HECTOR

"If there was one thing I've learned in battle is that there is no honor in war," Brandon Brightflame said as he and Hector stood on top of the undersea ship in the black of night. Not a star could be seen in the sky, and it smelled like it was about to rain. They said that Hoenn had always been this way since the Empress rose to power. "I can thank Starfall for that lesson. Deception is key. It had worked for him, and it will work for me."

Hector only vaguely remembered the traitor king. He had a Salamence, he recalled, with a savage appetite. "It's an excellent plan," he replied.

"I need to win first," Brandon said grimly. They were resting in a cove on the western shore of Hoenn. In front of them was a small beach, beyond that was a dense forest, and still further was the immense mountain range that contained the cavernous settlement of Meteor Falls. "But I'll admit that it is ironic. Starfall took my home, and now I'll take his."

They turned to the sound of oars hitting the water. There was a small wooden boat coming alongside them, ready to take the rightful King of Lavaridge to shore.

"It's time we made landfall, Your Grace," said one of the Odaran captains with a short cape on his armor. "Our entire force needs to be ashore before the morn."

Brandon nodded as well and shot a quick glimpse behind him. His Spirit Pokemon, the tall Blaziken was standing there, looking excitedly at the beach in the distance. He gestured to the Pokemon, and they walked side by side into the little boat. They were off instantly, and Hector heard him and the Captain discussing the days' and weeks' strategies to come.

Hector looked back behind him. Vaguely, against the horizon, he could see the outlines of the hundreds of ships pressed against the ink black sky. They were likely unloading their supplies and the rest of the army Brandon had been given from the Odaran Emperor now.

Hector felt a pang of homesickness sneak up on him. Less than a half mile away was home, the great island where he was born. He could smell Hoenn again, and taste the familiar salty air... but still he was homesick. He had not set foot on mainland Hoenn for over seventeen years, and now, Odara was his real home. He felt like an outsider.

As he looked back against the backs of the boats, he wondered if things went wrong if he would be able to head back home. Surely there is a contingency plan, Hector told himself, as he had in the months' voyage to Hoenn. Alicia, I will come back to you. For our family, for our future. But first, he had a debt to pay, a debt to an exiled King who had saved his life twice.

The first time was in the black cells under the Lavaridge Castle when the General named Starfall had engineered a coup that had overthrown Brandon Brightflame's family. If it wasn't for Brandon taking pity on him, he wouldn't have escaped that dungeon with the help of Brandon's lost younger brother. I wonder where they buried his bones, Hector thought sadly. More like they tossed them in the ocean.

He looked down at his arm, the scars were still deathly white, and he had no feeling in three of his fingers. The second time Brandon Brightflame had saved Hector's life, was when he was bleeding out into the sea the day the Empress awoke the beast Kyogre. He still felt a chill just thinking about it. If it wasn't for the exiled King, Hector would have died then and there, the victim of a Sootopolis Captain's Sharpedo.

I owe this time to him, and when we overthrow the Empress... He wanted to think that was when he would head home, but he couldn't bring himself to say it. They weren't just going to overthrow one Empire, they were going to establish another. The Odarans always had a price, and Brandon Brightflame was their means to the end of growing their own Empire. He put that thought out of his mind as he climbed back down into the aluminum vessel.

She was standing there, out of her room. Luna Love greeted him the same way she always did, with a smile. Gallade, her Spirit Pokemon, however, had the familiar sad look in its eye as always. Behind her legs and grabbing at her hands, was the timid Marshtomp that had hatched from an egg seventeen years ago. It was her daughter's egg, but Luna had gone mad when they rescued her at that time, and she was convinced that the egg was her daughter. It made Hector uneasy, as he always noted the blood red blotch covering almost half of the top of the Pokémon's head. He tried not to stare, as always.

"Have we arrived?" she asked with a smile.

Hector put on the same fake smile he had given her for years. He was good at it now. "Yes, m'lady," he said as he extended a hand to her. Her hair had all turned to grey, but she still held her head with a regality that reminded Hector that she had been a queen once, and his best friend's mother, before he died. "Let's take you home."

They didn't have to wait long for one of the little wooden boats. There was a transport with a single oarsman waiting for them when they re-emerged from the vessel. The dark clouds of night were starting to lighten a bit, taking on a pale blue color.

