Frontier Town Mayoral Residence – Ground Floor

[Jackie Cat]

"We came here for a reason. If there's any group that would choose to risk themselves for the betterment of this land, it's us. Someone brought us here to help. So we will. If you'll excuse me."

"Steven, wait...?"

But he was gone. Lucien looked after Steven, a slightly-shaky wingtip pressed to his mouth. He watched the Beldum go. He looked up at where the crowd of spirits he had sheltered were gloating over his incapacitated father. And he glanced at Nova as the Graydian carried a victim of Ignatius' contempt to get medical attention.

"I know it's not a good time," said a small, silver Meowth by his side. "This... must be very strange for you."

The Prinplup nodded, taking carefully-timed breaths. "Ah, yes. Ms Laura, wasn't it? Is there something I can help you with?"

She nodded. "Yeah. You could tell me what you think of all this. Better yet, what you feel." Laura held up her little notepad and pencil, and made a sheepish face. "I'm sorry – I'm speaking as a journalist right now, but I promise I'm not the kind of writer that twists people's words. Neither's my boss, as far as I know him. You, uh... Both of you..."

Lucien held up a wing.

"Yes. Both myself and Shiftry Nathaniel were the subject of certain material in that little book. Do you want a statement for the press, Ms Laura? Your employer will have enough to say and comments from the entire town to pick from within the hour, I'm sure."

Laura made a face, puffing one cheek doubtfully. "You might be right. But only you are the mayor's son, Lucien. What you have to say about this... It's important. No pressure, but it could shape how people react. I don't know what politics are like here, but... I don't know. I think you should consider this a chance to do some good. Maybe you aren't the type to speak from the heart, but..."

"No. Not from the heart." Lucien's beak quivered just a little. Still controlled. Still cool, still dispassionate. "But I will give you a quote for your paper nonetheless, Ms Laura. My father... Mayor Ignatius... This Empoleon has used cruel means in service of selfish aims for too long. Public officials should serve the public interest, not their own. The events of this night may leave our town's future uncertain, but I pray it shall be a brighter one, safekept by wiser, gentler hands."

Laura nodded. "That's perfect. Thank you, marshal."

The town marshal looked away.

"Hm. Excuse me."

And with that, Lucien strode off towards the crowd of fighters, and Ignatius Voclain among them.

 

[Jackie Cat]

"We probably can get up sooner than you and do this entire thing again, if feeling more pain is your pleasure, but someone who looks at their immediate world from afar like you, mayor, surely understands when to fold'em flippers."

“Oh yeah? What’s your theory? You think there’s more to it than that almighty human magic I hear so much about?”

Ignatius shot first Kalas, then Dave, a withering stare.

"As if either of you pissants know a thing about my perspective," he muttered, mostly to himself. Then, because he was a creature who lived to be heard, he added, "You have won this day, though I do not know by what devilry you did so. 'Human magic', indeed. Ha! If it ever proves insufficient for you to overcome what is to come... perhaps then, you shall wish you had left well enough alone."

"What exactly can we do from here? Is any of this actionable, can we legally apprehend the mayor for blackmail as it stands? I'm not familiar with the laws of the land."

"I'm just a barkeep. Someone breaks something, I blast 'em out. I ain't knowin' what legalese lets me do that."

"I do."

Lucien Voclain had quite a number of 'mon in his path, but he simply pressed on, making polite, quiet apologies.

"Excuse me. Allow me."

Sonora gave the Prinplup a skeptical look, but they exchanged a glance, and she said nothing.

From his slumped position on the carpet, the mayor only stared impassively at his son.

"Empoleon Ignatius," began Lucien, his voice parched of emotion, "by the authority vested in me as the Marshal of Frontier Town, I hereby place you under arrest for a litany of crimes against this community. You face charges of extortion, fraud, election tampering, embezzlement, misappropriation of public funds, racketeering, and conspiracy to commit the aforementioned."

