Like No One Ever Was (Pokemon SI)

[Spearow]

now she knows he lost an arm, i wonder if she would offer to make a rotom arm prosthetic for him, her family is the number 1 rotom specialist in the world right now, right?

 

[Lillie Jones]

thanks for the chapter
The Journey continues
Cheers!

 

[Skyfyre]

now she knows he lost an arm, i wonder if she would offer to make a rotom arm prosthetic for him, her family is the number 1 rotom specialist in the world right now, right?

Click to shrink...

Probably not a rotom arm - having your arm controlled by a separate, sentient creature would probably be a bit disconcerting and difficult, even if the creature controlling it was quite helpful. That being said, they could help him with any material and equipment he would want to source for making a new arm.

 

[Skyfyre]

Spoiler: Patreons:

Thank you to my 58 Beginner Tier Patreons and an extra special thanks to RageLord, Nodal_Gravity, ExaltedRequiem, and HanShotFirst, my Ace Tier Patreons! Your suppot means so much to me.

"Cool ride, Professor, thanks for the lift!" Drayton shouted to the Professor atop the Brave Olivine, who was waving back cheerfully down. There wasn't exactly enough space for the ship to land amidst the tall, thin trees that made up the grove in Area Two of North Province. After dropping us off, the Professor and the crew had to head out to the League to get the mass of Tera Crystals secured to the ship for transit.

"Thank you, I'm looking forward to seeing you soon," I spoke less loudly than my friend, using Aura to carry my voice over the whirling propellers and up to Friede. Cap on his shoulder gave us a thumbs up, and they were off leaving us alone. Well, not quite alone.

"It's a pleasure to see you two again," Hassel said from behind us, clapping us on the shoulders. "Are you ready to face the dragon's den?"

"Yup. Isn't that a place in Johto?" Drayton droned while I asked sardonically.

"It's a figure of speech and the Blackthorns don't have a copyright on the name, not for lack of trying, mind you. Now, onward!"

The Dragon Guardian of the Elite Four led us through the sparse forest, his subtle presence warding off the powerful Scythers, Bisharps, Heracrosses, and even Ursarings (to only slight disappointment on my part - I shouldn't be catching more Pokemon anyways, I still have Anya to train up!). As we went, I said, "Thank you again for helping us meet them, I know I sprung this on you. And do you think they'll be alright with Drayton coming along? I know he's part of a Dragon Tamer Clan too, but…"

"It is no trouble. I know young Drayton from the connection between our clans. While he's never- while I don't believe he's ever been in-person, They'll respect his lineage." After a beat he added, "And if not, he has Dragons of his own to fight off any challenger.

My friend groaned at the idea of more work, but I saw the way his hands twitched to the Pokeballs at his side and the glint to his eyes. For all that he can be a slacker, he's got that drive to win, to dominate, that most Dragons have.

Hassel walked us through the clearing, and I noted how he eyed the land, drinking it in and comparing it to his memories, looking for any slight changes, like how he stopped for a second at a tree stump before carrying on. I didn't miss the slip up earlier either. My teacher really has been locked out of any information going on from his old tribe.

We continued, and for a moment I thought I saw a small beige-grey Pokemon practicing at the base of the falls, but when I blinked they were gone. Must have been nothing, I thought when my companions didn't say anything, and soon Hassel led us past the roaring falls, to a small crack in the base of the large stone pillars that towered over the remote valley.

"Through that crevasse, you'll find my clan. I wish you the best of luck and- well, the best of luck." There was something else, unspoken, on his face, for just a second. Everyone he knew growing up lays just beyond that passway. Friends… and family. I imagine there are all sorts of things he wishes to say to them, that he didn't get the chance to before, or hadn't thought hard enough but spent sleepless nights wondering ever since, or just the fact that his own view has changed and evolved since leaving and that might mean he views things differently now. But it's not enough to get him to come back to the clan, and in that case, any other message he could pass along would be skirting his banishment. He's here as a member of the League to direct a Champion with an official request to the Dragon Tamer Clan, that's it.

Giving him a sad smile, I nodded, and with Drayton we marched through the dark passage. It was a little small, and I imagined that for adults it was probably quite cramped. I wonder if they have another way in and out? It wouldn't surprise me.

It didn't take long before we were on the other side, and what greeted us were a pair of guards. They wore segmented armor and were even carrying bone spears, holding them to the sides to bar our path past the gate place right in front of the opening. "Halt! Who dares to enter the hidden village of Dragons?" The guard to the left asked.

