Chapter Text
The garden was abysmal, perhaps he had gotten used to the apothecary’s ability to make plants flourish, but this plot was in dire need of… everything. Water, soil aeration, proper fertilization. Maomao had her hands fully in the dirt before he could stop her, dirt embedding under her fingernails and soiling her outfit. Morelull’s little root legs wiggled into the soil as it offered pollen puff and seed bomb. Jinshi could see the extensive to-do list forming in Maomao’s head, turning gears as she mumbled to herself.
Something stopped her and she turned to him, “most of these are foods that double as medicines, my guess would be to dodge the ‘only doctors can make medicine’ rule. Would you make Dr. Kan the official overseer so we can get more potent and focused medicines growing here?”
He smirked at her clever work-around, “Sounds like we need to get you some more formal training?”
“Pops should be able to handle it.”
Concern crossed his elegant features, “That’s great in the short term, I’m looking at a longer-term solution.”
“Women can’t be doctors.”
“Intact men can’t enter the Rear Palace,” he countered since it was just them and their pokémon (minus Happini).
He was watching her sort this out in real time, the need, the limitations. The moment the realization hit, “You want me to be the lead doctor back here.”
“Now you're getting it.”
What about my sisters? The Verdigris house?
‘Can you train someone up to replace you?’ Běi offered.
Maomao had much to think about.
***
The Prince was right, the tour and subsequent social interactions had them in by sunset, but there was much to do before Maomao could head home. Suiren couldn’t contain her slightly mischievous, “hoh hoh hoh,” when she offered happini back and motioned to the massive basket of supplies for the little one. The apothecary wasn’t particularly pleased when Jinshi snatched happini before she got to the creature. The infant was delighted, giggling at the tickling and affection. Dinner was waiting for them as they had rushed out of lunch for the tour.
Jinshi had no issue sneaking bites into her little mouth in between gentle swings and raises up in the air. By the time she was done she was falling asleep in the crook of his arm.
Househusband indeed. Maomao took another bite of her meal while pushing another plate towards him and providing more static for Spark. Ever since he stated he wanted to be her friend, this domestic side of him had been pushing its way to the surface. Perhaps he likes having this outlet. Suiren brought the new rookidee in, setting the cage in the corner. Jinshi looked confused, “Why not let it out?”
“He’s pretty aggressive, your Highness, we’ll let him out when he stops trying to pick a fight with everyone,” it was then they noticed she and Mienshao were a bit ruffled and scuffed up since they went to fetch it.
“Suiren! Are you alright!?” Jinshi tried not to wake up happini, but Maomao was up like a shot checking the elder over.
“Oh I’m fine Dear, we were able to recall him after a few tries and his pokéball is in the cage so we can build up trust before encouraging him out.”
“You’re bleeding Lady Suiren, let me take care of that.”
Sylver tilted his head and approached the cage, sniffing gently. With a yelp, he just about pissed himself when the creature slammed itself against the cage wall, skittering away, tail tucked. Gardevoir, Lucario and Greninja stepped forward as he was actively throwing taunt, leer and scary face. Flapping around his cage, trying to claw at them through the metal, his ruckus was undoing all the work the prince had done to wind down the healing pokémon.
Jinshi passed happini to Mienshao before she woke. He looked to gardevoir, “What is he saying?”
‘Nothing worth repeating,’ she growled, ‘he’s got an awfully big mouth for such a small opponent.’
“He thinks we’re all opponents?”
‘Seems so, he’s demanding his ‘Master’.’
Jinshi and Maomao exchanged a glance, the apothecary left the elder’s side fuming, stomping right up the gold and black winged little beast, “Now you listen here you little gremlin, you can be as protective as you want when I give you a target. So SIT DOWN and let us FEED YOU!”
One diminutive chirp and it returned to the center perch. The rest of the battle-experienced pokémon had taken several steps back from the fuming feline, invisible flames licking off her.
