So yeah, here's an update for all of you folks out there! I'm sure you've all been wondering (or perhaps not) what the deal with the rewrite is, so II'm here to reward your patience with news of what's to come.

Firstly, let me say that I was not expecting this little story to keep growing after I announced the rewrite. As of the posting of this, we've reached 50 favorites, 83 follows, and over 7,000 total views! And while I can't put into words how happy this makes me, it also leaves me questioning whether or not the decision to essentially scrap what I've done so far and start over was the right call. I suppose it doesn't really matter either way, but I'm certainly a bit more apprehensive about it now.

But what am I saying? You're not here for me, so let's hop on into why you folks are all reading this.

The first chapter of A Home Like No Other's rewrite will be up by the end of the month. If not then, then definitely by the 4th of July. It was supposed to be today, but I had a last second change to the writing that has me redoing a large chunk of what was essentially a completed chapter. As for further details on the rewrite, it will be a new, standalone story titled exactly the same as this (now discontinued) version. There will be a different, more straightforward summary to differentiate the two versions, as well as an original cover art made by yours truly. As of now, the summary of this story has also been updated to help with distinction.

...And that's really all there is to know. I'm equal parts excited and nervous to go through with this, but I'm hoping in the end to deliver a superior product that has a much more defined direction and can be considered a fan fiction worth reading. After all, I still haven't forgotten the promise I made back in Chapter 1. In the meantime, let me satiate your appetite with another promise I had broken in Chapter 6...

Here's Chapter 7! My proofreading for it was nothing more than a cursory glance, so there may be a few errors throughout, even more than what's typical of my work. That being said, I hope you still find it interesting – it introduces a few characters who were going to play an important role in progressing the plot along in later chapters. Who knows, most of them may also appear in the rewrite, serving an entirely different purpose than what was originally intended ;)

A Home Like No Other

Chapter 7

Nighttime was a wonderful thing to behold, or so Amy Miller would've said if she'd seen it. For in this strange world she now found herself in, night was merely an absence of sunlight. Around the world, on all four continents and the Compass Isles, there were many species of nocturnal Pokémon who went about their business in the night as if the sun itself were a myth. In fact, some towns and cities were just as active during the late hours of night as they were during the day. Such was not the case with Merri Village, however. In point of fact, the Pokémon in the settlement who could even remotely be considered nocturnal could be counted on human fingers. Even the trading caravan led by Nedos operated as the sun rose and fell. So in that particular corner of the world, most were sleeping. Sure, an Espeon stayed up, lost in her memories, and a Gardevoir lay awake and racked her brain for a way to stop a certain Nidoking, but aside from them, everyone else slept.

But that was Merri Village. A few miles to the south, another Pokémon scurried along the forest floor. He looked like any other Rattata child, but both he and everyone who knew him were aware that he wasn't as such. He was also nocturnal, which meant that he was quite tired from staying awake for a large part of the day, pretending to be Tiran.

The not-Rattata hesitated for a moment, before continuing his light run through the woods. Tiran had been a surprisingly fun Pokémon to mess around with, and him promising not to tell anyone what had happened just so the actual Rattata could have someone to play with for a few hours was both relieving and saddening at the same time. The child had seemed so lonely, a feeling he could sometimes relate to. But he had to push that feeling away. After all, at the end of the night, he was still on a mission, and good soldiers never let anything get in the way of orders.

He hopped onto a fallen log and paused. Sticking his short muzzle into the air, he took a few whiffs of the cool evening breeze. It smelled of the sea, not at all like how it was back in Willoway, but he could still pick up plenty of recognizable scents. He was downwind from the village, just like he'd been instructed so that he could smell any pursuers before they were able to sneak up on him. Fortunately, there were no encroaching smells for him to worry over, but there was one particular scent floating about that made him scrunch his face and sneeze.

"I know you're there, Skyre. You can't sneak up on me."

