FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

"I've never seen the library after dark before," Fey said. The chipper Sylveon's ribbons traced along the dusty bookshelves as he walked. "It's really creepy."

Asher guffawed, rummaging behind his reception desk. "It's really not. Spend a few nights here cataloging books by candlelight and... well, it gets pretty boring."

Maestro tapped his claws impatiently on the reception desk. He yawned. "Asher, are you sure you didn't lose the key?" he asked. "We can find a way to force the door open if need be."

"And face the rage of the Board of Directors?" Rubrum replied. His tail batted against the ground. "No, no. This little... adventure of ours needs to be untraceable. No one can know that we entered or exited the Royal Repository. If there were evidence, a full-blown investigation would begin."

The Meowscarada sighed. "You're right. Sorry."

"There's no need to apologize." Rubrum leaned casually on the desk next to Maestro. "We just don't know what... or who... we're facing. I want to be as careful as possible. Every action we take must be unimpeachable."

Asher frowned. "That'll be hard when we don't know what we're looking for," he said. "Aside from information, that is."

Fey wagged his tail and chirped, "It must be something huge, though! We'll probably know it when we see it, right?"

No one could answer. The Sylveon's question was only met by the shuffling of office supplies.

Asher's ears then stiffened and poked from beneath the desk. He emerged, like a rabbit from its den, holding an ancient aurum key triumphantly above his head. "I found it!" he exclaimed.

Maestro smiled. "Ah, good. I was worried that would take all night."

Asher then confidently rounded the desk and strutted into the darkness, motioning for the others to follow. "Worried? About me?" he teased. "Never doubt the power of the rabbit. I could find a needle in a haystack."

The four Pokémon then moved silently through the labyrinth of dark, musty shelves, lit only by a small Moonblast. Fey's floating orb cast an eerie white glow over the books' blackened spines. With each turn, the space between shelves became narrower and narrower, until the group was forced to proceed single-file through the corridors.

Asher pointed toward a door against a distant wall. It was metal, unassuming. "That's it," he said. "That's the entrance."

Maestro wrinkled his nose. His footfalls echoed against the bookshelves. "Are you pulling my leg?" he asked. "That's the broom closet. I've seen inside before."

"It's not just a broom closet," Asher replied. "Hold on."

The four Pokémon approached the door, then stood idly as Asher fished in his satchel for the correct key. The rabbit then slipped the key into the door's handle and pulled the hunk of metal toward himself. Its hinges squealed, clearly rusted from years of neglect. Behind it was a simple broom closet, fitted with a mop, a couple brooms, and other cleaning supplies. The smell of bleach wafted outward.

"I assume there's something more in here," Rubrum asserted.

Asher flashed his ancient key and grinned. "Of course there is," he said. "Look alive. I'm going to open it."

The Cinderace then entered the broom closet, maneuvering awkwardly around the myriad cleaning supplies, and traced his paw along the room's back wall until he reached a small lump in the dull paint. "See?" he asked. "See the keyhole?"

The trio bent themselves over each other, all clamoring for a view. Asher was right! Inlaid in the wall, just above the ground, was a tiny slot. The untrained eye might think it was a chip in the paint, or a crack in the foundation. But as Asher clicked the ancient key into it, a faint glow emerged from the wall's seams. A blue light, followed by the screeching of stone as the walls retracted into themselves, revealing a darkness beyond the once-plain veneer.

"A fake panel," Maestro said. He pouted. "Arceus, I never imagined that the Academy would have such sophisticated technology hidden away."

Rubrum could barely withhold his excitement. "But think of what else there is to discover here!" he exclaimed. "This... automatic door... is wonderful, but it must be hiding something even better."

Asher casually pocketed his key and stared into the shadowy opening. Within laid a narrow set of stairs leading downward, its end shrouded in darkness. Maestro huffed.

"Looks claustrophobic," he said.

"Looks interesting," Rubrum replied.

"Looks like I'll be getting spiderwebs in my mouth again," Fey pouted. "I hate being a quadruped sometimes."

Asher shrugged. "I'll lead the way if you all want," he offered. "I have nothing against arachnid Pokémon." He then laid his foot on the first step. "Just follow me."

And so the four proceeded down the stone steps, surrounded on all sides by ancient cobblestone. Webs hung overhead, crawling with tiny Joltik. Vines protruded periodically among the walls; likely burrowing Tangela, thoroughly entwined within the foundation of the crypt.

Maestro frowned as he descended. He clenched his fists. "I can't fucking believe that the Board of Directors has kept this from us," he said. "This is... unbelievable."

Asher hummed. "Jeez. That Snivy really upset you, huh?"

"Of course he did!" Maestro replied. His voice was scratchy, exasperated. "I mean, if what he says is true, then almost every expulsion in this school is covered up by the Board. I mean, we've all been in danger of suspension at one time or another. We could've been dumped in an Intermediary Area and left to die."

Fey stared dejectedly at the ground. "Yeah. That's... yeah."

"But we all know the Board is corrupt," Asher shot back. "This isn't news. It's an open secret."

Maestro threw his arms in the air, grazing his paws against cobwebs. He said, "Yeah, but no one knows how corrupt they are. They threw Sid out into the wild for no reason. And when people asked where he went, the Board told them that he relocated to a new Academy. They nearly killed him! Imagine how many students have been murdered over the years."

Rubrum sighed. "Maestro, I think you have one thing wrong. Sid wasn't expelled for no reason."

"Well, he didn't seem to have an explanation for it," the feline spat.

Rubrum paused to think, then responded, "I don't mean it that way. What I mean is, I think Sid got too close to something. He probably didn't even know it. But the Board noticed, and they didn't like it."

"Is that 'something' the thing we're heading towards right now?" Asher quipped. His ears brushed against the dusty cobble. "Maybe if we get caught, we can form a little reject commune in the Intermediary Zone."

Fey chuckled nervously. He joked, "Can I be the hunter-gatherer of the group?"

"Yeah, and I'll be the record-keeper," Asher said. "Anything is better than working in that library."

The Meowscarada's eyes narrowed. His voice was stern, his steps heavy. "Guys, I'm serious. Isn't it weird how aurum research can barely make any headway at this Academy? We have entire fucking classes on it, but barely any evidence of its usage, mechanics, anything. Scholars have spent the last decade squabbling over the same set of artifacts. Theories on theories on theories, but none are proven. Even the Aurum Chronicles provide limited information. And those tablets from the temple..."

Rubrum sighed. "Right. We can't even decipher those tablets without specialized technology. They're useless at the moment." He pinched the bridge of his nose, readjusting his glasses, and continued, "The Board has upheld me for years, but... I'd be a fool not to pursue this knowledge, even if it's forbidden. I just can't fathom why the Board would want to hide this technology. It could improve so many lives."

A pause. No one had an answer.