The prince and gardevoir had only seen her this furious in the Crystal Pavillion when she slapped Lihua’s lady in waiting. She whipped away from the bird and returned to Suiren, “Lets get those scratches taken care of.”
Mienshao quietly put a container of dried grubbin in the cage, and while it gave her a sharp glance it waited until the door closed before ferociously attacking the food. It glared up at the prince, rather food aggressive, seated by his enclosure and studying him, “Běi translate for me would you?”
‘I’d rather not.’
He turned, ‘Wow that’s unusual, why not?’
‘His language is downright uncouth.’
Jinshi chuckled, ‘So he’s going to get along great in the red light district.’
The tiny bird puffed itself up with a sharp, “Rook.” ‘What?’ Běi translated with a sigh.
“Do you have a name, young warrior?”
‘Names Yè Rèn, Night Blade you-’ Běi suddenly stopped translating with a scoff, ‘He’d NEVER do that to Lady Anshi!’
The prince covered his amusement, leave it to Lakan to get the feistiest most territorial rookidee in Li. “You know we aren’t trying to fight you, correct?”
‘Too weak to fight me huh? Scared you’ll fall before me you overdressed, pompous-’ again gardevoir stopped translating.
“Quite the opposite, I’m very pleased to have such a fiery spirit to protect Maomao, daughter of Kan Lakan,” he answered honestly.
Rookidee knew that name, both names in fact. The scruffy one spoke often of this Maomao and how he would be the perfect knight to keep her safe as soon as he could take to the skies. He had spent the last several months drilling with the monocled man against his team. Thievul had always been the agile, clever one, never knowing where to hit between facade, fakeout and double team, and his mudshot always seemed to smack square in the face. Meanwhile garchomp made the skies a danger, always snapping at his tail with fire fang, vacuum wave, or iron tail. Red Gyrados would absolutely take his flying to the limit between twister, hurricane, sandstorm, blizzard and thunderbolt. And that new misdreavus was more cunning than all three combined, her poltergeist and psychic alone made her utterly terrifying.
The little feathered head tilted toward the royal, then squawked sharply, “Rooki-dee-dee-dee rook!”
‘He wishes to challenge any who wish to ‘call upon his greatness’,’ Běi translated with an eyeroll.
Jinshi smirked, “I bet he was taken to the edge of his next evolution. Are you trying to figure out where you stand in the pecking order?”
The flitting bird nodded sharply.
Opening the door he offered a wrist to perch on, “Then let me explain the situation and you can have your challenges.”
Head turning one way, then sharply the other eyeing the royal wrist, then studying the pristine human face the tiny anarchist flitted onto the fleshy perch.
The prince let him sit in quiet for a moment of freedom before offering, “I’m not your Master, but I’m also one of her protectors, as is everyone here. Do you need to challenge each individually or all at once?”
‘He wishes to challenge anyone who wishes to give commands,’ Běi translated… carefully.
“So, Suiren, Gaoshun, Basen, Maomao and myself?”
The sharp nod felt like a young soldier.
He sighed internally, I was trying to send Maomao home first thing in the morning. “Can we make requests in the meantime so we don’t have to leave you in a cage and you’re not injuring and alienating your allies?”
The bird may have been small, but it was clear Lakan chose him for his smarts. The creature shook and fluffed up his little feathers, looking like a shiny little gold and black fluffball. Knowing any comments would end in battle, Jinshi kept his opinions to himself.
‘I agree, he looks very cute when he isn’t being a menace,’ Běi whispered into his mind.
“What is that little brat doing out of his cage!?” Maomao hissed.
“Your little protector has agreed to be amenable tonight with the caveat we each challenge him in the morning.”
“After what he did to Suiren? Fuck that, we’re doing this immediately,” Maomao motioned for Sylver to follow her as she snatched up Spark and morelull, “Out in the courtyard, now!”
The rest of the pokémon came out to witness the apothecary’s fury. She didn’t usually vie for battle, but something about attacking Suiren struck a nerve. Rookidee crossed a line, and she was not going to let this go unpunished.
