Trot finally made it to the room where Sev was holding his meeting. From what he was told, the snake had gathered all his Generals for this. Understandable since Zebrica was once again at war, and with Sev’s army making up half of the nation's forces, having all the Generals present was necessary.
The guards who were at the door acknowledged him and made way for the King, he then knocked on the door.
“Come in!” said Sev from the inside.
Trot opened the door and walked inside to the sight of all the Pokemon gathered there.
“Ah Trot, you made it just in time! We were just beginning to discuss my brilliant plan!”
“Oh, and just what kind of brilliant plan is this?” Trot said as he took a seat next to Sev.
“We are going to summon a servant to fight for us. For Zebrica!”
“Oh, you’re committed to that plan?” Trot said sarcastically.
“I am committed to everything! My plans, my women, my need for speed, my women!”
“You said women twice.”
“That just shows I am twice as committed!”
Trot just raised a brow.
“But enough about my women! We need to summon a servant so that we can even the odds against these invaders from the Lostbelt!”
“And how do you plan to do that? All the Ley Lines in Zebrica are destroyed. And if from what we heard is true, you need those things in order to call a servant.”
“Ah but you forget, there is a servant here in Zebrica who was summoned despite no ley line. That Ozymandias person! All we have to do is ask him and he’ll tell us how to do it!”
As soon as ‘his’ name was brought up, Trot’s mood took a 180.
“No.”
“Great so lets-...come again?”
“No, we will not be talking to or associating ourselves with that egotistical usurper!”
“Trot?”
It was at this point that Gard spoke up.
“Your majesty, I know Sev’s plans can be unconventional, but they have worked well in the past….most of the time.”
“Don’t get me wrong I understand and can even see the logic and merit in Sev’s plan, but anything that has to do with that Servant who claims to be Zebrica’s rightful ruler is out of the question!”
Trot put his hooves on the table in an assertive manner.
“I have spoken. I would literally like to discuss anything else.”
There was a moment of silence. Sev looked like he wanted to protest, but the look in Trot’s eye says he was not in the mood. He decided to table the discussion for another time.
“Alright, if we cannot talk about my amazing plan. Then I guess we can discuss how we might find other ways to fight this army. Any ideas?”
“So far they have occupied Tortuga and the surrounding area,” General Ag said. “They have not made any movements yet, but if they wanted to advance on the capital. They would have to go eastward. I suggest we send a vanguard to keep them at bay for now.”
“Agreed,” Trot said. “Any time we can buy is good.
“Given that our army is still weak and reduced from our last war, Is there any way we might be able to contact other nations for aid?”
Trot had to ramble his mind for a second. After all aid from other nations was always a topic that was rarely discussed.
Before his ascension to the throne, Zebrica was always an isolationist nation. Not needing help or playing politics with anyone else. That slowly changed when Celestia befriended his mother, but there was always pushback from the other closed-minded tribe leaders.
During the Civil War, when all the tribes began taking sides. Trot tried to ask for aid at the time but to no avail.
Due to not having any relationships with most other nations, none of them had the care to send aid to a nation that was currently in an internal power struggle. Not to mention the other nations were still trying to adjust to integrating Pokemon into their society after the World Summit. Which meant none of them were in the best state to send aid anyway.
Granted the situation was different now than it was before. With the current threat posing a danger to not just Zebrica, but the world. So one would expect things to be different.
So far, there were only two nations that he would consider to be on good terms with, Equestria and the Changeling Empire, due to his friendships with the ruling families of those nations.
So far he had only reached out to Celestia, but had yet to hear a word from her. And as for the Changeling Empire, well….they were dealing with their own problems. Namely the fact that Queen Chrysalis, his (one-sided) crush had escaped from her prison. Emperor Carapace had informed only the world leaders of this incident, which they all agreed to keep under wraps for the time being. After all, everyone had enough problems on their plate already.
So as of right now, allies were out of the question.
“I don’t think so, the other nations are busy with their own servant problems. And I haven't heard back from Celestia ever since I sent her a letter for help. Which worries me since her replies are rather quick.”
