[Astral Harmony]

Renny Achieves Intimacy Rank 6 With Lola (there's 10 of 'em, Menarker)

"How about you? How was things on your end? How are you feeling?"

Lola, still blushing, couldn't bring herself to look at Renny's face. She stared out through the window, scratching her cheek.
"Oh, I'm alright. I'm not exactly used to fighting bona fide soldiers, but things like that are prone to happening all the time in Honmyr."

Still trying to keep her perverse mind occupied, Lola used a pen as a makeshift mustache. "Renny, I hate to put the pressure on a man so young, but I have a feeling that trying times are fast approaching Honmyr, and for a lot of the peace-loving individuals who live here, just like you and me, we're more or less trapped."

Now that Lola's mind was focused on something else, her initial composure pre-mating season was starting to return. Still, there was the intoxicating scent of her pheromones. "Perhaps 'trapped' is a harsh word. More like we're being made to do something that is entirely inordinary. I mean, honestly, agents fighting soldiers? And here all this time I was hoping to marry a good young man and settle down in a beautiful, small town where everybody knows everybody else's name and nobody needs locks on their doors."

Lola drained a cup of tea and sighed. "And that's why I'm kind of jealous of women like Rayleen and Kurika. I understand that if someone truely wants peace, they should be prepared to fight for that peace. I think that the two of them like peace as much as I do, but they've got real talent when it comes to fighting for it, and they even seem to like fighting."

The angelic nurse then did something uncharacteristic. She scooted closer to Renny and took one of his hands into both of hers. "Renny, let's forge a pact! Or something like that, right? We'll be each other's strength! We can't fight our fates, but if we've got each other, we can at least be strong knowing that we're not alone out there."

Her eyes...was Lola...crying? "I...think I'm crazy, but now that you've told me how you felt about all this danger that we've been put in, I feel like it's very important for me to respond in kind. You're a very important person to me, Renny. My father couldn't replace you, my sister couldn't replace you, not even my greatest desire could replace you. Sometimes I feel like my morning doesn't even start until I see your smile and hear you say 'good morning.' It's all because of you that I have the strength and courage to fight. It's because of you that I actually want to stay in PATCA and keep working hard for a better tomorrow."

Lola wiped her eyes. "You must think I'm just saying crazy stuff, right? How embarrassing. I guess I'm just not myself right now."

-----
Pierce Studies Under Ricewood

Ricewood removed her glasses. Judging from the way her eyes squinted, Pierce surmised that Ricewood's eyesight was pretty shitty. "It's becoming a rising trend here on Honmyr. Pokemon are being pushed to their limits every single day, especially for you fine warriors up in the agency."

Ricewood lit a cigarette and walked over to check out a sleek and sexy white RDPA. Judging from its size and curvature, this particular powered armor was for Jeanette Ricewood's own lovely form, and considering its large number of weapons, this armored bitch was custom made for war. "There's also the theoretical relationships between Pokemon and their trainers that is still in the researching phase."

And then Ricewood actually donned the RDPA. Before the eyes of Pierce and his Pokemon, Ricewood turned to her right and unleashed the wrath of two deadly photon morning stars on two mockup tanks, putting craters in the both of them. "Perfect! That bastard Faynoc is going to regret messing with me."

Then Jeanette froze. "Wait, what was I saying? Oh, yes. The way it's suggested by most Pokemon professors, myself included, it's because of a strong combination of trust, faith, and pride. Your Tyrani...rather, your Adamantitar evolved because he wants to be able to do more for you. He wants you to believe in him. He basically wants to forge a good future for the both of you, so he willed himself to assume a stronger role which would support his desires. So be grateful and treat him with respect."

-----
The Empress Arrives

On the fourth day since the battle in Prime Square, she arrived. She was wearing her RDPA and was joined by a small garrison of samurai, ninja, and high-ranking shrine maidens.

"Allow me to present the supreme and wonderful Empress Kazetsubaki Sakuya of the Hiroshiho Empire. I am her trusted general, Takayuki Silk."
The samurai armor-style RDPA sighed. "Silk, I can introduce myself, you know."
Silk stood up and stepped aside. "My humblest apologies, my Empress."
Escorted by Irene, Sakuya stored her RDPA in the special garage and joined Irene in the round table chamber, a special meeting room that was entirely unmonitored. After Irene sealed the door, nobody could listen in by any means.

"So, I heard that Burkmont's demand to put Rayleen under house arrest for interfering in Prideguard business was granted," Sakuya said to Irene after she took a seat at the round table. "I just saw my daughter. What the hell did that monster Faynoc do to her?"