Very nice. Quite rehearsed and a little forced, but a nice show. I wonder if they would have dressed up like that and done all this if the League hadn't already warned them of my arrival? "I am Nemona Glitterati, Champion ranked Trainer of Paldea. This is my comrade, Drayton. We seek an audience with your chief," I said, playing along.

The other guard spoke up as they both pulled their spears back. "Your arrival has been expected. Enter with care, and do not rouse the Dragon's wrath." Doing my best not to roll my eyes or giggle at the show of it all, I nodded and stepped through the gateway.

It opened up to a small valley, nestled within the pillars of black stone jutting up all around, like small mountains if Glaseado nearby didn't dwarf them to the point of making the comparison ridiculous. Sunlight streamed down, illuminating the rustic village.

There were wooden houses, and even a few tents on the outskirts, with some of the same tall thin trees outside the enclosure growing here too. Near the center of the village was a very large, three story building that served as a central hub and likely the place of residence of Hassel's father. Despite the old timey trappings, there were some signs of more advanced developments, like some mostly concealed wires to give running electricity throughout the town and some manhole covers painted to blend in with the stone ground indicating a sewage system.

The people took note of us as we entered, but with no alarm raised and no suspicious behavior on our parts, they just whispered, wondering about us. Or at least the adults are. I saw some kids running carefree, chasing after a Dratini and being chased by a Gible. Off in the distance, I could see some Dragons gathered in the fields and some huts on the outskirts of town. They even have a small pool for Dragons that prefer the water, like Skrelp, and a cave up and on the side of the rocks. Must be a great place for Bagons, Noibats, and Deinos.

We made our way straight to the center of the village, seeking out the chieftain, and there we found him. Hassel's father, Dominic, stood with his arms crossed in front of the largest building. It was obvious his relation, with his bright blonde hair and his yellow eyes. Where my teacher had well combed hair and bright eyes, Dominic's hair was wild, his eyes hard (a fact only accentuated by the long scar running over one of them). This was a grizzled man with an intimidating appearance. Physically, at least. My Aura sense has improved and when Hassel is upset by me screwing around or the like, I can feel that fight or flight instinct kick in far greater. Dominic seems just… lesser, somehow.

I wasn't so gauche as to immediately say that to his face however, instead bowing slightly as we approached him. "Nemona Glitterati," the man said slowly, his voice deep. "One of Paldea's newest 'champions.' What brings you to intrude upon the domain of the most ancient and noble first people of Paldea?"

First impressions weren't always everything, but they tended to tell you a lot about a person… especially when they had a runner from the gates and had likely already received a request from the League for this meeting (however much they might pretend and have the trappings of an ancient civilization, they had phones and computers here). My first impression is that this guy is a complete bag of dicks.

For his opening move, he had acted dismissive of my position and placed his own small group on a pedestal, all while neatly avoiding any mention of his son. It was almost impressive and I wondered if people like him practiced to be such jerks or if it just came naturally. Still, diplomacy hasn't failed yet. The reveal of what they could gain, at pretty much no cost to himself, should turn things around.

"I'm here to ask the Dragon Tamer Clan's permission in recruiting some of Paldea's Dragons in an experiment to help unlock potential long since lost. May we speak inside?"

"No." He refused me bluntly, shocking me a bit. "You will air your request out in the open, for all of my people to hear." The few curious people who had gathered before were now riveted, with more drawing around the village square with every moment. It left me off-balance. Is this part of their culture that I didn't know about? Or is this just a way for Dominic to try and humiliate me in front of his clan.

I persisted, trying my best to present a strong, yet polite front. "Goomys were noted to have once grown shells, evolving into a Steel and Dragon Type-"

"Not by any history of this land! We have carried the history of Paldea through our stories before the land was even called that, do not presume to know more than us." Dominic interrupted and I fought to keep a frown off my face.

"Of Paldea, I would not make such a claim. I'm talking of Sinnoh's past, when it was called Hisui. Goomys there could gain the Steel Typing upon evolving."

Drayton piped up here. "Gotta say, big fan of that combo. Be real interesting to see if we could get a second Dragon line with that Typing." that set off a flurry of mutterings among the clan. Steel is one of the best Typings to pair with several other Types, Dragon being one of them. It eliminates all of Dragon's normal weaknesses, adds more resistances, and with Dragons able to handle the heat, only adds two new Weaknesses.

