"So what are they gonna do about it now?" Kaden asked, the two heading back to the village from the tree.

"I don't know yet. My dad said that there's gonna be a meeting on it tonight. Speaking of, we have to go to that. The meetings always have two representatives from each of the major jobs worked on in our village as long as there are two in the job that are at least 16. So since we're the only ones, we both have to go."

"But what did they do when you were the only cutter, or when you were too young?"

"Actually, I don't know. Meetings like this only happen once in a blue moon. There's only one that's ever happened in my lifetime, and since I didn't have a job but my dad was one of the representatives, I had to tag along. All I remember about it is that it was really boring."

Kaden laughed. "Of course a kid would think that. I'm just not so sure on why they're agreeing to let me join in if I just got here."

"Don't say that. I'm sure you'll have something to say. Besides, it affects everyone, not just the people who have been living here since the beginning of time. Come on, I've got something I want to show you before we go to the meeting. It's close by." Isa went off the path leading back to the village, waving for Kaden to follow.

The two boys went through a small wooded area before coming on an old house. It clearly hadn't been inhabited for many years, as many branches were growing through windows and an assortment of plant life grew up the side of the house. A few bug like Pokemon were poking around at the plants, scattering as Isa came closer. Isa held a hand out to the house, feeling against the side for the door. He felt the door, and started clearing away some plants at the bottom holding it shut.

"So why are we here?"

"It's the perfect hiding spot for what I need to show you." With one push, the door of the house flew open, Isa nearly falling over with it. "Come on!"

Kaden followed Isa into the house to see Isa holding a light blue sword. "Whoa. Where did you get that?"

"It was a gift of sorts. When I battled the Knight that took Ayana away, he gave me this sword for the duel and never took it back with him. Rika was the one to grab it for me, though. She always knew I wanted to be a Duelist, so she gave it to me. Whenever there are rest days, I use them and try to figure out how to properly use this sword by imitating what I've seen others do. I'm not that good, but it's enough for self defense if we end up getting attacked now that the Mercenaries aren't around to help us. So if we do end up getting attacked, and I'm not around to grab it, could you come and grab this sword and fight?"

"You make it sound like you're gonna die." Kaden laughed a little.

"I mean now that the Mercenaries are gone, it's not entirely out of the question."

"Isa, you're such a pessimist! Lighten up a bit! Seriously, you worry way too much. If you stopped worrying and started acting, then maybe we'd be out of this village by now."

"Yeah right. What does worrying have to do with cutting down a stupid tree?"

"Maybe it doesn't have to do with the tree. Regardless, try to have a little more fun, okay? And no one is gonna die. Trust me on that one."

"Whatever you say." Isa set the sword back down, covering it again. "Let's just get back home. My dad will almost definitely kill us if we're late."

"Alright, Mister Worry-Pants." Kaden snickered, getting a glare from Isa.

"Don't call me that!"

"Why not? I think it suits you quite well."

"Just... Don't, okay?"

Kaden shrugged. "Alright. What time does this meeting start?"

"Around 7. Why?"

"Because we've got five minutes."

"WHAT?" Isa visibly jumped.

"Kidding! See, this is why that nickname is just right for you."

"I don't even know how we're still friends."

"Admit it, you love me." Kaden nudged at Isa with a smirk on his face, getting only an eye roll in return.

"I hate you with a burning passion." Isa gave a deadpan response.

"Love you too."

---

"As you all know, the Admiral to the Mercenaries of Yveltal has recently been announced dead, leaving the organization as a whole in ruin. Although their cost was heavy, they were a valuable resource for us to have in protecting our people. Now that they are gone, the threat of attacks on us is higher than ever." Isa watched as his father, the designated leader of the gathering, spoke, Kaden watching not so intently next to him. Isa gave him a nudge, causing Kaden to poke his head up.

"Nudge me again when something important happens." Kaden whispered, looking to the ground.