He paused. He'd spoken loud enough to be heard by the chattering, anxious guests on the ballroom floor below. Light glinted off his crest as his eyes closed for a moment. Then he gestured to each of several nearby fighters.

"Good 'mon, would you kindly assist me in escorting the mayor to the gaol? As marshal, I may deputise you for this task."

Lucien didn't look triumphant, or relieved, or even miserable.

He just looked tired.

 

[kyeugh]

Prim straightened her back as the arc of the prinplup's flipper passed over her. She didn't need to know what an embezzle was to know that jail was the right place for the disgraced mayor.

"Willingly," she said, taking a step forward. "C'mon, old bird. It won't be so bad. You should see the jails where I'm from."

 

[VeniaSilente]

"We probably can get up sooner than you and do this entire thing again, if feeling more pain is your pleasure, but someone who looks at their immediate world from afar like you, mayor, surely understands when to fold'em flippers."

“Oh yeah? What’s your theory? You think there’s more to it than that almighty human magic I hear so much about?”

Ignatius shot first Kalas, then Dave, a withering stare.

"As if either of you pissants know a thing about my perspective," he muttered, mostly to himself. Then, because he was a creature who lived to be heard, he added, "You have won this day, though I do not know by what devilry you did so. 'Human magic', indeed. Ha! If it ever proves insufficient for you to overcome what is to come... perhaps then, you shall wish you had left well enough alone."

Kalas held his stare on Ignatius for a moment. "'Devilry', huh. Yeah, maybe we don't understand this either. If it is some magic, I'll let it be part of my toolkit, not my only grace."

After that Kalas watched how Lucien took upon the difficult task of arresting none other than Mayor Ignatius. Then Kalas gave a saddened look at Lucien, wondering for a moment if he'd ever have to do the same upon a certain Honchkrow he cared about back home.

He paused. He'd spoken loud enough to be heard by the chattering, anxious guests on the ballroom floor below. Light glinted off his crest as his eyes closed for a moment. Then he gestured to each of several nearby fighters.

"Good 'mon, would you kindly assist me in escorting the mayor to the gaol? As marshal, I may deputise you for this task."

Kalas just gave a curt nod. He should have been proud, maybe, that he got to "be a cop" once more. But the day didn't feel like it.

He just shut up and joined the escort.

 

[HelloYellow17]

Wes watched Lucien through narrowed eyes. So this was the son of this blatantly corrupted prick, and he was also, conveniently, the town marshal. He conducted the arrest with no show of emotion; at least he was following through with the law’s demands, but only time would tell if this was just for show or not.

What side are you on?

Wes limped forward and spoke up, his voice hoarse. “I’d like to assist,” he said. He noticed Archie step up beside him as well, and Gladion in the corner of his eye. Good—he didn’t know the Spearow or the little green lady mon very well, but he felt comforted knowing he had at least two sensible people with him in this party. Just in case either of these birds tried any last-second stunts.

He faced Lucien, not bothering to hide his distrust. “When you’re ready. Sir.”

 

[Cresselia92]

Amidst the celebration and the glares thrown at the former mayor, Silver noticed the unhappy expression of the Prinplup. To see his own father being taken away, even if he was a criminal… it surely wasn’t an easy task, and the former human knew that feeling all too well.

Fighting against the protesting muscles, Silver drew close to the marshal and gave him quick glance. A glance of sympathy. “…Look sharp. You’re better than that scumbag,” he said, motioning with his head to the Empoleon. “Sometimes, it’s up to the sons teaching a lesson to their old men. You did what you had to do, and you should be proud of your act of strength. Never forget that.”

Without waiting for a reply, Silver trudged toward the exit of the manor. He had a slash to treat… and a kimono to repay.

 

[Shiny Phantump]

"Good 'mon, would you kindly assist me in escorting the mayor to the gaol? As marshal, I may deputise you for this task."

Lucien didn't look triumphant, or relieved, or even miserable.

He just looked tired.