"I guess that's why we're here - to find out," Fey said. And then, silence.

The air became more and more stagnant as the group descended. Cobwebs became thicker, the steps thinner, until the end was in sight: a plain wooden door, like the entrance to a basement. A veneer of brown paint, paired with a standard-looking copper knob. Its surface had long since oxidized.

Asher stood for a moment before the door, regaining his breath, and glanced backward. "Are you ready for me to open it?" he asked.

The rest nodded. "Ready as I'll ever be," Maestro responded. "Let's go."

Asher then wrapped his paw around the knob and pulled. A plume of dust erupted from its frame as the thick slab slid outward, scuffing the ground. Tentatively, Fey's ball of light floated into the dark space beyond.

A sterile hallway laid before the group. Its bare, silver metallic walls shone bright from Fey's Moonblast. A linoleum floor laid bare beneath the Pokémon's feet, covered in brown dust. Four doors studded the walls, each identically alien. Strange bulb-like objects protruded from the ceiling. A wide, vault-like door sat at the end of the hall.

Fae's claws clinked against the hard floor as he passed the doorway. "What... is this place?" he asked. "This doesn't look like the Academy. At all. It's so... shiny."

Maestro grimaced and said, "You're right. It looks... Arceus, I don't even know." He paused. "Let's check the doors to the sides first."

Rubrum then stepped inward and furrowed his brow, inspecting the walls. No perforations, no stone, no organic materials, no signage. Just eerie plates of stainless metal. The Lucario twisted the nearest door handle, only for it to stick in-place. "This door is locked," he said. "Check the others."

Asher nodded, walking to the adjacent door, then another. "These are locked, too," he called. "Is that one any good? Maestro?"

As if on cue, a click sounded from beneath Maestro's paw as it rested upon the remaining doorknob to his right. "This room is open," the feline said. His voice quivered. "Are we ready to open it?"

Rubrum hurried excitedly to Maestro's side. His tail wagged. "Yes! Yes, yes." He then cleared his throat, reining in his excitement. "Slowly, of course. There's no telling if any of these are trapped."

"Right," the feline replied. He swallowed. Fey and Asher crowded behind him. "Here we go."

And so the door creaked outward. Dim yellow light flooded into the hallway from a strange bulb affixed to the room's ceiling. Rubrum squinted and stared at its filament core, transfixed.

"What the...? That isn't fire," Rubrum said. "Must be more aurum technology."

A low hum sounded throughout the bare space and reverberated in Rubrum's ears. A cot in the corner, a desk to the side, a dusty white toilet across from it.

"Looks like a prison cell," Fey said.

Maestro replied, "Maybe," and entered the room. He observed the disheveled bed, then walked to the desktop, eyeing the stray papers which littered its surface. Brittle pages crinkled between his claws.

His voice was stern. "Guys, check this out."

The team then swarmed around Maestro, peering over his shoulders onto the aged paper. Scribbled notes, all hand-written, criss-crossed the page and filled it in its entirety.

Rubrum adjusted his glasses. "What is it?" he asked.

"It's... notes on something," Maestro said. "Or rather, someone. Look - it's a weight log. It spans... five months. Whoever this is about lost a lot of weight."

Sure enough, Maestro's description checked out. Biometrics littered the page - blood pressure, weight, muscle density. A small, grainy photograph appeared in the upper left corner - a human. Her gaze was blank, her face unreadable.

"Looks like this was a testing facility," Rubrum said. "Experiments of some kind."

"Biological experiments," Asher corrected. He shook his head, shuffling his feet. "Okay, this is seriously creepy. What the fuck would they even be testing?"

The Meowscarada's eyes scanned the page. "Doesn't say," he said. "The notes seem incomplete. It's just... pages and pages of data. Like what we do during an archaeology experiment."

Fey frowned. His legs were unsteady. "D-do you think these people wanted to be experimented on?"

No one could answer. Asher stepped toward Maestro and said, "Here. Let me put these papers in my satchel. We can take a closer look later. For now, we should keep going."

"Right." Maestro handed him the papers. "Thanks."

The four Pokémon then reentered the dark hallway and made their way toward the vault door at its end. Their footfalls were light now, anxious. A feeling of dread overcame them as they stood in front of the large structure.

"We'll likely need to turn the wheel on its front," Rubrum said. He straightened his back and steadied his voice. "But I'll need help. Let's turn it to the left?"

Maestro nodded. "I'll get your side. Fey, Asher, get the other?"

The Pokémon then positioned themselves accordingly and wrenched the wheel as hard as they could counter-clockwise. Rotted gears squealed and turned within the metal casing.

"That's it," Rubrum said. "A little more."

Grunting as the mechanism became looser and looser, allowing the wheel to rotate a full three-sixty degrees until it came to a sudden halt. Rubrum then affixed his paws on the handle, tugging the door inward toward himself. Its bottom scraped loudly on the linoleum. The open doorway looked like a black hole.

Just as before, Fey's Moonblast crept inside the darkened space. From what the group could see, it was large - a full laboratory. Two metal tables to the left, several large tube-like structures to the right. A large blackboard was pinned against the leftmost wall. Scribbles and diagrams covered it from end-to-end, papers pinned at its sides. More doors on the far wall.

"This must be the testing room," Maestro said, and scanned the tubes while Rubrum and Asher fanned out in the opposite direction. "But it looks like all the specimens are gone."

Fey scoffed. "Thank Arceus. I don't know if I could handle seeing something gross," he said, and trotted to a nearby recess in the wall. Its shape caught his eye. "Hey, Maestro. Check this out."

"Hm?" Maestro crept to Fey's side. "What is it?"

"Look." Fey's ribbon pointed to the shallow hole. "The shape is like an aurum gear."

Maestro puckered his lips, grasping the gear which hung on his necklace. "Yeah, it does," he said. "Do you think it'd be a fit?"

Fey squinted. "Probably. Do you wanna try it?"

The Meowscarada hummed, then called backward to Rubrum and Asher. "Hey guys, I'm gonna try something. Stay still for a minute, ya hear?"

Rubrum turned to Maestro, hovering over the metal table. "What? What're you doing?" he asked.

"There's a hole in the wall. I'm gonna put my gear into it."

Rubrum's face lit up. "Oh my! What a mystery. Perhaps the gear is a key!"

Asher groaned. "Please don't trigger a trap or an alarm or something."

Maestro then held the gear to the recess. "Hopefully I won't," he said, and fitted its shape into the metal. The gear fitted snugly, and immediately its surface shone a faint blue. Then, light exploded from the bulbs in the room's ceiling as the electronics hummed to life - a light switch.

A pause as the Pokémon adjusted to the newfound light. Maestro covered his eyes. "Huh. Looks like this is just to activate the lights," he said. "I thought it'd do...more."