"This whole thing is important!" Isa let out a hiss, nudging Kaden again.

"Whatever."

Their whispering was halted when the voice of another leader in the village spoke. "Those Mercenaries were giving us even harder of a time when there hasn't been anything to worry about. We're honestly better off without them."

"They gave the people a sense of security that they don't have anymore. We still have our guards, but they don't have nearly the experience and battling skill as the Mercenaries had. We don't have the resources or equipment that they had as well." A woman spoke up. She was one of the two representatives from the Saints, the other being Rika.

"Our own guards are plenty strong enough! And they don't ask for nearly as much pay as the Mercenaries did!"

The bickering went back and forth. People representing from all sorts of different spots in the village pitched their ideas in, which is what Isa thought made the meetings so effective. If the perspectives from everyone were gathered, then a decision benefiting everyone the most could be made.

"If they're really that worried about protection, then why don't they form their own Mercenaries?" Kaden muttered, giving Isa an idea.

"Kaden, that's it! Thanks!"

"Isa? What did I do this time?"

Isa looked around, waiting for people to quiet down. "Hey, what if we form our own Mercenaries?" His voice went unheard. Isa waited again before speaking, still getting no response.

"HEY!" Isa stood up, finally yelling. The attention of the room turned to him, including Kaden who looked up. Isa went red for a moment, before shaking it off. "What if we form our own group of Mercenaries? We could take volunteers, a few from each of the jobs, and send them off to Luminia's Battle Academy, where they could get the proper training they need to be on par with what the Mercenaries were. Then they could come back and protect us in place of the Mercenaries, and start training more. We could eventually incorporate it into our lifestyle, not necessarily replacing the guards but working moreso as a back up. They could scout around the village where guards don't go, go back and forth between Luminia and here to gather supplies and news, and during times when tension isn't as high take on a different job that needs extra hands. Not to mention other villages in Axiom that benefited from the Mercenaries don't have them anymore, and we could make some extra money for the people by asking for pay from the others, although not as much as what the Mercenaries charged."

Isa smiled as he spoke, finally looking down to see what Kaden thought. Kaden was nodding, giving Isa a thumbs up. Isa then turned his head up, looking at the mixed reactions from the crowd.

"And if no one will volunteer, then I'll go. Not like I have anything to do." Kaden broke the silence, looking up at Isa.

"I know it'll be hard and take a while, but maybe we can at least try? Gathering professionally trained warriors, especially from our own people, is sure to raise confidence, and be a huge help." Isa continued looking around, trying to find any sort of approval. Finally another voice was raised, Rika's.

"It's a nice idea, but how are we going to gather the funds to send anyone to Luminia? Sending one or two we might be able to manage, but a whole army's worth would just be too costly."

"Then... we only send one or two. We can send two people, chosen from a group of volunteers and they would learn everything they can about battling alongside Pokemon with a sword, and then they can come back and teach other volunteers who didn't get chosen to go." Isa's mind was racing with ideas, one thought sticking out the most.

If they pick Kaden and I, then we can finally figure out what happened to Ayana. Not only that, but we can help everyone in the village much more than just working with some old tree.

"It's an interesting idea, Isa, but just not practical. First we'd have to gather all the money, then we have to send some of our people off and hope that they don't die on the way to Luminia, then hope they get accepted into the academy in the first place. Then we'd have to wait another year or two while they go through the training. By then our whole village could be wiped out." Isa looked for the voice, immediately recognizing his father as the speaker.

"But it's better than just staying here and waiting for an attack, right? If we want things to change, then we have to make them change ourselves." Isa countered, starting to become a little less confident in his plan.

"But if we're going to make change, then it has to be done in a way that will benefit us without spending so much. The source of our problem is the world around us, so we're just going to fix it by sending people into the problem?"

"Our problem isn't Luminia, it's the Dark Lands and their Knights. If it's really that bad, then we send the more experienced fighters to Luminia. That way if something happens they can defend themselves much easier than if we were to send two kids who just got their job assignments."

