The Golden Throne

Chapter 24: Skywatch

There was a short rap on the door.

"Hilbert! Hilbert, wake up!" a sweet feminine voice called out.

"Mum..." Hilbert groaned in his bed. "Ugh, leave me alone!" he grumbled as he buried his face into his pillow.

"I am not your mum!" Hilda yelled.

"Gah!" Hilbert jolted up in shock, and fell down from his bed, followed by a dull thud.

"What happened in there? Are you alright?" Hilda asked. 

"Fine," Hilbert mumbled.

"Just get out of your room! There's something in the paper today you have to see."

Ugh.... Hilbert groaned, rubbing his backside. He yawned deeply and opened his eyes just a little bit. Taillows could be heard chirping outside. Golden rays of sunlight poured into his messy room. He looked at the time. It was only 7 a.m. What on earth does Hilda want me to see this early? Hilbert mumbled in annoyance. He closed his eyes and let his head rest against the side of his bed. Maybe if I rest my eyes for just five minutes--

"Hilbert!"

"C-Coming!" Hilbert jolted up again.

After quickly brushing his teeth and washing his face, Hilbert went downstairs where Hilda was waiting for him. They were back in the home the Emperor provided for Hilbert. Hilda was seated outside on the veranda, with a newspaper in hand. Hilbert stepped outside to the veranda and stretched his arms. Maybe it wasn't such a bad thing that Hilda woke him up early. The view was beautiful at this hour. The sun had just risen and was casting its rays across the valleys before Errion. He glanced at Skywatch, the city atop the mountain far in the distance. He bet that the people living up there had the best view of all.

"Good morning sleepy head. Look at this," Hilda pointed at the headline of today's front page.

"GIRL, 13, ATTACKS RANDOM CITIZENS OF SKYWATCH WITH HER POKEMON, HURTING 4 PEOPLE AND FATALLY WOUNDING 1 CHILD. THE ZAFF ARE SUSPECTED TO BE BEHIND THIS."

"This is serious," Hilbert snatched the newspaper and read it more thoroughly. 

SKYWATCH: A young girl late last night sent out her Arbok and instructed it to attack a passerby named Mr Jonathan at Hopip Street. Mr Jonathan was attacked despite telling the girl over and over that he was not a trainer. It was at this point that others at the scene knew that something was amiss. A few brave men and women(Mostly non-trainers) intervened. She was apprehended by city guards shortly after, but by then, five civilians, including a child, have already been hurt. Investigations on the girl's background revealed that she was a runaway from Philoria City and that the Arbok did not belong to her. Stranger still was the fact that she did not posses a trainer card, which indicates that the Arbok may have been provided to her. Rumours are beginning to circulate that the girl was brainwashed by the Zaff and is possibly mentally impaired. When asked about this, Lord Lucius refused to make a comment, only stating that the Zaff are suspected, but nothing beyond that.

Hilbert placed the newspaper onto the table and looked at Skywatch. It looked so peaceful from here. And now the Zaff was targeting it? What could be so important to drive a group to cause so much chaos? Hilbert wondered. "Let's go see the Emperor." He looked at Hilda.

Hilda's mouth twisted into a grin, "Way ahead of you. Brave, come here!" Brave the Braviary stopped playing with the Taillows up in a nearby tree and flew towards Hilda and Hilbert. "Take us to the palace please!"

***

"Your Majesty! Hilbert and Hilda requests an audience with you," a guard bowed before the Emperor.