I barely bit my tongue to avoid pointing out it would be a third 'line' though, when I realized that Dialga, probably wasn't considered as an appropriate Pokemon most people would have access to.

I continued. "While there are none known left in Sinnoh and the landscape has changed over the years, I've studied the environmental conditions there and believe we could recreate them in Blueberry Academy. If we could take some Goomys to live there for a time," I could already see the dark looks on some of their faces, so I hurried my explanation. "We could see if this new kind of Dragon could be rediscovered. And of course, an equal number of Goomys would be returned to Paldea at the end of the experiment."

Dominic held a hand up to forestall the discouragement from his people (and I noted hearing Mera's voice the loudest from that bunch). "How many would you need to take from us? How long would they stray from this land?"

"Thirty would be ideal. I believe that many could be returned within five years time, through eggs and those who wish to return. There are Goomy living on the Eastern coast of Paldea, near the marshlands should provide a reasonable place to find some willing to join me on this trip, as well as by the hills near Casseroya Lake. All I would need is your permission."

Dominic mused it over for a minute. "And you will not have it. Thirty Dragons to be taken from Paldea? Oh and you might breed a few more, but in the time they'd been gone, there would have been sixty or more here had they just stayed put, weakening our delicate ecosystem. I see no reason to support this."

"Thirty would be more beneficial, but I see your point. Twenty then would be far tighter but-"

"Still too many."

"Fifteen, and I'd be happy to have some of your clan help me and make sure the ecosystem isn't damaged by my efforts-"

"No."

"One," I finally said, glaring up at him.

He marched over, looming above me and with a sneer said: "No." This earned a few cheers from the crowd, but also a few frowns. I noted who the ones frowning were as he continued. "I do not bow to the whims of some child. Why should I let you get even a single Dragon?"

"I already have a Dragon, and Bahamut is stronger than any one you have." His nostril flared and he raised a hand - for what purpose I didn't know, only for our stand off to be interrupted. Clayton broke out from the crowd, marching up to us.

"Nemona, it is good to see you again!" He declared loudly. "You must be tired from your travels here, and we haven't offered you any food or drink yet." There was a meaningful glance at his chief, and Dominic turned away, waving a hand in mine and Drayton's general direction. A couple of adults escorted us to an open fire in the town, and food was quickly gathered and put in a pot to roast around it.

Some of the children came up, asking us about what it was like outside and my Pokemon. I released Bahamut, giving them the chance to 'ooh' and 'awe' over my Shiny Dragon, but then they started crowding in with a machine gun fire of questions.

"How did you train him to be so strong?"

"Will my Axew look like him when she's grown up?"

"I want a Haxorus too! I'm gonna get one when I get a Pokemon."

"Are you really a Champion?"

"How strong is a Champion?"

"I like your music!"

"Uhh, thanks," I told the girl who had made the last comment before a flurry of questions where asked ontop of what they'd already asked, leaving me a little lost on how to proceed, until Drayton saved me.

Swooping in, the toothpaste colored hair boy eagerly engaged them, getting along well with the kids. Is it because despite being fairly bright, he is actually a kid, unlike me? Or just his understanding of how these clans work? He seems to have a lot more energy here, but it might just be from being in a Dragon Tamer camp. There's an air to this place that's different from outside in a way that's hard to explain.

With that handled, I tried to win over the other clanspeople, explaining my plan in more details. Going over security features, expected length, results, and some of the specifics of the setup was tiring in it's own way, especially when I had to repeat the spiel several times to the different, small groups they were clumped in. Hopefully this will get them to listen and they can pressure Dominic into giving up on this stupid argument.

They would often ask how I got the idea and what the Goomys would look like, and I released Phantasm in way of explanation. With her illusions and my guidance, we were able to mock-up how a Hisuian Goodra would appear, and the display got quite a bit of attention, which is when I noticed Clayton strolling up, Dominic hanging back, the two of them having clearly had a disagreement of some kind or another.

"Good to see you again. Hadn't expected our paths would cross so soon," Clayton commented. He whistled lowly at the illusion. "Definitely a Goodra, but so different too. Is the goo supposed to be that color?" He pointed at the greyish purple goo 'dripping' off the fake Goodra. "Same with the eyes, not the usual green.

"Good eye," I said. Makes sense he'd know so much as an experienced Dragon Tamer. "As far as I'm aware, yeah, those are the correct colorations. A lot of this is recreating what was written down in old books; the first Pokedexes, really. But we'll likely be missing some details til we can create a true Hisuian Goodra."

