission is going to go fine. I'll be there to oversee it. A massive collection of the Arcean armed forces will be there, fortifying and sealing every hole in security that there ever could be."
Her head lifted slightly. Her eyes glimmered dully.
"There is no scenario where we don't get that Fire Pearl," Vinae said, very slowly. "...y'get me~?"
"...Sure," Avery said after a pause. "Okay, yeah...then what are you worried about?"
He couldn't be sure...but it almost looked like Vinae's smile twitched.
There was another pause after Avery's question. Increasingly uncomfortable.
"...Vizon's a good kid," Vinae began, cryptically. "...a real good kid."
She let that hang in the air for a moment.
"He's excited and peppy. He pounced at the chance to get the Lightning Pearl. He has a real good head on his shoulders and he's going to be handsomely rewarded for it."
Her chin rest upon her folded hands.
"But...I didn't want to believe the stuff he was saying about the Guild. About you..." Vinae continued. "Team Aquashock resetting their rank? Team Spade spending years sandbagging? Nivanee still pining after a confirmed traitor, sister or not? And you...Olistia's own human..."
She let out a giggle.
"Making friends with some real bad dudes in Arceliaze. Making friends with spies," The Whimsicott paused, her own head tilting to match Avery's. "...and getting in your head some idea about a 'stalemate' or some crazy thing like that."
She let out a small sigh. A huff.
"Poor, poor guy. He had so much on his chest to vent," Vinae said. "No worries, though. I gave him aaaall the support he'd been lacking."
Her head moved, tilting in the other direction, as though she were examining the Plusle.
Avery couldn't hide the shock on his face. He tried to, but couldn't.
'...Vizon... Would he really have told her all these things? They...he was my friend-
No. T-Those are all things Vinae could have found out elsewhere. Even the sandbagging. It...has to be. Olistia took Jolvia's memories. She knows I'm human.
Don't...believe her lies.'
"...I'm glad that you can support him," Avery said, his soft smile returning. "I haven't been a great teammate to him throughout everything. I can only hope that as we keep going, I can be better, you know? I've made a lot of mistakes up to today. I was taken in by...a lot of lies, and a lot of bad people. But there's no point wallowing in the past. All we can do now is look to the future, y'know? And that starts with the pearls."
"I'm really glad you can look towards some self-improvement. Vizon is your best friend, and always has been, and you've been his," Vinae said. "You and me, we can work to get things back on track. I mean, me? I don't wanna think of you as a 'lost cause'...Vizon certainly didn't think of you that way. You just have to keep Vizon, Olistia and the Guild in your heart...besides..."
Vinae leaned in, her eyes sparkling.
"...they all make better friends than Kellixae and Sekura, right?"
Avery's heart stopped as she spoke those names.
The carriage creaked. The rain seemed to silence.
Vinae's smile widened.
"No tricks. No shenanigans, Avery," she said. "No stalemates. Okay...~?"
'Was she threatening-?'
"S...Sekura-?" Avery repeated, his hands gripping the chair ever so slightly before he made them relax. "...I...I'm not going to do stalemates anymore. That's...that's done. Jolvia is...she's locked up! Like criminals should be!"
Avery forced a smile. He was able to catch himself from Vinae's advance. Now he just had to play into it. Stay happy. Keep up appearances.
"...It's...basically already over, right-?"
"Mhm~!" Vinae said with a growing, warm smile. "It's over."
"It's all over."
The carriage jolted. The rain hadn't made a sound for a while now. Avery could feel the iron wheels below him cracking and jolting against rocks and grass. A sickening scent of ash and burning filtered through the vent.
Avery could hear muffled shouting as the carriage slowly ground to a halt.
The Whimsicott turned her head toward the door, her eyes sparkling in excitement.
"Alriiight~! Let's do some good, human!"
The door unlatched. The hinges creaked in protest as light flooded the carriage. And outside...
...was a sight of horrors.
Rows and rows and rows of iron carriages.
Fields of soldiers stood at the ready.