The prince marveled at her authoritative presence.
‘Stop it, she doesn’t want to be an Empress,’ Běi murmured in Jinshi’s mind.
‘And I don’t want to be Emperor, it’s just nice to see her fired up,’ he watched adoringly, commanding was not her default, though he could see it easily being his weakness if she made proper use of it.
Rookidee hovered in the middle of the courtyard, meanwhile Spark and Morelull were held carefully by Sylver’s ribbons. Maomao pointed sharply, “You do not get to attack in any way without my permission! ESPECIALLY when they mean you or this team NO harm!”
Nasty plot.
“Oh you little- Spark! Stringshot!”
Missed.
“Sylver, hypervoice! Morelull, keep lightscreen on standby for when Rookidee charges.”
As predicted Rookidee dove in with wing slash only to smack into lightscreen. But Morelull had fought flying types in her garden before, so he directed the angle of the screen so it smacked down onto the stone tile.
“Spark! Electroweb!”
Substitute.
‘Clever little thing,’ Běi observed.
‘From Lakan? I’d expect nothing less,’ Jinshi countered silently.
Maomao clicked her tongue, “Sylver, start moonblast, Spark skitter smack, Morelull, confuse ray!”
The prince’s confidence in her ability to protect herself was growing with each carefully coordinated attack. He always knew she was quick on her feet but there was both offensive and defensive consideration with her each call to her teammates. He wondered where she’d gotten all this training from, because it certainly wasn’t sparring with him or Chue this afternoon. The pokémon clearly had done this before, the smaller ones breaking off from Sylver or staying to protect him, the sylveon navigating with the grace of a dancer as his ribbons would set down or reacquire his small allies.
Aerial Ace made rookidee particularly hard to hit, but confuse ray slowed him down just enough.
“Spark, Electroweb! Sylver… fire,” her voice had dropped into an infuriated growl, ruthless and unwavering.
A shiver ran down Jinshi’s spine as electroweb pinned the bird and Moonblast rained down hell on the tiny creature. The prince saw the might of the daughter of Grand Commandant Kan Lakan.
Rookidee was done.
She loomed over the creature, “If I ever catch you attacking someone living in this pavilion I will poison you so badly you’ll wish for death, the pain you feel tonight will feel like a dream.”
“Roooook.” it wavered, the translation hardly needed. ‘Yes Master.’
“And don’t you forget it,” she turned and left the injured creature twitching in the courtyard.
Morelull quietly approached with Sylver, the sylveon supporting with helping hands the little mushroom’s pollen puff to restore Rookidee’s health.
Sylver gently picked up the wobbling creature and set it on his back. Rookidee was incredibly confused by the tender gesture. Morelull was debating restoring more health while joltik patted the bird softly with a foreleg. He had never received comfort after a battle. The strategist had always left berries at his feet and demanded he eat for and prepare for another round until he surrendered himself to his pokéball which lay at the side of the training field.
Meanwhile Maomao passed Jinshi briskly, “Change for the evening, I’ll go make tea.”
He shivered and cleared his throat in hopes of sounding… less smitten, “Yes ma’am.” It came out as a wobbly squeak.
She paused and looked over her shoulder. Well, she tried anyway. Gardevoir was right there pushing her down the hall, ‘can I help? I’ve got half a mind to crush that feathered gremlin myself. Do you know what he said when he first came in-?’
“Syl?” He looked at the alcremie melting against the pillar that was once known as the Moon Prince. Lucario gently guided the pup and his riders away as Greninja settled nearby to keep an eye out for assassins.
“Vee?” Sylver questioned Suiren as he entered, looking back towards the strange behavior. The elder covered her chuckle, “Oh he’s alright Sylver, he just needs a minute.”
Rookidee looked over the bandages Maomao had applied to both the elder and Mienshao. They were allies?
