>CHAPTER 4
Prayer
Lazlo stared whistfully out the window of the inn room, lost in thought. Another sunrise had come and gone. And Alphonse was still nowhere to be found.
A gentle rapping broke the silence. The old door began to creek open, emitting a rather unplesant sound.
"That you, Lou?" Lazlo spoke, still fixated on the view outside.
"You guessed it," Lou answered. "May I come in?"
"'f course."
The portly Grumpig waddled through the doorframe. Sensing sorrow, he tried to put on a happier face for his friend Lazlo.
"I've got some great things cookin' downstairs. Your favorite, Sitrus Berry Souffle, is one of them. Would you like to come down and eat? Otherwise, I can bring it up to your room."
Lazlo didn't move. He was still looking out the window, as if expecting the landscape to answer for him. But refusing to be rude to his friend, he gave a subtle nod to Lou.
"Excellent. I'll be right back," Lou said. There was a hint of sadness in Lou's voice.
He knew the situation. The night before, Lazlo had strolled in empty handed, looking quite exhausted.
"I'm headin' up to bed, Lou. Keep an eye out for Al; he should be here shortly," Lazlo instructed Lou.
But Alphonse never returned. Lou feared the worst had happened, not knowing the entirety of the exploration they had undergone the day before. But he figured he would find out in time, and it would be rude to prod Lazlo any further.
"Kid... yer walkin' a fine line." Lazlo sighed.
Lou returned some time later with a big bowl of souffle and a pitcher of a warm, boiling liquid. There was a sprig of cinnamon floating on top of it, with various chopped slices of citrus fruits dancing around in the warm, soupy liquid.
"Soups on!" Lou called to Lazlo.
Lazlo had since stopped staring out the window. He was in the corner with his bed again, rapidly scribbling away. only taking a short break to look up and take the dishes from Lou.
"Thank ya kindly," Lazlo said tenderly to Lou, relieving him of the hot bowl and pitcher.
"I hate to pry, Laz, but I gotta know what's up." Lou had a solemn concern in his voice, replacing his usual jolliness.
"'m afraid I can't give you any more details," Lazlo explained. He began to pour himself a fresh mug of juice.
"C'mon now, Laz. You can't bottle up your feelings like that."
Lazlo took a deep chug from his freshly poured mug, gently slamming it back down on the table. He stirred his food slightly with his paw.
"You're not just going to drown your sorrows in juice again, are you? Please don't make me cut you off," Lou warned.
"'s fine. I can head over to The Watering Hole for more, anyway."
"It kills me to see you like this, Laz."
Lazlo sighed, kicking about the pages he was scribbling on with his foot.
"Dadgummit," he cursed under his breath. He then looked up at Lou.
"I'm only tellin' you. This stays in this room, ya hear? No flappin to the guard, and especially no flappin' to Mary," Lazlo said with a sense of urgency. Lou gave a steady nod and showed his focus to Lazlo.
"It's the kid." Lazlo said it plainly.
"Well, I could've told you that." Lou chuckled uncomfortably.
"Nah, I know he didn't show up. I got a feeling where he is, anyway."
Lou's face flushed.
"What do you mean?" Lou asked with a slight pause.
"Kid's got a fire in 'em. Plain as day."
Lazlo reached back at his mug, preparing to take another swig. But he paused, setting it back down.
"Y'know what they say about fire, after all."
Lou blinked. "I mean, I'm sure I do, but I'd appreciate a reminder."
Lazlo let out a slight chuckle.
"Fire's great an' all. It provides us with light, comfort, and food in our bellies." Lazlo gathered his thoughts further.
"But if it gets out of control, it'll be doin' more harm than good."
Lou didn't say anything, instead waiting for Lazlo to make the next move.
"The kid certainly has had a rough life. I don't know all of it. He ain't too eager to spill the details. Which 's fine 'n all. None of my business. But he has a big heart. And I'm not sure if he realizes that about 'imself."
Lazlo stopped stirring the souffle. He then grabbed the provided wooden spoon and took a bite.
"That fire's eclipsin' his view. And that ain't gonna be good for anyone." Lazlo sighed.