"And ya think any Goodra can become one?" He asked and I paused.

"Ehh, any Goomy. Once they evolve to Sligoos, some of their 'potential,' for lack of a better word, gets locked in on that path. A non-Hisuian Goodra will likely have more endurance and be faster, not weighed down by that shell - possibly even have more ability to use the quick, lashing motions for moves like Power Whip. But then Hisuian Goodra will likely be tougher and able to take Shelter within their shell- ah, sorry about that," I said as I noticed his indulgent smile as I had started rambling. "I'm not trying to say that this will obsolete regular Goodras, just that this presents new opportunities."

I do honestly feel that by Type combination alone, Hisuian Goodra will be stronger on average. But that doesn't mean everything. Pokemon in this world can go far beyond their limits on a game screen, and the 'meta' for battling is quite different when anyone could potentially reach the greatest of heights with any Pokemon. Hmm, I should do a study into 'Potential' and how unevolved Pokemon that are trained very hard like Ash's Pikachu might tap into it while keeping their original forms. It would be a hard quantity to verify however, and I had other things to focus on at the moment, so I shelved it for later.

"I see," he said, slowly nodding. "It'd be a sight to see, if the two kinds of Goodra got to clash," he remarked wistfully.

"I know, right!" I cheered, my battle hungry brain already envisioning it. After a moment the smile fell off my face. "Unfortunately it doesn't look like that will be happening any time soon." Okay, realistically I have a backup plan in Kitakami, but no need to blab about that in Dominic's earshot lest he use it as an excuse to kick us out entirely.

"Perhaps you'll be able to convince him over a hot meal," Clayton offered, though he didn't sound optimistic. From a basic read of his Aura, I got the feeling he had more on his mind and was planning something, but I couldn't question him on it before he walked off, talking to Mera and some of the others I didn't recognize. Not long after that dinner was called. As we were heading over to the circle, Drayton pulled me to the side.

"You need a new strategy here. Had no clue this guy hated you this much; you could have warned me." The boy gave a long-suffering sigh.

"I've never met him before today. Besides, Not really sure what to do here," I hissed back. Clayton means well, but I think his goal is more in discrediting Dominic in front of the clan than helping us out. It was understandable, especially if his position and team were too weak to currently directly challenge the man. Now there's a thought…

"What are the odds Dominic would accept if I challenged him over this?" I asked. It feels kinda rude to just assume they solve things by duels, but on the other claw… Dragon Tamer clan.

Drayton said, "Ehhh," and winced slightly. "In most cases you'd be right; you tried being polite and got shot down; showing off your strength in a way they respect could do a lot of good. But this guy really has it out for you. No way he accepts an outsider challenging him."

"I see…" A plan began formulating in my mind. Hashing out a few details with Drayton quickly, we soon took our seats in the large circle formed around the pot of stew. Bowels were handed around with it, and this time the concoction made by the Dragon Tamer clan smelt good, and tasted even better. Ah, this is what they can make when not on the road for weeks. Much better.

Beside me, Dominic gulped his bowel down quickly, dropping the bowl on the grass in front of him. "So hasty," I commented between spoonfuls.

"I don't need to waste time." His blunt words were hardly subtle. Need to provoke him again, but how?

"Feels like you're missing out here. This is the opportunity of a lifetime." He snorted derisively.

"The chance for what? You to take our Dragons and then maybe give them back years later? Even if by some miracle you succeed, what would be the benefit for this land? The Goomys returned or brought here won't be changed."

That brought me to a stop for a moment, which I had by slurping up some stew. Surprisingly cogent point. "Very well, we can alter the deal to send a number of Hisuian Sliggoos equal to the number of Goomys you send. Might take a bit longer than a few years, but you'll get your due in time."

I wasn't honestly super happy with that deal, it would be much more annoying to deal with. But I also didn't expect him to accept it. "No." He surprised me with the reasoning, however. "Why would we trust you or anyone from the League after they stole our land."

"I- wait, is this about the League taking back that hunk of rock?" He nodded sharply and I ran a hand through my hair, sighing.

"Uhh, Nemona? What's this all about?" Drayton asked, looking a little lost.

"Right. Up over there," I pointed out at the direction of the Grand Cliff, even if it was blocked from sight by the stone encircling the village. "Is a large chunk of land. It's barren, inhospitable, and generally unused. When the League was first founded, that land was gifted to them, along with some small sections here," I explained.