A log floated past the boat as they made their way to shore. Perched on the log were three Wingull, eyeing them carefully as they made paddled towards the beach. There's a settlement, not too far from here, he remembered from the maps Brandon and the other Captains had used to plan this attack. He wanted the Wingulls to remain silent, to say nothing, to not begin to wake the villagers. He remembered the Wingull that was fond of him when he was young. It had flown off the day he was captured by Starfall's men all those years ago. He pleaded with the Wingulls on the log with the face he used to give to the companion he had when he was young...

And then one of the birds flew off when the oar slapped the water a little too close to it. He half expected to hear the screeching of the bird Pokemon as they flew to safety, but not a sound was heard, other than the faint beating of little wings as it flew to shore.

They arrived on the sandy beach. Hector helped lift the shaky Marshtomp out of the boat and onto the sand. The Pokemon simply sat on the beach, facing back towards the sea, and let the morning tide wash over it.

The Gallade helped Luna out of the boat. She turned back to the Marshtomp. "Come, now, Lily," she said. "There's no time for play." The old woman turned and looked up at the outline of Meteor Falls in the distance, and her face turned to a frown.

She's been here before, Hector knew. During the First Great War, the forces of Carlos Brightflame, Brandon's father, fought against the combined armies of Samuel Marsh and Marcus Spark. This is where it all began to end for her. This is where her misery began; where Sam Marsh died. Suddenly, a loud high voice broke through the silent morning air.

"Sam!" Luna yelled towards the mountains. "Sam, come out! It's been too long!" Her voice echoed and pierced through the ears of all who were present. She grabbed Marshtomp's arm and started to drag the Pokemon into the trees. "You need to see your daughter! You never met her. Lily! Lily say hello to father. SAM!"

"SOMEBODY SHUT UP THE OLD BAT!" Cried the Captain who had escorted Brandon and Blaziken to shore. "She'll give away our position, and all will be lost." Hector looked at the exile King. He met Hector's eyes with a look of pity. When he turned back towards Luna, she was resting in Gallade's arms. The Psychic Pokemon was emitting a soothing pink aura, and Luna began to speak more quietly.

We shouldn't have brought her, Hector thought as he approached her. Damn you, Hector. Damn your soft heart. He would have to stop being so kind and caring for now. He would have to give up on his feelings for his dead friends and their mothers, and his thoughts of Odara and Alicia until their mission was done.

"Sam," Luna's voice was scarcely louder than a whisper now. A single tear rolled down her face as she pressed her face into Gallade's arms. "You never knew your daughter... She needs you. I need you... Where have you taken our boy? Sam... Sam come find me..." Her voice trailed off and she fell asleep still standing there. The Marshtomp looked up at Hector, still holding Luna's hand, unsure of what was going on around them.

Hector felt a hand on his shoulder. It was Brandon.

"I'm sorry," he said. "I didn't know she'd act like this... She hadn't had an outburst like this in years."

"It won't happen again," Brandon said. His voice was stern, and there was a fire in his eyes. Hector nodded. "This is no place for a lady as frail as she." He cleared his throat as he beckoned Hector back to his Odaran advisors.

"The diversion was successful. There are reports that the Empress' navy is on its way to Pacifidlog," said one of the men.

"Good. Our main objective, now, is to re-take Lavaridge and Mt. Chimney. If we have the high ground away from the sea, we can hold out and make this war a hell for the Empress," Brandon said assuredly.

And when she finds out, Hector thought. We'll have to depend upon the men who came with us here. The sea will forever be closed off to us when she realizes we've arrived. Hector knew there would be no retreat. Alicia, I'm sorry.

"Captain," Brandon spoke up. "Is Phase One ready?"

"Assuredly," the Captain replied. "The men are anxious, and thirsty for blood. The guards can only barely keep them from killing each other."

"Your Grace," Hector said pleadingly. He had hoped this would never happen. "Please be sure that this is the path you're willing to walk. These men are worse than criminals. They care nothing for your throne. They will terrorize the Empress' forces and civilians alike. Innocent people may die."

"Innocent people die in every war, Hector," Brandon said sternly. The returned King looked at Blaziken, and the Pokemon nodded. "Captain, release the Sondim Prisoners. Begin Phase One."

443"uaS� LT