In contrast, Rubrum practically jumped with joy. "More?" he asked. "This is an amazing discovery! The function of the aurum gears is to activate other ancient aurum technology, like a key! Who knows what else they could do?"

Asher sighed. "Keep an eye out for more of those holes, then. Could be useful." his attention then turned to the blackboard, now fully lit. His eyes widened.

"Guys, come look at this. Now. This is... wow."

Within an instant, the group had crowded around the blackboard. On its right side laid details of an experiment - machine operations, memos, data collection. But on the left...

"What is that?" Fey asked. "An anatomy drawing? It looks like a human skeleton, right?"

Asher grimaced and replied, "Last time I checked, humans don't have tails. Or... what are those... 'electro-socket glands...?'" He shuffled his feet, adrenaline making his fists clench. "This can't be what I think it is... right?"

A look of horror rose to Rubrum's face. "Hybrids," he said. "They were making chimeras here."

Then, silence. No one quite knew how to respond. The Pokémon simply froze in place, reading the centuries-old chalk markings as a mix of shock, sadness, and fear overtook them.

Maestro could hardly believe his eyes. He traced his gaze along the whole diagram, only to realize that Rubrum was right. It was a human skeleton, but covered in strange musculature and bone segments. A bony tail, sharp claws, fleshy ears. Below the drawing hung a label - "Subject-006." Maestro then looked at the data to the right and began to read:

"...to be administered more than 6 mL/min from dusk until dawn. Children of the Aura are not to interact with subjects unless otherwise indicated or ordered by a superior. Subjects-006 and 007 are to be kept in Containment Chambers 3 and 4 until further notice due to flagrant disobedience. Military capabilities are questionable at this point - confirm proposal to Council, gather favorable behavioral changes by Month 17. If not, alternative usage? Meeting scheduled for Month 18..."

Rubrum's jaw hung open. "M-military capabilities," he read. His voice was a whisper, his throat dry. "They were trying to weaponize them. Arceus, this is... how..."

Maestro flapped his paws against his sides, attempting to regain his faculties. He shook his head. "Okay... who used this lab?" he asked. A deep frown stretched over his face. "And where did they go?"

Asher's demeanor was steady. He replied, "Whoever they were, they're long-gone. Judging by the difference in architecture, they must've used this place before the Academy arrived. And the Academy founded this land about a century-and-a-half ago, so... probably before then."

"Right, but the Academy said this land was unclaimed before they discovered it," Maestro said exasperatedly. He sighed. "That must've been a lie, then. Fuck."

More silence. Instinctively, Rubrum reached for Maestro's paw. They looked at each other as their fur touched. Rubrum suddenly felt his strength returning; if not to protect himself, then to protect his students. To protect Maestro.

Asher then quickly removed his notebook and jotted down notes with a crude pencil. "I'll take as many notes as I can, but we should leave soon," he said. "This whole situation has made me sick. And who knows what's ahead."

Fey nodded. "Yeah, I'm not feeling so good. I wanna go home," he whined.

"But we've barely seen anything," Maestro shot back. He motioned around the space. "This place is huge. We haven't-"

The feline's voice then came to a sudden stop as Rubrum laid a paw on his shoulder. The Lucario's gaze made Maestro yield.

"We've seen enough for one night," Rubrum said. He was calm, authoritative. "I'm not going to put my students in any more danger tonight. We need time to process this."

The feline gulped. "Right," he replied. "Sorry."

Quiet scribbles as Asher's pencil moved across the pages of his notebook. No one spoke. Maestro could feel his heart beating in his ears, his body tensed. Theories formed a flurry in his mind. He just couldn't understand - Why keep all this hidden?

Anxiously, Fey meandered toward the closed entrance to the room, dragging his ribbons against the ground. Arceus, he couldn't wait to leave. That diagram made his stomach churn. Fey then wrapped his ribbons around the door's handle and tugged it toward himself. The door didn't move.

"D-did you guys lock the door when you closed it?" Fey called.

Rubrum snapped his head in Fey's direction. "What? No." He then approached Fey, Maestro in tow, and placed his paws on the door's handle. A firm tug. The door didn't budge.

"What the...?" Another tug, frantic this time. The door was stuck. Rubrum huffed.

Hearing the clatter, Asher closed his notepad. "You alright?" he asked.

Suddenly, the lights flickered. The previously low hum of bulbs overhead turned to a high-pitched whine before ceasing altogether.

"Stick together!" Rubrum called. "Someone is here with us. Do not run off."

The four Pokémon then froze in a huddled mass, each adopting a fighting stance. The eerie silence made Maestro's fur stand on-end.

Then, nothing. No movement, no sound. It felt like time had slowed.

Pressure abruptly arose behind Maestro's eye, a sharp pain, like something had wormed its way into his brain. He attempted to speak, but his jaw wouldn't cooperate. It trembled, hung wide, like a puppet whose strings had been cut. Maestro's hands then fell to his sides, his gaze affixed on the far door - and he watched with horror as it opened. Adrenaline flooded him, spurring the Meowscarada to run, to hide, to fight - but he remained glued to the ground. No one could move.

They'd fallen into a trap. The fight was over before it had even begun.

One paw then stepped from beyond the distant door, followed by another. The emerging Pokémon was small. Two large, red ears protruded from its head above a pair of glassy blue eyes. It appeared almost doll-like. Its voice was high-pitched, slow, methodical.

"Oh!" The Pokémon's face contorted into a surprised grin as he noticed the frozen intruders. "I thought I heard something. I didn't expect there'd be a group of you this time, though." He stepped forward, eyes affixed on the Pokémon's prone bodies, idly examining the group.

"I must say, your thought traffic is miniscule for such a large group. I only expected a couple of you. No offense, haha." The Pokémon's gaze then stopped on Maestro. His grin faded.

"You're a Dark type," he spat. "I didn't know they admitted Pokémon like you into the Academy nowadays. That stupid - they never tell me anything..." He then raised his paws in the air and snapped. The sound reverberated throughout the lab. Rubrum could feel his throat become ungagged.

"You're the teacher, right?" the Pokémon asked. His face was wrinkled with disgust. "Tell me why you're here."

Rubrum was quiet for a moment, considering his options. He then asked, "How did you know I'm a teacher?"

The small Pokémon shrugged. "I read minds, idiot. Or... Rubrum, is it? In any case... answer my question before I have to go digging in your memories. It's painful."

The Lucario sighed. He said, "We're here for information, that's all."

"What kind of information?"

"Information about aurum technology. We're researchers," Rubrum replied. "We found this passage and thought to check inside. We didn't know it was off-limits."

The small Pokémon pinched the bridge of his nose. "Right," he mocked. "You just happened to bypass the secret wall, opened only by an aurum key, and sneak down here in the middle of the night... for research." He scowled. "Cut the crap."

Rubrum huffed, mustering unconvincing bravado. "I'll tell you more if you tell me who you are."