"And then your League decided to snatch it up again without a word of warning at the end of the last summer!" Dominic snarled and I heard many sounds of agreement from the rest of his clan. Dammit, should have realized this would come back to bite me.

"Ouch, stealing a Dragon Clan's lands is not a great look…" Drayton began and I winced until he added: "Surprised you lot have put up with it so meekly, then." I swore I heard one of the clanspeople hiss at Drayton, riled up as they were by his words.

"Of course they aren't doing anything other than bitterly complaining; they weren't using that land for anything! That's why the League took it away!"

"You seem remarkably well informed of the situation," Dominic narrowed his eyes at me, suspicious. All that bluster was just to win over his people, he knows that I shouldn't actually be too involved with the League, and in most cases, for most of their current decisions, that would be true.

"I've talked to the Chairwoman and Elite Hassel about such things in preparation for this meeting. You haven't been particularly communicative about your thoughts on the matter." He let out an angry huff at that, as if it was unreasonable of me to expect him to deign to reach out to the League.

Steepling my hands together, I continued. "Still, I can see that is upsetting to you, so why don't I try to get the League to offer you some land nearby the marshes?"

"What?" He blinked, looking confused.

"The lands nearby the marshes are generally unpopulated. It would be easy to find a place for some of your clan, and unlike the Grand Cliff, there's a couple of Dragons in Dragalges and Goomys nearby." That earned a few interested and some event excited, whispers from the crowd.

Holding a fist up in the air, the chief silenced the clan. "And this deal is presumptive on us taking your offer?" Before I could answer, he continued. "Perhaps you have forgotten, but we are Dragons. We don't bow and scrape to Leagues or little girls just for a pittance of the worst land you can offer us, far from our ancestral homes."

"I thought all of Paldea was 'your ancestral home' before? Or is travelling around too much for the famed Dragon Tamer Clan?" He grit his teeth almost loudly enough to drown out the sound of mutterings his way. "Doesn't sound like everyone agrees with you." I pointed out and he snarled, rising to his feet.

"That doesn't matter - I am the leader here!" He caught himself as he saw my smirk and shook his head. "That is to say, I know what is best for the clan. You are a little girl with no experience. This would be and unconscionable risk-"

"I'd say I have plenty of experience," I interrupted releasing Notch. The Legendary Fairy Type smiled joyfully, twirling around through the air, eliciting awe and horror in equal measure from the Dragon Tamers. All of the Pokemon they had out would bare their fangs while still cowering from the innocuous diamond covered Pokemon.

"Get that thing away from us!" Dominic demanded, a slight quake to his voice. "Then leave this place; you are not welcome here!" Damn, didn't realize Notch would be that scary to them. Thought it would just be more impressive.

Drayton cut in. "That's a little harsh, don't you think? She was just trying to prove that she's done the impossible before." He snapped his fingers as if in realization. "Oh right, you don't have any Steel Types. Yeah, that would make Notch a pretty big threat to you, huh?"

"The Typing doesn't matter you idiotic brat!" Dominic snapped, and Drayton flashed me a grin that looked far too sharp.

"Kinda feels like it does. I know my clan would love this opportunity if Goomys were native to Unova."

"Then your clan is as foolish as you are." It was as if everyone sucked in a breath at once. That went waaaaay too far. Good. Hopefully we can end this now.

"Nah. I'm a bit of a slacker, but my clan? They work damn hard and are just as sharp. But if you're so keen to talk Buffolant dung, how bout we settle this with action." Despite how laidback he usually seemed, there was a cold determination behind his words that had the older man stiffening up.

"Now see here-"

"No, you've insulted me and my friend one too many times, so we're having a battle." None of the tribe members around were arguing or going to Dominic's defense. The older man gritted his teeth before marching out of the circle.

"Fine, it's been a while since I needed to teach the younger generation a lesson."

"Because that worked out so well the last time?" I shot sarcastically. He whirled back to face me, only to stop cold as he saw Notch, still floating beside me, their arms crossed. Without another word he continued away to a pit at the edge of the valley.

Drayton, the rest of the tribe, and I, followed. There was a ring of rocks laid out around the pit which none of the spectators stepped past but no barriers or technology to protect any Trainers (or audience members) standing on the outskirts. Hmm, I should make something portable to make official barriers like they have on League courts, for when you want to battle in the wild. Of course, even if I had something like that here, I doubt any of these people would accept it, for multiple reasons.