The not-Rattata's voice rang out, a sound that was no longer the mirror of Tiran's. It sounded older, if only by a few years, but it nevertheless failed to match the smaller form he'd chosen to take for his task. There was a quiet rustle, a sound that even his sensitive ears had trouble picking up, and then a dark shape silhouetted against the moonlight filtering through the treetops took flight above, circling down to the forest floor. The Murkrow landed with an almost inaudible thump, peering about with an ominously dark shadow cast over his eyes from the hat-like crest on his head.

"To be fair, young sir, I wasn't trying to sneak up on you. I was scouting ahead at your father's request. No one appears to be following you, by the way, so I would consider it safe to dispel that illusion of yours and conserve your energy. I'm certain your close to overexertion."

"You can't boss me around! And why's he sending you to check on things? He said that he wouldn't try to get in the way unless things became dangerous."

The not-Rattata pouted, regarding the Flying-type with clear disdain. Skyre simply sighed and continued speaking.

"Naturally, he's become worried. And—"

"But he said—"

Skyre held up a wing, silencing the younger Pokémon.

"I am very much aware of what he said, but the situation has, in fact, become dangerous for us. Enough so that we had to stop him from marching into the village to personally retrieve you."

The disguised Pokémon's frown deepened as his body was enveloped in a multicolored light. The form of Tiran contorted and grew until it was something else entirely. The light faded to reveal a grayish, quadruped creature with a dark ruff of fur around its neck, large, triangular ears, and a bushy tail. It also had round, blue-green eyes with accents of blood red fur around them and other parts of its body. A fine young Zorua.

"What do you mean dangerous? Is someone on our tails or something?"

The Zorua looked around, as if doing so would let him see some invisible enemy he'd somehow missed. Skyre shook his head, fanning his wings.

"It's more complicated than that. Come, let us return to the camp. It's been moved a few miles closer to where we are now, so it will hardly be as far of a trip. But first, answer me this: did you come into contact with an Espeon while you were scouting? Either in or around the village we sent you to?"

The Zorua gave a thoughtful hum.

"I don't know, what does it look like?"

"It's an eeveelution. Lilac fur, a forked tail, and a gemstone embedded into its forehead. Does that sound familiar?"

"Oh, that's what an Espeon looks like? Yeah, I saw her. She had a funny sounding name, but the food she helped make was pretty good. I snuck some while no one was looking. Why, is she bad?"

The Murkrow's hitched breathing and grim face was enough of an answer to give him pause. The Flying-type didn't respond at first, but he soon spread his wings and took to the nearest branch with a powerful flap. He turned his head and spoke urgently.

"Follow, and be quick about it."

With that, Skyre leapt from the tree limb and glided a short distance to the next one, repeating the action every time the Zorua managed to hurry his way to the tree he landed in. He acted as a guide toward their new campsite in that regard, knowing full well that the younger Pokémon would be able to follow with the natural night vision gifted to most Dark-types. It stayed like this for a few minutes before the Zorua spoke up to break the uneasy silence, panting lightly as he did so.

"You didn't really answer my question, you know. I mean, I guess that she's bad because of how you're acting, but how bad is 'bad'?"

Skyre beat his wings a few more times before coming to perch on a particularly low branch. With another sigh, he turned to face his escort with the same serious expression as before.

"Sergeant Arzon has yet to give any details, but we have reason to believe that the Espeon you observed has the potential to be the next Bringer of Day. A force that could bring both King Maykine and Ridan to their metaphorical knees – that's the kind of 'bad' we may be dealing with."

The Zorua had still been running to Skyre as he spoke, his sharp ears being able to catch his voice at such a distance. But he still had to wonder if he'd misheard the Murkrow, as the words were enough for the child to become distracted and trip over his own feet. The Pokémon went rolling, coming to an unceremonious stop as he stared up with unbelieving eyes.

"Bringer of Day? So she's like how Evin of the Shrine was... but an Espeon instead of an Umbreon?"

Skyre nodded.

"Precisely. But whereas Evin had inherited the power of the first Umbreon, this Pokémon may very well be hiding the power of the first Espeon. And considering what those Psychic-types did without that power, one could imagine what they could and would accomplish with it."