Meanwhile, not too far away from the inn, a commotion was inflating over at The Watering Hole. Voices and gossip erupted throughout the building.
"So, they escaped?"
"Thieves, in our town, in this day and age, how sad."
"Not just thieves, escaped convicts! How are we supposed to feel safe?"
"I didn't catch a good look at either of them, did you?"
"What were the guards doing?"
"Better yet, what was the warden doing?"
A hush fell over the room as the saloon doors suddenly opened. Mary strolled into the saloon, taking care in each step.
"Mary, what's going on?" One of the voices cried out.
"Should we be concerned, Mary?" another voice howled.
"What should we tell our children?!" a third voice moaned.
Mary held up her hands and closed her eyes to quiet the crowd. After a hush returned to the room, she began to speak.
"Ladies and gentlemen, I'm afraid I only know as much as you all. But we can't panic! If we panic, they're likely to take advantage and strike us again in the confusion," Mary exclaimed.
Mary paused to make sure there were no further interruptions.
"I've spoken to Chad and Deadeye, and there'll be a meeting held later today at the town square. In the meantime, we're on a bit of a lockdown, so get as comfortable as you can. The guards don't want anyone in or out." A commotion began to pick up.
Mary raised her hands again.
"I haven't spoken with Lazlo or Lou yet; I'm assuming they're still working things out themselves. But! We got a Pelipper Mail out to Chief, and he should be here within the hour!"
"The Chief! He's coming back early!"
"As long as we get Lazlo and The Chief, we'll be alright!"
"What do we do in the meantime, Mary?"
Mary smiled.
"Feel free to stay here as long as you need. I'm sure Lou still has some beds open at the inn for those who will be extending their stay with us after the festival earlier this week." Her voice was sweet, providing serenity to the anxious crowd.
"We'll get through this, promise! After all, we've been through worse!" Mary cheered. The crowd erupted in unison with cheers of their own.
"Those punks will know better than to mess with us!"
"I can't wait to see the thrashing they get!"
"Better yet, we might get to see Lazlo in action!"
Among the cheers and rabbling of the crowd, the saloon door opened up yet again. In walked Lou and Lazlo, followed by Chad and Deadeye. The cheering erupted spontaneously.
Lazlo held a paw up, settling the crowd down as he walked over to the bar counter. Giving a subtle nod hello to Mary, he sat down and begin to explain the situation.
"Looks like Mary already did a great job of cheerin' y'all up. Not surprising. Great work as always, Mary."
Lazlo winked at Mary. Mary blushed.
"Lou's been helpin me out my rut here, per usual. Now, here's the plan: everyone get all nice and cozy with the lockdown. Once Chief gets back in town, we can discuss further around that."
"As for our... troublemakers," Lazlo cleared his throat. "We'll be askin' some folk around town if they've seen anything. Gettin' the full story. Chad'll be handlin' that. Ain't that right, Chad?"
"Yes, sir, Lazlo, sir!" Chad howled triumphantly. "You can count on me; I won't let my guard down again!"
"Deadeye hear is going to keep an eye out for Chief. He'll be sure to alert everyone when Chief is back home, gottit?"
"Y-yes! Will do!" Deadeye cheered, his nose lighting up with glee.
"I can't believe he actually called me Deadeye, heehee! And in front of all these Pokemon!" Deadeye whispered to himself. He began to tear up a bit.
Lazlo looked around once more at the crowd, all of them eagerly waiting to hear what he had to say next. Lazlo gave a slight smile, but returned to a neutral expression.
"One last thing, folks. We've got it on good authority: outlaws are a Litten, and an Abra. And they're likely not alone, either. So be on guard for any shady characters."
Lazlo then shifted into a more serious tone.
"Do what you must to apprehend the others. But I'm makin' this clear—leave the Abra and the Litten to me."
The crowd erupted once more, crying out with excitement at the impending justice that would soon be served.
Several hours later, bells rang throughout the town, signifying that the chief had finally come home from their expedition. The Pokemon of Arcade rapidly got their affairs in order, peeking out their doors and windows to observe the Chief walking throughout the village.