Most people on their team were tiny. Nova was busy taking care of someone. Based on his performance in the fight he wasn’t much of a brawler anyways. And Arctozolt… was Arctozolt. If they wanted bulk on the arrest…

Augh. He was gonna have to get up, wasn’t he? That sucked. At this point he was pretty sure nothing was broken, and it anything was it at least wasn’t his spine— Sonora hadn’t been kidding about the whole nonlethality thing. Didn’t mean he had to be happy about it.

“Alright. Let’s get this over with. ‘m Gladion. Mind telling me yours? If I’ve heard it before my head’s still too busy ringing to recall it.”

In reality, Gladion recalled hearing the marshal was named… Lucius? Lucien? But what he really wanted to hear was whether or not that would be followed by Voclain.

Wes limped forward and spoke up, his voice hoarse. “I’d like to assist,” … He faced Lucien, not bothering to hide his distrust. “When you’re ready. Sir.”

At least Wes was there. He could use someone to commiserate with.

“Nice to see you’re still alive.”

 

[Jackie Cat]

Ignatius got unsteadily to his feet, the fight thoroughly beaten out of him and his escape rendered impossible. The bandits, and doubtless many of the heroic spirits, watched him leave in custody with considerable satisfaction. There was even a little jeering from the crowd of guests; people being people, would-be schmoozers could be quick to turn.

"I am Prinplup Lucien," said the marshal, to Gladion. "And I am who you think I am," he added, to Wes as well, "and you may interrogate my character and aims tomorrow. For now all I want is to remand this 'mon to town gaol and go home... so that I might have time to myself to think. I have much to consider."

He looked after the vanished Silver, seeming thoughtful.

"Mm. Well. If yer lookin' fer a way to get some income, I get the feelin' The Wanderin' Zera's gonna be gettin' some extra activity. Could hire a bouncer er two. Can't help all yer gang, though. Up to you. Y'got choices."

Sonora tilted her head. "A saloon bouncer, huh? Well, I dare say I'm overqualified for it. What the hell, I'll swing by tomorrow and maybe we can spit palms about it... y'know, if the pay's good."

Her voice sounded performatively ambivalent, but her tail suggested she was thrilled...

"Yes, about those wagons. Perhaps you could enlighten us on why you picked the ones you did and how you managed to find a pattern between them. I tried it myself before the evening. I heavily suspected there was something there but couldn't find anything substantial."

The Floragato looked unabashedly smug at this for a moment, then she tightened up, her posture suddenly defensive.

"What does it matter?" she demanded. "Gonna go lookin' for 'em?"

Then she looked away, mouth skewed hard to the side as she wrestled with something.

"Sorry... Sorry. I said I'd trust you, after everythin', and I will, but... I've made promises. You... You gotta give me your word that you ain't gonna go lookin' fer what was in those wagons. Or at least... that you'll leave it be, wherever it might be now."

“However, what the hell did I grab here?”

The squad of spirits who'd helped with the heist had a mixed assortment of loot, as it turned out. The sealed notebook, the sword, and what looked like a considerable amount of loose dungeon items in Hob & Nero's grasp. Some were hard to identify. Some less so.

In Odette's case, she had acquired a snub-nosed, small-calibre caplock pistol – a derringer. It would be considered an antique, in her own world. Clearly, gunpowder-based armaments could and did exist in Forlas.

Odette found an Iron Thorn.​

But why had Ignatius owned one? Were they commonplace, or arcane? Were they effective?

Well, in battle it is nominally effective, as is any means of delivering a strong kinetic impact... but outside of battle, when a pokémon's aura is becalmed, it can be a lethal weapon, depending on species.

What are you going to do with that, Odette Cinq-Mars?​

 

[Panoramic_Vacuum]

Steven wove his way through the ballroom with equal parts trepidation and relief. Relief that the fighting was over, but worry still bounced around in his mind from Lucien's words; his warning. Steven had meant what he said, that they would see this through in the aftermath of the mayor's treachery, but Lucien suggested this ran much deeper than one corrupt politician...