“What if we were to ask the Legendary Council for aid?” General Char said. “Surely Arceus would be willing to lend his most loyal supporters one of his family members for help.”
Now it was Sev’s turn to wrack his brain. Ever since he found out that Arceus didn’t even know who he was, until the World Summit, his faith in his creator god had plummeted. Which was one of the reasons he had switched his patron deity to Princess Luna, the one who actually helped him when he needed it.
Still, given the power of the Legendary Pokemon, it would not hurt to ask.
“I shall see what I can do. I may not like Arceus anymore, but he would be foolish to not send us any help considering what’s at stake.”
“Alright, aside from allies, what else can we do?” Ag said.
“I suggest we evacuate the towns and cities closest to Tortuga,” Sev said. “In all likelihood, they will be in the path of destruction the humans will inevitably create when they begin to attack the rest of the kingdom.”
“Good call, Trot said. In the meantime, let’s get the army in full swing. I must also address the nation…something I’m not looking forward to.”
“They already just got out of one war, now it's back into the frying pan.”
“Alright, any other ideas?” Sev looked around.” No? Then this meeting is adjured!”
Everyone began to file out, but Sev called out to stop Trot.
“Trot, I must ask you something.”
“What?”
“Part of me is telling me I should not pry, but why are you so against the idea of us going to that Ozymandias servant for aid?”
Trot gave him a look as if he just wanted to walk out the door and not say another word. But since they were alone now, he felt comfortable enough to share his insecurities.
“Sev, has anyone ever tried to usurp you from your command?”
The Pokemon tapped his chin with his tail before saying, “No”.
“No? Not ever, nobody was fed up with you so much that they decided they should be the one in charge?”
“No…well, I think there was that one group who defected to form their own team. But aside from that, everyone loves me! No one has ever attempted high treason in my PLA!”
Trot at first found that hard to believe, but the more had gotten to know Sev, the more he realized that the snake possessed something he sorely lacked.
Charisma, it was practically brimming from him. It was the only explanation as to why an entire army of Pokemon stuck with him for so long despite his mind not being the most sane.
“Well, then I can’t expect you to understand how I feel.”
“Still, you can tell me what’s bothering you. We are friends after all.”
Friends, another thing he was short in supply of.
Still, Celestia taught him that friendship is magic. And Celestia was never wrong.
“To be honest Sev, I feel intimidated, not to mention inadequate.”
“Intimidated? But that Servant?”
“Yes, I mean have you seen that guy!? Not only is he super powerful, but I bet he’s got a bigger ego than you.”
“That's ridiculous! No one had a bigger ego than me!”
Trot just deadpanned “At least he admits it”
“But forget about me, what is he to you? You are the leader of a mighty nation! A king whom all adore and listen to.”
“Sev, I don’t know if you have paid attention for the last year, but I am not any of those things!” Trot started to raise his voice. “I’m not even a decade into my rule and already I have been through a Civil War.”
“One that was started because of a few traitors.”
“Sev, internal conflicts don’t ever happen unless not everyone is happy with the status quo, or who is in charge. If everyone adores me like you claim, they would not have followed those quote ‘Few traitors’. And a mighty nation? Zebrica might as well be a third-world country with how weak and unstable it is.”
Trot hung his head
“I just….I feel like…”
“You're unworthy.”
Trot looked up at Sev who had a firm look on his face.
“That’s what’s been bothering you? You feel weak and inferior compared to everyone else.”
Trot said nothing, because Sev was saying exactly what he was thinking.
“Fool!”
The Zebra King was taken aback by Sev’s outburst.
“If you were weak and inferior, you would not be standing here today. A weakling could not have done what you have, much less survive it all!”
Sev closed the gap between them and stared right into his eyes.
“The Trot I know would not be having a pity party just because some human came along who thinks he is better than you! Cause if that Trot is gone-”
Sev then slithered past him until he was at the door, before turning his head and saying.
“-Then we have already lost.”
Trot was then alone in the room, with nothing but his thoughts and the words Sev said to him.