Pokemon in groups carrying massive bolts over their shoulders. Enormous catapults and ballistae pointed upward, like a cascading blanket of weaponry.
Towers and forts and bunkers and cannons. Flying types scrambled and in formation.
And looming over it all was Ember Summit. A massive towering mountain of red stone, belting smoke into an eternally black sky.
Vinae grinned, stepping off the carriage, her feet hitting loose gravel as she looked back at the Plusle.
"Lookie there, Avery! The full might of the Arcean armed forces!"
...No need to hide his reaction here. It'd play into his persona of fear of failure just fine.
"...I...impressive-"
Vinae turned back to the horrifying display of military might. The sheer number of forces seemed infinite, spanning far, far beyond what Avery could see, totally covering every single hill.
"If Lightning Wastes and Yahneri Port are anything to go by then the security system will be based on local folklore." Vinae said, putting her hands on her hips as she nodded towards the towering volcano. "Legend has it the lord of death, Yveltal, lives in an egg of fire at the top of Ember Summit. So we reckon that's what's gunna show up when we disturb the pearl."
She gestured towards the massive long-range ballistae.
"See there? That's about twenty thousand iron ballistae, the heads laced with Tipper, charged with Fairy energy and Electric energy."
Her hand moved towards the iron carriages.
"The entire perimeter around Steeljag Bluff and related environs are barricaded by 3 layers of iron carriages with on-board tipper shot cannons up towards Ember Summit."
Her hand pointed up towards the sky, which swarmed with flying types.
"Hyper beam equipped aerial squadrons, in formation at low altitude and scattered at high altitude"
Her hand drop down towards a city's worth of wooden buildings and towers, where armored Pokémon ran to and fro and a massive line-up of Flying-Type stood.
"There's the Tipper shot bomber squadron. We got Fairy-Types and Electric-Types doing nothing but charging tipper shots for the last day and a half. Medical staff on standby at the back."
The Whimsicott smiled wide, sweeping her hand at the rolling hills completely covered in soldiers that stood shoulder to shoulder. The ground was invisible.
"And the Hyper Beam ground infantry with no less than four hundred ditto reserves to take their places."
She held a hand out towards the mountain.
"The entire eastern coast is locked down by the Navy - patrolled by small ships up front, big iron fort-slammers in the back, every cannon pointed towards the summit."
She stomped a foot in the dirt. Avery could feel a rumble.
"And hundreds of miles of tunnels and bunkers encircling the entire area, dug and rigorously patrolled by every Ground-Type in the Arcean military."
Vinae paused...and looked back at Avery with a smirk.
"And what's more?" she said, tilting her head. "Just about all these guys used to be farmers. Warehouse workers. Blacksmiths and waiters and delivery cart runners and dock workers. And all of them fired and thrown to the gutter by this country's nobility...until they found a home right here in the military. They've been fed and given beds and their families kept comfortable by their Conduit, so don't think for a moment they won't fight to their last breath on her behalf - the woman that saved them."
The Whimsicott turned to Avery, her hands on her hips. Her white cloak billowed in the ashy wind.
"Nobody, not even the Thieves' Guild, leaves this mountain with that Pearl...except for us, all the way back to Olistia."
That was the final word.
Avery was...he was stunned. He had no idea how they were going to even begin to sabotage something like this. He wasn't sure they could-
'...Right?'
They'd taken down more than this before. But how could they do that without implicating themselves? Or would they be past that?
Avery swallowed.
"...Why was I sent on the Pearl missions to begin with if...if Olistia had this-"
"Because this was supposed to be covert. But now mean ol' Quayoff knows all about the Pearls and is wanting to stick it's fingers in Arcea's business...again." Vinae said, stepping forward, leading Avery between the rows and rows of soldiers. "So no more being subtle. We've got to get this thing and quickly. Understand?"
She turned her head forward, the both of them just walking past more and more and more soldiers, all wearing shining and pristine new armor.
Avery couldn't see his friends yet. Where was the guild...?
"Vizon and the other elites are going to regroup with us here at Ember Summit once they're done way up north at Crumbling Shrine." Vinae continued. "For now, you, me and the guild are going to be taking care of getting inside, grabbing the pearl and getting out before the shelling starts."