He should regroup with the others from the second floor, pool their resources, and figure out what exactly they had stumbled across in that vault. He held tight to the notebook in his claw, looking for other members of the group that he recognized, especially that Alolan meowth who'd handed him the notebook in the first place. He didn't know many of them by name, but he could easily guess who among the crowd was part of these 'heroic spirits' the Voice kept mentioning.

It wasn't long before he spotted a group huddled around the scovillian who'd been with the upstairs group. And among them was--

"Odette! You're alright, thank goodness."

He floated up to her side with a relieved look, which quickly turned to one of concern. "Ah, but your dress," he said, looking at her ripped and waterlogged outfit. "It was new, too, wasn't it-- is that a gun?! Where did you get that?"

 

[Sinderella]

In Odette's case, she had acquired a snub-nosed, small-calibre caplock pistol – a derringer. It would be considered an antique, in her own world. Clearly, gunpowder-based armaments could and did exist in Forlas.

Odette knew the thing looked eerily gun-shaped, but didn't want to make any judgement calls on it until a native looked at it. She'd seen pictures of derringers while she was training for her firearm permit, but mostly the modern renditions of them. She'd never had the opportunity to hold, let alone operate one. Derringers like the one in her hand were considered collectors items, something you hung on a wall or stored in a glass case--

Still, she wasted no time in identifying its parts. Here's the trigger, barrel, I'm pretty sure that's the hammer...

She was shocked that firearms would exist in a world where the best way to hurt someone was to blast them with fire, or whip them with water. Lethal shootouts with real fucking bullets were still possible even among Pokemon, it seemed. She would have never guessed.

What the hell was Ignition planning on doing with it?

"Odette! You're alright, thank goodness."

He floated up to her side with a relieved look, which quickly turned to one of concern. "Ah, but your dress," he said, looking at her ripped and waterlogged outfit. "It was new, too, wasn't it-- is that a gun?! Where did you get that?"

Odette tore her gaze away from the weapon to look over at Steven, allowing her own relief to show itself in her sigh. "Oh, good. Looks like the fire didn't get you too badly," she huffed.

Only then did she get a good look at her dress, and she frowned. The bodice hadn't looked that bad, but her fucking skirt. And the sleeves. "Fuuuuuuuuuuuuck," she whined, reaching down to pad at some of the singed fabric along the trim. "This was good fucking tip money, dammit." How much would a tailor charge to repair it? Only gods fucking knew.

As Steven jumped all over her new find, she held it toward him so he could get a better look at it, but was very careful where she pointed the barrel. "It is. It was in the vault. Must have grabbed it while I was off my rocker," she said. She didn't need to explain that she had thought it was a talking Beanie Baby.

She held it close to her face again, closely examining the side as she ran her hand over it again. "I have one at home, but it's a lot more...updated than this."

What are you going to do with that, Odette Cinq-Mars?

She couldn't stop the slight smirk that rolled the corner of her lips. Even if it was a dinosaur compared to her glock at home, it was still a weapon she was comfy with. She'd likely need to train up on how to use it, but it could be handy in a purely dire circumstance.

But, she sincerely hoped there would be no other dire circumstances coming her way. Somehow, though, that felt like naïve wishful thinking.

"What are the parameters of owning and operating something like this?" she asked Sonora. "Do I need to get a permit? Take a class? Is it even legal?"

 

[Inkedust]

"What does it matter?" she demanded. "Gonna go lookin' for 'em?"

Then she looked away, mouth skewed hard to the side as she wrestled with something.

"Sorry... Sorry. I said I'd trust you, after everythin', and I will, but... I've made promises. You... You gotta give me your word that you ain't gonna go lookin' fer what was in those wagons. Or at least... that you'll leave it be, wherever it might be now."

"I don't believe we could, even if we wanted to," answered Bellatrix, finally taking the opportunity to have a seat by the maus who waved at her. "We aren't exactly the strongest as you could probably tell from our fight." She frowned, starting to expect that she wouldn't receive a straight answer no matter what but some hint would've at least have been nice. "Regardless, you have my word."