For hours, days even, he had seen Lakan sort out pieces on game boards, maps, and battlefields. Always the same color backing each other up, and the strategist had always described her as a beautiful, quiet thing that needed protection above all else. From everyone.
***
The strange tall man entered and bowed, “Is rookidee ready?”
The monocled master poured himself some more juice, “Yes Master Gaoshun, I’ll feel much better when Maomao has Night Blade watching her back, he’s even shiny so the guards will have no trouble recognizing him along the checkpoints.”
“Won’t that make him easier to spot if someone’s looking for her?”
The strategist hummed, “all the more reason to get him to Corviknight as quickly as possible, those metal feathers make him almost impervious to attacks, especially in the air.”
And a bigger food and care bill for Maomao to shoulder, he sighed internally.
“I’m sure we can work him into the sparring rotation at the Moon Prince’s pavilion.”
“Oh I’m sure he’d be delighted, he’s even feistier than that Sylveon I met on our last encounter.”
“Any particular training we should be aware of?”
“He specializes in finding weak points, gaps in armor and defenses if you will,” he chuckled, “given his current size and agility I expect those would only serve him well over time. No two battles will be the same, he’s very clever.”
“Recall? Perching? Deliveries?”
“For a corviknight? Please, get her a pidove for such menial tasks,” he waved dismissively.
“Is there a reason he’s in a cage?”
“Of course, he’s quite aggressive to those whose power he has yet to acknowledge,” he hummed cunningly, “he’s not one to submit easily.”
Rookidee puffed at the acknowledgment.
***
She didn’t LOOK like she was in danger? If anything she carried herself like a Nidoqueen, or Kangeskan, or Bewear. He had gone for the weak one, the elder, only to receive her wrath. And wasn’t that grimer pile of a man supposed to be the Moon Prince? Lakan had been very clear that he was a danger, and yet he seemed to be looking for every opportunity to encourage Yè Rèn. Perhaps he’s trying to lower my defenses!
He shuttered as Maomao’s words returned in force, “If I ever catch you attacking someone in this pavilion I will poison you so badly you’ll wish for death.”
The healer had abandoned him. Instead retreating to help her ally.
He… wasn’t an ally.
“Roooook,” he whimpered.
He felt a little root touch his foot, he whipped on Morelull, Sylver’s ribbon was between them before he could react.
‘Morelull is just trying to help,’ Sylver stated, activating calm mind, ‘do you wanna talk about it?’
What a strange question.
‘Běi says lots of problems would be solved if we were more honest and expressed when things are hard.’
‘Command, protect, be aware and clever, what else does a guard need?’
Sylver chuckled, ‘Maomao protects me as often as I protect her. Human rules are complicated.’
‘Human rules?’
‘Yes, they vary from place to place and change according to how the individual is dressed,’ Morelull commented.
The bird attempted to wrap his mind around the concept, ‘do you mean like the board with stones versus the board with different shaped pieces?’
The mini mushroom had seen the game played enough at the Verdigris house to understand the comparison, ‘yes, precisely. You now need to understand how to act and how to move, depending on what board, what building, what area you are in.’
‘And which board am I on now?’
Lucario sat down next to them, ‘You are in a place that needs to stay neutral and peaceful most of the time. It is one of the few safe places for both your master and mine. Our job is to keep it that way. If you ever see me putting up my guard, it means there is a stranger here that I don’t know, but even then I don’t attack unless given a command or my master falls.’
Rookidee looked away sharply, ‘I haven’t acknowledged you yet, do not expect me to follow your lead!”
Zǐyè rolled his eyes at the inexperienced Pokémon, ‘I promise you, you will after tomorrow morning,’ he growled.
Sylver whimpered, ‘You’ve certainly made it hard for yourself. My learning curve was steep enough without picking a fight with everyone.’
‘Everyone try help,’ joltik chirped.
Lucario, the oldest of a bunch, rolled his eyes with a huff, ‘Do not mistake kindness for weakness. Should you prove to be a threat to those who reside here we will not hesitate to put you down. Lady Maomao can poison what’s left.’