She paused a moment, smiling and just drinking in the visage of the Arcean military.
"...they say the Thieves' Guild is already inside. Penned up like babes," Vinae said. "It figures - Steeljag Village has always been a prime suspect of collusion with the Thieves Guild...in fact, I think the military raiders should be conducting their 'audit' now..."
"...Is...Steeljag Village going to be okay-?" Avery said, concern creeping further into his voice. "...Surely not everyone in there is a Thieves' Guild member-"
"Member, collaborator, harboring..." Vinae gave an encouraging smile to the Plusle. The scent of ash was getting stronger. "It doesn't really make a difference. Bad guys always get what's coming to them."
Vinae looked to the side, lifting her hand to greet a Meowscarada, the same Avery had seen at the guild earlier, as he ran up to the elite.
"Ai ai, speak, Captain." The Whimsicott commanded.
"Elite Commander, AYE. The rest of the Arceali Guild has disembarked and have grouped up just outside of Steeljag village."
"Ai, return." Vinae waved him off, looking back at the Plusle. "C'mon, Avery~! Don't wanna keep everyone waiting!"
'...Right.'
"Of course, Vinae-!" Avery said, trying to bring that chipper voice back as he jogged after her.
Vinae ran ahead, leading Avery down the hill and towards the towering, rocky cliffs of Steeljag Bluff. The cliffs ahead split into a canyon. He could see a river bed, mostly drained as the river had been dammed up by the Military.
There, as Avery got closer, he could see more Pokemon in lighter armor. They seemed to be part of an assault or strike team, for going into Steeljag and Ember Summit itself if needed.
His ears flicked. He could hear the voices of the soldiers.
"Seems they're getting the elites to get the Pearl."
"Arceali Guild's with 'em."
"What, those kids? Sure they won't screw it up again?"
"Sh - Vinae's with 'em. They'll get it done."
As the cliff of Steeljag loomed above more and more, reaching up towards the sky blotted out by smoke...
...Avery could see a group of small, unarmored Pokémon. Flanked by an Archeops and a Chandelure -
His guild.
Nivanee looked back, seeing Avery at the end of the trail. Her face looked deathly serious.
And as he approached. As he heard the echoing shouts coming from deeper within the canyon...Avery could tell why.
Things looked grim. Things looked awfully grim. And more than just the Fire Pearl eventually, it sounded like Steeljag was in very real, immediate danger.
Things were really coming to a head. And Avery wasn't sure if he was going to be able to do anything about it this time-
'No. Don't give up. You've taken down gods before! You can do this too!'
Looking at the strike teams lined up on the sides, staring Avery down as he passed...it made him wonder.
Why even bring him? The guild? Olistia had everything here to simply roll over the entire mountain.
Was this even a mission?
Or was it a field trip?
A field trip where he'd be forced to stare the might of the Arcean army in the face. Where he had to look at the hopelessness of defying the Conduit.
Maybe it was his last chance. The final olive branch extended to return to Olistia's good graces. Her last chance given to show he hadn't turned against her...or at least wouldn't stop her.
A test for him.
And everyone.
At last, Avery and Vinae stepped up to the others. Equiros and Shantai backed off. The rest of the guild were being lined up.
"Go on, Avery," Vinae cooed, shoving the Plusle up into the line, wedged between Lahnae and Loshjno. "Line up."
The guild was silent, though Avery could see their expressions twist in frustration as they listened to the shouts coming from deeper in the canyon.
Especially Lahnae. The Torchic seethed, breathing deeply as she did everything she could to not explode on the spot. She knew what it'd mean if she did. Especially with the massive swarm of soldiers just behind them all.
The Whimsicott elite stepped in front of the line, that wide smile of hers unchanging. Warm, sweltering air billowed through the canyon, echoing a mournful groan across the stones that Vinae had to shout over.