The Zorua swallowed hard as he stared up past Skyre, looking beyond the forest's canopy and at the nearly full moon that decorated this part of the forest with silver shafts of light. The event Skyre was referring to had happened long before his time, or so his tutor had said. The time when the Psychic Pokémon had invaded Ridan just to take a single life. The idea that they could do it again, but with more power... more purpose, was a thought that he didn't want to dwell on.

"That's a little scary..."

"Yes, yes it is. So please, let us keep moving."

The two fell silent after that. Skyre turned away and flapped his wings once, twice, and then took to the air yet again. Without uttering a single word, the other Dark-type pulled himself off of the forest floor and continued following the other Pokémon. In truth, he wasn't quite sure how to feel about all this, but it didn't really matter either way, did it? He instead chose to keep the silence as they pressed through the night, well on their way back to his father.

–-

The camp had definitely been moved further north than it had been previously. From what he could tell, it had also been moved further away from the road, deeper into the forest itself to compensate for the approach to civilization in what was technically the kingdom of Auristead. Aside from that, however, the small campsite itself seemed unchanged in its layout. A small tent still sat next to a few rolls of hide used for sleeping, and a low-burning fire at the center of the cleared space they had claimed. It was minimalistic, if that was the word he was supposed to be using. It was hardly befitting of a proper military installation, regardless of how few soldiers inhabited it. But for a group of five scouts meant to move quickly through enemy territory? It was perfect.

The pair entered the perimeter of the camp, where two Mightyena sat, poking at the embers of the campfire with their claws. Their ears twitched and they turned as one, relief crossing their faces as they both stood up and made their way to the Zorua. Skyre flew overhead, swooping into the tent as the twin Pokémon spoke in tandem.

"Ah, we were worried about you!"

"Oh so worried!"

"When Arzon said that he'd received a message from General Shearon about this Bringer of Day business—"

"—We started to assume the worst. We had to stop him—"

"—Your father—"

"—From charging headlong into the village to try and find you! It's good to see that you're safe."

The young Dark-type nodded, his tail wagging lightly from the concerns of the others. He opened his mouth to wave off what the twins were saying, but cut himself off as the flap of the tent was pushed aside. Skyre hopped out, once more taking to the trees above as a larger shape followed from behind, rising up and making its way to the the child, calling his name.

"Zolkir."

Arzon Crimsire, he was one of the many faceless Sergeants in Ridan's army, commanding officer of their quaint little squad, and father to the Zorua. The Zoroark stopped in front of him, looking down with something he could almost identify as worry, but his features soon grew stern as he straightened up, speaking as if he'd never been concerned.

"I'm glad to see that you made it back in one piece. I assume everything went well, even when given the... unexpected circumstances?"

"Yes sir."

Zolkir spoke firmly, just like he'd always been told to. He looked up, almost hopefully at his father, only to receive a nod, a gesture that probably wasn't even meant for him specifically.

"Excellent. Now that we're all here, you can report to us what you've found and I can give everyone an update to our objectives. Skyre, get back down here! Cambri, stop your hiding! Everyone to me!"

His voice was authoritative, practically ringing through the forest. If he wouldn't have known it was an illusion tuned specifically to their ears, he would have argued that it was unnecessary and defeated the purpose of being sneaky. The first one to return was Skyre, who landed on the edge of the faint firelight, settling down on a much closer limb. About the same time, a chill ran up Zolkir's spine as he felt something emerging from the trees behind him. He glanced behind himself, catching the Banette as she seamlessly rose from the ground. Cambri grinned, an eerie sight given how the teeth of her zipped mouth caught the firelight. Without even touching it, the slider pulled along her lips, unsealing her mouth so she could speak.

"Apologies, sir, I must've been dozing."

And that was it, all things considered, she acted just like any other Pokémon. She closed her zipper, drifting through the air and reaching out to rub Zolkir on the back of his head. Arzon gave her a disapproving look, but continued anyway.

"Alright gentle'mon – and lady – it's time for us to make heads and tails of this situation. I know you all have questions over the message I received a few hours ago, and you can rest easy knowing you'll be getting full disclosure on the matter. But before then, one of our own is back from his assignment to report what he's found. Zolkir, if you'd be so kind?"