It was still something to think on, but I put that thought to the back of my mind as the Trainers squared off. "I'll make this quick, one on one," Dominic declared.

"Wow, what a joke," I muttered aloud, earning me a confused glance from Clayton. I explained, "One vee One only favors you if you have just one powerful Pokemon to use. It's the sign of an inexperienced Trainer, or at least one who's out of practice. I don't think he knows much about Drayton, but being so young, usually that would favor him, as young kids tend to only have one well-trained Pokemon."

To be fair, if that was all the threat Drayton posed then Dominic would hardly be that badly hurt by that ruleset for the match, but still. It all shows that he isn't taking this seriously. I saw Clayton nod, but also look up a little uncomfortably at Notch. Sighing, I recalled them to let Clayton and the others relax.

The signal was given, and the two battlers released their Pokemon. Drayton predictably released his Duraludon while Dominic, almost as predictably, released a Baxcalibur. The same Ace Pokemon his son had… but, at the same time, so much different.

While Dominic's Dragon gave off an impressive roar, I felt much less danger from that Pokemon than I did from Hassel's. Or even the Duraludon. I'd only seen Drayton's Starter a few times in action so far, and knew next to nothing about his foe, but something told me he was stronger.

That was put to the test immediately as the battle commenced. Baxcalibur was the first to rush in, sweeping in with a Breaking Swipe to steal the power from Duraludon's Dragon Claws, the tail strike pushing him back just far enough that his claws barely scratched the pseudo-Legendary.

Recognizing that Duraludon was slower, Drayton waited, giving a signal to his Pokemon. It was obviously missed or ignored by the chieftain, as Dominic had his Dragon rush in with an Ice Fang. The sharp teeth barely sunk in before the Steel Type exploded in a Steel Burst, that had his body shifting to make a number of spikes that jabbed into the foe and forced Baxcalibur to back off for a moment.

Drayton used that chance, calling for a "Laser Focus." Duraludon locked his sights onto his enemy, and Baxcalibur met it head on. Or rather, 'back on,' in this case.

"Glaive Rush!" Dominic called with an exaggerated wave of his hand (leaving no doubt as to where Hassel got at least some of his flair for the dramatic). His Pokemon turned around, sliding back blade first towards Duraludon, hitting him with a heavy 'clang.'

For a moment I thought about trying to let Drayton know about the weakness of that Move, but I didn't have to as Drayton ordered an immediate counter attack. "Before he can turn around, Flash Cannon!"

"What!?" Dominic cried out, unprepared for the sudden reversal. His Dragon was the same, having no time to defend himself against the Super Effective blow. Most Dragon Types wouldn't be able to weather such a powerful attack and strike back. But Duraludon's Steel Typing, naturally high physical defense, and Eviolite let him just shrug that off.

The battle continued, now with Dominic on the back foot. He tried to keep his distance, calling for Ice Beams and Blizzards. Drayton's Starter took those attacks worse than the Physical ones, but that was balanced by Baxcalibur clearly having far less skill with those. The return fire of Dragon Pulses and Flash Cannons hammered hard into the chief's Ace Pokemon.

"Pay close attention to Dominic," I said softly to Clayton standing beside me, keeping my eyes focused straight ahead on the battle. "Every flaw in his technique, what his strengths are… you've probably seen him fight before, but an outsider's fight can give you new ideas for what you need."

'To overthrow him' went unspoken, but from the grunt he gave, I figured it was understood. One day soon, hopefully. I'm already tired of this guy, can't imagine how hard it's been for Hassel.

When it came time to end it, Duraludon calling up a massive Draco Meteor barrage, I even heard some cheers from the others in the clan. It really is an incredible show, I thought as the purple flamed rocks smashed into Baxcalibur with his back to the edge of the arena. With one final cry, the Ice Type fainted and fell over.

There was silence as Dominic, his teeth clenched tightly, recalled his Pokemon and marched up to Drayton. Very stiffly, he bowed slightly to the boy. "My apologies for doubting your skill-"

"And intellect," he pipped up brightly, a shit-eating grin on his face.

"That too," he ground out. "The Unova Dragon Tamers have a bright future with you." Then, as if to wash the words out of his mouth, he declared to both of us. "You have shared in our food and enjoyed or hospitality. You can leave now." It was clearly not an offer but a demand.