The tiny Pokémon seemed offended, exasperated. He threw his arms wide. "You don't recognize me? None of you?"

A pause. He ran a quick thought check on the room. Truly, no one recognized him. A pang of sadness.

"I'm Victini," the Pokémon said. "Invi the Victini. You should all know my name."

Rubrum's eyes widened. "The Invi? But Victini is a myth," he said. He then looked the Pokémon over and added, "This must be a bluff."

Rage festered on Invi's face. "You want me to prove it? Fine. Be my guest. I've been looking for some entertainment." Anger made his voice crack. "I've spent far too long down here."

Invi snapped, and instantly Rubrum was brought to his knees. The Lucario's palms pressed against the ground in front of him, like a puppy begging for a treat. Once more, his jaw gaped, frozen. The Victini then stepped closer, burrowing his paws inside the prone Lucario's mouth. He ran his paw pads over Rubrum's sharp canines, his tongue, across his blunt molars, sticky with saliva.

"I own you now," Invi said. A perverted smile stretched across his face. "Now be still as I access your memories. I want to know everything."

A dull pain throbbed within Rubrum's skull. His vision blurred, taking on a red hue, as Invi gazed into the depths of his subconscious. Against his will, memories flashed before Rubrum's eyes. The smell of Maestro's cologne as they met for the first time. Feeling Maestro's fur pressed against his own, kissing the feline's neck. Studying in his office late at night by candle light. Giving lecture after lecture after lecture. Allowing Grimm to enter him in the woods, gathering tablets from an ancient temple...

"You've been busy," Invi said, and removed himself from Rubrum's mouth. The Victini's face was blank as he stared downward at the defenseless canine.

"I'm nothing if not impressed," Invi said. "You've done a good job sneaking around under the Board's nose. If you had stayed away from this place, you might've gotten away with all this." He sighed. "It's a shame."

Another snap. Without warning, Fey trotted in front of Rubrum and laid himself down, raising his ass in the air. His tail hung eerily still. Rubrum felt his jaw loosen.

"Wh-what are you doing?" Rubrum asked.

Invi frowned. "I'm giving you what you deserve."

"Deserve? You don't even know us!"

Invi snarled. "I don't know you, but I know Pokémon like you. And I don't understand you," he spat. "All of you had such nice lives on the surface. Normal students taught by a normal teacher. You had food, water, shelter, all of it. But for some fucking reason, you still want more. You greedy - do you know what I'd give for a sliver of what you have?" He grimaced. "You all deserve to be punished. I hate you. I hate all of you."

Maestro then stepped forward, moving like a marionette, clunkily, unsteady on his feet. He planted himself on his knees behind Fey and stroked himself below his sheath. His pink cock throbbed as it emerged from his mint-colored fur, pressing up against Fey's cute little pucker. Internally, the feline struggled against the psychic constraints, attempting to free himself - but just like when he was possessed by Grimm, his efforts were futile. The prospect both frustrated and aroused him. That sickly sweet, smug smile shone from Invi's face and permeated his soul, causing rage to bubble within his chest. But more than that - it made him shiver, his cock twitching against the stale air.

"These ones will do nicely," Invi said. "Professor, do you enjoy watching your students fuck?"

"W-wait," Rubrum begged. "Don't make them do this. What do you want, really?"

Invi wagged his finger and laughed. "Rubrum - or perhaps I'll call you Ruby? I know you care for your students. But that's what makes this sweeter... I want you to watch as I make them molest each other."

Maestro then spread Fey's asshole wide, salivating at his hole. Invi sauntered to Fey's side, motioning below the canine's tail.

"You're familiar with this boy, yes?" Invi asked. "You're familiar with his more... private parts... as well. I saw your memories as my own... letting Fey mount you in your office, was it? So scandalous."

Rubrum growled, "Leave him alone."

"Why would I do that?" Invi barked, and snapped. Maestro then lowered himself to Fey's asshole and licked along its rim, holding the canine's quivering backside in his tight grasp. Fey instinctively bent his groin downward, rhythmically pushing the feline's tongue into his pucker.

"I can tell Maestro is enjoying this. So you really shouldn't feel too bad for him," Invi teased. He then glanced at Rubrum. "You... love him, yes? Tsk, tsk. Falling in love with a student, Ruby? Now that is humiliating. Couldn't find someone your own age?" He laughed and added, "I shouldn't be surprised. You haven't thus far struck me as popular."

The smacking of Maestro's tongue hung in the air. The Professor's brow furrowed. "Is this how you entertain yourself?" Rubrum asked. "Forcing innocent people onto each other?"

"Yes, actually," Invi replied. "You already know this, but it's adorable how much Maestro gets off on being forced to eat out his classmate. Well, adorable in how pathetic it is. I want to make him fuck the entire academy - a Rapidash, a Tyranitar, a Weavile. To prove how much of a desperate slut he is. After all... whatever you can imagine, I can make it happen, Ruby."

Invi giggled, amused at his own imaginings. "Oh, and don't even get me started on the canine - Fey, whatever. I scanned his brain for sexual fantasies... you wouldn't even want to know what I found." The Victini smiled. "You and your students are nothing but hopeless perverts. It's only right that I dole out a fitting punishment."

"You're a piece of trash," Rubrum spat. "Just a lonely Pokémon with a god complex."

"I'm a mythical Pokémon with the Board's authority. Watch your tongue," Invi shot back.

Rubrum's voice shook with fury. "I don't care who you are. I will not comply with the demands of a monster the Board hides out of shame."

"Your compliance isn't a factor," Invi growled, and snapped. Fey then lifted himself onto his feet, turned, and looked idly at Maestro's chest.

Rubrum then watched in horror as the once-docile Sylveon sunk his sharp teeth into Maestro's arm. The Meowscarada flinched, wincing and groaning as his skin was pierced. A faint red stain bubbled from beneath his fur.

"N-no!" Rubrum's voice flew from his mouth before he had a chance to stifle it. His body shook against Invi's psychic constraints. "I'll kill you!" he yelled.

Invi's smile widened. "Oh. So that's your weakness," he said. "Don't be mistaken. Love is weakness, Ruby. But, since you're so pathetic, I'll give you a chance to help your boy toy. I'll make Fey let Maestro go if you fuck Asher's ass on your own accord."

"You'll give me my body back?" Rubrum asked.

"Temporarily. Just enough to assault your own student - but don't be mistaken. If you attempt to harm me, I'll regain control and turn that harm onto your students again. Understood?"

Rubrum hesitated. Breath caught in his throat as he considered the offer. "I-I don't... I don't want to use my students without their consent," Rubrum said. "Please don't make me do this."

Invi huffed. "Boring," he groaned.

Maestro then yelped in pain, his mouth agape, his eyes wide, as Fey bit down harder. A trickle of blood fell from the feline's arm, soaking Fey's white teeth, before dripping onto the floor. Invi smiled.