The Zorua nodded, looking about the five expectant faces now gathered around the fire. Barring the actual blood relationship in his father, the rest of the team had become almost like a family. Almost. He felt tired all of a sudden, perhaps it was the Chesto Berry he'd eaten losing its potency, or maybe it was something else. But he fought the fatigue and recounted everything that he'd seen, trying to sound as serious as possible.

"Well, everything was just like Skyre predicted. I infiltrated the village and found that there was no real military presence from Auristead. But as I explored, I kept hearing some of the kids talking about someone who'd been brought into the village a day or two ago. I went west and found a small group of traders set up, and that's where I saw her. I didn't know who she was at first, but Skyre let me know on the way back here that she was an Espeon."

He left out the part where 'exploring' meant playing hide-and-seek with Tiran, or how he acted the part of the aforementioned Rattata to interact with others despite being told not to do so. But that didn't really matter, he'd gotten the information and confirmed whatever ideas were going through the minds of his teammates. Everyone seemed to shift a bit as they traded glances with one another, even his father looked uneasy, working his claws as he furrowed his brow.

"Is that all?"

"Umm, n-no. While I was in the clearing, I also spotted two more Psychic-types. One of them was a Gardevoir and the other was a, uh, the other evolution..."

"A Gallade?"

"Yeah! Er, yes sir. I don't think they were with the traders, though. I think they actually live in the village."

Again, there were more looks traded, but no one said not a word. Zolkir wasn't sure if he should tell them that he was done, or just let them be. Fortunately, he didn't have to wait too long before their Sergeant spoke up.

"This is... concerning. I'm no strategist, but if those two aren't part of an entourage to that Espeon, then there may be ulterior motives to them being there. A pair of Psychic Pokémon would never live a a stone's throw away from us without good reason to. But that isn't a discussion for us right now. I'd bet that you just want me to address the Donphan in the room, right?"

"It would be appreciated, sir."

"Yes, most appreciated."

The twins spoke up, followed by nods of agreement by both Skyre and Cambri. Zolkir watched his father nod again, the Zoroark raising a paw to reveal that he'd been holding a small box that had gone unnoticed. He unlatched the lock and opened it up with care, revealing what looked to be several small shards of dull, violet glass. There was a collective silence from all but Cabri, who let out a gasp and yanked at her zipper to speak.

"Curse the gods, those look like the leftovers from a Calling Orb!"

"Correct. I'm surprised that you identified it so fast. They're extraordinarily rare around here, since the Psychic Gems used to make them can't be found in the mines of Ridan, or anywhere on Amaranth that I'm aware of. Regardless, I was gifted this by General Shearon himself before we set out from Willoway. It was to be used in only the most dire of circumstances to contact him directly, but he instead used it the other way around and inform me of what's happened earlier today in Duskrown. I wasn't able to discuss things before the strain of communicating over such a distance shattered the orb, but I heard what I needed to. His Highness' oracle came to the palace and shared a vision of what she believed to be the next Bringer of Day in a village around this area. I didn't get the details, but guess what? We've found an Espeon of all things appearing out of nowhere in some insignificant village. As such, our objectives have been updated. Our new mission is to capture the Espeon and bring her straight to the capital before anyone catches wind of what's happening. If we are unable to do so, we are to fall to the next logical step: assassination."

A hush fell over everyone as the words sank in. But it wasn't long before Skyre of all Pokémon shot bak with his opinion.

"Assassination?! That would be an act of war!"

"That's a fair point, but keep in mind that us even being in this forest is an act of war, and what happens if we fail to capture and she flees north? We've heard it all our lives: with the Bringer of Day by their side, Auristead would surely orchestrate a second march on our kingdom. But they wouldn't just kill a single Umbreon at that point – our entire kingdom would be the target. Damned if we do, damned if we don't. But keep in mind that killing would be the desperation move. We need to capture."

"And then what? They would just chase us all the way back to Maykine's throne room regardless!"

"Maybe, but maybe not. Somehow, I have this feeling that hardly anyone knows of her existence, for whatever reason that may be. But if that's the case, we may just have a shot at getting away with no repercussions. Besides, these were Shearon's orders, not mine. And good soldiers never let anything get in the way of orders."