"What about-" Drayton began before Dominic cut him off.

"That match has nothing to do with my decision on the Goomys. I will not grant you permission to take any from Paldea." Drayton looked upset, but I placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Very well, we'll make our farewells," I told Dominic and the man stomped off to deal with his bruised ego. And… is he crying? It was faint, but with my enhanced hearing, I could indeed hear that from the man, though he was walking away with his back turned to us. Huh, guess Hassel does get that at least in part from his Dad. Then again, Hassel cries over happy things, this guy is just butt hurt.

I didn't have too much attention focused on that as I instead found a small group of the Tamers led by Clayton gathered and waving me over. There were a bunch of them, mostly on the younger side, but still adults, save for one of the girls who had asked me about how I battled. Curiously, I even spotted Mera among the group, the woman looking uncomfortable, but standing her ground.

"What's all this about?" I inquired, hoping that they'd have some other answer to the obstinate problem in our way.

"While Clayton's decision is final for the authority of the clan, we can still make our own choices. All ten Tamers here have Goomys of their own, and they're willing to place them in your care for this experiment. They should help you get a colony started over at Blueberry Academy, and then can return here, a changed Dragon."

"Really?" My eyebrows shot up. That's a huge showing of trust, especially from-

"Yeah, really," Mera rolled her eyes. "I still think Terastalization is a cheap tactic, but that kind of strength Duraludon has… I want it," she said with a fierce gleam in her eyes. "Besides, I've seen you fight Hassel and heard about how you fought off a bunch of Dragon Poachers. You might not be the worst brat ever," she finished turning away from me as she held a Pokeball out.

I think that might be the most backhanded apology I've ever received, impressive. Nonetheless, I took the Pokeball and thanked her. The rest handed me a bunch of their Pokeballs, which led to a bit of confusion before we got a marker and began noting down who each of the ten Pokeball belonged to.

"Thank you for arranging this Clayton-" I began before he held a hand out. Following his gaze, I turned to see a Goodra waddling over with something oval shaped in her arms.

"I don't have any Goomys of my own to give, but Nessie was impressed by your dedication - much as Dominic might pretend otherwise, we all watched your Gauntlet matches in the meeting room. She's interested to see if you can make her kid tougher than she is - and that's no easy feat, let me tell you!"

I could barely pay any attention to his words, stuck as the Goodra walked up to me. Holding out the pale lavender spotted egg, I took it gingerly in my arms. There was a bunch of goo sticking off of it that I usually would be uncomfortable with but I paid no attention to as I held it close to me, as if it was the most fragile thing in the world. Staring into the purple giant's emerald eyes, there was a moment of understanding that passed between us, and I nodded, trying to convey all my conviction to her.

Since she let go, it seemed to work, the Dragon Type trundling back. Gulping, I turned to Clayton. "I won't let you down. Thank you."

"I know you won't. This was rougher than a Druddigon's scales, but we'd like to have you back again someday. And maybe you can give me and Goodra a good battle on that day." I gulped at the intensity of his gaze while feeling fired up at the concept of fighting him, Pseudo-Legendary Dragon vs. Pseudo-Legendary Dragon. "Hopefully, It'll be soon." There was a look of determination in his eyes as he gazed past me, to where Dominic had marched off. We might not have scored all the Pokemon we need here, but at least that's a chink in Dominic's authority. Hopefully Clayton will widen it until the day comes when Hassel can return home, and that's worthwhile too.

With that we made our proper farewells, and I left hopeful that I might get to see more of the village in the future.

Spoiler: A/N:

I know I've said this a bit before, but wow did this chapter fight me hard. I knew where I wanted to go, but getting there just felt so awkward. Still does, a little, but I'm happier with this final version than I was with how it went before.

And now Nemona has received her first Egg! Given how much has been going into this arc, she was always going to end up with a Goomy of her own, but this felt like the perfect time for her to have an egg to look after. Given it wasn't always in the plan, and Clayton being a minor character, I didn't have time to foreshadow this more. Hopefully it was still enjoyable, however.

Next up, we get a return to Kitakami to gather the last of the Goomys and maybe explore some other stuff there. What are people looking forward to/thinking will happen with the Goomys? Let me know down below or on the Discord. And if you want to read more and have a bit of money to toss my way, I have a a Kofi and a Patreon, subscribers to the latter get early access to the next ten chapters. Thank you, and I hope you're having a great day.

 

[Lillie Jones]

thanks for the chapter