The chief strolled through the main road, occasionally stopping to greet a citizen or give a quick wave. Eventually, he stopped at the town square, right next to the statue that served as a landmark, and came face-to-face with Lazlo and Chad. As soon as the three were in each other's presence, floods of village Pokemon crowded around the group, hoping to get a better look at the trio while maintaining a respectful distance. Cheers rapidly began to erupt throughout the ecstatic crowd, for their heroes had finally arrived.
"Welcome back, Chief," Lazlo smiled bashfully. "I trust your expedition went well."
"Oh yes, very well, very well indeed," the chief beamed. Giant in stature, the gallant Probopass stood in front of Lazlo and Chad, escorted by the rest of the village guard.
"Sorry, it had to get cut short. You're doin' good work out there," Lazlo added.
The chief smiled a great smile.
"Hey, it's just nice to be so wanted back home. My son nearly cried a river when he saw me. It does a father well know he's loved by his boy."
Lazlo chuckled at the thought.
"You've molded him into a great kid, that's for sure."
The chief spoke next.
"I've already been briefed on the situation. Chad, I'd like to hear what you've gathered in the meantime."
Chad nodded, stepping forward.
"It'd be my pleasure, Chief." He began to elaborate.
"Kecleon was the last one who observed the two, aside from myself. I'm afraid I let my guard down a bit too early, and they were able to escape through the old tunnel. Else Deadeye would've seen 'em sneak out through the gatehouse."
"No worries, Chad; I messed up too," Lazlo sighed longingly.
The chief smiled and said,
"You're both too hard on yourselves. As long as nobody was hurt, you both did your job well, as far as I'm concerned."
Chad wagged his tail slightly, then continued his report.
"We've got a few local adventurers on standby to help with the search, as well as the guard to defend the town should they be planning anything else. I'm also happy to inform you that R.O.T. will be helping us search as well."
The chief was happy to hear this news.
"That's grand. Team R.O.T. are some of the best at what they do. It's not every day you get a Rescue Team that also doubles as celebrities."
Chad nodded in agreement. He then looked over to Lazlo, eager to gather their thoughts.
"I'll be joinin' in on guard duty for this one," Lazlo added. "These old bones definitely have some fight left in 'em."
"I'm sure everybody is eager to see that," the chief sang out.
Lazlo exchanged looks.
"I'd like to take you aside, Chief, once you get settled in. Have some more I'd like to discuss with ya. I'll stop by your place later tonight."
"Looking forward to it, Lazlo."
Afterwards, the meeting began in the town square. The Chief, Lou, Mary, Chad, and the members of Team R.O.T. all stood in a circle.
Several other groups of Pokemon, including the town guard and various smaller business owners, filled the outer perimeter.
Lazlo was suspiciously absent.
"Should we wait for Lazlo to start?" Mary inquired.
"No need. He won't be attending tonight," the chief responded to Mary.
"We'll start by yet again welcoming Team R.O.T. to our humble village and expressing our gratitude for their interest in helping out," the chief appended.
The previously silent crowd erupted into cheers until the members of Team R.O.T. bowed, signifying their gratitude towards their rabid fans.
"Please, the pleasure is ours," replied the Obstagoon, leader and frontman of Team R.O.T.
"And you can call us by our names; we're all friends here, mates. I'm Bow."
"Always ready to help deliver some wicked justice. I'm Ito!" the Toxicrity cried out. "Guitarist of Team R.O.T.!"
"It's the least we can do, guys. And you can call me Larson," roared the Rillaboom. "I do the drums, obviously."
"It's been far too long since any of us got into some proper action. It'll be good to be scrapping again," Bow added. Ito and Larson cheered in agreement, and the crowd erupted into chants and howls yet again. The chief gently eased the rabble to calm them down.
"I had a bad feeling about that Litten, anyhow. Something didn't add up about her," Larson confessed.
"They probably stole some of my guitar picks, too! This makes it personal!" yelled Ito.
"Ito, are you sure you just didn't unpack 'em?" questioned Bow.
"Yeah, yeah, I'm right sure!"