Zolkir continued to listen to the two argue and sighed. Sometimes he wished he could just be normal, like all the other children his age. Why did his father bring him on this campaign? Well, he knew the answer, but how did his father come to such an idea as to sneak him into an army? He didn't need to be raised by the military like he had, he didn't need to be made into a soldier. He just...

"Are you okay?"

He looked up. Cambri was staring at him, a sympathetic look on her face. As off-putting as she looked, she wasn't at all how he pictured a Ghost-type trained to kill off enemy commanders in the night to be. He nodded halfheartedly, following her movements as she sat down beside him, listening along while Skyre continued his tirade over 'statistical probability'.

"Listen, Zo, you don't have to hide anything from me. I'm not a replacement for a mom, but you make it really obvious when something's chewing a hole through you. If you ever want to talk, don't even think about asking and just do it."

"Okay... maybe later, though. I'm just going to rest for a bit."

Zolkir murmured as he continued to crash, laying his head down between his paws as the Banette began scratching at his head once again. He should be up and playing about, not sleeping around. It wasn't long at all before he began dozing, but as he struggled to keep his eyes open, he couldn't help but have a stray thought. He felt as though he'd forgotten to mention something to everybody when he was giving them his brief explanation of what he'd witnessed. It was like a Bug-type, gnawing at the back of his mind, though what it was and whether or not it was important eluded his drowsy mind as he soon succumbed to sleep.

–-

Yes. Be it fate, some unseen deity, or simple happenstance, everything seemed to be moving into place. A cornucopia of Pokémon and their intentions threatening to come together in all the wrong ways. But even then, there was still one last thing to bring attention to in the desolate hours of the night. The final piece of a vision witnessed by a Mismagius gifted with the sight to see coming threats to the kingdom that she proudly called her home.

Far to the northwest of where the Ridanian scouts had set up camp, beyond Merri Village and the coastal forests that surrounded it, a flaming beast thundered through the rolling plains of Auristead at a steady gallop. If Amy were to have seen it, she'd most certainly identify it as a flaming unicorn, but most every other Pokémon in the world would have known the creature more accurately as a Rapidash. The Fire-type snorted as he ran, blowing steam out of his nostrils and into the cool air while he strained against the reins holding him fast to the carriage that he pulled. The vehicle itself was unmarked, and just big enough to squeeze two average-sized Pokémon into the enclosed cabin. The Rapidash couldn't imagine that it was exactly comfortable, but he was also incapable of sitting in seats like many other Pokémon could, so he kept that thought to himself... not that it mattered – the carriage's sole occupant probably wouldn't have heard him anyway.

So the Rapidash continued to gallop in silence, making sure that he avoided as many bumps and holes in the road as possible while he went along his way. There wasn't much to the plains, as one would expect; it was essentially an endless sea of grass with the occasional tree or low hill, such as the one he was currently passing. Lit only by the orange glow of his own fiery mane and the pale light of the moon, it was a little difficult to make out all the details of the road as it rushed beneath his hooves, so he naturally didn't think much as a hoof came down onto a particularly large bump in the road.

And that's when it happened. It was so fast that he hardly had time to blink before it was done and over with. He sank an inch or so into the unusually soft dirt, before the mound exploded with a tangle of leafy vines that found themselves reaching up and catching his legs. He thought for sure that he would've been able to tear them from the ground with his weight and speed, or even burn them with his fire, but to his horror, the many tendrils survived long enough to tear his legs out from under him. At the same time, he noticed something mixed in with the rising dirt that glinted like flakes of gold in the light of his own flames. His eyes widened impossibly further as he fell, trying to hold his breath, but it was too late. The Pokémon fell victim to the Stun Spore, his muscles left spasming uselessly as he crashed to the earth and was pushed further along the ground by the impressive mass of the carriage. There he lay motionless for several seconds, his brain trying to catch up with what just happened, when he heard a voice call out from the darkness.

"Alright, whoever's in that box better come out right now, unless you want me to make things more unpleasant than they already are."