There was a resolution in his tone that made Sylver’s ears drop nervously and his tail tuck a little. He knew why, he even himself had been trained to do just that. The empathic Pokémon had to remember that this was not being directed at him. Zǐyè was trying to speak rookidee’s language, treating him far harsher than he had ever treated Sylver. Taking a deep breath he remembered how harsh Maomao had to be with some patrons at the apothecary. How they didn’t understand without clear consequences and gathering escorts.
Meanwhile Yǐngyuè had finally gotten the prince to change just in time for Maomao to come in with tea. They settled together and Jinshi sighed, “I’m sorry, that didn’t go nearly as smoothly as hoped.”
The apothecary sighed, “I can’t take him with me if he’s going to attack everyone. I’m not against protection, but he needs self-control like your team. If he does that in alleyways on the way home someone’s going to track me down out of revenge for his reckless behavior.”
That turned several stomachs in the room. Sylver knew she wasn’t exaggerating. He nodded to gardevoir, who looked up to the ceiling with a sigh, ‘I expect we are all itching to put him in his place and follow your performance this evening Maomao. He has a great deal to learn, but needs to be OPEN to it.’
“Oh I don’t intend to send a loose canon home with you Maomao,” Jinshi said sipping his tea, “I think your hands are full enough with happini… what about a trade for a bit?”
“I beg your pardon?”
“Would one of you be willing to stay with her while we get rookidee trained not only in combat, but social etiquette for his Master?”
‘You know it’s bad when he needs manners for the Red Light district,’ Zǐyè facepalmed.
‘I’ll go,’ Běi offered.
“I couldn’t take you away from the Prince, your translation skills are-”
“Done,” Jinshi took another sip.
“But-“
‘I’d like to see this part of your world Maomao, if you’ll have me.’
The apothecary clicked her tongue and dropped her gaze, “I’ve already unintentionally traumatized you enough, why would you submit yourself to it further?”
‘Are we not influenced by our surroundings? What benefit am I to the people of Li if I am not among them?’
“This isn’t like going to see people in the market Běi, this is the dirty underbelly that no one wants to talk about. And frankly as a rare shiny you stand out. What happens if they target you?”
‘Let them try,’ her eyes glowed with psychic.
Maomao facepalmed, “I see Morelull’s amnesia will be put to use.”
Jinshi noticed Rookidee hadn’t left Sylver’s shoulder, “I can’t say for sure, but I suspect he’s close to evolving. If we train him he may be bigger next time you see him.”
“Great, a bigger mouth to feed,” she deadpanned.
He was beginning to see what Gaoshun was talking about, “Would you… educate me on your finances?”
“Sir?”
“You’ve made comments of money being tight due to an expanding team and while I’m no Lahan, I think it would be illuminating to see the balancing act of a more common worker.”
The sigh was long and groany, she went to get an abacus and some scraps of used paper, (she certainly wasn’t going to waste imperial grade paper on this). Maomao glanced at a very tired Lucario, “Are you getting sleep tonight?”
‘Yes, Mienshao offered to watch Happini.’
“Good, you’re getting sleep tonight as well Běi, correct?”
‘Yes ma’am.’
“Sorry to leave this to you Yǐngyuè.”
‘We are accustomed to varied sleep, do not worry.’
“Rook-rook-I-Dee?”
Gardevoir stared in disbelief before translating, ‘He’s offering to keep the night watch.’
Jinshi softened, “That’s very kind Yè Rèn but I don’t entrust that duty easily and your actions today make us more hesitant to trust you.”
It was then that he realized the effects of wounding allies.
His head fell.
Being a training partner and fierce warrior until he dropped was not the same as moving across a board with a team. He’d taken down far scarier pokémon than the three that trounced him tonight. But they were completely in tune with each other, defending their partners, trusting and waiting for Master Maomao’s tactics. Lakan’s pokémon may have known how to stay out of each other's way, but they weren’t timing long and short moves with offcentering or defense like she did. Was the master technician playing ‘down’ to his level or was this something separate Maomao had learned?