"GUILD." Her shout ran through Avery's bones like a shockwave. Everyone was slow to perk. Kipuuna instinctively stepped closer to Ganisus to which the Shinx responded with a press of his own into Kipuuna. Nivanee stood stiff as a board, only staring at Vinae dead-on, an expression Loshjno matched.
Vinae's eyes sparkled seeing no resistance.
"Welcome to Steeljag Bluff, everyone! Isn't it pretty?" she called over the howls of fear echoing within. "Now then! Here's how the operation is gunna go: The inside of Ember Summit is a labyrinth and we can only guess those Thieves Guild crooks have rigged the place with all kinds of traps!"
Shantai and Equiros nodded thoughtfully.
"That said...there's only one single entrance - right at the front!" Vinae continued. "Were it only Team Ganusi handling this, we'd split up to cover more ground while hunting for the way to the top of the volcano...yes, Nivanee?"
"The top of the volcano? Is that where the pearl is?"
"Should be, yeah! It's not like anyone's been in to chart the place out in a long time, nor has a Pearl ever been found before...so it probably got locked in some hidden chamber or another. And I betcha the Thieves Guild have already found it themselves!"
Everyone looked to one another, unsure. If that was true...that meant the Thieves Guild was holding off on taking it for now to prevent another Yahneri Port.
Vinae's voice cut through the unsure looks.
"So! We're pairing y'all up with an elite, of course! We'll be keeping a special eye on everyone and we hope you'll have our backs! In and out, real fast, ok?" Vinae called with a wide smile. "Equiros, take Nivanee aaand...Kipuuna. That's a good type spread. Shantai, you go with Ganisus and Loshjno - water for fire and electricity for backup."
Lahnae perked up...stepping closer to Avery.
Vinae smirked.
"That means you and me are together again, Avery! And Lahnae...no more outbursts today?"
The Torchic knitted her brow tight but said nothing.
'Separating us again. She could quote strategy all she wanted. This was on purpose.
...But if this was a chance to show the Conduicy where we stand...this might be it.
This might be it.'
Avery took a deep breath, and stood up straight.
"I'll keep an eye on her, Elite Guard Member Vinae!" he barked.
His voice broke Lahnae's tension. The Torchic let herself breathe, her eyes closed even as her brow twitched.
"...right. Aye, Elite Vinae," Lahnae said, trying to her best to keep composed.
Vinae's smile widened even further hearing that. The Whimsicott took a step forward, assuming front-runner position. Equiros and Shantai did the same for their respective teams.
"AI, AI. STRIKE TEAM." Vinae turned to the light-armor Pokémon, each of them coming to attention at the elite's voice. "Watch the entrance - on my signal, rush in to secure! We may be a while."
"AYE."
Vinae lifted her head.
"ARCEALI GUILD. Advance to Ember Summit entrance!"
"AYE." Shouted the guild together.
One foot in front of the other. Under watch. Guided. Would there even be a chance to do anything besides complete the mission?
Onward the groups moved forward, deeper into the smell of ash and fire. Closer towards the shouting, bellowing orders and panicked screams.
Down a cobblestone road, over a stone bridge. Past a building with smashed in windows.
- CONDEMNED FOR THIEVES GUILD COLLUSION -
There, a steel factory, its chimneys blown to smithereens, pieces lying in the river. Bricks floated down stream into the dam, running the water a sickly dark maroon.
- CONDEMNED FOR THIEVES GUILD COLLUSION -
Across the river - two Pokémon being forced out their home, effects thrown out onto the road, shattering and breaking. A soldier slapping a notice on the front.
- CONDEMNED FOR THIEVES GUILD COLLUSION -
Vinae turned her head, her smile indifferent.
"My, just look at that. A whole town full of thieves and backstabbers." The Whimsicott said.
She turned her head, grinning as a large group of Pokémon were ushered from a warehouse onto an iron carriage.
"And lookie there - a whole Pokémon trafficking operation." Vinae shook her head in mock sympathy. "How vile. How corrupt."
The Pokemon being forced onto the carriage...Avery could hear Illaminian voices...begging and crying. Vinae looked ahead.
