After Alyssa came up with her evil plan, Evert — with a tired but warm smile — invited them to have lunch with the other farm workers.
The wooden table, set under the shade of a grapevine, was covered with simple dishes: rice, boiled vegetables, fresh Miltank milk, homemade bread, and fruit from the orchard. They sat on rustic benches, surrounded by faces that laughed, chatted, and shared stories between bites.
Edward stayed silent at first. He observed — there were at least ten people sitting at the large table. Calloused hands, sharp eyes, and a genuine connection with Pokémon. Yamper napped beneath the benches, Dubwool rested near the barn, and a Gossifleur played with children further back. It was... comforting.
He looked at Alyssa, who was eating carefree and laughing at something a guy had said. A tightness settled in his chest. Why was he even here? For her? For himself?
He wasn't sure. All he knew was that lunch made him wish he could stay there forever.
After the meal, Evert led them to a clearing where the orchard ended — the chosen spot to confront the invading horde.
Alyssa stretched her arms overhead, breathing in the hot, humid morning air.
— Today's a show day, Edie boy.
Edward, arms crossed, cast a wary glance toward the orchard. The wind rustled the high leaves of the fruit trees, and the scent of damp earth mixed with the sweet aroma of ripe fruit filled the air.
— I'd call it a "well-organized aerial massacre," — Edward muttered.
— I like that. Gonna use it as the title for my next song — Alyssa replied, far too excited for someone about to face a horde of wild Corviknight.
The plan was simple — at least on paper. The farm's Houndour and Houndoom would act as scouts, herding the Corvisquire and Corviknight toward the heart of the orchard. There, surrounded on all sides, they would be forced to confront Noir — Alyssa's Noivern — and the rest of the property's defenders.
But nothing in the field was ever simple, and Edward knew that.
While Alyssa assessed the area, Evert, the old farm owner, called out to him and led him to the side stable. Despite his age, his steps were steady and confident.
— You're a brave young man… but you don't have a Pokémon, do you? You'll need more than good intentions and courage, kid — he said, opening a side door with a metallic creak. — Got a special helper for you.
Edward raised an eyebrow. He understood what Evert meant, and if this was truly a loan, he hoped he'd do well.
— I just hope it's not a Miltank with an existential crisis — he muttered, nerves failing to stop him from making a bad joke.
Evert let out a dry chuckle and then whistled. From the back of the barn, a pair of red eyes gleamed in the shadows.
— "This Houndour is a bit special, kid."
The Houndour stepped out slowly, its movements silent like a hunter's. It was smaller than the others in the pack, but its eyes held a raw, wary intensity — like embers on the verge of going out... or exploding. A scar across its front left leg gave it the air of a veteran too tired to fight, yet too stubborn to back down.
— "He doesn't fit in with the others. He's a bit... difficult. But if you manage to understand him, you might find he's exactly the partner you need," Evert said, looking straight at Edward.
Edward stared at the Houndour, and the Houndour stared right back — no growl, no blink, just calm defiance.
Edward saw a bit of himself in that Houndour — a guy lost among others, surrounded by people but still feeling alone. He smiled at the Pokémon.
— "I think we'll get along," Edward said, crouching slowly. "I'm a bit broken too... don't really fit the mold either."
Houndour approached cautiously and, to Edward's surprise, gently pressed its nose to his hand.
— "It's settled, then," Evert said with a faint smile. "He's going with you."
Alyssa was waiting outside, Noir already in the air, gliding over the orchard like a shadow with leathery wings and radar eyes. When she saw Edward standing beside the Houndour, she raised an eyebrow.
— "Well, look at that. Edie boy's got a dog now. Hope you take better care of him than you do of yourself."
— "I take great care of myself."
Alyssa looked him over — messy hair, oversized clothes, sleepy eyes — and shook her head, ironically agreeing with his words.
She laughed and spun a Pokéball between her fingers before putting it away.
— "The plan's still on. The dogs will clear the path. Once the horde moves, Noir and I will go straight for the leader. You and Houndour, along with Evert and the farmhands, focus on stopping the stragglers. Keep control, stay in position. No dumb heroics, got it?"