The Rapidash struggled to turn his head and look up toward where the sound had come from. It took some effort, but he managed to crane his head towards the hill he'd just been running past. He looked on as a shape moved from within the darkness and stepped into the bubble of light that was around him. It was a slimy Pokémon, with skin that was colored two different shades of blue, webbed fingers and toes with bulbous tips, yellow eyes, and a frothy substance that clung to its neck like the scarves that were often popular with furless Pokémon and many non Fire-types during the winter months. A Frogadier, if his memory served correctly. Swirling in his hands was a sphere of water that pulsed with a faint light that was almost unnoticeable unless you looked close enough.

Bandits. And it was very clear that this Pokémon was not alone. Whether it was just one more or one hundred, the Fire-type could now feel extra sets of eyes on him. They were in the dark, watching everything unfold from the safety of the shadows. But even that wasn't the worst of it. He thought he could hear something inside of the carriage shuffling around and doing gods-only-knew-what. He'd been paid quite a bit of extra coin to safely transport a confidential passenger dangerously close to the borders of Ridan, but now they were in danger.

And then he heard the door to the carriage open. He was incapable of turning his head to look behind him, but he could hear someone step out into the night, muttering something along the lines of sleep and schedules. The Frogadier shifted impatiently from foot to foot, his orb of water seeming to grow in volume as he eyed the mysterious passenger.

"Good. Now I'm gonna have to ask you to step away and hand over whatever you have inside, along with whatever's in that belt pouch – er, hey! Stop moving!"

The Rapidash could only look on as the Water-type's face grew angry at what he assumed was his passenger's negligent attitude towards his demands. The Water Pulse was beginning to swirl much more violently in his hands as his body tensed, but the Water Pokémon didn't make a move. Not yet. There was a quiet sound of someone stepping around the carriage, and then the familiar sound of combustion as another light source came from outside his field of view. It was tense, but there was no attempt to approach whoever had come out of the carriage. Finally, a voice called from the side. It – or rather, she – sounded tired, irritated, even. But there was a natural composure to her words as she spoke.

"Credit where it's due, this is a creative trap. Leaving an unactivated and overcharged Leech Seed on the ground and covering it with dried dirt laced with Stun Spore. When the vines burst out to snare a target, whatever they inhale leaves them paralyzed, is that correct?"

"That doesn't matter! Now you're going to listen to me and put down that stick, you... you..."

The Frogadier trailed off as his eyes followed something. The Rapidash could hear footsteps again, this time growing louder as they approached him. A figure soon strode into his field of view, leaving him slack-jawed as he stared at the Pokémon. She stood straight and bipedal, with golden fur accented with a creamy white around parts of of her jaw, cheeks, and chest. She seemed tall from where he lay, but he knew that it was just her massive ears that added to her height. Ears that sported large, fanning tufts of red fur from them, a red fur that also covered her arms and legs, draping around her claws like a robe. The Delphox wore a leather belt with a few pouches around her waist, alongside a collar on her neck – also made of leather – but the most drawing feature was what she held in her hands. What she clutched wasn't a burning branch, as often portrayed by stories or art, but a proper wand, a fiery work of art carved from what looked to be an expensive wood and adorned with immaculate etchings along its surface. He knew who this was! Any Singewreath native worth their ash knew her!

"Kindelle..."

He breathed the name, almost reverently. He could hardly believe what he was seeing! One of the best—"

"Did that fall injure you? Are any of your legs broken?"

Her voice was cool, almost apathetic as she asked the question. Brought back to reality, the Rapidash worked his mouth, trying to fight the paralysis acting on his tongue as he did so.

"I'm fine... I think. I just didn't expect to be transporting you of all 'mon. What are you even doing in going so far south?"

"Irrelevant to the question and confidential. But if you think you're unharmed, then just lay back. This will be over with shortly."

The flaming beast nodded as he relaxed a bit. Without another word, Kindelle spun and began walking towards the bandit. He didn't doubt her words one bit.

