Yay, action!

Disclaimer: Pokemon belongs to Nintendo and Shogakukan Comics. This non-profit, non-copyright infringing fanfiction belongs to me under international copyright laws and taking it is plagiarism. Thank you. *Phantomness bows*

Chapter 13

The jeweler, a man, analyzed the diamond tags, and told them that he could make duplicates, but it would take him a day to do so. Morty then put him under house arrest to keep the secret, and paid him handsomely for the inconvenience.

“But what about the tags that are already lost?”

“You know something about them?”

“Well, the cardinal was sending a man named Gold, the Count of Lavender, here… do you think…”

Morty frowned. “I know that the Countess de Winter has not left Ever Grande yet. Perhaps… yes, I’ll put an embargo on all of the ships in the harbor.”

“Just like the Cardinal did in Kanto.”

“Yes.”

That ought to keep her, whoever this agent was, for Red did not know her, from leaving. Relieved, Red and Morty ate a good meal, and then Red spent the rest of the day polishing his sword and priming his pistols, ready for action on the way home to Kanto, and worried about his friends.

And so it was, that he sailed out back to Kanto, and making good speed with a series of horses Morty had given him as a present, a beautiful set of four, all equipped for a campaign, got the tags to Queen Sabrina, through Whitney, three days before the ball.

One need not say that the Cardinal was furious.

Oh, during the ball, when he had seen Queen Sabrina come out in a lovely gown without the tags, he had felt a glitter of malicious triumph. Indeed, Ken had berated her harshly for not wearing them, but she had returned, not moments later, with all the diamonds glittering on the magnificent bow of rose-colored satin, fastened at her shoulder.

Oak had hoped she would be missing two tags, at the very least, but alas, they had been replaced with duplicates somehow, and he could not tell the difference. So much for the two tags that Countess de Winter had somehow gotten to Green…

It was lucky that Count Gold had only been a decoy, and he had really sent Countess de Winter to meet Count Green out in Cinnabar, not in Vermillion.

Still… what a loss!

His servants had walked around him on tiptoe for days afterwards.

However, once the ball had ended, Red appealed to Lugia-sama, and begged that he might be allowed to leave Indigo again, as he had left his friends behind and there was no telling what had happened to them, particularly Lance, who might be dead by now. He had checked at their houses and none of them had returned home. That worried him.

Lugia of course allowed him to go, though he did wonder what Red had done in Houen, considering the King, the Queen, and the Cardinal at the ball last night. In any case, he wished for all his musketeers safe and sound again, and so Red took the four horses from Morty – a gift should not be wasted, and he did not need four anyhow, so he might as well gift them to his friends, as he would not have made it to Houen without his help, and headed out to Viridian.

As he neared the inn where he had left Brock, he saw the innkeeper come out to greet him.

“You’re Brock’s friend, aren’t you, your lordship?”

“Yes. How is he?”

“He hasn’t left his bed since you left.”

“What? Is he wounded?”

“Er…” The innkeeper looked uncomfortable. He began to fidget.

“Never mind, I heard nothing from you.” Red sighed. “How is he?”

“Flat broke, your lordship. And we are concerned about the nature of his bill…”

“I’ll pay for him, no worries.” Red said, though he felt quite annoyed. “And why did Brock not send to one of his ladies for money?”

“Oh, sir, he did, but she received my messenger in ill temper. Ah, that was no lady! She was the wife of a lawyer, at least fifty years old, and she flew into a jealous rage when I told her that I needed the money for the surgeon.”

“The surgeon! So he is wounded!”

The innkeeper swallowed convulsively with a nod. “Quite so. It was touch and go the first few days, but now he is safe.”

“Thank the lord for that.” Red sighed. “Well, I’ll go in to see him.”

“Take care. He is in a horrible temper.”

“I shall keep that in mind.” Red said solemnly, and headed into the room where Brock was. He found a pretty little maid with pink hair tending him, and blinked again. This was not one of Brock’s three triplet maids he kept at home.

“Ah, Red! How good to see you.”

“And you, my friend.” Red grinned. “So how are you faring?”

“Well, it’s rather embarrassing, but as I was going in for the final thrust when I tripped over a stone and sprained my knee. My opponent ran off like the coward he was.”

Red choked at this barefaced lie, but kept his composure. The maid smiled prettily and poured them each a glass of wine.

What men did for their reputations was astounding sometimes…

“So, how are the others? I am glad you are here to visit me, but where are Will and Lance? They aren’t dead, I hope.”

“I hope not.” Red crossed himself. “It is complicated. I left Will in Mount Moon and Lance in Cerulean.”

“Well, we can talk of them later. For now, please have lunch with me.”

They feasted on delicious venison sprinkled with herbs, and afterwards, on his way out, Red slipped the innkeeper thirty pistoles, left one of the four horses for Brock, and headed off for Mount Moon.

He was sure Brock would take good care of it. It was a pity that his mistress refused to send money, but women could be so capricious…

Now to find Will and Lance!

Back in the Palace, Oak carefully watched Agatha do her work. Whitney’s eyes glazed over and she left the room. Slowly, her steps led her down the stairs into the Cardinal’s study.

Oak waited impassively as she seated herself.

“Well?”

Agatha frowned. “Her mind is clouded. She will not be easy to read.”

“Then just ask her the questions.”

“That I can do.”

In a few moments, Whitney had spilled everything, though she knew not. Oak frowned. So, it was Red… though Lugia would deny such in a heartbeat. Well, he’d have to eliminate him then…

“Whitney is a useful pawn. We had better remove her. It is not wise to leave Queen Sabrina with such playthings.”

“As you wish…”

End Chapter

Completed 3/30/06

Bloody midterms…

Hehehe… ^^

Lance: Well?

Red: I’m looking for you!

Lance: *Shrug* Yes, yes, I know. *Hug*