Edward was a little surprised by how commanding Alyssa looked — for a moment, she actually seemed like a competent leader. That image shattered seconds later when she tripped over a rock as she walked toward him and nearly fell.
He could only nod at her words. He knew this would be dangerous. He knew flying-types like Corviknight could be unpredictable.
The attack began at dusk, when the sky turned a deep shade of orange and the breeze carried leaves through the air. On the eastern edge of the orchard, the Houndour began to bark in unison — a fierce call that sliced through the air like a natural siren. The trees shook violently, and then they came.
Corvisquire appeared first, flying in chaotic formation, their shrill cries echoing like blades tearing through the silence. Then came the Corviknight — massive, with metallic feathers and cold eyes — descending from the sky like heavy shadows.
Alyssa jumped forward, Noir spreading his massive wings with a guttural roar that made the Corvisquire hesitate. A thunderclap burst from the clear sky — the echo of a Hyper Voice reverberating through the orchard.
Edward and Houndour ran along the side, circling the trail that led to the center of the field. A Corvisquire tried to flee, but Houndour leapt with cruel precision, releasing a stream of flame in an Ember that burned through the air. The bird reeled back, flapping wildly until it was forced back into the main fight.
"Good one, Houndour!" Edward shouted, feeling the heat of battle climb his spine.
Houndour didn't reply with a sound — only a quick, approving glance.
In the center, Alyssa and Noir danced with the enemy. Noir spun in the air, dodging vicious pecks and unleashing sonic waves that echoed across the orchard. It was almost a choreography — wild, brutal, and beautiful.
Then the leader appeared.
A Corviknight, larger than the rest, with feathers black as obsidian and a scar running down its face. Its eyes were red, glowing with primal fury. When it spread its wings, the air around seemed to tremble.
Alyssa pointed at it, and Noir fired a Dragon Pulse that split the sky.
But at that moment, another sound — a heavy, fast beating of wings — caught Edward's attention.
A second Corvisquire, much larger than the others, was coming straight for him.
Houndour growled but hesitated for a second. His instincts told him this would be a hard battle. Sensing the hesitation, Edward shouted:
"Houndour — I won't run if you don't!"
Houndour looked at Edward with an encouraged — but offended — glare, insulted that Edward even thought he'd run.
He barked loudly and charged ahead, releasing a jet of flames. The Corvisquire dodged at the last second, but Edward was ready. He grabbed a stone from the ground and threw it hard — not to hurt, but to distract.
The stone hit its mark, and the Corvisquire turned to him with fury.
Houndour didn't waste the opening. He leapt with jaws open and bit the bird's wing, slamming it to the ground with a dry thud.
The two stepped back, panting, watching to see if the enemy would rise.
It didn't.
In the distance, the fight between Noir and the alpha Corviknight was just beginning. But in that small corner of the world, an alliance between outcasts had just been born.
As the horde continued its assault, the Corvisquire tried to split up and flank the defenders, but were surprised by the farmhands who were already in position with their Pokémon.
"Now, Dubwool! Double Tackle!" the boy shouted, and the ram charged like a white bolt, knocking down two invaders with the force of a battering ram.
A group of Falinks, led by an old woman, marched in perfect line, blocking the path of three mid-sized birds. They spun, struck in unison, and took down one of the enemies with coordinated precision.
"Greedent! Seed Bomb, quick!" yelled a short old man, and the chubby rodent launched explosive seeds into the air, bursting and scattering feathers.
Even the Wooloo helped, rolling like wild woolen balls and disorienting the younger Corvisquire. The chaos helped the guard dogs keep the horde directed.
"Alyssa! The line's holding!" Edie shouted. "You can aim for the big one!"
Alyssa looked over, nodded, and tightened the black gloves on her hands, eyes locked on the sky where the alpha Corviknight hovered defiantly.
"Noir… let's give this crow a reason to fear thunder," she whispered.
Noir roared, his wings beating hard and slicing the air. He flew like an arrow into the sky, meeting the leader in a whirlwind of wind and metal.