–-

Something wasn't right. Perhaps it was the way that the Delphox ignored his demands and went about as if he wasn't a Water-type, or maybe it was the almost relaxed way that the Rapidash watched as she approached. Either way, it didn't sit well. He continued holding his Water Pulse, watching every move while the unexpected surprise of seeing a Psychic -type this far south wore off. Closer still the the Pokémon approached, raising her burning wand and regarding him with the same distaste that a noble would have of a feral Grumpig wallowing in the mud.

"Alright, you heathen, let's make this quick. I have things to do and places to be."

Her tone was sharp, as reflected by the serious scowl on her face. That didn't make the words any less unbelievable to hear, though. The Frogadier felt himself blink in surprise, almost losing focus long enough for the whirling sphere of water he held to slow and fall apart into a dripping puddle. Just who did this Pokémon think she was? She had guts challenging him so openly, but she seemed to forget that she was a partial Fire-type, while he was a Water-type. Moreover, she didn't seem to be taking into account that he wasn't alone. He held every advantage here.

"You'll take back those words, missy. Hyaah!"

He let out a resounding cry as he threw his first attack. The Water Pulse was thrown with such force that the energy binding it together seemed to waver, giving the projectile a more discus shape as it barreled towards the Delphox's chest.

But she hardly seemed fazed by the attack. With a simple sidestep, she dodged in an almost nonchalant fashion and held out her free claw. Her eyes flashed a menacing violet light and an aura of the same color quickly enveloped the projectile as she whirled, sending it in a wide arc around herself and redirecting it straight towards him. His eyes widened as he realized what was going on and he hopped back a short distance before his own attack struck the ground right where he'd been standing. The impact kicked up a surprising amount of grass and dirt, enough for him to have to shield his eyes for a moment. That was too quick! A Psychic-type, even a trained one, shouldn't be able to react that fast with their powers! They needed time to concentrate... right?

Unfortunately, he found that there wasn't much time to ponder that question. By the time he had lowered his arm, he found that there was a nebulous mass of spectral energy hurdling towards him. Instinctively, he used his powerful legs and kicked off of the ground, launching skywards as the Shadow Ball hummed dangerously below his feet. As he hit the ground, the bandit charged up another Water Pulse – on in each hand – and launched them simultaneously at his target, using the technique as a distraction while he tried to close the distance between them with a Quick Attack. For a moment, it seemed to work; the Delphox looked unsure of which target to focus on as the Frogadier's zipped in to deliver a good blow. However, he was once again taken off-guard at how fast the Pokémon could react. With an grimace, she aimed her wand at the ground in front of the Water Pulse, unleashing a nasty fireball into the ground and creating a shockwave of force and heat that repelled both him and his attacks.

The bandit rolled several feet before he managed to use his own momentum to maneuver himself back into an upright position. He stared dumbly at the Delphox, still not understanding how she could act so quickly, when he spotted an opportunity. The Fire and Psychic-type looked to be distracted in dealing with him, and now she seemed a bit too focused. Now was the perfect time to spring his trump card... not to be confused with the technique of the same name.

"Rossy, now! Stun Spore!"

The Delphox's eyes went round and she whirled to face the carriage. Unbeknownst to her, a Roselia had snuck up from behind and was waiting from atop the vehicle. The unexpected assailant waved her petal-like hands about, sending a rain of glittering spores towards the startled Pokémon, who responded in kind by raising her wand and unleashing a wave of flames to burn the attack away before it reached her. Perfect! Without wasting any time, the Frogadier poured everything he could into his next Water Pulse, overcharging it with his energies and sending the sphere straight at the back of his now preoccupied opponent. The attack struck her with bone-cracking force, eliciting a pained cry as he approached one again with a Quick Attack.

However, he wasn't expecting for his opponent's body to blur and flicker, before completely vanishing from sight.

"Was that a Substitute?! Where'd she – damn it! She's behind you!"

He cried out desperately to his companion, but it was far to late. By the time the Grass and Poison-type had turned around, she was face-to-face with the flaming tip of the wand. He watched in stunned silence as the Roselia was engulfed in a pillar of fire, launched off the roof of the vehicle as she screamed in silent agony. When the flames died down, she was left unconscious, several parts of her leafy body left singed and charred. Just like that, he was left to fend for himself against the opposing Pokémon. When had she managed to make a doppelgänger of herself? Maybe... no, it had to have been when she'd kicked up all that dirt with his own Water Pulse. She'd known Rossy had been sneaking around all along, and he'd played right into her trap to lure her out and be disposed of.