"Isa, we're not sending anyone to Luminia, and that's final. The only way we can keep our village strong is if everyone stays in it. Besides, we have the Patrons if it comes to an invasion. I don't think the Knights will invade. "

"If they aren't going to invade, then why are we even here? Bandits in Axiom are almost nonexistent, and even if they are the guards are enough for that. We don't even know how the Admiral died. He could have been killed by a Knight. And if that really happened, then they are invading, and the Patrons sure aren't doing their job in-"

"Isa!" Isa went cold silent after hearing his name. "There are so many better options than potentially sending our people off to die. Not to mention dishonoring the Patrons."

"But they aren't doing anything about it! The Patrons are supposed to comfort the people of Axiom in times of trouble, and we're clearly in quite a pinch right now!" Isa started to get louder, almost in an unnatural way. He almost never yelled.

"That is enough!" The yell this time was enough to stop Isa entirely. "The Knights will not invade, and we have the Patrons to protect us. If no one else has anything more to say, then I think we can be done here."

Isa sat down, looking over at Kaden. "It was worth a shot?" Kaden offered, shrugging.

"Whatever."

---

"It's just not fair!" Isa yelled, slamming a fist into the tree. It was well past midnight, and Isa and Kaden had both left their house, coming out to where the tree was. "Every single time I bring up Luminia or maybe even quitting my job, he shuts me down. I don't even have to be asking about doing it, we just get off subject immediately. But this time people could die. I don't even care if it's not me who goes, at this point we just need something to lower the risk of an invasion." 

Kaden remained silent as Isa continued ranting. "I want to think that that the Patrons are gonna come and help us, but it's been a week since we first heard that the Admiral was dead, and there hasn't been any sign of a Patron. Who knows how long this Admiral was dead before we finally got the message?"

"So why does your dad hate Luminia so much?" Kaden finally asked, Isa pausing in his rant.

"All I know is that it has something to do with how my mom abandoned us." Isa finally answered, looking at the ground. "I was really weak when I was younger and always got sick. She just didn't want to deal with it, I guess, so she left one day and never came back. We think she went off to Luminia, since she always talked about wanting to move to the city. Maybe my dad thinks if I leave, even if I promise I'm coming back, that I never will come back."

"Wow. Sounds rough."

"It's not that bad. I don't even remember her that well, and what I do remember she was always ignoring me and not paying any attention like a mother should. Ayana's family was really close to ours, her mom always acted like a mom to me, and Rika was like a big sister, so it isn't like I grew up with just my dad."

"Still rough." Kaden concluded. "Are you gonna go back tonight? Or are you finally going to rebel?"

"It's not rebelling, it's just making sure I don't do anything stupid. I need a little time to think so I can apologize. I should have dropped the idea before it got too out of hand. Then maybe we could have come up with a nice in between. If you don't want things to be awkward, then I'm sure Rika wouldn't mind you staying at the chapel for tonight."

"I'll just go back to your house. Besides, someone's gonna have to explain where you are tomorrow morning." Kaden gave Isa a soft smile. "Where are you gonna stay though?"

"Just in that old house I showed you earlier today. Shouldn't be too bad. You should probably be getting back home. I'll see you tomorrow?"

"Alright. Don't do anything stupid tonight, okay?"

"Like I would. See you." Isa waved as Kaden turned around, heading back for the village. As soon as he was out of sight, Isa looked up at the leaves on the tree, sighing. "Stupid Admiral. There can't be that much going on in Axiom that the leader of the Mercenaries would end up getting killed."

Isa looked back down the path, finally heading out for the abandoned house. Instead of sleeping, Isa just looked at the sky, wondering just what was happening in Axiom. There was clearly something wrong, but no one wanted to admit it. No matter what it was, Isa had a bad feeling about it all. Things were going to change soon. Whether it came by choice or force was the only question.