Her tail flicked as she watched Ignatius leave a thought crossing her mind. "Whatever it was, it must have struck a nerve with how much animosity he looks down upon you with." But that wording... "Although, if those contents aren't with you, what did you steal to elicit such a reaction?"

 

[Panoramic_Vacuum]

She held it toward him so he could get a better look at it, but was very careful where she pointed the barrel. "It is. It was in the vault. Must have grabbed it while I was off my rocker," she said.

Steven recoiled as Odette brought the gun up to show him. "Ah, no that's quite alright," he said, shying away. "You hang onto that. Carefully."

"Although," he continued, keeping an eye on the gun as she examined it further, "what is something like that doing in the mayor's vault? And what else did we find there?"

He'd addressed his question to the group at large, as they certainly weren't objects he was familiar with. Maybe someone else from their group would have a better idea?

From the corner of his eye, he caught movement. Finally tearing his wary gaze from the gun, he watched Lucien lead his defeated and disgraced father from the ballroom. A small posse of their group joined him, and the remaining pang of concern in Steven's chest faded away. It was over. It was over.

...Was it over?

 

[Namohysip]

"Mm." Gerome closed his eyes. "Then I guess this is the part where I leave before authorities hold up more o' my time. Be seein' ya."

The great Tyranitar lumbered away...

--

"Hm." Mhynt nodded to herself. "How curious..."

It seemed they would be getting more information from all of this later. All was still chaos after the gala. Perhaps after some regrouping. However...

Voice of our dreams. It seems you've been able to hold a connection a while longer. This was a bit of a mess, wasn't it? Have you found a way to establish something... firmer?

 

[Sinderella]

Steven recoiled as Odette brought the gun up to show him. "Ah, no that's quite alright," he said, shying away. "You hang onto that. Carefully."

"Oh, shit, my bad," she said, taking note of his shy demeanor. People in her world often got a little squicky around firearms, so she should have assumed the same for other 'mon. She'd have to be more careful about who she waved it to.

"Although," he continued, keeping an eye on the gun as she examined it further, "what is something like that doing in the mayor's vault? And what else did we find there?"

It was good to know that Steven was on the same wavelength as her. Truly, what the fuck was he going to do with a gun when his attacks were enough to wreck everyone who was standing near him?

"A sword. Some other things, I couldn't tell you," she said thinly. She'd noticed the defeated mayor being led away, and took a moment to bask in the victory.

But, again. It was naïve wishful thinking to assume that was the last of it. If her knowledge on corrupt officials carried over between worlds, she had a hunch there would be far more where Mayor Shitbird came from.

 

[Jackie Cat]

"What are the parameters of owning and operating something like this? Do I need to get a permit? Take a class? Is it even legal?"

Sonora eyed the derringer with suspicion.

"Ain't illegal, or nothin'. But carryin' one is kinda like admittin' you're comfortable killin' someone if'n you win a duel. ...Or without havin' a duel at all. You'd best find someone to teach you how to use it if you mean to keep it – and bullets ain't free."

"You have my word. Whatever it was, it must have struck a nerve with how much animosity he looks down upon you with. Although, if those contents aren't with you, what did you steal to elicit such a reaction?"

Sonora bit her lip, and her ears flicked downward.

"Pokémon," she said, quietly. "Folks who nobody'd miss."

---

Voice of our dreams. It seems you've been able to hold a connection a while longer. This was a bit of a mess, wasn't it? Have you found a way to establish something... firmer?

The connection between us was much stronger this time. However, I can already feel it weakening...

I am sorry that I am not stronger. I want not to let you down.

I believe I will always come to you in battle, when you need me most.

If you need to hear me at other times... then perhaps you should go to a mystery dungeon, where the walls of the world are thin.​

 

[Inkedust]

"Pokémon," she said, quietly. "Folks who nobody'd miss."

Though hard to see, Bellatrix's ears trembled slightly upon hearing those words. Her mane and ruff stirred, as did a memory she'd tried to put a long distance between. She blinked and found herself back in that claustrophobic room with a trapdoor. Two larger pokémon loomed over her to barter.