"Look at his face! You could've prevented that," Invi mocked. "Why do you stand by while your students are in pain?"

Fires danced in Rubrum's eyes. He gritted his teeth. "Stop it," he snarled. "I'll take your deal. Just... make it stop."

Invi grinned. "Good choice!" he chirped, and snapped. Fey casually released Maestro's arm, running his flat tongue across his now blood-stained fangs. He then resumed his breeding position, bent forward, his ass raised in the air.

Asher then arose from behind Rubrum and planted himself at the Lucario's side, assuming the same position. His long, floppy ears rested against the ground while his short fluffy tail wagged above.

Rubrum could feel his body loosen. His eyes rested on Asher, whose chin rested idly on the ground. Rubrum then rose on unsteady feet, watched intently by the tiny Victini.

"Go on," Invi said. "Treat your student right. I want to see it."

Rubrum scowled and walked to Asher, bending down in front of the rabbit's prone asshole. The canine then grasped his knotted cock and stroked along his length, attempting to harden himself.

"No, no," Invi said. His breaths were heavy. "Don't just penetrate him, Ruby. Eat him out first. I want you to take this slow."

A growl rumbled within Rubrum's chest. His fists clenched, his fangs bared, before begrudgingly spreading Asher's soft ass wide and gently licking along the rabbit's rim. He felt Asher's perineum tense up against his slick tongue, the rabbit's lupine dick emerging from a patch of fluffy white pubic fur.

"There we go. Nice and slow..." Invi licked his lips, savoring the embarrassment on the professor's face. Rubrum's cheeks were red, his eyes half-lidded, as his willpower steadily degraded. The sight made Invi's heart race. His tiny paw meandered downward onto his package, fondling his balls while his prick surfaced from below his cream-colored fur.

Another snap. Asher suddenly gasped as his capacity for speech returned, turning his head toward Rubrum. His lips curled.

"P-professor, I-"

The rabbit was cut short by Invi's voice. "How does it feel, Asher?" the Victini asked. "Something tells me you're not used to being topped."

"N-no, I'm not," Asher replied.

Invi grinned. "Right, I seem to recall a memory of you fucking Fey's ass in the school hallway. Once a top, always a top, I suppose. Of course, it helps that you're a good size..."

Asher grimaced. His brow furrowed. His focus was slipping, the slapping of Rubrum's tongue making his ass twitch. "What do you plan to do with us when this is all done?" he asked.

Invi's response was flippant, casual. "Whatever I want," he said and smiled. "Nobody knows you're here, so... I suppose I can use you all however I wish. My own personal collection of toys. I could bring a few other Pokémon to fuck you, too. After you've bottomed enough, we can see how you like equine cock. Doesn't that sound nice?"

Asher frowned. "The Board will look for us," he said, stifling moans.

"But they won't find you," Invi replied, and chuckled. "Now speed it up, Ruby. I want to see how desperate Asher can get."

Rubrum huffed, then pushed his snout flush against Asher's ass. The scent of Asher's potent, sweaty musk entered his nostrils and made his tail wag involuntarily. Thoughts raced within the Lucario's mind - escape plans, distractions, anything. And yet, he remained undeniably aroused by Invi's coercion. Something about being forced to pleasure his student made his heart race, his breath quicken. He moaned as he pushed his tongue deep, deeper into Asher's asshole, running himself along the rabbit's walls.

"Go on, Ruby. Just lose yourself," Invi said. A bead of precum dripped from his little cock onto his paw. "I want to see you give up. I want you to break."

Rubrum could feel his psychic walls lowering, like a dam breaking open. Resisting Invi's psychic influence was near-impossible. Unseen impulses battered against the Lucario's consciousness like arrows upon a barricade, melting him.

Asher, too, felt his resolve weakening. He had never bottomed before, let alone in front of his professor. But as he felt his pucker penetrated for the first time, his legs wobbled under their own weight. His tail flitted excitedly, his chest heaved.

"Touch him, Ruby," Invi ordered. "Look how desperate your student is. He needs to feel you."

Rubrum didn't dare resist. He wrapped his paw firmly around Asher's erect cock, its familiar tapered shape gliding along his palm. Strings of sticky precum leaked from it, spurred by the Lucario's persistent licking. Rubrum could feel Asher's prostate on the tip of his tongue, that little quivering nut, making Asher shiver with every flick of his slick organ. Asher couldn't help but moan.

"Good boy," Invi said, and stepped toward Asher. He bit his lip, continually stroking his cock as he approached. "You're doing so well for your new master. Just let Ruby's tongue inside you..."

Fuck, Asher was becoming completely overwhelmed. Invi's psychic influence washed over him like a wave; he could feel his consciousness being knocked over, pulled out to tide by the strong psychic current. Any quips or retorts, any resistance, melted as his prostate was massaged. He could feel his asshole tingle, clenching again and again onto Rubrum's tongue.

Invi grunted. "Fuck him, Ruby. Now." He then positioned himself in front of Asher and added, "I'll use his mouth while you use his ass. I want to show this boy who's allowed to be dominant."

Rubrum removed himself without resistance, hovering his now-erect cock above Asher's tight hole. He then peeled back his sheath, revealing his knot, and prodded at the rabbit's entrance. Asher winced.

"Beg for it," Invi ordered. His cock dripped before Asher's maw. "Beg to be my bitch. For once, just submit. I know you want it. "

Asher's voice was weak. He sputtered, "D-don't make me..."

Frustration bubbled within Invi's chest. Within an instant, another psychic wave had exploded inside Asher's skull. The rabbit's eyelids fluttered, his breath suddenly slow. Invi flashed a predatory grin.

"That's it," Invi cooed, and thrust his cock forward. "Just take it. Be a good boy and let your master give you his seed."

And so Asher wrenched his neck forward, lapping at Invi's small glans.The Victini's dick was too small to reach the back of his throat, fitting comfortably between his soft tongue and palate. It twitched needily in the rabbit's maw as precum dribbled down his throat.

Meanwhile, Rubrum's cock twitched as he pressed himself against the rabbit's asshole. He watched as Asher's pink pucker contracted, as if beckoning the canine inside. The rabbit's chest bobbed as he sucked on Invi's dick.

A moan then flew from Asher's mouth as Rubrum entered him for the first time. Rubrum and Invi's hips then began to thrust in tandem, pushing Asher rhythmically back and forth, each motion further overwhelming the prone rabbit's senses. Asher could feel Rubrum thrusting deeper with every hump, first his tip, past his shaft, and then onto his knot.

Fuck, Rubrum hadn't felt this way in years. It was as if something primordial had bubbled up from within his subconscious. A forgotten emotion, a once-dormant desire returning to the light: the visceral desire to breed. He pumped his hips harshly against Asher's flesh, slapping his balls against the rabbit's with every push. The canine's pace became erratic and rapid. Sweat rolled from his brow, his breathing heavy.