He bowed to his Master, ‘I’m sorry for attacking your valued allies. It won’t happen again. May I shadow Greninja to learn?’
“You haven’t sparred with him yet,” Jinshi observed curiously, “Will you take his directions?”
Rookidee flitted up to Yǐngyuè’s shoulder, ‘If I beat you tomorrow then you can by my protégés until I’m a corviknight.’
Greninja chuckled, ‘Right back ‘atcha Blade.”
The humans knew the poor rookidee was gonna have his ass handed to him in the morning. Maomao leaned over to Jinshi, “how many golden berries do you have?”
“I’ve got a whole bush ripening out back.”
“Oh good, ‘cause Morelull is gonna run out of pollen puffs.”
They went over her rough numbers and he could see why she liked her pokémon small. Even Sylver was a decent chunk of her food supply and she was about to field a Gardevoir. It wasn’t just food budget, it was time. And all this time with Happini was going to take away from her drying and smoking food for the cold season if she didn’t have an extra set of hands.
Jinshi clicked his tongue, “I see I should have gotten your grass-type first for your garden.”
“You gave an apothecary a healing pokémon, makes sense to me. And now you’re looking at transportation and communication. It’s just that I can’t charge the same price out there as what I charge here. Partially because Pops kept giving things away for free, let alone the chunk change the population out there can afford.”
The prince hummed in thought, “How does one fix that?”
“Jinshi,” she scolded, “this is a big and complex issue WAY BEYOND my pay grade,” she looked to Běi, “I have what I need there, and I’m content with the contents, but you are gonna be as offended as Sylver.”
The prince could see by the minuscule numbers why that could be the case. “Can I offer you payment for your services?”
“What exactly for?”
“Apothecary teas and sleep treatments and attending to me over the years.”
“Suiren handles the finances, I’ve been compensated.”
“What about consultation fees?”
“Gaoshun and Suiren are pretty good about that.”
“You don’t strike me as a spendthrift,” he said, musing at letter drafts on the other side of the paper.
Maomao shrugged, pointing to her expenses, “Roofs leak, firewood can be expensive, medicinal supplies are often purchased when they are from a different region or out of season.”
“Speaking of which, I found your cloak for you.”
“Jinshi I can’t wear this, there -I’ll be mugged.”
Oh for HEAVENS SAKE would you just let me hire or marry you permanently!? The prince was scrubbing his hair in frustration.
‘I hope you know how frustrating it is for both this household and the Empress’s to see the amount of additional work you go through for this freedom of yours,’ Běi huffed.
Rookidee was beginning to see the boards trying to play simultaneously. While Maomao was juggling many Go pieces were needed to surround an individual obstacle, this household was trying to make her a shogi piece, a highly mobile and promoted one at that. ‘Which place is safer?’
Běi blinked as she translated, and everyone paused to ponder.
“Both are dangerous in their own way,” Maomao answered matter-of-factly. “Kidnapping is clearly a possibility across the board. Poison and assassination are possibilities here while rape and murder possibilities there. Healing is needed desperately in both places and I’m the only one granny trusts since you returned Pops to the Rear Palace.”
The small bird was clever but even his head was spinning. Having a translator with the humans was a fascinating element that opened to more complex ideas being exchanged. Even being part of the conversation was new.
The apothecary glanced at the height of the candle wick, “we can’t solve everything in one night, so let’s get some sleep. Rookidee, you’re going to LISTEN to Yǐngyuè’s directions tonight, correct?”
‘To defeat a strategy, one must understand it,’ Běi translated in amusement.
“A direct yes please.”
‘Yes Master Maomao,” Rookidee nodded.
“Thank you, now onto you,” Jinshi jumped a bit at her sharp look, “what do you say to an experiment tonight?”