"Nothing to fear now - they'll be back where they belong by day's end," she said, continuing forward. Lahnae twitched, her expression betraying the powderkeg broiling in her heart as the warehouse was given the same notice.
- CONDEMNED FOR THIEVES GUILD COLLUSION –
'This is on purpose. This is for a lot of purposes. Of course they're oppressing this town. Of course they're scaring people. Of course they're parading the guild in front of them to try and show that we aren't allies.
...But this is for us, too. This is to test our mettle. To freak us out. To see the fire of rage in our eyes. To test our loyalty.'
Avery closed his eyes for a moment. Breathed deeply. In...and out. In...and out.
'They know what they're doing.
But so do we.'
"Aye, Vinae," Avery said finally, gently bumping Lahnae subtly with his walk. "I sure hope they will be."
'Nobody will get left behind. Not if I have anything to say about it.
...just...keep calm.'
How long ago was it that these guild Pokémon wouldn't have batted an eye at any of this?
...perhaps some part of Avery wondered if Vizon would at all, even today.
He tried to shove those invasive thoughts out. He had to have faith.
More and more buildings were passed. But these all were empty...abandoned. No Pokémon shoved out nor being lined up.
Vinae turned her head toward these abandoned buildings. These many, many abandoned buildings. It was like over half the city had been evacuated beforehand.
The Whimsicott did not comment on these buildings, only silently continuing on as the path led deeper into the canyon. The canyon itself began to shift - instead of sheer walls of rock on either side, the rock face became jagged and uneven. The rock was starting to curve, like hundreds of rows of teeth.
The volcano loomed powerfully over them all, a billow of jet-black smoke rising from its peak.
Amid the jagged mountains of Shade Valley, more iron carriages lie with strike teams ready to rush on command. Everyone's eyes were trained forward looking in one single direction.
Avery could see it now: at the base of the Volcano. A wide man-made archway, evenly cut. On either side of it were familiar looking pillars bearing sun and moon patterns...just like the ones he'd seen at Lightning Wastes.
Kessi ruins.
Vinae turned her head to one of the strike team Pokemon.
"AI, AI. Scout, any report?"
"AYE. Just one, Elite Vinae - Had a spotter report the description of a Pokémon skulking near the summit. There was smoke obfuscating-"
"Just the description, Scout." Vinae interrupted.
"Dragonite. Single wing, single antenna. Accompanied by a few other figures."
Vinae smiled.
"Well, goodness me. They sure made it easy-peasy for us~!"
Xamao.
"We took him down once before," Avery said. Practiced. Direct.
"You sure did!" Vinae said, looking back. "I heard Vizon did a real number on him. Shame he got away - let's fix that, team!"
Lahnae...snorted, popping her neck.
"Heh...I can get behind that. Xamao's a jerk," Lahnae huffed.
Nivanee opened her mouth to say something...but just looked conflicted. Kipuuna looked at her worriedly but still offered a pat on the shoulder.
But the march didn't stop either way. Closer and closer the dark maw of Ember Summit loomed, the jagged teeth of Shade Valley beckoning them onward. A gust of burning hot air billowed from deep within.
"Alriiight, everybody~!"
This was it.
"This is it~!"
No going back now.
"No backing out now~!"
This was where it all would end.
"Equiros you hit up the north end..."
One way or another it'd end.
"Shantai you're on south. We'll converge at the top."
With Olistia knowing just where they stood.
"Avery, Lahnae, we got east end!" Vinae's voice broke Avery from his thoughts.
He had to hope they were ready.
"MOVE TO BREACH"
Cannons loaded. Strike teams readied their stance. Every long range attacker got line-of-sight on the doorway.
Equiros was in first. Left side hugged, swinging in. Shantai hugged right side, swinging in to sweep.
Lahnae leapt forward after Vinae as the Whimscott ran. Killzone established. Subjugation active.
The darkness of the cave swallowed them as they rushed inside at once. Paws crunching on the dirt paths leading through dark cut hallways.
A thunderous roar of charging steps.
Then echoing.
Chapter 52
~
Assertion
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