"I see you're enjoying yourself, Ruby," Invi breathed, and emitted a labored chuckle. "I knew you had it in you. Now, let's breed your student...together."

Rubrum could feel the last vestiges of his control slip. Feral impulses shot through his nervous system like lightning, spurring the Pokémon to howl. His glasses fell to the side, his veiny cock filling Asher's warm hole with precum. Rubrum arched himself over Asher's back, savoring the warmth of his student's prone body. His gaze then landed on Asher's neck. WIthout thinking, he closed his teeth around the rabbit's scruff, stilling the rabbit as he rammed Asher's backside like a fleshlight.

Asher's eyes watered. Pain radiated down his spine. Rubrum's hot breath cascaded across his neck and back, making him whimper. His mouth tightened around Invi's cock, prompting the Victini to hump fervently against the rabbit's soft tongue.

"Good boy," Invi cooed. "Such a good little toy for me. That's it. Just take it for your master..."

Rubrum's humping reached a fever pitch. Every press was forceful, harsh. He could feel his knot tantalizingly gracing the inside of Asher's rim again and again. He couldn't control it anymore. He needed to tie his student. He needed to obey.

Asher groaned as Rubrum's knot then popped inside, filling the rabbit's asshole in its entirety. Asher's stubby tail flitted against Rubrum's tummy, trickles of blood leaving the taste of iron on Rubrum's lips. The canine's thrusts devolved into frantic quivers as Rubrum relished in the warmth of Asher's insides, his knot throbbing, his eyes wild. Every contraction of Asher's rim massaged Rubrum's sensitive flesh. He could feel his entire body beginning to tense-

"Cum inside of him," Invi commanded. "Now. That's an order, Ruby."

Rubrum didn't need to be asked. His jaw clenched around Asher's soft scruff, his canine cock flared, his legs locked. Wave upon wave of his hot, sticky cum then erupted inside Asher's pucker. The orgasm wracked Rubrum's body, causing him to quiver against Asher's insides, a loud, bestial moan escaping his maw. Strings of cum pushed against Rubrum's inflated knot and dripped from Asher's hole.

Asher could feel his body tense in turn. He clenched his maw around Invi's member, suctioning his mouth around the boy's tiny glans. Invi threw his head back and groaned, surprised at the sudden pressure.

"Th-that's it. Just a little more," Invi breathed. "Good boy. You're doing so well-ah!"

Asher's body mindlessly convulsed, the warmth of his professor's cum radiating throughout his abdomen. His mind had been melted by pleasure; his eyes were half-lidded, his gaze empty, his cock twitching against the open air. Each flare of Rubrum's knot pressed up against the poor rabbit's prostate, making Asher quiver, his balls churning, until he felt his body go slack. Ropes of cum then shot from his dick onto the tiled ground, leaving his lower half a gooey, tingling mess.

The sight pushed Invi over the edge. "You did well," he groaned. "Now watch your master take what he's owed."

Invi humped Asher's maw fervently, relishing the moist warmth of Asher's curled tongue. The rabbit's slick organ coiled around Invi's cock, sliding along his wet glans and onto his shaft. Damn, Invi could hardly help himself. The boy's maw was too amazing to stop for even a moment. He could feel his balls tensing up, churning, the tip of his cock flaring, until a high-pitched yelp erupted from his throat.

Invi grasped the rabbit's short snout, holding it close to his groin, and froze as his cock flared within. A small puddle of salty cum then seeped onto Asher's tongue, coating his mouth, before creeping down his throat.

For just a moment, Invi's psychic powers waned, interrupted like waves on a calm sea. Rubrum gasped, as if coming up for air, and sputtered. Stray strands of white rabbit hair tumbled from his mouth. He groaned. Labored words fell from his lips.

"You're... terrible."

In one swift motion, Rubrum then untied Asher and awkwardly lunged forward, swiping weakly at Invi's face. But his movements were labored, slow. Invi easily removed himself from Asher's maw and stepped backward, thus allowing Rubrum to flop limply onto the floor.

Invi then stood over the prone canine and snapped, reestablishing a psychic link over him. The Victini wiped his forehead. "Nice try, Ruby, but I won't let you go that easily. Like it or not, you're helpless."

Rubrum groaned, his body once more incapacitated. A mixture of rage, frustration, and sadness brewed within his chest. He wanted to yell, to lunge at Invi, to tear him apart. But only a whine fell from his lips. Invi was right. He was powerless.

Cum flowed like a faucet from the Asher's ass as he, too, slumped over. The two exhausted Pokémon laid side by side as their breathing steadied. Invi hovered over them with a smug grin.

"You two did such a good job," Invi teased. Cum leaked from his still-erect cock. "Such wonderful toys... you've earned a break, both of you. Now, let's see what your friends can do, hm? Perhaps they'll even outdo you."

Invi then turned on his heels and sauntered toward Maestro and Fey, who sat idly to the side. Another snap, and both of their mouths were ungagged.

"Did you two enjoy the show?" Invi asked. "I was kind enough to give you front-row seats, after all. Although... perhaps you'd be better as the stars."

Maestro's face was contorted with disgust. He glanced at Rubrum's body, prone on the ground, unmoving. Irrepressible rage curdled in Maestro's chest. His arms twitched.

Fey shivered, his eyes pleading. "W-we haven't done anything to you," he said. "I don't understand why you're doing this."

Impatience flashed across Invi's face. "I've already told you," he barked. "I hate you because you exist. I don't need another reason."

Silence. Neither Fey nor Maestro responded. Fey stared dejectedly at the ground, while Maestro stared at Invi in silence.

"No response?" Invi asked. He seemed genuinely surprised. "I thought there'd be more fight in you two. Especially you, Maestro. I dug through your memories, and... well, you seemed feistier."

Still no response. Maestro's breathing was steady, his brow furrowed, a deep frown on his face. Invi could sense his anger.

The Victini cleared his throat. "Maestro... you're boring me. I'm scanning your mind, and I sense nothing but... anger." He shrugged. "I suppose it doesn't matter. You'll make a great toy in any case."

"Not going to give me rein of my body? You know, humiliate me?" Maestro spat.

The question made Invi laugh. "Of course not," he mocked. "You'd just try and kill me. I can trust Ruby to cooperate. But you? No, no...Dark types never cooperate."

Invi raised his small paw in the air and snapped, prompting Fey to bend down in front of Maestro's groin. The Victini then trotted to Maestro's side, lightly touching the feline's cheek, speaking into his ear.

Invi said, "I want you to know, Maestro... I am going to especially enjoy destroying you. It's... nothing personal, of course. But Pokémon like you - headstrong, excitable, sly - you're never quite content with what you have. You should've remained in the study hall." He then glanced away, as if lost in thought. "If only I could play with you somewhere better. This room brings back... bad memories for me."