"Anyhow, sorry for the outbursts. We're eager to help, is all,' Bow admitted.
The chief chuckled.
"I'm sure you aren't the only ones. It gets a bit too quiet here, anyway. It's no surprise to me that there's a great appetite for a fight."
Chad spoke up next.
"We've reviewed several cases of missing items and belongings over the past several months. We've begun to suspect they're all the same group and that this Abra and Litten are members of it."
"By our calculations, there's got to be at least 30 of them, maybe even 50."
A pall fell over the conversation. Even the chief was visibly disturbed. Many "oohs" and "ahhs", along with worried whispers, were heard among the crowd of concerned Pokemon.
"Goodness. I had no idea it was that bad," he admitted with great concern.
Chad continued his report.
"We still outnumber them, even if they should choose an all-out attack at some point. But we all feel the situation should be dealt with sooner rather than later, to avoid any further incidents and also close out several cases of stolen goods."
"And we're sure it's an organized band of thieves? There's the dungeon not too far from here; there could be some bad Pokemon emerging from there involved in this conflict too."
"We're certain, sir. Deadeye reviewed the numbers himself. And based on every case open, they seemed to be well organized."
"Oh, dear," the chief added.
The crowd clapped respectfully for Chad and Deadeye, still shaken up by the revelation of how many thieves they were dealing with.
Lou began to speak up.
"Lazlo wanted me to let everyone know they likely escaped through the old tunnel near the south side of the village. We'll be contacting the local Timburr and Gerdurr construction forces to fill it up right away."
"The local business owners have pooled the funds necessary," Mary added. "And given our relationship with them in the past, it shouldn't set us back very far at all."
More cheers from the crowd reverberated throughout the town square. Several smaller merchant groups expressed their joy, and took a brief moment to advertise a bit. But with all of them talking over each other at once, nobody present could make out any words.
"Sorry to interject, but I believe we should put a pin in that," added Bow.
He was met with a series of confused looks, and the crowd began to murmur once more.
"I mean afterwards, sure. But think about it. They're definitely using that to funnel the stolen goods out of town undetected, right? How about we use that to our advantage?"
Ito perked up at the idea.
"We'll catch 'em with ease! And they'll have no idea what hit 'em!"
Larson also showed his agreement with the plan.
"It wouldn't be hard to set a decoy using that tunnel. After that, we could surround and apprehend them."
The chief showed his interest in the plan.
"And you could do it by yourselves?" he wondered.
"Easily," bragged Bow. "Wouldn't be the first time, neither."
Larson smiled. "We've caught plenty of baddies that way."
"And then shipped 'em right off with a brand of our own justice," added Ito.
"Very well. What would you need from us, boys?" The chief wondered.
"Just sit tight and defend the perimeter. The rest'll be up to us," Ito said gleefully.
"That way, your guys run an even smaller chance of getting messed with. And we get some action. It's a win-win." Larson howled.
"Of course, if you'd like to tag along, Chief, be our guest. It sounds like you've got quite the score to settle with them too," assured Bow. "And that invitation extends to our friend Lazlo as well."
"Great. If there are no further questions, we can conclude this town hall," the chief resolved.
"Also, Chad, make sure everyone knows the lockdown has been lifted. We should be alright moving forward."
Everyone seemed content with the plan. After joining in a quick cheer alongside the crowd, everybody went about their separate ways.
Lazlo loitered near the chief's residence. His eyes lit up as he saw the chief strolling down the road back to his abode.
"Howdy, Chief. How'd the meetin' go?" Lazlo greeted.
"We missed you there, Lazlo." The chief assured.
"Are you feeling alright? I was surprised when you said you wanted to meet in private."
The look on Lazlo's face turned dire.
"Aye. It's about one of the outlaws."
The chief showed he was ready to listen, sitting down aside from Lazlo.
"Was talkin' to Lou 'bout em later this morning. I have a sort of 'relationship' with one of the outlaws."
The chief stared attentively at Lazlo, waiting for further elaboration.
"I haven't known him long, but I've known him long enough. He's caught between a rock and a hard place. Caught in the situation as a victim of circumstance."
"I see," the chief said sadly.