Irene took a seat on the other side and kicked up her feet.
"I could've disputed the issue and got my way, but I have some plans. Considering that my daughter was only filling in for me while I was in that coma, it's only natural that I take up the helm again. Besides, if I did fight Burkmont's wishes, it could only lead to him declaring war on Honmyr. He's got eyes all over PATCA now, just waiting for an excuse to go to full blown war, and the only thing holding him back is this idea in his head that he has time to make his Prideguard even more unstoppable for conquest of the world."
"As for what Faynoc had done to your daughter Mio, his experiments are based on some very well thought out projections. Still, one cannot fully and accurately calculate all events that may occur during a first attempt. We should be so lucky for only that much to have happened to her. Anyways, we don't have a lot of time. I'd like to bring you up to speed quickly, if possible."
"Please do."

Irene closed her eyes. "Rayleen's house arrest wasn't the only thing that Burkmont demanded. We also had to turn over Arceus."
"You refused that demand, right?"
Irene was silent.
"You fucking idiot! Eldys said that Arceus was absolutely crucial!"
Irene held up one hand. "Burkmont knows this as well. However, just like the rest of us, he doesn't know why Eldys needs Arceus so badly. Still, Eldys decided to part with her own Arceus for now. We somehow managed to transfer it from the card format that Eldys's race used to the Pokeball format that we do. Then we gave it to Major Grant. Hopefully, he doesn't realize that it's not his actual Arceus."
Sakuya blinked. "Wait, what? Eldys had Arceus?"
"An Arceus," Irene corrected her. "Just like this world, there was an Arceus that created Eldys's world. Eldys brought it here in her Duelist Deck."
"Duelist Deck? What is that, some kind of children's trading card game?"
"Apparently in Eldys's world, Pokemon are captured by binding them into cards. A number of cards with monsters bound to them form a Duelist Deck."

Sakuya decided not to ask anymore about it. "But now that I think of it, it doesn't make sense. This world has already been created. Now that this world exists, isn't Arceus just a powerful Pokemon?"
Irene shrugged. "Eldys need this world's Arceus, for some reason. Maybe Arceus has another function. However, Eldys has assured me that we don't need Arceus at this point, so let's just leave it with its current trainer."
"And who would that be?"
"Charlotte Beaufort AKA Madame Ursaring. There's going to be a small leadership transfer from Ray Green AKA Impact to her tomorrow, volunteered by Impact himself. You can see the both of them, then."
"Why would I need to see this Impact character?"
"Eldys has designated him as a Chosen One."
"Great. Seems like every time I turn around, that crazy elf is declaring that bizarre title to someone else. First I was a Chosen One. Then you became one. And somewhere down the line both Vladier Burkmont and Reynold Faynoc were handpicked. And now some guy here in PATCA? It doesn't feel so special to be chosen, anymore."

Irene pulled out one of her swords and examined it. "Eldys is desperate to defeat this enemy she calls the Knomere that she insists are currently on their way here. We can't entrust this world to maniacs and degenerates like Faynoc and Burkmont. So, PATCA's operations will focus on eliminating those two, and anyone who gets between us, which is a large number of the Ruin Generals. I believe in PATCA, but I know this is way beyond their skills, even with all the new help. Which is why I invited Mio to join. Which is why I'm inviting you to join me as well."
"After what you've told me, how can I refuse? When do I get introduced to Impact?"
Irene stood up and walked to the door. "Tomorrow. Though not personally. We will bring Impact into the fold later. Very soon, I expect us to be involved in taking down Faynoc. I'm sure you'll want to be there, considering what Faynoc has done to your daughter. If you're ready, I'll take you to her, now."
"Yes, thank you."
Irene and Sakuya met Rayleen and Mio outside in the courtyard Pokemon Ranch, bathing a hulking Bastiodon. Just as soon as Mio saw her mother, Sakuya embraced her daughter. Irene and Rayleen smiled at the reunion. Apparently, this was a time when mothers and daughters were finding each other again after long separations.
"I'm sorry that I joined the Harbingers of Ascension, Honored Mother." Mio apologized. "I wanted to gain great power so that I would no longer disappoint you."
"You were never a disappointment to me, Mio."
"But I was born from Vladier Burkmont. It must have shamed you greatly."
"Don't worry about that, Mio. I'll never be ashamed of you. Burkmont, however, is in for a lot of hurt."
"And with my power, he's in for even more."