"I'd say 500 poké for her. Yes, 500 is good."

"500?! At that price, I may as well be giving 'er away for free!"

"I certainly wouldn’t object to that."

"I know you wouldn’t, but I would! She’s worth 2500 at the least!"

She shook her head, pulling her back into the spacious mansion. Keeping her voice even, she asked, "And not a clue as to why? What may have become of them?"

 

[Namohysip]

This also caught Mhynt's attention, her head flicking slightly in Sonora's direction. "Interesting," she hummed. "Now, that's something I almost wish you'd've opened with when some of our team spoke with you. I'm guessing nobody would have believed you without proof..." Mhynt eyed the mansion. "There's likely even more proof in this mansion that we haven't uncovered."

She began to walk to the stairs. "Get authorities. I will assist with the search. My Teleport and nimble frame will be... advantageous."

 

[Butterfree]

Sonora bit her lip, and her ears flicked downward.

"Pokémon," she said, quietly. "Folks who nobody'd miss."

Oh, Jesus. Human trafficking? (...Pokémon trafficking.) Dave grimaced. "What exactly was the mayor hoping to do with these people?"

 

[Sinderella]

Ain't illegal, or nothin'. But carryin' one is kinda like admittin' you're comfortable killin' someone if'n you win a duel. ...Or without havin' a duel at all.

Odette frowned, her eyes moving back to the gun. No, that certainly wasn’t the case. She wasn’t interested in duels or shootouts or committing homicide just because she had the option to. She highly doubted anyone here would be gung-ho for that, and she certainly wasn’t looking to be thrown in jail when she’d been called here to help.

But…on the off chance somebody decided to make an attempt on her life? Then it was fair game. She wanted to ask what the self-defense laws were in Forlas, if there even were any, but she didn’t want to ask so many questions that she started to look suspicious…something else to read up on.

You'd best find someone to teach you how to use it if you mean to keep it – and bullets ain't free."

“That’s expected. They’re not free where I come from either,” she said. “I’m by no means looking to dual others for fun, I just…” What do you even follow that up with?

“I’ll definitely try to find someone who knows a thing or two about these and ask for some pointers. If I’m too stupid to operate it safely…I’ll feed it to my other head or something.”

In hindsight, none of that really mattered once Sonora indicated that the mayor was trafficking people. Or…Pokemon. Her frown deepened into something that was far more angry.

“Oh so it didn’t just stop at the fucking lying and embezzlement? He a slave trader too?”

 

[canisaries]

Andre watched the prinplup and the others escort away the mayor. It looked like justice would end up being served. Andre was almost asglad about that as the fact that they were not seen as criminals for the beating they'd given the empoleon.

He climbed up to the mezzanine to the group of heroes still around the floragato. Now that the fight was over, he was very curious about this outlaw (who might not have been an outlaw anymore?), and didn't want to miss anything she would divulge. Right now, they were talking about those carriages...

"Pokémon," she said, quietly. "Folks who nobody'd miss."

Andre's eyes widened. Pokémon trafficking. And here he'd thought extortion and embezzlement had been the worst of the mayor's crimes.

Still think he should be left alive? a thought came to him. And it was hard to argue with - not even the people he'd killed before had done anything as abhorrent as this.

But no. He was still in a strange, foreign world, and schemes to off even the most heinous of individuals were based on unstable ground. He should not risk it. But he should try his best to get this case blown wide open. Who knows, this might just be the crisis they were sent here to solve.

Only the floragato seemed unwilling to give more detail, to protect the pokémon she'd freed. How would they prove the mayor's involvement in such crimes if there was no evidence to show? And... who else was involved in it? How high up did it go? And how could they figure it out? They were still newcomers, and they had little to no connections. They'd need to know the right people. And they would have to be patient, not ask every question on their minds as soon as they had the chance, like part of him wanted to do with this floragato. No, he would stay and listen. And he would convince everyone else to get on board.