"He was chasin' after one of the other outlaws. A young Litten. He told me she saved his life, but not without robbin' him plum blind in the process. It's a complicated situation. I know his heart's hurtin' just as much as his head at this point, and that he ain't actin' rationally. Heck, I'm not too sure about the Litten either, but if she saved the kid's life, she can't be all too bad either."
The chief returned a half-confused look to Lazlo.
"What are you saying, Lazlo?"
"..."
Lazlo fell silent.
"Lazlo?"
"Ah, sorry. Just collectin' my thoughts," Lazlo mumbled.
After a brief pause, he spoke again.
"...I guess what I'm tryin' t' say is..."
"I'm worried about those kids gettin' hurt."
"If I may say something, Lazlo," the chief requested.
"Of course," Lazlo invited.
"I'm in a similar situation," the chief confessed.
Lazlo's eyes opened wide. He looked toward his old friend.
"Chief?"
"You know me; you know I have a love for adventuring. But I've got too many responsibilities now to do it full-time. So I'm a ringer for the local chapters when they need some extra power."
"But before all that, I was a bona fide member of a guild, not too far from here.
I loved every second of it. And for the most part, so did everyone else."
"There was, however, another fellow. He had a great sense of justice. He was a real strong guy too, and a gentle giant, even though he hated showing it. But he was... reckless, to say the least. And he was not one for policy."
The chief stopped.
"Are you going to end up putting this down in one of your stories?"
A smile cracked across Lazlo's face.
"I just might," he stated.
"Keep goin'."
The chief resumed.
"I mean, you know me, Lazlo. I always had that wanderlust in me. And thanks to your stories, and you... heck, everything you've done for us here at Arcade, and the other Pokemon of this land... sometimes I think you should've been the leader of these people instead of me."
Lazlo's inflection shifted to a stern yet caring sound.
"Don't be ridiculous, Chief. These people need ya, and love ya t' boot."
The chief smiled, a single tear welling up in his left eye.
"Thanks, Lazlo."
"Nevertheless... back to the story. This other guild member must've been a Pancham, if my memory serves me correctly. He was local to these parts too. He had a pretty rough upbringing, from what I heard. And like I mentioned, he was a great explorer; he always got great reviews by the Pokemon he saved."
"...But he was not one for authority. Not at all. And he hated the administration of the guild."
"Gotcha."
"There were several times he got caught withholding guild taxes and service fees from his spoils. And every time they called him out on it, the results were explosive. Heck, the whole guild was shaking some of those nights."
"Why should I give you anything? I'm the one risking my life out there! I'm the one rescuing these poor Pokemon! All you guys do is sit around and collect on the hard work of myself and my guildmates!"
"I remember that tirade the most out of any of them. And that's because it was his last."
"They kicked him right out of the guild after that. They had enough. If he wasn't going to fall in line, he was no good to them. And I felt for him; I really did. He was great at his job. At least the adventuring part. Not so much the other parts."
"Shucks..." Lazlo sighed. "Whatever happened to 'em?"
"I really don't know," the chief exhaled. "Some of us thought he packed up and moved to greener lands. But I think he's still around here somewhere, as he didn't really have anywhere else to go."
"I think he might be one of those wild Pokemon who hang around in the outskirts, near the dungeon. Or even worse, one of the thieves."
Hmph," Lazlo breathed. "Guess y' really do get where I'm comin' from."
"Unfortunately, I do." The chief choked.
Lazlo looked out at the night sky. The stars were in full attendance, and there wasn't a cloud in sight. The two shared a moment of sorrow along with the night air. Then the chief spoke again to reassure his friend.
"If it's any relief, we're not planning to be too rough with them. I'm hoping to just catch them and whisk them off to the proper authorities after getting everyone in town's goods returned to them, of course."
"I promise that as long as I stand as Chief of this town, none of my people will hurt them; however, Team R.O.T...."
Lazlo's eyes widened, and his ears perked back up.
"What about 'em?"
"They're planning to help. And I couldn't help but notice a certain... viciousness. I mean, all the townspeople are pretty riled up. But they at least follow my direction. Free agents like Team R.O.T., on the other hand..."