A pause. Maestro cleared his throat.

Maestro said, "Invi... can I ask you something?"

The Victini's face lit up. He was clearly excited to talk about himself. "Yes?" he asked.

"Please... face me. I want to see your face."

As asked, Invi calmly rounded Maestro's body. The pair locked eyes.

"What's your question?"

A pause. Maestro mustered a tired smile. Then, before Invi could react, the feline mustered a glob of spit in his mouth and flung it between Invi's eyes. The Victini recoiled, grunting and wiping the sticky mess off of his face.

"My question is... can you go fuck yourself?"

Invi shook with rage, his face contorted, his fists clenched. "You'll suffer for that," he barked, and snapped. Maestro and Fey's bodies convulsed, shocked by wave after wave of corrosive psychic energy. Like being electrified, they felt their central nervous systems fry, then their arms and legs.

Maestro roared in pain. His mind was flayed, his barriers removed. He could feel Invi digging as deeply as he could into his memories, searching through his childhood, his time at the Academy... then, a sudden halt. Invi had found what he wanted.

"You promised to pound Fey's ass," Invi said. His voice was grave, furious. "Let's see how much you enjoy doing so under duress."

And so Maestro's arms moved on their own, harshly gripping Fey's haunches. The canine's exposed asshole quivered under Maestro's gaze, his tail wagging in the air. His flat tongue lolled from his maw. It was obvious - Fey's mind had been emptied by Invi's psychic attack.

But to Maestro's surprise, he himself remained lucid. His head hurt, his body was out of his control... but his thoughts remained unclouded. A spark of hope kindled in Maestro's tummy. His Dark typing had resisted Invi's attacks.

And better yet, Maestro was turned on by Invi's dominance. This arousal worked to his advantage; he could feel Invi's psychic tendrils periodically poking around his wracked consciousness, searching through the fog of his lust for any remaining cohesive thought, a crack in his protective walls. If Maestro could only misdirect the psychic's focus for long enough, he might be able to think of an escape plan...

Maestro sighed. His shoulders slouched. He knew what he had to do.

The feline released all tension in his body, offering no resistance, and wholly followed Invi's commands. Lust burned like a flame within his chest. His paws moved to his cock, stroking along its length, readying it for entry.

"Seems like you've learned your place," Invi mocked. He smiled smugly. "Don't mess up now, kitty. Keep going."

Fey's canid cock peeked from beneath his snow-white sheath as Maestro pressed his groin against his entrance. Moans then filled the air as the tip of Maestro's tapered dick forced its way inside Fey, stretching him wide.

"Good. Good..." Invi stood to the side, idly stroking himself. "I think I've had enough time to recover now. I can see you're desperate, but don't worry - I'll give you the opportunity to make me cum before the end of this, kitty. Consider it an apology for your disobedience."

Maestro didn't respond. He simply allowed Invi to take control.

And so, Maestro's hips soon thrusted fervently against Fey's warm insides. Maestro was reminded of the tens of times he had done this before; the stretch of Fey's ass, the contractions of the canine's flesh, the oh-so familiar moans of a classmate desperate for his touch.

The feline felt his claws unsheathe, and once more he did not resist. He wanted to keep Invi complacent, to feign submission. And so his claws raked across Fey's back, creating red striations across his white fur. The pain made Fey clench his ass on Maestro's cock, massaging the feline's glans. Maestro grunted, his small tail tucked downward.

Invi chuckled. "Maestro... frankly, I'm disappointed in you. You've given up so easily. I really expected more of a fight out of such a proud Pokémon." He smacked his lips. "I'll still have fun with you, though. Don't you worry."

Maestro didn't respond. He instead threw his head back and let loose a groan, grasping desperately at Fey's flanks. His cock entered the canine up to its hilt and twitched against Fey's prostate, causing the boy to shake. Maestro could feel Fey's balls churn and twitch, clear precum leaking from his knotted penis onto the linoleum.

The feline then yelped as a sudden pressure stimulated his backside. He turned to see Invi placing his paw against Maestro's entrance. The small Pokémon hungrily gazed at Maestro's hole, his warm breath falling onto the Meowscarada's fur.

"You look positively delicious," Invi breathed. "I suppose that if you've given up, I should just have my way with you. You don't mind, hm?"

The sensation caught Maestro off-guard. He attempted to hide it, but a small burst of anger bubbled through his veneer of complacency. Invi smiled.

"Aww! Was that a little anger I felt?" Invi guffawed. "So you do have a little fight left in you. That's good - otherwise this would be too boring. Don't worry, kitty. I'll work it all out."

The Victini then spread Maestro's ass wide, gingerly licking along the outside of the feline's quivering asshole. Maestro's spine arched. A moan fell from his lips. He could feel spurts of lust leaking into Fey's ass, his thrusts intensifying.

Invi teased, "Don't get too excited yet, kitty. You're not allowed to cum until I say." He then pushed his small tongue inside Maestro, running it along the feline's walls. Invi soon found his entire muzzle inside Meastro's hole, allowing him greater reach. He ran himself over Maestro's throbbing prostate, the undulations of his warm insides.

Fuck, Maestro felt amazing. Invi's lapping was desperate, feral. It took conscious effort to not lapse his psychic control. The smell of Maestro's musk, his sweat, his matted fur... it was intoxicating. He released stifled moans into the feline's hole, releasing himself only for brief breaths, only to dive back inside. His tongue burned, his neck hurt, but it didn't matter. Maestro's pucker was too alluring, too delicious, to let go for even a moment.

Groans poured from Maestro's mouth as he felt himself violated by the tiny Pokémon. Invi's hot breath warmed Maestro's flesh, spilled over his perineum, saliva leaking from his prone asshole. The thought of being so degraded, yet so desired, made Maestro's head spin.

"F-fuck!"

Maestro felt himself continually overstimulated, rocking back and forth between Fey's ass and Invi's tongue. The feline's package slapped against Fey's soft testicles faster and faster, his abdomen tensing, his breaths unsteady. Invi's voice arose from behind him; calm, smooth.

"That's it, kitty. Cum for your master. Now."

Maestro couldn't resist. His hips moved on their own, plunging his cock deep inside the Sylveon's pucker. At the same time, Invi stuck his tongue inside Maestro's ass and writhed against the feline's prostate. Invi was instantly struck by the violent contractions of Maestro's insides, hugged tightly by the feline's hot flesh. Maestro then let out a mighty roar, digging his claws into Fey's flank, and froze as his cock flared. Uncontrollably, fiercely, waves of his cum erupted from his throbbing cock into Fey's little ass.

The sudden warmth of Maestro's seed cut through Fey's daze, causing his pleasure to mount. He could feel Maestro's glans twitching against his flesh, rubbing on his prostate. Fey's entire body twitched with pleasure.