He felt a bit numb at that, a sentiment that didn't at all dull the pain as he was pelted by a rapid-fire volley of Shadow Balls that left he himself on the verge of unconsciousness.

–-

"Predictable."

Kindelle lowered her wand, the burning tip extinguishing into a wisp of smoke as she hopped off the top of the carriage. She was still upset at having been woken up, but putting the offending Pokémon in their place helped her to get over it, if only just a little. She slipped the finely carved piece of wood into the thick fur of her arm and strode towards the downed Rapidash, fishing around in her belt pouches for something that could help. Finally, she found what she was looking for and pulled it out. It was a slim vial, corked shut and filled with a deep red substance that could've easily been mistaken for blood if one didn't know any better. She twisted off the cork and knelt beside the Rapidash, offering him the liquid.

"Drink this."

"Er, what is it?"

"Cheri juice. It should help clear the paralysis faster and let us be on our way."

The larger Fire-type still gave the vial a dubious look, but he opened his mouth regardless and allowed for her to pour in its contents. The effects were almost immediate as his hooves began to shift about on the ground. A a minute later and he felt well enough to be helped up to his feet. He had a few scratches about him, but he seemed no worse for wear. With that out of the way, she made her way back into the carriage, closing the door behind her and pulling open a slide at the front of the cabin that allowed her to see and speak to her chauffeur.

"Alright, I'm ready when you are."

The Rapidash looked back, mildly surprised.

"But what about the—"

"The bandits will be fine. The burns on the Roselia looked fairly minor and the Frogadier should be back up in an hour's time."

"Ah..."

That was really all there was to it. The Rapidash cleared his throat and began hurrying along as he'd previously been doing. It started as a quick trot as he tested his legs, but soon transitioned into a reasonable gallop that one couldn't help but notice was a bit slower and more cautious than what it had been. Perhaps it was because of the slide still being open, but the thundering Pokémon couldn't help but ask a question as she made herself comfortable once more on the plush cushions inside.

"So... you never exactly told me why you're heading—"

"Still classified."

"Okay, fair enough. But could you at least tell me why you just so happened to have something to cure paralysis?"

Kindelle shrugged in spite of the Rapidash not being able to look back and see her.

"It's key to be prepared for anything... but this was just coincidence. I just enjoy Cheri juice. But while we're so inclined to chat, I hope it goes without saying that so much as breathing a word of this encounter to anyone will not end well for you."

"O-Oh, most certainly, Miss Kindelle."

"Good."

Kindelle reached up a clawed finger and flicked the slide shut with a Psychic, reveling in the newfound silence. She nestled into her seat and reached into the space beneath, dragging out a basket filled with a wide assortment of berries, a hunk of cheese, and even a few pieces of jerky tucked into a cloth. Reaching in, she dug around until she found the treasure buried beneath her snacks: a pouch that had been tied loose from her belt and held shut with a bit of string. Opening it up, she reached inside and pulled out a pawful of wood chips for her troubles; a mix of pecan and hickory that was a favorite among her guilty pleasures. It truly was a shame that she couldn't complete the trifecta with a bit of her Cheri concoction trickled on top. Sure, she had the actual berry in the basket, but it hardly compared, considering she wasn't actually eating the wood.

"Oh well."

She popped the chips into her mouth, chewing into some of the wood with a soft bite and sucking. She squirmed further into the cushion, letting her mind wander a bit as she fully relaxed. At this rate, it would probably be another three days before she reached Faeble, the tiny village tucked away in the southeastern forests. From there, she would head a few hours south, to her true destination: its essentially nonexistent sister village. Who would've thought that the next Bringer of Day would appear in such a backwater part of the kingdom? With any luck, she could be in and out with the Espeon and have her away from the dangers of the south in a week's time.

Heh, if only such luck existed...