Lazlo knew of Team R.O.T. He knew of their ferocity, both on stage and on the battlefield. He'd worked with them several times before and had great standing with the members. They weren't bad Pokemon by any means; they were just a bit eccentric. But a storyteller like Lazlo knew better than most of their escapades and knew what they were capable of. He believed in the chief's promise to keep things as easy as possible, but he knew that the excitement was high in the village. His fears began to come into play. Sure, he and the chief could control themselves and their direct reports, but what about the guards? What about the townsfolk? And most importantly, what about the strangers? The small-time adventurers looking to get their claim to fame by bagging their first criminals and rocketing themselves into a high-ranking position in a local guild? He shivered at the thought.
He dove further into thought. He heard word of a dangerous dungeon not too far from town, but chances are it was pretty close to the thieves' base of operations. If the rabid adventurers and local rising militia didn't get to Alphonse and Bethel first, he was certain the wilder Pokemon of the dungeon and wilderness around would. His heart sank, and he immediately rose up from his seated position.
"Are you alright, Lazlo?" The chief pleaded.
"I've gotta go, my friend. Don't let anyone else know. Especially not Team R.O.T. or any of the outsiders." Lazlo shot back, already priming to get up and run.
"Lazlo, stop!" cried the chief.
But it was too late. Lazlo was in an all-out sprint into the unknown.
Meanwhile, the inn was bustling with activity, mostly centered around Team R.O.T., who had taken up temporary residence.
"So, are you guys as wicked on the battlefield as you are on stage?" A gruff voice asked.
"I can't wait to see you shred those guys," cheered another.
"Yeah, but make sure you save some beat-down action for us," howled a third.
Ito chuckled.
"Hey, to the victor go the spoils! Whoever gets to 'em first wins! But if that happens to be us, we'll keep it in mind!"
Larson, putting his arm around Ito in agreement, laughed a hearty laugh.
After all, we're just as passionate as you all! Wicked Pokemon have no place here!"
The inn erupted with cheers for battle. Sitting near the bar, surrounded by adoring fans, Bow chuckled to himself. He sat across from Lou.
Bow chuckled.
"Boy, those two sure know how to rouse a crowd. I'm worried I might become obsolete!"
Lou gave a subtle laugh. But in the back of his mind, he knew about Lazlo's plight, and he shared some concern for the two young outlaws as well.
"Ah, Bow, you worry too much," Lou assured.
"Could I get you guys another round of drinks?"
"That'd be mighty kind of ya," Bow smiled, his long tongue wrapping around his fangs. "But if you don't mind, make them a bit lighter for my two friends there. I don't want to have to carry 'em both to the room now."
"You got it," smiled Lou. After a short while, Lou was back with three more drinks. Bow tipped him with a generous amount of Poke and walked the drinks over to his bandmates.
"Here, lads, got yous another round," Bow beamed.
"You lot are the best friends an Obstagoon could ask for."
Ah, you're the best, Bow," Larson hooted.
"Three cheers for the man of the hour!" called Ito, already beginning to stumble about and slur his words.
"HIP HIP HOORAY!"
The whole inn shook with noise. Bow, seeing another opportunity to rouse the crowd, dalied no further.
"All of you at Arcade, and those of you visiting along with us, we just want to say from the bottom of our hearts at R.O.T., thank you. You've shown us the utmost hospitality and welcomed us as if we were long-term residents that all grew up alongside yous. We all appreciate you as much as you appreciate us."
Hoots and hollers resonated throughout the growing crowd.
"And it pains us to know that you've all been hurtin' for so long. So here's what we're gonna do." Bow motioned over to Larson. Larson walked away and returned shortly after with their instruments.
"We're gonna rock out with you all once again, and in the coming days, we'll be sure to all rock the worlds of those no good outlaws!"
The cheers and exclamations reached their apex. Several Pokemon in the crowd expressed their love for the band members.
"Now, without further ado, LET'S ROCK OUT ONCE MORE!" exclaimed Bow as the trio began rockin' out and thrashing about with the rowdy patrons of the inn.