Fey then let loose an absent wail as his asshole pursed against Maestro's dick. Strings of Maestro's seed exploded from his puckered hole and splotched onto the feline's fur. Messy tendrils stretched between Maestro's groin and Fey's backside.

Fey's knot then inflated, his legs failed, his breathing halted. Long, sticky ropes of cum violently shot from his quivering cock and formed a small puddle between his paws. The canine then slid off of Maestro's cock, exhausted, and flopped to the side with a soft thump. His breathing was loud, deep.

And so Maestro stood, bare, lust leaking from his erect cock. There was a moment of silence before Invi rounded to Maestro's front, looking the feline in the eyes.

"You did well," Invi said. "Very well. You're going to make such a wonderful toy for me. I know it." The Victini's paw then slipped downward to his groin. "I'm going to mark you with my seed now, kitty. Do me a favor... kneel."

Maestro followed Invi's instructions, falling to his knees and looking upward at Invi's package. His mouth was agape, his eyes clouded, deep groans emanating from his lips.

The sight made Invi's cock quiver in his paw. He rubbed along the shaft of his little prick, looking down at the prone feline, biting his lip, breathing heavily.

"That's it. That look you're giving me - that submissive look... it turns me on," Invi breathed. "Fuck, you're such an adorable toy. Beg for my cum, kitty."

Maestro pouted, as if begging for food. "Please, master. Please... I need your cum. Cum on my face, please!"

Invi snarled, "How much do you need it?"

"So much! I need it more than anything!"

Invi moaned. His stroking quickened, his hips bucked, his balls contracted. "That's it, kitty! I'm gonna cum!"

The Victini squealed. Another small load of warm cum then erupted onto Maestro's face, coating his green mask in milky white seed. It created streaks on his fur and dribbled along his chin.

Invi threw his head back, grinning smugly as the last of his seed dripped onto Maestro's fur. For a moment, Invi's psychic link waned.

"A-ah, fuck. You did so good, kitty. You look so cute covered in my cum. Good boy-"

Then, silence. Eerie silence. Like a blackout. Adrenaline mixed with dopamine mixed with blood. Invi couldn't quite remember what happened. But he did know this - in only a moment, the world was turned on its head.

It took a moment for Invi to realize that he had been flung backwards. It took another for him to feel the pain of his bruised jaw, the impact of his head on the hard floor. A voice called out from the side.

"Maestro!"

Another blow met Invi's skull. And another, and another, and another. One on his jaw, one on his cheek, one on his eye. Frantic punches along his entire body, his small body pummeled into a paste-

"Maestro! Hey!"

The Meowscarada didn't stop. His claws raked across Invi's chest and face and legs and arms. His fists were red and he kept punching the Victini's face again and again and again-

"Maestro, stop! You're gonna kill him!"

The feline snapped his head backward. A roar exploded from his chest.

"He won't get away with this!"

Maestro then raised his paw in the air, attempting to land another blow, but his arm was held still. From beyond Invi's clouded vision, distended paws tore the struggling feline away. Invi could see Maestro's claws flailing uselessly in the air - Asher, Rubrum. They were holding him back.

"No, no! Let me go! He's going to control us again!"

Rubrum's voice was stern, matter-of-fact. "Maestro, look at him." A pause. "He's... done. I don't think he has the strength anymore."

Silence. Heavy breathing. Shuffling as Maestro walked to the vault door at the room's front. Invi felt blood trickle from his lips.

"The door is open again," Maestro called. "I'll keep it open until we leave."

"Good," Rubrum said. He picked his glasses off of the floor, placing them on his head. They sat crooked on his face. He sighed.

"Wh-what're we gonna do now?" Fey whined. Tears welled in his eyes. "W-we just... we just..."

"If the Board finds out about this, we're dead," Asher said.

Maestro yelled, "So what? The fucker attacked us. He deserves to die here. I say we just end it here and now."

"We can't just kill him," Asher replied.

"Can and will," Maestro shot back. "He's going to go crying to the Board after this. We need to protect ourselves-"

"All of you, stop it. Now," Rubrum barked. "I have a solution. But I need you to trust me."

Silence. Tension filled the air.

Invi couldn't move. He stared at the ceiling, coughed. Anxiety curdled in his stomach. Footsteps echoed off of the walls, coming closer, closer, until Rubrum's imposing figure hovered over the mythical Pokémon. Rubrum's silhouette was surrounded by the light of the ceiling, like a halo.

"Invi. Can you hear me?"

The Victini nodded.

"Good." Rubrum sighed. "Invi, my friends here want to hurt you. But I don't want that."

Invi was silent. He simply stared.

"Invi, I've known the Board for a long time. So I know what Academy security forces are allowed to do. I also know what happens to those who go against the Board's wishes. Do... you see where I'm going with this?"

Still no response.

"All members of the Academy security detail are strictly prohibited from using psychosexual forces on intruders... no matter what the situation is. You understand?"

Tears fell from Invi's eyes. He nodded slowly.

Rubrum continued, "I don't want to have to tell the Board what happened here. How you broke protocol, that is. And it would be terrible if all of us were banished to the Intermediary Zone together, hm? That place is... lawless."

Invi tried to speak, but couldn't. His vision swam. He had seen countless guards banished, but had never imagined he would be in the same position. Gone, disappeared into the Intermediary Zone. A lush, green expanse, populated with feral monsters - it made him squirm.

"I also understand you may have some Pokémon out there with grudges against you. Some of whom your powers will mean nothing against. I think it would be better if you and I looked out for each other. That is... if neither of us talked to the Board about this. That way, none of us have to be punished. Do you agree?"

Invi nodded. A quiet sob fell from his lips.

Rubrum smiled. Lights danced around his silhouette. "Good," he said. "I'm glad we see eye-to-eye on this." And he disappeared from Invi's sight.

"Let's go," Rubrum said.

"Are you sure he'll cooperate?" Maestro said.

An exhausted chuckle. "A guy like him? Board security detail?" Rubrum asked. "He's got enemies. I'm sure he will want to avoid them. If nothing else, I'll trust a coward like him to work toward his own self-interest."

"As much as I hate to leave things to chance, I agree," Asher said. "Also, we need to get out of here. Now. We don't know if anyone else patrols this place."

Maestro's voice was tense. "Fine. Let's go."

Then, nothing. No more words were spoken. Quiet shuffling as the four researchers exited the room.

And so Invi laid. He could feel his chest jolt with every breath, his jaw throbbing with pain. Any attempt at movement was met with a wince. He didn't want to pass out, fearing he might not wake up again. Words left his lips, intended for no one in particular.

"I'm sorry."

The sound of a door slamming shut was the last thing he heard. He slumped to the side, unconscious under the bright fluorescents.